Beyond the Abyss

Chapter 4: How the F it happened?

"I don't know, I just don't know!"

"Well, what about we check your cards"

I change the menu into the deck menu, there is notification again on the screen. The notification tells me that the deck is active. Somehow, the first card come showing in the deck is the doppelganger card again.

"Oh Fuck!!!, What is this?!!! Did you get an Epic card on your first day? What are you? Cheater?" He said.

"I don't know, this is the first card I saw on my deck too."

"Shall we check what it does? It is an unlimited skill card though, so it doesn't matter how much you want to try to use it."

"Okay", I draw the card with all the anxiety lurking on me.

Suddenly there is a loud air raid siren, reverberated throughout the air. The siren stopped and followed by the notification on the deck, my drew card automatically return to the deck. The notification tells all the players, there is a pop up major event. Tom check it and ask me.

" Oh, this is the event for this month, you need to do battle royale and defeat the boss, the event worth a piece of holographic stealth coat, there is a total of 30 pieces in this event, once a day I supposed" Tom explained to me.

"It might be good, I like stealth gameplay too"

"Umm... I am not, if you do want it, hunt it yourself, I don't want to be killed, either way, I have this mist cloak, it can turn me to a black mist, and turn me untouchable."

"What's wrong with being killed? We can respawn, the worst might be...", I stupidly answer.

"Nope, it is not the worst!"

"Wait! I haven't finished!"

"You killed in this world, you might be injured in real-world, start from amnesia, dementia, Alzheimer, Parkinson-disease, stroke, and the worst is all of it"

"What?! No one told me about this!", Somehow I am scared yet challenged

"Yup, you never know a thing, and I figured that."

"Anyway, I still want to try that event!"

"No, please don't!"

"Why? It is a good opportunity!"

"It is not! Killed on your first day?! No way"

"Yes, way!"

"Well, I can't stop you..."

"Once you show me the armor store, I'll go", me and my stupid ego resulting in my stubbornness.

"Yup, once you go, I'll follow.", I really don't expect him going to be agreed.

"Really?? You are the best!"

"Yea yea yeah... I just going to let you experience shit, then I'll forfeit, you need to forfeit too, Okay?!"

"Well let see..", he is my best friend, he always supports me in any condition.

"First, you need a set of armor"

We just realize that we are already in a different stage, market stage, right in front of an armory shop. Tom give me a signal to follow him going inside the shop.

"Welcome to the Glamory Armory! The best weapon and armor you can find in the Abyss!" Greet the shopkeeper as we step in. It seems the shopkeeper is also a player and is expert enough in smithing.

"Let's just check the armor isle, you got everything but an armor right?" Said Tom as he pulls me away from the shopkeeper.

The shop seems very well stocked with all the armor and weapon on the display.

"Let see, let see. Here, try this one, light, durable, and have a passive to decrease your enemy's vision. Great isn't it?" Said Tom as he offering me an armor card from the isle.

"A red one... And it expensive as fuck! Is there anything cheaper than $2000 with similar stats?"

"Well... well... you are rich, It doesn't matter."

"It does matter Tom, in a survival game, we need to conserve as much as we can!"

"Indeed, but there is nothing wrong with one-time purchase and live time investment."

As I thinking his persuading word, I check the card again.

"Wait, Tom, what is this arrow down mean?"

"Simple, when you about to purchase or transfer a card, it will show whether the new card is better or worse than the average of your cards."

"Down arrow, mean worse, right?"

"Exactly!"

As always, Tom has difficulty in processing any information. He startled.

"Don't you say, you have a better armor card than this $2000 rare armor card"

"According to your explanation, yes I do"

"How far are you going to cheat?"

"I am not cheating, I don't even know how this game works"

"Come with me!"

Tom drags me out of the store. As our feet touch the door, the shop keeper said.

"Please come again"

Tom and I move to the edge of the market area