It was the day of the release! My favourite game is gonna release it's second part today!
I've been waiting so long for this. They didn't release the second part for almost a decade. I've been saving up since.
"Almost ten thousand yen!" I counted all the pennies and notes in my savings jar. "Phew, it's more than enough for the new game."
Putting on my ordinary as ever hoodie I headed out for the closest gaming store. "Oh yes it's in stock!" my eyes locked on the game rushed into the store.
"Sir I'd like to buy the latest game." my mouth stammered words without hesitation.
"Sure. Which one do you want sir?" The counter guy ask.
As if it wasn't obvious which one. "Everknight Epic Quest 2 please." I couldn't wait any longer, just give me the game already.
"Oh that... Unfortunately it ran out of stock."
There was definitely one on top of the shelf, "but there... There it is!" my fingers pointed dumbfounded.
With an cheeky smile he replied, "This?" He reached for the top shelf and peeled a poster which seem to be a exact size print of the game cover, "It's just a trick to lure some customers" smiling with a wink he shrugged.
I stood there. Literally dumbfounded for real this time, what was this all about.
___
The clouds were getting darker. "I gotta hurry" alert of the rain on its way anytime soon I rushed to every single game store that was available around.
"Out of stock"
"It ran out of stock"
"Sorry sir this won't be stocked until the next month."
It was out of stock in every single store I could reach! Just one day of release and everyone looted the shelfs, literally not even one was left.
"Sigh" I get back home and threw myself at the couch. Staring at the console for my while, "I've played it's first part so many times. Even unlocked every single ending. I could play this blindfolded at this point and win." the thunder crackled and rain poured heavy. Was it mocking me?
*CRACKLE*
Lightning pulsed brighter than my hope.
Suddenly, "WAIT!" with a surge of new found energy and hope I remembered. "THE INTERNET!"
Quickly shutting down all the window, the laptop hinge opened with an squeaky noise.
*Tap tap tap click click click*
I scrolled and scrolled and scrolled more and more.
"OUT OF STOCK!" the room echoed. "EVERYWHERE! WHY ARE PEOPLE SO SELFISH!"
*CRACKLE*
"Alright I'm done..." my body surrendered to despair and rolled down to the couch. My hands rest over my eyes strained from the defeat.
*PING*
My phone beeped but I was so stressed over I didn't have the will to pay attention to anything else.
*PING PING PING PING PING*
"The fuck?" it wouldn't stop running for some reason and continued with the series of pings until I opened the mail.
Odd enough someone seemed kind enough to offer me a share.
"25% extra?" was this guy for real? The game costs around eight thousand yen if I pay him twenty five percent more that would make it a total of ten thousand yens, a perfect catch.
My fingers tapped the phone hastily,
He sent me the address and I strolled there for the game.
__
The place was a quiet alley between the gaps of two apartments, typically where there's tons of garbage.
"This place stinks" my expressions grossed as I tip toed to the spot avoiding stepping on anything smelly.
Upfront I saw a sketchy guy with full black and a mask. He signalled me to approach him and so I did.
It was a quiet transaction. My hands grabbed upon the game I always wanted and my money slid into the guy's tight trousers.
We both nod for approval and exit our own way. "Why did he make it took so suspicious and illegal..." my eyes narrowed with doubts. "Maybe I should open this and check just to make sure you know."
The case click opened to a shiny fresh disc. Why disc you might think? It was because the softcopy of the game online was at twelve thousand yen and I couldn't afford it.
___
It was time to launch the game! The CD slid in and VR headset locked onto my head. The game was successfully installed. It wasn't a scam after all!
"And... Launch game!" a certain blue screen pops up infront of me. "Did the game crash? No can't be... Maybe the console didn't read properly."
My hands travel up to my head and ... "Huh?" The headset was stuck. And before I knew a white light flashed before my eyes. It was so intense I might've collapse by it!
___
"Huh... W-where am I" the white slowly faded and I was in an odd world."Oh I'm in the game. It worked at last! Haha!"
It seemed to be a lush evergreen forest with a padded stone tiles lobby where tons of other players spawned.
"Oh hi." No one heard me. Wait... Pause! I couldn't speak!
"Where's my Ui?? Huh?? I can't move either.. wait I can't feel my real body!"
Some random players approached me.
A : "yoo look at this. The first NPC."
"Npc?? Huhh??"
B : "lmao why does he look like Ricardo Milos??"
C : "damnn for real bahaHA-" *creek crackle*
"Don't tell me. Am I an NPC in the game? I can't move or do anything else."
More and more players gathered around me like audience admiring modern art. They jumped and pushed me aside to the edge of the forest, just outside the lobby
___
And that's how I got stuck into my favourite rpg game as an NPC...