Major-general Douglas Scott could never expect that a seemingly easy PVP-Quest would turn out like this. For him, Warscape Online wasn't just a game. As one of the participants of the Closed Beta that was open only to the military of the Four Major Countries, he knew the true meaning behind this VRMMO.
His success in the game was equal to the success of his country. The complete loss of his Avatar could very well mean the loss of his job and his future. He couldn't afford something like this - he had a family that relied on him. That desperately required him.
His daughter's treatment needed all the money he could muster. If he lost the main source of his outcome, it could mean losing the most important treasure in his life - his sole daughter.
The things would be different if he was in a Safe Zone or even in a PVP Zone. Even if he died, he'd still keep his Avatar. But in the Danger Zone where he currently was, death meant that everything he'd achieved so far would be lost. The only way to change this would be having a Ressurection Crest on him, but, even among his superiors, this item was extremely rare and precious. Perhaps, to some of them, a single Crest was more valuable than the life of Douglas. His real life, that is. When the fates of countries were at stake, the lives of soldiers like him were disposable.
Clenching his teeth, the man grasped his claymore with both hands. He trained in the use of this weapon for years, especially to become a capable Heavy Warrior in the game. His full plate armor covered most of his tall body, and his bearded face was completely hidden under a steel helmet.
But neither his skill with two-handed swords nor his powerful armor reassured the major-general. Even if the enemy Player was of a lower level, he and his summons had already slain three members of the Party Douglass had joined. The worst part? They didn't even know what struck them!
When they entered this abandoned nameless temple in the mid of a forest, there were five of them. According to the information provided by the Quest, there should have been only one Player with Evil-alignment and with a level below that of any of the Party members. The only reason why there was a whole Party of five was the fact that the Quest mentioned a lot of treasures, and too many people decided to participate. They were just the strongest Party out of dozens of people who wanted to claim the Player's head and the items hidden in the temple.
"Louise," the man called to the only one of his companions left, "let's get the Hell out of here before it's too late. You'll slowly proceed to the basement's exit, and I'll cover your back. Understood?"
The young girl in mage attire nodded and obeyed his order without saying anything. Her delicate face was struck with terror, and her hands trembled. The absolute darkness of the underground tunnels of the temple was warded off by her Light-magic spell, but it didn't provide any sense of security.
The two of them were left as a rearguard, and so when their companions ahead died with screams of unimaginable agony, they couldn't even imagine what happened.
As they slowly advanced towards the exit, which was less than fifty meters away, Douglass didn't lower his guard even for a moment. Ready to use his Skills, including the Ultimate ones, at any sign of the enemy, he scanned the tunnels with his back to Louise.
Suddenly, a single short shriek resounded from behind him. It was his female companion, without a mistake. Then, the only source of light disappeared, and complete darkness made her grand entrance.
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The situation didn't make any sense. Douglass knew that the path back was clear - the tunnel was only two meters wide and didn't have any forks or doors so far. And the man was sure that nothing had passed him to attack the girl.
Without wasting even a second on idle thoughts, the major-general activated one of his Ultimate Skills - Unstoppable Charge.
His Force Points decreased by almost half, and dim silver light surrounded his body in a powerful barrier. Then, his body got filled with strength and made him sprint right towards the exit like a raged bull who saw red.
It was a well-rounded ability that could be used for offense, defense, and escape. Now, he decided to use it for the latter. Faced with the unknown threat, Douglass Scott chose the safest option.
The light of the Skill illuminated the surroundings just well enough for him to see the path ahead. Just a little bit more, and he'd be at the exit.
Still, life loved to give unexpected surprises. More often than not, they tasted like shit. The stone slab that was left open when he and his Party entered the basement was now closed. Being optimistic, the man decided to test the sturdiness of the slab with his claymore. Still charging, Douglass smashed the stone with his heavy weapon.
Unfortunately, optimism is always destined to be crushed by cruel reality. Without leaving even a scratch in the stone slab, the major-general crushed into it at his full charging speed. His Health Points decreased by half, and he got afflicted with the [Stun] status effect.
The military-grade Neurogear that he used to connect provided a maximum of 40% decrease in pain, and Douglass, to achieve an even better connection between the game and his brain, limited the decrease even further - to 20%. So the pain he felt was almost as real as it would be in reality.
As his Skill's duration ended, it no longer provided any light. Left in a terrible condition in complete darkness, the major-general felt despair. He'll die, and then he'll lose the chance to pay for his daughter's expensive treatment. Then, she will succumb to the illness without any hope for survival...
He could feel how his eyes started to moisten. It's over. Everything is over.
On pure willpower, Douglass stood up. Even if the chances were minimal, he still wouldn't just give up. He still wanted to fight to the end, betting everything on the non-existent chance of victory—everything for his family.
Suddenly, he could hear dull footsteps. At an even unhurried pace, someone approached him from the other end of the tunnel. Each step resounded through the darkness, making the man - the hardened soldier - shiver.
In the absolute blackness of the place, he could see two crimson specks of light that shined like two bloody stars. Those were the eyes of his formidable adversary, the one who got closer to him with each passing second.
In those terrible crimson stars, Douglass could see the emotions of this terrible being - immeasurable arrogance, barely hidden disdain, and... lighthearted amusement.
Then, he remembered. It wasn't a monster. It wasn't a game Boss set on slaying everyone. Just like him, this being was a Player. A human from Earth who just played a game for his enjoyment. Perhaps, he still had a chance to leave this place alive...
The soldier dropped his weapon and removed his helmet. Then, he knelt down and lowered his head before the other Player.
"Please spare my life, Sir Invictus!" Douglass pleaded, his voice trembling. "I beg you! I'll do anything you want. I'll give you all my items and money. I'll tell you the secrets of this game and help you as much as I can! Let me serve you until I redeem my sin of choosing to attack you!"
The amusement in his opponent's eyes suppressed all other emotions.
With a smirk, the man known as Invictus Malus answered, "I give you ten seconds to tell me the most useful information you know. Then we'll see. Start now."
Douglass clenched his teeth. He had a hunch that something ordinary wouldn't satisfy this person. But what about the secrets that shouldn't be shared with the general public?
Even if it meant losing his job if the higher-ups found out, he still decided to risk it. Otherwise, he'd lose it anyway after dying right here. In either case, he doubted that this information would be kept a secret under wraps for longer than another month or two. It was big. Too big, perhaps.
Raising his head and looking right into the crimson stars that scrutinized his reaction, Douglass Scott revealed the secret that would change the life of the person opposite of him. And, perhaps, the fate of the whole world.