??? : I still remember that day...
Crack...
??? : Those wierd cracks.
Spark!
??? : that ethereal lightning... And above all–
The face of several laughing black shadows passby in my head.
??? : Those bastards who ruined every—No... Everything was already ruined.
-Flashback-
10 years... Maybe 11 years ago, I was just a guy, a normal guy who didn't fit right in his family in terms of beliefs.
An atheist in a family of devout believers, living somewhere in a country whose name had long been wiped out of my memories.
Normal and normal... That's all my life was, and just one day while I was coming back to my home from my college-
-The clouds suddenly vanished.
Then soon enough the sky also vanished, and before long I found myself frozen in time while a lifeless voice echoed into my ears.
At that moment, I was confused. and being a novel reader, back then I felt a sudden emotion pop up in my head.
A emotion of utmost fear and dread.
Why? Because I know that someone like me who always lazied around and had not the slightest hint of motivation to put effort couldn't be a main character.
And I was right... Completely right. Because moments later, everything was back to normal except the facts that I occasionally saw the world as a bunch of code.
Sai : Thinking back, I should have scavenged for resources instead of looking around like an idiot.
That's right. I didn't pay the visions any mind and kept going with my life. However slowly—
CLANG!!
With a quick swipe of the makeshift spear in my hand, I clash against a ambusher and retreat backwards.
Sai: AT LEAST LET ME COMPLETE THE FLASHBACK, YOU LITTLE SHIT!!
Ambusher: Why Should I?! just die and Spare me the story, you damn annoying NPC!"
A vein pops up on my forehead as I glare upon the disgusting grin on attacker's face.
Ever since the digitalization happened.
The entire planet had become the game like world. But it's not the humans who lived here that are the main characters.
It's the Exiles, the bastards who came here from their fantasy worlds.
It's always like this to the morons like the guy in front of me. To them, earth is nothing more than a fake world where they come to farm humans for exp.
They can't even die and keep respawning like the player characters in all those old rpg games.
...
Sai: So what?
As a sword came for his throat, Sai just stood there, glancing menacingly at the idiot in front of him who had fought him for who knows how many years.
Everytime he will die, the guy would rush back here to fill his own ego, and despite the thousands of defeats he had piled up, he wasn't wavering one bit.
Clang
The sword stops right at Sai's neck, unable to pierce through a barrier as thin as a nail.
Sai: I already told you. I am neither named nor elite, I am only a background character.
??? : DON'T KID ME! NO BACKGROUND CHARACTER HAS ADVANCED BARRIER MAGIC!!
The attacker retreats backwards.
??? : I know you are no named character. I know you are no elite or even a boss... But if you were one, I could never hope to even defeat you.
That's right... The digitalization categorized the humans into four groups.
The named- beings capable of entering contracts to receive benefits of becoming stronger through levelling.
The Elite: characters who could level up Humans around them and themselves as a group.
The boss: people who didn't become completely digitalized and turned into half players.
And lastly, the type I am, Background character- bestowed with only one skill and a fixed level that couldn't rise.
Clang~
??? : Are you talking to yourself again, punk!? I know you are only partially digitalized but at least focus on the fight!
Sai: *grunts* Why tho? It's not like you can break down this barrier.
The attacker clicks his tongue at the mockery. But his attacks didn't stop despite their lack of effect or damage.
Normally this would go on for another ten days but—
Pop
Sai: *starring in bafflement* Huh?
The status window Sai hadn't seen in past 10 years appeared in front of him.
Sai: Random exit?
The sudden response shocked Sai who the Status panel never listened to before. For a moment he looked around, his shocked face slowly turning to his attacker who retreated under his gaze.
Sai: Oi... Whatever your name is... I-Is everyone else really?
??? : Every other human is dead except those who entered contracts and escaped...excluding you...The planet will soon breakdown into rubble like it was originally supposed to.
Sai: I see.
??? : hmm? That's all the reaction you have? Isn't this your home?
Sai: My home was gone the moment digitalization happened. Everyone I knew, even my family had turned into soul-less background NPCs who wouldn't age or change...
Sai raises his make shift spear, finally looking at his opponent who looked like one of the red skinned demons in rpgs.
Sai: Let's us finish this. Once and for a—
??? : Please sign a contract with me.
Sai: ...
??? : ...
Sai: The f**k?
The awkward silence spoke for itself. Leaving Sai too confused say anything except swear.
The guy that was coming for his neck just minutes ago was bowing down in front of him. Which completely flabbergasted him.
Is this some sort of trap? Maybe he saw my status panel and wants to backstab if I agreed.
After all, anything I reckon as a ally can pass through my defensive barrier with ease. I must not agree!!
Sai: I—
??? : You can escape this doomed planet for my homeland if you agree!
Sai: *Argh!! *
To trust or do not trust, the two options churned in Sai's head as began weighting down his situation.
He was on dying planet, filled with ruins and devoid of any life, soon to crumble into nothing but a bunch of floating rocks.
Maybe it was because of the one-time exit he received, there was chance Sai could escape to a safe place but there was also a chance to end up in a world inhabitable by humans.
But if he chooses the guy in front of him, he would end up in a place with a guy willing to guide him, greatly raising his survival chances.
To risk for his freedom or opt for his safety. The choices were ruthless.
Sai: *suspicious* Before I decide, tell me what exactly this contract is.
??? : it's not more just a contract of alliance. Just a I help you and you help me sort of cont—
Sai: Open random exit.
The demon guy was confused, his brain clogged on spot at the seemingly random act from Sai.
They both locked eyes for a moment and the last thing he saw was a middle finger pointed at his face before Sai jumped into a whirlpool of energy that appeared behind him.
Who would trust someone like you, you piece of trash! Nobody who came to slaughter people for power would offer a equal contract with someone he had advantage on!
I would have believed if he wanted me to serve him for sometime or something but no way I am trusting the words of a con man.
Within seconds the reality twisted before Sai, his vision just a blur of colours and his body became a spinning top.
Instinctively he puked, despite the fact that he hasn't eaten a single thing in years as an NPC.
And before long he crashed against some ground and began wailing around in pain from the impact.
Sai: who the heck made this garbage teleporter!? Blergh It felt like that time I got stuck in a washing machine.
With his eyes still closed, Sai slowly stood up. His mind was fully filled with nothing but fear of what lay ahead of him.
Please be safe! Please be safe!
He wished with all his heart. then slowly he began opening his eyes, a sparkle appearing in them as he felt mesmerized by the view ahead of him.
Sai: Woah!
It was a lake and a green grassland as far as one could see with a occasional trees with spiky pine like shape falling from the wind.
Immediately Sai fell to his knees, bowing his head until it touched the ground and then mentally yelled as loud as I could.
JACKPOT!!
Sai: No rigid mountains, no dinosaurs or anything resembling a monster in sight and a fresh grassfield with the freshest air i have smelled in years.
The digitalized senses flooded back as the sense of touch and hunger returned to Sai after a long time.
Sai: is this what heaven feels like... *notices something on the other* Hmm? What sort of cat is that?
Even through he squinted his eyes, Sai only saw a somewhat furry creature with a lion like mane around his neck and a tail.
Its face was covered in shadows and it seemed to be slightly bleeding since a lot of fur near it's left abdomen was tainted a sort of red.
However Sai didn't approach it casually and immediately dropped down to his knees. He not dared underestimate anything, especially a lion like creature.
Sai: A lion in a green grassland? Don't make me laugh. The world isn't kind enough place to spare a injured lone lion in the wild.
The makeshift spear in Sai's hand immediately aimed at the lion's head, his eyes glued to it's fur as he opened the status window he had always wanted to.
[Name: Sai]
[Age: 29]
[Race: Human]
[Class: None]
[Level: 1]
[Strength:12]
[Agility: 16]
[Cognition: 22]
[Energy: 7]
[Stat points available: 10]
[Skills: Barrier(Advanced mastery) ]
A smile formed on Sai's face.
Sai: Put 5 into energy, 4 into agility.
[Agility:16->20, Energy: 7->12]
The stats immediately got to work as a pain spread throughout Sai's body.
Fu*k!! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS CRAMP LIKE PAIN!!
Sadly the pain was akin to getting leg cramps when waking up in the morning... Utterly mind numbing.
For Sai, the pain was the weirdest he had in years and he wasn't adapted to it in the very least and ended up screaming at the top of his lungs.
The stealth he wanted was gone before he could use it and the lion like creature noticed him on the other side of the pond in a instant.
Then suddenly a glint of light passed by in the creature's eyes as it stood up on two legs like human and leapt over the pond, headbutting right into Sai.
BOOM!
A dust cloud explodes from the impact, uprooting nearby grass as a strong wind wieved through the surroundings.
And as the cloud slowly fades away, Sai was still standing with a almost transparent gauntlet in his hand pressed against the creature's forehead.
Sai: Gross! *almost pukes* DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH ME YOU SLIMY SHIT!!
WHOOSH!
A near perfect uppercut to the jaw sent the creature into the air, revealing it's face at last.
It was a young male Werebeast just like the ones who waged war on earth and it's head was covered in black slime that kept wiggling out of its mouth and ears like a parasite.
The sight was so disgusting Sai used his ultimate move out of pure disgust.
Sai: EAT THIS! HYDROLIC BARRIER!
The werebeast didn't even had time as two translucent plates appeared above and beneath it, crushing into a pile of flesh the next second.
[Level 10 Mimic controlled Werebeast killed]
[Exp+ 400. Level+7]