NPC Code: Red Riding Hood Chapter 9 - Bigbadwolf

"I want to give you the life you deserve, Himari." I thought as I stared at the flickering screen of the television.

The susurrate sounds on the monitors rang my ears, inviting inside the internet cafe. My eyes followed the intricate designs of bulbs entangled in an unorthodox fashion. I peered at the interiors of the computer pubs and discerned multiple gadgets resting inside. It created a distinct atmosphere that attracted gars and people interested in playing the trending online gas. Few patrons were entering the cafe, wanting to play the ga Code, using the Holographic Reality.

However, an unseen force pulled from the addictive chamber of the computer shop.

"I shouldn't break our promise," I told myself.

My feet stopped at the bus light. I pressed the swollen button near and waited for the light switch to change. As I gazed above, the vermillion radiance beca verdant, telling that the shuttle will arrive soon in the park.

I heaved out a sigh and spared a glance behind . It beca difficult to push the thought away from my mind.

I finally gave in to my temptations and dashed straight towards the cafe. Although I promised myself not to touch the holographic console again, earning inside Code was the quickest way to achieve my goal.

I gave the remaining yen inside my pocket and rented the most affordable holographic reality set to the staff. The girl led inside an ominous room at the back. Upon entering inside, my eyes greeted the rest of the players lying on their beds. Each of them had the Holographic headband strapped around their face as they subrged themselves inside the ga.

The lady in charge told that the limited ti I can use the gaming piece was around an hour. Since the actual ti and the ti inside the ga were two things apart, I had no choice but to accept their offer.

Every minute here on Earth was equivalent to thirty seconds inside Code, so I had an hour left to roam around the online world.

I gave the staff a nod and saw her off through the doors. She closed the ingress and opened the lights, revealing the extra snacks and beverages on the tray in front of .

The rent here was expensive to rent, let alone buy one from the store. A piece of the Holographic Reality set had its price around two-fifty thousand yen, enough to buy a run-of-the-mill car. Fortunately for , that was just a promo. I ordered the bundle pack and received a mbership card. I could visit this place any ti I want to play if I use the card. Buying one would cost around one million and two hundred yen. Himari and I could also purchase varieties of food with this sum of money, but I can earn all of them within two hours of the ga.

Before starting the ga, I called my sister and told her I was with my "friends" at the mont and would return late this evening. She was proud to hear tell the story and permitted for as long as I wanted to stay with my "group".

We concluded the call and placed my phone in my pocket. I placed the gear on my face and closed my eyes. While waiting for the gear to open, a screen appeared before , notifying all players about the warning signs of the ga.

The equipnt required all players to lie on a comfortable platform for the duration of the ga ti. Our bodies would be in a vulnerable state similar to a night of REM sleep. The ga developers advised everyone to use the gadget accordingly and, as much as possible, with soone that a person trusts.

The Holographic Reality set had features that can stop such accidents from occurring. It had an alarm system that could detect smoke, earthquakes, and even a security system linked on the automatic doors or doorbells and alarm the players if soone is at the door.

Internet cafes and gaming pubs designed their rooms to have guards and other safety precautions to handle such consurs. If they did not, the governnt would have already taken this establishnt down.

[Are you in a comfortable area?"]

"Yes," I answered.

[Have you read all the terms and conditions of Code?]

I clicked the "yes" button once again.

[Very well. We hope you can find peace and entertainnt in the world of Code!]

After a few minutes, I felt my head squashed over by a boulder. The weight of gigantic matter on top of my face ceased to disappear. Thankfully, my agony ended within a minute with a text appearing at my fore, with my eyes still closed.

[Your na is Fenrir. Do you want to change your userna and restart your character?] The automated voice asked.

If I would use my old account right now, Himari could monitor my usage of Code. She can track my user down once again since I was a famous player back in the old days. My na would rally up the attention on the internet and break my promise to my sister.

I scrapped the idea aside and created a new character for to start my ga. I wanted to keep my whereabouts a secret from Himari.

[Choose a na to your liking.]

"Bigbadwolf." I said and thought it was funny.

[Bigbadwolf confird.]

[Choose a class.]

I clicked the word "Lycan" similar to my class from my previous account, Fenrir. Being a lycanthrope had its benefits and downsides. What I loved about being a shapeshifter was the wolf transformation. It granted an insane amount of speed and reaction ti to my character with a passive skill called "Berserk" that allowed to overpower my enemies.

[Welco to Code, Bigbadwolf].

The world zood inwards and around as if I were travelling in a vacuum in outer space. My organs, especially my bladder, turned upside down and splattered a horrifying erald stream. I felt sothing cold touching my skin, but I could not clean my ss right now.

The ga had already started.

Even with my eyes shut close, I perceived the blinding light seeping through my eyelids. I tried moving my body from left to right, hoping to feel sothing on the floor. As I peered my orbs open, I saw the familiar world surrounding .

Both my arms and feet squelched at the ground. I looked below and saw the magic circled that summons players entering the ga.

Code was a popular virtuality ga that allowed anyone to control their characters using their own thoughts. If the person wanted to lift his hand, the arm would rise. If a player wished to raise her head, the ga would follow the command.

Players could also feel the sense of touch inside the ga. If the texture were rough, our hands would feel the craggy exterior of an object or a creature. If a person received damage from an attack, the player would feel the sa. The developers placed the pain scale on the ga by five to avoid any injuries or sudden seizures while playing the ga.

The ga tossed out players inside a chamber and provided the tools for an adventure similar to role-playing gas in our generation. A non-player character should also spawn inside these walls. That individual would cater to all the needs of the new players. He or she would also act as a guide to the kingdom.

But I saw no one inside the room. It was and the treasure chest lying in front of my feet.

I stood from my seat and gawked at the window with the magnificent view of the citadel, trees, hos, and the marts surrounding the kingdom. It was currently nightti in the Mainland Kingdom, so it was difficult for to perceive my surroundings.

However, the brilliant light ca not from the sun but from orange flas coming from the flammable trees.

I saw the smoke rising from above, covering the city with a thick fog. So innocent villagers hid behind their house and stalls, avoiding any conflict with us players.

I took the chest in my inventory and dashed straight to the fort. All of this happened because of an eerie quest that will grant tons of money in our pocket.

The mysterious NPC issued a mission to behead the king and kidnap his family.

I equipped the novice dagger, beginner's armour, leathered boots, and a pair of gloves on . After consuming the chest, I headed over to the gates and t the crazed adventurers and villagers. They continued pounding their weapons and firing magical spells at the entrance, hoping to destroy the obstruction.

So players thought they could enter inside by hovering in the air. But the castle had already prepared for that opening and pushed the wandering witches in mid-air.

I had played countless hours for this ga from my previous years to know the secret passage towards the castle. Behind the stronghold lies the abandoned tavern, leading towards a tunnel underground.

I careered through the plains and located the isolated hut far from the kingdom within five minutes. Thanks to my Lycan class, I could sprint faster than anyone else despite being a level 1 adventurer in this ga.

I opened the hatch and followed the trail. The acrid sll of turds and urine surrounded my nostrils, cursing by travelling through the sewers.. The sticky sli covered my feet as I made my way through the latter part of the tunnel.