The fear sat on him like a pillow over his mouth and nose. Enough air got by it, allowing his body to keep functioning, it's crippling was all the same. He couldn't breathe, it felt as if someone was choking him. His heart was racing and all he wanted to do was curl up into a ball and wait for someone to save him. But no one would no one was there. A choked cry for help forced itself up his throat, and he felt a drop run down his cheek. It seemed as if this was the end of the road for him. The adrenaline flew over his veins like a carp through the river, but he couldn't move a single muscle, not even to scream. The absolute horror completely paralyzed him, and the more he thought about running away, or simply moving a bit, the more he felt discouraged and utterly terrified. He didn't remember being this scared in his life. And that was just the beginning. That idea only made it worse. If that was even possible. He was going about his days normally when he suddenly felt an agonizing pain on the back of his head and then he passed out. The next thing he knew, he was rudely awakened by the feeling of freezing water being splashed at his skin.

"Now I am going to ask you a few couple of questions. You better answer them honestly as much as possible with full in-depth explanations. Got it?" came a voice from in front of him. There was an old man standing there. In the dim light, he could not properly see the facial features of the old man, but he was terrifying nonetheless.

The man was asked confidential information about the organization he worked for. He refused to answer as the consequences for spilling this type of details would be devastating if they were found out. He was not omitting anything, so he was subjected to gruesome torture. He had one of his nails ripped out each time the old man asked a question and he kept silent. After each time a nail was forcefully removed from his hands, then there was a liquid poured on his nailless fingers to keep them from getting infected and to furthermore extend his torturous pain. The man passed out several times before giving in to the pain and agreeing to explain everything that the old man wanted to ask. The consequences of his actions from the organization would have to wait as he was not willing to bear the horrendous torture ever again.

He was furthermore threatened as the old man, without any emotion, said "If you have any funny ideas about not fully being cooperative with us or thinking of giving us false information. We will put your wife through the torture of our twenty best-skilled men until we break her, we will also torture your son as much as possible before killing him. You have a choice to make and do not make sure you regret it."

After some more debriefing about the specifics of the game 'Underneath', the old man stopped asking questions and clapped his hands twice. Then the man felt a blunt force hit his head and he passed out. The next thing he knew, he was chained to a chair in a beautiful room with five people looking at him. The intensity of their stares further broke the mental state of the man. It was like he was the prey and they were going to devour every piece of his flesh. His heart hammered and his brain was short-circuiting with anxious thoughts.

"Please do-don't k-k-kill me. Please l-l-let me and my fa-fa-family go." said the man. He desperately tried to hide how fearful he was. He could somewhat control the tremor in his voice to a degree. He could consciously will his body movements to be less stilted. He could make himself calm somewhat even if it looked pasted on. But his perspiration was a law unto itself and in no time at all there were two darkly staining patches under each armpit, exposing his fearful state.

"What's your name?" asked the muscular man sitting on the table

"Ba-Ba-Bacus," said the man

"Well, Bacus. We have some more questions regarding the game 'Underneath'. Would you be kind enough to help us?" said Yama grinning

"Su-Su-Sure"

"Give me some background information about the game. More specifically when the player first enters it. What's the process and what happens?"

"We-We-Well, when the player first enters the ga-ga-game, they are greeted by a white-haired elf na-na-named Qu-Qu-Quora-"

"Is Quora going to be a reoccurring NPC in 'Underneath' or she's just going to be there for the introduction of the game?" interrupted Hunt. He had some knowledge regarding the nature of virtual reality games so he was the one asking the most questions.

Bacus knew this voice. It was the voice of the man that tortured and blackmailed him using his family. There was the feeling of tightening in his chest. It's was the way that when you open our lips, no sound could make it past or the way it robbed him of his senses and replaced it with something that made his muscles contract and eyes widen in dread. It's was the desperation in a scream and panic in his eyes and the fear -- the pure, unadulterated terror. Hearing the man's voice again, Bacus unconsciously started trembling and answered his questions in fear.

" S-S-She is not a re-re-recurring NPC but she is going to pl-pl-play a major part in the ma-ma-main story quest later on."

"The main story quest? Care to explain further," said Titus

" Af-Af-After some conditions are m-m-met in the game, the main st-st-storyline in the game will st-st-start. This will allow pl-pl-players more op-op-opportunities to become stronger and gain fa-fa-fame in the world of 'Un-Un-Underneath'. For the actual st-st-storyline, I only have a ro-ro-rough idea as I was in-in-incharge of the overseeing the pro-pro-process of the bal-bal-balance in the game."

"So how much of the story do you know?" asked Hunt

"There are mul-mul-multiple stages of the st-st-storyline, I only know until stage one be-be-because we only the programmed the lin-linear series of events until then. The other st-st-stages of the game will take the va-va-variables from stage one and this can lead to vast po-po-possibilities on how the next stages are going to turn out. The ge-ge-general premise of the game is that a gr-gr-great evil will raise in 'Underneath' and the players will be tasked to eli-eli-eliminate it. " said Bacus

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Hmm... Okay, now continue from when the player enters the game," asked Hunt

"After meeting Qu-Qu-Quora the players can choose their spe-species in the game. De-De-Depending on what species you ch-ch-choose, it's going to affect your ga-ga-gameplay vastly. You have the option of ch-ch-choosing between a lesser creature and a greater sp-sp-species. The lesser creatures in-in-include goblins, imps, ratmen, mermen etc while the greater sp-sp-species include humans, dwarves, elves etc. After every cr-cross point at rank 25, 50,75 and 100, the pl-player will have a cross-species rank up op-opportunity where they will be able to be-become a stronger sp-species with better racial abilities and passives. Then at rank 13, 38, 63 and 113, the pl-players will advance to a gre-greater form of their current species, becoming st-stronger. There are at least th-three options every time you start branching out from your na-native sp-species and there can be more if you can fulfill certain requirements to unlock more. For e.g, a human that has dr-drank more than certain liters of blood can get the opportunity to become a va-vampire when ranking up."

"Care to give an example of a species rank up, Bacus?"

"Of-Of course, let's say you ch-choose a lesser creature like goblin as your race. At ra-rank 13, you can advance to a ho-hobgoblin and at rank 25, you can become an og-ogre and at rank 30, a gr-greater-orge and so on. It, how-however, can be one or two levels off de-depending your adr-adrenaline levels at the time.

"What's the difference between choosing to start out as a lesser creature and a greater species? " asked Titus

"This is going to be co-co-common knowledge when we release the game, so the players can ch-choose wisely. A greater species will-will randomly get te-teleported and start their adventures in one of the major cities and have many resources for their needs for e.g. a weapon's shop, a blacksmith etc. Lesser creatures, on the other hand, start out in a middle of nowhere with their monster tribe with barely any resources. The ma-major cities offer protection from monsters of the wild while you will be in constant fear in the tribe, however, the experience can vary depending on the head el-elder's level in the trib-

" From what I see, what's the point of choosing between them as greater species is vastly more advantageous?" interrupted Hunt

"We-Well, when you ch-choose to become a le-lesser creature, you have mo-more options when choosing your sp-specific species and there are more evo-evolutionarily paths available when advancing. The people will get more ex-experience when playing as a le-lesser creature be-because there won't be as much co-competition for the hunting fields. Ho-However, the most advantageous part about choosing a lesser creature is that you have on-one extra racial passive when co-compared to greater species."

"Is getting an extra racial passive that big of a deal?" asked Yama

"In the ov-overall field of play, there are ma-many opportunities to get racial abilities, so it's not that pr-precious but in the be-beginning stages of the game, it can be really helpful," said Bacus

"Can you become a greater species such as a human from a lesser creature ?" asked Hunt

"Y-Yes, that is possible however there is no po-point of doing that as you can just choose it in the beginning," said Bacus

"Hmmm, okay continue."

" The gr-greater species have better sur-survivability rates from dying, better resources at their disposal and are mo-more friendly with other gr-greater species and their ranked up NPC's. Le-Lesser creatures can be made to un-uniquely suit an individual's type gameplay because they can un-unlock more unique species, they have one extra racial passive in the beginning and they are more fri-friendly with other lesser creatures and their ranked up NPC's."

"Is that the all the difference?" asked Haizel

"There are others li-like racial quests and storyline bu-but this is the gist of it. This co-content will be told to players by Qu-Qu-Quora when people say "yes" when she asks if they are un-unfamiliar with the game. However, it's not as in-depth as I have explained."

" Do you know what species can rank-up to what?" asked Hunt

"S-S-Sorry, I was more sp-specifically involved in the class ba-balancing section of the game, I don't ha-have any idea about the races of the game," said Bacus

"No problem, continue your explanation," said Titus nodding is head.

"There are no-normal classes everyone can take by going to a job ce-center and learning from a trainer and they include warriors, wizard, assassins etc. They will be the cla-classes that the majority of the player base will select. Also, there wi-will be un-uncommon class have little mo-more unique play styles.

Then there are ra-racial classes that have racial limitations such as being an elf or a ranked elf species to become a druid, a human or a ranked species to become a monk etc, a pe-person that's a human can also become a druid but they will have 30% of the job's status locked and level up th-their abilities slower. Then come ra-rare classes that can be ga-gained by doing a certain task, for e.g. completing a quest or finding an item/place that has the class. Th-Then comes the unique classes that can be unlocked through various achievements and items. Lastly, th-they have id-idiosyncratic classes that are one of a kind, where the player will have to complete a certain sc-scenario, in a certain place, with a ce-certain method and in a certain time. All the classes are not stronger or weaker than others as they are meant to be played by players with different play styles. Ho-However, the id-idiosyncratic classes are a little stronger than others and is an exception as they are meant for players that start out late to catch up to older players. They are meant for players that start out about two to three years after the in-initial game ." explained Bacus

"Wouldn't it be unfair for other players to get an idiosyncratic class? That totally breaks the balance of the game," asked Hunt

"Well, the requirements for getting an idiosyncratic class are made in such a way that they can on-only be done completely at the later stages of the game releases. The market saturation of high-class items and potions should let the later players be able to get the clas-"

"Can they be completed at the beginning of the game?" interrupted Atom

"We-Well, it's theoretically possible but very, very difficult to achieve. This is do-done to give newer players hope in and further pressure the older players. Th-This is actually pretty balanced as the new player might have an st-stronger class but can never hope to beat ol-older player with a normal class, this is be-because there will be more drastic ways to po-power up as more time you spend in the game."

"So you worked in the process of making the classes and their balances in the game?" asked Hunt

"Ye-Yes, I was the supervisor that was in charge of overseeing with the overall process of the creation of the classes and their effects on the game."

Hunt grinned and said, " So, you must have all the data about the classes and how to get them."

"Ye-Ye-Yes, I do."

"Then, this is going to be fun. hahahaha" laughed Hunt