My stats go beyond the boundaries of what the system allows.

I have all the end-game items and equipment.

All the skills of both players and NPCs acquired and all the requirements met.

I can replicate every object and character then manipulate and alter them.

There is no place I can't set foot upon.

My wealth only rivaled in magnitude by the price on my head, a concerted effort every kingdom of the realm.

Legendary is an understatement for me.

There is only one problem.

I keep getting banned for cheating.

Test subjects upon test subjects, deleted. I wonder how long would it take for them to track me and find me. I shivered at the thought. Not again, never.

It's almost four in the morning and I still can't find a way to work my way around this game's system. Ten hours of trial and error, variable after variable, bugs after bugs. This shit's defenses are too damn high. But hopefully not unbreakable, I haven't used all the bots, scripts and programs yet.

Countless accounts just got banned for my not so glorious cause, only less than a hundred or so remains.

I can't even hack the currency for an additional one measly point and get away with it. Frustrated, I decided to close my eyes and take a deep breath. Still not refreshed. I pulled away and grabbed my black hoodie. I was heading toward the mirror at the side of the hall, but I asked myself, do I really want to see myself right now? So I headed outside instead.

The cold wind blew past me before I could put on the hoodie and zip it.

I can't see the sun but the sky is already lit, partially that is. But not bright enough that the stars and the moon are outshined.

As I thought about where I went wrong with the program, I got stuck on the thought of playing the game. That, maybe I'll get an idea, or just end up enjoying too much and either forget my work or ignore it completely.

Should I hire someone to make a private server for safer tinkering? Of course, it ran the risk of getting snitched by a game developer who never made it. I'm also hesitant because of the cost of labor and the cost of that accomplice to shut its mouth.

The muscle aches and hunger cut through my thoughts, so I drop the ideas for a moment and started briskly walking down the sidewalk.

Everyone from the neighborhood seems to still be asleep, except that one house at the edge of the subdivision who still had its lights on. A white spot in the distance. A roughly fifteen minutes travel by foot when heading down and about doubled when going back, but that's just for me.

The woman by the bottom of the slope, adjacent to the cul-de-sac. She's probably reading or writing. She is the last person to move into the neighborhood. We're friends, or at least that's what I'd like to think. She is a good person, somehow.

I would know, I've been to her house a couple of times for the past years. Not every day per se, just enough to know that she isn't interested in me in a way that I can appreciate most, or in men in general, or in people, like, at all. She would sit in front of her laptop all day and take a quick jog in the afternoon. Then go to the mall shopping a few times a week. I used to be her stalker, I mean who wouldn't be?

Now that I think about it, during the day, it's just the two of us in this part of the district. Because everyone besides us is busy at work for most of the day in the city nearby.

Often times she will lose her internet connection and spend the day at my house till the connection is back at her place, which I still find weird considering the type of house she has. So we ended up becoming partners every now and then.

I stopped walking, I'm at the front of her house. Well, it's more of a library considering all the books there and the lack of 'personality' therein.

Should I ask her for breakfast or should I cut to the chase? While deciding, a yawn escaped from me, forcing my eyes to close. It stings, so I rubbed them.

The sound of the engines from the mechanical door whirred to life, and it opened, revealing a white light too bright for me at the moment, I could see her silhouette. She must have seen me coming through the security cameras and decided to meet me halfway.

She was wearing a grey sweater too large for her, the sleeves ran past her fingertips and the sweater itself is long enough to cover her knees. The hood donned, only allowing her round face to be seen.

"What gives? It's four-thirty, you're supposed to be in bed until eleven." She demanded.

She was holding something, she must have noticed me looking at it and she hid it behind her.

"Woi, what's that in your arm?"

Her creased eyebrows unfurled and took a few steps backward. Her eyes lit up and her thin lips curled into a smile.

She giggled. "What arm?"

I took a step forward and she spun around to go inside. I sprung forward and caught her wrist.

I pulled the sleeves of her jacket up to reveal what she was holding, only to release it the moment I saw the thing. A small gun with a dark metallic finish.

"Woman! That thing is illegal here!" I tried to keep my voice low so it came out as a hiss between my teeth.

"Hah. Only if you use them, Sir." He gave a half-assed salute and winked at me."Which I didn't, so go home, I'm about to go to bed." Her arms stretching upward but something was off, was she faking it?

"Nuh-uh, not until you tell me why you have one of those. Did you know that thing can kill people?" I immediately thought that she didn't need it if she wanted to kill someone, this girl is bigger than most guys I personally know. And she is built like someone who trains to do some ass-whooping anytime and anywhere.

She pulled back the hood of her sweater, revealing her platinum long hair that seems to come to life in the presence of the light inside her lobby.

"Nah. I'd know, I tried, see?" Her feet parted and he started punching through the air, and eerily aimed at me. "My arm still works, the shock freaking hurts that I thought I was gonna faint, but I didn't. I endured." She folded her arms, stood straight and closed her eyes as though proud of what he just told.

I was gonna say 'It's because your fat' but I didn't want to upset her right now. "That gun is capable of shooting about a tenth of an ampere. It skips my understanding of why would a person think it's a good idea to electrocute himself." I sat at the nearest chair not taking my eyes off of her, one golden eye peeked to see what I was doing. I removed my jacket and hanged it in another chair.

"I wouldn't expect someone like you to understand, it was to evaluate the extents of my fortitude." Her voice containing the usual dignified tone.

"If you're gonna be suicidal, can I at least have your portable volumetric three-d projector cube if you die? You're not even using it." I pulled my legs up the chair and hugged them, then I rested my head atop my knees.

She unfurled her arms then hopped up and sat at the table across the room, leaning against her propped arms, her long legs dangling at the edge. Then her legs swung back and forth.

"You're not having it kid, I'll give you all these books instead." Her thumbs pointing across the room.

The walls are filled with shelves and the space within it held so many dividers that space left only offered enough room for a person to walk through. Every corner of that side of the room is permeated with perfectly stacked books. That part of the room is huge but it seems so small to me.

"This girl." I put down my legs chuckling."Back in the days, I bet when people see these many books they probably think 'Oh! A Library!', now they're just primitive items, relics from a bygone age, inefficient tools that were bound to be replaced from the very beginning."

She was looking at me with disinterested eyes."You want coffee bro bro?" She asked.

"Yes, please. Oh! And Pie." I promised myself no small talk but my train of thoughts is derailed every time she opens her mouth.

She hummed in hesitation, taking her time to think "Only if you teach me how to make that gravy you whipped up last week."

"Deal."

She slid down the table and went past the library.

"Give my coffee enough milk that it becomes milk with coffee." I shouted.

"I ran out of milk."She shouted back. 'No, you didn't.' I thought to myself.

I stood and walked to the nearest shelf of books.

I grabbed one at random only to put it back due to an uninteresting title or cover. A few minutes passed and I still can't find anything I could actually digest. This section of the room only has History and Sports.

"What genre are you looking for?" She was back at the table putting down a slice of pie on a plate and two cups.

"Fantasy and Sci-fi."

"They're at my room." She stirred her coffee."Have you read a book before Jake?"

"Of Course-"

"And finished it."She cut me.

I sucked my lips in and tried to think of something to change the subject.

"No spoon for the pie?" Nailed it.

"You can use the one on your cup of coffee, you don't wash the dishes you jerk, besides, you don't have bargaining powers left." She sat down and took a sip."So, what brings you here?"

"Oh! Right, Uhm, I was thinking of having you come over tonight."

"And? Do what, exactly." Still using that disinterested tone at me. She hopped at the table once more, her legs swinging back and forth.

"Play Eldritchbane Online with me."

"Why do I have to come to your place? I could just play-"

"Coz your connection sucks." I cut her, then cleared my throat intentionally.

Her lip fell into a flat line. "I have, a lot of, stuff to do." She sounded like she just made that up just now.

"I'm close to breaking the game, and I could use another programmer to give me a hand. Plus, it's actually a fun game, I thought you might like it." I took a bite at the pie. Blueberry.

"And I might like it because?"

"It gives you a lot of options in creating your character! Hundreds of classes and races to choose from, in-depth game mechanics and immersive game-play and storyline. I thought maybe it could give you a creative juice that you can use in finishing that book you've been working on."

"Ten percent of the money you'll earn and I'll be at your doorstep at five in the afternoon."

"Five percent."

"Then I'll be there to be at eight in the evening." Then she placed her hands on her hips. "Must we haggle each time we talk about money? Mr. Marquez?" Her gaze shifted to look at the window. "Asther, lights off." And the lights turned off. She must have noticed that the sun was up.

"Only if it involves ten grand, Ma'am." I finished the pie and gulped down the coffee."Let there be light! Lights on Asther!" Nothing happened. "Your AI is dumb." I commented shaking my head in disbelief. I stood up and walked to the front door, examining the machinery as I walked past it.

"No, your command is dumb, you need to call her first before the command. Besides, your privilege is very limited, she only recognizes you as a guest."

She picked up my plate and cup then headed to the kitchen.

"Can she delete herself?" I said looking back to her.

"I didn't give her that kind of function."She got back to see me leave.

"Well, at least she isn't as suicidal as you." I gave her a wink. She rolled her eyes in irritation.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"Yeah keep rolling those eyes, you just might find the adventure you're looking for in there." I stepped outside and was greeted by sunshine and morning warmth. I turned back to take one last look at my friend. "Later Mhaze." She waved goodbye and I saw her utter a few words I couldn't hear.

And Asther slid the door shut.

I proceeded to go to my house, some of the kids are already leaving their homes. Which makes me wonder, do they study there this early or do extracurricular activities? I hope these kids are doing well in school, and may they end up having an actual career.

I wish they never end up like me, their parents are so nice, it'd be a bummer if their children turn into a creep who sells online game currency and items he gets using cheats.

As I walked up the sidewalk on the hill, a squad of police officers swarmed my place. I froze where I stood. A few of them on power suits surveying the house. One of them seemed to have noticed that the door wasn't locked. 'Shit.'

"Jake! You forgot your jacket!" I turned around and ran toward Mhaze.

I grabbed her hands and pulled her, heading for her house. She's heavy, so much resistance.

"Come on Mhaze!" I hissed at her."Cops!"

"They know I'm here?!"

I looked back and saw her frightened expression. "What? No! They're after me! Come on."

She started running as well and I took it as a cue to let go of her hands. And we made a beeline for her house.

Looking back and forth to see if they are following us.

We got in the house in no time.

"Asther, lock all entry points and soundproof the house." She said.

I could hear the faint clicks and whirs of machinery inside the walls. Windows and doors closed and a solid plate of metal slid down every window making it dark. "Asther, lights on."

I was still catching my breath and failing at it. I tried once more and attempted to compose myself.

Mhaze was beside me. She is facing the entrance and her eyes having a distant gaze "How did they-" She didn't finish it.

She wasn't showing signs of fatigue nor did she seem to break a sweat. But she was terrified, something that I've never encountered for all the time we've been together. She just stood there, frozen. And my mind went blank.

A muted screech of what might have been the sound of multiple vehicles coming to an abrupt stop outside made its way to us. I broke through my daze but panic was slowly making its way in me. The only thing I could think of at the moment is to at least try to look cool in her eyes. There is no escape this time.

Still huffing a few breaths I said to her "At least pretend that you got tired." And I leaned forward, facing down, placing my hands on my knees for support. I can't look at her and be composed right now, not while she is like that. "You're hurting my feelings right now."

Her head snapped toward me. She didn't say anything. I took deep breaths and exhaled in the endeavor of calming myself. My hearing being drowned by the heartbeats of an upset heart. The heat from the areas near my ears is not helping in the situation either.

One long minute seemed to have passed and I now have lessened the pace of my breaths. Feeling lightheaded I let myself collapse in a sitting position. The cold floor woke me from my current state, sort of. I peeked to see her reaction once more, she is staring at me with mystified expression and worry.

There was a knock on the metallic door, causing me to tense. I stood up, facing the door, then backing up a few steps until my back was against one of the dividers. A hand grabbed my forearm, fingers sinking in my skin.

There is no way out of this that doesn't involve someone getting hurt or worsening the situation. I guess this is the end of the line for me. It must have been one of my client's nemesis, who else would tattle, I was so nice to everyone.

A muffled shout of a man can be heard just right outside.

"Open the doors." I managed to utter. Mhaze tugged and shook at my arm as though demanding explanation. "It's alr- It's O-oo-" I closed my eyes and drew in a deep breath, then looked in her eyes nodded to reassure her. And I forced myself to smile."We all knew this day would come, we just weren't sure when." I put my free hand atop hers. "Four years went by so fast. It was fun while it lasted, my friend."

Her grip loosen and the hand slid off. And I slowly made my way behind the door. I gave her the cue, a thumbs up. Which turned out harder than I thought because I'm trying to prevent my arm from shaking too much. I hope she didn't notice that part.

I heard footsteps behind me, not long after that, she shoved me to the side. "Let me talk to them first, get behind me." Her tone was insistent. She pressed a button on the door and a square hole opened in it. A tall man encased in a white and gray power armor stood outside, he was holding his hand behind him. Streaks of blue and red light ran along with its limbs. The black glass-like helmet made a suction sound, the face of it parting and slowly sliding to its forehead and at the sides. It's basically a suit that outright screams 'fuck warrants'.

"Good morning Ma'am." A young man greeted her. "We are here to pick up someone." His gaze shifted to me and gave an eyebrow flash.

He was trying to be polite, so I assume they are not from here because they seem to follow the good-cop-first-before-officer-brutality, standard protocol that is only present in Central. If I go with them now, I bet I will be treated well, there's probably even breakfast waiting for me at the prison after the interrogation.

"Why the suit? Isn't it a little overkill?" Mhaze asked and folded her arms.

The cop put his arms at his front, slightly elevated and a white screen appeared at the back of his hand, then he typed something. "We have records that he registered a hand-held non-lethal blaster and a set of..." He said trailing off and scrolling down the screen. "... cybernetic arms?" He looked up at us. "Non-related, non-lethal, but equally painful, we need to take precautions." His hands clasped and he continued. "So? May Mr. Marquez be released now so we all may take our leave?"

Mhaze and I looked at each other, I nodded to her. "Open the door, there's no need to stall, Oh! And you can have that shirt that you've always wanted, a parting gift." Still trying to sound confident, but in truth, I wanted to cry and think about the regrets in my life."Besides, it's not like you'll never see me again." She averted her gaze and looked down instead, then back at my very soon to be captor.

"Can I have a word with him first. Privately" She said. It sounded more like someone giving a command than a person asking for permission.

His head tilted facing upward. He looks like he was thinking it over. "OK. But just so you know, we have your dome surround Ma'am. Don't make this harder for-" Mhaze closed the square hole.

"Follow me." She went to the kitchen and stood there, waiting for me to come closer. I started walking and so did she, and she was out of my sight. As I got inside the kitchen, I can see the stairs that led up to her room, the forbidden area, the one place I can't go to. I turned and saw a closed-door opposite the stairs, the basement. "Jake?" Her faint voice called. I took my eyes off the entrance of the basement and slowly ascended, taking my time, trying to think. Nothing, I can't, not right now.

I found myself in the center of her room. It was round in shape. It had no bed or chair, only more books lying on the floor, stacked together forming columns with varying heights. Her laptop lies upon a pile of papers, the background showing a picture of us at a beach. She was awkwardly standing on the sand while I sat at a mossy rock. The District outing, the day we became acquainted.

She was behind a few columns of books, crouched, looking for something. She was knocking a few columns here and there and not at all mind.

"What is it? Mhaze?" I asked, but she didn't reply. So much for 'having a word'.

She must be looking for the best book that she could possibly give me. Does she know my real preferences? How considerate of her, whatever she'll give me I'm sure I'll read, that's pretty much for entertainment on the cells from Central. She never ceases to amaze me. 'Haha, Mhaze.'

She looked around the room, eyes darting everywhere. Then she ran to another spot knocking more columns revealing a white crown on top of a pink pedestal.

A closer look and I could see the pink coloration from the pedestal overlapping the bottom portion of the crown as though it has been melded into one, the distinction between the two objects almost gone.

I slowly stepped closer to it, the crown was so white that I can almost see it glowing. As my hand was about to reach it, I was stopped by a deep pulsating sound and a steady droning noise. I pulled back my hand and tried to investigate where it was coming from. Another pulse of noise and I felt the vibration, it seemed to be originating from something beyond the pedestal. I stopped at one side and leaned sideways.

An aged sword with otherworldly engravings is inclined behind the pedestal. It slid and drop to the floor almost making me scream. But I lost it when it rose to the air.

"Ssshark!" I dashed, going towards the stairs below. Before I could reach it, something blunt smashed through me driving me to the floor skidding and spinning, then hitting the last few columns of books still standing. Flying pages danced in the air as though they've erupted.

Feeling wobbly, I put my hand on the wall to help me get up. The sword speared through my sleeves and the wall, it flew so fast and forceful that it sunk halfway, pinning me where I stood. A yelp escaped my lips in terror. "Oh sugar!"

I thought my arm was gone, but it was close, I can feel the blade brushing against my elbow. The thing was getting warm, then hotter, alarming me further. "No no no no oh! Nononononoo!" Damn, I wanted to give this jacket to her before I leave, but right now I just wanted to get away alive.

"The hell are you doing!? We don't have much time! Just stay still for a moment!" She shouted while she dug through a pile of books, completely ignorant of what just happened to me."On the second thought, look for anything that says merchant or dragonslayer."

I glanced at the sword. 'What the hell indeed' I thought to myself. I was going to say something to her but the words refused to come out. What was I gonna say, my mind tried to process everything that just happened and everything that is happening. So much already occurred today and it's only past five in the morning. These were the sort of days that one will never forget but will try their best to do so, right when they wake up from their petrified state.

My other hand instinctively found its way to the hilt of the sword, it had no cross-guard. A freaking gladius. My fingers wrapped around the hilt, I tried to yank the thing out. I ended slamming my back on the wall. I re-positioned my grip and leaned on the wall for additional support this time. As I was about to pull it, pain surged through my hand and elbow then throughout my body. I released the damn thing as I went limp. But I didn't drop on the floor. I just bounced and swung to the sides, my arm still stuck on the wall. The blade scraped my arm once more, but this time I'm sure it dug through a layer of skin. But the pain coming from the wound was nothing compared to being electrified by a probably-evil-infused-magical weapon. 'Holy fruitcake!'

The pain doesn't seem like it's going away for a while, so I tried to at least control my breaths to ease some of it. Because that is the only thing that my brain allows me at the moment, to just breathe. Every small involuntary movement my body did was dealt with ache. So I tried to stay still as much as possible. Even just breathing took so much effort to control. I've given up thinking about the past situation and tried to focus on the event occurring before me. I just want to survive long enough for me to be noticed by anyone. I don't care if it's the cops or Mhaze.

"Vulcan! You sonofabitch! You're not helping!" She shouted. I resisted seeing where her voice was coming from. I just closed my eyes and control my breaths.

The weapon vibrated, I could see it blur. The walls behind me reverberated as well. After a few long seconds, I realized that the blade wasn't touching my skin anymore and that I could feel a breeze at my elbow. The weapons 'bite' on my sleeves are loosening, as I tried to look up and see what is happening to it. I found out instead that my muscles aren't in a state to cooperate at the moment.

The vibration seemed to cause the fabric on my sleeves to be lacerated, finally releasing me. Paralyzed and exhausted, fell on the floor, my behind hitting first and receiving most of the impact of the drop. The pain from the restriction is now subsiding, but I stayed cautious and slowly sprawled the finger on one hand. Then I tried up-righting myself using the arm. I looked up at last and the weapon wasn't there anymore, just a hole in the wall with a smear of virgin's blood.

The sight of my own blood doesn't phase me, it's the amount of it that I'm loosing. I raised my elbow and saw a clean-cut just past the joints. My mind can't process the amount of blood that was flowing with such a small wound. A steady flow of blood. I took that as a warning and my other hand instinctively cupped my elbow then I elevated both arms. I could feel the warm fluid stream down my armpit then continued to slide to my ribs and hip. At this rate, I'll die if I don't do something else.

I scanned my surroundings for any kind of cloth or fabric. I slowly got up on my feet to have a better look in the room. Nothing. Mhaze has a large book tucked under her arm, it had a red cover with golden symbols engraved on it. While her free hand skimmed through books that are arranged in rows inside a wide closet. She was muttering something to himself. I was going to ask her for help but hesitated, I let her be, I can handle myself from here.

I slowly walked towards the opening that led downstairs, still holding my elbow above my head. There might be something to use as a dressing there.

As I got near the opening, I tripped on some books and staggered. The pressure on my elbow loosened for a moment while I steadied my footing, and a few drops of blood splattered on a dark green book with black pages inside. I don't remember seeing this one when I passed here. It had furrows and ridges like that of shriveled skin. Using my foot I flipped the book, hiding the bloody side. Before a certain someone finds the mess and flip.

I continued to head down. Upon arriving I immediately searched for anything to control the excessive bleeding. I searched in the kitchen, then I started heading for the lobby and realized that the cop was still there, I backtracked to the kitchen instead. They can't see me right now, what'll they think of Mhaze if they found out about my injury, she already has records for violence, I didn't want to add it up.

I had to lean forward to open the basement door using my free hand, it had a knob. This one was an old-fashioned door, unique to every entry in the house, it had no wires or machinery, just a white wooden door. And I know everything inside this basement was at least as old as her or me. A couple of decades old. Surely there are some clothes inside. I twisted the knob and pushed the door, it screeched open. I entered and stale air flowed out the room. No cloth near the entrance where the light in the kitchen breaches, beyond that, is darkness.

I squinted and tried to find the switch or button that turns the light on. It was a switch just near the entrance. I used my good elbow to flip it on. There was a delay then it flickered a few seconds before turning on.

Surprisingly, everything seems to have been cleaned, with no dust or dirt, in contrast with the atmosphere, which is not at all pleasant. A room was full of boxes, canisters and empty bottles and jars of varying sizes and colors.

But what caught my eyes were a few black papers that seem to be out of place, scattered in a small expanse at the furthest parts of the room. There are more pages, and they are black too, but these ones have something written and drawn in them, I couldn't make out exactly what was written.

A few more pages fell in front of me. I looked up to see where they were coming from. I lowered my arms just a little so I could see unobstructed. A chill ran down my spine upon gazing at the object. The green book from upstairs, except this time it didn't have my blood splattered on the front cover. It was open, the inside of it flat in the ceiling.

Something wrapped around my foot. "Oh crab!" It made me jump. Black papers covered my foot. I tried kicking in the air in a dire attempt to brush it off, the paper is still there. Then came more papers falling. The first ones went for my face like a bird that found its prey. I was taken aback by the impact it did. It was like your face getting slapped by a human with book-sized palm. I tried to gasp for air but was unable, neither did it let me see-through. I released my elbow and tried to scratch and tear it off my face. My fingers found traction to take them off. I couldn't scream, only muffled whimpers.

I felt another one jump at my wounded arm and at my back. Before I knew it I was completely enveloped by them. I could still walk, but I dropped on all fours. I could feel an ache in my chest as I was continued to be deprived of air. Multiple murmurs and whispers surrounded me. Fear had taken over me once more. Was this how I was going to die? In a basement, wrapped in supernatural paper. A few long seconds past and I'm at the brink of fainting. I let collapse on my side. And I passed out.

I seem to be floating in nothing but darkness.

Below me is a round table encircled by robed figures, each chanting something different from the other. A Discord. And in the table lies an emerald slab.

One by one, the robed figures drew out sharp weapons. All struck themselves, some stabbed their face, others their hands, few their hearts, except one who did nothing.

Instead, the varied one took the object on the table and replaced it with its weapon, a sword clanked at the center. It held the emerald tablet in its arms then opened a door to another realm. And it fled.

As the door behind it closed, I turned my attention to the ones on the table. They are looking up. Faceless entities with inhuman auras filled the darkness around me with wrath.

I could feel innumerable mouths bite all over me and tore through flesh and bone. Then everything went blank.

A cold breeze swirled at my abdomen and my eyes abruptly opened.

A cloudy sky with a rosy hue. Another breeze blew past me and I realized I'm naked. "Ship." I hissed to myself. My hand cupped my delicate parts. I glanced at my elbow, the wound wasn't there anymore. Nor am I at Mhaze's house.

I sat up and I found myself lying on an open field, the grass is dead in contrast with the purple bristles a few hundred yards away. A few dozen sheep are slumped near the edge just inside the dead zone, lifeless.

[WELCOME BACK TO THE REALM OF MORTALS] A flat translucent box containing a message appeared before me.

I got up slowly and walked around the floating text box. Then it popped out of existence like a bubble.

[WOULD YOU LIKE TO ASSIGN STATISTICS NOW?][YES/NO] Then another appeared.

At that moment, countless memories came rushing back to me. All those games, movies and animes about a random loser being transported to another world found their way in my thoughts.

"I don't think I'm in Manila."