"54,997..."
"54,998..."
"54,999..."
"55,000."
As he was counting Myrrhs in his table, Zaon finally looked at the fight in front of him.
The television was on, and on his right is the pod that he uses for his game. As for the supplements he got from his earnings, it was already in his new refrigerator, and some were already on the pod.
Zaon looked at the television in front of him. Playing on it were the three new Mighty 10 Candidates of the Year.
Tomorrow is the patch of the game, and new features, new gameplay and new quests will be given to players so they can still enjoy the game, though they can't get to the main scenarios, the game still has side quests, and reputation quests.
As he scooped out the ice cream from the tub, he took note of the things these pro players do, that he can practice and upgrade.
At first, is the Finals Battle between Misfits and DracuLair.
Misfits, as the new rising team, created history, overcoming two of the four powerhouses, yet fell short in the finals.
DracuLair, is one of the four teams, that is targeting their fourth trophy for the ZCS.
The battle was between the two Captains in the 1v1 battles.
Vormir, from DracuLair versus Ophiuchus from Misfits.
Vormir, is a True Blood Vampire, that is adept in both magic and close combat, using claws.
Ophiuchus, on the other hand, is not adept in anything, but his mechanics is godlike, as players say it. He treats the game as playground, and he excels in it.
Thus, this is the battle between mechanics and talent.
The battle went on, and skills were thrown towards one another. There were analysts that gave their impressions on the play, but not too deep.
As they said, Ophiuchus is good in making timely decisions. His mechanics, due to his repeated combat with other players, gave him an edge in the Professional Zerø League, where he became the center of his team.
But, with talent and purchasing power, Vormir is ahead of Ophiuchus.
Imagine playing a game where you need to fight and win ten consecutively times just to go to the next level. The first ones are easy, but when you get to the seventh or eighth guy, you feel the pressure.
Because their items are so overpowered that one hit can lower your HP to red levels, and your one hit to them is like a scratch.
That is the representation of this game: mechanics cannot beat an overgeared.
In the whole video, Vormir only hit Ophichus thrice, and all his skills were a miss. But if it is, why is the video on the Mighty 10?
Because of the mechanics of Ophiuchus. In those three attacks that it him, they were all small attacks that can be tanked by another person on par with Vormir, but surprisingly, Ophiuchus went toe to toe against him, and took three attacks before dying magnificently.
He lost the fight, but he won a war.
And even though DracuLair won their fourth trophy, the shame of winning overwhelmed them that only the newbies of the team were in the post-conference.
Even the newbies were surprised by the questions about their captains underperforming, but they said that it was because of his mechanics that only three attacks hit, and not the talent of their captain.
Although words were said, people did not believe it for the credibility is on the captain himself, which was absent that time. This sparked some controversy, saying that Misfits may be the fourth power, or maybe a fifth power on the rise.
This created a major buzz in the society, and all the world was shaken because of this.
Contemplating, Zaon took his notebook and wrote a few more notes. His mind was jogged by the sudden spur of adrenaline on his veins, seeing Ophiuchus.
In truth, he knows who this guys is, and in his past life, he became one of the greatest fighters in the game, although his plot twist was so big that it shook the gaming world.
As he completed the notes, he hid it on his cabinet and took a cap and a jacket. Ice cream works best with bread, but sometimes, kimchi and chicken.
(Sorry, I have a weird sense of taste for foods.)
He went down his apartment, and bright lights were still on, not because it is night, but because Malo Square is still playing the top 1 Mighty 10 candidate of the year.
His home was near a convenience store, and so, he took some time to buy what he can.
A whole chicken, some cloves, basil, thyme, oregano, and parsley, garlic, onion, lemongrass, and a bit of lemon lime soda. Plus the kimchi.
Walking back to the counter, he took some eggs so he can eat from time to time, and vegetables that he can put in the refrigerator for extra nourishment, when suddenly, he saw a familiar silhouette.
The man that ran past the store circled around it, just enough for Zaon to see the face of him fully. Behind him are two men, and a car.
Seeing this, Zaon ran outside, leaving some money on the counter, an ID and all the things he bought.
Knowing the place, he then started to trail the people, and make some moves to sneak in.
He used the alleyways and streets to traverse the paths and arrived in a small construction site. There, he saw four guys staring at the man he knows.
In his past life, there was one guild that made his head hurt, and even thinking of it now, it still gives him a headache.
The guild's name is Arachne. The guildmaster is, of course, the class Arachne, which can transform her into a spider or a person, or maybe even control spiders and arthropods.
But, she is not the primary problem of this guild. Arachne has a shield master that when paired with the Arachne guild master, she can deal damage without worrying about her life.
And that is the man cornered right now: Trove Ceisk.
In his past life, he also vanished without a trace.
"You lost the bet, Trove. Or do you want to be where Karlo is?"
Hearing the words said, Zaon's ear perked up.
"N-No, I thought we were just betting for fun, and wasn't actually serious--AAAARRGHH!"
One of the guys in black suit grabbed Trove and raised him up.
The man in white was just busy lighting up a cigarette, and blowing the smoke out of his mouth.
"Fun? I bet my life, and you also bet yours. This time, I come to take the rewards."
"No, no. I can give you money. Money? Yes, money, I can give it to you." Trove said, trembling.
"Do I look like I need sump chump change?"
"No? Women? I know a bar, and the hostess there is very nice--AARRGGGH!"
"I can get women anytime I want, but you, you dare to think that you can offer me something other than your life?".
"No, please. No. Don't take my lif--"
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA." The man's laughter echoed through the construction site. It was a bit long, but he stopped as he saw the fear in Trove's eyes.
"Yeah, that's right. I want fun, and I want to see you beg for your life, which is the funniest thing for me."
He said as the man in the black suit dragged Trove, but then, a voice was suddenly heard.
"Then play with me too."
Seeing this, the three guys were startled, but when they saw that it was just a random boy, they thought of killing him.
"Kill hi--"
"I bet my life, that next year, a rookie wil be on the Mighty 10."
The three stopped, and looked at the face of their boss. As expected, the face of the man in white suit shined in briiliance.
There are three things that lights up their boss' mood: gambling, games and glory.
Say he was right in his gamble, it becomes his glory, and many people will have to pay him so he can also, bet for them. In turn, he makes money.
And the game that is popular right now, is Zerø. Even after ywars of release, it continues to garner attention, and betting is one of the main addiction of non-players.
In short, this guy is a non-player, but profits of the game.
And what Zaon offered him is a wonderful bet, that he himself cannot refuse.
In truth, Zaon knows what will happen next year, and so, he decided to bet. But, this will be the biggest mistake of his life, that almost took his sanity away.
"Sure, but in one condition.."
Zaon smiled and knew the condition, but he still looked forward to it.
"...you are not the rookie."
"Can I also add my condition?" Zaon asked as he pushed his luck.
"Sure, the higher the risk, the higher the reward."
"I want Karlo and Trove."
"Kid, that's.." a butler said but the boss stopped him.
"And if you lose?"
Zaon smirked.
"I will work for you, and be the rookie in the Mighty 10."
The boss smiled widely, and looked at Zaon.
"You sure are crafty." He raised his hand, and the butler who was dragging Trove tossed him. The other butler, who was near the car, opened it, and threw Karlo, who was bloodied, on the ground.
As they did that, they then walked back to the car, with the boss smiling widely.
"Hey, are you just getting back like that? What happens if you lose?" Zaon shouted.
"Don't worry kid, I don't lose." He said, and he rode the car. A few minutes later, the car went on, and the boss' face can be seen on the window, and he is waving at them, like looking at his toys.
"Damn bastard." He said as he picked up Karlo's body.
Trove is still shaking in fear, but Zaon slapped him twice that he began to carry Karlo to his, Zaon's, home.
As he walked back to the convenience store, he took his wallet and showed them another ID, and took the things he bought.
They were surprised at first, seeing a boy covered in blood entering the store. It was but a small scuffle, and he was absolved.
After getting home, he saw Trove crying in the sofa, with Karlo beside him.
Karlo is still breathing, but the most brutal thing was his shins. They were broken, and Karlo can't walk anymore.
Trove is still in perfect condition, but his mind is a bit shaken.
As he was took the chicken and prepared it, Zaon saw that Trove stopped, and just looked after Karlo.
As he did, Zaon put the chicken and spices in a pot to boil them, and took some basin and cloth to wipe Karlo.
The two were silent, but Trove can be seen as he did not know why Zaon is helping them, yet he showed no remorse or anything.
He showed his gratitude and helped cleaning up Karlo.
As they did, they also cleaned up themselves in the bathroom one after another, and changed their clothes.
After that, Zaon took the chicken and put it in a microwave to create a sear in the skin.
As they were eating, Trove's eyes continued to bawl out, and Zaon just looked at the chicken and ate.
Every bite was filled with sadness, and pity for those who experienced the reality of words they say.
Gambling is bad, and destroys life.
Unless you came from the future, like Zaon, but these still stings right in the gut. The chicken is savory sweet but there is a bitter taste coming up to the throat.
The cruelty of the truth, plus the results of what they did. It will be a painful lesson.
Suddenly, the door of the apartment swung open.
"Hey!"