We return to the room with several screens, and a young man laying in his bed, attached to a machine, with a headset over his head. One would know this is not the Neuropatch 2 but the first version. When Asper Online was first released it was made accessible to all Fulldive technologies. Companies like Brainswift and Microtot all supported the software until one day, there was a global glitch. The earliest sign of glitches began first in beta testing when a user said they were experiencing graphical illusions. Things that weren't there, were appearing. It was as if the mind was inputting data into the game, building it versus the game being the sole experience. Because of this, a special team of developers was assembled to diagnose the problem and correct it. After several months they concluded that the hardware was the issue. Something about Fulldive technology not only allowed information to be uploaded from brain information but also downloaded. Naturally, you would think the relationship between the two made sense, but with a layman's explanation, imagine, your brain as a hard drive, being accessed and written. That is what was happening. Asper Online was being installed into the minds of players, figuratively, but for others, while the hardware couldn't hold all the information it led the game to use whatever excess space it required from a host. For a game that easily became popular the game would rise, even in its early version, to meet hundreds of thousands of players. The resources it had, were to be used to sell information to advertisers and medical companies, all seeking a piece of the new frontier. As time passed, what they most feared would happen. More and more users were becoming sick and mentally ill from players hacking the hardware. After many brain scans, they realized that Asper Online wasn’t the problem but the technology wasn’t strong enough to harness the game, and they needed a more secure solution. It was too significant in size. Thus they sought a suitable company to partner with to make the necessary equipment for players to play safely. This was the Neuropatch 2. The first Fulldive technology to tame Asper Online and the hacking issue. As the game grew it would enamor plenty of players who sought the genre. Finally, the day would come when the son of the Lead Developer would show his father his new game. As he went on, his father could see his work on the screen, it was a bonding like no other. The son asks questions, seeing if he is doing things right, and the Father carefully analyzes the gameplay looking for bugs. It was one day he saw his son with a new friend in the game. It was a girl, who he knew from school. Time passed and now the two were more than just friends but in a serious relationship, but they spent much of their time in-game, hunting and questing. His father would come into his room one day after many days of not leaving his room. “Alex, come down!” He yelled. “How long has he been up there Darla?” His mother would look solemnly and he didn't take kind to this. He walked briskly up the stairs knocking on his door which it simply bugged open. He saw his son, profusely playing his game, and was astonished. A parent may look down on their child giving their life away to a video game, but for the father, both were his life's work. His son's body was malnourished, but as he looked at the screens, his son was performing to a level head never seen players do. Was this who he wanted his son to become? He’d developed this game, not for his son to waste away in. “Son, it's time for dinner..”

He said it with a stern voice and was ignored. “Alex…”

“Alex Junior Wilder, you log off this instant!”

On the screen Alex was battling several players at once, neutralizing each in a moment's notice, but it wasn’t the response Ashton wanted. He walked up to his son and grabbed his Neuropatch. Tugging it away from his head. It was a moment he'd never forget. The day he’d lose his son in the game. Several months passed and his phone would receive its final message before it died.

Dear Alex,

By the time you get this message, it will be too late. Some terrible things are going to happen and I don’t know how to stop it. Your father is trying to do something with your Neuropatch. I’ve never seen this before. If this message ever gets to you, please know we will save you. Then we could finally start our go to Peru as we planned. Maybe Jamaica. Just the two of us…

Sent 5 years ago…

In the current day, Alex lay flat, breathing heavily as one of his screens flickered with the burning of a golden city. He seemed enraged and furious. He couldn’t explain it. “Where is everyone?" The large golden dragon's head would turn to face the sky. “I will burn even the skies to the ground!” He let out a flurry of flames from his mouth towards the sky. He then for a moment felt something. It had been so long but he felt his hand and heard a subtle voice. “Use this when the time comes.” It was like an echo until it finally subsided and he continued to lay waste to Dydas.

Meanwhile, another character would hear this same echo. His eyes widened as he awoke on a wooden table. He came to, pushing himself up with his arms and then his knee, planting himself in a crouching position. “What time is it?” He asks looking at a familiar face. It was who once was Julia, who was now known as Mad.

“So you’re finally awake.”

The table of members sat silently awaiting something. He was none the wiser.

“Do you know why I brought you here?” Mad questioned Jun. She was seated at the head of the table while each of the other members took the side seats.

“Julia come on. No more games. It’s me Jun..”

She first looked at him softly, nearing his face until she finally broke into laughter. “It’s always been me. Mad!. Julia was just a personality I put on.” She then slammed the table. “Right, guys!”

All of the members cheered in support of their leader.

“What about all of those times? When we first met fighting the Hillsbane?”

“Oh, that?” She began. She snapped her finger displaying footage of the event. It showed many players fighting the World Boss when a single player came into the fray, killing everyone and hitting the boss with a single strike. “I was careful not to kill it.”

In the footage, Jun pushes Julia aside from the Hillsbane attack. It was then that he saw what happened. In the footage, Madder reveals herself from his shadow and finishes the Hillsbane, but also kills Julia in the same swing. In another swing she then finishes off Jun. “Wait Madder killed me…” He thought. He became curious. Why would Madder kill Julia?” He looked closer at the footage and saw Julia attempting to pull at Jun’s head. “Wait what were you doing?” He yelled.

“To make it seem like the Hillsbane killed us, she killed both of us in a split second as we killed the HIllsbane. You’d get your XP, and I’d lose my chance to slay you brat.” Mad said jokingly

She would then pull another footage. It was the Tavern in Yueyun. As Jun went to his room, it would show him transport to another area. It would then show Madder standing in the room with a blinking red bar. “I wish she told me that would happen.” He thought. But then something suddenly a figure popped up. It was Julia.

“Stay away from him, Mad!” Madder yelled.

Julia who was thought to be entering the room, simply stood at its doorstep, standing as still as a ghost. “And what if I don’t”

Suddenly A slash slit through Julia’s waist, and an alarm rang. She would fizzle respawning at a nearby respawn location. She took afoot, running faster than Jun knew she was capable of returning to the city. “If Madder just kept her hands to herself, we wouldn't have invited all of that company. Idiot.” Mad exclaimed. She seemed unimpressed but it was also due to her seeming manic personality that her perspective came to constantly assure Jun of the fact that Mad all along, was lying to him.

Next, she would show footage of Black Market. A perspective in which the player was synapsing her. As the player summoned water over her, the camera panned closer to her face and she was not gasping for air, but smiling. “What funny guys! They thought they could synapse an “Id”. She slapped her wrist and finally when the spell was broken it showed her quickly turning back to play the character of Julia.

She finally showed footage of Outer Space. “This is what you want to see isn't it?” The footage showed Madder in Outer Space, chained to something he didn't understand. “You see Jun. You are my ticket. You are our prize.” She rubbed her fingers. “Now that we have assembled here on Peppermint, not only do we own Humanity now, but we'll also take this server hostage.”

“Why would you even do that? This is just a game…”

“That's what the naive think. This was never just a game Jun. Some very important people want their customers as safe as possible. And a lot of mommies and daddies who want their children back…” She paused, finally putting up another image. “It was the player base, all defeated but also unable to log out. It showed players attempting to leave, and clicking sign out, but they were unsuccessful. “I wouldn’t call myself a farmer, but I don’t mind selling off Vegetables.”

Jun was growing tired of her display and looked around and none of the members reacted. “Do you all agree to this!” He turned and faced players he never knew. “How can you accept this? This is criminal, this is crazy. This is…”

“Madness,” Mad said softly. “I know. But it's what He deserves.”

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She turned to face a window that opened its blinds to a vast darkness with a hint of light skirmishing across it like it was water racing over land. “Men are an interesting species. First, you are sons then you are a father. But does the life of a son equal that of a father? His sins? A son for a son? A Father for a father? A Son for a Father is an interesting trade, you’d say Tradesman?” She referred to Jun who quickly got a glance at the outside. He pulled up his HUD looking to see his location on his map, but it simply responded with, “Not enough resources.”

The blinds closed abruptly. “Don’t worry you're safe for now, bugbrains.” She then pointed at one of the members at the table. It was Nero. “Take him to his cell.”

The player approached Jun, grabbing him by his back and carrying him over his shoulder. Nero was no bigger than Jun but was still capable. “Now quiet down.” He whispered. He continued through the door and Jun took a final look into the room and could hear Mad mention something. “And now for Phase 2…” The door shut, and he could hear no more.

Nero would carry Jun until he reached a cell. Jun wasn’t going to let Nero take him unwavering, so he tried to struggle but Nero simply contained him. While struggling, he noticed an odd glow coming from Nero. He focused on the glowing object and he suddenly; felt a rush push his head back. He didn't know what it was exactly, but it was coming from his pocket. He opened it and threw Jun onto the floor taking a bit of damage.Nero would then receive a message that appeared in front of him from Mad, “careful now, no one likes their veggies scarred.”

“My bad boss,” Nero said, closing the message screen. “Coward!” Jun would yell.

Nero turned, walking to return to the room, when Jun yelled. “What is your plan!” Jun took this moment to look for the glowing object.

Nero paused only for a moment. He turned back and back front. “The Alex I know died many years ago. You’re just a ghost.” Jun finally spotted the object, it seemed familiar. It was a blackfeather. ‘Blackfeathers feather…” Memories of their encounter in Elleon rummaged through his brain, but then something resonated with him. He remembered what Blackfeather said. “He called Madder Honey?” He thought. “He was featherknight. Wasn’t he on her side?” His mind would then race to Crypto. Jun couldn’t truly understand the relationships between the bunch, Bad, Madder, Blackfeather, and now a Madfeather. “This is getting out of hand.”

As Nero turned, Jun rose and for a split second noticed the feather glowing dimly, but it still glowed luminously. Nero did not notice this because of where the feather was. The glow was blocked by his clothing. When Nero had finally left Jun’s view, he lay back on the floor, with his hands behind his head.

“So I guess this is Asper Online. Huh.”

Back in the room, Nero would return through the doors.

“What took you so long!” Mad asked of him to which he simply took his seat and she continued. “Fine. Back to the schedule.”

On the table was now a map of Asper Online’s Peppermint Server, World. It showed all the lands and the current population of players above level 100.

“We’ve done quite the culling haven't we?” One of the players said. It was Nox, who scratched his head.

“We’ve done well, while we took the chance to activate Madfeather.” They pulled up the screen of Madfeather. Aside from Madfeather, only seven players are above the level 100 threshold, excluding Madder.”

She clenched her hand in a fist curling it, and tensing it. “She’ll come and she’ll drop the domination event, to which well then, Lay claim to this realm.”

“What if she doesn't leave boss?” Nero asked.

“If she doesn't then We’ll begin Operation Farmer’s Market?” She said with a smirk. “Starting with each player under level 100.”

There seemed to be a bit of hesitation in the room. “It seems you have lost a bit of faith in my leadership. How about this? Once we reign over this realm, we will then seek the others and own this entire game. Why own one realm, when we can rule the Asper universe!”

“That’s what I’m talking about!” One of the members yelled.

“Always thinking outside the box” Yanderes yelled.

Nox began to clap.

Nero sat quietly.

‘Nero you don’t like this idea?”

“I’m just a little hesitant…” He said gracefully.

“Fine to show you my resolve.” Mad opened her screen. It showed a list of players online at the moment. There were hundreds of usernames. “Pick a card, any card!” She then began scrolling through the list. “Say stop!”

The list would continue to scroll and Nero didn’t say stop, but finally Mad stopped the list on a name. “NTJenny, Level 80? Does this seem like the name of a good person? Not Jenny? Sorry. It is you, Jenny!” Mad raised her hands peering through the screen to where the player was. The player was hiding in a Tavern on the outskirts of Matrice. She was with some other players. “Yeah, we must resist these players!” NTJenny was yelling. She seemed to be rallying many players to head out and stop the domination event. “Oh, a rebel we have here!” The voice would sound through the room, quickly stopping her midspeech sending a chill down her spine. Mad then reached out as if she was grabbing the player's neck but quickly went above her head. “NTJenny,” She then raised her hand and NTJenny's body fell to the floor. The players rallied and were all in awe, shaken by what had happened. “There's a hacker!” one of the players yelled and all of the rebel players began running. A song would come to mind as she inspected each of the players. She then reached her hand quickly over the players and one by one, each was synapsed. As she rang the sick and quick destruction of these players' lives she sang. “You’re a Veggie, in the 80s. You’re a Veggie!”

Meanwhile, five players sat on a table in a fallen Ju Win city. “You couldn’t think of a better spot?”

“You just have to port’ here. It takes no effort.” Hagerty retorted.

“It’s just like you always doing the most with no result,” Oege said.

“Guys!” Grande yelled. “We got things to discuss!”

The Guildless players sat in Vice’s old player base, where there were a few spaces to hide from threats.

“So what’s the plan then?” Oege asked Grande. Grande looked straight into Oege’s eyes, deeply. After a short moment, she cracked. “I don’t know!”

The group sighed. “Well, it's obviously to stop Madder right?” Diggy said confidently.

“No, you dimwit,” Mandy responded. “Mad! We have to stop Mad.”

“Madder. Mad,” Diggy remarked. “Why name yourself after a negative emotion? “Why not Smile, or Happy?”

Grande would turn to Diggy and he felt a stern disappointment from her stare.

“Okay Madder is great!” he said forcibly.

As it would seem, Grande was the voice of the group and acting leader. This wasn't because of simply respect but because, in Borealis, Madder was Vice-Captain of the Guild while Grande was the strategist. “We have an issue. Madfeather is wreaking havoc in Dydas and is heading to Elleon. Madder must maintain the Domination Event…”

“Diggy, who was as confused as most, raised his hand. “Madfeather-who?”

“Aluxan is Madfeather, just as Madfeather is Aluxan. a now Split Personality, but still a member of Borealis” She explained.

“Wait Aluxan’s evil!” He yelled.

“Not exactly,” Oege answered. “He was a kind player, one that sought to make many friends, and create a place where people could grow.”

“You just like him because he lets you model his character!” Mandy yelled.

“Fine, but he was a nice person,” she uttered.

Grande slammed her hand on the table. The seriousness of the broken room with no ceiling became quiet. “We don’t have time to joke around. The lives of people we care about are in danger and…”

“We know,” Oege said softly. “Which is why we must act hesitantly and carefully. You should know this. You are the strategist.”

“Which is why Madder wanted me to come last.” She announced. “So I could weed out Mad’s followers. So far our list is…”

“Nox,” Hagerty said.

“Yanderes.” Oege said.

“Nero,” Grande said.

‘And Madfeather?” Diggy blurted out.

“For now...” Grande nodded. “Hopefully we can change his mind.”

Diggy still didn’t understand but nodded, faking his understanding. “Yep…Yep.”

Then Mandy pointed to the sky. “And what about that?” She pointed to the eclipse which represented the Domination Event. “Why aren't we stopping this?”

“There are two sides to the Domination Event. First is the realm ownership side which you know and have seen very well. Then there is the deleveling factor which slowly eliminates player levels momentarily allowing characters to be taken out of the Event but still logged on but not able to leave the event until it's over. Which means…”

“Does this mean that until the event is over players are stuck below level 100?” Diggy reasoned aloud.

“That was the smartest thing you’ve said all day,” Hagerty responded.

Grande nodded. “For some reason, it is easier to Synapse players whose level is lower than 100. The game for some reason has a harder time messing with the information of players who've been playing longer.”

“It's because our databases are far greater,” Mandy explained. “Because there is more information, there are more structures bonding data together.”

“How do you”

“I took a class in Neuro Gaming in University…”

“More like bullshit science…” Diggy said with a face of disbelief.

“She right,” Grande said. “For some reason, the game acts this way with the Neuropatch 2, but if a player was to momentarily lose all that data that was accrued, then.”

“That player now becomes susceptible to the hack which partitions a person into new characters.”

“Precisely.” Grande came to. She hadn’t noticed the answer came from Diggy who was seeking her acknowledgment but she had quickly moved on to the next topic. She then drew on the table with an imaginary pen which seemed to display the ink of her pen. “Which is why we must move on to our next Objective. Before we can stop Madfeather we must breach Horizon, and retrieve Jun.”

“What is Horizon?” Diggy questioned but was quickly dismissed.

“Any ideas on how to get in?” Hagerty asked.

“I have one but I don’t think he’ll like it.

From afar a horse galloped its way to their location. It was none other than Hargerty’s trusty steed. “Law! You son of a gun, where have you been!”

“Right now Mad’s radar is on all humanoid players. I’m assuming because I’ve noticed that I’ve been inspected about 100 times in the last 30 minutes which means she is watching us, but I am certain that she doesn’t know that Law is a player because He joined after her Synapse. She also wouldn't know about his PBE: Skill.”

“You called?” Law said.

Hagerty walked up to Law and slapped him over the head, with a slight smirk on his face as if he were a ventriloquist “Hey there buddy! You know what we said about talking out loud? It may give us away! Heh…heh.” Law was able to get the gist from Hagerty.

“That reminds me.”

Finally, the last two players would arrive. It was Aethera and Gaston. “It's been a while Gaston said to the old Guild Leaders and they pounced their hands together. “So what’s the plan?”

“Now that we're all here, We’ll begin Operation Enter Horizon.