Welcome, Player

Chapter Two: Logging Out Problems

-chapter two-

"Welcome, player. Welcome to Arth Online."

Character Customization Portal • Arth Online ⁠—

MAS LALONG nalaglag ang panga ko sa sinabi niya. Sandali anong player? Anong Arth Online?

"Ha? What do you mean by welcome, player? Isn't this MovieMania?" naguguluhan kong tanong.

"What are you saying, player? This is Arth Online. The most-awaited game in the world." sagot niya habang may ngiti pa rin sa labi.

Arth Online. The most-awaited game. Sandali, bakit naman ang headgear nila ang maisu-suot ko kung ang box na pinanggalingan nito ay mula sa MovieMania?

No... wait...

I gave a scoff when I realized what happened. That damn twin! Ang pesteng ilog na 'yon! Kapahamakan lang talaga ang dala! He freaking switched the gears?! Kainis, talaga!

Sinamaan ko ng tingin ang babaeng kaharap nang tumawa siya. Now that I look at her closely, she looks younger than me. Mga apat o limang taon na pagitan siguro.

"What is with your glare, player?"

Hindi ko siya sinagot at iwinasiwas ang palad. Ginawa ko ang lahat para malaman kung saan magpapakita ang screen. Paano ka ba makakalabas dito?! Wala bang log-out button 'to? Hindi ko din maramdaman ang kamay ko sa labas. Hindi ko alam kung saan ang pipindutin para mamatay 'to.

"Player, are you trying to dance? You don't need to entertain me, you know~" pahayag niya na mas lalong nagpainis sa'kin.

I glared at her. "Nasaan ang log-out button?"

"Oh, whyy?" she asked in a sing-song voice. "Don't you want to play the game? You're the first player, you know~"

Kumunot ang noo ko. Hindi sa sasagutin ko ang tanong niya dahil ayoko naman talagang laruin 'to, kundi dahil sa sinabi niyang ako ang unang manlalaro. Does that mean out of billions, ako talaga ang unang naglog-in?

"First player?"

"Yes! You are the first player! The first of the billions!" she smirked. "And you are lucky to have me greeting, you know~"

Umismid ako.

"What are you?"

"I'm an NPC, of course~"

Tumaas ang kilay ko. "Don't think so. You can engage in a normal conversation with me. You're not an NPC."

"But the world is evolving!" bigla siyang ngumuso. "You are right, though, player. I'm not an NPC..." akmang magtatanong ako nang nagsalita ulit siya. "But we're not here to talk about me. Player, you need to create your character so that you can enter Arth."

Oh. So this is the character making process. Sandali lang, bakit parang naaliw na ako dito? Hinahanap ko nga ang log-out button diba?

Reverie, focus!

"Ayokong laruin 'to. Sabihin mo sa'kin kung nasaan ang log-out button." utos ko.

"I can't~"

"Bakit?"

"You need to reach level twenty-five so that you can log out, you know~" nakangisi niyang sagot.

I almost choked. What? Level twenty-five? What the fuck? Ni-hindi pa nga ako nakaka-kain eh! Bakit may kailangang level para makapaglog-out?! Kainis!

"C'mon, c'mon! We don't have all day, you know~"

Bigla siyang tumayo kaya napa-atras ako.

"Bakit kailangang level twenty-five pa? Come on, just help me get out of here!" pagpapa-awa ko. "Ayokong maglaro nito! May assignment pa ako at test tomorrow na kailangang pag-aralan. Kailangan ko pang panuorin ang ending ng k-drama na pinapanood ko! Ayokoo!"