Chapter 2: Try Something New?
"Yeah, something new!" Jisa nodded her head.
"Like what?" Zayden questioned.
"Hmm... well, maybe try out a different style?" she pondered on the idea. "Or take a break from Spiritual Warriors?"
"Take a break, huh? That would be nice, but I''ve got matches to run in-game," Zayden patted Jisa''s head. Soon after, he walked over to the kitchen area as he opened up the top cab, quickly taking out an instant noodle cup from it.
"Eh? Instant noodles again?" Jisa red at Zayden with an annoyed look the moment she saw him walking over to the electric sk on the tabletop counter.
"What''s wrong with it? I''ll be meeting up with my guildmatester in-game, so a quick meal is what I need!" he casually replied whilst pouring in hot water into the instant noodle cup.
"Jeez! You call that a ''meal''?" she pouted.
"Yeah? What else do you call it then?" Zayden raised his brow.
"..." Jisa nkly stared at Zayden.
"What?" he questioned.
"Ugh, you know what whatever. You should eat some proper food once in a while you know!" Jisa said. "It''s unhealthy for you if you continue eating instant noodles all the time."
"Yeah, yeah. I can''t help it alright? Just let me eat my instant noodles in peace..." Zayden said helplessly. "Maybe when I find the time, we could go out and eat for once."
"You know I can cook right?" Jisa pouted. "You could always ask me to cook for you, y''know!"
"Eh..." he shrugged.
"...huh? What''s that reaction supposed to mean? Do you hate my cooking?!"
"N-No, It''s not that..." Zayden hurriedly corrected himself. "It''s just that you don''t cook when I''m out of the game..."
"Well, that''s cause you never asked!"
"B-But, I did!"
"Since when?"
"...all those times when I asked you to cook for me at night but you refuse," he sighed.
"That''s literally because you ask me to cook at one in the morning!"
"...and yet you ask me why I only eat instant cup noodles."
"That''s different. It''s noon right now! I could cook for you right now!" Jisa shouted.
"Well, I can''t! I''m meeting up with guildmatester, so this meal will have to do."
"...what do I do with you?" Jisa shook her head helplessly as she quickly left the living area.
"Huh? Hey! Where are you going?"
"To my room of course!" Jisa''s voice protruded through the hallways as a loud door m followed after.
"Sigh... Jisa, Jisa..." Zayden shook his head as he turned towards Jisa''s locked door. ''Hmm... a different style huh? Maybe I should try a change of pace for once...''
...
After a while of waiting for the noodles to be ready, Zayden quickly ate it and finished the dish. Soon after he did so, he made his way over to his room as he entered into his capsule, going into the game ''Spiritual Warriors''.
The VRMMORPG game, Spiritual Warriors that was mixed with a variety of aspects from all genres was a very famous VR game made by Shuzien Company in Japan. Spread worldwide across the globe, the game was praised to be one of the best in the modern generation.
With it''s smooth and advanced dynamics, its clever artificial intelligence of NPCs, the story-view of the world within the game, everything seemed like a second world, an alternate reality to the yers.
Though, besides the MMORPG aspects of the game. Spiritual Warriors had a wider branch of gamey, having the very first concept of a VRMOBA game mode, named Crystality. The mode had a verypetitive environment, it''s own pro scene as well as an E-Sports league. Many yers who yed the game would also oftentimes y this game mode.
This was the same for Zayden and his character ''Shinto''. The top of the DPS rankings, the unified rankings as well as the Swordsman ss, Shinto was a widely renowned character famous for his strong control in battle, his excellent battle strength and his dominance in PVP, especially in Crystality.
He was at the peak of all yers. A mountain that was very hard to cross.
This was Zayden.
...
[ Logging into the game... ]
[ yer ''Shinto'' hase online. ]
Within the quiet town of Ramun, situated by the eastern coasts of the Kingdom of Zemul, spawned the yer ''Shinto''.
The moment he came online, he received whispers from various people. Some greeting him while others had business with him.
"Oh heya, Shinto! You''vee online again!" The 7th seat in the unified rankings, Crowelin, sent.
"OI OI OI, YOU DARE COME ONLINE HUH?!" Arceus sent. "FIGHT ME! FIGHT ME! FIGHT ME!"
"You ready for the meeting today?" The 5th seat in the unified rankings, Rie, sent.
Shinto took a nce over to his whispers as he strolled through the quiet streets of Ramun, where no yer was in sight. If a yer was here, they would have flocked over to Shinto once they saw him.
Why? He was a very famous person in-game. First ce in various rankings, the owner of many exclusive titles, one who held a high reputation and so on. Shinto was a figure everyone looked up to.
"..."
Shinto continued to stroll around the town as he read the whispers sent by many people. One by one, he slowly replied to them all except for a select few. Finally reaching the end of his messages.
"Yeah. We''re meeting up in Erendak Castle as per usual, right?" he replied to Rie.
"Yes. Are you far from there?" Rie replied back.
"No, I''m not exactly far. I''m currently in Ramun right now."
"Oh, good, good! Then I''ll see you there."
Ending the whisper with Rie, Shinto quietly looked up to the bright blue sky.
''I guess I should make my way to Erendak now...'' he sighed inwardly. ''Don''t wanna get an earful from rie if I''mte...''
Shinto walked on the stone pathways in town as he made his way out of it. Quickly, making his way over to the city of Erendak, where the castle resides.
...
[ Location: Erendak, the City of Ancients ]
The city of Erendak was the main base of operations for Shinto''s guild, Vain Blood, which was a verypetitive guild catered towards the MOBA scene.
Although it was catered towards the MOBA scene, this game was still an MMORPG after all, thus, the guild members would also y through the game. With the fact that he had an immense amount of content, seemingly endless, one could never get enough of it. It was fun for everyone.
This was especially true for the game''s story and the fact that the world view progresses via the choice of the yer''s. Their action means everything in the world.
Though despite this, Shinto felt different.
He couldn''t find as much fun doing quests nowadays versus back then.
Maybe he got tired of the game? No.
Then why?
Why didn''t he find much fun anymore?
At his current state, he could easily breeze through any content, PVE, raids and so on that was thrown at him. Anything at his level was a breeze. Thus, he couldn''t find a challenge.
With his high damage, he the fact that he could solo just about anything at this point in the game.
Shinto loved the game and its huge story and world view. Yet, he couldn''t find much fun breezing through existing content like it''s nothing.
Even in the MOBA scene, he could destroy most opponents on the battlefield.
What about the more challenging and difficult content? For Shinto, that wasn''t possible at all at this stage of the game.
The worldview was required to advance in order for more difficult content to pop up. However, with Shinto being at the peak, he had to wait for the top 3% of the yers to catch up to him before anything happened. This was because difficult content required teamwork to fight.
Even for an expert like Shinto, he still needed to y in teams to challenge difficult high-end content.
What was the point of it all?
...
Stepping foot into the city, Shinto swiftly equipped a hood on himself. Allowing himself to be hidden among the yers within the city. Quickly, he made way to the castle. Finally, reaching the entrance of the building.
"Well then... I guess it''s time to go in." Greeted by the gates of the castle as well as the knights of Erandak who stood in front of it, Shinto wasted no time as he walked through the gate.