《Prisoners of VR》 Chapter 1: Pressure Cooker VR Chapter 1: Pressure Cooker VR Screech! A minivan arrived at an abrupt halt, scraping a sedan as they fought for the sole parking spot in a middle-ss apartment facility. ¡°Are you blind or what?¡± A curse boomed out of the sedan as the driver rolled down the window. He was a youth in his early twenties, hot-blooded. He got down and approached the van that took his parking space, intending to give the driver a piece of his mind when the door burst open and mmed into his face. ¡°Quick, we need to interview him before the other reporters.¡± A middle-aged woman dressed in a suit said as she slung a camera on her shoulder and rushed out, pushing the youth aside, glossing over his copse. Following her was a cameraman that hurriedly grabbed the camera from her, thanking his ancestors when it wasn¡¯t damaged from her rough handling of the instrument. The duo rushed to the elevator and pressed the button, staring awkwardly a momentter. The lift had malfunctioned, a customary routine in such apartments. ¡°Where¡­is his house?¡± The middle-ageddy asked the cameraman, wiping her sweat with a kerchief. ¡°Fourth floor,¡± The cameraman wished to just drop dead and avoid such stress. ¡°¡­Fuck!¡± After a shout, the middle-ageddy rushed the flight of stairs, ¡°Our necks are on the line for this interview. Pray that we¡¯re the first.¡± ¡°We¡¯re the first,¡± The cameraman said with confidence as he kept pace with her, ¡°I¡­used my contacts to mess up their information. The other reporters should currently be butting heads in the wrong apartment next street.¡± ¡°Great work!¡± The middle-ageddy gasped like a dying zebra as she hurriedly fixed her appearance, pulling out a ton of items from her tiny handbag. She then pressed the bell and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t expect a raise though.¡± ¡°I hate my job.¡± The cameraman fixed the camera on his shoulder and began to record. The door opened as ady draped in a churidar stared at them in confusion. The reporterdy hurriedly introduced themselves, ¡°We¡¯re from W-News. I talked with you on the phone ten minutes ago.¡± ¡°You¡¯re¡­fast.¡± Thedy in a churidar said in surprise, ¡°It has only been twenty minutes since the results were announced.¡± She beckoned them to enter the house, staring at one of the bedrooms to shout mildly, ¡°Saurav! The reporters are here. Come out for a minute.¡± A wide-grinned boy exited the bedroom, ted at the joyous asion. In their country, the 10th Standard¡ªBoard Exam¡ªresults were apanied by a lot of fanfare, since it decided the student¡¯s future. Among them, his curriculum, CBSE received the most attention. The reporterdy smiled professionally as she shook hands with the boy, Saurav, ¡°I¡¯m Deepthi from W-News. So, Saurav Tiwari, how are you feeling?¡± ¡°With a score of 499/500, you ranked first in the entire country. I¡¯m sure you must be proud, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m happy.¡± Saurav couldn¡¯t articte himself well, for it had just been twenty minutes since the result was announced. His excitement was still at its zenith. The reporterdy, Deepthi seemed experienced with the situation as she asked with a smile, ¡°You lost one mark in Maths. Did you expect that? Usually, the top rankers lose marks in English.¡± ¡°I messed up with the units for one answer. I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s where I lost the mark.¡± Saurav seemed like if he was asked to write his paper, he would be able to produce a carbon copy instantly, fully aware of what he wrote where, and why. After a few questions, Deepthi faced the mike to Saurav¡¯s mother, Anubha Tiwari, ¡°I can see from your expression that you¡¯re the happiest mother today. Are you having any ns for Saurav¡¯s future education?¡± ¡°Please, he just got his results.¡± Anubha Tiwari smiled wryly, ¡°Right after his exams concluded, we had him undergo surgery to be imnted with the Neural Connector. He¡¯s been recuperating for the past month and had just been discharged from the hospital yesterday.¡± ¡°So, the mother has already prepared her son¡¯s present.¡± Deepthiughed and changed her question, ¡°A Neural Connector costs an exorbitant sum. That¡¯s an expensive present.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just an investment for his future.¡± Anubhaughed along with Deepthi, ¡°VR is the trend these days. I want my son to stay relevant with the times, especially since he ns to pursue science further.¡± ¡°Then, after school, he¡¯ll join¡­¡± Deepthi trailed off, expecting to hear the answer that she was fed up with, having interviewed toppers all along. ¡°IIT, of course.¡± Anubha¡¯s eyes turned serious for a moment, ¡°A mother is slightly biased towards her son, but still, someone with his smarts should definitely be in an institution created to nurture geniuses, the IIT.¡± Indian Institute of Technology, the most prestigious university in India where the cream of the crop entered, with the graduates instantly joining the elite circle of society. Being an IIT alumnus was a symbol of pride, irrespective of one¡¯s wealth ss. ¡°So, Saurav,¡± Deepthi stared at the star of the day and asked, ¡°Have you set your sights on any IIT campus?¡± ¡°IIT Bombay,¡± Anubha was the one to answer, her reply spontaneous. Even petroleum ignition would have been a tad slower than the speed of her reply. ¡®That¡¯s also expected.¡¯ Deepthi sighed mentally but still finished the interview professionally. Once they returned to their van, she groaned,ining in irritation, ¡°Man, it pisses me off!¡± ¡°Is the fact that Saurav¡¯s probably a hundred times smarter than you that upsetting?¡± The cameraman muttered under his breath, shutting up once he received her re. ¡°These fucking geniuses! I mean, they¡¯re not satisfied with topping the Board Exams. They want to get into IIT. Well, even that is fine. But usually, a student will gratefully thank the good karma umted by all his ancestors even if he gets into the worst stream on the worst IIT campus. But this guy¡­¡± She raged, ¡°Freaking IIT Bombay? Really? You need to get into the best of the literal best?¡± ¡°Well¡­let¡¯s rest once we deliver the footage.¡± The cameraman began to unpack as the van plied the road, ¡°Buy me a drink tonight.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get you a coke.¡± Deepthi snorted. ¡°Miser.¡± The cameraman groaned. ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­Nothing.¡± Swoosh! Peering from the balcony was Anubha Tiwari as she watched the van leave. But soon after, a couple more vans arrived. With a smile, sheughed, ¡°Saurav, these reporters keeping.¡± ¡°Mom, I want to sleep.¡± Saurav said with a tired expression, ¡°That interview was nerve-wracking.¡± ¡°You should get used to the attention.¡± Anubha said before she pinched his cheeks, ¡°By the way, your Nerve Gear will arrive in the evening.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± Saurav was excited as he jumped around the house, breaking into a dance. It was a series of good news, kind of overwhelming, but in a good way. It was evening by the time the reporters stoppeding to their house. But, Tiwari was instead excited, sitting right next to the door in anticipation. He almost pounced on the courier guy, barely calming himself as he received the package. ¡°Open it!¡± At his mother¡¯s gentle voice, he opened the package and stared at the pair of horns inside, each fin-shaped, five centimetres in length. The material resembled marble that was polished to the extreme, glowing with soft, monochromatic blue circuit lines that gave it a sleek, futuristic look. In excitement, he screwed them on his head. The Neural Connection was the bridge between man and machine, permanently integrated into his brain, seamlessly through the surgery. It created a socket in which the Nerve Gear¡ªthe pair of horns¡ªhad to be screwed respectively. uVR Earth! A cutting-edge gear produced by Pomegranate Corporation that the wearer could control through his thoughts, like an extension of his limb, and ess Virtual Reality. [Wee, Saurav Tiwari!] A voice resounded in his head as a screen appeared before him, mystical in nature, causing Saurav to jump around in joy. ¡°So cool!¡± [Do you wish to ess your private Virtual Space?] ¡®Yes!¡¯ He thought, instantly falling asleep in reality. His brainwaves gradually synchronised with the uVR Earth, taking a few minutes to do so. Soon after, Saurav woke up, not in reality, but in his Virtual Space. ¡°This is¡­beautiful!¡± He teared up at the sight. A gentle river stream flowed across a mountain range, at the end of which it cascaded to the ground as a waterfall, creating a moist atmosphere. The grass was lush, brimming with vitality to an intoxicating level. A gentle breeze blew past, asionally sprinkling a few microdroplets of water on him, an overwhelmingly enjoyable experience, one that instantly erased all his exhaustion and made him feel healthier. A hundred metres ind from the waterfall was a double-storeyed house, situated alongside the river. Seated on the bench at its portico was Saurav. Growl! Just as he enjoyed the scenery, a feline sound rmed him, causing him to turn around in a hurry to stare at a tiger sprawled right behind the bench. ¡°T-T-T-Tiger!¡± Saurav leaped in fright at the appearance of the big cat. ¡°Rx, it¡¯s a tamed product.¡± His mother¡¯s voice resounded as a couple of secondster, Anubha materialised next to him, ¡°Since you like animals, I bought the Tiger Pack Membership. It¡¯s a tamed tiger that likes to y with humans, so don¡¯t be afraid¡­¡± She hadn¡¯t even finished her sentence when Saurav pounced on the tiger and snuggled it. He was crazy about tigers but didn¡¯t have the guts to approach a real one. But as the one before him was a virtual one customised to be friendly to humans, he could freely y with it. ¡°Ehh¡­hehe¡­hahaha!¡± Heughed every time the tiger licked his face. Anubha watched his enjoyment with a smile for ten minutes. Her smile deepened when the tiger turned into digital code and vanished. Staring at her son¡¯s startled expression, she beckoned him to enter the house, ¡°The membership only allows ten minutes of use per day. I could only afford the cheapest subscription, sorry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, Mom,¡± Saurav said and casually followed her into the house, stunned when he saw that it resembled a library, filled with hundreds of books, from eleventh standard to graduate level in the PCMB (Physics, Chemistry, Maths, and Biology) stream. ¡°Mom¡­what¡¯s this?¡± Saurav felt overwhelmed by the sheer stack of books. ¡°Study materials, what else?¡± Anubha shed a calm smile and continued, ¡°What do you think is the biggest advantage of Virtual Reality?¡± ¡°Its sense of realism?¡± Saurav tilted his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s the time dtion.¡± Anubha stressed curtly, ¡°One second in reality is ten seconds here. This means, if you were to study here, you¡¯ll be able to cover ten times the portion in the same time.¡± ¡°More than two million students would apply for the over 10,000 IIT seats. Among them, only the top 300 of JEE rank would have a chance of getting a Computer Science seat at IIT Bombay. Thepetition will be insane, so you need to prepare, starting now!¡± Anubha said in a flurry. ¡°Can¡¯t I have fun today?¡± Saurav asked weakly. ¡°You can enjoy life at IIT Bombay. Every second wasted now will cost you your rank. There are many geniuses in our overpopted country. So,¡± Anubha forced him to sit at the study table and opened the math textbook, ¡°Let¡¯s start studying.¡± ¡°¡­Yes,¡± Saurav said dispiritedly as he began to solve the math questions. Any course, lecture, or reference material he needed was instantly avable to download in the Virtual Space. But unlike before, math no longer seemed fun since he was studying it for 12-14 hours at a stretch in the Virtual Space. A short breakter, he had to move to physics, then chemistry, and finally, biology. The more he studied, the less his mental capacity became. His brain was unable to handle the high-intensity study sessions at ten times the speed in reality, causing degradation in his neurons, which affected his attention span. Worst of all, his mother watched him like a hawk, using her guardian rights to enter his Virtual Space, which was supposed to be private. He only returned to reality to eat and take a bath, spending no more than two hours per day in the real world. Even during that time, his mother imed the spent time was a waste, for that two hours equated to twenty hours in the Virtual Space. She urged him to hurry, forcing him back to the Virtual Space to study, pressuring him byparing him to his peers. ¡°Look at your ssmate, Raghav. He only scored 487 aspared to your 499, but he has already finished studying eleventh-standard physics. If you don¡¯t stay in the lead, others would surpass you.¡± She nagged him, bringing in data regarding his peers and their ¡®progress¡¯ in IIT preparation. The ten minutes of ytime with the tiger daily was his sce. Somehow, he endured thanks to it. But even that was no more when after a month of service, the tiger vanished; Anubha hadn¡¯t renewed the subscription. She felt it was too expensive and only served as a distraction to Saurav. In routine the next day, to heal his sanity, Saurav intended to summon the tiger after a head-breaking study session. [Subscription terminated. Please add a payment n to renew its use¡­] ¡°Ha¡­haha¡­hahaha.¡± Sauravughed like a broken tape recorder as he logged out from his Virtual Space and returned to reality. He looked around his house, realising that his mother had gone to work. No one was at home. It had been a while since he used his smartphone, noticing that its battery had died out. The uVR Earth came equipped with a call function, but to avoid distractions, his mother had used her guardian rights to block it. Saurav plugged in the charging cable, distressed, and irritated for no reason. He watched with trembling hands as the smartphone switched on, hurriedly dialing his mother¡¯s number. He wanted her to renew the subscription. Without the guardian¡¯s permission, he couldn¡¯t even use the funds stored in his bank ount, since he wasn¡¯t an earning member. ¡°The subscriber you¡¯re calling is currently busy, please call againter¡­¡± A minuteter, he called again, receiving the same voice message. When he called a third time, the voice message changed. ¡°The subscriber you¡¯re calling is either switched off or not reachable¡­¡± ¡°Fuck it¡­¡± Saurav threw his smartphone with force, ignoring when it shattered from the impact. He arrived at the balcony and climbed over the rails, staring at the road far below. He didn¡¯t even hesitate and leaped. Plop! His head sttered from the impact as blood dyed the street. The onlookers hurriedly crowded around and called the ambnce. The street became chaotic as even the media people arrived before long. It hadn¡¯t been long since they came for the interviews, but Saurav Tiwari made the headlines again. This time, it wasn¡¯t a good asion. As Saurav¡¯s corpse was loaded onto the ambnce, a horn, one of the uVR Earth, fell to the ground, barely sporting a scratch. It was more durable than the human body. Chapter 2: Just A Victim Chapter 2: Just a Victim ¡°10th Standard Board Exam topper, Saurav Tiwarimitted suicide on June 6th, 2048. Experts im the radiation emitted by uVR Earth afflicted him with a serious case of depression¡­¡± In a middle-ss household, it was evening time as the lights were switched off. The TV continued the news incessantly as the pictures of a wide-grinned boy kept looping. The news anchor had invited a group of specialists, equally divided in terms of opinion between uVR Earth. The former advocated the absolute safety of uVR Earth and med the stress given to the students by parents. Thetterined about the recent increase in suicide rates ever since uVR Earth was introduced into the market, using statistics to prove their point. The two groups argued forth; their spittle flew everywhere as the discussion heated up. Eventually, even civil cusses were exchanged. The cheeks of everyone on the panel were red, as if it was their son that had died. In truth, they represented their respective lobby. Saurav¡¯s case was just a tool to further their agenda, as usual with all such cases. Seated on her sofa with a dispirited gaze was Anubha Tiwari, nkly staring at the news; her dead eyes hovered over the wide-grinned picture of her son. Forming a contrast with the bright image was a mosaic picture, of bloody gore. The subject in both were the same as the headlines jumped around the screen, as if on adrenaline. Anubha stared nkly, her breaths shallow and weak. There was no one else in the house. Three years into marriage, she had heated talks with her husband and ended up divorcing him. Among her children, the oldest, Saurav stayed with her while the youngest was taken custody by her husband. That was the court ruling. They never had any contact after that. Saurav was her whole world. And now, her world was no more. Knock! Knock! Just as shemented her life, a knocking sound resounded from the door. Thinking that it was the flies from the media again, Anubha didn¡¯t even bother moving an inch from her spot. She truly had no energy to put up with their bullshit inquiries. ¡°Excuse me¡­madam.¡± The door opened as a youth entered, shocking Anubha. ¡°Who are you? How did you open the door?¡± Anubha stood up in rm as suddenly, her eyes seethed in hatred, ¡®If he¡¯s able to open a locked door, then Saurav¡¯s death might not be suicide. It could have been¡­¡¯ ¡°You murderer! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Anubha screeched like a banshee as she threw her TV remote, followed by a vase, followed by a stand, followed by anything she could get her hands on and throw. The youth seemed surprisingly experienced with the situation as he pulled out an umbre and opened it, defending against the projectiles calmly while saying, ¡°Madam, you should calm down. I¡¯m from the police¡­¡± ¡°Screw you, liar!¡± Anubha red at the pair of horns on his head that was emitting a greenish light, ¡°The uVR Earth of those in the entertainment field emits the green colour.¡± ¡°Did you barge in here for content? You freaking psychopath!¡± Anubha scanned the living room, running out of things to throw as she turned around, rushing into the kitchen, intending to pull out a knife. At this point, she wasn¡¯t sane enough to think things through calmly. ¡°Why¡­do I have to study?¡± Her steps came to an abrupt halt as Anubha felt like she had been electrocuted. For a moment, she expressed confusion before sinking into her delusion. Her eyes lit up as she turned around in a hurry, shouting in joy, ¡°Saurav!¡± For a moment, she felt as if everything that happened before was just a nightmare and Saurav had only gone for a walk, returning now. It wasn¡¯t anything to worry about, ¡®Maybe I¡¯m getting delusional with age.¡¯ But a secondter, reality came crashing down. Before her was a projection, created by the pair of horns on the youth¡¯s head. It was a 3D projection of Saurav seated on his study table, frustrated as he stared at a thick book before him, one that weighed five kilograms. It was a study material regarding Differential Equations, one of the most important concepts of eleventh-standard maths. He had been solving questions like a madman. Irrespective of how smart he was, there was a limit to how much he could study in a short duration. But he was an honest, enthusiastic student. And hence, he was wholeheartedly giving his all to study, no matter how difficult it was. But he, of course, broke down in the end, crying upon seeing that even after studying for ten days straight in Virtual Reality, he had barelypleted twenty pages in the book that had over 2000 pages. ¡°It¡¯s hard to go through this on my own. There¡¯s still time for school to start. These are concepts that have yet to be taught to me¡­¡± At this point, tears streamed out of his eyes, depressed, ¡°Maybe I¡¯m not as smart as I thought.¡± ¡°N-No, Saurav¡­don¡¯t say that. You¡¯re smart, the smartest I¡¯ve seen in my life.¡± Anubha kneeled on the floor as she felt weak. But upon seeing her son cry, she got up in a hurry and rushed to his rescue, intending to hug him. ¡°Eh?¡± She was stupefied, phasing through her son, unable to touch him. ¡°Ma¡¯am, it¡¯s a projection of the past.¡± The youth¡¯s voice resounded calmly as he had taken a seat on the sofa at some point in time, ¡°What you¡¯re seeing is a part of his life in the Virtual Space.¡± ¡°Your son is dead.¡± Aargh! Anubha screamed like a banshee, pulling her hair out in frustration and sadness, with regret overwhelming her as she stared at her son¡¯s struggles, ¡°W-Why didn¡¯t I notice it before?¡± ¡°My son¡­he¡­he was suffering so much. But I¡­I put him through such horror.¡± She stared nkly once the projection vanished, gazing at the youth, seemingly looking for an answer in him. ¡°There were two reasons for his suicide.¡± The youth helped Anubha take a seat as he entered the kitchen and poured some instant coffee in milk to prepare the beverage, acting as if he was familiar with the kitchen of this household. ¡°It¡¯s hot, so be careful.¡± He handed a cup to Anubha, watching her instinctively drink it as he continued, ¡°You know the first reason.¡± ¡°You pressured him to study too much. Yes, Saurav was smart and talented. But, he had justpleted his 10th Standard Board Exams. He needed rest. You could have allowed to him y freely without any burdens during these holidays. But burdening his mind with excessive study sessions pushed him down the rabbit hole of suffering.¡± ¡°I¡­killed him.¡± Anubha spoke, staring at the coffee sullenly, ¡°I just¡­didn¡¯t wish for him to waste his talents. I always regretted doing that during my childhood. Hence,¡± ¡°You know,¡± The youth refuted her, ¡°Someone like Saurav would have been sessful even if he failed to get into IIT. Smart people will always figure out something, unless, of course, that is if they don¡¯t get killed by society.¡± ¡°Anyway, the reason I approached you is due to the second cause,¡± The youth ced a memory card on the table, ¡°When you connect to Virtual Reality, you¡¯re experiencing a world that¡¯s ten times faster than ours. As a result, your brain is processing information at a rate ten times the usual.¡± ¡°It has a certain endurance limit. Or in simpler terms,¡± He tapped the memory card, ¡°It¡¯s how long you can remain in a Virtual Space after resting for an hour in reality. Saurav has a ss 2 Endurance. Meaning, he can clock in 10 Virtual Space hours before requiring an hour''s rest in reality. But,¡± He stared at Anubha, causing her to experience a chill, ¡°Saurav spent 22 hours a day in VR. That¡¯s 220 Virtual hours. As a result, his nerve cells began to wither away. Even if he hadn¡¯tmitted suicide, it was only a matter of time before Saurav died from extended uVR use.¡± The youth got up and adjusted his clothes, holding his umbre as he spoke, ¡°Before using the Nerve Gear, one must test their Endurance. But neither thepany that manufactures the uVR nor the hospitals that imnt a Neural Connector advocate this.¡± ¡°As a result, deaths like Saurav keep happening.¡± The youth arrived at the door, pausing for a moment as he stared at the memory card, ¡°In that card lies all the data regarding Saurav¡¯s brain condition that varied upon extended uVR use, from the moment he equipped it to his death.¡± ¡°Someone from the Pomegranate Corporation would arrive next to gently force you into epting Saurav¡¯s cause of death as solely due to parental pressure. They¡¯ll do their best to erase the uVR¡¯s hand in his suicide. Whether or not you wish toply with their demands is up to you.¡± Followed by a bow, the youth left the house. Anubha picked up the memory card and clutched it tightly before sobbing in sadness, ¡°I¡¯m a horrible mother.¡± Suddenly, she realised something and rushed out of her house, peering down the flight of stairs as she noticed the youth, shouting, ¡°Wait, who are you?¡± ¡°Just a victim.¡± The youth pulled out a cap and covered his horns, quickly making his exit from the apartment. ¡°A victim, huh?¡± He muttered once out of sight, spitting out in disgust, ¡°I can¡¯t im to be a victim after surviving that shit.¡± Chapter 3: Augmented Reality Chapter 3: Augmented Reality The youth exited the apartment and approached a cycle parked at the entrance. It had a lock to its front wheel, so anyone that steals it wouldn¡¯t be able to ride it, not that anyone bothered to do so in an era ofziness. Why bother stealing a cycle when there were vastly better alternatives out there. Despite that, he had locked it. The youth patted the seat, observing the dustyer that had formed on it, ¡°The air pollution in this city is horrific as usual.¡± He took out a kerchief and cleaned it, his eyes calmly trailing over all joints of the cycle while doing so. ¡®Alright, no tracking devices have been nted on my cycle this time.¡¯ He ced the umbre on the rear carrier and boarded the cycle, whistling a popr tune as he rode it. Honk! A car rushed past him right as he turned around the corner. The youth didn¡¯t react to the car, but his eyes trailed over to the suited individual seated in its rear seat, barely observable through the tinted ss, ¡®As expected, he¡¯s here to dress up the situation. Pomegranate Corporation, Bureau of Cyber Space, Director Amish Thakur. Such a weasel.¡¯ Within the car, the suited individual, Amish Thakur was browsing through the news on a hologram, cursing under his breath, ¡°Those subordinates of mine are useless. The media sniffed this news in a matter of minutes, but I¡¯m being informed an entire seven hourster?¡± He had grey sideburns, a clean-shaven chiselled face, and a decently bulging belly due to ack of physical exercise. Just as he intended to look into the news further, the pair of horns attached to his head¡ªhis uVR Earth¡ªblinked twice, alerting him as he turned to his right in a hurry. His eyes trailed over the figure of the youth driving a cycle as through his sight, his uVR clicked over a dozen pictures. Through the Augmented Reality feature of his uVR Earth, a transparent screen hovered before him, visible only to him. Disyed on it were the pictures he had just taken. Amish Thakur zoomed into one of the clearer pictures, staring at the familiar jawline as he announced to the driver, ¡°Reverse the car!¡± ¡°Is something the matter, sir?¡± The driver asked as the car arrived to a halt. ¡°Chase the cycle we just passed by,¡± Amish Thakur said as he looked through the window. The car retraced its path and arrived at a halt beside a cycle, the rider of which seemed to have gone into the bakery beside. ¡°Wait here,¡± Saying so, Amish Thakur exited the car and entered the bakery, for a moment frowning at the hygiene of the ce, as someone who frequented only establishments three stars and above. The bakery was small, upying an area of forty square metres. Four tables had been ced there and only one of them was upied. Amish Thakur observed the youth seated there, drinking tea while munching on some veg rolls. ¡°Rahu Sastry¡­¡± Amish Thakur frowned when thetter didn¡¯t even bother to nce his way, ¡°Why the heck are you here?¡± ¡°Did you not notice my gorgeous cycle parked outside?¡± The youth, Rahu Sastry pointed towards the entrance as he finally stared at Amish Thakur, ¡°Can¡¯t a man cycle peacefully in this country?¡± ¡°You¡¯re twenty kilometres away from your home. Surely you¡¯re not here coincidentally?¡± Amish Thakur intended to take a seat but upon inspecting the condition of the ce, he refrained from the notion, feeling it was beneath him. He patted Rahu on the shoulder and walked away, ¡°I pray you didn¡¯t meddle in Saurav¡¯s case.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll sue you otherwise.¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± Rahu said calmly while sipping tea, ¡°Besides, you don¡¯t have the right to sue me.¡± Turning around, he let out a smile, ¡°My hands are clean, you see.¡± ¡°Unlike yours.¡± ¡®This fucker!¡¯ Amish Tiwari felt anger rush to his head, intending to deal with Rahu Sastry. Right as this time, he received a call. ring at the annoying youth, he returned to his car and instructed the driver, ¡°Let¡¯s hurry.¡± ¡°DOVA is already on this case.¡± He then closed his eyes and arrived at his Virtual Space, one that resembled an office. A screen hovered before him, disying the caller ID. Amish Thakur epted the request and stared at the shadowy figure that appeared before him. ¡°Did something happen?¡± Amish Thakur observed the shadowy figure in confusion. ¡°Anubha Tiwari has called the police and imed that Saurav Tiwari has been murdered.¡± The shadowy figure said, ¡°I had to use my influence to prevent them from filing an FIR. But I can at most buy you a couple of hours.¡± ¡°Make Anubha retract theint.¡± ¡°I¡¯m on my way to her house now.¡± Amish Thakur said in seriousness, ¡°I just saw Rahu. DOVA is already on this.¡± ¡°Rahu¡­¡± The shadowy figure muttered for a moment before his gaze hardened, ¡°Then you must hurry. With his capabilities, he would have extracted data from Saurav¡¯s uVR. We can¡¯t allow this case to be transferred to DOVA.¡± ¡°Our ns will be messed up, especially since we are only one month away fromunching ourrgest VRMMORPG.¡± The shadowy figure red at Amish Thakur, ¡°Too much money is riding on this. Our necks too. So, don¡¯t screw this up.¡± Once the shadowy figure vanished, Amish Thakur remained in silence for a moment before dialling another number, ¡°It¡¯s me¡­dispatch the goons. I don¡¯t care if you break his face or limbs. Put Rahu in his ce.¡± Sigh! Once he returned to reality, Amish Thakur massaged his forehead, feeling slightly exhausted, ¡®My age is getting to me. Using Virtual Reality is more exhausting than in the past.¡¯ The car arrived at the middle-ss apartment; Amish Thakur walked inside, cursing mentally when the lift didn¡¯t work. Grunting at every step, he climbed the flight of stairs and finally reached Anubha¡¯s house. ¡®Those DOVA bastards won¡¯t be getting this case.¡¯ Seated in the bakery was Rahu, smiling in satisfaction once he finished his tea. ¡®Seems she sessfully contacted the police.¡¯ He paid the bill and exited the bakery, boarding his cycle to pedal it slowly. Soon after, he picked up speed. He continued to whistle while pedalling, neither listening to music nor engaging in anything distracting, focused just on his cycle. Well, it wasn¡¯t easy to waddle through his city¡¯s traffic, especially since the driving skills of those on the road were¡­what to say, erratic at best? Vroom! Once he entered the main road, a group of motorcycles surrounded him, keeping pace with him as their engines whirred aloud every time they cranked up the elerator. They surrounded him while plying the road, preventing him from breaking free of the encirclement. Rahu wasn¡¯t in the least flustered, having been through simr situations plenty of times. He observed the motorcyclists, ¡®They are justmon thugs. They have neither been briefed about my status nor my capabilities.¡¯ ¡°My hands are clean, unlike yours.¡± Rahu recalled the statement he said to taunt Amish Thakur. This was thetter¡¯s response to it. To deal with these thugs, he would have to use his powers, which meant he acted on civilians without a permit. He disliked getting a memo on his record. The moment he slipped up here, his enemies would take advantage of that. Plenty of people with sway over the country¡¯s economy hated him and his colleagues. ¡®Good, there¡¯s some open space here.¡¯ Rahu thought as he focused on a spot on the road a hundred metres away. He felt a minor migraine as his braincells whirred into overdrive, causing brain activity to spike two-fold. Thousands ofmands flowed from his brain, through the Neural Connector, and into the Nerve Gear, causing it to light up with a sharp, jade hue. Rahu continued to cycle as he stared at a police car now parked at the empty spot on the road. The closer he approached it, the slower he pedalled. He stared at the closest motorcyclist and asked softly, ¡°Do you need something?¡± The motorcyclist was just about to taunt Rahu, as instructed by his boss when he noticed the police car. Its door opened as a police officer got out, noticing the group of motorcyclists surrounding a cyclist. His bodynguage implied that he was curious about their group. The motorcyclist¡¯s original intention was to lure Rahu into a side road and gang up on him there. But he couldn¡¯t do that in front of the police. Clicking his tongue, the motorcyclist signalled the others as they drove away from Rahu. ¡®They left fast.¡¯ Rahu thought while his eyes focused on the number tes of all the bikes as his uVR Earth pictured them into its memory. He intended to figure out their identities once he returned to work. As long as he was on Saurav¡¯s case, they would return to harass him sooner orter. Rahu stopped before the police car and stared calmly. After a minute, he calmly pedalled forth, passing through the car that flickered and vanished. There wasn¡¯t a police car there in the first ce. He had fooled the bikers. Rahu pedalled for twenty kilometres and arrived at the street where his home was situated, observing the group of bikers huddled right at his house¡¯s entrance. There were no police here, so they weren¡¯t afraid to assault someone. A screen shed before him as Rahu dialled the number of his superior, speaking once the call went through, ¡°A group of thugs are waiting in front of my house. I¡¯ll be taking action against them.¡± ¡°W-Wait, don¡¯t forget to record everything. We need proof¡­¡± ¡°I know, sir.¡± Saying so, Rahu disconnected the call and parked his cycle, staring at the biker group as his uVR Earth shone, slightly brightening up the street as the faces of the bikers went fromcent to shock, and from there, panic gradually settled in. Chapter 4: Induced Reality Chapter 4: Induced Reality ¡°Do you need something?¡± Rahu maintained pleasantries, not intending to go on the offensive first. He carefully parked the cycle to the side and stepped forth. A momentter, he backtracked and locked the cycle. ¡°You messed with someone you shouldn¡¯t ever offend. Remember that once you fall into aa.¡± Among the motorcyclists, a balding man sported a fierce tiger tattoo that peaked out through his revealing jacket. He seemed to be the leader of the gang. ¡°A tiger¡­¡± Rahu blinked in irony, unable to control the chuckle that leaked out. The motorcyclists got down from their motorcycles one after another as they surrounded him. They didn¡¯t carry any weapons, but padded within their gloves was a steel ribbon, enough to make their punches hurt like hell. Rahu swerved to the side, ncing at the windows of his house to observe a silhouette standing there. Upon seeing it, he sighed, ¡®Grandpa must have been worried about these thugs camping at the entrance of our house.¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s do it somewhere else¡­¡± Rahu said and turned around, intending to head toward a nearby park that would be empty around this time of the night. ¡°Look at this cocky fucker¡­¡± The leader of the gang grabbed Rahu by the neck and pulled him back fiercely. But suddenly, his actions came to a halt as he stared ahead, petrified. After all, now positioned right before his face, leaking out drool from a mouth that reeked of the stench of meat was a feline beast, too massive to be either a lion or a tiger. It stared down at him through its feline eyes, sending his fright response through the roof. Even if he had a gun in his hand, he wouldn¡¯t be brave enough to confront this creature. Liger! The Liger opened its mouth and unleashed a roar loud enough to rupture his eardrums. The leader of the gang frothed at the mouth and fell unconscious. ¡°Wait! What happened?¡± ¡°Why did the leader copse?¡± The motorcyclists were confused. For in their vision, their leader had grabbed Rahu by the neck. Suddenly after that, fear clouded his expression as he copsed. In the dead of the night, the gentle jade light emanating from Rahu¡¯s uVR Earth pierced their senses, causing them to feel rmed. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Exhaling softly, Rahu eyed the motorcyclist closest to his cycle. Immediately in the senses of thetter, a Liger appeared and swatted his head. In the eyes of the others, the motorcyclist suddenly cranked his head to the side reflexively before copsing to the ground, also unconscious. ¡°This bastard is doing something strange. Swarm him!¡± One of the motorcyclists, having authority second to the leader shouted and rushed at Rahu. Followed by a leap, Rahu arrived at his cycle and pulled out his umbre. He opened it and tanked the punch of a motorcyclist as his attention fell on thetter. A secondter, the motorcyclist fell unconscious. One after another, while defending against their attacks with his umbre, Rahu made them drop to the ground, striking fear in their hearts. Until now, he hadn¡¯t even touched any of them, but despite that, he incapacitated them. Moreover, before the motorcyclists fell unconscious, the expression of each was one of absolute fear. The uVR Earth was a revolutionary gadget created by a joint venture of all reigning countries in the world. They collectively invested in the technology, creating a wless masterpiece. The Pomegranate Corporation came into existence as a result. It was an entity controlled by the major countries on Earth, a special corporation wherein its stakes could only be held by countries. No individual or group whatsoever could control Pomegranate Corporation. When the leading powers of the worldbined their technological prowess to further their ambition, the uVR Earth was born. It had three primary powers once sessfully integrated with the human brain. First was Augmented Reality. Through it, the user was no different from aputer. They could browse the inte, pull up images, videos, etc. and watch, listen to music, call, and many more. Everything one relied upon aputer or smartphone to perform could be achieved easily through Augmented Reality. Without even moving their body, they could control everything with their mind. It literally integrated man with his technology. Augmented Reality was the mostmonly used power of uVR Earth, for it was the least taxing on the human brain. After all, even though the uVR Earth had a processor on the level of a micro supeputer, it relied upon the human brain in the end for the user toprehend what was happening. So, brainpower was consumed to use an uVR Earth. The second power was used less frequently as it was taxing on the brain. It was Virtual Reality, a mega hit among the youth, for they could attain their fantasies through it. Through Virtual Reality, one could transport their mind into a virtual world and live there as if everything there was real. They would retain all their senses, for the uVR Earth sent the necessary impulses to the human brain regarding the sense of touch, smell, sound, sight, and taste. It had only been six years since theunch of uVR Earth; it wasn¡¯t widespread among the people yet, as it was an expensive tech. As a result, Virtual Reality too wasn¡¯t much developed. At present, it was limited to one¡¯s private Virtual Space. As evidenced by Saurav¡¯s case, prolonged use of Virtual Reality had severe negative implications on the human brain. Finally, there was the third power of an uVR Earth, something not known to the popce. It was a secret, a power essible only to those part of the Department of Virtual Administration¡ªDOVA for short. Using it was severely taxing on the brain. As a result, only those with brain activity at the peak of humanity could attain control over this power and be a member of DOVA. Induced Reality! Just as how the uVR Earth affected the brainwaves of the user and made them feel alive in Virtual Reality, able to feel everything performed there, Induced Reality was its offensive aspect. It allowed the user to make their uVR Earth emte the brainwave pattern of a target and influence their brain, cing them in a state simr to being in Virtual Reality. And in this state, the user made them experience anything they wished to present. In Rahu¡¯s case, he made a Liger attack the motorcyclists. Even though the Liger wasn¡¯t real, its attacks unable to affect their physical bodies, when they were attacked, their brain was influenced to believe the attack was real. And hence, it triggered the body¡¯s response to the situation and actuated the various receptors. As a result, the motorcyclists actually felt the pain of being smacked on the head by a Liger. ¡°S-Spare me!¡± Thest among the motorcyclists ran away in fear, zing through at full sprint. But calmly jogging alongside him was the Liger that grinned before mming into his body. ¡°I¡¯m tired now,¡± Rahu yawned as he closed the umbre. Even though he ensured to only influence one target at a time through Induced Reality, it was still damn exhausting. During the fight, had he influenced two or more targets by mistake, it would heat up his brain and cause him a nosebleed. If maintained for longer durations, he might even copse. Through Augmented Reality, he pulled up a screen and dialled ¡®100¡¯, speaking once the call connected, ¡°Hello, police? A group of motorcyclists are unconscious on my street. Yes¡­yes, they don¡¯t seem drunk or injured. Drugs? I¡¯m¡­not sure about that. Please note the address.¡± Fifteen minutester, a police van arrived and cuffed the unconscious motorcyclists upon inspecting the steel ribbon within their gloves. The police also seized all the motorcycles and brought them to the police station, calling the necessary authorities to perform the work involved. An Inspector approached Rahu and stared at him, ¡°Were you the one that called us?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Rahu pointed at his uVR Earth, ¡°I called through this. So, the caller ID is different from a mobile number.¡± ¡°I need you toe to the station to give a statement regarding this.¡± The Inspector then asked for his ID Card, stunned when Rahu took out his wallet and pulled out his ID as a DOVA Agent. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s gettingte.¡± The Inspector¡¯s tone turned respectful immediately as he motioned at a Constable to arrive, ¡°Hurry and get a statement from Sir.¡± ¡°Yes, Inspector.¡± The Constable nodded and took a voice recording of Rahu where he detailed what he saw. Most of it was embellished, but that didn¡¯t matter, since based on the way the police treated the motorcyclists, it seemed they were repeat offenders. ¡°Have a pleasant night.¡± The Inspector saluted as he boarded his jeep and went away. ¡°You too,¡± Rahu finally felt free as he dragged his cycle and parked it within his house. He then knocked on the door, observing through the window as he observed a silhouette moving in response. The door opened with a bang as an old man rushed out, holding a cricket bat, ¡°You damn thieves!¡± ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s me.¡± Rahu held up his umbre in a defensive pose, shouting in a fluster as the cricket bat paused, barely inches before bludgeoning his head. Patting his thumping heart, he chided the old man, ¡°One of these days, you¡¯ll kill an innocent passer-by.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate my control skills with a cricket bat,¡± The grandpa proudly ced the bat next to the entrance as he patted his back lightly, ¡°Back in my day, I almost made it to the national cricket team. A mere goon on the street is no match for me.¡± ¡®Cricketers hit a ball, not a human head.¡¯ Rahu retorted mentally. ¡°By the way,¡± After closing the door, the old man peered through the window, ¡°Have those goons left?¡± ¡°The police escorted them away,¡± Rahu slumped on the sofa and switched on the TV to watch some football highlights as he asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call the police?¡± ¡°I was distracted,¡± The grandpa said as he stealthily crept into the bedroom. ¡°Distracted by what?¡± Rahu asked while not budging his gaze from the TV. He was a fan of sports. ¡°By your grandma,¡± Winking in response, the grandpa sneakily closed the door, ¡°I didn¡¯t wish to waste my attention on the happenings outside.¡± Chapter 5: VRMMORPG: Worldcraft Chapter 5: VRMMORPG: Worldcraft 8th June 2048; DOVA Headquarters, New Delhi! 10:00 AM! On the busy Monday morning, the staff were overworked as usual. With the newws regarding uVR Earth beingunched by the Government one after another, they were busy amodating all the necessary requests, and also¡­damage control. Calls resounded one after another as the uVR Earth of everyone blinked nonstop. Even though the cubicles of every one were wide apart, the sounds of discussions filled the ce. But, the noise resounding from the Chief¡¯s room trumped all. ¡°You¡­bludgeoning idiot! Did a rat eat all your two braincells? Are you that bored?¡± A middle-aged man with a bulky frame mmed the table, causing the pen holder on it to spill out its contents. He grabbed a bunch of papers and threw them on Rahu¡¯s face, ring at thetter. Pointing at his receding hairline, he bellowed with a reddened face, full of embarrassment, ¡°Look at this! I have a hair loss because of you. Seriously! One of these days, I¡¯m going to die of blood pressure. Remember that you¡¯re the primary reason!¡± His uVR Earth blinked as a screen popped before him, signalling that he was currently in a state of hypertension, prompting him to cool down. The notification only served to further infuriate him. Rahu Sastry didn¡¯t say anything from start to finish, silently tanking the verbal abuse by his superior. ¡°Haah! What should I do with you?¡± The middle-aged man slumped on his recliner, exhausted, ¡°I must have sold my country in the past to get a dumbass subordinate like you.¡± ¡°Worst of all, you¡¯re a strategic resource valued by the country.¡± He turned silent after that, closing his eyes as he took long breaths, spending more than ten minutes to calm down. The room was dead silent during that time. Finally, he downed a ss of water, exhaled a sigh, and stared at Rahu, asking, ¡°Did you really have to leak Saurav¡¯s brain activity data to his mother?¡± ¡°You do understand how horrified a mother would be once she realises she was the one that pushed her child into hell?¡± ¡°I know,¡± Rahu closed his eyes, ¡°¡­by experience.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± The middle-aged man swallowed the statement he wished to convey, asking in defeat, ¡°So, why did you do it?¡± ¡°I wish to prevent cases like Saurav in the future,¡± Rahu stated honestly. ¡°But your actions implicated Anubha Tiwari. By lodging aint against Pomegranate Corporation, she will face the Government¡¯s wrath, and by extension, the world.¡± The middle-aged man felt a headache as he recalled the amount of paperwork he had to do the previous day as a result. Rahu met with Anubha on Saturday whenter in the day, she lodged aint. The police hadn¡¯t filed an FIR yet and seemed to be dragging the case when a reporter sniffed it up. Once the news was broadcasted, the police had no other choice but to file the FIR. In the end, the middle-aged man had to step in to protect Anubha Tiwari. Otherwise, who knows what would happen to her? But as a result, his weekend was ruined. ¡°I implicated her, yes. But, thanks to the news about her son¡¯s death, people would be more aware of the negative consequences of using the uVR Earth.¡± Rahu said, ¡°It¡¯s a perfect gadget, yes. But it too needs to be used in moderation, just like the rest of our body.¡± ¡°And that¡­needs to be mademon sense!¡± ¡°Your method is still wrong,¡± The middle-aged man frowned, ¡°You pushed a civilian between the teeth of a titan.¡± ¡°Is there an alternative then? Had I not done this¡­¡± Rahu crouched forward as he applied pressure on the table, ¡°Will it be okay when more students die, just like Saurav? The cases we sawst month alone number in the double digits. But as the deaths were from average students, the media exposure to the news of their demise was minimal.¡± ¡°As more people be equipped with the uVR Earth, such cases would only spike.¡± ¡°So what?¡± The middle-aged man stared Rahu, dead in the eyes, ¡°No one can spot the spread of uVR Earth. Neither you nor me¡­¡± ¡°Not even our country.¡± ¡°uVR Earth is a 17 trillion US Dor project. The entire world has invested in this. We are surfing on an unstoppable tsunami at present. The one that lets go of the reins would be left to drown in the wave of development.¡± He continued with a solemn tone, ¡°So, anyone that opposes the idea is going against the entire world.¡± ¡°Not the entire world, just the elites.¡± Rahu retorted. ¡°And these elites practically run the economy.¡± The middle-aged man snorted. ¡°You too are a part of that group.¡± He then sighed and began to put the pens back in their holder, saying, ¡°You¡¯re smart enough to understand the trend. You¡¯re way too deep in this shit to attempt swimming against the current.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not against the spread of uVR Earth. It¡¯s the next phase of our evolution. I understand,¡± Rahu shook his head, ¡°I only wish to advocate its pros and cons and raise the awareness of the people towards it.¡± ¡°Well, as long as you understand that, I can save a few more of my hair strands.¡± The middle-aged man ruffled the drawer nearby and took out a memory card, cing it on the table, ¡°You breached the confidentiality use by handing this to Anubha Tiwari. I had to go through a lot of trouble to retrieve this.¡± ¡°I know you wish to help the people. But, don¡¯t do so by viting the uses that protect us. Even our government won¡¯t be able to save your neck by then.¡± The middle-aged man said in worry, ¡°There are only 42 DOVA Agents in our country. So, plenty of intelligence agents would be watching your every move,¡± ¡°Especially since you¡¯re #6 among us.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be more careful in the future.¡± Rahu bowed in apology and turned around, intending to leave, ¡°I¡¯ll resume work now.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Saying so, the middle-aged man took out a file and presented it to Rahu, ¡°Look into this.¡± ¡°What¡¯s it about?¡± Rahu flipped through the file and was stunned, enough to drop it on the table, ¡°Is this true?¡± ¡°Why would I show it to you otherwise?¡± The middle-aged man expressed his annoyance. A couple of secondster, Rahu sighed, ¡°I was expecting Pomegranate Corporation tounch it sooner orter. It is high time they did this.¡± He nodded in understanding, ¡°So, that¡¯s why they¡¯re heavily suppressing all negative news regarding uVR Earth.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± The middle-aged man nodded, ¡°Once the VRMMORPG, Worldcraft is released next month, the attention of the entire world would be shifted to it. The entire game is free real estate for fame and fortune to anyone that loves decent gamey.¡± ¡°Is that why they are handing out uVR Earths at subsidised rates?¡± Rahu said in rm, ¡°It currently costs 40kh Rupees. That¡¯s not a sum of money a middle-ss household can afford unless they were to invest all their savings into it.¡± ¡°And once Worldcraft is released, the price of uVR Earths might spike to even twice the rate. The production simply wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up with the demand.¡± He continued, ¡°Even when subsided, it would cost more than what it does now.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why all banks would be rolling out loans with cheap interest rates towards it.¡± The middle-aged man nodded, ¡°The economy would shift to Worldcraft. So, it creates a decent possibility to repay the loan within a year or two.¡± ¡°Only if you are sessful in Worldcraft,¡± Rahu sighed, ¡°Otherwise, you¡¯ll be repaying it for a couple of decades at the very least. Moreover, whether to farm money or simply grind for rewards, if one spends too long in the game without ample rest in reality, their brain would deteriorate over time, just like Saurav Tiwari.¡± ¡°Which is why, once Worldcraftunches, I want you to represent us and y the game.¡± The middle-aged man said, revealing a wry smile, ¡°Continue advocating through the game about the dangers of prolonged uVR Earth use. If you be famous there and be an influencer, people would listen to you.¡± ¡°Why do I need to y a game to do that?¡± Rahu retorted as he pointed at the memory card, ¡°I can make the headlines tomorrow. A DOVA Agent breaking the confidentiality use? That¡¯s enough to make prime-time news.¡± ¡°Once charges are pressed against me, I can reveal the problems with uVR Earth through the press.¡± He concluded. The middle-aged man stared at his exnation with a poker face, ¡°Tell me something you¡¯ll actually put into motion. I know you¡¯re not someone that would risk his life just to prove a point that can be buried overnight.¡± ¡°Anyway, whether you wish to do so or not is entirely at your discretion.¡± He said suddenly. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rahu frowned, for as a DOVA Agent, all his actions were answerable to his superior, the middle-aged man before him that was the head of DOVA, Neeraj Vora. So, when he was given free reins, it only made Rahu nervous, getting a bad feeling immediately. ¡°Am I being deported?¡± He asked, ring. ¡°Close enough,¡± The middle-aged man, Neeraj Vora sent an email to his uVR Earth, ¡°To prevent you from making a mess in the Capital, you¡¯ve been appointed Chief of the DOVA Branch in Chennai.¡± ¡°You¡¯re getting transferred to your birth city.¡± ¡°Chief of the Chennai DOVA Branch? Are you messing with me right now?¡± Rahu mmed the table, ¡°Isn¡¯t #2 the Chief there?¡± ¡°Not anymore,¡± Neeraj Vora yawned as he motioned for Rahu to leave, ¡°Shyam will be visiting our neighbouring countries as a diplomat. Tensions are kind of rising already. Things will get messier once Worldcraftunches. So, we need a diplomat to polish our diplomatic ties.¡± ¡°He¡¯s indeed an expert in the field,¡± Rahu nodded, sighing as he epted the transfer order, ¡°So, when¡¯s my date of joining the Chennai Branch?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mention it to you?¡± Neeraj Voraughed, feeling like he had be a tad younger after venting steam, ¡°It¡¯s tomorrow.¡± ¡°So, hurry along.¡± asionally missing content, please report errors in time. Chapter 6 6: Breakup And Banter "Tomorrowa?|" Rahu raved in exasperation, "Tomorrow? Tomorrow as in Tuesday? The 9th of this month? Seriously?" "a?|Can I curse you?" "I''ll beat you up if you do." Neeraj waved his hand, motioning for Rahu to scoot away. "Then I''ll need to book a chartered nea?|" Rahu trailed off. "That''s not possible," Neeraj shook his head in a hurry, "I''m using the one allotted to us tonight. I have a meeting with a bunch of ministers. So, you''ll have to travel through the regr means avable for the public." "You know I don''t use public transport, right?" Rahu frowned, "That''s the only rule I live by. I wasn''t even given an advance notice anyway. So, I''ll simply refuse the transfer." "Don''t make it hard for me," Neeraj felt a headache, "Think of this as your punishment. You''ve caused me endless stress until now." "a?|Fine." Seeing his plea getting rejected did irritate him, but at the end of the day, Rahu couldn''t go overboard. As Neeraj said, he indeed gave too much workload to his superior. Most of the cause behind his receding hairline was Rahu. "By the way," Rahu looked in confusion, "Who''ll take up my post here? The Capital needs at least two DOVA Agents to protect the country''s vested interests." "One of our reserve Agents will take your ce." Neeraj didn''t wish to continue on that much, sighing as he said, "Anyway, only you can fill in the void left behind by #2''s departure. So, try your best. Any problems you create there will have to be solved yourself." "After all, you''ll be the top official there." "Then, I''ll be returning home now to pack up." Rahu saluted casually and left the DOVA Headquarters. Staring at his back, Neeraj sighed, watching his hands tremble as a trail of blood oozed out of his nose. Wiping it with a tissue, he sighed, a??I''ve be damn busy. The workload is taking a toll on my health.'' "I need a break. At least a couple of days would do." Exiting the Chief''s cabin, Rahu walked slowly, staring at the staff greet him one after another. His uVR Earth kept blinking constantly as he pulled up the notifications, seeing a bunch of missed calls. [GF: 12 Missed Calls] a??What does she want now?'' Instant annoyance surged in him as he arrived at the parking lot and calmly unlocked his cycle. It was the sole cycle in the car-filled lot, some of which were even of the luxury line. It looked odd at first nce, since that wasn''t part of their culture-travelling on cycles to work. Rahu habitually wore a gas mask next as he exited the building and calmly pedalled on the road, frowning at the dust and smoke. Even though most cars these days were either electric or hydrogen-powered, there were still enough petroleum cars plying the road. And due to the intense traffic, air quality was bad. While on the road, he called his girlfriend, his expression scrunching up as he heard an annoying voice screech in his ear. [Babe, why aren''t you picking up my calls? Do you know how stressed I was?] "What happened nowa?|?" Rahu exhaled slowly, as if everything was a drag. [You seea?|I came for shopping, and you know how rudely the salesperson behaved? I asked for a bag exclusively from LVa?|] By this point, Rahu had already zoned out. He stared at the time disyed on the corner of the transparent screen hovering before him. 11:40 AM! a??She went shopping on a freaking Monday morning?'' Even though Rahu''s official work was only stated to be from Monday to Saturday, if a situation popped up, he must be present at the scene. He wouldn''t be having a weekend to rx by then. Moreover, his working hours ranged anywhere from twelve to sometimes even sixteen hours a day. What could he expect, since only two DOVA Agents were present in the Capital City. If any situation rted to uVR Earth popped up, he would have to rush first. Neeraj was the head of DOVA, so he couldn''t move from his spot most of the time. Therefore, it was Rahu doing all the fieldwork. Even the time he met Anubha, he had gone there after finishing a head-splitting case. Here he was, having his head chewed by his superior for almost an hour. And in contrast, she was having fun shopping, that too on a Monday morning? a??This rich dumbass that doesn''t have to work for a living.'' He groaned mentally before saying suddenly, "Listena?|" [Yes, babe?] "We need to break up." He spoke curtly. There was absolute silence on the other sidea?|for ten seconds. It was followed by animal roars, screeches, and a multitude of cusses from threenguages. It went on for almost twenty minutes, by the end of which Rahu had arrived home. His girlfriend seemed to have calmed down enough to ask lucidly, her voice trembling in response. [Do you not love me?] [It has been less than two months since we started dating. Justa?|why?] "I don''t think it''ll work out. Besides," Rahu was just about to blurt out that he was moving out of the city when he paused, a??That was close. I almost revealed my ns.'' He always had to be careful. In an age of the growing influence of Virtual Reality, a DOVA Agent was no different from royalty, answering only to the Prime Minister. No one else could control or order a DOVA Agent. In terms of technology, there wasn''t a single electronic device that a DOVA Agent couldn''t hack into. Their minds were the literal best in their country. And in terms ofbat potentiala?|they were more potent than modern firearms. As a result, they were a strategic resource protected by the government itself. Therefore, too many eyes were on a DOVA Agent, from both allies and enemies. The allies monitor to ensure the DOVA Agent doesn''t take undue advantage of their prowess. The enemies monitor to silence a DOVA Agent the moment an opportunity shows itself. The stronger the DOVA Agent, the greater the monitoring directed toward them. Among the Agents, Rahu was ranked sixth in the entire country, nicknamed the Liger. He had been attacked countless times until now, which was why he refrained from using any electronic devices, for they could be hacked into. That was the primary reason behind his usage of a cycle. A mechanical tool couldn''t ever be hacked into. Moreover, his cycle was military-grade, capable of withstanding the roughest of applications. The same went for his umbre too, which was something he custom ordered. Both had saved his life in the past. Other than that, Rahu had no other choice but to live a mysterious life, which meant he truly couldn''t be in a rtionship. The longest rtionship he was in onlysted two months. It was only to serve as a cover. The rtionship was casual too. This was to drive a point across that he wasn''t actually into the women he dated. Otherwise, if the rtionship seemed serious enough, his enemies would take on a kidnapping session to force him to cough up state secrets. It was already due time to end the rtionship with his current girlfriend. His transfer order only prompted him to break up a few days in advance. "I don''t think this will work out, sorry." [Bastard! Don''t you dare dump me on a call!] "I''m busy, call youter." Saying so, he hung up the call, parked the cycle and entered his house. "Why are you home this early?" His grandmother was cutting vegetables in the kitchen. "Why are you working? The doctor told you to rest!" Rahu rushed into the kitchen at the sight of her, stopping abruptly when his grandma turned around and threateningly pointed the knife his way. "You''re pointing a knife at your grandson?" "Anyone that stops me from cooking is a sworn enemy." His grandmother made a swiping motion and returned to her task at hand. A few secondster, she turned mellow, speaking calmly, "I feel bored." "My childrene to see me once a year. It has been years since I saw my grandchildren. And you!" She turned around and red, "You''re alwaysa?|always at work!" "I have nothing to do other than sit and watch the TV. I''ll go mad if I don''t do something." "Leave her be," His grandfather''s voice resoundedzily as he arrived at the living room, switched on the TV and slumped on the sofa, "She bes younger when she cooks. Her food too is unrivalled." "He''s such a sweet talker." His grandmother turned a tad shy and pushed Rahu out of the kitchen. "Did something happen at work? You''re never home early, not to mention at noon like this." His grandfather asked in confusion. "I''ve been transferred." Rahu scratched his head and smiled wryly, "I''m the Chief of the Chennai Branch now." "Youa?|" His grandfather stared in silence before he used a nearby magazine like a hand fan, "Can you live alone?" "How old do you think I am?" Rahu retorted, exasperated. "I''m 28." "Good that you know," His grandmother said snarkily from the kitchen, "I feared you would die a bachelor." "Your grandfather and I won''t live forever you know?" "At least marry before you leave. I''ll be relieved if there''s a woman to take care of you. God knows what mess you''ll get yourself into. You''re as hot-blooded as you''re smart, just like your grandfather." She slowly pulled out a long knife and smiled at him. "I have to leave tonighta?|" Rahu said, watching his grandparents turn silent. A dozen secondster, his grandmother stabbed the knife into a tomato, dusted her hands and rushed out of the kitchen, "Let''s get you married before then." "You were seeing a girl, right? She seemed decently good-looking andes from a respectable family." She said in a hurry. "Grandma, I''ll find someone bettera?|" "Bullshit," She pped his butt, "You change girlfriends more than your clothes. And why does your taste get progressively worse? This won''t do. Before you end up with a characterless pretty face, I''ll set you up with someone worth her brains." Chapter 7 7: Targeting Rahu It took some time, but Rahu was finally able to get his grandparents off his back about getting a wife. Once he returned to his room, he booked a flight ticket, cursing in response, "Damn, it''s almost full." He was looking for a same-day flight, so only a few airlines had any avable seats. Moreover, they were batshit expensive, "Forty-two thousand rupees for an economy ss ticket? Why don''t you just rob my kidney at this point." If booked in advance, the fare would be well under five thousand rupees. So, heined. To be honest, considering his sry, the ticket fare wasn''t much. But he had severe miser tendencies. Rest needn''t be exined. Once he booked his ticket, he contacted a shippingpany to send his cycle and umbre to Chennai. Once that was done, he finished packing his luggage and arrived at the living room, informing his grandparents, "I''ll get going now." "Take care," His grandfather waved at him. His grandmother had just taken medicine and was resting at the moment. So, she couldn''te to see him off. Just as he was about to exit the house, a video call arrived on his uVR Earth. He pulled up the scene shown by the security through the call. [Sir, a woman has arrived at the house. Do we allow her entry?] "No, keep her there. I''m exiting the house myself." Saying so, Rahu disconnected the call. To prevent anyone from targeting his grandparents, Rahu had installed a dedicated team of security. His grandparents disliked having any bodyguards. As a result, Rahu rented out the neighbouring houses and made the security live there. Now, they were just nosy neighbours concerned about the two senior citizens. This was how he ensured his grandparents were safe. It was why he wasn''t in the least flustered when the gang of motorcyclists camped before his home. He had already been notified of it beforehand. ''The cab will arrive in two minutes.'' Seeing the notification, he exited the house and stared at the car parked at the entrance. His girlfriend was seated inside, irritated, her eyeliner had smudged. Her uVR Earth was blinking nonstop as she was calling Rahu repeatedly. "I''m here, you needn''t call so much," Rahu said softly once he arrived before her. "You..." His girlfriend red as she opened the door in a hurry and grabbed him by the cor, pping him, "What the heck is wrong with you?" "Wasn''t everything fine until yesterday? What''s with the breakup now? And..." She stared at his luggage, shouting in a fluster, "You''re going somewhere?" "Yeah," Rahu nodded calmly as he felt the sting on his cheek. She truly hadn''t held back with the p. "You''re leaving me behind?" She wiped her tears and asked. "Yeah," Rahu nodded. "That''s it?" She looked around as if in disbelief, inhaling sharply as she stared at him in pain, "You don''t have anything else to say? If I was the reason, tell me. I''ll try to change myself." "There''s nothing wrong with you," Saying so, Rahu noticed the cab had arrived. He bowed lightly towards his girlfriend and left, "I need to go now." "Two months..." She grabbed him by the hand andughed in anger, "I thought you were just retrained in nature. So, even though we didn''t even hug once, I thought it''ll naturally happen if I waited a bit longer. But you..." "Did you ever love me?" "I''m not sure," Rahu said honestly, "But that doesn''t matter now. We can talk at ater date." "This fucker..." She red in disbelief as Rahu boarded the cab and rode away, screaming shrilly, "Asshole! Dumbass! Rot in hell!" She boarded her car and drove away in a fit of rage. "Girlfriend problems?" The cab driver asked with a knowing smile, intending to make small talk, "Women these days...sheesh." "Just focus on the road," Rahu spoke curtly as his eyes were peeled on his surroundings, ''No signs of attacks until now.'' Since he shipped his cycle, he had no other choice but to use a cab. So, he was on high alert, for he had been targeted pretty much every single time he had boarded a public transport. He was ready to prevent any harm from being done to the driver, having already used his uVR Earth to take control of the cab''s motherboard. It was better to be safe than sorry. This was also why he behaved like an asshole towards his girlfriend. The faulty entirely on him anyway. After all, he only used her as a cover. Having and changing girlfriends one after another made him give a false persona of a fickle man who cannot be in a serious rtionship. This prevented his enemies from using a honey trap on him. It was annoying when they used that in the past. Thankfully, it stopped now. As the cab rushed past a house, an old man sitting on the portico there, holding a newspaper while sipping some tea smirked. He then took out a burner phone and dialled a number, "Target is heading out with a lot of luggage. Note down the cab''s number te...Alert everyone in the public transport sector. Also, he has broken up with thetest girl." "Got it," Came the reply from the other side, "If they don''t have any contact in the future, we''ll stop monitoring her and transfer the personnel. Judging by his character, he''ll find a new woman soon enough." "What about ourdy? Is she ready?" The old man asked calmly. Even though it seemed like he was rxed, his son was spying on the entire region, having connected-through his uVR Earth-with all the CCTV cameras they had installed throughout the house. Only after he gave the green signal did the old man even dial up the call. "Not yet, but she''ll be ready soon. We have trained her to be an expert in a variety of fields. She knows everything about the target. She''ll capture his heart without fail." The person on the other side said with pride. "I''m looking forward to it." Saying so, the old man disconnected the call, "Create a new contact means for me." "It''ll be done ASAP." Once the call disconnected, the old man casually dropped the burner phone in a pot of reddened charcoal, watching it slowly melt. The charcoal pot was used to ward off insects, especially mosquitoes that grew in numbers during this time of the year. By cing some herbs in a fist-sized earthen pot and set above the reddened charcoal, a faint smoke would be generated, which would cause the mosquitoes to drop to the ground, unconscious. The house lizards would then engage in a pleasurable feast. It was a symbiotic rtionship, all to survive against the mosquitoes. "I want to return to Shi." The old man sighed, stating with a tone of longing. Honk! The cab arrived at the airport as Rahu got down, masking the sense of confusion he felt, ''They...didn''t attack me.'' He paid the cab driver, grabbed his luggage, and entered the airport. He arrived before the check-in counter, dropped off his luggage and grabbed his boarding pass. A couple of minutester, a man in his early thirties, wearing a pair of sweats arrived at the same counter. He took his boarding pass and walked away. Once he arrived at a lounge, he adjusted his cap, covering his uVR Earth. Closing his eyes, he entered his private Virtual Space and invited a couple of people there, engaging in a short conversation, "I found Rahu. I''m boarding the same flight as him." "Shall I rough him up?" "Don''t go overboard." One of the figures, appearing no different from the mannequins-a female one-used in clothing stores spoke, "Even if you risk your life, you can''t defeat him. There''s a reason he''s ranked sixth in the entire country. But," "Try it anyway. As long as your identity isn''t leaked, you can do whatever you want." At this time, the male mannequin standing next to the female mannequin interjected, "How many passengers on your flight are equipped with an uVR Earth?" "I''m not sure about the exact number, but based on what I saw in the lounge, there''s at least thirty to forty of them." The man spoke. "Then be careful. Rahu will figure out your identity eventually." The male mannequin said and vanished. "It''s absolutely necessary to kill Rahu, but as long as he''s in an optimal state of mind, it''s impossible. He''s too strong." The female mannequin sighed and vanished. "As long as he''s in an optimal state of mind huh." The man grinned, shaking his head as his lips curled up, "Then I know what to do next." He exited his private Virtual Space and opened his eyes in reality. Soon, the announcer signalled the start of the boarding process. The man boarded the shuttle and peered out from the window. Through the reflection shown on the window, he observed Rahu''s face, only for a moment, acting casual. And once they arrived before the aerone, he smirked. Hidden underneath the cap, the colour of his uVR Earth changed, from blue-meant for civilian use-to jade-only wielded by DOVA Agents. His jade colour was a tad paler than Rahu''s. While he was boarding the ne, the man calmly sent an electromaic wave into the cockpit and gradually began to connect with the flight controls. But a momentter, he retracted the transmitted signals, staring at Rahu''s back in rm, ''This bastard!'' ''He already tookmand of the flight''s controls.'' Chapter 8 8: Clash Of Induced Reality ''This is strange indeed.'' Rahu frowned in distaste as he took a seat on the ne. Thankfully, he had a window seat, which allowed him to calm down a little. Clouds did have a magical charm to them, one that calmed down people naturally. ''What...are those fuckers nning now?'' He thought, alert as he stared at the passengers, keeping note of those with an uVR Earth attached to their heads. He had enough trust in airport security to ensure none with a conventional means of causing chaos in an aerone had boarded it. Well, trust was a lie. He had personally tapped into the TSA and looked through the belongings of people. It was a breach of privacy, but he didn''t care. If someone with malicious intent got on board to target Rahu, the rest of the passengers too would be implicated. So, it was also for their safety. The reason he arrived at the airport well in advance was just for this reason. Therefore, Rahu could rule out the possibility of a threat through traditional means. Now, all that was left was the threat due to uVR Earth. It was pretty much impossible to pry into them, for they were built to be failsafe. There were a total of seven uVR Earth types. The shapes of all looked the exact same, with the only means of differentiation being the colour of the circuit lines on them. The mostmon was a civilian-use uVR Earth, coloured Blue. All the other uVR Earth types had their respective colours: Red, Violet, Green, ck, and Yellow. That was unchangeable, as the emitted colour was naturally thanks to the respective uVR Earth''s internal build and the material used. But the sole exception to this norm was a DOVA Agent''s uVR Earth. It was Jade in colour, but was capable of changing colours, for it could emte the properties of every uVR Earth. And that''s the type of enemy he was guarded against. His enemies equipped with any other uVR Earths could be easily guarded against thanks to their colour code. ''Would the enemies seriously dispatch someone that valuable?'' He thought. The possibility was unlikely, but it paid to be careful. Once the air hostesses finished their routine demonstration, the ne took off. Rahu stared out the window, observing the buildings turn into ants. At this time, he saw a masked man wearing a bean sack calmly walking past the people. None seemed affected by his odd appearance. Moreover, as he walked, hisrge bean sack phased through the people and seats. The moment Rahu stared at the entity, he tensed up, ''They seriously dispatched someone?'' The masked man wearing a bean sack lifted a hammer and calmly walked towards Rahu, speaking with a muffled tone. "Good evening." A voice modtor covered his mouth, masking his original voice. His entire body was covered by the bean sack, drooping due to its weight, seemingly carrying a lot of tools. Even though he was just a virtual projection, he had been created using a real person as a model. Therefore, if his identity were to be revealed, it was easy to trace the DOVA Agent employing the model. After all, it cost an astronomical sum to train even a single such model for a DOVA Agent to employ. The masked man arrived within striking range of Rahu as he slowly lifted his hand carrying the hammer, intending to pummel Rahu''s head in. Induced Reality! The sole means through which something virtual could be real. The moment the hammer strikes his head, Rahu''s brain would be influenced to believe this happened for real. As a result, he would develop a concussion. And if the momentum behind the strike was strong enough, it would fool his brain into thinking that his head had been smashed in. Rahu would truly die in that case. And the problem with attacks through Induced Reality was that they couldn''t be guarded against. Even if Rahu were to bring his Liger out, nothing would change. It was called Induced Reality for a reason. Unless he induces the source behind the masked man to believe his Liger is real, his Liger wouldn''t be able to touch the masked man. After all, from the perspective of the individual-that created the masked man-observing the situation, there was just the masked man. Their brain too believed that the only entity manifested through Induced Reality was the masked man. Therefore, as they couldn''t even see the Liger, the masked man wouldn''t be affected by the Liger. Only if Rahu were to affect the hidden DOVA Agent''s brain through Induced Reality would his Liger be able to pounce upon the masked man. ''So, that''s your game.'' Thinking as such, Rahu adjusted the cap he was wearing. When he didn''t wish to reveal his identity as a DOVA Agent while using his powers, he hid his uVR Earth with a cap. His uVR Earth shone with a jade colour as it unleashed a brainwave throughout the ne''s cabin. In an instant, he induced his power onto the passenger on the first seat. She suddenly felt the eyes of a predator on her. She instinctively shuddered as a result, a reflexive memory deep in her genes-for humans had feared predators for a significant portion of their history. But that was only for an instant. The effect switched to the second passenger and then the third. One after another, it changed in rapid session. Within a second, more than twenty passengers were affected by Induced Reality, shuddering as a result. All they felt was a chill; they stared at the AC vent as a coping mechanism, assuming it to be the cause. While that happened, Rahu stared at the masked man and let out a pleasant smile, muttering when the masked man''s projection flickered for an instant. "Found you." As he influenced the passengers in order, the moment the projection flickered, he knew which seat had the DOVA Agent. Just as the masked man''s hammer was about to m into Rahu''s head, the Liger bit his arm off and chomped it once before swallowing it. "What?" There was a startled shout from one of the passengers. Rahu analysed the voice, ''A male, probably a bit older than me.'' The moment his Liger bit off the masked man''s arm, it was apparent that Rahu had seeded in influencing the hidden DOVA Agent. ''Shit! How did he figure out my identity this quickly?'' The hidden DOVA Agent was rmed. After all, to influence a target, it took a DOVA Agent a few minutes at the very least. After all, they have to first unleash brainwaves. From the lowest possible frequency, they would have to raise it until the brainwave attains the frequency resonant with the target''s brain. Only after that was an induction possible. It was pretty taxing on the user''s brain. If a normal person attempted to do this, they would straight up develop a severe nosebleed and fall into aa. Their brain would be severely impaired as a result. Even if they were to recover, they would have to spend the rest of their lives at an asylum. A normal life was no more to such people. It was why only those with brains the best of the literal best could be a DOVA Agent and attain the powers of Induced Reality. But even among them, differences existed. The hidden DOVA Agent had been focused on Rahu for the past hour, only able to influence his brain after this. That was how strong Rahu''s immunity towards Induced Reality was. That was to be expected since Rahu was one of the best in the country. But, the hidden DOVA Agent had never expected Rahu to be able topute the resonant brainwave frequency of people in an instant. "M-Monster!" The hidden DOVA Agent muttered in shock. The masked man jumped back and regenerated his severed arm. It was a 3D Model in the end, so it could be refreshed to an optimal state. But, this did consume some brain power. The masked man pulled out a second hammer, holding one in each hand as he cautiously red at the Liger, the beast whose height was on par with him. With a roar, he charged forth, targeting Rahu. The Liger intercepted his attack by mming into him, causing the two to roll around. Bang! Bang! Bang! Muffled hammer hits resounded as the masked man targeted the Liger''s head, but the damage from the attacks healed in an instant. The Liger rolled to the top and used its forearms to pin down his hands. It then opened its mouth and ripped apart the masked man''s mask, revealing his face. For a moment, it remained motionless as through its eyes, Rahu clicked pictures of the masked man. The mask reappeared immediately after, but the data was already in Rahu''s possession. The masked man tried to move, but as their 3D models were based on existing entities, the rted physics applied here too. Weighing at 480 kilograms, the Liger was damn heavy, almost five times the masked man. As a result, he couldn''t move when pinned down by it. The only way to escape this situation was to deactivate Induced Reality. The masked man would vanish instantly. But doing so would put the hidden DOVA Agent at risk. For, it would take him more than an hour to influence Rahu''s brain once again. Since his seated location had been revealed already, it was game over, as considering the capabilities Rahu disyed, he would be killed by the Liger. A chill crept on his spine as he observed through the masked man''s eyes; the massive Liger''s jaws parted open as it chomped on the masked man''s head and violently ripped it apart, slurping on the spine following that. "Aargh!" Chapter 9 9: Induced Reality: Dark Room ''Shit! Shit! Shit! Why is this happening?'' The hidden DOVA Agent was in a state of fluster, feeling his brain power be consumed rapidly every time the Liger bit off the masked man''s head and devoured it. At this rate, he would fall unconscious within a minute. Wiping the tinge of blood leaking out of his nose, the hidden DOVA Agent stared at Rahu''s seat, ''My masked man is getting clobbered. But it also means that I''ve tied down Rahu''s Liger. He''s defenceless now. I can jump him.'' He observed two air hostesses pushing a cart, serving food to the passengers one after another. They were slowly approaching Rahu''s seat. The Liger was ten metres away from Rahu. The hidden DOVA Agent thought after calcting their respective distances, ''I can make it on time.'' ''It''s not possible to fight. I barely have a second to execute it before the Liger jumps me.'' He thought as he slowly got up, behaving like he was about to head to the restroom. ''Since the entire ne''s control is with him, this is my only option. I have to murder him.'' "Sir, here''s your food." The air hostess took out a tray and gave it to the passenger beside Rahu. ''Now!'' Seeing the opportunity, the DOVA Agent umted muscr strength in his legs to the limit and intended to leap forth. His aim was Rahu''s head, nning to break his neck using the collision. Right as he nned to act, his head spun, for a moment in a daze when his masked man was shredded into bits in an instant. Enough amount of his brainpower had been consumed at that moment to make him dizzy. Before he recovered, the hidden DOVA Agent watched to his dismay as the cabin interior turned ck and white. Following that, all colours vanished as only a white outline was visible for all the objects. Another instantter, that too seemed to be erased, plunging his entire world into darkness. ''What is this? What''s happening?'' The hidden DOVA Agent intended to shout to express his fluster. But to his terror, he couldn''t even open his mouth. His voice cords too failed to reverberate. His limbs seemed stuck as a sense of vertigo enveloped him, only growing strong over time. He couldn''t move, he couldn''t see, and he couldn''t even call for help, stuck in this cold, dark void. He had no idea what was happening anymore. Fear gradually crept its way into his mind, terrorising him. Induced Reality-Dark Room! Rahu''s uVR Earth blinked erratically as his eyes were slightly red, as if he had been staring at aputer screen for more than twelve hours straight. In his vision, the figure of the masked man vanished first. Only after did he sigh in relief and retract his Liger. His sense of stress reduced a bit following that. Rahu turned his head around and stared at the seat where the DOVA Agent was seated, observing thetter in a state of unconsciousness. ''Thankfully, his body instinctively took a seat based on muscle memory.'' Had the DOVA Agent copsed on the floor, it would have caused panic among the passengers. Rahu didn''t wish to see that. So, he was relieved when all went well. "Sir, here''s your lunch." The air hostess gave him his food tray, smiling widely at him. It was strange that she smiled like that only at him, but considering how he was quite handsome, Rahu didn''t find it weird. He had received such smiles from women before. The air hostess delivered food in sequence, eventually approaching the DOVA Agent''s seat. Seeing his unconscious state, her eyes turned cold. Pierced through her hair, tied into a bun, was a hairpin, sharp enough to stab into his eyes and make him bleed to death. "Sir, would you like anything?" She asked the DOVA Agent, acting like she intended to wake him up, but internally, she was shocked, ''He was defeated this quickly? I truly underestimated Rahu.'' Now that he was defeated, he could be interrogated for details regarding their organisation. So, disposing of him here was a necessity. But, the air hostess couldn''t afford that, especially considering the mission allotted to her. She couldn''t risk everything to save a failed Agent, especially since she could feel Rahu''s attention on her. The moment she tried anything to tamper with the suspect, she would be dealt with ordingly. ''It is what it is, huh.'' She calmly served food to the other passengers and returned to her seat. Along her way, she did eye Rahu and smile at him once again, expressing interest in him. ''Do I use her as my next cover?'' Rahu thought for a moment upon seeing the interest she showed in him, but a couple of secondster, he sighed, ''Not now. I should just behave as if my previous breakup was hard on me. Let''s use this excuse to not be in a rtionship for at least a year.'' It was mentally draining to watch his every step. But, things were at stake due to his nature of work. One misstep from his side and many people would die. The DOVA Agent remained within the dark room, unable to react, losing brain power rapidly the longer he remained within it. Thanks to it, he remained unconscious until the end of the flight. Once the flightnded, Rahu was the first to get up as he walked towards the DOVA Agent''s seat, smiling at the two passengers seated beside him, "My friend is scared of flights, you see. So, he has taken sleeping pills. I''ll help youe out." Seated next to the Agent was an old couple. With Rahu''s help, they walked out. The Agent was seated in the aisle seat. "Sir, do you need any help?" The air hostess asked once everyone had left, staring at Rahu and the DOVA Agent that remained in their seats. "Can you bring a wheelchair?" Rahu asked as he smiled wryly, "My friend has taken sleeping pills. He has yet to wake up." ''He''s a professional liar. If I didn''t know any better, I would have assumed he was speaking the truth.'' The air hostess thought as she brought out a wheelchair and watched Rahu push the DOVA Agent and walk out. Rahu exited the ne and stared at the red carpet rolled out before him, leading to a car, one among a convoy. "Sir Rahu," A woman approached him and performed a military salute, "I''m Deepika Rajendran, Head of Security and your assigned Secretary." "I know," Rahu pushed the wheelchair to her as he asked, "Has my cycle arrived?" "We have arranged transport for you," Deepika said in a hurry, for a moment confused about the man in the wheelchair, wondering why Rahu had brought him out, since the information she received entailed Rahu arriving alone. "I don''t do electronic transports, whether public or private." Rahu didn''t board the car as he began to walk into the terminal just like the rest of the passengers. "Sir please, I''ll lose my job if I don''t amodate you through afortable journey." Deepika chased after him in a hurry, stopping when Rahu stared at her and calmly pointed at the man in the wheelchair. "Are you sure you can take your eyes off him?" He said, admonishing her, "He''s a DOVA Agent that tried to kill me during the flight. Keep him sedated and lock him up in my office." "H-He''s a DOVA Agent?" Deepika was shocked as she removed the DOVA Agent''s cap and stared at the blinking jade light on his uVR Earth, "It''s true." Her uVR Earth''s ck light blinked once as she contacted the security team. From one of the cars in the convoy, a suited man rushed out with a medical kit, inspected the DOVA Agent''s condition and injected sedatives into him. Hemented after observing the man, "He won''t wake up for the time being." "Good, keep him in such a state and bring him to the office." Deepika stared at her deputy, "You''re in charge of this. Maintain absolute secrecy on this until sir takes up office tomorrow." "On it, Ma''am." Her deputy nodded and took charge of the DOVA Agent. They loaded him on the convoy and transported him to the Chennai DOVA Branch. In the meantime, Rahu had arrived at the baggage counter, patiently waiting as he observed people get their bags one after another. Soon, his luggage too arrived; he grabbed it and inspected its state, observing no signs of tampering. He wasn''t satisfied with just a visual observation though. He fixed the cap covering his uVR Earth and switched to its military version, causing the circuit lights to turn ck. Following that, his uVR Earth emitted electromaic radiation through the luggage, failing to detect any electronic instruments inside, ''Good, nothing unusual has been slipped inside.'' "Sir, please wait!" Deepika arrived at a halt behind him and saluted, "Allow me to apany you. It''s my duty to keep you safe." "Do as you see fit, but," He stared at the suitcase in her possession, "You won''t be needing that." "Sir I''m a certified expert in usingbat drones. I can easily protect you..." Deepika was flustered by hisment, ''He''spletely different from the previous Chief. He''s young but seems scarily stuck up.'' "Really?" Rahu tilted his head as his uVR Earth unleashed electromaic radiation, instantly hacking into the drone within as he caused its rotor to whir into life, shocking Deepika when she heard whirring sounds from within the suitcase. The suitcase vibrated and for a moment, she felt it difficult to hold onto it. Thankfully for her, the drone''s rotor stopped before she dropped the suitcase and embarrassed herself. Observing her disbelief, he approached Deepika and gazed at her, dead in the eyes, "0.7 seconds. That''s how long I need to hack and gain control of your drone. A DOVA Agent that''s a threat to me can achieve it at a simr time. All you''ll be doing in that situation is give my opponent ammo to ambush me." "But..." Deepika wished to argue, for she was denied the responsibility for which she had trained all along. It was damn frustrating. Ignoring her emotional plight, Rahu walked away, "If you understand, find another way to execute your job." "Secretary." Chapter 10 10: Megasphere Rahu exited the airport and dragged his luggage, calmly walking on the pavement at the side of the road. Deepika followed him, confused, irritated, and frustrated by his actions. ''He''s a freaking elite. Can''t he just act his part? Why does he have to behave like a broke college student?'' She approached him and asked, "Are you going to walk all the way to your hotel?" "Yeah, it''s pretty near." Rahu nodded casually, "It''s just four kilometres away. I can make it in an hour." For a moment, Deepika fainted from the words. It wasn''t as if she couldn''t walk that distance. She was trained by the military in all sorts ofbat forms. She could even run four kilometres without issues. But the thing was...the climate. Chennai was famed for its horrible climate, the blistering heat mixed with the stagnant humidity of the coastal region. The human body wasn''t built robust enough to withstand that during strenuous exercise. Walking at the side of the road while having to hear the constant horns of the plying vehicles was also annoying. But most of all, there was plenty she had to brief Rahu. The previous Chief had only left two days ago. But it meant that there was no DOVA Agent present in the city for two days. As the southern hub of the country, the rted workload had piled up a lot. Originally, while seated in the convoy, she intended to brief him regarding the various tasks that he had to take care of. But she couldn''t do that on the streets. They were ssified information. "You didn''t get rid of that drone?" Rahu asked casually after half an hour had passed, ncing at the suitcase in her hand. "It''s not something that can be...rid of." Deepika argued, "Please believe me. I trained for this." "Suit yourself, I won''t impose upon your decision." Rahu shrugged, "It''s just, in my opinion, that drone can only do more harm than good." "That''s only against an opponent of your calibre." She said, ring at him for a moment, "Anyone equipped with a military uVR Earth cannot hack it while I''m in control." "It''s good to be confident, but don''t be careless." Rahu''s tone turned serious, "The opponents that target me are of a higher calibre than what the previous Chief faced." ''What does he mean by that?'' Deepika was confused because the previous Chief was ranked second in the entire country. While inparison, Rahu was just ranked sixth. So in theory, the previous Chief was more valuable. And for those intending to mine the secrets he held or to simply get rid of a valuable strategic resource, the previous Chief was a higher valued opponent. But judging by what Rahu was saying, the reality seemed entirely different. Though, the fact that a DOVA Agent had personally taken action against Rahu spoke volumes. That had never happened to the previous Chief, at least based on what she was aware of. For the rest of the journey, Deepika was silent. By the time they arrived at the hotel, she was all sweaty. Entering the lounge, Rahu checked in his booking. The staff behind the counter stared at Deepika and asked, "A couple room, right?" "Do you know an eye hospital nearby?" Rahu interjected. "Yes, there''s one on the next street itself." The staff said. "You should get your eyes checked there." Saying so, he swiped his card, grabbed his room keys, and walked away. "..." Deepika stared at the staff awkwardly before her eyes trailed onto Rahu''s back, ''Asshole! You didn''t have to word it like that.'' She then took out her card and paid the money for her room. Their branch had already been notified of Rahu''s visit, the ce he was staying, and other details. So, she had booked the room adjacent to his. Only then could she protect him in case things go south. Deepika chased after Rahu and arrived on the third floor, staring at his figure that entered a room. Upon seeing her, he stopped for a moment and spoke curtly, "Give me thirty minutes." "Yes, sir." Deepika nodded and watched Rahu close the door shut. Following that, she just stood there in silence. She neither entered her room nor set her suitcase on the floor. It was her duty to be alert. Her uVR Earth blinked as she scanned the entire floor and made a note of all the electronic instruments there. Following that, she inspected the type of gadget they were, ensuring Rahu''s room wasn''t wiretapped. She then gained ess to all the CCTV cameras within the hotel and observed them through her Augmented Reality, keeping a note of things. It wasn''t just that. Every ten seconds, her uVR Earth sent a weak energy pulse radially outward. Radar! The military version of UVR Earth was advanced in such fields. And indeed, just like a DOVA Agent, not anyone could pull off such manoeuvres. They needed to have the qualifications first, just like a pilot licence. Once she was done with her routine, Deepika entered her room and sat on the bed. She closed her eyes and entered a state of slumber, arriving at her Virtual Space. Through Virtual Reality, she contacted her subordinates, "Has the target been secured?" "Yes," Her subordinate''s figure appeared in her Virtual Space. He then disyed a screen that showed the captured DOVA Agent strapped to a bed in a room. He had been sedated, unable to use his abilities. "Okay, good. Keep me posted on anything that happens. Also, send someone to deliver my luggage here. Keep two more posted on a shift around the hotel. We can''t afford any mistakes." Deepika said. "Even a DOVA Agent had been dispatched to kill him; things are serious with this Chief. Please be careful," The subordinate said in concern before vanishing. Deepika disconnected from reality, having taken just a tenth of the time necessary for that conversation. The time dtion in Virtual Reality was very convenient to make decisions quickly. Moreover, it was the most secure to discuss something serious. Time passed in such a manner as exactly thirty minutes since their arrival, a voice resounded from Rahu''s room, "Come in." Deepika had been standing at the entrance. She entered the room and noticed Rahu wearing a set of pyjamas, appearing casual. She nced at his open luggage, observing nothing but casual clothes in them, asking in confusion, "Sir, don''t you need to wear a suit to work?" "Do you expect me to fight in a suit?" Rahu gazed at her with an incredulous expression, "You know how tight and stuffy those clothes are? I would die from this heat before any of my enemies could get to me." ''I can''t argue with him.'' She shut up, feeling fed up with the retorts already. As she stared at him, a notification for a connection popped up in her Augmented Reality. It was an invitation from Rahu. Deepika closed her eyes and connected to her Virtual Reality, epting the connection as her virtual body appeared in a dimly lit room. There was nothing other than a metal table and two chairs. Taking a seat, Rahu motioned for her to be seated, speaking right away, "The reason I''m targeted with higher priority than your previous Chief is simple." His tone turned serious, "Ie from a family of DOVA Agents. And my parents were also part of the original team involved in the creation of uVR Earth." "Does that mean..." Deepika''s eyes widened in shock. "Yeah, Rahu nodded, "The secrets I''m privy to surpass the previous Chief. Before bing a DOVA Agent, I worked at Pomegranate Corporation Headquarters. I was one of thest batch of scientists that had interacted with Megasphere." Megasphere was the name of a revolutionary Artificial Intelligence said to surpass humanity as a whole. Once it was fully operational, it took control of the manufacturing process of uVR Earth, the entire nt of which was exclusively located in Australia. It was a unanimous decision to prevent humans from interacting with the production of uVR Earth to ensure no data was leaked, not to mention any defects that might arise. Therefore, from mining to production, the entirety of the operation was overseen by Megasphere alone. The revolutionary Artificial Intelligence worked on its established parameters and had long since stoppedmunication with humanity. It only functioned for its sole purpose: manufacturing uVR Earth. It was a rumour in the internationalmunity that during its final interaction with humanity, Megasphere chose a group of scientists and imparted them with precious data. As to what it was, none other than the involved personnel knew. The leaders of the various countries tried all they could but despite everything, none of the involved scientists revealed any information, not even a clue. "Data valuable enough to buy a country and its wielder powerful enough to be a God among humans." Deepika gasped, "That was all true? A-And, you''re...in possession of something like that?" "Now you know why I''m targeted." Rahu sighed, "Since you''re in charge of my security, I thought you should be aware of the risks. It''s your chance now to think things through and decide if you want to continue with your task or transfer to another division. The moment I take up office tomorrow, you too would be targeted." "So, think things through carefully." Deepika found it hard to breathe, unable to articte her emotions. She understood why Rahu behaved as he did and why he led a life different from the other DOVA Agents. It took her a few minutes just to digest this information, asking in the end as she stared at Rahu, "Is that data given to you by Megasphere that precious?" "Precious?" Rahu smiled wryly, "That''s an understatement." "It can change humanity as a whole when activated." ---------- Author Notes: Try to guess what this might be. Let''s see how many are correct once this is revealedte into the story. ---------- asionally missing content, please report errors in time. Chapter 11 11: A Mothers Worries "Can I...take some time to think?" Deepika asked, overwhelmed by the weight of information she received. She couldn''t verify it when she wasn''t privy to the truth, knowing just the dangers and the reasons rted to it. But the captured DOVA Agent was enough proof for all her doubts. A DOVA Agent was a strategic resource. From the DOVA uVR Earth to the virtual model they use to express their prowess of Induced Reality, everything was controlled by the state. Moreover, the DOVA uVR Earth could only be procured from Pomegranate Corporation when a country disys a candidate with the capabilities to handle one. Megasphere would personally verify their brainpower. And only when granted permission from multiple authorities would a DOVA uVR Earth even be dispatched from Pomegranate Corporation Headquarters located in Australia. All ounts were strictly kept, not to mention the informationwork cast in the country from spies of all countries. It was impossible for a DOVA Agent to be created without the official channel. Just consider Rahu''s Liger for example. Its digital model was based on an actual Liger. To create it, a team of experts 3D scanned it with the highest definition capture model. This was just in terms of outer appearance. X-Ray, thermal imaging, cell data, behavioural traits, gic characteristics, and even DNA. Every single thing that made the respective Liger live and behave as itself, including its ageing was captured over a year without break. From its breathing to the way it ate and shat, everything was recorded. Not just that, but the way it reacted to various things, from a human to a nt to an animal, to a rock, to rain, to sunlight, etc. Even its taste buds weren''t spared. All these data werebined to create a perfect replica of the original. That was Rahu''s Liger, one despite being a digital model, aged over time. All the data necessary to replicate it was there. This implied that the Liger could even learn from experiences, just as its real version would. Only at this level would the Liger actually be effective when used in Induced Reality. The way it ran, the killing intent it emitted, the stench of its breath, the blood on its teeth from hunting prey, and the way it targeted humans, all was information necessary to trigger a primal fear from humans when they encounter it. It wasn''t limited to humans alone, but all biological creatures. Otherwise, even if the Liger appeared before anyone, if it didn''t seem real, it would be no different from a doll. That wouldn''t trigger a reaction from them meant towards a living, breathing carnivore. It was why a DOVA Agent was a strategic resource. After all, without being state-sponsored, one couldn''t even be created. The required money to create, train, and develop one was simply astronomical. This simply meant that the DOVA Agent they had captured originated from some country. The fact that they had captured someone of such a calibre meant that they had truly offended the respective country. And considering Rahu''s secret, this was just the start. More countries would target him even at the risk of their DOVA Agent''s death. The secret was just that valuable. The more she thought, the farther her terror developed, ''What...have I got myself into?'' "You have until I arrive at the office tomorrow." Saying so, Rahu dismissed her from his Virtual Space. He then got up and walked out of the dimly lit room, raising his hand to hug a Liger that pounced upon him. "Did it hurt back then?" He rubbed its belly and asked in concern, "That opponent was strong, right?" Purr! The Liger showed its belly and rolled around. After ying it for a minute, Rahu gazed at the countless feline eyes staring at him from the dark. He paused for a moment before patting the Liger on the head, "Be a good boy now, alright?" Watching it lick his face in response, Rahuughed and disappeared from the Virtual Space, opening his eyes in reality as he stared at Deepika, motioning for her to leave his room. "How many..." Deepika paused just as she touched the door, asking as she turned around, "How many know people know that you have it?" "Anyone that needs to know already knows." Rahu replied, "That included both my allies and enemies." "I see..." Nodding as such, Deepika returned to her room and weakly climbed her bed. She wrapped the bedsheet around her crouched form, trembling like a leaf in fear, "I...didn''t sign up for that..." She recalled the moment when Rahu casually gained control of her drone. That was a blow to her confidence. From getting into a course to bing part of the group that could be equipped with a military uVR Earth to finally obtaining it; and from that day onwards, relentlessly training through sleepless nights to control the drone using her uVR Earth, Deepika had endured a lot. Finally, she became head of the security team for a DOVA Agent, reaching the height of her career at the young age of 32. It was an aplishment in and of itself. Moreover, during her career, she had been through her fair share of trouble. And every single time, she disyed her dominance whenpared to her military uVR Earth-wielding peers. But even for her, gaining control of her peer''s drone would take a lot of time, with a significant chance of failure. While she was focused on it, herrades would attempt to distract the target individual. The moment his control slipped up, she would wedge through hismand over the drone. It was a mental tussle following that, and the winner of the tug of war would gain control over the drone. But Rahu''s disy of power was like facing a tsunami. Within a second, control over her drone was wrestled from her and fell into his grasp. It was an absolute disy of dominance in the field. "He''s a...monster. Do I...have to face such monsters in the future?" This was her worry. Her pride didn''t allow her to back down but she was also afraid. The ability she trained during all her service years could be rendered useless in an instant. What would it mean if the security had to be protected instead? The previous Chief was a diplomatic person by nature. He never lost his cool or even flexed his abilities. And having never faced a DOVA Agent, Deepika had underestimated the powers of one. Rahu opened her eyes to reality. But even that would have been fine. DOVA Agents were targeted from time to time, but it was mostly by people that she and her security team could handle. But what if the attacker was another DOVA Agent? She would be helpless. Her hands trembled as tears streamed out of her eyes. Deepika gripped the pillow and squeezed it, screaming in silence. A notification resounded in her uVR Earth. She hurriedly wiped her tears and adjusted her appearance, connecting to the call to stare at her husband, "Have you eaten?" He had called through a smartphone. Since people had gotten used to using one, even after they switched over to uVR Earth, many still carried one. It was also more convenient to video call through a smartphone since uVR Earth only disyed a first-person perspective in video calls. If they wished to talk properly, they would have to enter Virtual Reality. Her husband was seated on the bed, exhausted. Asleep on either side of him were a pair of twins, three years old. Staring at their sleeping faces gave her strength as Deepika involuntarily smiled. "Not yet," Her husband smiled wryly, "They just fell asleep. They''ll wake up if I move now. I''ll eatter once they are deep in sleep." "You need to rest. Your dark circles have gotten worse." Deepika said in worry before apologising, "Sorry I couldn''t be there for you. My work doesn''t give me any free time." "Hey, I told you not to worry about that." Her husband flexed his biceps, "I''m fit as a bull. Taking care of two brats is simple as breathing." "Besides," He smiled wryly, "Didn''t I resign from my job just for this? Don''t worry and focus on your work. Whenever you''re free, call me. Looking at their cute faces gives you strength." "I miss them..." Deepika said as her voice trembled. She choked a little as tears streamed out of her eyes. Covering her mouth to prevent her cries from echoing out, she let out muffled expressions of sadness. "I know," Her husband stared at her with a knowing gaze. The two talked for around thirty minutes when he asked, slightly hesitant, "Can''t you take a break from work? It has already been a week since you came home." "At least make time for dinner." "I..." Deepika stared at her children as she clenched her fists under the bedsheet, cutting the call, "I need to go now." "I understand." "Sorry." "Don''t be. Just take care of yourself. Don''t worry too much." Once the call ended, she cried for a couple of hours. She stared at the image of her family on arge screen through Augmented Reality, in a daze for a long time. Without realisation, she fell asleep. The morning the next day, she woke up, determined, "I need to work harder for my kids. No matter what, I won''t die." Staring at the time, she got ready, organising things with her subordinates that were stationed in the hotel. She contacted one of them through Augmented Reality, asking, "Did anything of note happen during the night?" "Negative, ma''am. Sir had a pleasant sleep. He got ready just earlier and has even offered us some tea." "Alright, you can rest now. I''ll apany him to his office." Saying so, Deepika adjusted her work suit, tidied up the hairband, doublechecked her ponytail height and strapped a watch on her wrist. Carrying the suitcase containing her drone, she exited the room and knocked on the door to Rahu''s room, saluting once he opened it, "Deepika Rajendran, reporting to duty, Sir!" Chapter 12 12: Forged DOVA Agent 9th June 2048; Tuesday! 7:50 AM! "Seems you have resolved yourself." Rahu smiled, nced at the suitcase in Deepika''s possession and walked forth, notmenting on the matter. "Have you had breakfast?" "Not yet," Deepika said as she followed him. "Let''s have it first. My cycle will be delivered in the meantime." Saying so, Rahu sat down in the cafeteria situated at the topmost floor of the hotel, having a simple Dosa for breakfast. While eating, he asked her, "Can you multitask?" "In what form, sir?" Deepika thought for a moment and replied, "I have trained for that. I can move my body the same as usual even while controlling my drone." "Military uVR Earths are specialised regarding Augmented Reality, so it''s natural you can do that." Rahu drank some water and patted his stomach, "What about Virtual Reality?" "Can you connect to it while moving in reality?" "Is that...possible?" Deepika stared incredulously, "Only in a state of deep sleep can one enter their Virtual Space. Through training, I can engage with Virtual Reality within three seconds. But, I haven''t seen anyone capable of entering Virtual Reality while awake in reality." "That''s pretty strange," Rahu frowned, "You see, the previous Chief was an expert at this. Even while ying badminton in reality, he could connect to his Virtual Space and work there. He''s the best in the country." "I...never knew." Deepika bowed in apology. "Leaving that aside, I''m not on the previous Chief''s level, but I can engage with Virtual Reality at least while walking in reality." Rahu finished his breakfast and washed his hands, watching Deepika follow suit as he said, "I''ll train you in this regard. To keep up as my secretary, you need to get used to it." "I''ll try my very best!" Deepika saluted. The duo exited the hotel and stared at two subordinates part of Rahu''s security team. In their possession were a cycle and an umbre. Judging by the dirt in their hands, they had been busy assembling the cycle once it had been delivered. "We checked it, sir." One of the subordinates saluted Rahu, "There are no issues with its function." "Good work," Rahu boarded the cycle and affixed the umbre on the rear carrier. Whistling a tune, he began to drive towards the office. Pulled up in his Augmented Reality was a GPS, disying the route to the DOVA Branch he was in charge of. His uVR Earth blinked with a blue light as Rahu pulled up a ylist and listened to the songs. Through the neural connection, the song yed in his mind, the sensation no different to hearing from a pair of headphones. He minimised the noise-cancelling aspect, for he wouldn''t be able to react to anything if he couldn''t hear his surroundings. Adjusting the cap covering his uVR Earth, he calmly pedalled. Deepika followed right behind him through her car. They didn''t make it obvious as all the cars were from different brands, sporting a variety of colours just as themon popce possessed. But they were all part of his convoy. It seemed like Rahu was driving through traffic, but all the vehicles in his proximity were part of his convoy. Eleven cars, one van, one tempo, and five bikes. Rahu had already interacted with his security team in the morning. So he was aware of their identities. Staring at the convoy, he thought, ''At least in New Delhi, I can go alone, since there was a DOVA Agent above me that was in charge of the ce. But here, I''m the top dog.'' So, he couldn''t refuse the convoy. If something happened to him, his security team would be held ountable. Therefore, even if he ordered otherwise, they would refuse and continue to protect him. Now that he thought about it, when he was walking to the hotel with Deepika the previous night, there were people stationed in the roadside shops observing the pedestrians nonchntly. They were his security team, constantly maintaining a perimeter of his surroundings while disguised asmon people. It made Rahu realise the authority he currently wielded. Since he was the Chief of the Chennai DOVA Branch, part of the southernmost state of the country, any cases rted to uVR Earth that happened in the state and beyond the southern border also fell under his jurisdiction. ''I hope I don''t die from exhaustion.'' Thirty minutester, he arrived at the DOVA Branch, a 14-storeyplex spanning an area of 30 Acres, situated smack dab in the middle of the city. There was a parade at the entrance as the Department Heads of every single institution within the branch hade out to wee him. 9:00 AM! "I heard this DOVA Agent is an entric troublemaker." The Superintendent of Police, Kumaravel Pandian stood at the entrance to the building and wiped his sweat with a kerchief, ring at the zing sun for a moment. He was a lean middle-aged man with a prominent moustache whose ends were slightly twirled. "He''s entric, alright. He''s arriving on a cycle." The Branch Administrator of Finance, Deepak Kumar spoke in irritation. He was an old man with a conservative viewpoint. "This is what happens when a youngling is given too much power." "He''s arriving on a cycle? Seriously?" Kumaravel was stunned. The group of people of importance at the entrance of the DOVA Branch engaged in a discussion while they waited to wee Rahu. In the meantime, the person in question had entered the building through the rear gate and headed straight to the Chief''s office. "Good work," He nodded at Deepika for leading him through the rear entrance in advance so that he wouldn''t have to be held back by the greetings. Just exchanging pleasantries would take a few hours at least, since the number of people of importance was just too many. The Branch Chief had been absent from the seat for three days already. Work was continuing to pile up, so he couldn''t put them behind any longer. "Exchange greetings to them on my behalfter." "I''ll get it done," Deepika said as she took a seat and connected to Virtual Reality. Rahu did the same and entered her Virtual Space, staring at a room filled withrge monitors of shing images. Deepika handed over a tablet and pointed at the first case, "This case has been pending for three days already." "A suicide case?" Rahu frowned, "That should be handled by the police..." He stopped upon reading the contents of the case, "The concerned individual has holed up in his Virtual Space and has refused to return to reality?" "Yes, and since he only has ss 1 Endurance, his neuralwork has already shown signs of damage." Deepika expressed worry, "He has remained in Virtual Reality without rest for more than 80 hours. His family admitted him to a hospital, so his body is fine thanks to the treatment. But his mind..." "This is a dangerous case indeed, especially since Worldcraft is set tounch soon." Rahu then looked through the other cases, "Okay, this is the most urgent. We''ll go there immediately. n my itinerary to maximise my efficiency." "Okay!" Deepika began to prepare a travel route immediately. Having discussions in Virtual Reality was not only secretive but also time-efficient. After all, time flowed ten times faster here, allowing them to conserve a lot of discussion time. Returning to Reality, Rahu apanied Deepika and entered a secluded room on the same floor. There was a berth in the centre, strapped on which was a man slightly older than Rahu. He was kept sedated while a machine nearby monitored his vitals. The machine was being controlled by a man through his military uVR Earth. Therefore, if the DOVA Agent were to get up, they''ll know. Seeing Rahu''s arrival, the man with the military uVR Earth stood up and saluted, speaking, "The Agent has been unconscious all along. We have also supplied his body with only the bare minimum nutrients necessary." "What have you found out regarding him?" Rahu asked, "Which country''s DOVA Agent is he?" "Sir, about that..." The man with the military uVR Earth hesitated before speaking, "He''s not on the list." "Since we can''t extract any data from his uVR Earth, we''re at a loss." "What about the masked man? His 3D Avatar." Rahu asked next, frowning. "That''s the issue here." The man with the military uVR Earth expressed his confusion, "The masked man was the 3D Avatar of a DOVA Agent from Kazakhstan, Talgat Musabayev. What''s bizarre is that Sir Talgat died three years ago. He was already an old man by then." "But the one in our custody is pretty young and he''s been registered as an Indian Citizen under the name of Rakshat Gupta." "How...is this possible?" Deepika was startled by the information as she turned around to gaze at Rahu, "Can anyone equip a DOVA Agent''s uVR Earth and exhibit its power?" "If a DOVA Agent were to die, the country they belong to would confiscate and seal their uVR Earth. Based on their design, no third party can extract any form of data from it. So, they are useless once the user dies. But in honour of their services, their uVR Earth would be sealed and protected with care." Rahu said solemnly, "And, no matter what uVR Earth it is, once it has bonded with an individual, it can never be equipped by another person." "Every single human brain has its unique signature that can never be forged. So..." He stared at the unconscious individual before him, "Who the fuck are you?" Chapter 13 13: Led To A Trap Seated within a private aircraft meant for his exclusive use, Rahu pondered in silence. An uVR Earth had been reced and somehow, it was a sess. Even though the DOVA Agent he fought against, named Rakshat Gupta was weak, that was only inparison to him. At the end of the day, he still exercised theplete powers of a DOVA Agent. So, if he wished to exercise his powers on the public, none could stop him. This was especially true since before he revealed himself, no one would even assume that he was a DOVA Agent in hiding. It was unlike the case with Rahu or any other DOVA Agent. They were public celebrities. And plenty of spy organisations paid attention to their every move. But as for Rakshat? He waspletely in the shadows. It was terrifying. ''I need to interrogate himter.'' He thought andmanded Deepika, "Ensure no news regarding his capture is spread around. Put the cyber team on watch on the inte. The moment any news regarding himes up, delete it.'' There was no guarantee that Rakshat operated alone. There could very well have been someone else on the flight, silently observing everything. So, if they were to publicise the details, Rahu would indeed be put on the spot. Even though Rakshat was an illegal DOVA Agent that had somehow gained control over Talgat Musabayev''s uVR Earth, the gadget was still an item securely kept in Kazakhstan as part of their treasury. So, if news of this were to reach them, the Kazakhstan government would obviously pressure him to transfer Rakshat''s custody over to them. Things would be troublesome if that happened. He wouldn''t be able to pry into details regarding the forces targeting him for the secret he possessed. "It''s a mess from the first day onwards." He muttered and peered out the window. The case he had to attend was in a different district. Therefore, he wasmuting by flight. Unlike on the ground, there were few variables to guard against in the air. Moreover, it was hard to target an electronic device zing through the skies at tremendous speeds. The window of opportunity for anyone attempting to do so would be small, since they would most probably be targeting from the ground. As Rahu was already guarding the aircraft''s electronic circuits, it was easy to defend against. But despite that, he disliked travelling in an electronic instrument. Thirty minutes of journeyter, the flightnded at Coimbatore Airport. 12:05 AM! The authorities had already arranged a means of transport for him. Upon seeing that, Rahu patted one of his security members, watching him enter the transport, partly disguised as Rahu. Once the transport sped away, Rahu apanied Deepika and exited the airport just like everyone. They got into a car she had rented and drove towards the target hospital. "It has been a long time since Ist visited this ce." Rahu muttered as he observed the bustling streets, "It has developed a lot since back then." "You did two years of your schooling here, right?" Deepika asked. "Yeah, though we had to shift to New Delhi when my parents became part of Pomegranate Corporation''s core research team." He exhaled softly at the cooler climate of the ce. The sky was dark and soon, it started to rain. The car arrived at Tulip Hospital, the ce where the target had been admitted. Without wasting any time, Rahu arrived at the respective ward and stared at the target''s parents seated on a bench with dispirited gazes. "You are..." The attending nurse stared at Deepika and Rahu in confusion. "We''re here to examine and treat Suraj." Deepika disyed her ID and pointed at Suraj, the patient that refused toe out of his Virtual Space. "C-Can you really treat my son?" Suraj''s father noticed their arrival as he stared at Deepika and asked with a tinge of hope. "Can you exin what happened first?" Deepika questioned, "We''ll be able to solve the issue if we know the details beforehand." "That..." He gritted his teeth and spoke, "Actually, Suraj didn''t even get our permission when he underwent surgery." "That should be impossible." Deepika retorted, "Without guardian acknowledgement, the surgery wouldn''t be scheduled in the first ce. Moreover, the entire procedure costs 40 crores. You think that''s the kind of money a kid can gather?" "Please hear me out," Suraj''s father exhaled a soft sigh before exining, "His grandfather acted as a guardian to see through his surgery when I and my wife were out on a business trip. We returned in a hurry when we heard the news of his passing. And once we arrived, we saw our son like this." He sobbed, "After contacting Pomegranate Corporation, I managed to receive guardian rights to enter his Virtual Space. But my son became an adult legally yesterday. With that, my guardian rights expired. So now, I can''t even talk to him within the Virtual Space." A youngster legally underaged would have a guardian to oversee their uVR Earth use. This was installed as a protective mechanism to ensure the child doesn''t be addicted to Virtual Reality. But, guardian rights were a use that automatically expired immediately after the user became an adult, reaching the legal age of 18. Therefore, Suraj''s parents couldn''t do anything when he holed up in his Virtual Space. "I''ll take it from here." Rahu patted Deepika''s shoulder, motioning for her to protect him as he entered the ward and sat next to Suraj. He stared at the unconscious individual that seemed to have lost some weight. His uVR Earth''s light morphed from blue to jade as it unleashed a brainwave. But this time, once the resonant frequency had been attained, Rahu focused the effect on himself, gradually inducing whatever Suraj''s brain was experiencing onto himself. Thump! Thump! He felt weak, a sign of lethargy seething from the depths of his mind, and pain, one brought about by frustration, anger, and ultimately, unbearable sadness. It was what Suraj was feeling at the moment, suffocating Rahu with the intensity of emotions. Induced Reality-Inverse Perception! Induced Reality was a two-way street, with the control of flow in the hands of the DOVA Agent. Usually, when Rahu used it, he was imposing his will on the target, inducing their brain to perceive the Liger that was just a figment of his imagination. But now, the flow had been switched. So, Rahu was feeling what Suraj felt and experienced. ''Dammit! This shit''s horrible as always!'' He grunted, feeling breathless as his surroundings morphed. There was a house adjacent to a river that cascaded past the cliff as a waterfall. The grass was luscious while faint water vapour sprinkled into the air, creating a breathtaking atmosphere. This was the ssic setup for a Virtual Space, a default setting if one might ask. The entrance to the house seemed locked. The door didn''t budge. When Suraj''s father used his guardian rights to enter the Virtual Space, he could only arrive at the meadow. He tried to break down the door but was unable to do so. That was why he couldn''t meet with his son that had holed up in the house. No matter what he did, he failed. Time ran out during his attempts as Suraj became an adult. He was kicked out of the Virtual Space immediately after that. But for Rahu, the case was different as he entered here through Suraj''s perception. Therefore, he arrived in the living room of the house and stared at the figure of Suraj seated on the couch, ying a console game, focused on therge theatre-sized screen. FIFA 2046! Suraj was ying thetest variant of the ever-popr game, disying intense focus as he was manning a weak team against the strongest. It was a true disy of skill, and also an indicator of the number of hours spent on the game. Even though Rahu had arrived nearby, Suraj didn''t seem to notice his arrival until his game concluded. For a moment, he was stunned to see Rahu, but following it, he raged, "Can''t you leave me alone?" "Let me die in peace, please!" "Are you good at FIFA?" Rahu asked as he took a seat on the couch casually. He then pointed at the screen, "Wanna y a match?" "Bro, you look like someone that hasn''t yed a video game in years." Suraj seemed rather interested in the offer. After all, what gamer would refuse a challenge? "Well, you''re true. Thest version of this I yed was FIFA 2034. But still," Rahu snorted smugly, "Only the graphics have changed. The gamey remains the same." "I can easily wipe the floor with you." "Here," Suraj threw a console at him and turned serious, "I''ll see if you have the skill or not." It was a furious match, at the end of which, Suraj won by arge difference. Cracking his neck, Rahumented, "Alright, I''ve warmed up now." Suraj stared at him in silence andmented, "I won at eleven goals versus two." "That''s normal, I was warming up." Rahu shrugged and taunted for a rematch, "Or are you that scared about losing?" "Fine, I ept." Suraj started a second match and lost, having scored one goal versus Rahu''s three. He stared at Rahu''s smug attitude and went ahead with the third match, getting into a tie. He finally scored a goal through a penalty shootout. "You''re good!" Surajmented, sporting a bright smile as he stared at Rahu, fist-bumping. The two already considered each other as bros, for they had bonded through the game. "Shall we head out now?" Rahu asked calmly, "Being in your Virtual Space for so long is dangerous to your health." "I know, bro." Suraj expressed his pain, "But at least, I won''t feel my death as long as I remain here. I can continue enjoying life until myst moment. I want to die but I dislike pain. So, this is the best method." "Your parents are worried." Rahu said, "Soe out for some time and alleviate their concerns. They haven''t had a wink of sleep in the past three days." "My parents are worried?" Suraj stared at Rahu with an incredulous gaze as his eyes turned hollow, muttering without an ounce of emotion, "That can''t be true. The reason I holed up here is because my entire family died in an ident." "I couldn''t bear to live without them. So, I wanted to apany them to the afterlife by dying a slow death here." "What?" Sweat dribbled down his back as Rahu shuddered, "If what you''re saying is true, then," "Who the heck are the two people waiting outside?" Chapter 14 14: Passive Sentience ''Seems it''s going well.'' Deepika thought as she monitored Suraj''s vital signs. Currently, in the ward, there was the patient Suraj, seated on the berth next to him was Rahu, and finally, positioning herself closer to the entrance was Deepika. The nurse had just gone out to perform her duties in the other wards. She said she would return in twenty minutes to check up on them. It had been two minutes since she left. The ward was peaceful. Even though there were no signs of threat, with the security team patrolling within the hospital while disguised asmon folk, Deepika didn''t intend to take things easy. Her military uVR Earth blinked as she firmed her control over her drone, having also switched the lock to her suitcase tobat mode. This way, the moment a conflict arises, the drone would fly out of the suitcase without trouble. The suitcase was created to facilitate that. A pair of actuators were embedded inside that could be actuated with a signal from her, thereby ejecting the drone with force. It would then take flight and perform whatever Deepikamanded. "Haah...did I not sleep enoughst night?" She yawned all of a sudden, feeling sleepy. Her eyelids turned heavy as no matter how much she struggled, her focus was slipping, and with it, she was gradually falling asleep. Unaware to her senses, there was a tiny vial ced underneath the bed, situated behind one of the bed''s legs, present in a blindspot. Its cap was open and the fluid within seemed to be vaporising slowly but surely, colourless and odourless. "Is it working?" The man that behaved as Suraj''s father behaved like he was concerned about his son and peeked in through the window, observing the state of the people within the room. "Give it one more minute," The middle-aged woman that behaved as Suraj''s mother spoke calmly, "The incapacitating agent I used needs three minutes to take effect. There''s still a chance they could subject themselves to pain and use it to stay awake. So, let''s not do anything that would alert them." Deepika stared out and observed the concerned faces of Suraj''s parents, ''No, something is amiss. This level of sleepiness isn''t natural.'' She immediately transmitted a message to the security team, alerting them as she copsed to the ground, deep asleep. "Now!" Suraj''s father said as he pulled out a scalpel from his pocket and ced his hand on the doorknob, intending to enter the ward, ''I can kill the target now...'' His thoughts were stuck, frozen over by the pair of feline eyes that red at him. The moment he stared at Rahu with the intent to kill, he felt a primal sense of fear. His head craned up slowly and stared at the massive figure of a Liger crouched behind the berth. Ity there, in silence, ready to pounce on anyone that dared to target Rahu. Suraj''s father shuddered and stepped back, quickly averting his gaze to the unconscious figure of Deepika. The moment he did so, the Liger vanished from his vision. But the moment he nced at Rahu, it manifested. "Do you...see it?" He muttered softly when suddenly, the middle-aged woman dragged him through the corridor and rushed down a flight of stairs. "We need to escape. This mission is a failure." Stating in a hurry, she pulled him with her and sprinted across the ce. Two people dressed in casual clothes arrived at the concerned ward by now as they noticed the middle-aged couple sprinting away. They nced at the three unconscious individuals within the ward and alerted the security team, "There''s a situation. Pursue the fleeing couple." The two security team members entered the ward and observed the conditions of Rahu and Deepika; one of them, possessing medical knowledge muttered, "Thankfully, they are just asleep. They should wake up shortly after." In the meantime, the middle-aged couple rushed out of the hospital as they hightailed into the streets. Four security team members chased after them, recording their pursuit, "Target fleeing into the alleys. Encircle them!" "What should we do now?" The middle-aged man said as he sweated buckets. His skin looked strange, almost pale as faint patches were falling off. It was obvious that he was in disguise and thanks to his sweat, it was falling off bit by bit. "I...I can''t run anymore!" "Just shut up for a second!" The middle-aged woman shouted as she pulled him and entered a narrow alley. Five secondster, two security team members entered the alley, rmed upon failing to find the middle-aged couple. "Where did they go?" There were just walls on the two sides. The windows wererge enough for a man to enter, but there were sealed with ss. Since there were no signs of destruction on them, the middle-aged couple shouldn''t have escaped through it. Besides, it was strange. It was impossible for two middle-aged people that weren''t athletic in nature to disappear from in sight in five seconds. "Shit! Look around. Search the adjacent buildings too." The Deputy Head of the Security Team, Ashok Kumar cursed in response as his uVR Earth blinked, scouring through all the electronic gadgets in the vicinity. Unfortunately for him, there were no CCTV cameras in the narrow alley. So, they had no visual of the ce. "How can two people disappear?" He stomped the ground and roamed through the narrow alley for thirty minutes before returning to his post. The alley was empty in the first ce, save for a couple of garbage bins. There were no doors for entry or even sever lines through which one could escape as ast resort. There truly wasn''t a means through which a human could disappear from there. Ashok wasn''t aware of one thing though. The people he was pursuing were just a couple metres before him. They were in in sight all along. But despite that, he was unable to see them. Induced Reality-Invisibility Cloak! Invisibility Cloak was nothing but two ss cylinders, with one ced within the other in a calcted radius difference. When an incident ray passes through the outer cylinder and hits the convex surface of the inner cylinder, it reflects and hits the inner surface of the outer ss. After multiple hits, the light ray leaves out of the outer cylinder as a refracted ray. But the angle between the incident ray and the refracted ray is 180 degrees. Meaning, it was as if the light was travelling in a straight line. This implies that anything ced within the inner cylinder would be invisible to the naked eye. This was an age-old trick used since the neenth century by magicians. And that was the secret to the Invisibility Cloak. The middle-aged couple stood within the inner cylinder. In reality, such a contraption didn''t exist. But in Ashok''s eyes, it did, for he was under the effects of Induced Reality. As a result, he failed to see them. It wasn''t just Ashok, but anyone part of the security team that stared into the alley was simrly ced under the effect of Invisibility Cloak. Once the security team was out of sight, the middle-aged couple rushed out of the alley and entered a house that they had booked in advance. "You...took too long." "Argh!" The middle-aged woman screamed in fright upon staring at a bloody youth kneeling on the ground. Blood leaked out of his orifices nonstop as his uVR Earth blinked erratically. Its blue light flickered at higher and higher frequencies before soon, it stopped. The lights dimmed before vanishing, signalling that the user''s brain had died. The youth copsed to the floor, sending shivers down the spine of the middle-aged couple. The middle-aged woman hurriedly dialled a number through her Augmented Reality and spoke in a fluster the moment the call went through, "Sir, what happened?" "It''s an expendable piece. You needn''t concern yourself with it." A cold, mechanical voice resounded from the other side, following up with a question, "Were you able to make contact with Rahu?" "We managed to put him to sleep. But the moment I stared at him with the intent to harm him, the Liger appeared." The middle-aged man said. "As I suspected. His Induced Reality has attained the level of passive sentience." The mechanical voice said beforemanding them, "Change your disguise and vacate the ce. And before you leave," Followed by a pause, the voice announced with a chill-inducing tone, "Extract the corpse''s uVR Earth and keep it safe." "What...about the corpse?" The middle-aged woman asked, still reeling from shock at the sight of someone dying before her. "Just leave it there. I''ll be sending someone to dispose of it." Saying so, the call ended. "What...have we gotten ourselves into?" The middle-aged woman let out an exhausted sigh, "It''s a mess." "What choice do we have?" The middle-aged man shook his head before crouching next to the youth''s corpse. He then began to unscrew the youth''s uVR Earth, "The day we stepped on this organisation''s tail was when we signed ourselves up for this." "There''s no other choice but to tread the serpent''s path." He then entered the bedroom and sat before the window, calmly removing his wig, followed by a fakeyer of skin, stuffed with fat globules to form the facial structure of Suraj''s father. The skin was sourced from the original. The ident was simply fabricated, all to lure Rahu into their trap. Suraj''s parents were just coteral. With theyer removed, a thin,cklustre face was revealed, androgynous in appearance. He proceeded to remove theyer of skin worn on his body like a bodysuit, groaning in relief, "Damn, it is heavy. How did that guy carry all this fat like it was nothing?" "That''s his body''s natural state." The woman removed her disguise too, resembling the man. They were a pair of twins, aged in their twenties. Disguising was their profession. Before they were caught by their current employer, they worked on disguising themselves as married people and filmed themselves while engaging in acts of infidelity. Using that, they caused couples to break up and made money during the ensuing chaos. Disguising themselves as a pair of college students, the duo cleaned the ce of all their traces, carried their disguise kits, and left the ce. Chapter 15 15: Kill For Me "You...missed sight of them?" Rahu red at Ashok once he came to his senses, watching his security team collect forensic data of the ward, also managing to retrieve the vial with the incapacitating agent in the process. Suraj had left his Virtual Space. But due to his prolonged exposure to it, his brain was in a severely weakened state. Hence, he was unconscious. It would take him a few days if not even weeks before he recovers enough to regain consciousness once again. Medical technology had developed enough to facilitate recovery without any room for error. "I apologise, sir." Ashok bowed, "There was no path of escape there, but somehow, they evaded my sight." "Idiot!" Rahu shouted, "If there was no path of escape there, it means they were there all along!" "How...sir?" Ashok said, stunned to see Rahu''s figure vanish from his sight. "Induced Reality is capable of this." Rahu said as he deactivated his Induced Reality, "It''s just a simple trick using ninth-standard optical physics." "But sir, I was using my radar all along." Ashok said in his defence, "Even if they hide from my sight, they can''t hide from my radar. Moreover, I didn''t detect any interference at all." "Even when you disappeared, I could still detect your position through my radar. So, I''m sure it wasn''t a trick like that." "When in doubt, ssh water." Rahu said as he grabbed a roll of gauge and threw it on Ashok''s face, "Induced Reality is a trick of the mind. Your brain might believe it, but it doesn''t exist in reality. So, if you couldn''t see them despite believing that there was no room for escape there, you should have thrown objects all across the alley." "If you can''t solve something like a human, behave like money. You''ll be surprised how effective that is." "I''ll keep it in mind." Ashok nodded, slightly humiliated, but in the end, it was his oversight. He then thought of something and asked, "Sir, but I still cannot understand how they achieved that. One of our men inspected the ce through an ultrasonic machine just now. There are no hidden passages there." "The reason is simple," Rahu sighed, "You were just fooled." "Is that...possible?" Ashok felt it incredulous to believe. Just because Rahu was a DOVA Agent didn''t mean he could give him all that crap. He was a professional at his job. But just as anger crept into his mind, it was washed away by a question. "Do you think an uVR Earth is absolute?" Rahu asked all of a sudden. His gaze slowly moved from Ashok to Deepika and then to the remaining security team members within the ward. "Isn''t it imed to be a perfect device?" Deepika asked in confusion, "Even at the academy, the professors most knowledgeable about uVR Earths stated the same." "The device is perfect, but you see," Rahu slowly lifted his head and stated in all seriousness, "But at times, perfection is absolutely dangerous, especially since humans aren''t perfect beings." "After all, if someone managed to master perfect control over this perfect device, they could very well treat the rest of us as defective imperfections." He pointed at Ashok, "An uVR Earth''s analysis isn''t done through an Artificial Intelligence. It uses our human brain. All it has is a processor to harness and transform the different forms of data that is exchanged between man and machine." "So, if your sight has been fooled, you could say your radar too had been fooled simrly." "Sir, I don''t mean to be rude, but is something like that possible?" Ashok asked, "Can you do that?" "No, I cannot. But," Rahu shook his head, "That doesn''t mean it''s impossible. I''m only the best in my respective field. Humanity is still catching up to the vast potential that has been unlocked by uVR Earth." "Anyway, exercise further caution. Don''t just rely on technology to perform your tasks. Engage with primitive methods from time to time. They still retain their effectiveness." He pped his hands, making them drop the matter, "Collect all the data and transfer it to the police station. Let them proceed with an investigation. We aren''t the police. So, let''s just stick to our tasks, alright?" He turned to stare at Deepika, "What''s next on our list?" "It''s in the same city, a bullying case." Deepika began to exin, "The victim is being abused in his Virtual Space. Due to the uses involved, it''s impossible to gather any evidence." "A bullying case, huh?" Rahu nodded and got up, "I know what to do with it. let''s get going." 14:10 AM! Finishing his lunch along the way, Rahu got down from the vehicle and stared at the house in question. It was a normal double-storey vi located in a gatedmunity. He opened the gate and sauntered in calmly, flinching when a dog barked at him. It was a German Shepherd, a popr breed in the city. Among them, the one within this vi seemed rather aggressive, disying intent to clobber his thigh and rip apart the flesh there. Thankfully, it was tied to its kennel. Apanied by Deepika, Rahu held his trusty umbre tight and pressed the calling bell. He wasn''t good with dogs, so the situation was getting on his nerves. If it broke free of its reins and rushed him, he would probably unleash the Liger on it. But that wasn''t the primary reason for his vexation. He had been unconscious back then, but through the memories of his Liger, he realised that the duo acting as Suraj''s parents intended to kill him. Had the incapacitating agent been a poison instead, he would have died then and there. The worst fact about that was the agent used. It had been prepared specifically for him. The moment he was unconscious, his Induced Reality would be activated on himself, causing his Liger to appear in reality. Through his senses, the Liger would process data based on its biology, allowing it to perceive things beyond what a human was capable of. Basically, in that state, his senses were on par with an actual Liger. But the thing was, the incapacitating agent used was something his Liger couldn''t sniff out. It was as if his enemy was perfectly aware of his Liger''s faults. That was terrifying. Ligers were born with gic defects, varying with each individual. And his Liger too had a few. But to target them urately, when the data and the source Liger itself were guarded with the utmost level of secrecy, it could only mean one thing. ''A good number of those that had targeted me to date must be from a certain organisation. Through encounters with me, they managed to gather data to such a frightening extent.'' It was like a noose was gradually tightening around his neck. He wasn''t a fan of that. ''Let''s focus on the task at hand.'' Rahu thought and observed the middle-aged man that answered the door. A head full of ck, oily hair, a bushy beard that hadn''t been touched by scissors in years, and adorned by nothing more than a pair of trousers and a vest. He stared at Rahu and Deepika in confusion, "Yes?" "I''m a DOVA Agent. We have arrived here due to a cyberbullying case." Rahu stated and shed his ID, a rectangr card with two horns resembling uVR Earths, coloured jade, spread around like wings. "What is this about?" The middle-aged man turned serious as his gaze alternated between Rahu and Deepika, "My son isn''t the type to bully others..." "Your son isn''t the perpetrator," Rahu motioned for the middle-aged man to give way, "But the victim. We''vee here to solve his problem." "He''s...a victim?" The middle-aged man muttered in disbelief before intense rage exploded out of him, "Who dares harm my son?!" "Well, I''ll find out that now." Rahu said and patted the middle-aged man in concern, "Sir, please leave it to me. Without evidence, you cannot confront the perpetrators." "Let me help you in that regard. So, until then, please keep calm." "I''ll bring you to my son." The middle-aged man drank some water and calmed down. He then offered a ss to the duo, expressing his politeness. He led them to his son''s room and opened the door, "He has a slight fever." The boy was aged sixteen, in the final year of his school. He was currently asleep in the bed, looking fine for the most part, other than the chills he felt from time to time. Originally, his father assumed he was just sick and had given him the necessary medicines and prompted him to get ample rest. But now that he learnt his son fell sick from the trauma rted to bullying, rage built up within him, seething like a volcano about to explode. "Leave me alone with him, please." Saying so, Rahu closed the door, nodding at Deepika as he pointed at the middle-aged man, "Inform him of the details." Once he was alone with the boy in the room, Rahu smiled at the boy and spoke, "I have arrived at your request for help." "Do you mind telling me about your situation, Neeraj?" "A-Are you really a DOVA Agent?" The boy, named Neeraj got up in a hurry, his eyes glinting with a glimmer of hope, "Is it true?" "See for yourself." Rahu shed his ID and said with a smile, "Search my name and you''ll see." "You''re the Liger!" Neeraj shouted in excitement once he confirmed Rahu''s identity before he paused, turning sullen as immediately, he broke into tears of relief, "Does that mean...I''ll be saved?" "Can I stop worrying and not endure bullying anymore?" "I guarantee it on my title." Saying so, Rahu sat on a chair nearby the bed and shook hands with Neeraj, "Let''s talk, shall we?" "I need as much information as possible." "Sir, if I may ask..." Neeraj hesitated as he fidgeted. "Feel free," Rahu nodded casually, "Just consider me as your neighbourhood big brother." "I want to ask," Neeraj seemed to have gained enough confidence as his eyes lost their lustre. His tone was dark, seething hatred, muttered heavy words, "Can you kill those bastards for me?" "They aren''t humans." Chapter 16 16: Induced Reality: Synchronised Brainwave! "Can you kill those bastards for me?" Suraj spoke, churning all his hatred derived from the pain he felt from repeated abuse, both physically and mentally, "They aren''t humans." ''Damn!'' Rahu thought as he observed Suraj. He had seen plenty of situations, thereby umting a lot of experience. To a certain extent, he could understand what someone went through by observing their mental state. And one thing he was sure about: Suraj had been through shit that a child his age ought to never experience. "Tell me more," Rahu patted Suraj lightly and spoke with a soft but firm tone, "I''ll definitely get you justice." "Okay," Suraj inhaled a deep breath as he took some time to mentally firm himself. Finally, he began to speak, "It started in ss one day." "We had a PT ss. Once that had concluded, I was the first to return to my ss. There was a book atop the teacher''s desk." Suraj gritted his teeth, "I was curious about it and without suspecting anything, I opened it. In it were pictures of my ssmates." "They were...photoshopped, but it was messed up." He teared up, "It was a pornographic magazine. Some sicko had created it and they wanted to me it on a na?¡¥ve sucker." "I was the one who fell for the trap," He began to wheeze by now, trembling as trauma surfaced from the memories. It took him a few minutes of sobbing before he gathered enough strength to speak, "Those bastards had been waiting there. When I opened the book, they recorded me with their uVR Earths." "I understand," Rahu nodded, "So, they have been ckmailing you using that video, right?" "Where''s that book then?" "It''s with one of the bastards." Suraj felt weak as he continued, "Every day, using that video as ckmail, they tortured me." "Literally." Rahu was stunned as he listened to Suraj''s recounts. He had indeed seen some messed up cases done through Virtual Reality. But this topped everything. "You know how you can invite people to your Virtual Space, right?" Suraj shouted in frustration, "In my Virtual Space, one where I should have been at peace, became my hell." "Calm down a little," Rahu patted him on the back and made eye contact, "Since I''m here, you''ll be fine." "Let''s talk in your Virtual Space." At the mention of his Virtual Space, Suraj trembled like he had fits. Only after a round of counselling was he ready enough. With the invite given by Suraj, Rahu could enter his Virtual Space naturally, without having to use his Induced Reality prowess. Rahu arrived at Suraj''s Virtual Space, ring in anger as he looked around. The ce seemed no different from the default setting of all Virtual Spaces. But once he entered the house beside the river, it was a plunge into hell. The walls within were stuck with photos of Suraj in all sorts of embarrassing situations. Naked, abused, eating crap, all forms that would pulverise one''s mental sanity. They had purposefully been stuck there to remind Suraj of his ce in this messed-up toxicity. "Why...didn''t you lodge aint with the police before?" Rahu asked, barely able to calm his anger. "Because they have all this," Suraj copsed to the ground, "My social life would be no more if this gets leaked. It would affect my family too. Besides, one of the parents of those bastards is my dad''s boss. If I did anything against them, my dad would lose his job. My family wouldn''t survive if that happens." He stared helplessly and weakly extended his hand, grabbing the ends of Rahu''s pants, "What...should I do? I''m just helpless." "It''s good that you gathered enough courage to contact me." Rahu patted and consoled Suraj, "I''ll help you get through this. Be assured about that. Thankfully, you were brave enough to find me." "I...wasn''t brave. I was just desperate," Suraj said as he lifted his head and stared at Rahu, despairing, "Those bastards...they...told me to bring my sister here tonight." "That''s something I would rather die than do." "I understand," Rahu''s eyes shone with killing intent as he hugged Suraj, "Tell me their identities." "Yes," Following that, Suraj gave out all their information. It seemed he had indeed been collecting them beforehand just for this asion. Hence, it made things simpler for Rahu. "Did you install any CCTV cameras here?" Rahu asked, failing to sense any of them, "You could have gotten video proof if you had done so." "I did, the first time." Suraj nodded, "But even in this Virtual Space, all the rules are a mirror of reality. So, the cameras need a power source, cables, and everything else necessary for one. Those bastards aren''t stupid. So, every time they enter my Virtual Space, they use jammers and conduct a search first before torturing me. The only cameras are the ones they bring." "I feel as much pain here as reality. So, getting tortured here is no different from reality. Worst of all, no traces are left behind here." Suraj let out an exhausted whimper, "At such times, I wonder why this technology was even created. It just makes the lives of such sickos easier and hell for people like me." "Yeah, it does." Rahu sighed before staring with a firm gaze, "But fear not. For people like you, I exist. I have your back." Saying so, he disappeared, "Let them enter your Virtual Space as usual tonight. I''ll deal with them once they arrive." "What...will you do?" Suraj asked. "Something worse than their deaths." Rahu opened his eyes in reality as he put Suraj to sleep, got up, and exited the room. He stared at Suraj''s father and motioned him toward the living room, "We need to talk." "I have been briefed a little by Madam Deepika here." Suraj''s father said in rage, "I thought those bastards were just his friends. I never knew they were such...Devils!" "It''s for the best you forget about that," Rahu said, watching the anger of Suraj''s father spike in response. "You want me to forget that?" He red at Rahu, "Even after knowing what happened to him, you dare say that? Don''t tell me there''s some bullshit reason to suppress this..." "Listen to me fully," Rahu motioned for the middle-aged man to stop speaking as he continued, "I''m implying for your good. Just act like whatever happens next isn''t rted to you in any way." "What do you mean by that?" Suraj''s father asked in surprise. "You see, Suraj is a good child." Rahu stared at the middle-aged man, "The reason he endured until now was to ensure his family isn''t implicated. And I intend to honour that." "So, let me take on your burden for revenge, alright?" He patted Suraj''s father, "Besides, it''s for the best you don''t be aware of everything your son has gone through." "Please act like you''re oblivious of this around Suraj, for his sake, alright?" "I''m not an actor," The middle-aged man closed his eyes and sighed, "I get angry just thinking about what my son went through. I work for the father of one of those bastards. I don''t think I''ll be able to hold myself back if I were to see that ugly mug of his. I might kill him." "Please don''t be that foolish," Rahu stared calmly, controlling his seething anger, "Let me do it for you, alright?" "Sir!" Deepika shouted in rm, "A DOVA Agent must never use their powers to harm a civilian." "A civilian? Who?" Rahu tilted his head and calmly stared at Deepika, "Who do you think is a civilian of this country?" "Someone that strives to work for the betterment of the society or someone whose only contribution is destructive towards others?" "But that doesn''t give you the right to harm..." Deepika said when she shut up all of a sudden, staring at the Liger that appeared before her face, its feline eyes ring at her. A bloody stench wafted into her senses, terrifying her, and almost causing her to pee herself. "Thews are geared in favour of the perpetrators." Rahu retracted the Liger and stared at her terrified self, "The more these bastards are protected in the name of humanity, the more harm they cause to the genuine humans." "But sir..." Deepika argued, gathering all her courage to do so, "Isn''t it wrong to abuse your powers?" "Well, who can stop me?" Rahu asked curtly, "You?" Deepika had no answer to that. Their first interaction proved that she was no match to him, whether physically or in terms of their uVR Earth abilities. The moment she intended to stop him, he would gain control over her drone and use it against her. It was vexing on her part to go against him. Seeing her state, he pointed at Suraj''s father, "Do you want this guy to sacrifice his life just to kill one of the perpetrators?" "What do you think happens next? He will be jailed. His family will have to survive without him. Is that justice?" He observed that Suraj''s father had calmed down upon hearing his words, staring at him to talk, "Sir, your family hasn''t done anything wrong. So, I assure you that your lives won''t be implicated by this. Please continue living like a proud citizen of our country." 09:00 PM! Suraj was seated in his bedroom, wrapped around by his bedsheet. His uVR Earth blinked blue twice, indicating he was getting a call. It was a request to meet in his Virtual Space. If he were to ept it, the caller would arrive at his Virtual Space. That was how Virtual Realitymunications went. Upon seeing the Caller ID, Suraj turned nervous as he stared at Rahu, "They called." "Don''t worry and go. Nothing will happen to you." Rahu said in confidence. Once Suraj epted the call and fell asleep, he stared at him and focused on his uVR Earth. Induced Reality-Synchronised Brainwave! His brainwave signature gradually began to change as it became attuned to Suraj''s. A few secondster, his brainwave seemed no different from Suraj, allowing Suraj''s uVR Earth to recognise him too as being part of the ''User'' that could control it. Synchronised Brainwave was his unique creation, allowing him to take advantage of a loophole in the functioning of the uVR Earth, a product derived from the secret Megasphere granted him. He stared at Suraj''s uVR Earth, observing four electromaic streams descend onto the right horn. He extended his hand and gradually inched forth. Slowly, he touched the streams, causing them to fluctuate like a stream of water. Rahu''s eyes turned cold as he muttered, "Some beasts aren''t worth wasting oxygen upon." Induced Reality-Dark Room! Chapter 17 17: Nostalgia For Trauma 08:50 PM! In the dining room of a mansion sat a boy, aged sixteen, stuffing a slice of pizza into his mouth. He was the sole person in the dining room; the house was silent. His parents were away at work, as usual. Oftentimes, they arrivedte into the night or even skipped some days. Being part of a prominent business chain necessitated enough time and effort. The boy wasn''t concerned with them beingte though, calmly watching aedy skit on his Augmented Reality as heughed from time to time. [Ashish: Bro, it''s almost time. Did you pack a condom?] [Ramesh: Dude, we''re doing it in Virtual Reality. She won''t be pregnant.] [Ashish: What if...she bes virtually pregnant?] [Varun: Kekeke...] "These idiots are clearly excited." The boy muttered as he thought of a reply. His uVR Earth read the rted thought signals, converted them into electronic form, and then typed out the message. This manner of messaging needed a bit of time and practice to get used to, but it wasn''t that hard in the end. An instant after he thought of the reply, the message was sent to their private group. Since it was through Augmented Reality, the group messages were end-to-end encrypted. [Rohit: Don''t act like idiots before her. We need to make her submit first before getting her to do what we want. We haven''t turned her into a bitch like Suraj yet.] [Ashish: It''ll be hard to restrain myself. I''m a carnivore. And She''s he hot.] [Ramesh: Dude, you''re not going first. Rohit, let''s decide the order.] [Rohit: I''ll be going first obviously. You can decide the next.] [Ramesh: I''ll be second then.] [Varum: I call dibs on her ass.] The quartet screwed around for a few minutes before Rohit told them to call up Suraj. He licked his lips and pulled up the image of Suraj''s older sister on his Augmented Reality screen, lecherously trailing his gaze over her image. ''I''ll devour you tonight.'' [Rohit: Ok, the bastard epted the call. Be ready to rumble!] ... ''Will this be fine?'' Suraj stared at the face of Rahu, nervous. Even though he was assured by thetter, fear was a prominent emotion. If given the choice, he would never want to see the face of the four bastards that had traumatised him ever again. He epted the Virtual Communication and arrived at the living room of his Virtual Space. He instinctively trembled and got on all fours the moment four figures appeared before him. "Haha, this dog is on all fours from the start!" Ashishughed aloud. Rohit motioned them to be silent as he stared at Suraj, "Grant permission for my tools to enter." "Y-Yes," Suraj pulled up a screen and stared at the list of items pending to enter his Virtual Space. As the Virtual Space was created toply, the owner had sole discretion over everything that happened within. They would have to give permission first before the concerned individual could enter their Virtual Space. Even after that, only the recipient could enter, depicting their current appearance and style from reality. But if there was any tool in their clothes, its entry would be rejected. As for the degree of restriction, it was in Suraj''s sole discretion. He could restrict any and all foreign objects. Some users restrict appearances, causing the recipients to appear as blurry or shadowy humanoid forms. Some restrict tools, making the recipients appear naked instead. It all depends on the individual. And in all cases, the recipient would also be notified of the restriction in advance. Other than that, any specific tool created in the Virtual Reality Database could only be brought in by the recipient if permitted by the Virtual Space owner. It would appear as a list, disying the owner of the item that wished to bring it in. Most of the items on the list were from Rohit, the boss of the clique. They consisted of mobile phones, jammers, and a bunch of misceneous items. ''Why...isn''t he here yet?'' Suraj hesitated to ept, realising what would happen once he were to do so. He wished Rahu would appear immediately and solve his crisis. "Why are you taking so long today?" Rohit frowned as he kicked Suraj in the face, causing his nose to bleed. He hadn''t held back in the least, evident that this wasn''t the first time he had broken Suraj''s nose. Of course, as this was in the Virtual Space, it only expended some of Suraj''s brainpower; the bleeding nose healed automatically. "Wait a second..." Ramesh looked around before ring at Suraj, "Where''s your sister?" "You didn''t bring her?" As time flowed ten times faster here, Suraj had to confront them for a short duration, getting pummelled in the process. Two minutes had passed here, but in reality, it had only been a dozen seconds. "I hope nothing bad happened to you in this time frame." Muttering as such, Rahu finished preparing his ability as he interacted with the four electromaic streams incident on Suraj''s right horn-uVR Earth. Induced Reality-Dark Room! His uVR Earth emitted electromaic rays that interacted with the four streams and resonated, allowing him to pick up the source of the respective signals. In an instant, the locations of the four students were clearly mapped out in his Augmented Reality. Rahu then took in a deep breath, "I haven''t done this in a while." His mind trembled as his focus shifted from him to Suraj''s uVR Earth. Following that, the brainwaves he emanated attracted the four electromaic streams, causing them to shift to his uVR Earth. And after a pause, he unleashed the brunt of his ability, causing electromaic rays to beam toward the four people and influence their brains. Two secondster, they were under the effects of Induced Reality. A thin stream of blood leaked out of his nose as Rahu closed his eyes and focused, retracting his senses from most of his body. Thump! Thump! Rohit was stunned to find himself in a dark room. There was no light, terrifying him. But when he tried to move, he realised to his dismay that his body failed to move. He seemed to have been paralysed. Surprisingly, his current body posture was in a seated state, the exact same as the posture he maintained in the dining room of his home. An intense sense of vertigo enveloped him, making him unable to tell top from bottom. He seemed to be suspended in the void, there was no light, he couldn''t move, his voice failed to leak, the air seemed thin, and most of all, there was absolute silence. Thump! Thump! Gargle! Slowly, the sounds of his heartbeats resounded in his ear, clear, aloud. Following it were the various sounds generated by his stomach during the digestion process. They were horrifying. At times, it was loud, at times, it was dead silent. ''W-What is this ce? What''s happening? Wasn''t I in Suraj''s Virtual Space just now? How am I here? Did that bitch do something? No! I need to leave! B-But how? HOW?'' Rohit''s thoughts turned incoherent as paranoia, fear, and intrusive thoughts took root in him. Time seemed to pass slowly...or not. He didn''t know. But one thing was for sure. He was going mad, unable to handle the absolute loneliness, as if cast away into the depths of space, away from all life. With every second that spanned past, the loneliness grew worse. Humans were social creatures. They needed thepany of someone or something to maintain their sanity. It might be a fellow human or a pet animal or a nt or even an object. They all needed something to anchor their sanity towards. But in the void, no such anchor existed. It drove Rohit mad in a matter of minutes. The other three were no different, losing their minds quickly. Dark Room was a killer move capable of killing the minds of the target. Their bodies remained alive though. Even the DOVA Agent that targeted Rahu recently, Rakshat Gupta had fallen victim to Dark Room with zero signs of recovery. Normal school-going brats had zero chances of recovering ever again. While this was happening, the Liger appeared within Rohit''s Virtual Space, easily able to mimic his brain''s signature once his mind had shattered. His Virtual Space had been considerably developed. Instead of the default environment, Rohit''s Virtual Space resembled an amusement park filled with all sorts of thrilling rides. But situated in the centre was a conspicuous tower, historic in nature, built out of stone. The Liger entered it and observed a variety of tech ced on the shelves there, neatly arranged. A group of androids went around, maintaining the ce. At first, they were stunned by the presence of the Liger. But an electromaic flickerter, they stopped moving. The Liger roamed the ce, recording everything its senses felt. Soon, it entered a room resembling a theatre. There was a row of seats in it, with a keyboard and mouse ced before the centre-most seat. The Liger calmly typed on the keyboard. A sh of electromaic pulseter, ess into the system was granted, allowing it to browse through the contents. It was weird to see a Liger type on a keyboard like a human and hard to do so, but as it was the only creature capable of infiltrating another''s Virtual Space like this, Rahu didn''t have an option. Once the contents in the system were disyed on the theatre screen, the Liger stopped in horror. Rahu fumed, observing the messed-up life Rohit had lived, havingmitted crimes at such a young age that were more than what one couldmit in a lifetime. Worst of all, he had a sick hobby of recording them all. Of course, that wasn''t an issue since uVR Earth allowed one to record everything captured by their eyes. And Rohit had data regarding everything he had been up to. Based on the setup, it was apparent that he and his friends revisited the past bullying videos and basked in their nostalgia for inflicting trauma. Chapter 18 18: A DOVA Agent 3D Model "Did this bitch lose his braincells all of a sudden?" Ashish pped Suraj nonstop for a couple dozen seconds before choking thetter, "Bring your sister here right now! Otherwise, I''ll kill you." "You know you''ll revive here even if I were to kill you, right?" He let out a devilish grin, "But you''ll still feel the pain." "Stop, Ashish." Rohit raised his hand and patted Ashish''s shoulder. He calmly observed Suraj and spoke, "This fucker has already limited the sense of pain. No wonder I wasn''t enjoying it much these days. He''s only been acting like he''s in pain." "Wait a second..." Ashish pinched himself and muttered in surprise, "No wonder. I hardly feel anything." He grabbed Suraj and began to pummel thetter''s face, "Switch it back. It''s not fun if the senses aren''t as clear as in reality. If you don''t, I''ll leak your pictures in ss tomorrow." "There''s a better way," Ramesh interjected as he stared at Suraj and smiled, "You see, I have been stalking your sister a bit recently. I observed that she likes to jog early in the morning. I can directly confront her with your pictures..." "You bastard!" Suraj shouted in anger when he was punched in the face. For the next few seconds, he was beaten up by the four dudes. But suddenly, their figures vanished. "What...happened?" Suraj looked around in surprise, staring at the clothes of the four strewn on the floor. Only their figures had vanished. Hope surfaced in his mind as Suraj stared in relief, "Did big brother do it?" He waited there for a couple more minutes before returning to reality, waking up exhausted as he stared at the seated figure of Rahu, seemingly asleep. He focused on Rahu''s uVR Earth, observing its jade light, "What a pretty colour." "So that''s a DOVA Agent''s uVR Earth." "How are you feeling?" Rahu opened his eyes and asked softly. "You''re awake?" Suraj asked in a hurry, "Those bastards vanished all of a sudden. What happened to them?" "You needn''t know," Saying so, Rahu got up and patted him with a smile, "Just know that you''re free. I took care of all the materials they used to ckmail you and others. So, you needn''t worry." "They will never bother you ever again." "Hic!" Suraj wept in relief, shedding tears profusely as he hugged Rahu, "Thank you! Thank you very much!" "Haha," Rahu smiled awkwardly as he patted Suraj and broke free of the hug. He motioned him to get some rest and exited the room. Staring at Suraj''s father, he said in all seriousness, "I took care of things here. Please act oblivious to everything and proceed with your lives as usual." "I''m grateful for your help," Suraj''s father bowed, "If not for you, my son would have continued to suffer." "It''s alright. I''m just doing my job." Rahu took his leave, motioning for Deepika to follow him as he reached the exit. "Dad, what''s happening? Who''s this?" Right at this time, Suraj''s sister arrived home, staring at the two visitors in suspicion. After all, Deepika''s uVR Earth shone ck, signalling she was from the military while Rahu''s seemed green-the uVR Earth of the entertainment field-at a cursory nce, but a closer look would disy the difference. It was jade, meaning he was a DOVA Agent. Common people like her would never encounter a DOVA Agent, so she couldn''t determine his identity immediately. But even she was aware of what a DOVA Agent was and did, staring at her father in a fluster, "Did something happen?" "Nothing happened," Rahu shed her a professional smile, "We just came here to ask a couple of questions." He then made a mild bow towards Suraj''s father, "Then, we''ll be on our way, sir." "Take care," Suraj''s father bade them farewell. Once the duo left, Suraj''s sister stared at the shut door in puzzlement, "Just...what happened?" She looked at her dad, "Is he a DOVA Agent? Who was he? And why did hee here?" "I think his title was the Liger?" Suraj''s father thought as he said, "I believe that''s him." "The Liger?" Suraj''s sister was stunned, "What''s the most controversial DOVA Agent doing at our house?" "Just forget it." "Dad!" "I said, forget it, alright? I''m hungry, let''s have dinner first!" "They seem pretty normal," Deepikamented once she entered their car. She ced a hand on her earpiece and used it to hear the sounds of discussion within the house, concluding based on the argument between the father and daughter pair, "But will they truly forget this?" "One of their family members had been tortured for so long." "You seemed pretty against it at the start. Why the change in mind now?" Rahu asked. "That is..." Deepika sighed helplessly, "I can''t counter your logic." She then stared at him firmly, "But I''ll think of a better way to do this in the future. I promise." "You''ve finally spoken like a DOVA Agent''s secretary." Rahu said and sighed, "Honestly, I can''t say whether or not my decision is correct. The world is changing with the appearance of uVR Earth. We''re discovering new stuff as a result almost daily. It would take a few decades before humanity could catch up to our technological advancements." "Until then, this foul taste in my tongue will never disappear," Rahumented curtly as he motioned for her to drive, "Head to the location I sent you." A link appeared on her Augmented Reality, pulling up a map. A route trailed over to the disyed location. Once Deepika epted it, an arrow appeared before her car, pointing her in the direction she had to drive through. All sorts of road traffic data were disyed to her in a three-dimensional form,yering reality, allowing her to drive with ease offort and take routes with the least traffic. "Did something happen?" She asked upon seeing Rahu''s foul mood, "Did you fail to solve Suraj''s case?" "I didn''t," Rahu spoke, "I...took care of it without issues. But, something else happened." He frowned as his eyes turned cold, in anger, in disbelief, recalling what he had witnessed. Within Rohit''s Virtual Space, the Liger went through all the recorded data. It created a 3D Model of a memory card and transferred all the stored data to it. While that was happening, the Liger''s attention fell on a certain video. In a park, Rohit and his three friends were loitering beside a bench, conversing about their deepfake strategies. They intended to select their next target. "I know just the person for that." Ashish said in excitement, "Remember that bookworm that''s always in the library? I heard she''s very innocent. If I were to make an explicit video of her, wouldn''t she listen to us just to protect her honour?" "Man, you have a selective taste." Rameshmented with a snicker, "She''s pretty average in appearance and physique though." "A real man doesn''t care about the exterior," Ashish proimed, "It''s her inner self that matters." "This retard," Rohit shook his head and turned silent. A man was jogging on the track in the park. Since he had arrived within earshot of their conversation, Rohit turned silent and motioned for the others to do the same too. The jogging man wore baggy sweatpants and a loose shirt that was drenched with sweat. His eyes seemed warm, brimming with a sense of intelligence. A single nce at him revealed that he was an intellectual. Some people carried that presence with them, and he seemed to be one of them. The man casually jogged past the quartet and went his way. That was the only time they had seen him. Rohit and his group weren''t even focused on the man. So, they proceeded to discuss their next target soon after. But had they revisited this video and paid attention to him, they would have noticed a problematic detail. When the man jogged closer to Rohit, for an entire two seconds, his shadow vanished. It returned after that. The man''s eyes trailed over to the quarter, calmly observing if anyone of them had paid attention to hisck of shadow. Upon seeing that they hadn''t noticed it, his eyes expressed momentary disappointment. With a slightly colder expression, he brushed past their figures. All objects with mass would cast a shadow in the presence of a source of light. There were no exceptions. The fact that the man''s shadow disappeared for two seconds implied one result: He wasn''t real. The Liger looked through the entire video and focused on the people in the park. The uVR Earth of the people there only blinked blue, signalling that they were for civilian use. If any of them had unleashed Induced Reality, their uVR Earth would blink jade. No one in their vicinity seemed to possess a jade uVR Earth. Moreover, the used 3D Model was a human. Normally, even if there was a 3D Model of a human, such as the masked man originally used by the Kazakhstan DOVA Agent, Talgat Musabayev, such models were based upon a normal human. To date, none had seeded in creating the 3D Model of a human equipped with an uVR Earth and made it functional enough to be used through Induced Reality. Moreover, the uVR Earth on the man wasn''t a regr civilian version but a DOVA Agent''s. That, and his identity itself were what caused Rahu to be in a state of disbelief. "It''s here!" Rahu said as they arrived at a location. Before the car could halt, he jumped out and rushed through the apartment''s flight of stairs, carrying his umbre, ready to attack with it. His uVR Earth blinked ck as he connected to all the electronic gadgets in the vicinity and scouted the ce. Following that, he focused on the camera of aptop, observing a certain individual in a house on the 14th floor. Through radar, he remained vignt as he arrived at a halt before the respective house, sensing the position of the individual inside. "Huff..." He took in deep breaths and calmed his panting self. Slowly, he raised his hand, hesitated for a moment and knocked on the door, sensing the individual within approach the door and slowly open it, revealing a youth around 21 years of age. A graduate that had just arrived in the city recently and had yet to settle in fully. His rental homecked any furniture, for he hadn''t saved enough to buy them yet. The youth stared at Rahu, startled by thetter''s re, "W-Who are you?" "Come out," Rahu red at the youth as he stabbed forth with his umbre; his pupils dted, observing a knife-wielding hand phase through the umbre and reach for his face. The Liger jumped out and met the knife when followed by a twist of the wrist, the knife curved around its jaw and stabbed into its neck, lodging in deep. The Liger copsed to the ground, revealing the face of the man that had appeared before the youth. His hand holding the umbre trembled as Rahu stared at the man in closeup, asking in a fluster, "Is...is that really you..." "Brother?" Chapter 19 19: Terrifying Older Brother On the groundy the Liger, profusely bleeding from its neck. The knife was still lodged deep in its neck, and surprisingly, despite Rahu''s intention to reset its condition, the Liger remain on the ground, unmoving. He had no other choice but to retract it and manifest it once again. His focus was on the youth''s blue uVR Earth for a moment, ''No, it''s still a civilian uVR Earth. Then how is this possible? It doesn''t make sense since only a DOVA Agent''s uVR Earth is equipped enough to unleash Induced Reality.'' Through his abilities, Rahu had already determined that the source that had unleashed the man was the youth''s uVR Earth. It puzzled him. But the most shocking of all was the man that calmly picked up the knife on the floor. He wasn''t supposed to be here, and definitely not this old. The man died on 1st January 2042, the day prior to theunch of uVR Earth, at the young age of 25. Manav Sastry, a man once hailed as a legendary genius that had singlehandedly contributed to elerating the research and development of uVR Earth by more than two years. He was Rahu''s older brother. "Who are you?" Rahu red in anger. Manav died when he was 25 years old. Even if Pomegranate Corporation had created a 3D Model of Manav, it should have only been 25 years old. Only after thepletion of uVR Earth was the creation of a realistic 3D Model capable of ageing possible. So, the presence of the man before him should have been impossible, given how he seemed to be 33 years old, his current age had he been alive. The man was silent. In response to the question, he calmly pulled out a gun and shot three times. Startled by the response, Rahu manifested the Liger to act as a shield, watching blood spurt out of it profusely as it was killed once again. "Koff!" The youth coughed out blood and dropped to the floor, gasping in exhaustion. It looked like he would drop dead any moment as his uVR Earth shed erratically. "You''re weak," The man finally spoke, but it was directed at the youth. "I''m...sorry for being useless." Saying so, the youth fell unconscious. But even after that, the man remained, continuing to draw power from the youth''s uVR Earth. "Well, there you have it, Rahu." The man shed a calm smile, "Have you been well?" "Are you really my brother?" Rahu was nervous, feeling like prey that was being observed by its predator. His palms became sweaty while the grip on his umbre tightened. His uVR Earth shone with a dense jade hue, brightening the corridor. Staring at the emitted light, the manmented in praise, "You have adapted well to this technology. That''s an exemry amount of power you''re outputting there." "Answer my question!" Rahu shouted. He wished to attack the man, but his body refused to cooperate. He got cold feet. Even his Liger was curling up in nervousness, its animal instincts warning it about the danger posed by the man before it. "The proof is right with you." The man took a step forward, watching Rahu instinctively retreat a simr distance. Smiling, he raised his hand slowly and pointed at Rahu''s heart, "Fear, nervousness, and most of all," "Abundant inferiority." He retracted the gun and the knife, "Aren''t these emotions familiar? There''s only one person on Earth that can make you feel this way, isn''t that right?" "You''re supposed to be dead." Rahu maintained a defensive pose, not even realising that his umbre had slipped out. His grip had loosened subconsciously the moment he confirmed the 3D Avatar was his brother. "I''m sure you''ll like that oue the best, since if I''m absent, people might consider you a genius." The man, Manav smirked derisively, "Anyway, only my fleshly body died that day. I have long since be a digital entity." "That''s impo..." Rahu was just about to retort when a tiny de stabbed into his left arm. It was unleashed through Induced Reality, so there wasn''t any bleeding, but it still hurt. Moreover, it seemed to have hit a nerve as Rahu lost function of his left arm immediately, grunting in pain as his legs turned weak. "Don''t say it''s impossible, I know you''re smart enough toprehend what I''m talking about." Manav approached the Liger, patted its trembling body, and sat on it regally, using it as a throne. His words sent a shock through Rahu''s mind as he muttered in disbelief, "How...did you know about that? None of us ever leaked a single clue." "I figured it out," Manav shrugged casually, "Don''t forget that I worked on Megasphere''s evolution code. I obtained plenty of useful data from it. So, once I managed to piece them together, I derived the ultimate secret it had deduced. Of course, it took me twenty years to do so." "Twenty years?" Rahu''s eyes widened in surprise, "You..." "Well, I can only live in Virtual Worlds. Time flows ten times faster there. So I ended up having a lot of time on my hands. Anyway," He said once his body began to flicker, "It seems this guy''s about to die. Since you managed to discover me, I''ll ask you this once." He stared at Rahu with a spirited expression, "Won''t you give me your Synchro Code?" "Never!" Rahu bellowed with all his might in an effort to curb the sense of fear he felt. "Well, it doesn''t matter. Time is on my side. I''ll collect all seven Synchro Codes eventually." Manav shrugged as his figure vanished, smiling at Rahu in the end, "I''ll be waiting for you inside Worldcraft. If you have the guts,e confront me there," "That is, if you can endure reality." "Wha...?" Rahu stared wide-eyed as the youth''s head split open. It was as if he had been hacked open by an axe. Blood and brain matter spilled out and covered the floor, getting soaked up in his pants as Rahu had copsed on the floor at some point in time. "Sir, what happened? I smell the scent of blood..." Deepika''s voice came to an abrupt halt as she arrived on the fourteenth floor and stared at the youth''s corpse, vomiting all the contents in her stomach upon ncing at his spilled brain matter. It took her a couple of minutes to regain her bearing as she looked at Rahu in a hurry, stunned to see him stare at the youth''s uVR Earth with a vacant gaze, "Sir...?" There was no response from Rahu. He seemed petrified, unresponsive to her shouts. Deepika touched him cautiously and shrieked in shock when he copsed, losing consciousness. "Sir! Sir! Sir!" Deepika hurriedly alerted the security team that rushed to the floor in a hurry. Thest that was on Rahu''s mind was the figure of his Liger, one that seemed to have aged two years in a matter of seconds. One of its gic defects seemed to have worsened as a couple of tumours began to grow on its stomach. Deepika''s shouts didn''t register in his mind as the face of Manav shed repeatedly, causing his deeply suppressed trauma to resurface. He couldn''t bear it any longer and faced a panic attack, fainting immediately. The security team rushed him to the nearby hospital immediately while two of them stayed behind to call the police and forensic department. ... W-News Branch, Coimbatore. There was hustle and bustle in the office as usual. Reports came in from numerous sources as they organised and summarised the articles that would make it into a slot on the news. Forming a sharp contrast with the rest of the active staff was a youth in his early twenties. He stared at the screen disyed through Augmented Reality and surfed through social media, looking for any hints of news from there. Since a lot of people these days had an uVR Earth, with the video captured directly from their sight, social media had evolved in a lot of ways. And of course, pursuing clout as usual, people recorded various things and uploaded them online. The youth kept watch over all social media channels rted to their city, disying keen observation skills. A video uploaded on Pinstagram caught his attention. The video was auto-removed by a bot three seconds after it was posted. But he was faster, quickly swiping it up as he used the prepared tools to download it. The video showed a bloody corridor seen through the peephole of one of the houses. The brain matter of a youth was strewn around, as if it had exploded out of the confines of the skull. Plopped across the youth''s corpse was a DOVA Agent, the bright jade hue emanated by his uVR Earth was a dead giveaway. Since the video quality is equivalent to what is captured by the human eye, it was pretty good, making it possible to zoom into the scene and stare at the DOVA Agent''s facial expression. ''Can someone as powerful as a DOVA Agent disy such a devastated expression?'' The youth adjusted his zer as he focused on the DOVA Agent''s face, quickly pulling up the DOVA Agent list of their country, muttering in shock, "#6 DOVA Agent, Rahu Sastry, nicknamed the Liger." He got up in a hurry and shouted, "Everyone! There''s a massive scoop! We need to be present at the scene first. It involves a DOVA Agent and a gruesome murder." His voice boomed across the office, stunning the staff working there. The attention of everyone fell on him as their gazes were fiery. Journalists were hungry for a scoop, especially for one as explosive as this. Instantly, they dropped most of their tasks and prepared for the case. The W-News Director rushed out of his cabin and shouted at the youth, "Gopi, do you have any evidence to back your im?" "Yes, sir!" The youth, Gopi transmitted the video file to the Director. "Okay, you lead this case! It''ll be our primetime news for an entire week!" The Director stated in a hurry as he nced through the contents of the video, excited. "On it!" Gopi rushed out of the office, boarded his bike, and vroomed towards the location. He already messaged the person that had posted the video and obtained the address. His face beamed brightly, "Finally, my first exclusive!" Chapter 20 20: Bridge The Gap With Experience Gopi arrived at the scene, noticing the approach of an ambnce, followed by a police jeep. He hurriedly got down as his uVR Earth shone green. It was an entertainment uVR Earth, specialised to the task. It was why he didn''t carry any cameras with him. His eyes and ears were better equipped to capture all the details. Gopi observed the security team and focused on one individual that seemed to have the most authority. The moment he got down, he rushed towards Deepika and inquired swiftly, "Ma''am, I''m from W-News. Care to inform us about the murder here? Is Sir Rahu involved in it?" "A reporter?" Deepika expressed instant annoyance as she pushed him away, "Not now." Gopi was of course used to such a treatment as he didn''t relent, tailing her as he pressed his questions, "Is DOVA rted to this murder?" "This bast..." Deepika was pissed by the question. She was already on edge upon seeing the gruesome scene. But most of all, Rahu, the DOVA Agent that boasted potent powery there, slumped on the ground, feeling helpless while sporting an expression bordering despair. That hit her mental state, hard. After all, if there existed an enemy that could reduce Rahu to such a state so quickly, someone like her would be no different from an ant before them. When they arrived at the apartment, Rahu jumped out of the moving car and rushed out. Once she parked the car, Deepika chased after him. The window of their separation was less than a minute. But by the time she arrived at the fourteenth floor, things had already progressed to such a state. None among the security team even understood what had happened. They were all perplexed to see the state of Rahu, one they were supposed to protect. And as the Head of Security, the responsibility for failure befell her. Deepika didn''t have the patience to converse with a damn reporter that spewed a bunch of baseless usations in the form of questions. If she were to react negatively, they would portray that as news and give a spin on her job in a negative light. They were frustrating flies, to be honest. "You said you''re Gopi, right?" Just as Deepika was about to rebuke the reporter in anger, Ashok Kumar, the Deputy Head of Security interjected. "Yes," Gopi nodded and faced Ashok. Motioning for Deepika to resume her work, Ashok slumped his hand over Gopi''s shoulder, "The situation is very serious at the moment. Sir Rahu is unconscious. And I believe only he can exin everything. So, why don''t you wait until then?" "Then would you care to exin the situation upstairs?" Gopi pointed at the fourteenth floor, "I rushed here immediately after receiving a tip. The scene there...is damn gruesome." "I won''t," Ashok casually patted Gopi, "But, why don''t you cooperate with me for the time being? All of us are on edge. So, we might retaliate if reporters start pestering us like flies and impede our work. If you promise to keep them at bay, I''ll promise an exclusive interview with W-News." "You can point your questions to Sir Rahu himself, what do you say?" He stared at Gopi. To be frank, Ashok too was on edge, having never expected Rahu to be in such a situation. But upon seeing that Deepika was in a mentally worse state than him, he decided to solve the reporter''s situation, thereby avoiding implicating the situation further. "Of course, sir. Please leave it to me." Gopi smiled in joy at the promise of an exclusive, "I have recorded and transmitted our conversation to W-News, so I hope..." "Don''t waste our time, brat." Ashok raised his voice and shooed Gopi away, "Follow at the back or something. Don''t interfere with our job. Otherwise, W-News or any other broadcasting station for the matter will be sued heavily." "Of course, I won''t interfere with your work." Gopi flinched when Ashok disyed his anger. He then meekly followed the group on his bike, ensuring to record everything and transmit the contents to W-News. He was shocked when Rahu was boarded into the ambnce on a stretcher. His face was a deep shade of red while blood dripped out of his nose and seemed to have coagted, forming two evident trails. ''Damn!'' Gopi experienced an eerie sensation as he followed suit. It constantly felt like a pair of feline eyes were staring coldly at him, terrifying him. Gopi looked around and noticed that everyone else part of Rahu''s convoy too was the same. That''s why they were jumpy all along. Those closer to the ambnce were finding it hard to maintain their cool. Their hands trembled nonstop while goosebumps appeared on the skins of everyone. The ambnce rushed to the nearest hospital and Rahu was admitted. A team of doctors rushed to inspect his condition as Deepika remained in wait, flustered, ''On the first day of work, something this major happened.'' Upon seeing that her subordinates were feeling pressured by the sequence of events, she sighed and firmed herself, at least to reassure them, "It''s enough for just me to be here. The rest of you, patrol the ce." Ashok had remained behind at the scene, apanying the police and the forensic department to determine what had happened. It was also his job to ensure nothing faulty happens. If someone dared target Rahu, then they might also influence the forensic department to ensure the results of their investigation turns up either faulty or buried. Twenty minutester, two doctors walked out of the ward, sighing in relief as if they had survived a storm. Deepika rushed towards them and asked in a hurry, "How is Sir?" "His life is not at risk." One of the doctors exined, "He has experienced a panic attack. We have prescribed some medication to ease his situation. I advise ample rest for at least a day." "Thank goodn..." Deepika was just about to heave a sigh of relief when the Doctors stared at the faces of each other and seemed to hesitate. Upon seeing their expression, she became nervous once again, "Is something still the issue, doctor?" "Well..." One of the doctors stared inside the ward, flinching, "It''s suffocating to even approach the patient. It feels like entering a dangerous jungle. Honestly, two of our nurses have already fainted." He showed his trembling hand, "So, I hope he can be discharged immediately once he wakes up. Even the patients in nearby rooms are getting affected by whatever he''s emitting. We are currently shifting all the patients to farther wards, but if the effect continues to expand like this, then the entire hospital will be threatening to the patients." "I understand," Deepika nodded as she entered the ward, feeling like she stepped into a den of tigers the moment she inched inside, "Keuk!" "The sensation has gotten more intense." The doctor said and retreated further away. "I''ll remain here and take care of him." Deepika trembled a little as she observed Rahu''s condition. She then gazed at the doctor equipped with an uVR Earth, "Please guide me through Augmented Reality. I''ll transmit my sight to you." "That''ll be helpful." The doctor said in relief, "Please rest assured that I''ll be avable until the patient wakes up. Even if I have to leave in an emergency, I''ll assign another doctor." Since Rahu was a DOVA Agent, he was a VIP patient. So, despite their busy schedule, they had to prioritise him. Otherwise, if something were to happen to him, their hospital would have to face public wrath, considering how influential a DOVA Agent was. Even worse, the hospital might get shut down. The doctors were under pressure. ... "...Ra..." "...Rahu..." "Rahu..." Standing at the peak of a hill and peering over the vast canyon below was Rahu, as a child in his early teens. Faint mist covered the ground, reaching up to his knee,yering most of the canyon, preventing him from observing the ground there. A faint voice echoed behind him, eventually resounding loud and clear in his ears, stunning him. "Rahu!" "Mother?" Rahu flinched at the shout and instinctively turned around. But a pair of hands mped his head and made him look forward. A gentle voice resounded as the face of someone, possibly his mother peeked over his shoulder, "What are you thinking?" Rahu was unable to see the source of the voice, but since it was his mother''s voice, he wasn''t flustered, speaking with a chirpy voice, "Isn''t nature wonderful, mother? Look how the mist glides into the canyon and circtes to the top of the hill. I wonder what''s the principle behind this?" "Well, what do you think is happening here?" His mother''s soft voice resounded,den with curiosity. "My son is smart to figure out the cause, right?" "That...well, I know why a mist forms." Rahu thought for a few seconds and answered, "Maybe the morning climate creates a temperature gradient on the ground surface, which results in this?" "What about the flow then?" His mother''s voice resounded, slightly rigid aspared to before. Unable to notice the changes in her voice, Rahu pondered the cause for a few minutes, saying in the end, "It''s due to the wind here." "You know..." His mother''s voice turned cold all of a sudden, "At the same age as you, your brother solved the mystery of this ce. He even derived an equation to exin the volumetrics of the mist and calcted its flow pattern. But you..." "You can''t even figure out its mere cause?" Her voice was cold as the pair of hands holding his head tightened, "If you are dumb enough to not understand the cause for a simple phenomenon of nature like this, then feel it with your body." "At least, after that, you''ll be somewhat better." Saying so, his mother pushed him down the canyon. "Mother!" Rahu screamed as he fell through theyer of mist, hearing his mother''s cold words, "If youck the smarts, bridge the gap with experience." Through the mist he fell, elerating as his surroundings werepletely white. It didn''t seem any different when he made contact with the ground, for an instant feeling the sensation of his body exploding from impact. "Argh!" Rahu woke up with a start, panting profusely as his body was drenched with cold sweat. A couple of secondster, he grunted in pain and clenched his face with his right hand, "Why the fuck did I have to remember her?" "Dammit!" Chapter 21 21: Youre Not Allowed Here "Why are you sitting there like that, Rohit?" Rohit''s parents arrived home after midnight to see him seated at the dining table, still like a statue. His eyes were closed and he seemed to be sleeping at first nce. Rohit''s father casually intended to wake him up and tell him to sleep in his room. When he tried that, Rohit didn''t get up. "Is he in Virtual Reality?" "Dear, is something the matter?" Rohit''s other, Anita frowned in distaste upon seeing Rohit''s state, "Why''s he still ying around? He has school tomorrow." "Give me a second. I''ll bring him back." Rohit''s father, Karthik said as he used his guardian rights to enter Rohit''s Virtual Space. "What...the heck? He''s not here." Karthik looked around in confusion, failing to detect Rohit. Once he roamed through the Virtual Space, he returned to reality. Staring at Anita, he expressed his confusion, "He''s not in his Virtual Space." "Is he in a friend''s Virtual Space?" Anita muttered as she dialled Ramesh''s number. She was aware that Rohit mingled with Ashish, Ramesh, and Varun. She had their numbers. The ring went on for a couple dozen seconds before ending. No one answered her call. Anita called Ashish and Varun too, unable to connect with any of them. After some thought, she called Ramesh''s mother, asking in a hurry, "I''m sorry to disturb youte into the night like this, but do you have any idea what my son, Rohit''s been up to? I tried calling Ramesh but am unable to reach him." "We...don''t know." Came a sobbing voice from the other side, "Ramesh went to his room after dinner and became unresponsive after that. We have admitted him to a hospital now. And the doctors said..." The person on the other side seemed to have copsed emotionally as there were just sobbing sounds. Anita''s heart rate elerated at the cries, worriedly looking at Rohit as she muttered, "Impossible!" Karthik contacted the nearest hospital, perplexed during the wait. A doctor arrived and checked Rohit''s condition, muttering after a simple diagnostic, "What was he doingst?" "They were ying in Virtual Reality," Anita said. Ramesh had informed his parents that he would be ying in Virtual Reality with Rohit and others. The others too had informed their respective parents. Only Rohit hadn''t informed his parents. By talking with the others, Anita managed to figure out what they had been up to in the end. "His vitals are dropping." The doctor said in a hurry, "It seems his brain has suffered serious damage. We need to admit him to a hospital immediately." Karthik and Anita rushed Rohit to the hospital where a bunch of scans were performed on him. Medial procedures were enacted to preserve his life, but the moment the doctors stared at Rohit''s brain data, they sighed. One of them stared at Rohit''s nervous parents and stated solemnly, "He''s brain dead." "Aaahhh!" Anita screamed like a banshee as she copsed to the floor in despair. Tears streamed out of her eyes as she pulled her hair. Rohit was her only child, someone she had conceived after a lot of difficulties. He was the apple of her eye. But now, he was no more. Being brain dead was worse than dying. Because, the patient would have to be connected to life support to barely live on, with no hope of ever recovering. Without life support, none of his organs would ever function. "Doctor," Karthik barely maintained his cool and pressed the doctor for more information, "Isn''t there a possibility to cure even brain dead patients?" "I have read plenty of articles stating that." "You see, in all those cases, the patient''s brain wasn''t entirely dead. So, they could revive it through technology." The doctor sighed, "Had you brought Rohit here a couple of hours earlier, we could have indeed saved him." "But, once the brain is dead, nothing can be done about it. Rohit''s organs have already begun to fail. He was admitted toote. I''m afraid even life support can at most prolong his life for a day." "Is that it?" Karthik was unable to maintain his cool any longer, "The media stated otherwise! I don''t care what you do! It was the medical field that stated they cured even brain dead patients. If you don''t save my son, I''ll sue the heck out of everyone!" "I''m sorry to say this sir," The doctor bowed in apology, "But it wasn''t our hospital that had made the im. We aren''t equipped to deal with it nor are we experienced in doing so." "If you aren''t satisfied, please contact the GH Director." "The GH Director?" Karthik stared at the doctor, "Does he know of a way?" "I can''t guarantee anything, but he''s an elite of the medical circle." The doctor replied in a hurry, "If there truly exists a way, he should know. I''ll fix you an appointment." "Thank you." Karthik said as he patted Anita, consoling her, "Don''t worry, I''ll do whatever it takes to save my son." He stared at the doctor after receiving the appointment, "You can keep my son alive for a day, right?" "Yes, we''ll try our best to prolong it, but that''s our optimistic estimate." The doctor replied as he stared at a notification in his Augmented Reality, "I''ve transferred all the data regarding your son to the GH Director. He''s requested your presence now. I advise against dying his time. He doesn''t have more than a minute to spare." "Got it, I''ll be there immediately." Saying so, Karthik closed his eyes and epted the Virtual Communication invitation. He arrived at a room that resembled a consultation ward. There was a table in the centre, and ced on opposite sides were chairs. Seated on one end was an old man in his sixties, a man of authority disyed by his very presence itself; Director of Coimbatore Government Hospital, the highest board of medical authority in the city. "Take a seat," He said and scrolled through aputer screen, looking into Rohit''s data, "Do you have money?" "Pardon?" Karthik was stunned by the question, "I do." "It''s expensive, but there''s a way." The GH Director stared at Karthik, "There''s a data backup in his uVR Earth. If we obtain it, we can artificially stimte the patient''s brain and partially revive it." "Since the uVR Earth is an extension of the brain, as long as we make it functional, it won''t be perfect, but Rohit will live. Though, it might take a couple of years at the very least before he could return to his usual life." "Doctor, I don''t care how much it costs. I''m ready to do whatever it takes to save my son." Karthik thumped his chest loudly. "It''s not in our hands," The GH Director stated curtly, "No third party can ess an uVR Earth, except for one. He''s the only person in our country who can do so. You''ll have to pay that person enough to make him move for you. Too many bigshots constantly rush to his service with rmendations sponsored by ministers and industrialists. It''s a jungle there." "My son doesn''t have much time, so I beg for your help." Karthik bowed wholeheartedly, "Who is this person? Can you help me reach them?" "I''m afraid my influence isn''t strong enough to bring your case to his attention. But you can consider yourself lucky. I heard from my sources that he''s currently in our city." The GH Director said. "Who is he, sir?" Karthik asked in a hurry. "The Liger," The GH Director stated in all seriousness, "I had personally seen him in action when I visited the Delhi GH in the past. That''s how I know he can solve your son''s issue." "The Liger is..." Karthik made an inte search and pulled up an article, muttering, "He''s a DOVA Agent?" "Yeah, he''s currently admitted to a hospital. I will talk with the Director there to allow your entry. But as to whether or not you can actually meet the Liger is entirely up to you." Saying so, he got up, intending to send Karthik away, "By the way, putting in a word isn''t free, you see." "Yes, I understand." Karthik instantly transferred arge sum of money to the GH Director, leaving the Virtual Space once the other party was satisfied with the amount. His eyes shot open in reality as Karthik got up in a hurry. Grabbing his coat, he rushed out of the hospital, motioning for Anita to remain behind. His car vroomed through the emptier roads and arrived at the hospital where Rahu had been admitted. News articles about him being admitted there were all over the inte, so it wasn''t hard to find the name and address of the hospital. "Damn them!" He cursed upon staring at the crowd of reporters at the hospital''s entrance. They had been denied entry. Karthik rushed into the hospital, at least, he intended to, but was stopped at the entrance by security. "I''m not a reporter!" Karthik shouted as he pointed at his uVR Earth, "Look! It''s not green." "Please state the name of the patient you wish to see." One of the security personnel asked, "Only the rtives of the patients would be permitted inside." "That..." Karthik couldn''t reply. He hadn''t expected the situation to be like this. Hence, he hadn''t prepared a response. He couldn''t lie, since it could be determined instantly. The security personnel were equipped with all the patient data. And through facial recognition, they could immediately determine if the people they interacted with were rted to the patients or not. "Sir, I''m afraid I''ll have to ask you to leave." The security confirmed that Karthik wasn''t rted to any of the patients in the hospital. "I need to meet the Liger." Karthik said, "Only he can save my son''s life." "Do you have an appointment?" The security asked. "I have one with the Hospital Director," Karthik stated in a hurry. The security contacted the director and conversed for a few seconds before allowing his entry, warning as he entered, "Please don''t approach anywhere you aren''t supposed to. You''ll be jailed immediately." "I understand." Karthik said as he hurried inside, thinking, ''I need to find a way to talk to Rahu.'' His eyes scanned the corridor, noticing men equipped with military uVR Earths walking calmly. Their eyes instantly fell on him since he wasn''t rted to the patient. One of them approached him and spoke coldly, "You''re not allowed here." Chapter 22 22: Induced Reality: True Lifeform "Dammit!" "Why the fuck did I have to remember her?" His heart rate was rapid and his chest felt constricted, making it hard to breathe. His face was scrunched up, having dreamt about his past experience. If he had toment about his childhood, there was just one word: Horrible. From the day he was born, he waspared to his older brother, Manav, a genius in everything. His parents were egoistical elites that were fabled among the intellectual societyprising the global scale. So, even their baseline expectations towards their children were at a level hard for most adults to reach even by the end of their lives. And of course, Manav maintained and at times, even exceeded their expectations. It made his parents take things for granted that their child was born with theirbined intellect. Unfortunately, Rahu couldn''t be that. He was always a disappointment in their eyes. To be frank, Rahu could bebelled a genius. After all, the fact that he became a DOVA Agent was enough proof that his brain was one of the best his country could offer, at the peak of humanity. Moreover, even among DOVA Agents, he was an elite. But whenpared to Manav, he wascklustre. The constantparison from childhood cast an overarching shadow on him, unable to break free of the chains that Manav cast with his sheer brilliance. On the day Manav died, his parents were devastated. But in contrast, Rahu was relieved. After all, for the first time in his life, the shadow nking him out vanished, allowing him to finally bask in the sun. He finally felt free. Without his parents constantlyparing him to Manav, Rahu could happily brush and train his talents, allowing him to shine better than before. But the recent events plunged him back into the depths of the talent pit. Manav''s physical body might have died but he, as a sentient being, still lived on. Moreover, using the time flow in Virtual Worlds, Manav had been polishing his abilities there further. He was dead for six years. But that also equated to six decades in a Virtual World. Even the young Manav was terrifying. So, Rahu couldn''t even fathom the monster of intellect that Manav had transformed into after six decades of umtion. ''No, I need to inform the rest about him.'' Thinking as such, Rahu closed his eyes and entered Virtual Reality. He appeared in an empty room of his Virtual Space and requested amunication channel with the six other DOVA Agents that possessed the ultimate secret. [Code I: Manav Sastry is alive as a digital being. He''s somehow able to manifest out of civilian uVR Earths.] His message seemed to have stirred up the others as shadows appeared in the room one after another. [Code L: How did he unleash Induced Reality through a civilian uVR Earth? It''s not even equipped to unleash it.] [Code I: I can''t understand it either.] [Code R: Is he strong?] [Code I: I''ll upload my interaction with him.] Saying so, Rahu uploaded a video of him facing Manav, from start to finish when the youth''s head exploded. [Code Y: Damn he''s strong.] [Code A: Hold on, Liger. I''ll visit India once I free up my schedule. I can destroy Manav.] [Code I: No, that''s dangerous. If you take action, the entire world''s attention would fall on this and further elevate the value of the Secret. It''ll only make our lives harder.] [Code A: Someone that can threaten me hasn''t been born yet.] [Code T: Leaving this arrogant fellow aside, what''s your n, Liger? The fact that Manav challenged you to face him at Worldcraft can only mean one thing.] [Code Y: Is Megasphere nning to release the Secret through Worldcraft?] [Code I: I don''t think that''s Megasphere''s intention. The goal of Pomegranate Corporation was only to create arge-scale Virtual World that''s closest to reality. Whether or not the Secret is released is still dependent on our decision. I think that''s why we were given the Synchro Codes.] [Code A: The fact that Manav managed to figure out the Secret is impressive. But without the Synchro Codes, none of his ns woulde to fruition. Without the supeputer used by Megasphere, it would take even him more than a millennium to deduce and derive all seven Synchro Codes.] [Code L: So, we''ll be targeted by him, huh?] [Code I: There''s one more issue. Recently, a DOVA Agent attacked me. I subdued him. He''s named Rakshat Gupta, but he''s not on records. His uVR Earth belongs to Talgat Musabayev, a Kazakhstan DOVA Agent.] [Code R: That''s pretty messed up. I have a friendly rtionship with the Kazakhstan Government. I''ll look into this and see what''s up with the stolen uVR Earth.] [Code A: It seems Manav figured out a method to swap uVR Earths of even DOVA Agents, huh? That''s interesting. Now I need to find him.] [Code R: Don''t be reckless. You were Manav''srade before. You know how terrifying his abilities are. Don''t confront him just to satisfy your greed.] [Code A: Had I been as weak as you, I would be worried too. But I''m not you. Manav needs to rely on the brains of weak people to affect reality. Unless he finds someone whose brain is on par with mine, which is impossible, he would never be my match.] ''They started fighting again.'' Rahu sighed as he told everyone to remain alert and disconnected the Virtual Communication. ''Their egos are bigger than the countries theye from.'' The ultimate secret deduced by Megasphere was split into seven fragments, named Synchro Codes. Only whenbined would it be possible to unleash the effects of the Secret. To date, none among the seven leaked anything regarding the Synchro Codes. After all, egoistical as they might be, everyone understood the value and implications attached to the Secret. "Humanity just isn''t ready for that." Rahu sighed. He tried to get up but groaned in pain. "Sir! You''re finally awake!" Deepika heard his groan and rushed into the ward, relieved upon seeing him, "How are you feeling?" "I''m fine," Rahu said and sat up with her help, "I''ve simply overtaxed my abilities." "Just...what happened there?" Deepika asked, trembling upon recalling the gruesome scene. "How could someone''s head burst like that? There was no ammunition to result in such an explosion." ''His brain generated enough power to unleash Induced Reality that the fluid in the organ evaporated. The generated spike in pressure caused his head to explode.'' Rahu thought of the answer immediately, shaking his head as he stared at Deepika, "You needn''t know. It would only put your life at risk." ''If she begins to investigate Manav, he''ll kill her immediately. As long as she''s only in charge of protecting me, he won''t go out of his way to target her.'' Rahu had a good idea of Manav''s nature. Keeping Deepika ignorant was for her best. Even he wasn''t equipped enough to face Manav, so it was best to keep coteral damage to a minimum. "What will you say to the media then?" Deepika sighed at his response but didn''t take it to heart, simply assuming it was beyond her pay grade. She stared at him in worry, "They are using you of murder." "What did the forensic report state?" Rahu asked next, "Did any of you stay with the Forensic Department to ensure the report isn''t tampered with?" "Ashok is overseeing it." Deepika nodded, "The report will be out soon." She then looked around the room and asked, "Sir, why does it still feel like I''m being eyed by a predator?" "Eh?" Rahu swerved his head to the side and observed the figure of the Liger sleeping beside the bed. Since he was the target of Induced Reality, only he could see it. Normally, it was his defence mechanism. It had activated before during the previous day too when he was unconscious whilemunicating with Suraj in his Virtual Space. That was why the duo acting as Suraj''s parents couldn''t approach him. After all, if they did, the Liger would kill them. Once the Liger attained the state of Passive Sentience, it coulde out and observe the real world on its own. When Rahu''s uVR Earth unleashed Induced Reality on himself, it coulde out. This was his defensive mechanism, one that had saved him in countless situations. Usually, only when someone stared at Rahu would they notice the Liger. If their gaze was somewhere else, they wouldn''t even sense its existence, not to mention see it. But somehow, when Rahu was subjected to his worst fears through Manav, his Liger seemed to have evolved slightly, absorbing the stimulus generated by his brain. Through it, the Liger was able to unleash Induced Reality at a partial scale. Only its bloodthirst was unleashed radially, targeting the ones in its vicinity. Even though more people were targeted, since only its bloodthirst was unleashed, the consumed brain power was lower than usual. Moreover, the Liger didn''t emerge in reality. So, even the doctors and nurses that came to treat him couldn''t see the Liger. All they felt was the brunt of its bloodthirst. "Man, the irony." Once he observed his Liger, Rahu smiled wryly, "I seeded in evolving my Induced Reality after getting beaten up." "What do you mean by that, Sir?" Deepika asked in confusion, wondering what Rahu was on about now. He seemed distracted and continued to murmur to himself. "Leave me alone for an hour." Rahu waved his hands casually, "Once I gather myself, I''ll contact you." "Don''t tell the others that I''m awake yet." "I''ll do as you say," Grumbling in response, Deepika left the ward. Rahu extended his hand and patted the Liger''s head, watching it purr in response, "Was he scary?" Seeing it nod in response, he hugged it lightly, "But at least, you have attained the final stage." Induced Reality had four stages in total: 3D Avatar, Sentience, Passive Sentience, and finally, True Lifeform. The 3D Avatar stage was when the 3D Model was just created. It wasn''t qualified to unleash Induced Reality. The target would only feel that it was a projection. The stage of Sentience was when the Avatar could think on its own like a living creature. It was at this stage that it was registered as a ''Real Creature'' in the minds of the target. Following this was the stage of Passive Sentience where the Avatar could use Induced Reality on its own. From here on, the Avatar could use a part of his brain to perform its tasks. Finally, there was the peak of Induced Reality, a stage where the user and Avatar became one. With all their senses connected, they could interchange their bodies, allowing for varied perspectives to exist. The reason this stage was named True Lifeform was due to one fact: At this stage, the Avatar could give birth. Chapter 23 23: Left Arm Rehab The goal of Induced Reality was as the name implied, to induce reality. Therefore, the 3D Models that be a DOVA Agent''s Avatar was created to be no different from their counterpart in reality. But just making a perfect virtual model wasn''t enough. The Avatar would have to adapt to its life as a digital lifeform. It would live in the DOVA Agent''s Virtual Space, experience a lot of things, take in the data, and grow as a sentient being. Eventually, when its umtions attain a certain level, it would fully assimte with the Virtual Space and be a proper denizen. It was then that the Avatar was termed a True Lifeform. And the result of that was being able to give birth, as all lifeforms should. Rahu retracted the Liger and closed his eyes, falling asleep as he arrived at his Virtual Space. It was an open grasnd, situated adjacent to a city. The grasnd stretched for a couple kilometres, after which, a forest spanned endlessly. ced smack dab in the border of the grasnd and the forest was a pond, covered by rocks. Sprawled on one of the boulders, drinking water was the Liger. Rahu arrived a couple metres behind it, watching its ears perk up in response. He observed the tumours that had begun to grow on its stomach, "It''s that time already, huh?" The Liger is a hybrid offspring of a male lion and a female tiger. They aren''t naturally urring species, and as a result of their hybrid nature, Ligers suffer from a lot of gic defects. Tumours were just one of the many problems guing this hybrid race. Rahu was sad as he patted its head, "It''s not pleasant to experience this time after time. But at least, things are different in this iteration. You''re a living entity now." On average, a Liger lives anywhere between 15 to 25 years. This meant that, if a Liger were to live in his Virtual Space, it equated to around two years in reality. The Liger he was employing now was the third one already. Though, it was the same individual. The one operating was its third iteration, in service from 21st August 2047. Since he had the 3D Model of a Liger stored in his database, he would retrieve it and nurture it from there. So, in practice, all three Ligers were the same individual. That was one difference between reality and Virtual Reality. But that didn''t mean there were no problems. Every time he started from the 3D Model, it meant he would have to begin from a nk te once again. Keep note that before its death, the Liger''s experiences made it a formidable predator. But the 3D Model version hailed from a zoo. After all, no Liger existed in the wild. So, its 3D Model version was just arge domesticated cat. Rahu would have to train it once again and make it reach the stage of Sentience before he could use it. But, that didn''t matter. After all, the Liger his Avatar was based on was currently the healthiest and the most sessful hybrid in the world. Moreover, it was a female, so it attaining the stage of True Lifeform was monumental. Even though the experiences of the past Liger iterations cannot be transferred to the current version, as it would simply cause an information overload and implode the Avatar, that didn''t mean Rahu''s experiences vanished too. He remembered the various ways in which he trained his Liger. So, using that experience, he grew the sessive iterations faster. The first iteration attained the stage of Sentience after six months of time in reality. That was its limit until death. The second iteration attained Sentience in four months and Passive Sentience a couple days before death. The third iteration attained Sentience in a month and Passive Sentience by the end of its second month. As it was the same individual, Rahu was getting more experienced in nurturing his Liger. It was no different from ying God as he could experiment and grow his Liger through its infinite lives. Moreover, depending on his needs, he could also vary its development. This was the reason DOVA Agents were a strategic resource. They could develop their Avatars to counter anything by investing their nurturing capabilities in the respective direction. In the Virtual Space, Rahu sat on the boulder beside the Liger, closing his eyes as his body plopped to the ground. In response, the Liger''s body jerked as its eyes shot open, the light in it different. "This...is...a...Liger''s...body." The Liger articted roughly. Its vocal cords weren''t suitable to voice a humannguage, but it was a bare minimum attempt. Rahu had be the Liger itself. The air brushed on the fur, the ears swerved with every stimulus, a thunderous heart that pumped blood through the heavy body, and finally, a robust physique that vastly outssed a human. This was the beast that inherited the gic traits of two of the top predators, the Liger. In the 3D Model stage, the Avatar couldn''t be used. It was no different from the rest of the constructs in the Virtual Space. After attaining Sentience, the DOVA Agent would be able to feel the Avatar. It behaved no differently from the human lungs. The lungs were a pair of involuntary organs. Meaning, even without conscious input, they would function by inhaling and exhaling air. If necessary, humans could consciously control their contraction and expansion. Controlling the Avatar was exactly the same. The DOVA Agent could actuate its movements, but the Avatar would be doing the actual moving. Breathing, the thumping of its heart, and every other task necessary to prop up its body; like an involuntary organ, the Avatar, on its own, would be performing everything necessary to execute the task. Moreover, the DOVA Agent was no different from the brain. In the case of the Liger, if Rahu wanted it to move by ten metres, he wouldmand it to move forward by ten metres. That''s all. The way to pace itself, the manner of gait, the air of intimidation, etc. everything was at the Liger''s sole discretion. If Rahu had to fine-tune and micromanage its actions, it would take him hours just to make the Liger take a step forward. And even then, it might not seem realistic. This was where the Liger''s sentience came into y. Passive Sentience was the next level. It was simr to an athlete that had trained to the extreme. If Sentience was equal to a regr person, then Passive Sentience was equal to an athlete. For example, a sprinter would be capable of bursting to top speed at momentary notice. The way to run, the distance between the steps, the body posture, etc. everything was ingrained in their bodies. It bes their second nature, unlike in a regr person where they would have to exert conscious effort just to perform at a subpar scale. Simrly, as the Avatar absorbs all the experience and the DOVA Agent''s training, it bes attuned to their thought process. And a certain point is reached where the Avatar is perfectly synchronised to the DOVA Agent''s thought process. Thereby, it can take action without the DOVA Agent''s input, and the result would be exactly the same as if he were controlling it. This was Passive Sentience. When a DOVA Agent reaches this level, they gain a bodyguard that protects them from all biological harm. Rahu was at this stage until the previous day. But now, after facing terror under the hands of Manav, his Liger became a True Lifeform, having obtained the final part of the missing puzzle. The stage of True Lifeform was reached only by a handful of DOVA Agents. In his country, Rahu was the second to do so, at least among those active or alive. The DOVA Agent Chief was the only other person that had attained it. Manav may or may not have achieved it, but Rahu wasn''t sure of it. Though, he had an inkling that Manav might have achieved it long ago. As a True Lifeform, the DOVA Agent and their Avatar could swap bodies. The moment Rahu inhabited the Liger''s body, his eyes in reality shot open, the gaze menacing. After all, his body was now being controlled by the Liger. It was akin to having a second personality. At the end of the day, both were reliant on Rahu''s brain to process their thoughts. It was just that an added personality granted a different perspective to things. After all, one was a human and the other was a beast. Their base stats were different, their thought processes were different, their senses were different, etc. Through Rahu''s body, the Liger focused on the nose and sniffed around, picking up various scents at a deeper level. That was its inherent nature. So, it was able to use Rahu''s olfactory senses to the extreme, to the peak that his body was capable of. Unless Rahu trained for the specific task for years, he couldn''t attain that level of sensitivity. But a simple swap made it possible. There were aches all over his body, but the most problematic of them all was his unusable left arm. Rahu''s eyes stared at them coldly before closing its eyes. When they opened, the Liger''s perspective had vanished. Rahu was back in control, muttering in amazement, "Damn, that was something else." It was hard to remain in the Liger''s body, as he wasn''t used to it. But as long as he keeps practicing, he''ll be ustomed to swapping their bodies. The applications to this ability were endless. "Now, I need to treat my left arm." He muttered and focused, returning to the Virtual Space. His body there was a direct reflection of reality. He couldn''t move his arm here either. But that wasn''t an issue. He hadn''t lost his arm. His current condition was simr to those that had their severed arms reattached. Even though the arm was perfectly fine, the trauma of the loss impaired the brain, preventing it from controlling it as usual again. So, rehab was necessary, a process simr to what soldiers underwent after returning from war. Rahu had been injured thanks to Induced Reality during his training days as a DOVA Agent. Of course, he was experienced with the treatment process. Thankfully, as long as one wasn''t dead, all injuries caused by Induced Reality could be treated. Appearing inside a rehabilitation center in his Virtual Space, Rahu began his recuperation process. It was faster to do it here than in reality, since both affected his brain equally. By undergoing rehab in Virtual Reality, Rahu was saving a lot of time. An hour since he started the rehabilitation session, the Liger calmly entered the center and sprawled in a corner, yawning as it stared at him grunting nonstop while causing his fingers to twitch ever so slightly. Chapter 24 24: I Couldnt Save Him "Sir Karthik, I understand your situation, but even you cannot barge into a DOVA Agent''s recuperating ward." The Hospital Director smiled wryly, "It is a breach of safety and our hospital itself would take a hit." "Then, what am I supposed to do? My son is dying as we speak." Rohit''s father, Karthik sported a vexed expression, "I was stopped and questioned by ten people before I could even reach you. I''m bing mad in anger." "I don''t wish to do this, but since you have donated a lot to my hospital''s charity, I''ll try my best." Saying so, the Director pressed a button as a doctor entered. Pointing at the doctor, the Director said, "This is the doctor that is in charge of the DOVA Agent. You can pass the message through him. Of course, please maintain the necessary decorum." "I understand your frustration, but your goal is to make him save your son, right? So, please endure until that happens. Don''t try to force his hand." "I understand, my son''s life is at stake here." Karthik calmed himself as he held the doctor''s hands, "Doctor, my son is a hardworking child. He has been working hard to be a doctor in the future. Please tell the DOVA Agent that I''m begging him. I have money, that''s all I have. Whatever he needs, I''m ready to pay the price. My son is all I need." He hurriedly projected a screen through Augmented Reality and disyed a couple of pictures, "Look here, doctor. This was when he rescued a rabbit from danger. He was awarded by his school. He was only eight years old then. See this, he noticed and admitted a lone grandmother from our neighbourhood when she suffered a heart attack. This was two months ago..." Karthik went on for a couple of minutes, desperate to show his son''s contributing nature toward society. The doctor patiently saw the pictures and observed clearly well how desperate Karthik was. He would be lying if he wasn''t moved as he stared at the desperate father seriously, "Please forward me everything you''ve shown. I''ll show them to the DOVA Agent and do everything in my power to convince him to save you." "Thank you, thank you very much, doctor." Karthik copsed to the ground and broke into tears, thanking him nonstop. The doctor received a notification, prompting him that Rahu had woken up. He stared at Karthik and said, "The DOVA Agent has woken up. I''ll get going now." He nodded at Karthik, "Please have faith in me." The doctor soon arrived at the entrance to the ward where Rahu had been admitted. He stared at Deepika remaining guard at the entrance, stating in relief, "I can''t feel that terrifying sensation anymore, thank goodness." "I''m sorry for the trouble we caused." Deepika bowed slightly. "It''s fine, none of the patients were affected." The doctor waved his hands in a hurry as he entered the ward. Rahu was seated on his bed, eyes closed, exhibiting a serene atmosphere that naturally calmed others. Even the doctor rxed subconsciously. The faint trembling in his body that was influenced by the memories of the killing intent from before vanished. "Sir Rahu, how are you feeling?" He asked immediately. "Tired, my body aches, and my head hurts." Rahu said in exhaustion, "But I''m feeling better than before." He stared at his left hand and clenched it into a fist. Deepika only notified the doctor now, but Rahu had woken up an hour ago. Using that time, he rehabilitated himself in Virtual Reality. That meant ten hours in his Virtual Space. Ten hours was enough time to recover control over his arm, especially since he was experienced in the field. The arm still wasn''t as good as before facing Manav, but after a couple of nights of rest, it should recover to an optimal state. "That''s good to hear," The doctor nodded, "You can get discharged in the morning if no other issue arises. That''s what your secretary requested." "I''m fine with that." Rahu nodded and then stared at the hesitant expression of the doctor, "Do you have anything else to say to me, doctor? You look like you want to ask something." "It''s a request, sir." The doctor put on a respectful tone, "The son of one of our benefactors has been announced brain dead. He has an uVR Earth though. Therefore, the father hopes you can at least jolt his brain through the memory backed up in his uVR Earth." "He''s an exemry citizen..." The doctor was just about to talk more about Rohit when Rahu raised his hands and motioned him to stop. "Is he on life support?" Rahu asked, frowning upon seeing the doctor nod, "What he attached to it on time?" "Unfortunately, we werete. He has experienced multiple organ failures already." The doctor shook his head, "He has a day at most, I''m afraid." "Where is he admitted?" Rahu asked next, "Send me all the data collected on him." "Yes," The doctor transferred all the data regarding Rohit to Rahu. Upon seeing that it was Rohit, Rahu subtly frowned, ''It seems being rich opens all sorts of paths, as usual. Such an irony that they''re asking me to save someone that I killed.'' But he couldn''t reveal that, for it would bring a lot of headaches, especially from the media. Instead, Rahu put on a concerned look and spoke, "Has he been in Virtual Reality for too long?" "I''m afraid that''s so," The doctor nodded, "We''ve received simr cases in the past. When the patient remains in Virtual Reality for an unbearably long duration, their brain begins to deteriorate. Eventually, they wind up in such states." ''Of course, that was my intention. I damaged his brain in such a way that the reports state the cause of damage is overuse of Virtual Reality.'' Rahu thought as he sighed, "Then there''s nothing much I can do here. Yes, there exists a backup in the uVR Earth, but it''s only useful if the patient was attached to life support immediately." "I use the stimuli to cause signals to go from the brain to the various organs and make them travel their respective paths, just like how they would in the individual''s daily life. It''s like booting a human body manually." He continued, "For this to work, all organs must be functional." "Even then, it''s not guaranteed." This part waspletely the truth. Rahu had indeed saved such people before. But all of them were attached to life support at the earliest. As a result, their organs hadn''t deteriorated due to ack of signals from the brain. "But sir, can you please try it?" The doctor asked, "The patient''s father has practically begged everyone in our hospital. He''s ready to pay any price." "Is that so?" Rahu motioned with his hand, "Bring him in then. I need to speak to him." A few secondster, Karthik rushed inside the ward, of course, not before being pinned to the floor by Deepika once. She had only let go when Rahu indicated that it was alright for her to allow his entry. With a face beaming in joy, Karthik bowed in gratitude, "I thank you, sir, for your kindness." "You needn''t," Rahu red at Karthik, "The method you''re hoping indeed exists, but the sess rate for even someone that was given immediate life support has been less than thirty percent. Your son''s situation is way worse." "So, I hope you don''t expect a miracle from me." "T-Then..." Karthik despaired. "I will still give my best." Rahu nodded, "But first, I''m not at a state where I can move around yet. I should get discharged by morning but your son''s situation would have deteriorated further by then." "Please, I''ll do anything." Karthik grabbed Rahu by the leg, an absolute disy of respect in their region, begging, "Please save my son." "Then, there''s only one option." He stared at the doctor, "Can he be transferred here?" "Yes," The doctor nodded and made preparations immediately, stating once he had contacted the relevant hospital, "Rohit will be brought here in thirty minutes." Thirty minutester, Rohit was rushed into Rahu''s ward, affixed to life support. Rahu got up and approached Rohit, using Induced Reality to inspect thetter''s condition, ''Good, Dark Room has destroyed his mindpletely.'' He had no qualms about killing someone. Only if the target was an honest to good citizen would the guilt drown himpletely. But against a scum, he had zero hesitations in iming a life. In the past thirty minutes, Rahu deeply investigated Karthik, finding out that Karthik was indeed a decent citizen. He had asshole tendencies, but nothing that intended to destroy another''s life like Rohit. Rahu did feel bad that Karthik was suffering because of his actions, but that how what life was. Even if a scum was punished, the decent people rted to the scum would still suffer. Induced Reality-Synchronised Brainwave! The Liger appeared within Rohit''s Virtual Space. It observed the ce while Rahu actuated Rohit''s uVR Earth and extracted the backup data, using it to send a signal through the brain. In a monitor, Rohit''s brain was projected, disying zero brain activity. At Rahu''s trigger, an electrical impulse shed through Rohit''s brain from his uVR Earth, but there was no follow-up response. Rahu triggered another organ, causing the signal to flow into the brain and to the destination organ through it. There was a sh on the monitor before everything dulled once again. Karthik stared at the monitor with hope, wishing that it would light up fully, as an active brain should. It would mean there was hope even if it lit up partially. Since he was at it, Rahu decided to give an honest effort. If he seeded, he would attain valuable experience data. Moreover, he could always kill Rohit at ater date. After all, even if he seeds now, it would take years before Rohit would be able to function as a living being. Rahu continued to send sparks through Rohit''s brain. All the signals consisted of electrical data; they were Rohit''s memories. The uVR Earth converted them into brain impulses and injected them back into the neuralwork, inducing a false reality that the brain was still functional. Rahu kept up with the process for more than an hour, sighing as he copsed on the bed in exhaustion, "If only he had been given life support a bit earlier." "No..." Karthik copsed to the floor lifelessly. His wife, Anita-that had arrived apanying Rohit-bawled in despair, fainting as a result. She was emotionally hurt to the extent she suffered from a heart attack and had to be rushed to the Intensive Care Unit. Rahu muttered in disappointment, "I couldn''t save him." Chapter 25 25: God Complex "S-Sir," Karthik stared at Rahu with a maniacal gaze, "Can...can you try once again? Thest attempt gave good results. I''m sure you''ll seed if you do it one more time." "It''s impossible," Rahu shook his head, "I don''t have the energy necessary to attempt it. If I hadn''t been injured, maybe I could have held on for a few more minutes, but I''m sorry." "Besides," He stared at the doctor and turned silent. "Rohit is dead, sir." The doctor sighed, "Even life support won''t work on him now." "That...how?" Karthik''s gaze became nk as he was escorted out of the ward. He stared at the figure of his son being removed from the life support. Suddenly, Karthik broke free of the hold and pushed away the pair of nurses disconnecting the life support, "Don''t you dare! My son...my son! He''s not dead!" "I won''t ept this!" "I won''t!" [Maintain life support until he calms down. It''s not easy for a parent to lose their child.] Rahumunicated to the doctor through a message. Upon seeing that, the doctor ordered the nurses to maintain life support. He then escorted Karthik to another ward where they ced Rohit. A faint stench began to fill up the room, but Karthik didn''t seem concerned about that as he remained in a daze, muttering incoherently, "Rohit...my son...you''ll live. I know you''re a strong man. Don''t give up..." "He is experiencing rigor mortis," The doctormented from outside the ward as he stared at Rohit''s corpse through the ss window. He then looked at Karthik in worry, "It''s dangerous to be next to a corpse like that." "Doctor, we need to transfer the corpse." One of the nurses stated in concern, "It''s a health hazard to keep him here like this." "I''ll try to convince him." The doctor sighed and entered the ward. In the meantime, arriving at a room in Rahu''s Virtual Space, Deepika red with a disgusted expression, "Sir, did you really have to do that?" "Why did you y with the emotions of a concerned parent?" "Where did it seem like that?" Rahu tilted his head, "Do my actions seem hypocritical to you?" "You were the one that killed Rohit. Shouldn''t you have denied a meeting with his father? Considering your health condition, no one would hold you ountable. But you needlessly gave him hope and mercilessly crushed it by hastening Rohit''s death." Deepika shouted, "Why did you do that?" "Trying to revive his body indeed strained it further. So, my actions elerated Rohit''s demise. But," Rahu spoke calmly, "I was genuinely trying to save him there. Had Rohit been attached to life support right when his brain began to deteriorate, reviving him would have been possible." "Why...go through all that?" Deepika red, "Does it give you a power trip to y with the lives of people? Rohit might have been scum but you didn''t have to juggle his life like that." "Well, let''s not argue needlessly. I don''t have enough brain power to remain here much longer." Rahu pointed at Deepika and asked with a slightly angered tone, "If you have been in my position, what would you have done?" "I would deny a meeting in the first ce." Deepika articted her clear stance on the matter, "That way, Rohit''s parents wouldn''t have felt any hope. It wouldn''t have resulted in Anita''s heart attack." "The plunge into despair after clinging onto a glimmer of hope affected them stronger than simply facing the death of their son." "That''s a stupid way to deal with things." Rahu shook his head and chidingly remarked, "The doctors know my condition best. They are aware that I have more than enough strength to take action. If I refused despite that, why would they try to save me in the future?" "Even if they remain tight-lipped about this, information would spread through the medical circle." Rahu sighed, "So, if I were to ever be admitted to a hospital in the future, none of the doctors would give their all to treat me. For someone in my field where chances of injuries are high, that''s a death sentence." "So, it''s just to maintain a clean reputation?" Deepika spat out. "Not just that," Rahu extended his hand and clenched it tightly, "I genuinely wanted to treat Rohit." "You''re lying," Deepika snorted, "You were the one that caused his death in the first ce." "Don''t mistake my intentions," Rahu clicked his tongue, "If I seeded in saving him, I would have still nted some fault in Rohit''s mind to cause his eventual death a few days down the line. He''s not someone worth living." "But," He said when Deepika red at him with killing intent, "Attempting to save him is a valuable experience. Even if I failed now, I have gotten a little better in the process. In the future, I''ll have a better chance of saving someone that truly needs to live." "That''s my sole reason." He stared at Deepika, uttering calmly, "You may or may not like my methods, but that''s how I am. Towards the well-being of honest citizens striving to live clean lives, I''m ready toy down my life. But towards cancerous rats, I won''t hesitate to end their lives." "Of course, I''ll maintain a virtuous attitude to fulfil my tasks." "You...you have a serious God Complex!" Deepika muttered in disbelief, "You truly think you''re worthy of judging the life and death of people?" "I do," Rahu stated solemnly, disying his absolute conviction, "And don''t get me wrong. Every DOVA Agent is the same. After all, that''s the essence of inducing changes to reality. Only someone with an ego big enough to truly believe they are a God can be a DOVA Agent." He snapped his finger, causing a figure of Deepika to appear beside her, shocking her. "Hello Deepika, I''m Deepika." The figure spoke, disying a professional smile exactly as what Deepika had disyed towards Rahu when they first met at the airport. "This..." Deepika was rmed as she stared at the figure, "How is it just like me?" "Now you understand?" Rahu said as he pointed at his uVR Earth that shone yellow, "This is Creator Mode, given only to employees of Pomegranate Corporation. Their task is to convert real-life objects into a 3D Model. The rays a creator uVR Earth can emit allows them to capture the mass, volume, density, structuralposition down to the atomic level, gravitational fields, electromaic emission, behaviour patterns, habits, etc." "All this allows them to create a 3D Model that''s no different from reality. There is no limitation in what they can convert into a 3D Model." Rahu stared at Deepika, "Including people." "Then this..." Deepika stared at her 3D Model in shock, "This is my 3D Model?" "Not exactly," Rahu snapped his finger and caused it to vanish, "This is a mere model that only captures your appearance. It would take years to create a perfect 3D Model of a living being. But you see," He grinned, "It''s still possible." "A creator uVR Earth user can only create models and upload them to Pomegranate Corporation''s database. They don''t have any other abilities. But," He expressed an imposing aura, "A DOVA Agent can use them." "If I wanted, I can use the 3D Model of you to interact with someone through Induced Reality. You see, I have all the means to fabricate reality. I can even make your 3D Model be registered in CCTV Cameras and other devices. It would be as if you existed in reality." Rahu continued as he observed Deepika''s expression worsen, "Once I have your 3D Model, I can train it to do anything I wish. Moreover, I can train dozens of versions of the same model to perform a variety of tasks." "And since time flows ten times faster here, in a matter of days in reality, I would have an army of you roaming society in all forms to affect the lives of hundreds of people." Rahu got up and gently patted a petrified Deepika, "It''s not limited to you. I can do the same with any individual of my choice." "A single thought from me can pretty much copse society overnight. Simrly, I can disseminate any narrative of my choice through the people and skew their worldview. It''s not like my abilities are anything special. Any decent DOVA Agent can do this. And in this Digital Era, we''re more destructive than a nuke." He T-Posed, "And this is the reason we''re valued as a strategic resource." He slowly pointed at Deepika, "Youmented that I have a God Complex, right?" "If a God were to exist in this era, their abilities would be no different from a DOVA Agent''s." "You...this...how can..." Deepika was unable to formte a reply, too stunned to speak. Even though the previous Chief was diplomatic in nature, now that she thought about her experiences with him, it always seemed like he wore a mask. The Chief''s gaze was as if he were a superior existence looking at inferior lifeforms. He did an exceptional job of hiding it. And even when Deepika witnessed it, she didn''t think much of it. After all, as a Chief, he was in charge of an entire state. People in such positions indeed oozed authority. But now that Rahu woke her up to reality, Deepika realised that the entire time, even the previous Chief had a God Complex, to an extent even stronger than Rahu. "But...weapons can still kill you." "Sure, they can, but we can anticipate that." Rahu snapped his finger as a dozen Ligers appeared in the room, "I have trained each of them to be alert against a form of threat. So, before someone intends to harm me, I''ll be aware of their moves." ''And now that I have a True Lifeform Liger, it''ll be even easier to guard against such threats.'' He thought. "Then, how did you fail to sense the incapacitating agent..." Deepika shut up, sensing the over two dozen pairs of feline eyes on her at her words. ''That''s because Manav is fully aware of my and my Liger''s nature. He targeted our blind spot. But it won''t work anymore since I have started to train another Liger towards that.'' Rahu shook his head and concluded, "Anyway, it is the truth that I tried to save Rohit''s life now. But I failed. So, let''s wrap it up there." "If you wish to question my methods in the future, always ensure to provide a better solution." Saying so, he disconnected Deepika from his Virtual Space and returned to reality. Opening his eyes calmly, he gazed at Deepika''s sullen figure, "The previous Chief kept everyone ignorant, as that''s in his nature. But my methods are different." "Since you promised to be my secretary, I hope you adapt ordingly." Chapter 26 26: Making A Statement Deepika retired for the night as a couple of her subordinates took her ce. It was almost dawn, so she needed to get some shut-eye to not copse at workter. Rohit was dead. His three friends were on life support too, but their parents didn''t have enough influence to forward the case to Rahu''s notice. So, Rahu didn''t have to bother saving them. They would remain on life support for the rest of their lives, a fitting end for bullies that had caused the deaths of students in the past. Yes, Neeraj was just theirtest victim. Some of their past victims were unable to endure and hadmitted suicide. It was why Rahu wiped out all the ckmail information-from their uVR Earths-they had collected. He didn''t erase them though. Instead, he transferred them to a device in his DOVA Branch. All DOVA Agents collected data regards to any task they engaged with and stored them in a secure device created exclusively for their use. It was created with the same technology as the uVR Earths and hence was unbreachable. Of course, even though uVR Earths were imed to be the same, Rahu was still able to invade them through Synchronised Brainwaves. But the reason these devices were said to be unbreachable was that Megasphere was involved in their defence. Even a DOVA Agent''s mind wasn''t equipped to outss the strongest AI bolstered by a supeputer of unimaginableputing capabilities. E-002 Cyber Data Storage or ECDS for short. That was what the storage device was called. And they were given only to DOVA Agents. An ECDS was created in such a way that only a DOVA Agent''s uVR Earth could form a connection with it. Rahu transferred the data of his fight with Manav to his ECDS and closed his eyes, sleeping immediately. 10th June 2048; Wednesday! 11:00 AM! "I barely slept for a few hours," Rahu woke up at the sound of a notification, groaning as he noticed it was from Deepika, "What...the heck?" [Sir, reporters are crowding the hospital entrance and demanding an exnation from you. Mahesh''s family has arrived at the scene and is demanding justice for their son. So, all media attention is on you. W-News even went ahead and published a front-page article in today''s newspaper.] Mahesh was the youth using whose uVR Earth, Manav made an appearance. "I see," Rahu was wide awake by now; he chatted through Augmented Reality, "Send me the forensic report first. I cannot n anything without seeing it." [Sir, I transferred the file to you.] Ashok, the Deputy Head of Security messaged him, attaching a document of the forensic report. Rahu went through the report, muttering, "As I expected, a state of brain overdrive by the uVR Earth is announced as the cause of death." Ashok also attached a video clip that was released by W-News. It was the scene of Rahu disying an expression of despair as he kneeled before Mahesh''s corpse. W-News had censored the brain matter spill on their publication, but Ashok managed to obtain the original clip. Upon staring at it, Rahu frowned, ''What do I do now? Exposing Manav''s existence would cause too many problems. Pomegranate Corporation would dislike it if people be afraid to use uVR Earth because of the threat posed by Manav. Even I cannot handle their wrath.'' ''Even though I''ve offended them plenty of times through my actions favouring the people more than their interests, I never touched their bottom line. But if I were to reveal Manav''s existence, there''s a good chance the news would blow up to be an international issue. uVR Earth sales might plummet or even stop.'' He sighed in worry, ''That might incite Megasphere''s ire.'' The Artificial Intelligence, Megasphere pretty much manned Pomegranate Corporation. It was built with two primary purposes: First was to manufacture uVR Earth and second was to equip all of humanity with uVR Earth one day. So, if Rahu did anything to hinder that, then he was directly hindering Megasphere''s purpose. Once that happens, Megasphere would cut him off from everything digital-rted, especially since it had control ess over the inte. If it so wished, every single electronic instrument in the world would move against him. And that included drones and androids in the hands of the military. Rahu previously boasted that a DOVA Agent was akin to a God of the Digital Era. But inparison, Megasphere was the very heavens itself where Gods dwelled. And if myths proved anything, it was that Heaven''s Will was absolute. So, Rahu had to tread a fine line here. On one side was Manav, his genius older brother that was a fearsome opponent. On the other side was Megasphere. If hemitted a mistake here, he would cause both parties toe at him with full strength. Currently, he was a favoured individual of Megasphere. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been given a Synchro Code. Manav was after the Synchro Codes, but he had seven targets, so his schemes and attention were split evenly. As long as he wasn''tpletely focused on Rahu alone, he wasn''t a serious threat. Therefore, changing the status quo was foolish, especially since Rahu desired some free time to pursue his next step of growth. His Liger became a True Lifeform. Hence, he had to seed before its lifespan runs out. ''It seems I only have one option.'' He sighed, ''For now, I have to throw Mahesh under the bus. I''m not sure how he became involved with Manav, but it''s for the best to exercise ignorance regarding this, lest I be the focused target of the group Manav had created.'' Mahesh disyed fanatic devotion towards Manav. So, there should be a cult operating behind the scenes, with Manav as its God or something. Fanatics were a troublesome bunch to deal with, especially since they didn''t care about sacrificing lives for their cause, whether it be theirs or others. Thest he wanted at present was to deal with suicide bombers en masse. ''I need to buy time until Iplete my preparations.'' [Ashok, bring Gopi to my ward. I''ll give the interview now.] [Yes sir, we''ll be there in two minutes.] Exactly two minutester, Ashok entered the ward, apanied by Gopi. The reporter introduced himself, "Sir, I''m Reporter Gopi from W-News. Pleased to make your acquaintance." "Keep your questions smart, and with substance." Rahu calmly stared at Gopi and motioned for him to be seated, "I''ll cancel the interview if you make usations in the name of questions." ''Damn, which reporter offended him in the past? He has a horrible image of us.'' Gopi gulped instinctively as he took a seat and asked, "Sir, I''ll be direct. This is being broadcasted live on W-News. Can you tell us what happened to Mahesh? The nation wants to know." "Have you seen the forensic report?" Rahu asked, seeing Gopi nod. In Augmented Reality, Rahu pulled up a window of W-News, observing the channel disy the forensic report as the news anchormented about it to the viewers. ''That''s pretty efficient of them.'' Thinking as such, he snapped his finger, causing his Liger to appear beside him. Since the broadcast was whatever Gopi captured through his sight, when the figure of the Liger was registered in his brain and as a result disyed in his sight, it was also picked up by his uVR Earth and ryed to the broadcasting station. All the viewers saw the scene of Gopi shrieking in shock upon seeing the Liger. "W-What is that?" Gopi stammered in fear, feeling a cold breath up close. His body was petrified by fear as he soiled his pants. "I''m sorry to have frightened you," Rahu retracted the Liger and said, "But I believe showing this would have made my exnation easier to understand." As Gopi hurriedly draped a kerchief over his pant, Rahu began to speak, "I''m the DOVA Agent ranked sixth in our country, titled the Liger. The reason is as you can see, I can manifest a realistic Liger. Facing it is no different from encountering one in reality." "If it ps you in the face, you''ll feel the pain." Rahu said, "Every DOVA Agent can manifest the creature indicated by their title. But you see, to unleash such a creature, one needs to possess a ster brain on par with a DOVA Agent. Anyone with the necessary qualification is being trained by the country to be a DOVA Agent or is already one." "What does that have to do with Mahesh?" Gopi regained his calm and voiced his doubt, "Since you said I can feel the pain if attacked by your Liger, then did Mahesh die because of it?" "Didn''t I warn you against putting forth usations?" Rahu red, causing Gopi to tremble in fright instinctively. Even though Rahu didn''t bring out the Liger, he was emitting the bloodlust of one. A secondter, he retracted the bloodlust and spoke once Gopi shut up, "I was shocked when that happened. The information I ryed isn''t a secret. Those that had interacted with a DOVA Agent know this. I''m not sure how Mahesh learned of this information, but it seems he attempted it." "Attempted...what?" Gopi asked hesitantly. "Induced Reality," Rahu announced solemnly, "It''s a power exclusive to DOVA Agents. You being able to feel my Liger is a result of that. Mahesh attempted Induced Reality. As a result of the sheer brain power needed to unleash it, his brain clocked into overdrive, overheated, and caused the fluid in the brain to evaporate." Rahu patted his head, "Pressure built up here in him and when it reached a certain level, it caused his head to explode. That was what had happened." "A civilian uVR Earth is incapable of supporting Induced Reality in the first ce. So, it was a suicide attempt. DOVA will be investigating the source of whatever Mahesh got his hands on to attempt this. We''ll cooperate with the forensic department to find out more." Saying so, Rahu nodded, signalling the end of his exnation. "Then sir, why were you there at the scene?" A message appeared in Gopi''s Augmented Reality. It was a question from W-News that he read aloud, "Why did Mahesh attempt it before you?" "I got a lead regarding his attempt when I was investigating another mission." Rahu slowly got up and signalled the end of the interview, "I rushed there as quickly as possible, but s, I was toote. He had already initiated the attempt to unleash Induced Reality." "That will be all." Saying so, Rahu left the ward. Gopi intended to chase after him and present more questions that he received from W-News, but Rahu''s security team prevented him from approaching Rahu. [Sir, I have finished the discharge procedures already. We have a vehicle ready at all exits.] Deepika messaged him promptly as she apanied him. [No need, we''ll leave through the front exit. Otherwise, it''ll seem like I''m running away from taking responsibility for this issue. Tell the security team to make a path.] Rahu arrived at the hospital''s entrance, sighing as he tilted his head to the side, watching an egg fly past. He then stared at the crowd of people apanying the reporters, forming a mob. For an instant, the Liger took over his body and sensed killing intent from some people mixed in the crowd. Recalling Manav''s words, Rahu stared at the crowd in seriousness, ''It seems your ns to torture me haven''t ended yet, brother.'' Chapter 27 27: Brainwashed Against Rahu? Among the crowd consisting of more than sixty people, five people were emanating killing intent toward him. All five of them wore civilian uVR Earths, and at first nce seemed to be no different from the rest of the civilians and reporters that formed the mob. They were armed with eggs and tomatoes, intending to shower Rahu with them. If it was just that, Rahu wouldn''t be bothered. A scene of him covered with eggs was indeed shameful, but it would simply cement his reason further, especially since he nned to reveal more informationter in his favour. Of course, since Manav was aware of it, he wouldn''t have kept things simple. Rahu''s uVR Earth shone yellow, entering the creator mode as it unleashed electromaic rays of all forms, instantly scanning the items in the possession of the mob. As they were just inanimate objects, two seconds were all he needed to scan them and create 3D Models of the same. Numerous screens shed on his Augmented Reality screen, disying faulty instances in the objects. The data regarding an egg''sposition was avable on the inte. With a swipe, hepared the data he extracted from the 3D Models andpared them to the data from the inte. Immediately, he detected dangerous substances within them. The eggs were filled with a gtinous substance with adhesive properties on the level of super glue. If they were to fall on his nose, he would be suffocated. On eyes, and he could forget seeing for the rest of his life. It wasn''t just him, but if they were to fall on any of his security members, they too would be affected. He didn''t like to face such a situation, especially since the security team was giving their all to protect him. As for the tomatoes, they contained acid, potent enough to melt skin. The five people hadn''t thrown the dangerous eggs and tomatoes yet. The few eggs that were thrown at Rahu were from others; they were just regr eggs. ''The eggs and tomatoes are life-threatening. Even if I defend myself against them, my security team is at risk. If I were to use Induced Reality to put the five people out ofmission, it would further enrage the mob. This is not to mention that my actions could be recorded.'' Rahu sighed. The five people intending to harm him were probably recording everything. Therefore, if Rahu were to unleash his Liger or any other ability on them, they would perceive it. Meaning, it would all be recorded. Manav could use that footage to spin a narrative against him andpletely turn public opinion against him. This was a two-pronged attack. ''This was a good one, Manav. But, I won''t passively take a beating. I''m not under your shadow anymore.'' Rahu used his umbre to point at the five people in the crowd, "Everyone, stay away from them. They are carrying lethal weapons on their being." [Be wary of the eggs and tomatoes in their possession. They are dangerous.] Rahu transmitted a message to his security team that sprang into the crowd and rushed the five dangerous people. "What the...?" One of the five was stunned as he hurriedly took out an egg and intended to throw it when a drone flew overhead and shot two wires onto his arm, transmitting a current discharge. It was a stun gun, paralysing him. By the time the crowd managed to react with fright response, the five individuals were neutralised. Right as panic set in the crowd, Rahu''s uVR Earth shone ck as he gained control of all the speakers in nearby vehicles, transmitting his voice through them, "Everyone! It''s safe now!" "The enemy has been neutralised!" "L-Look at his hand!" One among the crowd stopped in shock and pointed at the hand of the man that intended to throw an egg, "That''s not an egg." "It''s sticking onto his fingers like a web." "You''re true." "So freaky." "Does that mean...?" The gazes of everyone changed as they stared at Rahu, in shock, in awe, in confusion. After all, in that moment, Rahu''s voice boomed from everywhere, as if he were omnipotent. This was the first time they had witnessed such a scene. Even though Rahu used a military uVR Earth''s ability to aplish it, those with military uVR Earths remained either in the military or became security teams of ministers, DOVA Agents, and the sort. And they were prohibited from tapping into civilian items. But a DOVA Agent didn''t have such a restriction. Therefore, Rahu''s feat came off as an imposing disy of power. Many were stunned and couldn''t think of what to do for a few seconds. Since all attention was on him, Rahu announced aloud,manding two of his security team members, "Hand them over to the police. Let them find out the motives of these five to carry such items." "Yes, Sir!" The two security team members saluted and cuffed the five people. There were police on patrol nearby, so they arrived quickly to take care of things. ''Manav, if I went on with the usual route, I would have simply yed into your scheme. But, I have the card of authority to y. That''s an advantage I have over you.'' Rahu then stared at Deepika and calmly unfurled his umbre, "Let''s leave..." "Wait!" There was a loud shout as a middle-aged couple rushed towards him, roaring as they were held back by two security team members, "My son! You killed him! My son!" "Are you Mahesh''s mother?" Rahu observed the screamingdy as he spoke calmly, "Ma''am, I apologise for your loss. But please cooperate with the police regarding the investigation." "What...the fuck?" Mahesh''s father red at Rahu with an incredulous gaze, "You...killed my son. But the police will investigate not you, but us? Are you fucking messing with us?" "Sir, pleasee with us." An inspector patted the shoulder of Mahesh''s father and pulled him towards a police jeep, "Please cooperate with us." "Unhand me! I''m the victim''s family here! Are you doing this because you were bribed by this murderer?" Mahesh''s father shouted as he was dragged into the jeep. "Don''t you dare touch me!" Mahesh''s mother screamed as a constable approached her, "I''m a woman." The constable hesitated as hemunicated through his walkie-talkie. A couple of minutester, two female constables arrived to drag her to the jeep. "I will never forget your face." Mahesh''s mother red at Rahu with eyes so wide her eyeballs almost fell off. Rahu eventually made his way to his vehicle and sat in the front seat. Deepika took charge of driving as she drove the car out of the hospital premises quickly. "It''s strange," Rahu muttered after a minute, "Why do they have such unbridled rage against me? It''s like they were conditioned to believe as such for years." "I''ll inform the police to look into it further, Sir," Deepika spoke as she drove calmly. Ever since Rahu''s speech to her in his Virtual Space, she couldn''t see him in the eye. It would take time for her toe to terms with everything. So, for the time being, she only did what was demanded of her at work. She still needed to earn a living to support her family, so Deepika didn''t voice out her turbulent thoughts. ''Such events rarely happened with the previous Chief. But barely two days with this Chief, so much happened that it feels like a month has transpired.'' "What''s the next task?" Rahu asked after a minute in silence, "Are there more cases in this city?" "Three more left," Deepika spoke curtly, "The next is a divorce case. It seems the husband is sleeping with another woman..." "That doesn''t fall under our jurisdiction." Rahu expressed his exhaustion. He wanted to sleep a few more hours. "In Virtual Reality," Deepika continued her statement, acting as if Rahu hadn''t expressed anything, "So, the wife is seeking our help in gathering evidence." "There are nows regarding infidelity in Virtual Reality." Rahu massaged his forehead. The crowd that had converged at the hospital entrance was dissolved by the police, leaving behind a distraught man who sat on the steps, gazing nkly. One of the constables intended to chase him away when another stopped him with a whisper, "Don''t both with him. Poor man lost his family. His wife experienced a heart attack after his son died. But once she recovered, her grief was too much that shemitted suicide." "That''s messed up." The constable sighed as he returned to duty. The distraught man was none other than Karthik, muttering incoherently, "Gone...everything is gone...poof...just like the wind." "I''m nothing now. My family is dead. What''s the use of the money I saved all my life? It''s useless when I needed it most." Karthik pulled out a bloody scalpel from his pocket. It was what his wife had used tomit suicide. Anita had plunged it into her neck, causing blood to spurt out. The doctors rushed to the scene to save her, but like a deranged animal, Anita writhed around, desperately avoiding treatment as she bled to death. The scene was straight out of a horror flick. Karthik stood rooted to the spot as he stared at the blood-filled room where his wifey motionless on a berth, dead. At that moment, all that he focused upon was the bloody scalpel Anita used on herself. His mind wasn''t functioning properly as he pocketed the scalpel and exited the hospital, "I''ll join you in the afterlife now, Anita, Rohit." Karthik was about to ruthlessly plunge the scalpel in his neck when a powerful voice resounded in his ears, "Are you sure you don''t wish to avenge your family?" "Poor people, they got brutally murdered." "What?" His hands stopped as Karthik looked around in shock. There was no one in his vicinity. In confusion, he forgot about his suicide, spotting a doctor standing forty metres away. The doctor waved his hand and seemed to be moving his mouth. As he was too far away, Karthik couldn''t even make out his face properly. But somehow, the doctor''s voice resounded loud and clear, as if he were standing arm''s distance away. "Your wife didn''tmit suicide. She was murdered." "What do you mean by that?" Karthik shouted in rage, drawing eyes from a couple of people passing by. After all, in their eyes, the doctor conversing with Karthik didn''t exist. So, they assumed he had gone insane. "Not here," The doctor pointed at a car in the parking lot, "Let''s talk somewhere more discrete." Chapter 28 28: Cyber God "Tell me, now!" Karthik mmed his fist onto the bo of a car as he red at the doctor. "Get in, first." The doctor said and pointed at the driver''s seat, "You''ll be the one to drive." Karthik frowned at the doctor, but in the end, he got in the driver''s seat and noticed the key right before him. He started the vehicle and was stunned to see the doctor seated next to him. The door hadn''t opened. Normally, he would have questioned the phenomenon. But Karthik neither had the patience nor the presence of mind to do so. He was a dead man inside. Maybe revenge would ignite in him a will to live on. The GPS fitted to the car switched on automatically and disyed a route. The doctor pointed at it and spoke with a mysterious smile, "At the destination lies your hope." With that, he disappeared. Karthik stared in silence at the empty car. There was none in his vicinity. The doctor couldn''t have run away, not without opening the door, not without him noticing it, especially since his focus was entirely on the doctor. "Hallucination...?" For a moment, the thought shed through his mind. Moreover, he was in someone else''s car. But it wasn''t as if Karthik had anything to lose at this point. Besides, for some reason, the doctor''s final word resounded in his mind nonstop. Hope! The GPS showed a travel time of forty minutes. Karthik was pretty reckless in driving, reaching the destination in half the time. When he reached the destination, there were multiple bumps in the car. It was a godown, currently empty. It seemed to have been a ce used to store fabric, judging by the torn shreds strewn across the concrete floor. Karthik entered the godown and noticed two chairs ced in the centre, ten metres away from one another. The chair closer to the entrance was empty, while the other one, situated at the farther end of the godown, masked by a shadow seemed upied. As there wasn''t enough light inside, Karthik couldn''t make out the face of the individual. But, the blue circuit lines of an uVR Earth shining dimly within the darkness indicated that someone was seated there. "Were you the one behind it?" Karthik asked as he walked towards the entity in darkness. When he approached closer, the two blue circuit lines shone bright enough to dissipate the darkness, allowing the face of the person toe into view. A seemingly unassuming youth in his early twenties, still in college. He had a in face,mon enough to be unidentifiable among a crowd. Neither the youth''s expression nor his aura indicated that he had anything to do with Karthik. But as the blue light shone on Karthik, a figure appeared beside him. Dark brown hair that reached his shoulder, a buff but streamlined body, the muscles toned through extensive practice of martial arts, but a face that was of an intellectual. The figure''s eyes shone with the intelligence of a scientist but the wisdom of an old man that had seen everything life had to offer. But in contrast, he was too enough to possess such a wealth of wisdom and experience. At the sight of the figure, the seated youth got down on all fours and bowed. His head touched the ground in reverence as he maintained silence, not uttering any words of faith. He expressed his devotion in such a calm and collected manner as if he was trained to do so, professionally. Following that, he got up and stood behind the chair while the figure took a seat. The seated figure motioned for Karthik to take a seat and spoke, "Since you came here of your own volition, I presume you are prepared to hear the truth?" "Is it true that my family got murdered?" Karthik asked as he subconsciously took a seat. "Yes," Saying so, the seated figure projected a screen on which a scene yed through. The point of view seemed to be from someone seated at a dining table, having just finished dinner. At the sight of the familiar dining table, Karthik muttered, "That''s my house''s dining table." "That''s what your son was looking at yesterday night." The seated figure spoke calmly as the scene continued forth. "Rohit..." Karthik became emotional, but in the next second, intense rage filled his being. "Eh? Who''s there?" Rohit shouted as the silhouette of a shadow shed behind him, four-legged in nature. It seemed to be that of a cat but was too big to be from one. But as it happened too fast, Rohit couldn''t make out what it was. His mind subconsciously assumed it to be something else as he calmed down. But suddenly, a cold breeze blew past his neck; Rohit felt the chills. He turned around in a fluster and stared at the cold, murderous pair of feline eyes. It was a Liger. The Liger opened its mouth and mped upon Rohit. The scene disyed the insides of the Liger''s mouth for an instant before everything turned dark. "My son...was killed by a Lion?" Karthik was stunned, shouting, "What the fuck? There were no injuries on his body..." "I''m sorry to have frightened you, but I believe showing this would have made my exnation easier to understand." "I''m the DOVA Agent ranked sixth in our country, titled the Liger. The reason is as you can see, I can manifest a realistic Liger. Facing it is no different from encountering one in reality." "If it ps you in the face, you''ll feel the pain..." Karthik stared at the next scene as his eyes widened. A couple of blood vessels in his eyes popped, turning them bloody. His body became so hot from the rage that vapours faintly streamed out of his eyes. "I''m the DOVA Agent ranked sixth in our country, titled the Liger." "I''m the DOVA Agent ranked sixth in our country..." "DOVA Agent..." "Liger..." "Induced Reality!" Karthik finally realised what was up as his body lost all its strength. He muttered in disbelief, "Then...I begged someone that was the cause of my son''s death." ''Well, Rohit wasn''t killed like this. The video I showed is something I created. I made one for Anita too. But anyway, facts don''t change.'' The seated figure nodded, "Now you know." The scene changed, showing from the perspective of a patient. The ward was familiar as Karthik screamed, "That''s where Anita was admitted at..." "No..." A faint squeal was all that leaked out of Anita as she stared at the Liger in fear. She was terrified to the extent she couldn''t let out any screams. The Liger calmly bit on her leg. Since the perspective was from Anita''s sight, all that was shown on the scene was a pair of legs kicking around in pain and the rapid dance in line of sight. Anita was shaking her head in pain. The Liger continued to bite her body, starting from the legs as it crept up. The pain was unimaginable. By the time the Liger bit on her stomach, Anita was unable to endure anymore. While iling around, she caught sight of a scalpel on a tray nearby. Her hand grabbed it in a hurry and without any hesitation, plunged it in her neck. The doctors rushed into the ward in a hurry upon hearing themotion. But while they were trying to save her, the figure of the Liger phased through their bodies and continued to bite Anita''s body, proceeding further upwards. None of them could see or feel its presence. Anita pushed aside the doctors, not intending to suffer any second longer. Until herst breath, Anita stared at the Liger''s face which had almost reached her neck by now. "Being bit by a feline creature causes unimaginable pain. Your wife was bitten forty times in total." The seated figure stated calmly, "Suicide was a less painful option. I''m afraid the pain was so much that your wife couldn''t even spare a thought about leaving you behind, alone." "Aargh!" Karthik screamed in rage, helplessness, and most of all, despair. His family was murdered in cold blood, and what did he do in the meantime? He begged the killer with all his might. "Why? What did my family ever do to him?" Karthik sobbed, "We lived honest lives." "Induced Reality," The seated figure stated solemnly, "A figment of imagination can kill people in reality. It''s like a de of death. But, a de will be rusty if never used." "Then..." Karthik spoke in utter disbelief, "My family was killed just because..." "Yes, for practice." The seated figure nodded, "All DOVA Agents do this to polish their human-killing weapons. Extensive use of uVR Earth without rest indeed causes brain damage and possibly even death, but not as quickly as people assume. In truth, the cause is as you see in the video." "Who are you?" Karthik shouted in denial, "How do you know about this? Does it make sense to extract memories from people? If you could do all this, why didn''t you save my family?" "Had your family prayed towards me, I would have saved them." The seated figure snapped his finger and caused the screen to disy the slumped figure of Karthik seated on the flight of stairs at the entrance to the hospital, "One of the doctors is my believer. Upon staring at your pitiful self that lost everything, they prayed towards me and requested to grant you salvation." "It was at their behest did I extract the final memories from your family." "W-Who are you?" Karthik slumped on the chair, feeling a mental overload. It took him a couple of minutes to calm down as he stared at the seated figure and asked, "What should I do now?" "Do you seek revenge?" The seated figure asked. "Yes!" Karthik gritted desperately, but even he knew that Rahu wasn''t someone he could touch, not to mention harm, "But how? Please help me!" "I''ll be your follower!" "Then things are simple." The seated figure smiled as he snapped his finger. The youth standing behind him walked forward and extended a card towards Karthik, "Scan the QR Code." The QR Code resembled the shape of a Spade used in a deck of cards. As Karthik scanned it, he was stunned to see a row of words form at the top of his Augmented Reality interface. [You''re now one of the Spades] "See you inside." The seated figure vanished. Only then did the youth pocket the card and take a seat, sighing in exhaustion as he wiped the trail of blood leaking out of his nose. He then stared at Karthik, "You should enter your Virtual Space now." "The Cyber God will bask you with his presence." Chapter 29 29: Manav Altar "Cyber...God?" Karthik muttered as he closed his eyes and entered his Virtual Space. He possessed an Industrial uVR Earth, one that was equipped to run an entire industry. With the poprisation of uVR Earths, more and more people were equipped with the same. As a result, one could work from home, even if they were part of abour-intensive job. Karthik ran a textile business. His factory created cotton fabric and was involved in the process from collecting cotton from their seeds to the final dyeing stage of the fabric. All of them requiredbourers. Originally, workers would work in pretty dangerous environments where all sorts of harmful fumes floated around in the air. With the advancement inbourws, it was mandatory to equip every single worker with safety equipment. It was hard to make a profit after considering all safety parameters. But with the arrival of uVR Earths, things became simpler. Karthik whipped up contracts where the employee was bound to hispany for 20 years. In exchange, he would equip them with an uVR Earth. The advantages of possessing a uVR Earth were tremendous, but the costs were equally exorbitant. Hence, such a contract was a win-win situation for both parties. Moreover, uVR Earths were insured by an insurancepany under Pomegranate Corporation itself. The advantage of possessing an Industrial uVR Earth was its widespread connection to machines, especially automation robot arms. Once Karthik takes a seat in afortable cabin within his factory, his uVR Earth would synchronise with his entire factory, mirroring its form in his Virtual Space. The same factory that existed in reality was disyed in the Virtual Space, down to thest fragment of dust. But it was just a projection of reality, nothing more nothing less. His employees, when it''s their time to work would arrive at a room next to his cabin and sleep there. They would connect to his Virtual Space through Virtual Reality, entering while equipped with motion capture suits. Each motion capture suit was fitted with dozens of sensors, connected to an android in reality. All the signals necessary to operate them were transmitted from Karthik''s uVR Earth. The employees would move around in the Virtual Space and perform their work while in reality, their respective android would mirror their actions. This way, work was being performed without any threat to one''s life. Moreover, since the employees were working in the Virtual Space where the environment could be controlled to be pleasant, they could work to their utmost potential. Karthik only needed to buy one motion capture suit 3D Model and customise it ording to the employees. It was damn cheap. Since people didn''t need to walk in the factory, all footpath areas could be removed. This saved a lot of space, allowing for maximised setup of machines. Even maintenance work could be performed by the robot arms attached to the ceiling with a crane. The time in the Virtual Space of an Industrial uVR Earth flowed at the same rate as reality. And its sole function was to run an industry. And for it to operate, one must first register their factory with Pomegranate Corporation and obtain the necessary licence. Only the factories licenced to his control were essible in his Virtual Space. And since Karthik entered his Virtual Space from a godown that wasn''t his property, his industry settings weren''t activated. Though, as the nature of his Virtual Reality settings was, his Virtual Space was the same godown. It was scanned and readily created. There was the figure of the youth seated in the chair, but what Karthik saw was just a projection of reality. He couldn''t interact with it. All he could interact with was an individual standing before him, two metres away, one touted to be the Cyber God. The moment Karthik stared at the Cyber God, the settings of his Virtual Space changed. A gust of wind mmed into him and forced him to kneel. He was stunned, wondering what just happened. His Virtual Space was supposed to be under his full control. It was here that he exercisedplete dominance, one where he could be a God. "How?" "Look at this," The Cyber God snapped his finger as arge human brain, attached to a bunch of equipment, one of which was also an uVR Earth manifested. It resembled an altar, with the brain situated at the top, encased by a ss dome. There was a transparent palm print on its top. Faint arcs of electricity flickered across the brain as the Cyber God observed Karthik, "Everything that happens in your Virtual Space is processed by your brain through your uVR Earth. So, if the wind is generated here, the necessary information is processed in your brain." "Of course, the signals in your brain move through the uVR Earth. So," The Cyber God snapped his finger, causing it to snow, "Once you scanned the QR Code, I could bring this brain here. It is working nonstop. And all this information is being processed by your brain. It''s simr to how some viruses trick the immune system into believing they are its own cells." "The QR Code acts like a Virtual Reality Communication invitation. You are automatically epting the invitation the moment you scan the code. Moreover, the recipient of the invitation is me and this brain. That''s how we''re able to appear here." "Then...you fooled me?" Karthik stared in fear. "You see," The Cyber God seemed intent to speak his mind, ignoring Karthik''s mental state, "So, through the actions performed here, I send data to your brain and fool it into thinking that these are its own thoughts. From there, manipting your uVR Earth to do my bidding is easy." "Get out! Get out of my ce!" Karthik shouted and intended to send the Cyber God out of his Virtual Space. But, nothing happened even after a couple of minutes passed. "That signal to eject me has been intercepted." The Cyber God smiled, "It failed to reach your uVR Earth. Having been living in the brains of people for decades, I have learnt the pathways for arge number of signals in the brain. I can intercept them faster than you can think up a response, since your reaction is instinct while mine is data-driven." "This is a 3D Model of my brain, you see." The Cyber God patted the altar in pride, "I created this after a lot of research. I call it the Manav Altar. With it, I can influence your thoughts and actions." "T-This is impossible..." Karthik trembled in terror, especially since he couldn''t leave his Virtual Space. It was as if he was trapped. "What...the heck are you?" "Manav Sastry, that''s my birth name." The Cyber God smirked, "But you''ll be addressing me as the Cyber God, after a round of convincing, of course." "You see, your Virtual Space is situated in your brain." The Cyber God patted Karthik''s head, "Everything that you experience in your Virtual Space is data that are processed in your brain. So, when you allow a third party to enter your Virtual Space, you''re basically granting them ess to your brain." Karthik''s eyes widened in realisation as his limbs trembled. He stared at Manav, terrified, listening to thetter''s exnation with no hope of escape. "When you grant them ess, it creates a mode through which they can hack into your brain itself. Those dumbasses from Pomegranate Corporation don''t even understand the full application of the technology they had created. Of course, everyone that is using Virtual Reality Communication doesn''t even realise the danger they''re subjecting themselves towards." The Cyber God snorted. Right at this time, the Manav Altar emitted brainwaves that Karthik''s brain processed. The brainwaves consisted of propaganda data, feeding into Karthik''s mind and overloading him. The more one hears, sees, and talks about something, the more they are influenced by it. That was why since ancient times, media was the perfect tool to influence and brainwash the masses. But even then, if you refused to listen to propaganda, you could at least shut your eyes and ears. That used to be an option back in the day. Unfortunately, that wasn''t possible for Karthik, since it was transpiring in his head. Through the Manav Altar, propaganda data was being fed to Karthik''s brain nonstop, so much so that a mere two hourster, his character had been affected to such an extent that even Anita wouldn''t have recognised him. In the meantime, the Cyber God was focused on a calction, sighing once he obtained a result, "This brain is damn weak. It can only manifest me in reality for one second." "Shit, it''s another dud." Manav''s true goal here was to find someone that could manifest him in reality for at least a couple of minutes. Such people were valuable tools that he could put to use. "Well, at least his hatred towards Rahu is genuine. I did well nning for a possibility. And as I thought, Rahu went in for the kill." "Stupid brother," He smirked once before shaking his head, "I haven''t felt such joy before. As expected, teasing a sibling is the best feeling there is." "Cyber God, how should I exact revenge on Rahu?" Once the first round of brainwashing wasplete, Karthik prostrated on all fours and bowed until his forehead touched the ground. "Do nothing for now. You''re too weak to even make Rahu sneeze." The Cyber God snorted, "A monthter, the VRMMORPG, Worldcraft will be released. Make preparations to spend most of your time in it. The hidden purpose of this Virtual World is to train and increase your brainpower." "Once you umte enough brainpower to manifest me for more than a dozen seconds, you can exact revenge on Rahu." The Cyber God then pointed at the Manav Altar, "I can feel your thoughts through it. So, if you wish to consult me about anything, ce your palm on the imprint and channel your thoughts to me. I''ll respond if I deem it worth my time." "As youmand." Karthik bowed in response before asking as his eyes glinted, "If I were to train zealously in Worldcraft, would my brainpower one day reach the same level as a DOVA Agent?" "In theory, yes." The Cyber God smirked. "Excellent!" Karthik grinned hideously. Chapter 30 30: Entering Worldcraft 5th July 2048! 8:30 AM! Rahu got out of a heavily guarded vi and cycled through the road. Surrounding him was his convoy, dressed like civilians going about with their daily lives. It has been a month since he arrived at the Chennai DOVA Branch and by now, he got ustomed to the activities and responsibilities of the ce. [Grand Opening Today: Worldcraft] [Come get your uVR Earth at subsidised costs] Rahu stared at the wall on the side of the street. It was a brick wall,yered with wall putty and coloured grey. Nothing was on it, no posters, no graffiti, and especially no advertisements. It was just amon shop''s walls. Only, this was the case for the naked eye. When seen through Augmented Reality, arge advertisement was stered on the wall with over-the-top animation. It advertised the VRMMORPG that was beingunched today, Worldcraft. Right next to it was an advertisement regarding the discounts given to uVR Earth purchases. Rahu stared at the bus moving before him. It was amon government bus, coloured a dull shade of red, to the naked eye. In Augmented Reality, the advertisement of Worldcraft was stered on it. Rahu stared at the auto to his right. On it too was an advertisement for Worldcraft. After a few minutes, he arrived at a halt before a traffic signal. Hovering above the traffic signal''smppost was arge three-dimensional advertisement of Worldcraft. "They aren''t even being sneaky about it." He muttered, staring forth the long road to see one out of every five advertisements being rted to Worldcraft. It was apparent that the entire ruling ss of the world was pushing forth Worldcraft as the next best thing to grace humanity since the fire. Theunch of Worldcraft was in thirty minutes, so those with an uVR Earth were brimming with anticipation. Since it was a Sunday, most of the popce was at home. For the past seven days, Worldcraft was the sole piece of news shown throughout the world; in social media, in news articles, and even on the jerseys of famous actors and sports personalities. Worldcraft was free to y for anyone with an uVR Earth and only required a simple two-minute registration. The registration count had already crossed over 800 million and was still growing. Considering how the poption of people with an uVR Earth only numbered a billion, this was a staggering sum. It meant that most of those with an uVR Earth had registered to y Worldcraft. As it was a Sunday, Rahu technically was on holiday. Of course, that never happened as cases continued to pile up in his office. So, he headed there as was routine. [Calling: Chief of Baldies] A notification was disyed on his Augmented Reality interface as Rahu epted the call, "Yes?" [How''s Chennai? Have you settled there yet?] The person on the other side was none other than the DOVA Chief from New Delhi, Neeraj Vora. At his words, Rahu rolled his eyes and spoke, "You only bothered to call now?" [Be happy that someone is concerned about you. Anyway, my time is limited, so I''ll keep it short.] "I''m entering Worldcraft," Rahu replied like clockwork. [Great, I''ll be officially appointing you as the spokesperson from DOVA''s side. All matters regarding Worldcraft in our country will be forwarded to you. So, have fun.] "If I ever be bald before you, know that even my grandchildren will curse you for generations toe," Rahuined in exhaustion. [Hahaha, I look forward to that day. Consider it revenge since you''re the primary cause for my baldness.] "Sir, please look at your ancestry before you pin the me on me. Your grandfather was fully bald by your age..." [This fuc...I''m at a meeting now. Don''t make me curse you in front of others. Anyway, all responsibilities regarding Worldcraft are yours. Our DOVA Agents will contact you whenever anything rises, so keep your ears peeled open, okay?] "A human cannot function 24x7..." [I need to go now.] The call ended abruptly as, for a couple of seconds, Rahu intended to bellow expletives. In the end, considering his image, he controlled himself. He was already being worked like a dog. And now, to add to the burden, the entirety of responsibility regarding Worldcraft fell on him? Even if he lived life only to work, he still wouldn''t have enough time. "I need an assistant." Even though heined, Rahu understood why he was assigned this responsibility. After all, he possessed a Synchro Code, a secret closely rted to Worldcraft. Even though Neeraj Vora wasn''t aware of the ultimate secret deduced by Megasphere, he was smart enough to understand that the secret was somehow involved with Worldcraft. After all, Megasphere was pushing forth the development of Worldcraft in Pomegranate Corporation all along. And considering the primary objectives regarding Megasphere''s creation, it wasn''t hard to determine the link. So, if anyone in their country was best equipped to deal with any problems arising from Worldcraft, it was Rahu. 9:00 AM! Having parked his cycle in the parking lot, Rahu carried his trusty umbre and entered the office. Deepika followed him in silence, preparing the list of things that needed to be addressed for the day. "Segregate all divorce cases in one pile," Rahu said once he took a seat. "There are more than forty now," Deepika said and piled up the cases in a folder. She was in her Virtual Space now, groaning as she segregated all the records. All these cases consisted of either married partner cheating in a Virtual Space. It was hard to find any evidence unless the involved partners had a habit of recording ''explicit activities'' in their Virtual Space. Otherwise, Rahu would have to be like a stalker to determine the periods when the cheating partners meet up in their Virtual Space and then record their activities. Each such case required a few days at the very least. So, once their forecast meetup time daily was determined, it was tabted in a long list. Thereby, Rahu''s travel route was determined. At that time, he would coincidently cycle past the area where one of the cheating partners lived and use the Induced Reality of Inverse Perception to record their actions. Deepika ced such locations on route to other tasks and nned an itinerary ordingly. She was gradually adapting to the workload. At least, such workload was bearable, since the previous Chief too resolved such cases. But it was the attacks regrly directed at Rahu that were gradually eating away at her patience. They were vicious, involved criminally motivated people, and oftentimes resulted in media controversies. As Rahu''s secretary, the more she had to deal with such cases, the more she was ced in media highlight. By now, there were already plenty of instances where people recognised her on the street. Such attention was bad, especially since she didn''t know when that would be directed at her family. If someone with negative intentions were to direct them to her family, Deepika didn''t know what she would do. Such thoughts were eating away at her mental sanity at a gradual but consistent rate. If not for the whopping sry, she would have quit the job on day one. Once the day''s itinerary waspleted, Rahu went through the city toplete the tasks. Cases, where people could be summoned to the DOVA Branch, were the easiest. 04:00 PM! "Good work today." Rahu slumped on his chair in exhaustion and motioned for Deepika to leave, "You can return home now. Ashok will be apanying me until morning." "Thank you, Sir." Deepika promptly left the office, happy to leave. Staring at her enthusiastic back, Rahumented once Ashok entered his cabin, "Does she hate me that much?" Ashok stood nearby in silence as he shed an expression that could be interpreted in any way one desired to their convenience. It was an ultimate ''Yes-Man'' expression that Ashok had polished to the extreme. Deepika hates Rahu. Deepika respects Rahu but dislikes his work style. Deepika is dedicated to her job and isn''t good at expressing herself properly. Ashok''s face could be used to interpret any of the above answers and many more. "Don''t give me that face," Rahu massaged his forehead as he said, "You don''t need to curry favour with me. So, speak your mind." "Sir, are you confident you won''t be offended by my honesty?" Ashok asked in all seriousness. "Nothing will change even if I feel offended," Rahu rolled his eyes, "You should know by now that I won''t change the way I treat everyone whether I am happy or not." Ashok nodded as if it made sense and spoke, "Sir, if she could, she would have punched you in the face multiple times." "That bad, huh?" Rahu nodded. He wasn''t even offended, just curious as he asked, "Why do you think that is?" "Sir, shouldn''t you know by now?" Ashok smiled helplessly, "You stubbornly refuse to use any mode of transport other than a private ne or a helicopter. It is incredibly stressful to protect you when you''re as defenceless as on a cycle. Our superiors from the security department constantly chew our ears daily. Madam Deepika has to deal with everything and keep all sides content." "This is not to mention the number of people targeting you is exceptionally high. Honestly," He sighed, "We''re handling at least one dangerous situation every time you leave your house. And on a bad day, there are at least five such situations. We also have to deal with the bacsh from Mahesh''s case from the public. Compared to our days the past month, we lived a worry-free life before." "Ok, you don''t need to be that honest." Rahu raised his hands in surrender. "I only spoke because you told me to, Sir." Ashok made a light bow in apology. "Alright, alright," Rahu waved his hand in a hurry and instructed Ashok, "I''ll be entering Worldcraft now. Protect me if anything happens, okay?" "Rest assured, Sir." Ashok saluted, "We''re apetent team, as you have seen us." Rahu closed his eyes and activated Virtual Reality. He arrived at his Virtual Space and entered a room where a rectangr portal hovered. When one registered with Worldcraft, this portal would appear in their Virtual Space. They can move it anywhere they wished in their Virtual Space, but as it only allowed their body to pass through, it didn''t matter even if they ced it under ake or within the waterfall. The portal was the key to entering Worldcraft. "It has been seven hours since itsunch. Let''s see how it''s ying out." Saying so, Rahu entered the portal and vanished from his Virtual Space. He had sessfully entered Worldcraft. Chapter 31 31: Elven King In the void hovered a metal tform on which stood Rahu. Before him was a holographic screen, disying a set of words. [User Rahu Sastry, select your Worldcraft identity.] [Note: Once picked, the identity can never be changed. It bes synonymous with your real-life identity, so choose carefully.] There was a row of words below in a tiny, ant-sized font, which was no different from the terms and conditions typically attached underneath countless products. Rahu took a nce at it and realised that it could be skipped. After a thought, he muttered, "Liger." [The identity ''Liger'' is a DOVA Agent''s title and is protected by Worldcraftws. It cannot be granted to any individual.] ''So, even I can''t get my own title as a name here?'' Rahu thought. It seemed Megasphere intended to maintain the unique identities of DOVA Agents and hence didn''t wish for anyone to bear that title, even if it was in Worldcraft. There was a long list of uses attached to the identity setup, and one line was dedicated to this. Upon seeing that, Rahu thought, ''Should I go with a cool name or a bullshit name?'' It was a genuinely concerning doubt, that any gamer dealt with. You either pick the coolest of names or be an absolute troll with one. There was no intermediary. And considering his age, Rahu was past the phase of needing to be cool. Therefore, his naming choices fell within the troll domain. After some thought, Rahu muttered, "Your Momma." [Identity can only consist of one word.] "Fart." [Identity already exists] "Dumbass." [Identity already exists] After messing around with the names for a few minutes, Rahu finally found a decently troll-worthy name, "Woof." When the identity was avable, Rahu was honestly stunned, "How did people not pick this name yet?" But since it was there, he would of course snatch it up. [User Rahu Sastry is now synonymous with the Worldcraft Identity, Woof] A screen popped up next, asking him to select a race. There was a total of seven races, with each disying a stat called ''Affinity'' next to them. Rahu went through a guidebook attached to it, learning that ''Affinity'' indicated how much his thought process was in line with the thoughts of a particr race. The rulebook indicated that the greater the affinity one had towards a race, the better one could live and function as part of that race in Worldcraft. So, it was pretty important. In the end, the choice stilly with the user. [Mermen (21.71%), Arachmen (4.08%), Crowmen (6.56%), Elven (22.56), Lizardmen (0.44), Dragonmen (1.21), Dwarven (20.98)] Since Rahu didn''t know the power mechanic of Worldcraft, he chose the Elven race, as his affinity to it was the highest. Immediately, a beam of light fell on him and his appearance changed slightly. Virtual Reality existed in the individual''s brain. Thereby, their appearance in their Virtual Space mirrored their form in reality. A disconnect would cause too many psychological problems resulting from the brain''s perception distortion and hence, the option to alter one''s physical appearance was never introduced. Even now, the changes were minimal at best, the degree of change kept within the tolerance limit of the human brain. It seemed the creators of Worldcraft found a delicate line that gave way to a small degree of alteration. Rahu''s ears grew slightly longer and turned pointy at the top. His hair turned dark brown at the base and had a gradient change to green at the ends. His eyes were dark brown in reality, so it remained the same. The only difference was a mild shade of green around them. Finally, his nails changed colour; dark brown at the base and green at the end. The colour change was a gradient in nature and hence, pleasing visually. This was the extent of appearance change. A mirror shed before him, allowing him to observe his clothes morph. A long robe resembling a skirt, reaching below his hips, pointed to the sides. It was a mixture of dark brown and green, the colour scheme of the Elven Race. The pants seemed no different to leggings, just slightly thicker and covered with frills to resemble leaves. A leafy bracelet appeared on both his wrists, embedded with three gem sockets respectively. Rahu took a step forward and felt the softness of his shoes. They were springy but tough and also allowed air to pass through. So, his feet didn''t suffocate. Rahu brought his hand close to his face and sniffed it, inhaling a scent simr to a tree, ''I smell simr to reality but there''s a scent of nature mixed into it. To be honest, it''s more pleasing this way.'' [Choose one of the three starting viges: Asrawood, Larkrood, Oakapood] Rahu selected Larkrood vige and disappeared from the void. Following a momentary state of mental chaos, he woke up on t ground where the grass reached his ankles. It was an expansive t in, spanning more than a hundred kilometres. Rahu got up and looked around, noticing people dressed simrly to him. They were all part of the Elven Race. But strangely, the majority of the people were puking while the remainder were unconscious. There were a couple hundred Elven Race people in his vicinity and without exception, they were all either puking or unconscious. Just as he wondered what was up with the scene, two screens shed before him. On the left was a green screen that disyed his location. [World: Green World Layer (Elven Realm)] [Location: Larkrood Vige] On the right was a white screen that disyed his personal information. [User: Woof] [Race: Elven] [Affinity: 22.56%] [Brainpower: 4879] [Willpower: 141] [Empower: 16] Thankfully, there was an exnation attached to the respective stats, allowing him toe to aprehensive understanding. [Brainpower: The brain''s processing power and energy capacity. It''s a direct corrtion of your brain in reality. Amon man''s Brainpower ranges between 10 and 15.] [Willpower: The strength of one''s mind in terms of mental endurance, focus, and mental imagery. Amon man''s Willpower ranges between 8 and 10.] [Empower: The potency to exert one''s mind onto others, whether living or non-living. Amon man''s Empower remains less than 1.] Brainpower could be quantised thanks to the advent of uVR Earths. It was a direct corrtion to how long one could use their brain before requiring a rest. As Rahu was a DOVA Agent, his Brainpower values were exorbitantly high aspared to amon man. When a student studied for an hour without rest, they would feel mentally exhausted. It meant their Brainpower was consumed. If they were to take some rest, their Brainpower would recharge itself over time. It varied from person to person and depending on how well they used their brain throughout their lives, the value of their Brainpower increased ordingly. The smarter and more mentally capable one was, the greater their Brainpower. Following it was Willpower, a sheer representation of one''s capability to focus and endure any subject or situation. Athletes typically had high Willpower as only through it could they push their bodies to the limit. Until here was fine, since both Brainpower and Willpower weremon factors among people, even before the arrival of uVR Earths. But it was the stat of Empower that caused Rahu to be solemn. ''They went and did it.'' A sense of disgust welled up in him. After all, Empower was straight up a representation of how potently one could express their will on another. This was something only DOVA Agents were privy towards. After all, the basics of Induced Reality were to empower one''s mind to the extent they believe it is real and then project it into someone. It was an inborn quality and not many people had it. That was why the number of DOVA Agents was a mere handful in the entire world, as not many had the strong quality to Empower their mind. The fact that Empower was disyed as a stat here indicated that the goal of Worldcraft''s creators was to cultivate more DOVA Agents. At present, there was barely a DOVA Agent per state. And each DOVA Agent was heavily monitored. But what if thousands of them were to exist in every country? If people on the level of a DOVA Agent casually strolled through the streets inrge numbers, society would copse overnight. "Have they gone mad?" "Another brethren has joined us, huh?" A voice resounded from behind him, startling Rahu. ''I never noticed his approach.'' Rahu turned around in a hurry and came faced with a thinly built man. Dark-brown hair at the roots and green towards the ends. It strangely glowed and seemed to faintly float in the air. He spanned a height of two metres and possessed pointy ears twice the length of Rahu''s. But eerily, even with such a massive figure, his approach had been silent, like a butterfly. Rahu felt a sense of oppression from the other party, as if he were staring at a superior version of himself. His body felt numb and experienced an urge to prostrate. ''Who the heck is this guy? I can''t recognise his face, so he''s not a DOVA Agent. Then, is he an NPC of this ce?'' Smiling at Rahu''s internal struggles, the Elven entity introduced himself, "I''m an NPC created by Megasphere to serve the Elven Race users. I represent the current peak of the Elven Race, the final form of evolution that the lot of you must strive to attain, the Elven King." "But it seems unlike the others I saw until now, you''re on a whole other level." The Elven King patted Rahu on the shoulder. Data streams faintly flowed into his body from Rahu as his eyes shone, "I see, so you''re favoured by Megasphere. Then that makes things simple." "What''s Megasphere''s goal in creating Worldcraft?" Rahu frowned as he recalled Manav''s statement, preparing himself for a world of problems. "Who knows?" The Elven King coyly tilted his head and snapped his finger. The grass near his toes coiled and grew to resemble the stem of a shrub. The Elven King grabbed it and pulled it out, causing the stem to stop growing and settle to be a stick. He then clenched it, causing it to shine with a green hue and transform into a green gem, "This is an Invoker Crystal containing the Grass Stick Skill. ce it in one of the sockets of your Leaf Guard and you''ll be able to create Grass Sticks as you please." He gave the Invoker Crystal to Rahu and walked away, "When you''re tired, return to reality and rest. As for everything else, figure it out yourself. When you be an Elven King, you may find out the truth. Until then, have fun," "Woof." Chapter 32 32: World...Craft "Mu...hahaha!" The Elven Kingughed maniacally as a strand of grass grewrge enough to slingshot him far away until he disappeared from view. Following that, the strand of grass reverted in size, returning to normalcy. "Was this his true character?" Rahu muttered as he stared at the Invoker Crystal in his hand. It was slightly warm to the touch and wafted out a scent of crushed grass. He brought it towards the Leaf Guard on his left and watched it fly into a socket on its own. A screen shed immediately and disyed its qualities. [Skill: Grass Stick] [Quality: Basic] [Grade: Inferior] [Brainpower: 10] [Willpower: 4] [Empower: 1] "How do I use this..." Rahu merely had a thought when the Invoker Crystal lit up on its own. He felt a mild sense of exhaustion while a strange urge to touch grass enveloped him, prompting him to kneel and ce his hand on the ground. The grass swirled and coiled into a thick stick, growing in size until it reached the length of a metre. The strands of grass feeding into the stick cut off on their own as the stick fell to the ground. Rahu picked it up and observed it, tapping it on the ground to feel its sturdiness, "Feels weaker than a wooden branch." "How...did you do it...bleh!" A girl ran towards him in wonder and intended to inquire when she fell to her knees and barfed everything in her stomach. She cleaned herself up, acting as if she wasn''t the one that had puked moments before, and approached Rahu casually, "Can you teach me?" Rahu stared at her, noticing that she was just a schoolgirl, asking after a moment of consideration as he covered his nose, "What are your stats?" "I can show it to you," The girl said and manifested a screen that disyed her stats. A secondter, the status screen became visible to third parties too, allowing Rahu to observe it. [User: Pearl] [Race: Elven] [Affinity: 16.11%] [Brainpower: 28] [Willpower: 8] [Empower: 0.6] ''That''s the status of a normal person.'' He then pointed at the Stat of Empower, "Are you trying to create a Grass Stick?" "Yeah," Pearl nodded, "That NPC gave everyone the same Skill. But none of us can activate it. Most of us have the necessary Brainpower and Willpower to do so. But, the problem is with..." "Empower," Rahu nodded and asked, "Did the Elven King say anything regarding that?" "Elven King?" Pearl tilted her head in confusion, "Who are you talking about?" "That NPC..." Rahu frowned, "Wait, before that, what did the NPC say to you?" "Well..." Pearl trailed off as she spoke with a snail''s pace, "He''s just a game NPC, nothing more, nothing less. When I arrived here, he gave me the Grass Stick Skill''s Invoker Crystal and told me to train until I''m able to activate it. The Quest gave a deadline of seven days. But..." She winced in worry, "I''ve already been at this for two days now and I still can''t do it!" ''Right, time flows ten times faster here. So, this is already the third day in Worldcraft since itsunch.'' Rahu stared at the Quest details shared by Pearl, understanding the reason why everyone continued to puke. [Beginner''s Quest #1: Activate the Grass Stick] [Quest Description: Brave User! The only way to seed is to keep trying until you puke. Persevere, and you''ll seed!] [Time Limit: 7 Worldcraft Days] [Reward: Brainpower +2, Willpower +1 (Beginner''s Quest #2 will be unlocked)] [Failure: You''ll lose qualifications to challenge the Beginner''s Quest] "The rewards..." Rahu was surprised at the fact that the developers attained the method to stimte the brain''s growth artificially. These Quests were geared in the favour of that. "Stats as rewards are pretty normal, but it''s just that trying out the Skill makes me feel as if my internal organs are getting wrung dry." Pearlined, "And once my Brainpower reaches zero, I''m automatically logged out. I also felt a searing headache once I woke up in reality." "Argh, I want to raise aint against the developers already!" Pearl cursed. "Why haven''t youined then?" Rahu asked. Even though it was unlikely, he wished for people to protest Worldcraft, because all it did was stimte the potential of the human brain to the extreme. It would result in endless problems for him and all DOVA Agents in the future. He didn''t wish to be busier than he already was. "Many did, but there has been no response from the other side." Pearl was sullen, "And, some users posted on the forum that once they seeded in the Quest and woke up in reality, their minds felt clearer than usual." "Because of that, there''s only confusion among the users on whether or not to protest. On that note," She grabbed Rahu''s hand, "Since you''re able to activate the Skill, can you give me a tip?" "If you wish to increase your Empower Stat, exert your dominance," Rahu said. "Should I emote or something?" Pearl asked innocently. "No, just repeat as the Quest stated. That''s the only way to raise your Empower Stat. Just be more egoistical as you do so and you''ll seed soon enough." Rahu stated, ''Bringing it to one unit should be easy within the time limit. Anyone''s brain is capable of that. But increasing it further will require an endless effort but a minimal result.'' When the Empower Stat of a DOVA Agent trainee reaches 10, they would take up an official position. 3000 Brainpower, 100 Willpower, and 10 Empower; that was the threshold necessary for one to be a DOVA Agent. And the majority of the trainees were held back by their Empower Stat. Even the fastest trainee spent a year raising the stat by a single unit. "Eh? Is there no shortcut?" Pearl asked as she fluttered her eyelids, intending to appeal her beauty to Rahu in an effort to pry more information out of him. "There isn''t." Saying so, Rahu excused himself. "Wait!" Pearl shouted in a hurry as she ran after him, "Add me as a friend. My Id is Pearl!" [User ''Pearl'' sent you a friend request] [ept] [Ignore] Rahu craned strength into his legs and bolted out of sight. He of course ignored the request. Unlike others, he didn''te here to y but to investigate and be aware of all the troubling aspects. During the short interaction with Pearl, he noticed that there were no restrictions imposed on him or her or for that matter, anyone else. It meant that everyone exercised full freedom here, just as in their Virtual Space. On a positive outlook, it was a good thing as people could feel, explore, and live the expansive world of Worldcraft. But on a negative outlook, it meant that bullying, rape, and murder were also possible. "This is pretty much another word," He was worried about this part, especially since there weren''t any rules or government institutions here to maintainw and order. It was a free world without any existing setup. Town, cities, people, culture, etc. none existed here. Larkrood Vige was just a massive stretch of ins in the centre of a forest. There wasn''t a single building in sight. As for the NPCs, Elven King was the sole individual. Moreover, his only task seemed to be in giving users their first Skill, nothing else. This implied that the users could carve a world of their own here. Vige, Town, City, anything they thought of was possible, with the rules derived from the founder''s imagination. As he ran through the grasnd, Rahu observed the expressions of the people. Most were busy training their Skill. Expressed on their face was one of excitement. But some existed among the masses, already disying suspicious traits. Thankfully, excitement was the emotion expressed by the majority. After all, the Skill of Grass Stick was the first genuine game element they experienced in Virtual Reality. Of course, there existed Virtual Reality Games before Worldcraft. But they were all a mimicry of the real world. Football, Cricket, Badminton, etc. The games were just yed in Virtual Reality. There were gamepanies that intended to release first-person shooter games, but Pomegranate Corporation denied them a public release. First-person shooter games were strictly restricted to the military. Beyond that, for the general public, there were racing games, deep sea exploration, and the likes, all of which could be done in reality. Virtual Reality only proposed a cheap alternative to reality. But now, for the first time, a proper Skill was introduced, giving a game-like feel. Even though it was merely the creation of a Grass Stick, the gamer hearts of the users became hyped. After all, they could easily guess based on the existing clues that thousands of Skills existed, with way moreplexity and creativity than Grass Stick. They were like Pokemon, waiting to be collected. "I...seeded!" A user roared in joy as he clenched a Grass Stick and iled it around. Though, a couple of secondster, the Grass Stick crumbled into hundreds of loose grass strands. The user fainted and was logged out. "What happened here?" Rahu noticed the strange urrence and approached the location where the user logged out from. He observed the ground to see the patch of grass there was missing. It was what had been extracted to create a Grass Stick. Rahu looked around, noticing plenty of barren patches. He then focused on the strand of loose grass that dropped when the user''s Grass Stick crumbled. He picked up a strand and noticed it beingpressed into a thin string, resembling hair. "What the...?" He stared in wonder as the hair-thin strand of grass gradually expanded until it resembled a normal de of grass. Rahu held his Grass Stick and observed it, failing to notice any signs of it copsing anytime soon. He then pulled up his stats and observed a minute difference. [Brainpower: 4869/4879] [Willpower: 136/141] [Empower: 16] "Wait a second..." Ten brainpower was consumed as the Skill of Grass Stick necessitated. But there was an error in his Willpower in that five units were consumed. Grass Stick only consumed four Willpower. It meant that Willpower was a constantly depleting resource as long as a Skill was active. Rahu sat on the ground and stared at the Grass Stick for a couple more hours, understanding when one more unit of Willpower was consumed. [Willpower: 135/141] Rahu stared at his Leaf Guard, focusing on the Invoker Crystal of Grass Stick to observe that it continued to faintly glow. He willed for it to deactivate, seeding after a couple of minutes of effort. The moment the Invoker Crystal got deactivated, the Grass Stick in his hand crumbled into loose strands of grass. A few secondster, thepressed grass strands rxed into their original forms. Staring at the small pile of grass before him, Rahu gained an inkling about the power mechanic installed in Worldcraft, "I see, so that''s why it has been named as such." "World...Craft." Chapter 33 33: Synchronised Reality Rahu stood atop a barren patch ofnd and activated his Skill. All he experienced was nausea as his Brainpower and Willpower were consumed. Nothing happened though, for there was no grass in the target vicinity. He began to walk and continued the experimentation, sighing in the end, "I need to personally be in contact with the grass that I''m using to create my Grass Stick. Otherwise, it''s impossible." There was a severe range limitation. Physical contact was a necessity. Following that, he condensed a Grass Stick and began to il it around, mming it on the ground from time to time. After a few hits, the Grass Stick became battered. But with a thought from him, the damage mended, consuming one unit of Willpower. It wasn''t regeneration though, but just a better rearrangement of the grass strands to maintain the Grass Stick''s intended function. A few hours of nonstop experimentationter, Rahu managed to conclude his observations, "Brainpower is necessary to create the construct. It seems that therger and moreplex the structure gets, the greater the Brainpower consumed." "As for Willpower, it gets consumed depending on how much the source material is rearranged to form the intended item. Moreover, maintaining use or repair further expends Willpower." He muttered, "Once my Willpower gets exhausted, the structural integrity of the Grass Stick is voided." When Rahu created a Grass Stick from a patch of short grass, he expended a unit of Willpower every twenty to thirty minutes. But if the Grass Stick was created from long grass, it expended a unit of Willpower after a couple of hours. If the height of the grass was one metre, the same as the Grass Stick, then the created Grass Sticksted for many hours before it expended one unit of Willpower. Also, the structural integrity varied depending on the source material. If Rahu used healthy, thick grass, the Grass Stick was stronger. But if he used wilted grass, the Grass Stick was weaker. Therefore, the same Skill''s effectiveness varied based on the avable material. He couldn''t figure out how Empower yed a part in this. Since Grass Stick only required one unit of Empower, Rahu couldn''t determine how his 16 units of Empower affected the result. He didn''t notice any difference between the Grass Stick he created and the one created by someone else. "Guess I''ll find it out eventually." "There are plenty of worrying aspects already." Sighing, Rahu logged out from Worldcraft and returned to reality. He calmly extended his hand and thought for a moment. Induced Reality-Grass Stick! A Grass Stick appeared in his hand. It was a healthy one that he pictured, based on what he created in Worldcraft just recently. ''The fact that I can create the Grass Stick even without possessing its 3D Model is worrisome.'' Woof currently possessed the Skill of Grass Stick. Thanks to Worldcraft, it was as if Rahu possessed all the 3D Models that the Skill of Grass Stick could create. It was akin to possessing the master key for an arsenal of weapons. "Sir, is something the matter?" Ashok asked once he noticed Rahu waking up, "It hasn''t been long since you logged in to Worldcraft." "Ashok," Rahu stared at his Deputy Head of Security. "Yes?" Ashok replied promptly. "We have a garden on the premises, right?" Rahu asked. "Yes, we do." Ashok nodded. "Then, bring me a flower pot. nt some grass in it." Rahu said and specified its dimensions, "The pot should be the same size as those used in offices to raise cactuses." "What type of grass should I nt in them?" Ashok asked. He didn''t mind the odd request but rather inquired about the details. "There''s the decorative grass and the wild ones." "nt the wild one," Rahu stated, "Just a fresh lump would do." "Give me ten minutes," Ashok stared at his watch, "The gardener is usually around at this hour. So, I''ll get his assistance." Ten minutester, Ashok returned with a pot that was a trapezoidal cylinder. A fresh batch of grass had been nted on it and mildly watered to set them up. At Rahu''smand, Ashok set it on the table before and exited the room asmanded. Now that he was alone, Rahu''s uVR Earth shone ck as he switched to its military mode. All electronic gadgets in his room were forcefully shut down. Lights, AC, and even the wall clock. The uVR Earth shone yellow as it entered the creator mode, causing Rahu''s vision to experience minor changes when perceived through Augmented Reality-it disyed electromaic rays. The electromaic rays in his room died out one after another as he diverted them, soon creating a void in the room. Following that, his uVR Earth shone jade as Rahu inhaled a deep breath, "A visit to Worldcraft made me worried enough to attempt this." Rahu reached the depths of his Virtual Space where locked behind hundreds ofyers of security was a human brain, filled with information deemed too valuable to ever be revealed. It was the ultimate secret derived by Megasphere and split into seven fragments. Synchro Code-I! The brain was blue in colour; it wasn''t flesh but silicon in nature. Once activated, it shone as sparks of electricity arched over it, causing a fluctuation that echoed throughout the Virtual Space. Roar! The countless Ligers living in his Virtual Space trembled in fear and roared in fright. They huddled in caves, jumped into the water, plunged under piles of clothes, etc. The Ligers fled in all directions, entering anywhere in the Virtual Space they could to escape from the emission. But nowhere was safe, for the fluctuation epassed the entire virtual space. And from there, through the Neural Connector, electric signals were transmitted into his brain. The brain generated signals in response to the uVR Earth, creating an environmental fluctuation in the Virtual Space that was absorbed by the silicon brain. A momentter, it transmitted another wave of fluctuations. There were transmissions to and fro between Rahu''s Brain and the silicon brain, causing faint sounds to be heard in the room. The sounds increased in intensity, akin to static electricity on a woollen fabric being generated by rubbing in winter. In the dark room, Rahu''s hair stood up to resemble spikes; each strand of hair glowed faintly. Tiny arcs of electricity sparked from one strand of hair to another, lighting up the surroundings for a brief instant. From one spark per second, the intensity spiked as soon enough, hundreds of shes urred in a second, brightening up the room faintly. Induced Reality-Grass Stick! Rahu extended his hand and gently touched a de of grass in the pot. Electric arcs shed from the hair on his head and coursed through the hair on his right arm before it flowed out. A flicker shed out from his index finger and touched the de of grass. In his Augmented Reality perception, Rahu was currently like a microcosmos, unleashing cosmic rays in a variety of forms. Electromaic radiation, gravity, electrostatic forces, Vander Waals forces, Electron affinity, etc. Every single force of nature that existed, whether or not discovered by humans was currently being unleashed by Rahu. And the target was the de of grass. He fell under a hallucination, his vision flickering between reality and Induced Reality. The Grass Stick was held by his hands in Induced Reality, fluctuating in and out with reality. "Huff...Hufff...HUFF...!" His breathing becameboured as blood dripped out of his nose, turning his shirt bloody. His eyes were bloodshot while veins were clearly visible on his forehead. He was sweating buckets. There was a noticeable difference in his facial features. His cheeks had be slightly sunken. His skin became dry. His lips cracked and turned reddish. And if one weighed him currently, they would notice his body losing mass at a consistent pace every second. Even though it was on the level of grams, it still was an additive reduction of mass. The flickering of electric arcs among the hair on his head continued to increase in frequency. Hundred per second, two hundred per second, three hundred...it continued to increase. And with it, so did the brightness in the dark room. It was sheerly being illuminated by the arching electricity. Fully focused on the de of grass, a solemn feeling enveloped Rahu as he mentally prayed for this to fail and for the rebound to knock him unconscious or even hospitalise him. Too much was at stake here and he hoped to never open the Pandora''s Box. Humanity wasn''t ready to handle it. So, he really, really, very dearly hoped to fail. In one instant, it was reality; his hand was empty while touching the de of grass. In another instant, he was clutching the Grass Stick over the barren pot, a product of his Induced Reality, with the target being himself. He could feel his brain being overclocked. An intense sense of exhaustion enveloped him, making him wish he could sleep. The greater the sensation, the more relieved Rahu felt. After all, if even he, with his tremendous reservoir of Brainpower, was incapable of seeding, then none could, even among the rest of the seven that possessed a Synchro Code. The reality and Induced Reality continued to alternate at a faster and faster pace, causing his body to heat up. His head became so hot his sweat perforated faster. Faint steam began to rise as the sounds of electric currents became louder and louder. Soon, the sounds were loud enough to be equivalent to sparks generated by loosely connected wires on a transformer. The flesh brain and the silicon brain intensified the transmission rates. Soon, the frequency of electric flickering became high enough to no longer appear janky to the human eye. It became a consistent stream, lighting up the room. Just as Rahu sighed in relief and intended to stop, the fluctuating images between reality and Induced Reality blurred intensely. A foreboding sensation exploded in his heart as the blur disappeared. The two alternate realities, one real, and one unreal synchronised into a union, causing a spark of energy on the flower pot, "No..." The strands of grass became alive as they coiled into his grip and elongated into a stick shape, horrifying him, "No! No! NO! This can''t be happening!" Induced Reality (Synchro Code)-Grass Stick! ... .. . Synchronised Reality-Grass Stick! Followed by the energy spark, Rahu stared at the twenty-centimetre-long Grass Stick in his hand, aghast. The ends were iplete; there was insufficient grass forpletion. It didn''t even exist for a second before crumbling into strands of grass that wilted. His uVR Earth turned dull to the extreme as his brain activity ceased to the bare minimum necessary to remain alive. Rahu copsed, losing consciousness. Thest he witnessed was the flower pot exploding as the soil within it spilled all over the room. Chapter 34 34: Potential To Become An Actual God Hearing themotion, Ashok entered the room, startled to see an unconscious Rahu, "Sir!" Mud had spilled all over the room, faintly charged as they caused burn damage to the objects they sshed onto. Ashok hurriedly lifted Rahu, terrified to notice that Rahu had lost a lot of weight. Moreover, he was bloody. "Just what happened here in such short time?" He looked around, noticing des of grass strewn about on the desk and floor. They were wilting at a rapid pace, turning dry in a matter of seconds. Ashok was unsure of the cause behind this, but he had his priorities straight, shouting as he activated his Augmented Reality, "Summon the doctors!" The security team rushed Rahu to the nearest hospital. Upon observing his condition, the doctors promptly admitted him to the intensive care unit. Hearing the news, Deepika rushed to the hospital, asking in a hurry once she spotted the designated doctor, "How''s Sir''s condition?" "There''s no threat to his life, but he has lost a lot of blood and body mass. He also seems to have suffered a panic attack, so we''re treating him ordingly." The doctor said and entered a ward. "A panic attack..." Deepika muttered with part confusion and part frustration, "Again?" "Just what the heck is he up to?" She then noticed Ashok and red at him, "What were you doing? Wasn''t it your job to protect him from harm?" "Sir told me to step out of his office for a couple of minutes." Ashok stated in worry, "This happened right after that." "What was I supposed to do when he told me to leave him alone?" "You should have still monitored him through a drone or camera." Deepika said, "Weren''t we given plenty of equipment just for that reason?" "I did that," Ashok retorted and pulled up a screen that he disyed to her through Augmented Reality. It showed a scene of Rahu motioning towards the camera to stop watching him when his uVR Earth shone ck. All visuals were severed right after. "See?" Ashok said, "Sir severed all monitoring devices of his own volition." "Man, I''ll grow old quickly at this rate." Deepika kicked a nearby table before deciding to slump on a chair and massage her aching head, "I barely returned home before I had to rush back here. My children can''t even recognise me as their mother anymore." "Please return home. I''ll take care of the situation here..." Ashok intended to console but was interrupted. Deepika snapped, "And do what? Will the superiors leave me be if I dared to return home in a situation where a DOVA Agent''s life was at risk? I might lose my job." "As the Head of Security, I don''t have the leeway to think of my home." Her voice trembled. "I''m sorry," Ashok bowed in response, "I wasn''t thinking things through." "It''s not your fault," Deepika sighed, "This is part of our work, nothing more, nothing less." "To survive in this field long enough, I need to adapt." 7th July 2048-Tuesday! 11:40 AM! Two days after the Synchronised Reality incident, Rahu regained consciousness. His head hurt and his vision faintly spun when he tried to concentrate. It was the side effect of unleashing Synchronised Reality. ''My mind isn''t ready to unleash such a reality-changing effect.'' But still, the fact that he managed to unleash it meant his worst fears came true. It implied that the ultimate secret wasn''t a theoretical legend. It was merely theoretical in the past, but that all changed once Worldcraft came into y. Worldcraft was the final part of the puzzle necessary to unleash Synchronised Reality. Therefore, Manav''s earlier threat became all the more menacing. If he manages to gather all seven Synchro Codes, he''ll be able to unleash Synchronised Reality on arge scale, ''And possibly even make Worldcraft descend upon reality.'' Even though it was only for an instant, with the result iplete, Rahu was still able to bring Worldcraft''s Grass Stick to the real world. How was this possible, one might ask? Earth functioned based on a set of rules. There existed fusion reactions within the sun that generated sunlight. Earth absorbed this energy to maintain its geothermal activity. The climate, ocean currents,va activity in the mantle, etc. all functioned on a set ofws. The creators of Worldcraft intensely investigated all the naturalws that governed Earth and allowed life to blossom. Using thesews, theyid the foundation of Worldcraft. Only then would it be real. But if it was just another Earth, things wouldn''t be fascinating, right? So at this point, they approached Megasphere to obtain a variable that would spice things up. The power system established in Worldcraft was exactly that. The concept behind the power system was the ultimate secret Megasphere had derived based on all the data humanity had collected since its inception. Human bodies had mass, and generated heat, light, and sound. Their hair was radioactive while electricity flowed through the Central Nervous System. As a result, Humans, like most highly evolved living beings, were miniature celestial objects capable of sustaining life. After all, the number of individual lifeforms living in a human body numbered in the trillions. From bacteria to viruses, they lived in the human body, having varying effects on the body simr to how the various living beings affected Earth. When a person ran, their body emitted heat. On a microscopic level, their centre of gravity constantly shifted. As a result, the gravitational force they unleashed on their surroundings varied. This was a minuscule sum, but at an atomic level, it was still potent, enough to affect theyer of air closest to the body. Thereby, humans were able to affect their environment through their bodies alone, just like a celestial object such as the sun or the moon on a macroscopic scale. A wind flow is generated when there''s a pressure difference between points. This pressure difference is created with different temperatures. Heat causes air to expand, as a result raising its pressure. Due to the distribution of muscles and organs, even when a human was in a state of rest, his body emitted different levels of heat from different parts of the body. This heat affected the temperature of the air localised to the body part. And due to the difference, wind is generated between these ces. Of course, this wind is minuscule to the extent a human being''s senses won''t be able to pick it up. Simrly, grass naturally leans towards the direction of sunlight, as that''s necessary for it to perform photosynthesis. This too was a naturalw. The human body was capable of emitting the necessary sunlight too. Everything is at an insignificant scale, but what Synchronised Reality did was amplify the human body''s effect on the surroundings at a controlled scale to initiate a chain reaction in nature. When Rahu attempted it, his body mass was consumed to generate energy, primarily in the form of electricity that was then converted by his uVR Earth into all forms of energy and forces-electrostatic and electromaic forces. These forces influenced the grass to behave in a certain manner and eventually coil to be a grass stick. There still existed multiple pieces of the puzzle that Rahu had yet to understand. This was the extent to which he could make sense of regarding Synchronised Reality. There was still a vast sea of information that he had yet toprehend. But, all of the necessary information existed in the silicon brain in his Virtual Space-his Synchro Code. ''The reason I only seed partially was due to two reasons. First, I hadcking brainpower. Second, the amount of grass wascking.'' This conclusion terrified him. After all, it meant that if he had enough brainpower, he would be able to manifest the Skills of Worldcraft in reality. Moreover, Worldcraft had been created with the intent to serve as a training ground to increase one''s Brainpower, Willpower, and Empower stats. ''If the stats of the people continue to increase as they y in Worldcraft, there woulde a day where they would reach a DOVA Agent''s level or even beyond.'' He shuddered at the thought, ''If Manav gets his hand on a Synchro Code and publicises it, things might be chaotic.'' After all, if therees a day when people could use the Skills of Worldcraft in reality, public order would copse. If even grass could be used as a weapon, how can one live in peace in such a society? ''I need to inform the rest that Synchronised Reality is possible.'' Rahu was just about to contact the other possessors of Synchro Codes when he stopped, wondering if that was the right thing to do. A DOVA Agent''s God Complex was already a serious issue. And the ones possessing Synchro Codes were elites even among DOVA Agents. To date, the only thing they couldn''t do was affect nature itself in its primal state. But Synchronised Reality would make it possible, thereby elevating their God Complex to a whole other dimension. After all, if someone can manifest their mind into reality, what are they if not a God? ''I can''t stop them from figuring this out on their own. But let''s not reveal it to them in advance.'' Sighing, Rahu dropped that train of thought. He then called Neeraj Vora, stating once the call went through, "Inform all the DOVA Agents to be active in Worldcraft." [Did you figure out something?] "One can increase their Brainpower, Willpower, and Empower through Worldcraft. As a result, the average level of people''s minds would elevate in the future. If we remaincent, we DOVA Agents wouldn''t be able to do our jobs as easily anymore." [I understand, that''s worrying indeed. I''ll pass down an order for the agents. Anything else?] "That''s it, for now. Please keep training your abilities." [Something''s keeping you worried, huh? What is it?] "I can''t say anything for now." [Alright, be safe. Don''t do anything reckless.] The call ended as Rahu muttered, "He usually would have cursed me a couple of times by now. Even he''s concerned about me, huh?" Sighing, Rahu got up, intending to stretch his sore muscles when he noticed the figure of Deepika calmly eating a jackfruit beside his berth. He was so caught up in his situation that he hadn''t even noticed her presence all along, even when she hadn''t done anything to mask herself. Her chewing sounds were loud as Deepika ignored him and continued to eat her fruit, halfway through finishing it. An entire jackfruit, alone. Chapter 35 35: Jackfruit Conflict "Did you overhear the entire conversation?" Rahu stared at Deepika, frowning. "Yeah, I was here all along." Deepika dipped arge piece of the jackfruit in honey and swallowed it whole. "Don''t reveal it to others, alright?" He felt a headache already. "Sure," Deepika nodded nonchntly and continued to eat. Rahu stared at her with suspicion, "You''re behaving differently from usual." "I''m adapting to the situation." Deepika said, "I put on weight recently because I had been stress eating. I realised I should change my attitude towards you. Otherwise, I might go bald at such a young age." Rahu intended to retort at her rudements, but even he had some conscience. Besides, he felt the current Deepika was more equipped to be his secretary, so it was better for him. So, he didn''t chide her. More than everything, seeing her munch on the jackfruit made him hungry, "Share some with me." "I''ll order some grapes for you," Deepika said nonchntly. "You have half a jackfruit with you. That''s enough to feed a family of four. Give me some." Rahu asked patiently. "My mom sent me this from our hometown. I couldn''t share it with my husband because of you. So, no way I''m giving you any." She said grumpily. "Aren''t I your superior?" Rahu stared at her, bbergasted. "So?" Deepika snorted, "That doesn''t give you any right over my jackfruit." "Bro..." He intended to plead with her, but thinking that he was a DOVA Agent, Rahu took action immediately. Just as Deepika was about to eat another piece, the Liger appeared beside her and rested its head on her hand. It was heavy, making her unable to bring her hand to her mouth. The veins on her hand protruded as she exerted strength in it, intending to ovee Induced Reality, but she couldn''t. Taking the chance, Rahu leaped from the bed and snatched the bowl where Deepika ced peeled pieces of the jackfruit. He poured some honey over it and gobbled up a couple of pieces, his eyes lighting up at the taste, "Delicious!" There was murderous intent in the air as Deepika''s uVR Earth''s ck glow turned denser. Rotor sounds erupted from her suitcase as her drone was about to exit it. "Has the patient woken up?" A doctor entered right at this time as Deepika halted her attempt. Using the chance, Rahu gobbled up the pieces in the bowl and patted his belly contently, "That was refreshing." He then stared at the doctor, "I feel fine now, Doctor." "We''ll conduct a couple of tests. And if the results are satisfactory, you can get discharged." The Doctor said and proceeded with the tests. He didn''t seem bothered by Deepika''s actions and calmly exited the ward once he was done, "I''ll return in a couple of hours. Summon the nurse if you need anything." The moment the Doctor left the ward, Deepika asked, her voice serious, "Was what you were speaking on call true?" "Yeah," Rahu nodded, "I have no reason to lie to the DOVA Chief, you know." "Understood, then I''ll register and apany you on Worldcraft too." Deepika said, "We can have the security team rotate on shifts and enter Worldcraft." "That''s fine with me, but you don''t need to apany me in there." Rahu shook his head, "There are different races, and each race seems to be living in a world of its own." "I know about that already," Deepika nodded, "I checked their website yesterday. There are seven races and each race lives in a world that''s an exact size of Earth." "Each race wields an exclusive element." She said, "Some of the users have already begun posting their expedition of the vast, unexplorednds." "That''s rather helpful," Rahu switched on his Augmented Reality and essed Worldcraft''s official website. He focused on an important piece of information. It was about the exclusive element of the races. [Mermen (Coral), Arachmen (Web), Crowmen (Bone), Elven (Wood), Lizardmen (Sulphur), Dragonmen (Volcanic Ash), Dwarven (Iron)] The choice of exclusive elements for the various races was pretty weird. Among them, only Wood could be considered a proper element. Rahu neither understood the reason nor the intention behind such elements. But it didn''t matter for now. He could figure it out in the long run. Following that, he looked at the most discussed topic among the users thatpleted the first installment of their Beginner''s Quest. It was about Invoker Crystals. Turns out there existed Dungeons filled with a variety of animals: regr, endangered, and even extinct. Forming the core of every Dungeon was a decently intelligent animal that possessed an Invoker Crystal. It was the Dungeon Boss. Once the Dungeon Boss is defeated, the user couldy im to its Invoker Crystal. Depending upon the difficulty level of the Dungeon, the quality of the Invoker Crystal varied. "Invoker Crystals will be the Gold Standard of this century," Rahu muttered, able to predict how Invoker Crystals would shape the economy in the future. Worldcraft was an entire world, generating limitless possibilities. Except for the manufacturing and agricultural sector, everything else could be shifted to Worldcraft. There was more than enough real estate to amodate that. Moreover, considering how the stocks of Pomegranate Corporation were bought and owned by countries, it facilitated currency exchange. One could realistically set up a digital currency system in Worldcraft that could be traded for real-world money. As real-world currency was simply a pledged value perceived by the respective government, and not gold-backed, such a trade was possible. "So, I can legally earn money from Worldcraft." Deepika nodded andmunicated with her security team. Two security team personnel entered the ward and stood watch while Deepika closed her eyes and entered Worldcraft. Rahu stared at her for a few seconds as he stealthily stole a few more jackfruit pieces and ate them. He then inspected his mental state, realising that he had recovered a significant sum of his Brainpower. Closing his eyes, he entered Worldcraft. As for safety, he wasn''t concerned. His Liger was always on watch, even when he was unconscious. Rahu opened his eyes, noticing that he had arrived at Larkrood Vige. Even if he left the vige and roamed elsewhere, once he logs out and returns, he''ll find himself at Larkrood Vige. That was the basic mechanic of Worldcraft. As Larkrood Vige was currently designated as his home, it became his spawn point. Just as he thought of moving, his stomach grumbled. Rahu looked around and failed to find any ce that sold food. Realising that no such institution had been established here yet, he looked around and approached someone that seemed to have spent a considerable time at the ce. "Do you know where I can find food?" He asked the person. There were dirt marks all over his clothes, followed by stains of some fluid, mostly his vomit. Tear marks covered the dress, possibly torn open by sharp branches. There was exhaustion evident on his face but his eyes expressed excitement. He seemed young, around twenty years in age. The Elven youth observed Rahu''s pristine appearance and asked, "Did you just log in?" He pointed in a certain direction where a group of people were walking, "If you walk an hour in that direction, you''ll enter a forest. You can find a lot of fruit-bearing trees there. Everyone''s going there to find food. Just make sure you don''t harm the monkeys there. It''s no joke when they retaliate as a collective." "Alright, thank you." Rahu walked in the respective direction as he bode farewell. An hourter, he reached the end of Larkrood Vige and gazed at the expansive forest that stretched beyond. The trees were decently spaced apart while the shrubs were minimal due to the dense foliage that blocked sunlight from reaching the ground. Ayer of leaves covered the topsoil, creating a soft floor to walk upon. Rahu looked around and noticed a couple of mango trees in his vicinity. But there were only mangoes near the top of the trees. Those at the bottom had already been plucked and eaten. An Elven teen next to him didn''t seem willing to delve deep into the forest. He looked around and picked up a thick enough branch and broke it into smaller pieces. He aimed at a ripe mango and threw the stick, missing the mark. He picked up the piece that fell on the ground and aimed once again. After a few attempts, he struck the mango, causing it to fall, "Strike!" The Elven teen took a couple of steps forward in an attempt to catch the mango. But halfway through its fall, a monkey swung from the branches and caught the ripe mango. It escaped upon hearing the Elven teen''s frustrated shouts. In anger, the Elven teen threw the broken stick at the monkey who evaded the projectile. It shrieked at him, hurriedly swallowed half of the mango''s pulp, and threw the remaining at the teen. The mango pulp sttered on the ground upon impact, with some of it sshing on the teen and Rahu. ''So, that''s how it is.'' Rahu looked around, wondering what everyone was up to. In the current situation, the users didn''t have the necessary tools to face the monkeys who held the upper hand thanks to their climbing and swinging capabilities. Due to that, the users could only roam helplessly and pick up fruits that fell on the ground. If they were lucky, they would find fruits within reach that could be plucked. Thankfully until now, none seemed intent to murder the monkeys for meat, but Rahu wasn''t sure how long that wouldst. Not everyone behaved the same, especially since a diet of fruits alone wasn''t enough to stave off hunger. As Worldcraft was akin to reality, they needed to consume food here to survive. Otherwise, they''ll starve. Eating in reality wouldn''t help stave their hunger here. ''What happens if I starve myself here to the extent I be thin? If my version here doesn''t remain in sync with reality, will my character be deleted? What about death?'' He wondered, ''Are they using the regr Virtual Reality functions for this or is the parameter simr to the ones we use in Induced Reality?'' With that thought in mind, Rahu bolted off deeper into the forest, stopping once he came across a fruit tree that wasn''t guarded by monkeys. As he satiated himself with the fruits, he immersed himself in questions. "Problems might start cropping up one after another soon enough." Chapter 36 36: Does Killing In Worldcraft Equate To Murder? As Rahu satiated himself, he observed monkeys passing overhead from time to time. They were agitated as people were intruding upon their territory. Even though they were only throwing stones and branches at the intruders, things were slowly starting to heat up. This was already the third day in reality since theunch of Worldcraft. It equated to somewhere between twenty and thirty days in Worldcraft. Meaning, the majority of the people that had logged in on day one would have passed the first Beginner''s Quest by now. They might currently be working on a sessive Beginner''s Quest. Those talented might even have finished them altogether. As Rahu''s Brainpower values were vastly greater than what was necessary to create a Grass Stick, he didn''t receive a Beginner''s Quest. In the world of Worldcraft, he wasn''t considered a beginner. "What''s happening now?" Rahu frowned as he noticed a group of monkeys rushing in a certain direction. He also heard sounds of conversation from the destination of their run. Wondering what was up, he followed the monkeys, soon arriving at the foot of a steep hill. One side of the hill was a cliff, almost resembling a wall. Lodged in its centre, spanning five metres in breadth and ten metres in height was a portal. Engraved on the cliff wall above the portal were the words, ''Grass-Faced Monkey Dungeon.'' "A Dungeon..." Rahu muttered as he observed droves of people entering it. Unlike in games where Dungeons were typically restrictive in the nature and number of people that were allowed entry, the Dungeons in Worldcraft were simply a pocket dimension. Any number of people could enter it and face no restrictions. Currently, those that were able to use their Skill of Grass Stick at least once entered the Dungeon to obtain better resources. Based on what Rahu learned from the Worldcraft website, as long as one continued to activate their Skill, expend their brainpower, log out and rest in reality, and recover their Brainpower before repeating the cycle, their stats would increase. Users that had logged in on day one had already gained 5-10 stats in Brainpower through this fashion. Moreover, it was mentioned by a user that obtained a second Skill that training with a stronger Skillted better results. Skills were ssified based on their Quality and Grade. Under Quality were the parameters: Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, Expert, and Enlightened. It depicted one''s proficiency in wielding the Skill. Training the Skill raised one''s mastery over it. All Skills start at Basic Quality and grow when trained. Under Grade were the parameters: Inferior, Moderate, Superior, and Legendary. It depicted the cost and function of the Skill. Simpler Skills with minimal effect on the surroundings were ssified as Inferior Grades. A Skill''s Grade couldn''t be changed irrespective of how much one trained with it. But one''s stats growth rate increases when they trained with a Moderate Grade Skill aspared to an Inferior Grade Skill. It was as simple as that. Therefore, instead of training with a Grass Stick, one would have better growth with a higher-Grade Skill. Skills came in the form of Invoker Crystals and the only ce to farm them was a Dungeon. As one''s stat growth in Worldcraft developed their mind in reality, people''s greed had been ignited. There was already a craze throughout the world about Worldcraft. Countlessints were lodged at the start when people failed to create a Grass Stick. But theints died down as people began to seed and experienced the fruits of theirbour. The results spoke for themselves. Rahu entered the portal. Followed by momentary dizziness, he found himself in a vast forest surrounded by cliff walls. The dungeon was a finite pocket dimension and its ends were depicted by steep, rocky walls that reached a height of at least a couple of kilometres. Climbing it without equipment was suicide, so even if Rahu intended to see how a pocket dimension had been established here, he couldn''t do so. ''Will there be streams of data beyond that? I''m curious. But first,'' He frowned, hearing shrieks from the monkeys that continued to intensify over time. The monkeys were being hunted by the users. With their families endangered, the monkeys from the forest beyond continued to rush into the Dungeon. It resulted in a war. "Got you!" An Elven youth that went by the name of Arnav climbed over a branch and had been waiting in patience while watching the battles. When one of the monkeys jumped in to save its brethren, he pounced upon it. Arnav used his entire body weight to press upon the monkey. Adding that to his fall, the resultant momentum broke the monkey''s bones, causing it to cry in pain. He was stunned by its cries, for they were realistic. A rusty scent wafted into his nose as the monkey coughed out blood. Some of the blood fell on his hand, causing him to let go of his hold instinctively. "Blood? What the heck? This is too real." The shivering of its body from pain, itsboured breaths, the slow seepage of its lifeforce, and its eyes filled with unwillingness; Arnav''s senses were mmed with the cruelty of his actions, causing him to crawl backward in repulsion, "I...I didn''t do that...I''m sorry, I''m sorry." "That wasn''t me." He couldn''t process the situation. Arnav had yed a lot of games in Virtual Reality. There were even hunting simtor games where he had to hunt tigers. But that felt like a game. Even when he killed a tiger, there was no sensation of his sword stabbing through flesh. It only felt like he had plunged it into a bag of sand. As the sensation didn''t feel realistic, he wasn''t repulsed by it. Moreover, it was sand that spilled out, not blood. The case was simr with the scent and sound released by the tiger at its death. To avoid keeping anything gore, even the most brutal of games avable to the people were heavily censored. Arnav assumed the case to be the same with Worldcraft too, as it had been advertised to be for everyone with an uVR Earth, regardless of their age. Even kids could y it. That was why he behaved like a hunter and went in for the kill. But this, it was too real. No, it was a mirror of reality. Blood, gore, and death weren''t something a normal person could handle, let alone from so close-up. "This is bullshit!" Arnav screamed and logged out of Worldcraft. If he ever were to log in, he would appear at Larkrood Vige. He could avoid responsibility for his actions. And as long as he doesn''t get near this Dungeon, he wouldn''t be reminded of his actions. People like Arnav weremon as the fervour within the Dungeon died a little. But, this was only the case with those sympathetic to life. Closet psychopaths roamed society inrge numbers. Now, they gained a mode to express and embark on a blood-filled path of murder. "That dumbass forgot to take the Invoker Crystal with him." An Elven man in histe twenties grinned as he arrived at a halt before the whimpering monkey. The monkey reached a height of a metre when it stood tall. But as monkeys had crouched forms, they appeared smaller than their heights dictated. Attached between its midrib and forearm was a thin leaf resembling a wing. It was what the monkeys used to glide through the air and drop rocks on the intruders. But of course, as it was a Skill, Willpower was consumed to maintain it, especially during flight. As the monkey was severely injured, it couldn''t focus anymore. And hence, its pair of leaf wings copsed into a clutter of smaller leaves. Embedded in its forehead was the Invoker Crystal behind this Skill. Not all animals in a Dungeon possessed an Invoker Crystal, but those with one had them embedded in their foreheads. The Elven Man ced his foot on the monkey''s chest and applied pressure, preventing it from breaking free. Its cries only served to deepen the grin on his face as he pinched the Invoker Crystal on its forehead and yanked it out, "It''s no different to plucking out grass." The monkey''s cries worsened as blood leaked out of its forehead. It seemed to have aged a couple of years with the extraction of the Invoker Crystal. The Elven man rubbed the Invoker Crystal on the monkey''s belly, using its fur to rub off the blood and flesh bits attached to the crystal. Once it was cleaned, he ced it in one of his Leaf Guard''s sockets, grinning upon sessfully equipping a second Skill. He then stared at the monkey and observed the terror in its eyes, "What are you looking at, huh?" The Elven man lifted had been pressing its chest with his left leg. With a snort, he lifted his right leg and shifted the entirety of his body weight onto his left. The monkey''s ribs cracked under the pressure. Followed by a horrid cry, the monkey breathed itsst. The Elven man stared at its death throes andughed, "Man, this is exhrating. All thosews in reality made it stifling. I couldn''t even kill a crow or dog without having to face numerous charges. But here, it''s different!" "You''re trash." Rahu bashed a Grass Stick on his head, shattering it. He condensed another Grass Stick and mmed it on the back of the Elven man''s head, trembling in anger as thetter vanished. He was logged out after getting killed. "I''m sorry," Rahu crouched before the monkey and lifted its corpse. He was distracted by the surrounding noise when he entered the Dungeon. By the time he managed to focus on this monkey and rushed over, it was toote. Its body was crushed. A nauseating stench wafted out of its corpse, suffocating Rahu. He was painfully aware that this wasn''t reality. It was justposed of data taken to a realistic level. But, did that make it okay to brutally kill an animal? For someone capable of Induced Reality and to a certain extent, even Synchronised Reality, the line between virtual and reality had blurred out. The corpse before him wasn''t merely a figment of data. Prior to death, it suffered pain, no different from a real monkey. It expressed a willingness to live, to survive, just like the real one. It wanted to save its brethren by its own volition and not somemand prompt, just like the original. Its death was mourned by the nearby monkeys, just as what would happen in a society of monkeys. As he held its corpse, Rahu heard the lives of many monkeys being snuffed out by the Elven intruders. Could this be considered murder, especially since it wasn''t a hunt prompted by a need for food? What was real? What was virtual? The lines had already blurred too much. Does he arrest the people here on ount of murder? Or will he treat it as a mere game? He wasn''t sure anymore. Chapter 37 37: The Monkeys Retaliate "Argh!" A man woke up on his bed in reality, screaming as he clutched his head. There was no injury there but it hurt like hell. The sensation of his head being bashed in by a stick stuck with him. His hands trembled as his stomach convulsed. A couple of secondster, he rushed into the bathroom and vomited all the bile. Twenty minutester, the man washed himself and stared at the mirror, noticing his eyes were sunken. He seemed to have aged slightly, at least by a year. His appearance differed that muchpared to the day before. Moreover, the moment he tried to think of something, a resounding pain reverberated in his head. His uVR Earth''s blue glow was weak. As he stared at the mirror, a screen popped up in his Augmented Reality interface. [Brainpower Critically Low, Advising Ample Rest] His head spun as the man waddled his way to the fridge, yanked out a can of milk, and downed it in one sitting. He then copsed on the bed and fell asleep. The Augmented Reality interface disyed his Brainpower values. Every few minutes, it recovered by one unit. The Willpower stats took longer to recover. Soon, he was awoken by a call and woke up, groaning upon seeing the caller ID, "Yes, boss. I''m sorry, I''m not feeling well. Yes, I apologise for the trouble. I''ll finish my work from home." Once the call ended, he snorted, "Fucking ve driver. I will kill him one day..." "Right, about the bastard that bashed my head!" He recalled Rahu''s face, growling in response, "I''ll remember you, bitch. Pray for the day you face me again. I''ll camp at your spawn point and repeatedly ughter you." Afterpleting his work, and once his Brainpower recovered to full capacity the next day, he logged in to Worldcraft, staring at his Leaf Guard in shock. It was empty. His Skill of Grass Stick was nowhere to be seen. Even the newly obtained Invoker Crystal wasn''t there. "Does that mean..." Realisation dawned on him as a string of expletives boomed out of his mouth, "That bastard must have stolen my Invoker Crystals! Damn it!" A few days ago, in Worldcraft, right after the Elven Man was killed, Rahu stared at the monkey''s corpse, drowned in a sea of conflicting thoughts. What could he do after this? Punishing all the people that harmed the monkeys was impossible, but at the same time, he couldn''t let things proceed in such a fashion. The poption of people logging in continued to boom and a mass effect was taking ce within the Dungeons. Since people were killing the monkeys to gather Invoker Crystals, others too followed suit. Many were perplexed, but they were influenced by those in the lead. Morals waned. People gradually gave in to confirmative thoughts, assuming that since everyone else was doing the same, they too weren''t doing anything wrong. Not everyone was like this, but the majority conformed to the lead set by the first batch of Dungeon explorers. He was just one individual. Going against the masses wasn''t realistic, especially since he couldn''t unleash Induced Reality in Worldcraft. The server of Worldcraft wasn''t a human brain, so Induced Reality didn''t function on it. Moreover, it was manned by Megasphere. So, it could detect and restrict the abilities of a DOVA Agent. Therefore, Rahu didn''t have his DOVA Agent abilities to rely upon in Worldcraft. If he wished to do anything, he would have to follow the rules of the ce. But here was the problem. If he intended to stop others from killing the monkeys, he would have to use Skills. But the source of these Skills was the Invoker Crystals harvested from the monkeys. He would be the biggest hypocrite. And if he tried to reason with the people...well, it won''t work. An average human''s Brainpower ranges between 10 to 15 units. By the end of the Beginner''s Quest, they would have doubled that. Meaning, their brains became developed. It unlocked more of their brain''s potential, allowing them to process information faster, be smarter, etc. The tangible benefits were endless. As long as one worked hard enough in Worldcraft and raised their stats, they could, on Earth, go from a normal individual to a genius sought after by thergest ofpanies. People had already arrived at this conclusion on the forums. So, if Rahu asked them to avoid killing the monkeys, he would be beaten up. People consume chicken, fish, and all sorts of meat products. Countless products were created after killing living beings. Silkworms are killed before they break out of their cocoons. This was because the produced silk strands would be long and uninterrupted. Whereas, if they were harvested after the silkworms hatched, the strands of silk would be in pieces. It wasn''t a problem, just leading to minor losses. But even that was not tolerated, and hence, the silkworms were mercilessly killed for their silk. Plenty of living creatures were simrly killed for their produce, not just for meat. If even the creatures, in reality, could be killed for the benefit of humans, what difference did it make whether or not some monkeys were killed in Worldcraft? They weren''t even real. So, on either path, Rahu''s arguments could be countered with cold-hearted facts. As a result, he couldn''t make up his mind. He stared at the monkey corpse with a sigh, "I''m sorry. I don''t have a solution that would prevent unfortunate deaths like yours." At that moment, he noticed a glint beside the monkey''s corpse, observing upon closer inspection that they were Invoker Crystals. There were two of them there. When Rahu killed the Elven man, it seemed his two Invoker Crystals were dropped from his Leaf Guard.I think you should take a look at That seemed to be a rule of Worldcraft. Upon death, one would drop everything on their bearing. Only the basic form with which they arrived at Worldcraft would be maintained upon revival. And this form only consisted of their clothes and Leaf Guards. Rahu picked up the first Invoker Crystal, noticing that it contained the Grass Stick Skill. He then picked up the second Invoker Crystal and observed the screen that popped up. [Skill: Leaf Wing] [Grade: Inferior] [Brainpower: 25] [Willpower: 6] [Empower: 1] The stats required to activate this Skill was very high. Of course, it wasn''t much to Rahu, but for a normal person, this was an exorbitant sum. The majority of humans didn''t have the stats necessary to activate this. Only after training in Worldcraft would it be possible for them to use it even once. Judging based on the actions disyed by the Monkeys, the Leaf Wing Skill created a pair of sharp leaves that extended from one''s rib to their wrist, acting like a wing that allowed them to glide through the air. Flight wasn''t possible, but even being able to glide presented a lot of opportunities for one, whether in terms of ambush or escape. As he observed them, the two Invoker Crystals turned into powder. They lost their power. "So, once bonded to someone''s Leaf Guard, they''ll dissipate when taken out." Rahu understood the power system better. He patted the monkey''s corpse and brought it towards a tree and lifted it up, giving it to a monkey that had been observing his actions all along, "I''m sorry." The monkey hissed in anger as it stared at him, unwilling to approach him. The duo stared at each other for a good couple of minutes before the monkey inched closer. It then yanked the monkey''s corpse from his hands and disappeared among the branches. The screaming sounds of the monkeys spiked eventually as the fights intensified. But immediately after that, there was just silence. Rahu heard the sounds of wood being bent, looking around as he focused on his eyes and ears. Followed by a resounding screech, hundreds of monkeys with Leaf Wings took to the air, catapulted by bamboo shrubs. Held in their hands each was a stone the size of a human head. The monkeys red at the Elven Race people with the intent to kill. Followed by a helical spin in the air that increased their momentum, the monkeysunched the rocks at tremendous speeds. Whistling sounds boomed across the skies, followed by the sounds of rupturing skulls. Hundreds of people either died instantly upon their heads being smashed open or bled out to death when the rocks smashed anywhere else on their bodies. One of the rocks came his way as Rahu condensed a Grass Stick and swatted it, buying enough time to evade the attack. His attention fell to the ground, noticing a metre-wide patch of grass. The grass surrounding it had been consumed to create his Grass Stick. Normally, the grass used for a Grass Stick was consumed like a circle, with the Grass Stick forming in the centre. But when he used it now, the used grass was more crescent-shaped. He stared at the patch of grass that should have been consumed for his Grass Stick, ''Was a Skill used here?'' "Argh, shit. I''m bolting out!" A middle-aged woman became afraid once rocks started to rain from the skies. She turned tail and ran. "Wait, don''t set your foot there..." Rahu warned in a hurry but had to roll to the side to evade another rocking his way. "Eh?" The middle-aged woman didn''t react to his warning on time and set foot on the circr patch of grass. As if apressed spring released from a lock, the des of grass swerved from one side to the other in an instant, forming a circle; her foot was severed. "Eh..." The middle-aged woman couldn''t even register what had happened to her as she fell to the ground. Pain set in a couple of secondster as she screamed. "Argh!" The people that were running towards the Dungeon''s exit came to an abrupt halt when a wall of bamboo rose from the ground and blocked their path. Following that, dozens of bamboo spikes gushed out of the ground and skewered them. ''Trouble arrived.'' Hidden behind a tree, Rahu stared at a group of three monkeys emanating a tangible thirst for blood. One of them, standing at the back screeched as it stomped the ground, causing the patch of grass there to be consumed. A bamboo spiked out and pierced a nearby Elven man''s head, "The ruler of these monkeys," "The Dungeon Boss." Chapter 38 38: Rahu Finally Takes Action There were five sses among the Monkeys in the Grass-Faced Monkey Dungeon. The lowest ss were the regr monkeys, gatherers of food. Above them were the Elite Monkeys, those with the Leaf Wing Skill. They were in charge of scouting and formed the brunt of their defensive force. Against smaller enemies, the Elite Monkeys used their Leaf Wings-like des to sever the heads of their opponents. Against big opponents like the Elven Race people, they used it to glide the air and drop stones on their targets. They were expert gliders. An Elite Monkey could unleash the Leaf Wing Skill three to four times. This meant that in general, its mental stats were ten times the average human. But in the end, their physical bodies weren''t as strong as a human, in this case, the Elven Race. So, the Elven Race people could gang up on the Elite Monkeys and defeat them as long as they came within striking range. Also, the strongest offensive skill of a human being was their ability tounch projectiles. Gather some stones in the forest and the monkeys in the trees became fair game to the people on the ground. It was why, despite possessing inferior stats, the Elven Race overwhelmed the monkeys. The stats simply projected the mind and not the body. With better brainpower, the monkeys were smarter and more capable in terms of schemes. But experience yed a big part here. Their Dungeon had never been invaded before. So, they didn''t have experience facing the Elven Race. On the other hand, the invaders had plenty of experience dealing with various animals. They had the advantage of information and yed cunningly to their forte. There were plenty of users that sessfully obtained a second Invoker Crystal. It seemed it was just a matter of time before they conquered this Dungeon. But that changed when the higher-order monkeys arrived. Wearing a dress of grass that covered its head and hips was a female monkey that was a head taller than the regr monkeys. The Invoker Crystal on its forehead shone brighter than the Elite Monkeys. Seeing its ughtered brethren, it screamed and mmed its hands repeatedly on the ground. Immediately in response, across multiple stretches on the forest ground, the grass wriggled in circr patterns and locked itself, building up stic energy. The traps were camouged amongst the grass. And only if one saw their initial wriggle would they detect the traps. As the Elven Users fled from the attacks, they set foot upon the traps. Their legs were severed at the ankles, causing them to bleed out. The one that set the traps was the Female Mid-Boss. It possessed a terrifying Skill to set up traps in the grass that was potent enough to sever even the bones in their legs in a sh. Apanying the Female Mid-Boss was the Male Mid-Boss. It was the one that created walls of bamboo to block the Dungeon entrance. The rushing people mmed into the bamboo walls, toppling them with enough effort. Upon seeing that, the Male Mid-Boss erected multiple walls. And finally, mowing down the Elven Race users like they were cattle was the Dungeon Boss, a monkey donned with grass weaved into cloth. The cloth covered its entire body and affixed on its head was a bamboo crown. The Dungeon Boss arrived at a halt before an Elite Monkey corpse, staring at its bleeding forehead. It seemed its Invoker Crystal had been violently extracted as a part of the skin on the forehead was missing. The Elite Monkey''s eyes were open, expressing despair at the moment of its death. The Dungeon Boss stared at the Elite Monkey and shed tears. It mourned its fallen brethren. "That looks to be the Dungeon Boss." An Elven Race user muttered as he dodged the stones and traps. Hemunicated with three other people that were on good terms with him. "Can we kill it?" "We must. Its Skill is damn powerful. Imagine how strong we can grow by training with it." "The two Mid-Bosses guarding it are strong too. What should we do?" "We wait and attack after they exhaust themselves. Once they deplete their Brainpower, they are nothing but fragile prey." "Kieee!" The Dungeon Boss screamed as all the monkeys raged under itsmand and swarmed the Elven Race users. With the entrance blocked, the users beyond couldn''t enter, allowing the people within to be overwhelmed gradually. "Attack!" The Elven Race users charged at the monkeys, leading to a bloodbath on both sides. It didn''t matter when the users couldn''t create Grass Sticks anymore. They didn''t rely on it in the first ce. With a tug of their hands, they broke off branches from nearby trees and used them to whack the monkeys. Others flung stones. If they failed to find a suitable weapon, they used their primary mode of aggression, a punch. [Grass-Faced Elite Monkey] [Brainpower: 100] [Willpower: 30] [Empower: 1] [Skill: Leaf Wing (Inferior/Basic)] When an Elven Race user tussled with an Elite Monkey, a screen popped up while they were in contact. At that moment, both the user and the Elite Monkey were stunned. After all, while the user was able to see the Elite Monkey''s status, the monkey too was able to see his status. Upon realising it, he shouted, "We can check their status if we touch their bodies. But the reverse is also possible if they touch us!"I think you should take a look at "Perfect!" The team of four gamers grinned at the information as they sneaked upon the Female Mid-Boss and hurled rocks at it. The Male Mid-Boss erected a bamboo wall between the two before suddenly copsing in exhaustion. It had exhausted all its Willpower as the people had been bombarding his walls. "Got you!" One of the four rushed while crouching toward the ground. He condensed his Grass Stick, intentionally slowing down the process, as he rushed past. By now, he figured out that grass already in use for another Skill wouldn''t be included in the creation of a Grass Stick. Meaning, it was the fastest way to figure out where the traps had been ced. His long hair fluttered as he evaded all traps and leaped onto an exhausted monkey, staring at its status once he grabbed it. [Grass-Faced Female Mid-Boss] [Brainpower: 380] [Willpower: 82] [Empower: 3] [Skill: Leaf Clutch (Moderate/Basic)] "Thank you for the Skill." Saying so, he yanked out its Invoker Crystal and equipped it on his Leaf Guard immediately. [User: Trot] [Brainpower: 92] [Willpower: 88] [Empower: 2] [Skills: Grass Stick (Inferior/Basic), Leaf Clutch (Moderate/Basic)] Thest the Female Mid-Boss observed was his status, thinking about his overly high Willpower aspared to his Brainpower. It opened its mouth and muttered in humannguage before biting its tongue to kill itself. "What?" The user named Trot stared in shock, unable to believe himself as he stared at the Female Mid-Boss''s corpse, "Was I imagining things? Did I hear it correctly?" "Trot! Help us!" Two of his friends screamed for help as they failed their ambush on the Dungeon Boss and were instead skewered by its bamboo spikes. Thest of their group, named Lace seeded in grabbing the Invoker Crystal from the unconscious Male Mid-Boss. "Damn, we didn''t seed." Trot stared at Lace in a hurry and shouted, "We''ll drop our Skills if we are killed. Let''s leave..." A Bamboo Spike jutted out of the ground and pierced Trot in the stomach, stopping partway. The Dungeon Boss''s anger morphed into surprise, noticing how by creating a Grass Stick at the location where he stood, Trot reduced the material avable for the creation of a Bamboo Spike. Thereby, he avoided death and only suffered an injury. "Trot!" Lace pulled him back and erected a Bamboo Wall between them and the Dungeon Boss, panting as she asked, "Why isn''t the Dungeon Boss running out of energy?" "It has monstrous reserves of Brainpower. Let''s leave." Trot was just about to log out when he noticed an individual walk out from behind a tree. The individual calmly tracked the arcs made by the falling stones and avoided them, his gaze focused on the Dungeon Boss. "Wait, who is that guy?" "He seems familiar." Lace muttered, putting aside her n to log out. She intended to see what this mysterious user was up to. Rahu finally arrived at a conclusion, seeing the corpses of people being held up in Bamboo Spikes. Even though the corpses disappeared upon their deaths, those on the spikes were still alive. They were dying a slow death. It seemed the Dungeon Boss had purposefully harmed them in such a way as to disy its power and avenge its fallen brethren. Upon seeing that, Rahu''s mind was made up, "You know, I now understand that even if they''re killed here, only their Brainpower and Willpower bes zero. Once they rest and recuperate in reality, within a day or two, they can return here. I understand that. But," He calmly stared at the Dungeon Boss as veins popped on his forehead, "Why torture them? It would have been karma if you tortured those that did the same to your brethren, but why torture the rest too?" "War is fine since we brought it to your home. But why focus on torturing the innocent...never mind." By this time, the Dungeon Boss stopped targeting the other Elven Race users. Its hairs stood on end as it swerved its gaze at a lone Elven Race man walking towards it. Even it became nervous, feeling a mild sense of oppression from the other party, as if he were a natural predator. His uVR Earth in reality shone jade as Rahu swapped his senses with that of his Liger''s. As the change was inherently in his physical body, Worldcraft read it and manifested it in his Woof character. Oozing out bloodlust, Rahu crouched low on all fours, like a beast, "There''s a lot for me to think about. But for the time being," "I hate those that torture others, irrespective of their race. So," With a spring, he bolted towards the Dungeon Boss, "I''ll kill you." Chapter 39 39: Larkrood Ownership Quest A Bamboo Spike jutted out of the ground as Rahu condensed a Grass Stick and pointed it in the direction of the spike''s approach. He leaped lightly and pole-vaulted out of harm''s way. With a kick, he broke off the Bamboo Spike at its base, propped it on his shoulder, and threw it towards the Dungeon Boss. The Dungeon Boss screeched in rm before dodging to safety,ing to a realisation that in its hurry to evade the attack, it leaped onto a patch of barren ground. The grass there had been consumed when the Male Mid-Boss created a bamboo wall. "Give me a boost," Rahu shouted as he ran towards Lace. He grabbed a Bamboo Spike and broke it off, using it as a spear. "W-What? Ah, got it!" Lace was flustered for a moment when Rahu came her way. But she quickly ascertained what she needed to do and mmed her hand on the grass patch and activated her Skill. A Bamboo Wall began to jut out of the ground. When it reached a metre in height, Rahu leaped onto it and used the momentum behind its growth as a stepping stone to leap higher. He crossed the Bamboo Wall obstructing the Dungeon Boss''s sight and arrived above it, thrusting the spear downward with force as he fell. The Dungeon Boss was a tad slow in reacting as the spear stabbed into its thigh, causing it to scream in pain. It grabbed the Wooden Spike and caused it to morph. From its midpoint, the spike curved and stabbed into Rahu''s thigh. It broke as Rahu fell on the ground and rolled upon impact, cushioning the fall. "Argh!" He groaned in pain and removed the piece of the Bamboo Spike stabbing into his thigh. He stared at the Dungeon Boss that was constricted to its ce as the Bamboo Spike pierced its thigh and lodged it in ce. As he approached it, the Dungeon Boss used its powers to vary the shape of the broken Bamboo Spike. It morphed as grass flowed out of its thigh like a group of worms. Following that, it transformed into a small spear. But, the piece of Bamboo Spike in its hands was all it had to attack. Left on a patch of ground without any grass, it couldn''t unleash a Skill. Rahu intended to keep it there as he picked up a stone from nearby and threw it. The stone mmed into the Dungeon Boss''s face, causing its vision to spin. The small Bamboo Spike in its hands fell to the ground. Rahu threw a rock at it and knocked it out of bounds. He then backed away until arriving at a patch of grass and condensed two Grass Sticks. As the Dungeon Boss was unarmed and in a state of dizziness, he rushed towards it and beat it up profusely. In a matter of seconds, he knocked it unconscious, leaving it no room to retaliate. With that, he gained the chance to extract its Invoker Crystal, observing its stats while doing so. [Grass-Faced Dungeon Boss] [Brainpower: 990] [Willpower: 114] [Empower: 5] [Skill: Bamboo Spike (Moderate/ Intermediate)] ''How are the stats of a Dungeon Boss located adjacent to a Beginner''s Vige this high? Where''s the game bnce?'' Rahu thought as he extracted its Invoker Crystal and equipped it. He was distracted for a moment while observing its stats, not noticing the Dungeon Boss craning its wrists a little until its fingers touched his ankle. With that, it was able to observe his stats. [User: Woof] [Brainpower: 4892] [Willpower: 144] [Empower: 17] [Skills: Grass Stick (Inferior/Basic), Bamboo Spike (Moderate Basic)] "Monstrous bastard..." It muttered weakly, stunning Rahu. It then let out a grin and bit its tongue,mitting suicide, "But the next time, I''ll return stronger. And then," "I''ll kill you." "You can talk?" Rahu said in surprise as he stared at the Dungeon Boss''s corpse. He then realised what was up as he shouted towards the nearby Elven Users that were still fighting, "Everyone! Logout ASAP! Meet me at Larkrood Vige!" "The animals in the Dungeon can revive!" He immediately logged out, took a breather in reality, and logged in, finding himself on an open patch in Larkrood Vige. Taking in a deep breath, he stared at the newly equipped Skill. [Skill: Bamboo Spike] [Grade: Moderate] [Quality: Basic] [Brainpower: 35] [Willpower: 10]I think you should take a look at [Empower: 2] "Considering its power, the activation requirements are pretty low. This is an efficient ability." He muttered, especially since Bamboo Spikes formed rapidly to pierce their enemies. And even after that, he could pull them out of the ground and use them as spears. They were pretty versatile in terms of offence. And even though it was called a Bamboo Spike, grass was enough to create it. The only difference between it and a Grass Stick was in the degree of toughness. At the end of the day, Bamboo was a type of grass, so this seemed possible. Of course, if he activated the Skill on a bamboo shrub, its effectiveness would be the highest. "To think you would seed in killing a Dungeon Boss so quickly. Imend your skill." A voice resounded behind him, startling Rahu. Rahu unleashed a Bamboo Spike in reflex as he turned around, stunned when the Bamboo Spike dissolved into loose strands of grass uponing into contact with the entity. It was the Elven King. "How did you do that?" Rahu asked, failing to hide his surprise. "You can do the same when the Quality of your Bamboo Spike Skill reaches its peak." Saying so, the Elven King patted him on the shoulder, "The reason I''vee to see you is to congratte you for killing a Dungeon Boss. You''ve now be eligible to gain a Quest." Immediately in response to his words, a screen shed before Rahu. [Quest: Larkrood Ownership] [Quest Description: You have killed the Grass-Faced Monkey Dungeon''s Dungeon Boss. You are now eligible to contest for Larkrood Vige''s ownership. The one that seeds legally gains rights to the vige. You can sell thend and even create your own currency, the exchange rates of which will be determined and acknowledged by Megasphere. It can be exchanged with real-life currency.] [Quest Requirement #1: Kill Grass-Faced Monkey Dungeon''s Dungeon Boss ten times (1/10)] [Quest Requirement #2: Reach Expert Quality with the Bamboo Spike Skill] [Quest Reward: Ownership of Larkrood Vige, Right to Grass-Faced Monkey Dungeon, Currency] "That''s amazing," Rahu said, understanding the implications this would have. If he seeds in clearing the Quest, he would be able to control who enters or leaves the Grass-Faced Monkey Dungeon. He could mine all the resources there and sell them for cash. And as the exports increase, so does the value of his currency. If he were to convert them into real-life currency, he''ll get a lot of money. For anyone, this was akin to getting ownership of a gold mine. After all, Larkrood Vige was one of the three starting viges for the Elven Race''s Realm. So, ownership of it held prime significance. Rahu stared at the Elven King and asked, "Are there more viges out there?" "Yes, there are plenty." The Elven King shrugged, "But you''ll need to achieve certain parameters before the quest for ownership pops up. Other than that, you can settle anywhere in the world, but it''ll only be ssified as an illegal settlement, no matter how big it bes." This meant that even when a hundred thousand people lived in a settlement, if it was considered an illegal settlement, it meant Megasphere wouldn''t give it any benefits that it gave a recognised settlement. Currency exchange, spawn point, NPC, Rules, etc. None of it would be provided to an illegal settlement. Yes, if Rahu gains ownership of Larkrood Vige, he could designate some rules and regtions for the vige. Megasphere would exercise and enforce those rules. Suppose he made a rule of no killing in the vige, then anyone that tried to do so would face severe penalties from Megasphere. If one exceeded the threshold of penalties, they might even be banned from essing Worldcraft. "Well, have fun." Saying so, the Elven King skipped away and disappeared quickly. "He''s as mysterious as always," Rahu muttered, noticing a group of people running towards him. At the lead were Trot and Lace, followed by the others that logged out of the Dungeon upon hearing his shout. "Is it true that the Dungeon Boss will revive?" Lace asked. She was confident that Rahu was an expert. After all, when he told her to create a Bamboo Wall, his words were short, but she was able to understand it. It was difficult, if not impossible for two strangers to exercise this level ofmunication and coboration. That was unless Rahu was able to understand her character and intelligence level during the short time frame he observed her. Considering how he swiftly dispatched the Dungeon Boss by cornering its advantages in a matter of moves, she became confident that Rahu was a prodigy of sorts. Hence, she believed his words and left the Dungeon. And the moment she arrived at Larkrood Vige, she rushed to find him. Rahu didn''t answer her and instead faced Trot, "The Female Mid-Boss told you something, right? What is it?" "She said she remembers my attack patterns." Trot said, expressing his confusion, "I have some doubts regarding this situation." "Tell me too, Trot. Don''t hide it." Lace said, restless upon seeing Rahu and Trot turning silent. "But the next time, I''ll return stronger. And then, I''ll kill you." Rahu faced Trot and Lace, "This was what the Dungeon Boss said to me." "Man, what I feared became true." Trot scratched his head in irritation, "Everything is too realistic. First is the pain factor which is the same as reality. So, fighting is scary. Secondly, we need to eat and sleep here to maintain our body''s functions. And now, the animals in the Dungeons aren''t given the monster treatment but that of a yer." "Does that mean what I think it is?" Lace''s face turned pale. "Yes," Rahu nodded, "Just like the users, the Dungeon Boss will revive shortly. And it''ll remember us killing it and its brethren. The monkeys will take revenge once they make preparations." His voice turned serious, "This time, they''ll invade our vige. But unlike their Dungeons," Rahu stared at the vast ins, "We have nothing to defend ourselves with." Chapter 40 40: Unregistered DOVA Agent "What do we do then?" Lace expressed her worry. "If they defeat us and upy this territory, they''ll be able to kill us every time we spawn. If they cover the ground with the Female Mid-Boss''s traps, we''ll lose our legs the moment we spawn. It''ll be a losing battle from that point onwards." "It''s more concerning since I don''t see any option to change our spawn point." Trot said in worry, "If we reach one of the other two Beginner Viges, we''ll be able to change our spawn point. But we neither know the route nor their location." "It''s foolish to change locations." Rahu said, "There''s no guarantee that those viges aren''t facing the same situation as us. Besides, our spawn point is currently here. So, the moment we''re killed during the journey, we''ll have to return here." "Do you have a n, brother?" Lace faced Rahu. "Call me Woof," Rahu said without a change in expression. "Woof...?" Lace''s face reddened in embarrassment, "Why...did you pick that name?" "What do you think?" Rahu teased. "I''m Trot, and she''s Lace." Trot introduced themselves, "We became friends during our Beginner''s Quest. There are two more of us, but they were killed by the Dungeon Boss." "In Worldcraft time, they will take around a week or so to log in." Rahu nodded. He then thought of their situation and addressed everyone that had converged around him. There were around a hundred people, "I have a n." "Opponents that can cause us significant harm are the Elite Monkeys and the three Bosses from the Dungeon. Since their spawn point is within the Dungeon, we only need to guard its entrance." Rahu condensed a Grass Stick and drew on the barren ground. He made a line in the centre and drew a rectangle on either side, "This line is the portal. We''ll erect a wall on either side. It''s narrow at the entrance and is surrounded by cliffs. We can easily build arge enough wall." "We have no tools though." One of the spectatorsmented, "The tree trunks are thick. We won''t be able to clear them out to make a wall on time." "Who here has a Leaf Wing Skill?" Rahu shouted and pointed at the people that raised their hands, "They''ll be in charge of cutting the trees. The Leaf Wings are sharp enough to act like a saw. As long as everyone coborates, it''s possible." He then pointed towards the remaining people, "As for the rest of you, please spread the word about the Dungeon Boss''s revival and their possible invasion. All of us arecking Skills. So, those without one can continue to hunt in the Dungeon. That''ll prevent the monkeys from amassing an army for the time being." "Those that obtain the Leaf Wing Skill can join the deforestation project." Once he concluded, the people split into groups to perform the tasks. Those at the scene witnessed him killing a Dungeon Boss effortlessly. So, they treated him as a leader. Besides, in the entire Larkrood Vige, only he possessed the Dungeon Boss''s Skill. That gave him the necessary authority to give out orders. "The two of you,e with me," Rahu said and proceeded towards the Dungeon. "Um...Woof?" Lace asked hesitantly. "Yes?" Rahu looked at her. She pointed at his bleeding thigh, "Shouldn''t we treat this?" ''It stopped hurting, so I forgot about it.'' Rahu tore his pants and inspected the wound. It was a flesh wound. But as he didn''t have a first aid kit with him, he could only tie a piece of cloth around it to stop the bleeding. The bleeding was faint and the wound was already beginning to form scabs, so he didn''t concern himself with it. As treatment facilities weren''t avable, there was no other choice. But if Rahu killed himself and revived once his stats recovered, he''ll arrive in a pristine state: wounds fully healed and his clothes in their original state. But, that would mean he would lose his Skills. There was an option to unequip the Invoker Crystals from his Leaf Guard. But once unequipped, the Invoker Crystal would crumble. That would be a loss. Therefore, only when he lost his limbs would suicide be a valid option. Now that he thought about it, the actions of the Dungeon Boss made sense. Since its Invoker Crystal had been extracted by Rahu, remaining alive was of no benefit. Rather, if it had been captured and confined, the Dungeon will lose its Dungeon Boss. That would put its brethren at risk of being enved. Therefore, the moment it was defeated, the Dungeon Boss decisively killed itself. This way, it would revive. And when it does, it would be in a pristine state, with its Skill. "Once we get through this crisis, we can gradually recruit doctors and equip them with the tools necessary to offer treatment." He spoke. Tools to operate on wounds, diagnose one''s condition, herbs to create medicine, location of herbs, a treatment institution, etc.I think you should take a look at A lot had to be figured out before a medical institution could be set up. So, until then, one could only put up with any injuries they sustain. Apanying Trot and Lace, Rahu entered the Grass-Faced Monkey Dungeon and observed people fighting against the monkeys near the entrance. The bamboo wall at the entrance had been destroyed already. There were too many people. As a result, the monkeys were getting pushed back. At present, there were no monkeys around three metres from the Dungeon entrance. With the death of the Boss and the two Mid-Bosses, they were getting pushed back by the Elven Race users that were gradually equipping themselves with the Leaf Wing Skill. Rahu surveyed the area and arrived at a spot two hundred metres from the entrance. He erected a Bamboo Spike there and addressed the duo, "We''ll create a wall from this location. There''s a clearing in the trees after this, so it''ll be easy to deforest this area." An open space prevented an avenue for the monkeys to swing on the trees and reach them. He patted a thick tree trunk and marked it with two horizontal lines, "Let this tree serve as one of the wall''s pirs. Use it as the foundation to build a wall around." He then went around and marked all the trees that would be pirs for the wall, tracing a U-shaped path. He alsomunicated the details with the people that had begun to saw the trees closer to the entrance. He then shouted, garnering the attention of everyone as he created a Grass Stick, "We need grass to make a Grass Stick. The Skills of the three Bosses can work on either grass or bamboo. We haven''t seen them being able to activate their Skills from wood. So, all we need to do to buy time is to clear out all the grass from the ground." "Won''t it make us vulnerable too..." Lace muttered and paused, clicking her tongue as she stared at the Dungeon entrance in realisation, "Right, there''s plenty of grass beyond the Dungeon there. We can use that for our Skills." "A Grass Stick canst for a couple of hours. That''s plenty of time to carry them from outside and head into battle." Rahu continued to speak, "Once we clear this area of all grass and bamboo, even the Dungeon Boss cannot approach us." ''That''s impressive.'' Trot thought as he stared at Rahu, shuddering in admiration, ''Did he consider everything already? This man operates at a rapid pace.'' He then observed the people listening to Rahu without muchining, ''He also has enough charisma to make people listen to him.'' Of course, not everyone listened to him. The people acting after being influenced by his words barely numbered a couple hundred. There were tens of thousands currently active at Larkrood Vige. And once it''s evening time in reality, the poption at Larkrood Vige would balloon to frightening numbers. It was impossible to gather everyone to work towards a cause. This was just the initial days since Worldcraft''s release. Not many would love being restricted to some cause already. They would wish to be unfettered. Rahu then erected dozens of Bamboo Spikes. He pulled out one and plunged it into the ground, beginning to dig. He stared at the others, "Those without a Leaf Wing Skill can use these Bamboo Spikes to dig holes." Trot arrived with a bundle of bamboo and broke half side towards the end, saying, "We can use these like a spade to dig out the loose soil." "Let''s build a wall!" The people were rather excited as they used the simple bamboo tools. It seemed they were all gamers. Hence, they were an enthusiastic bunch. Realising the necessity of a wall, they were happy to toil. After half an hour, Rahu stopped digging as he stared at Trot, "Can you do me a favour and note down the names of everyone working on this wall?" "I don''t have any writing apparatus, so it''ll be hard." Trot frowned as he looked around and stared at the faces of those working for the cause, "But I''ll make sure to remember their faces." "That should be fine. I''ll help them gather a Skill in return once I return." Rahu said and got out of the pit he dug. "You''re leaving?" Lace expressed her confusion, "Isn''t this too soon? All of us gamers spend at least five hours at a stretch..." "Sorry, I''m not a gamer. I have some urgent matters to tend, so I''ll have to leave." Rahu wrote a number on the ground and logged out, "This is my number. If either the Dungeon Boss revives or something important happens, call me. I''ll be sure to return immediately." "Wait, do you trust us..." Trot spoke in a hurry and stopped upon seeing Rahu''s grin as he waved his hand and vanished. Returning to reality, Rahu stared at a blinking message in his augmented Reality interface, his face scrunching up at the message sent by the DOVA Agent with the Synchro Code R. [R: I visited Kazakhstan today and entered their treasury. Talgat Musabayev''s uVR Earth is safe. I confirmed its legitimacy. There are no signs of tampering done to it. So, Rakshat Gupta''s existence makes no sense. He''s an unregistered DOVA Agent.] Chapter 41 41: Overpowered Emu Nanmangm Reserve Forest! During the height of noon when the temperature was the most unbearable, coupled with the humid weather, it wasn''t a time of the day anyone wished to be out and about. As a result, security wasx. Right during lunch hours when the people in charge of security were having their meals, a group of six people, camouged with clothes resembling the forest patch sneaked into the reserve forest. "Keep the conversations to a minimum. No radioing until we''re out of the premises." The boss of the group, Rubesh motioned for them to maintain silence as they cut through the barbed wire forming the reserve forest''s boundary. Once they entered, he rejoined the cut portion to make it seem as if it hadn''t been breached. Considering his expertise, it was apparent that this wasn''t his first time breaching the premises. The group sauntered through the forest, hearing high-pitched chirps of birds resounding all around them. Nanmangm Reserve Forest was home to about 85 species of birds, a good number of which fell under the endangered species category. Hence, they fetched arge sum in the ck market. With the continued boom in poption and economy, the size of humannds continued to expand, not to mention their appetite for luxury. As a result, products made from exotic bird species went for a premium. Not just the consumer market, but even research institutions wanted these birds, for they carried unknown viruses that could be cultivated inbs for a variety of purposes: medicine, bio-war, etc. As the areas frequented by these birds were protected by the government, a demand for poachers was created in the market. And as they say, where money flows, so do the flies courting it. "Release the gas," Rubesh said once the group arrived underneath the crevice formed by a massive monolith. This was his usual hiding ce in the reserve forest. Not only was it out of sight for the officers from the forest department but there also existed a wind flow here that reached most parts of the forest. At hismand, one of the poachers took out arge cylinder from his backpack and twisted its valve, releasing sleeping gas into the air. They all wore gas masks to protect themselves against the sleeping gas and hence weren''t worried. They came prepared. Two of the poachers in the back held submachine guns, just in case the forest officials noticed their presence and sent in a punitive force. The remaining two carriedrge cages to ce the captured birds. As the birds would be unconscious thanks to the sleeping gas, they''ll be able to sneak out without alerting anyone. After the sleeping gas was released, the poachers waited for ten minutes until they were assured the effects kicked in. It was a slow-acting sleeping agent. Had it been stronger, the birds would have been rmed. They would fly out immediately and disrupt all ns. Using a pair of binocrs, Rubesh observed a Crested Honey Buzzard perched on a branch far away. Its eyes drooped before soon, it was fast asleep. With that, he gave the signal, "Go, capture them." The poachers made a move and began to userge captures propped to long sticks to capture the birds. Within an hour, they captured more than a couple dozen birds. Their inventory was almost full as Rubesh observed the birds, "Great, all are from endangered species. They''ll fetch a premium..." He paused speaking, noticing an Emu staring at him from close up. It spanned a height of 190 centimetres, a head taller than Rubesh. It had craned its neck downward until its beak was right before his right eye. With a slightly tilted head, its eye was eerily staring at him. Its murky breaths ruffled his face, causing the skin underneath to crawl. Rubesh was startled. Emus weren''t the silent of birds. They were flightless and made noise while moving around, but most of all, they were massive, reaching the size of adult males. How did he miss something so massive until it was right before his face? "Boss, watch out!" One of the poachers in the back shouted in shock and opened fire, causing bullets to spew around. "Idiot! Don''t fire..." Rubesh''s warning came a tadte as the sounds of the gunshots resounded in the forest, causing the birds not affected by the sleeping gas to take flight immediately. The forest officials were alerted and they immediately sent in a punitive team, worrying poachers had infiltrated the forest. "Impossible!" The poacher that was shooting muttered in a daze as the Emu dodged the bullets. No, it was following the direction the nozzle of his gun pointed towards and was evading in advance. Moreover, it expressed enough cunningness to always be positioned behind one of the poachers, preventing him from getting in a direct shot at it. "This Emu is strange. Don''t shoot. You''ll hit us all." Rubesh shouted as he unsheathed a long knife and lunged at the bird. The rest of the poachers pulled out their des, intending to hack the annoying bird. "Die!" Rubesh thrust his knife at its chest. His vision turned dizzy as he lost bnce in his legs and tumbled to the ground. "Krook...Grook..." The Emu made low guttural sounds as it leaped back. It had kicked Rubesh in his jaw, knocking him out. As a de arched towards its neck, the Emu unfurled its wings and took flight, stunning the poachers. "What nonsense is this? Emus cannot fly!" The poachers screamed in confusion. But more than that, the Emu''s wings were...massive.I think you should take a look at Spanning a wingspan upwards of five metres, it covered the sky when it took flight. Each of its ps seemed strangely silent, like a butterfly''s. The most startling detail was its wing design. They resembled a peacock, but were a pristine white, as if made from spider silk. Strange triangr designs covered the wings, with the third, shorter side making an arch. The arches bent slowly, like the tugging of a bow before soon, the eyes of the poachers widened at the absurdity of everything. Followed by the sounds of a hundred snaps, feathers flew out of the Emu''s wings and bombarded them, piercing their bodies. The poachers screamed in pain as they lost their sight when the feathers pierced their eyes urately. With grace, the Emunded on the ground and gracefully walked towards Rubesh, the only one among the group that was able to see. "You...what are you?" Rubesh grunted, unable to have a clear image of the Emu as his vision still spun. He observed a blurry entity, seemingly the Emu''s face approached closer until its beak was before his right eye. Followed by a plop, it punctured his right eye. As Rubesh screamed, his left eye followed suit. By this point, the forest department sent a team of five people, armed to the teeth with modern weaponry. One of them brought out a drone and sent it scouting first. His uVR Earth''s ck glow intensified as he controlled the drone expertly. Soon, he had a visual on the poachers, frowning at the sight, "There are six poachers. Two are armed with submachine guns. But they''repromised, Captain." The Captain of the team motioned for them to stop moving as he analysed the visual sent to his Augmented Reality interface, "They''re clutching their eyes. Some sort of chemical substance should have been used. But, there are no signs of abrasion, melting, or anything of the sort." The drone ryed a high-definition scene of the poachers thrashing about. The Captain inspected their figures, "Their actions make no sense. It might be a trap. Exercise caution. We''re moving in..." His footsteps paused upon noticing an Emu head peak over his shoulder and stare at his gun. He turned around and noticed part of the Emu''s body phasing through the soldier standing right behind him. His face paled, "Induced Reality..." "Everyone! Run!" He bellowed as everyone promptly scattered. They had been trained to survive against Induced Reality. Since there was a limit to the number of people it could be unleashed upon at a given time, the limit being three or four for the best, scattering allowed at least one or two from their team to survive and report it to their superiors. With that, they''ll be able to summon their DOVA Agent to take care of things here. The Captain ran for his life as he ryed a distress signal to the forest department. "Come in! We''re being attacked by a DOVA Agent! Reply something..." For some reason, his distress signals weren''t being sent to the forest department. The Captain''s head turned around in despair as the world seemed to have slowed down. The Emu suddenly sprouted a pair of massive wings that spanned five metres and took flight, hovering in the air like a deific being as the triangle patterns in its feathers convulsed. Soon, a sea of feathers homed towards him, "My God...!" The sea of feathers drowned him, causing his body to fall to the forest floor, unconscious, as was the rest of the soldiers he brought. A couple of minutester, two robed figures walked towards the Captain, coughing out blood from time to time. Their uVR Earths flickered jade but seemed to be getting increasingly unstable. "Strip them bare." One of them muttered and proceeded to remove their weapons, clothes, etc. only leaving them in their underwear. "Unscrew their Nerve Gear." The second hooded figure muttered and began to unscrew the uVR Earths of the soldiers. Only their Neural Connector was surgically imnted in their heads. The uVR Earths were just screwed into the socket at the top of the Neural Connector. With that removed, the soldiers became normal people, no longer able to use the powers of AR and VR. The hooded duo then dragged the soldiers and tied them around arge-trunked tree alongside the poachers. They then took out strange devices resembling uVR Earths and corked them into the Neural Connectors of the eleven people. "We only need ten." "We can have the extra serve as a backup." Once the new uVR Earths were screwed in, they shone with a jade hue. The flickers were unstable, but the light represented DOVA uVR Earths. Every few seconds, they flickered erratically. A couple of minutester, the flickering of all eleven people synchronised. "It''s done." One of the hooded figures wiped the blood leaking out of his nose and smiled, "We greet a new era of excellence!" Dozens of Emus popped up into existence around them. Chapter 42 42: Looking Through Rakshat Guptaa??S Virtual Space [R: I visited Kazakhstan today and entered their treasury. Talgat Musabayev''s uVR Earth is safe. I confirmed its legitimacy. There are no signs of tampering done to it. So, Rakshat Gupta''s existence makes no sense. He''s an unregistered DOVA Agent.] ''This makes no sense.'' Rahu frowned and replied. [I: Did the Kazakhstan government sell his 3D Avatar to someone?] [R: I obviously inquired about that, but they haven''t done anything of the sort. I looked into their records to verify it. The 3D Avatar''s source died long ago, so it''s not possible to create a new model out of him. That leaves two possibilities.] [I: I''m all ears.] [R: Either Talgat Musabayev sold his 3D Avatar''s data or he waspromised.] [I: Compromised? What do you mean by that? Did you inspect his corpse?] [R: I haven''t done that yet. Not sure if any information remains after so long. But bypromised, I mean individuals like Rakshat Gupta. It''s impossible to illegally create uVR Earths. The scale of the factory necessary to make them is so huge that it''s easy to detect. Megasphere is constantly surveying the world through our satellites to prevent that. And creating DOVA uVR Earths is even more impossible. One DOVA uVR Earth requires as many resources as a thousand uVR Earths. Obviously, you would have thought this too.] [I: Yeah, I did.] [R: That means the enemy is capable of tinkering with uVR Earths to give them a DOVA uVR Earth''s properties. Considering how the resource necessary for uVR Earth creation is monopolised by Pomegranate Corporation HQ in Australia, and the fact a DOVA Agent''s 3D Avatar is in the hands of an unregistered DOVA Agent, we can only conclude that there''s a leak in the source.] [I: I dare not imagine a problem with Megasphere. That would be terrifying. We aren''t even authorised to approach anywhere close to Australia.] The production nt of uVR Earths was in Australia. There only existed one nt in the world, and it was here, with a production capacity ranging between 10-15 million uVR Earths a month. The primary resource used in an uVR Earth was an artificially createdpound. And the raw materials necessary to produce this were present only on this continent. The scarce resources scattered throughout the world had long since been mined and transported to Australia. Currently, Australia was transformed into a manufacturing hub solely in possession of Pomegranate Corporation. Its strategic location meant it couldn''t be invaded or attacked by any nation. All manufacturing facilities of Pomegranate Corporation were in Australia. The only people allowed to live here were employees of the corporation and their families. They had to follow strict rules. First of all, they were forbidden from leaving the continent. Second, they couldn''t leak any pictures of the continent on the inte. Of course, as Megasphere monitored their actions, leaking any information on the inte wasn''t possible. These people worked on maintaining and running Pomegranate Corporation, developing new products, and finally, working on basic maintenance of the facility where the supeputer of Megasphere was installed. There existed drones and androids to perform any and all manual tasks required by Megasphere, from mining resources to building structures. As the world''s greatest AI oversaw everything, there should virtually be no blind spots. [R: Recently, I have been attacked by strange people. They seemed like members of a cult and were dedicated to killing me. I fear it''s Manav orchestrating things behind the scenes. I don''t know what he did, but if a loophole exists in Megasphere''s vision, he has firmly grasped hold over it.] Rahu could immediately recall two incidents. First was Rakshat Gupta, an unregistered DOVA Agent. Second was Mahesh. As a civilian equipped with a civilian uVR Earth, he was able to unleash Induced Reality, albeit for a short duration. And the one to appear from that as a 3D Avatar was Manav himself. Both instances operated beyond the norm. As the technology behind uVR Earth was closely guarded by Megasphere, Rahu couldn''t even begin to understand just what Manav did to unleash such a phenomenon. Secondly, he had yet to figure out the connection between Manav and Rakshat Gupta. [I: I fear that''s the case. It seems we need to look into uVR Earths as a whole.] [R: That won''t be easy. Other than that, did you interrogate Rakshat Gupta? He''s our only solid lead.] [I: I''m still working on that.] [R: Alright, I''ll be waiting for an answer. I''ll look into things on my side too.] Themunication ended there as Rahu contemted things for a few minutes before exiting his room. He walked to a nearby ward where Rakshat Gupta was kept sedated.I think you should take a look at Induced Reality-Dark Room! Rahu unleashed his ability and observed that the effects of the previous Dark Room still existed on Rakshat Gupta. Dark Room was an ability with lingering effects, since it overpowered the body''s senses to make them feel as if they were in a dark room with no light, sound, smell, and even gravity. The lingering duration of the effect varied from person to person. At its full power, Rakshat Gupta was under its effects for more than four days. Since he was in a sedated state, the effects wore off slowly. Induced Reality-Inverse Perception! Rahu arrived at Rakshat Gupta''s Virtual Space. It was the default grasnd with a waterfall. The only difference was within the house located adjacent to the river. The interior was modern and futuristic. There were some books in the living room, aputer that contained some games, and a bunch of videos, from educational to straight-up erotic. Rahu had already gone through them all and failed to find anything useful. Attached to the living room were two bedrooms. Chained to the ground in one was the masked man, Rakshat Gupta''s 3D Avatar. It was originally able to move in the Virtual Space, but Rahu had chained it there. The masked man hadn''t eaten anything and had grown visibly weaker. But once his condition falls below certain parameters, he would be reset. The body would immediately recover to its pristine state by consuming some brainpower. Rahu had interrogated the masked man. But all he had were the memories and experiences of the original 3D Avatar in its nascent form-right after it had been created. So, that too was a bust. But, Rahu did learn that every time Rakshat Gupta arrived at the Virtual Space, he entered a basement. The entrance to the basement was in the second room. There was a piano in the centre and only by ying a musical piece at a certain rhythm would the door open. He gained this information through interrogation because, right before boarding the airne to confront Rahu, Rakshat Gupta had entered the basement. But as he sent the masked man away whenever he did so, thetter didn''t know of the details about the basement. As usual, Rahu yed the musical piece and entered the path leading to the basement. He walked down the flight of stairs that numbered two hundred and arrived before a steel wall. There was a twenty-four-digit number lock on it. Only by turning the twenty-four digits to the right number would the safe open. Rahu couldn''t find the number to that. He flipped the ce upside down and still couldn''t find any clues regarding it. The masked man had no idea about the safe, not to mention the pin. If Rakshat Gupta frequently entered the safe, there would be traces. Fingerprints, minute traces of wear and tear, etc. That would have been the case in the real world, but here, it seemed after every time he entered and left the safe, Rakshat Gupta simply reset the safe, thereby returning it to a pristine state. It was why Rahu had no clues to proceed forward with. The walls of the safe were three metres thick. The primary material was steel, but it was alsoyered with other elements to make it foolproof. Bombing,ser, drill, etc. Rahu employed a variety of tricks. But the moment he began to do some damage, the safe would start to heal. It did this by consuming Rakshat Gupta''s brainpower. If Rahu''s actions consumed all his brainpower, then Rakshat Gupta''s body would forcibly produce more. This might impair his brain and even cause his body to go into cardiac arrest. Rahi''s earlier attempts almost killed Rakshat Gupta, so he could only take on a conservative approach. There were explosives strong enough to destroy this safe, but they might also destroy whatever was hidden within. But more than that, if he brought in a nuclear explosive, just to process the explosion might consume so much of Rakshat Gupta''s brainpower that his brain would simply implode. Therefore, hisst option was to manually input the numbers on the number lock until he got the correctbination. Even Rahu wasn''t sure as to when he might seed. He had been at it for a month already. After a couple of hours, he stopped, sighing when he received a message from an unknown sender. [The Dungeon Boss revived] ''I can only resume this once I''m done with my task at Worldcraft.'' It took high priority as too many things in the future would be influenced by it, most of which fell under his line of work. Upon confirming the state of Dark Room''s effect on Rakshat Gupta, Rahu returned to his cabin and slumped on the berth he had asked Ashok to install there. Closing his eyes, he counted to three before he fell asleep and arrived at Larkrood Vige. Chapter 43 43: From Explorer To Gamer "Woof, you''re finally here." Lace shouted as she rushed towards Rahu in a hurry right after she spotted his arrival. "I logged in right after I received the message," Rahu said, thinking that it might have been slightly long here due to time flowing at ten times the speed of reality. "Did the Dungeon Boss revive?" "The two Mid-Bosses already did. If we are judging by their order of death, the Dungeon Boss might have revived by now. We just couldn''t see it." Lace exined, "The revival time seems to be 24 Worldcraft hours." "That''s troublesome," Rahu said in worry. "Trot came to that conclusion too. Why is that?" Lace tilted her head in confusion, "Come on, don''t keep me guessing here." "Your two friends have yet to log in, right?" Rahu asked, saying after Lace nodded, "Let''s guess that they need a day''s rest to recover their stats fully. They can log in after that. But, a day in reality equates to ten Worldcraft days. In contrast, the creatures of Worldcraft can revive within a Worldcraft day." "Aha! I got it!" Lace pped aloud, causing a couple of people nearby to nce at her. She seemed oblivious to their stares and said in realisation, "Theoretically, the Dungeon Boss can revive every day. So, it can recklessly attack us. But if we die, it''ll take us ten days to revive. So, even with smaller numbers, they can overwhelm us." "You''ve summed it up neatly." Rahu expanded upon her conjecture, "Every time it revives, it''ll be at full health and stats. Inparison, we''re only getting progressively more exhausted. But to rest, we must go to reality. Two and a half hours there is a day here. That''s not enough time to recover anything for us, but the animals here are brand new by then." "So, death is their ultimate tool against us." Lace shuddered. The duo jogged their way to the Grass-Faced Monkey Dungeon and observed an empirical wall being built there. The branches of trees serving as a pir were broken off, trimmed, and then used as logs to patch the gap between the pirs. A good number of trees had been cut and transnted to act as the wall. It was still a work in progress though asrge patches of the wall were empty. "The pace of progress is slower than I expected." Rahu frowned as he looked around. The number of people working on the walls was less than what he observed at the start, "What happened to the rest?" "They were killed." Lace sighed as she pointed at the sky. Rahu stared up and understood the reason. Gliding high across the sky were the Elite Monkeys, carrying stones, heavy pieces of branches, and even Bamboo Spikes. The moment they selected a target area, they dropped the items, using the bombardment to kill the Elven Race workers. It was stressful working in such a situation. They couldn''t concentrate on building a wall. And the moment they focus on their task and gloss over the existences in the sky, a rock or branch would fall on their head and kill them. Rahu observed an Elite Monkey glide through the sky as it flew through the forest and proceeded towards the cliff. It curved up towards the end of its flight path, raised its angle of attack to stall, and thennded on the cliff wall. From the height advantage there, it observed the people working on the wall below, screeching from time to time. They weremunicating. These Monkeys observed the Elven Race and ryed information to the rest. There existed a group in the air that didn''t carry anything. They wouldnd on the cliff,municate with the scouts there and then climb high up on the cliff. Once they leap from there, they would glide their way back deep into the forest and inform their superiors about what they found out. As a result, the Monkeys were gaining intelligence on their invaders in real-time. "You''re here, Woof." Trot ran out of the forest, dodged a hail of stones, and panted as he arrived next to Rahu, "Things are getting worse." "What''s happening in the interior? Are our people doing some damage against them?" Rahu wondered. "We''re getting ughtered." Trot expressed his worries, "After its revival, the Female Mid-Boss has cunninglyid out traps on narrow paths. Many lost their legs as a result. And those that moved through the open paths were showered with rocks. And worst of all..." He groaned in frustration, "The Monkeys treated those with severed legs and prevented them from bleeding to their deaths. They then gagged their mouths to prevent them frommitting suicide, tied up their hands, and then hoisted them high up in the trees like scarecrows." "Intimidation tactic, huh?" Rahu turned serious. "Yeah, and it''s working great." Trot said, "Those that simply wished to fight retreated in fear. The ones unable to stand the gore returned to the vige and decided to practice with their Grass Sticks. After all, those killed by the Monkeys lost their Grass Stick Skill too."I think you should take a look at "Without a Skill, they cannot increase their stats. And since there''s no economy here, no one has the money to buy a Skill." Rahu figured out the scheme at y, "Only after people have equipped all six Skills would excess Skills appear in the market. We have a long way to go to reach that point. Until then, users without Skills can''t aplish anything in Worldcraft." "Many of those are searching for the Elven King to beg for a Grass Stick Skill. But," Trot shook his head, "He''s elusive. None managed to find him." "Shouldn''t this scheme be the handiwork of the Dungeon Boss?" Lace said as she stared at Rahu, "Can''t you kill it once again?" "I can''t," Rahu shook his head, "It''s too risky. I can kill the Dungeon Boss, but then I won''t have enough Brainpower to defend against any traps. A misstep and I''ll die and lose my Skills. Since I''m the only one with the Dungeon Boss''s Skill, if I were to die, the Dungeon Boss''s advantage will further increase." "Not many people dare to enter the Dungeon now." Trot sighed, "At this rate, we''ll never finish the wall. Moreover..." As Trot pointed at a spot on the cliff, Rahu frowned, "I noticed it too." At a spot on the cliff two hundred metres above the ground, a group of Monkeys had huddled together and were drilling into the cliff wall. Tying a rope around a Bamboo Spike, they pulled the rope''s ends alternatively, causing the Bamboo Spike to rotate at rapid speeds. This allowed it to drill through the cliff wall. The problem with this was that the Elven Race users below were employing the same method to create their wall. The Monkeys were imitating their actions. And the fact of the matter is, they were building a tform on the cliff to allow them to standfortably. Their tform only consisted of a single Bamboo Spike. They were Monkeys and not Humans. Therefore, a group of Monkeys could casually stand on a piece of bamboo as if it were tnd. This allowed them to camp out and observe the actions of the Elven Race. A Monkey glided through the air andnded on the cliff walls, carrying with it a bag weaved from grass. Within it were fruits. The Monkey hung the bag on the Bamboo Spike and satfortably. It picked a banana from the bag, peeled and calmly ate the fruit. It then threw the peel towards the ground, aiming it urately to m it into the face of an Elven Race user that just entered the Dungeon. "What the fuc...a banana peel?" The Elven Race user stared up and noticed the Monkey on the cliff wall, raging when it taunted him by shing its buttocks. He roared as it shook its buttocks and ran up the cliff. "I''ll kill you!" The Monkeys were lodging more and more Bamboo Spikes into the cliff wall, starting from an altitude of thirty metres until around two hundred metres. This allowed them to swing from one tform to another without issues. More and more Monkeys began to camp at the cliff and observed the people, learning their ways. "The core issue we face is that the Monkeys are united under the banner of the Dungeon Boss." Trot said as he observed the Monkeys creating an borate, "But we don''t. So, what do you say, Woof?" "Are you a leader material?" "Leader..." Rahu wasn''t confident. The Grass-Faced Monkeys were part of a species. They were born and grew up in the Grass-Faced Monkey Dungeon, as their Worldcraft lore stated. So, they grew up as a collective whole. In contrast, even though the user''s side consisted of the Elven Race, they weren''t one. Neither were they born as part of the race nor did they grow up in Larkrood Vige to share a collective sense of belonging. Moreover, they came from all over the world, from various social, economic, linguistic, religious, and cultural backgrounds. Most of the users came to have fun, a break away from their stressful lives in reality. Asking them to follow someone was impossible. That would be no different from reality where they lived under the whims of politicians and rich businessmen. "A leader is useless for us. None would follow," Rahu muttered as he arrived at a conclusion after some thought, "What we need is a pioneer, a gamer that sets a record. Only a speedrun can ignite thepetitiveness of our gamer souls. But first," He began to think up a n, "We need to change the mindset of the users from explorers to gamers." Chapter 44 44: A Dungeon Sport "Come one,e all!" Lace carried a piece of a branch whose leaves covered its top like a dome. She treated it like a mike and shouted like an anchor, "We''re having a contest!" Twenty metres away from the wall that was being built was a tform made of bamboo. It spanned four metres in area and reached three metres in height. Standing on it was Lace, her voice booming. Affixed on the ground right before the tform was a lever formed by a bamboo pole almost four metres in length. The shorter side of the lever spanned a metre while the longer side formed the remaining three metres. A wooden cup was tied to the end of the longer side; it was a tadrger than a human head. ced in it was a dense piece of wood, cylindrical in shape, weighing a couple of kilograms. The tip of the cup touched the ground. The lever stood at an inclination of forty-five degrees to the ground. Standing beside it was Trot, wearing a grass hat to garner attention towards himself. His unique getup, coupled with Lace''s shouts grabbed the attention of onlookers. A crowd gathered around them. Most of them had been observing the tform from when Trot began building it. The crowd increased in numbers quickly, reaching four hundred, causing Lace to be nervous. She looked around, staring at the figure of Rahu leaning on a tree next to the Dungeon entrance. Upon seeing him nod confidently, Lace braced herself and put on an excited expression. "Now! We''ll have a small contest. Our challenger here, named Trot has proimed that he was once a ranker in Angry Birds. If you don''t know about that game, go back to school, you brat!" She roared until veins popped on her neck. "Anyone can top the rankings of a mobile game if they dedicate enough time to it." One of the spectators snorted in disdain, "Come to the point, will you? Things are different between a mobile game and an actual sport." ''Perfect!'' Lace was relieved at the spectator''s retort. Of course, he was a nt. But to her surprise, his acting was better than she had thought. It convinced even her. Lace pointed at the spectator and said withughter, "You, sir, are correct! Hence, Trot is extending this challenge to everyone. Can you beat his record?" "Just what is this game, anyway?" "Yeah, don''t beat around the bush,dy." "We''re all busy people." "Alright! I won''t waste time with an exnation. The game itself will be self-exnatory. Now, I''ll begin the countdown." Lace pointed at Trot, "Be ready, sir. Have you selected your target?" "Yes, I''m ready." Trot exhaled softly as he rxed his limbs. He then stared at the tip of the lever''s shorter side, focusing on it. His serious expression and his concentrated demeanour caused the crowd to turn silent, wishing to see what he was up to. Anyway, it was free entertainment. So, they wouldn''t shy away from basking in that, whether it was something dramatic or pure mockery. "On a count of three, we''ll begin." Lace shouted at the top of her voice, "Three! Two! One! Start!" Trot burst into action. His right hand pushed the tip of the lever''s shorter side, moving it horizontally. In a second, he affixed theunch direction and bolted to the top of the tform, leaping with all his might. As he fell, Trot bellowed at the top of his lungs, "Rawrrr!" Hended on the tip of the lever''s shorter side and sent it mming into the ground with force. In response, the lever''s longer side instantly shot up into the air, transferring all the generated momentum into the cylindrical tree trunk at its tip. The cylindrical trunk shot through the air at tremendous speed and boomed toward the cliff. Dozens of Monkeys were situated there, seated on long poles of bamboo lodged into the cliff wall. The Monkeys were rmed at the projectile. But, it happened too soon, causing their reaction to be dyed. A projectile mmed into the body of a Monkey with enough force it was thrown off its footing. It didn''t even let out a shriek as it began to fall toward the ground. As the Monkey was on the cliff wall, it was a straight trip to the ground. By now, Trot was running on the ground as all his attention was on the falling Monkey. Followed by a leap, he caught the Monkey and yanked the Invoker Crystal on its forehead, roaring towards Lace, "Time?" "14 seconds!" Lace announced aloud. "Heck yeah!" Trot leaped in victory as he equipped the Invoker Crystal. His actions pumped the onlookers that cheered in response. The sport seemed cold-blooded at first nce, but as the Monkeys simply revived, not many voiced an opinion against it. Even Rahu couldn''t say much, since the Monkeys made sure to take revenge. That was why he created such a sport, knowing very well its pros and cons. "That was awesome!" "Great aim, my man!" As the crowd praised Trot, he suddenly did something that stunned them. Observing the trail of blood leaking out of the forehead of the Elite Monkey that was still alive, Trot walked towards the cliff wall and stared at the group of Elite Monkeys ring at him from above. He raised his hands to show the captor in his hand.I think you should take a look at He then ced the Elite Monkey on the ground and sped his hand in prayer, disying his respect. Trot turned around and walked towards the tform. Even though he injured the Elite Monkey, he caught it before it fell to the ground. And once he plucked out its Invoker Crystal, he respectfully ced it in the corner for the Monkey''srades to pick it up. He didn''t torture it. Just that fact alone transformed it from a ughter into a sport. Of course, the Monkeys threw stones at him in retaliation, but Trot didn''t fight them. Instead, he ran out of the Dungeon. "14 seconds! That''s the current record!" Lace shouted right as Trot left the Dungeon, "Remember, everyone! It doesn''t count if you fail to catch the Monkey while it''s falling. You have to disy your sportsmanship for your record to be valid." "Shall I try it?" Rahu walked out of the crowd, taking advantage of the crowd''s momentary silence as Lace exined the rules. "Sure!" Lace nodded happily as she announced, "Give a round of apuse for our next challenger, Woof!" "Hahaha!" "That name''s a riot!" "Damn, that guy. I was gunning for that name." The crowdughed as Lace''s introduction about Rahu was pretty much a dog''s loud bark. One of the spectators that Lace appointed as a judge walked forward and reset the lever''s position and ced a cylindrical trunk on the cup. They had prepared around a dozen cylindrical trunks with the same size, weight, and dimension to make the contest fair. "Ready?" Lace trailed off as she began the countdown, "Three! Two! One! Go!" Having spotted his target on the cliff wall, Rahu acted at the same speed as Trot. He moved the lever horizontally to fix itsunch angle. He then rushed to the top of the tform and leaped,unching the cylindrical trunk. His mark was off by a metre as it hit above the Monkey he targeted. As the cylindrical trunk bounced off the cliff, the targeted Monkey caught it, hissed once, and threw it at him. Rahu flinched as he evaded the projectile and stomped the ground, shouting in frustration, "Damn, I was close!" "You failed, sir." Lace said in enthusiasm as she shouted while the judge reset the lever, "Now! Who''s next? Raise your hand!" Many hands shot up among the crowd as Lace selected one that repeated the task just as how Trot and Rahu had done. The first two set up a perfect example of sess and failure. So, everyone knew how to y the game correctly. The game received a lot of enthusiasm for three reasons. First of all, people weren''t seeing any sess in getting Skills from the forest. It was too dangerous there due to the numerous traps and ambushes. Way too many people died. So, it was too risky to venture into the forest. Second, to monitor their actions and attack the users so that they wouldn''t finish building a wall, the Elite Monkeys had to camp at the cliff wall. Without this deterrent, too many users would converge at the ce and build a wall. Following that, they''ll begin clearing the trees. That would shrink the territory of the monkeys until they would have nowhere to go. Third, both these elements converged into this game. The Elite Monkeys had no other choice but to stay on the cliff wall. And, this was also the safest and most realistic option for the users in getting a Skill. Moreover, it was fun, especially thanks to the cheers from the crowd. As Lace anchored the sport, she became more and more ustomed to riling up the crowd that continued to increase in numbers as word reached Larkrood Vige. From the corner of the crowd, Rahu observed everything. But, his attention was primarily on the forest. And he saw, hidden amongst a group of Monkeys atop a tree, witnessing the scene was the Dungeon Boss. It was calmly watching the event unfold and didn''t take action. After all, thanks to the event, the deaths of the Monkeys became almost nil. Only the Elite Monkeys died, and that too at most once every ten or twenty minutes. That was pretty much nothing. At this rate, before the users could kill even a quarter of the Elite Monkey poption, those killed at the start would revive. It was rather advantageous to them and the Dungeon Boss understood it clearly. ''Okay, it has been baited sessfully.'' Rahu smiled as he turned around and began to walk towards the Dungeon portal, ''It won''t invade us for the time being, since it has the chance to observe us invaders without any risk.'' He exited the Dungeon and stared at the figure of Trot waiting there, fully equipped for a journey, "The n''s working." "You''re amazing, Woof," Trot said and apanied Rahu as they crossed the hill where the Grass-Faced Dungeon''s portal was and walked further into the forest. "Tell me the truth. Are you a professional VR gamer?" "Nothing of the sort." Rahu waved his hand casually, ''Back in the day, I aspired to be a professional eSport yer. But that became a dead dream.'' "Let''s hunt for better Skills now." Chapter 45 45: A Popular Lace "We officially have our first child charging at the ranks!" Lace shouted, "Show the kid some love, everyone!" "All the best, kiddo!" A middle-aged man from the crowd shouted. As the crowd cheered, a teenager took position before the lever. By this point, many enthusiastic gamers had volunteered for service. Two users with the Leaf Wing Skill began to create more cylindrical trunks. One of them quickly tied up arge wall of bamboo and nted it next to the tform. He made grooves to slide in cards that were made from bamboo bark. There were ten grooves in total, ranked top to bottom. When someone scored within the top ten, their name would be written on the bark and updated on the table. They just broke the tip of one of the Bamboo Spikes Rahu had created and used it as a pen to make inscriptions. It was crude at best, but that was enough to get the crowd hyped. Now that there was an official scoreboard, people were only getting more enthusiastic. Originally, Trot was in first ce. But by now, he was already pushed to fourth. As people observed the sport more and more, they were already thinking of methods to make the process more efficient. That was the essence of a speedrun. ''Mom, Dad, your daughter is famous!'' Lace made a dramatic pose as she shed a tear. Followed by a twirl, she began the countdown for the teenager. Her throat was slightly sore from all the shouting, but she was having too much fun to stop at this point. ''Trot, Woof, please gather lots of Skills.'' She prayed and continued her job of making the sport a spectacle. By now, the concerned duo had already walked far away from the Grass-Faced Monkey Dungeon. Slung on Trot''s shoulder was a strap leading to a thick bamboo cylinder. A section of it had been cut to act as a container. Stored within it were a bunch of fruits, enough to serve as food for three meals. The cylinder hung at his back, making it less burdensome to carry around. Hanging around his neck was a loose rope made of bamboo. It was connected to a bamboo cylinder barely bigger than a fist. It was meant as storage for Invoked Crystals. Finally, held in his hand was a sturdy wooden branch. Its sides had been slightly scraped using a Leaf Wing to make it smooth to hold and wield. Rahu was simrly equipped. He held one extra item though, and that was a sharp piece of rock. For every twenty trees they crossed, he would inscribe onto a tree trunk an arrow mark indicating their walking direction. He also numbered them, with the one closest to the Grass-Faced Monkey Dungeon starting from the number one and so on. This way, even if they get lost, it''ll be easy to determine their position thanks to the numbering and direction. Only in a dungeon could they farm for Skills. Currently, the Grass-Faced Monkey Dungeon was in a vtile state. If the Monkeys charged out with reckless abandon, Larkrood Vige would copse. Therefore, to strengthen themselves, they had to find another Dungeon. Even if Rahu was reckless in another Dungeon, it wouldn''t matter, as they would be far enough away from the vige. The consequences won''t reach them. After every hour of the journey, Rahu would return to reality and spend a minute there. He would browse the forums to see if any news regarding Dungeons was posted there. There was some information about Dungeons, but nothing in Larkrood Vige''s vicinity. "What the...?" He was surprised during one such return to reality, seeing the forums bing agitated. Every Beginner Vige was located adjacent to a Dungeon, just like Larkrood Vige. Every Race had its respective Realm. And every Realm had three Beginner Viges. With seven Races in total, that implied 21 Beginner Viges. Currently, in the Yellow World Realm, home to the Lizardmen Race, Namphur Beginner Vige was being raided by the Silver-Tongued Iguanas. The Lizardmen Race users there were overwhelmed as many were killed easily. Currently, it wasn''t possible to record the events that happen in Worldcraft, as that function wasn''t avable. So, people could only text their observations. The users that were killed in Namphur Vige wereining on the forums about the unfairness of Worldcraft. Some gained sympathy, some were attacked, and the rest were mocked. Many users began to boast about their exploits that prevented such a crisis in their vige. In the forums, thementers had their Worldcraft name by default. Moreover, they were colour coded based on their race, so it was easy to identify their position. Rahu soon focused upon the greenmenters, those from his Elven Race. There was one name that was being praised during the discussions repeatedly. As it was a sh of egos, every race flexed its side''s fortune. And those from Larkrood Vige were no exception, forming a surprisinglyrge chunk of the flexing popce. Rahu saw his name pop up a couple of times as the one that killed the Dungeon Boss. But he wasn''t the highlight. It was Lace. As she was the one that anchored the sport constantly watched and cheered by hundreds of people, her name was brought up all the time. It was thanks to this sport that many users from Larkrood Vige gained a Skill.I think you should take a look at Therefore, they flexed that Larkrood Vige was the fastest at present in terms of growth and had the greatest number of users with more than one Skill. Lace only carried out Rahu''s n, but he wasn''t concerned about her getting all the credit. She did execute the n spectacrly to the extent so many people were hooked. That took real social skills. "She''ll be surprised once she returns to reality and checks the forums." Rahuughed. "Did something good happen, Sir?" Deepika asked, seated on a chair near his berth, resting. "Are you seeing the forums?" Rahu asked. "Yes," Deepika nodded. "I''m having fun in Larkrood Vige." Rahu made a subtle boast. "That''s pretty lucky." Deepika snorted. Rahu calmly observed her expression, ''She''s trying to hide her irritation. Considering her state of distraction, it''s not because of me or work.'' Heughed, "Are you from Namphur Vige?" Deepika grunted in response. That was enough confirmation for Rahu as heughed, "Well...good luck?" "You can ask me for advice..." "I''ll be fine, thank you." Deepika was only a step away from plucking her hair out in frustration, "Once my stats recover, I''ll kill those lizards." "Have fun." Rahu nodded and closed his eyes, intending to return to Worldcraft. "Sir, you have an appointment in an hour. Please return before then." She said in a hurry, her tone turning calm and professional. It was as if a switch was flipped. "Didn''t I finish today''s work in advance?" Rahu tilted his head. "We have an appointment with the Nanmangm Reserve Forest Department at 6:00 PM. We need to depart by 5:00 PM to reach on time." She said, "Considering the distance, you won''t make it on time even if you start on your cycle now." "Did you purposefully wait until now to say this?" Rahu frowned, "I don''t like using..." "Nope, this just came in," Deepika spoke without a change in beat, "We''ll also transport your cycle in our specialised van, Sir. We''re constantly disguising it for every mission to ensure no one knows it''s you inside." "Even the boarding process will be done securely, outside the office premises." "Alright, do as you please." He didn''t wish to argue with her. Considering the distance, he would be exhausted by the time he reaches the destination. So, he''ll be ill-prepared to tackle the problems. At least when he was in Delhi, his jurisdiction was only the capital city. So, even if it took a lot of time, it was traversable on his cycle. But after being posted as the Chief of the Chennai DOVA Branch, he was in charge of an entire state. It''ll take him more than a month to cycle from one end of the state to another, so Rahu had no other choice but topromise. "Also, please don''t mentally exhaust yourself." Deepika said, "The forest department hasn''t figured out the source of their problem yet, but judging by the tone of confusion in their voice, things seem serious." "I''ll conserve my strength." Saying so, Rahu closed his eyes, counted to three, and logged in to Worldcraft. Deepika resumed her task by segregating the documents that arrived from time to time, nning the itinerary for the next day. She had one eye on the Worldcraft forum, clicking her tongue every time someone posted about the worsening situation in her vige. "If only I killed the Dungeon Boss..." She sighed, "It was too much, so I logged out to escape." Remembering the sea of explosions that surrounded the Dungeon Boss as she and the other Lizardmen Race users fled the scene, Deepika sighed and clutched her trembling hand, "It''s too terrifying." Chapter 46 46: Smart Cats "Let''s go," Arriving at Larkrood Vige, Rahu stared at Trot and spoke calmly. "How far are we going this time?" Trot asked. They travelled exactly ten hours during every expedition and jotted down their paths with the markings on the tree barks. Ten hours in Worldcraft equalled one hour in reality, so it was a perfect mix between both worlds. Besides, instead of travelling all over the ce without a sense of purpose, they logged out and returned to Larkrood Vige to start anew. This way, they could cover the grounds around their spawn point. This was also a wise decision since if there existed a Dungeon beyond ten hours of journey on foot, it''ll consume too much of their time. It wasn''t cost-effective in terms of resource umtion. Besides, despite it being another world, Worldcraft still retained some basic game elements. That meant there ought to be many Dungeons located close to Larkrood Vige. They only had to be discovered. It was easy to find the Grass-Faced Monkey Dungeon due to the habitat formed by the Monkeys beyond the Dungeon. That and their proximity to Larkrood Vige made their location well-known. Rahu was looking for such a habitat. Because, if it existed, it meant the presence of a Dungeon at the centre of said habitat. "Meow!" During their tenth expedition, Rahu and Trot came to an abrupt halt as they heard a Cat''s purr. Rahu raised his hand and motioned for Trot to maintain silence as they hid behind arge-trunked tree. He gently peeked out and observed a brook flowing between a narrow clearing of trees. The brook barely spanned a metre in width at its widest parts. It was shallow, only reaching thirty to forty centimetres at its deepest depth. The brook''s path was redirected by arge root that protruded out of the ground. Perched on the root was a Cat, letting outzy, annoyed purrs. It had dipped its right foreleg into the brook water and sshed the waterzily, searching for a fish. It didn''t have any luck, for the water was too shallow for a fish to swim through. But considering how ity waiting at the location, it seemed that though barely, fish swam through the route, enough to serve as its snack. Grey fur that was dull in nature, sporting patches of brown stripes throughout its body, it was arge Cat that spanned a length of ny centimetres. Lodged on its forehead was an Invoker Crystal, having a decently bright sheen. "Jackpot!" Trot whispered in excitement. "Let''s remain in hiding until it leads the way to its home," Rahu whispered as he gripped his wooden stick tighter. He had no idea about the Cat''s Skill, so it was best to remain on guard. If it possessed a trap Skill simr to the Grass-Faced Female Mid-Boss, then they would lose their lives at a moment''s mistake. So, remaining in hiding while observing their target was the best course of action. The Cat remained in wait for a good couple of hours. It seemed to have fallen asleep as Cats always do. Its right foreleg remained immersed in water though, seemingly waiting for something. Its whiskers trembled as its ears shot up. The Cat sprang up and leaped deftly, grabbing hold of a tiny fish that it gobbled up in a matter of seconds. It then stretched its body rxedly and let out a loud cry, "Meow!" The Cat immediately sprinted downstream, meowing every ten seconds. "Go, go, go!" Rahu shouted as he rushed out and tailed the Cat. They had to maintain at least a distance of twenty metres to avoid alerting the Cat, for despite their caution, their footsteps were loud. It was also hard to keep track of the Cat through the forest. If not for its constant meowing, they would have lost sight of it already. The Cat ran a kilometre and arrived at a halt to drink some water from the brook. It suddenly turned around as its ears perked up, causing it to screech in rm. But upon failing to detect any other species, it rxed soon enough. "That was close." Rahu tapped his thumping chest as he hid behind a tree. Trot had slumped on the ground beside a shrub. Though, when he noticed an anthill nearby, he became nervous. "Woof, if I stay here any longer, they might consider me food." Trot expressed his worry as he watched ants marching towards him. They stopped a couple of centimetres before him as their antennae iled about. The ant scouts returned to their nest. But many more scouts came out soon after. They were deciding whether or not to consider Trot as their dinner. And to him, that was a valid concern.I think you should take a look at "Stay put and look for a safer location. I''ll give a signal when the attention of the Cats is away. You''ll move to safety after that." Rahu whispered. Yes, Cats, plural. He peeked from behind the tree and noticed more than thirty Cats in a clearing. They had been working on something. The location they picked was a high ground. Downstream of the brook after that was a downward slope. It was a great location to build a dam, which was exactly what they were working on here. Cats, working on a dam, they were building it, from scratch. For a couple of minutes, Rahu stared at the scene, stupefied. He had never seen thesezy monarchs work on anything. To be honest, a good portion of human society had been enved by them through the sheer weaponization of their cuteness. Thanks to their gics, for a good portion of their history, Cats had been provided for, especially by humans. So, they could bezy and still live a king''s life. But here, they were toiling away to build a dam like beavers. There were around a dozen Cats with an Invoker Crystal embedded on their foreheads. Based on the difference in their sheen, there were at least two Skills involved here. "What...the heck?" He stared at the scene, bbergasted. A decently fat Cat climbed a tree and licked its paws, standing still on a thick branch for a couple of minutes. It stared at the Cats moving on the ground, signalling with a soft purr as its tailshed the branch. Its Invoker Crystal glowed brighter as immediately, the branch was cleanly severed, causing it to fall to the ground. A group of Cats leaped onto the copsed branch and in a matter of seconds, all extra protrusions on it had been trimmed out, smoothly. The Cats weren''t using their ws or anything of the sort. No, it was a Skill, meant to cut into wood. The branch was quickly broken down into uniform logs that were then rolled toward the dam. The Cat they had been tailing all along arrived before a log ced in the dam as it leaped on it. its Invoker Crystal shone as it seemed to have activated a Skill, causing a pike to jut out of the log and stab into the ground. In a matter of seconds, the log transformed into a nail that pierced the ground, its head barely peeking out. This was used as an anchor to hold the walls of the dam firmly. The slope was four metres in length. It spanned from an upstream ground two metres above the downstream region. So, the slope wasn''t steep. But it was enough for a dam wall that was raised to a height of two metres. It was connected to the upstream ground, creating a wedge-shaped region where water could collect. An interesting mechanism was installed here. As the water filled the dam to the brim, the Cats installed a lid that was covered with tiny holes for water to seep through. The water from the brook flowed over the lid and was sucked into the dam below through the holes, causing the tiny fishes swimming in them to be stranded on the lid. The stranded fishes twitched due to ack of water. At the sight, the Cats drooled as they meowed incessantly. One after another, they leaped over the dam''s lid, gobbled up a fish each, andnded on the other side, content as they munched upon their snack. With this, they didn''t have to fret about food and could casually camp near this dam and gobble up the fish caught on the lid. The sheer intelligence they disyed here was frightening, for this was an innovation. Beavers built dams, but that was a product of evolution where they gathered such a survival instinct gically through countless millennia. That wasn''t the case for Cats. Therefore, it only meant that they were smart enough to conceptualise an innovation for their needs and build things like humans. They employed the Skills at their disposal to make their lives better. Rahu had observed the rapid learning capacity of the Grass-Faced Monkeys. And now that he witnessed the Cats working on such an ingenious project, he muttered in assurance, "It will not be like Earth. Here, in Worldcraft, we alone won''t be the overlords." One of the Cats caught two fish andnded on the ground nearby the dam, preparing to eat. It set the two fishes on the ground and began to work on the former, slowly savouring the taste. Suddenly, a leaf sprouted out of the ground right next to it as the nt grew to a height of a metre. The leaf spanned a square metre in area, massive. The nt arched as the leaf pped the Cat in the face and sent it reeling away. The Cat mmed into the trunk of a tree and copsed to the ground in a pool of blood. A hole opened next to therge-leaved nt as a rat peeked out, grabbed the two fishes, and dragged them into the hole. It covered the entrance and ran away. Chapter 47 47: Wood Cutter And Leaf Swatter "Meeo!" The Cats became enraged when one of them was killed. The p by therge-leaved nt was brutally powerful. The targeted Cat''s skull had cracked from the impact. The attacker had vanished underground, but it seemed the Cats were aware of the perpetrator''s identity as they charged in a particr direction. "What happened?" Trot asked as he couldn''t see from his position behind the bush. He dusted himself when a scout ant climbed up his arm. "There''s a Rat Dungeon here. One of them used a Skill to kill a Cat and steal its food." Rahu said and propped Trot up, "They are probably rushing towards the Rat Dungeon. Let''s go." The duo trailed after the charging Cats, tracking their presence through their incessant screeches. The Cats were triggered by the death of their brethren and were now out for blood. Five minutester, Rahu and Trot arrived before a small mound barely a couple metres tall. Affixed within it was a portal, situated under a root cluster that formed the words, ''Grass-Tailed Rat Dungeon.'' The portal was barely a metre tall, too small for a person to walk into. Upon seeing the Cats rush through the portal, Rahu muttered after a bit of thought, "Let me go and see first." "Be careful," Trot said and took hold of Rahu''s luggage. Without any weight to hinder him, Rahu rxed his aching muscles and crawled through the portal, staring at a narrow cave beyond. There was only enough space for him to crawl through, ''I won''t be able to fight here.'' He exited it soon after, sighing as he stared at Trot, "This isn''t feasible." The tunnel was dark and narrow, making it impossible for a human to move through it and fight. Secondly, it was a maze with dozens of twists and turns. Thirdly, this was only in terms of the main tunnels which were at least wide enough for a person to crawl through. There were hundreds of smaller tunnels through which only Rats could move. Somehow, grass grew in these tunnels, which meant the Rats could attack him anytime using a Skill. He would be helpless to defend against them. "Is our only option to wait for the Cats to return?" Trot sighed. "Yeah," Rahu nodded as he hid himself in a secure location, "Hopefully, the Dungeon of the Cats can be raided." They waited there for an hour. And soon enough, the over thirty cats that had entered the Dungeon began to exit. Their numbers had been reduced to about twenty, some of them which were in a bloody state. Each Cat dragged a basket seemingly weaved from grass. Contained in each were the corpses of Rats, at least a dozen in number. They had a sessive haul of food. The Cats were exhausted as they dragged their respective haul and proceeded to walk in a certain direction. Upon noticing that, Rahu nodded at Trot, implying thetter to rush in the respective direction and confirm the presence of a Dungeon there. As Trot sneaked away, Rahu patiently trailed the group of cats and observed their behaviour. Twenty minutester, Trot returned and said in excitement, "It''s the Wood-w Cat Dungeon. I found it. But there are too many Cats in the Dungeon''s vicinity. We can only raid it aftering up with a n." "Great," Rahu smiled and mmed the ground, activating the Skill of Bamboo Spike six times, expending over 210 Brainpower. As the Cats were exhausted from the battle they had just been through, they were a tadte in reacting. Bamboo Spikes jutted out of the ground and pierced their bodies. Rahu aimed in such a way that each Bamboo Spike pierced through at least three Cats. Only one Cat survived the ambush which was dealt with by Trot. With that, they gained a bunch of Invoker Crystals, belonging to both the Cats and Rats. Rahu picked an Invoker Crystal from a Cat at random and observed its stats. [Skill: Wood Nail] [Grade: Moderate] [Brainpower: 65] [Willpower: 12] [Empower: 3] This was the Skill used by the Cat to lodge a wooden nail deep into the ground to anchor the dam. It was a Skill that would be useful in a variety of situations, especially in construction. It would save them a lot of time in digging and anchoring wooden pirs for their wall. Rahu extracted the Invoker Crystals, seeing most of them containing the Wood Nail Skill. He soon found the second Skill employed by the Cats and observed its stats. [Skill: Wood Cutter] [Grade: Inferior] [Brainpower: 10] [Willpower: 1]I think you should take a look at [Empower: 1] The function of this Skill was to cut into wood. The range was limited, but it was very valuable, especially considering their current situation with a massive need for construction tools. The Wood Cutter Skill woulde in handy to speed up the process. Considering its varied uses, he equipped it immediately. Trot too took his pick from the Skills and also reserved a batch for his friends. Rahu put a couple of Invoker Crystals in the fist-sized bamboo container slung around Trot''s neck, "Logout and check if these Invoker Crystals are brought with you to Larkrood Vige once you log in." "I''ll return here immediately." Saying so, Trot logged out. But as Rahu expected, the unequipped Invoker Crystals weren''t considered part of his essory. Hence, when he logged out, two Invoker Crystals fell to the ground. "This makes things more troublesome." Sighing, Rahu picked up the two Invoker Crystals and stored them. Normally, when they logged out, any equipment on their self was considered as part of their clothes. As a result, it arrived with them when they logged in to Larkrood Vige. But Invoker Crystals weren''t considered as part of their clothes. Hence, it was troublesome to hold onto them. There was no concept of inventory here. Meaning, they can''t hide the Invoker Crystals. Anyone could steal them, especially since they didn''te under the logout and login mechanic used by the users to shorten their travel distance, as Rahu and Trot did while searching for Dungeons. A way to safely store them was to bury them in a safe spot like they were a treasure and hope no one else stumbles upon them. The only other way was to keep them in the custody of someone. But that too posed its share of risks, with trust and ountabilitying into y. After forming a group, they''ll transfer the Invoker Crystals to someone online in Worldcraft every time they log out. But if a third partyes to know of this information, they could steal it or beat it out of the person. There was now in ce at Worldcraft to guarantee the safety of anything. Until now, if someone fell under harm, they''ll log out to safety. If someone tried to force their beliefs or self on someone, the victim could avoid it by logging out. When they return, they''ll arrive at Larkrood Vige. This logout mechanism was what prevented Worldcraft from turning into awless haven for the twisted. But this will change once peoplee into possession of Worldcraft''s wealth-Invoker Crystals. A user could only equip six Invoker Crystals. If unequipped, the respective Invoker Crystal would shatter. So, any unequipped Invoker Crystal they gain possession of should be carried on their body, which meant it''ll be dropped when the user logs out. "Until a mary system is installed, owning these Invoker Crystals does more harm than good." Rahu sighed, firming his incentive to kill the Grass-Faced Dungeon Boss ten times. That way, he would gain the authority to install a bank that would act as a safe for the Invoker Crystals and disperse currency using them as a pledge. It was apparent that Trot understood the mechanic once he logged in to Larkrood Vige and failed to detect the two Invoker Crystals in the fist-sized bamboo container slung around his neck. While he made his way toward Rahu, the person in question began to collect Invoker Crystals from the Rats. [Skill: Leaf Swatter] [Grade: Inferior] [Brainpower: 15] [Willpower: 3] [Empower: 2] Not only was Leaf Swatter Skill cheap to use, but it also possessed potent destructive power, even if it could only be used once upon activation. It could be installed in the game they were currently ying at the Grass-Faced Monkey Dungeon to further enrich the experience. In just one ambush, they harvested a total of 33 Invoker Crystals. 27 Leaf Swatter Skills, 4 Wood Nail Skills, and 2 Wood Cutter Skills. Among them, Rahu equipped a Wood Cutter Skill and Leaf Swatter Skill, since he felt they conformed to his fighting style. At present, he had four Skills in total: Grass Stick, Bamboo Spike, Wood Cutter, and Leaf Swatter. Grass Stick was useless as it was just an entry-level Skill. He nned to swap it out once he obtains better Skills. Once Trot returned, they packed their belongings, scouted the Wood-w Cat Dungeon''s surroundings, and began to make their way to the Grass-Faced Monkey Dungeon. "Will this work?" Trot felt nervous. "Yes," Rahu nodded in assurance as he entered the Grass-Faced Monkey Dungeon and walked past the crowd of people. He entered the forest as his uVR Earth in reality shone jade, causing the Liger to possess his senses. That was instantly reflected in his Woof character in Worldcraft as Rahu unleashed a predator''s bloodlust, causing the monkeys to give way naturally. He calmly walked through the thicket of trees and stopped before a certain tree and looked up, "Will youe out? Or shall I rampage here a little?" From behind a group of Monkeys on a branch walked out a seemingly unassuming Monkey, without the bamboo crown it originally wore. It was the Grass-Faced Monkey Dungeon''s Dungeon Boss, having camouged itself among its brethren to watch the activities of the Elven Race. It stared at Rahu, nervous as its limbs shivered under the killing intent he emitted. It slowly opened its mouth and uttered, "What...do...you...want..." "Woof?" Chapter 48 48: A Deal With The Dungeon Boss "What...do...you...want...Woof?" At the Dungeon Boss uttering his name, Rahu almost broke intoughter. He promptly controlled himself to ensure he didn''t break out of character and calmly stared while spiking the killing intent he exuded. The Monkeys in his vicinity were unable to endure it anymore as they retreated to farther trees, leaving behind the Dungeon Boss to face Rahu alone. "What do you think of this?" Rahu threw an Invoker Crystal to the Dungeon Boss, smiling as he watched it catch in a hurry. The Invoker Crystal contained the Wood Nail Skill. It was a Moderate Grade Skill, on the same level as the Dungeon Boss''s Invoker Crystal. Bamboo Spike jutted out of the ground while Wood Nail pierced the ground. The Dungeon Boss inspected the Invoker Crystal, asking after observing its stats, "Where did you get this?" "Do you want it or not?" Rahu asked curtly. To avoid the Dungeon Boss thinking too much about it, he used his killing intent to pressure it. The previous time he fought the Dungeon Boss, it was his decisive victory. Moreover, prior to its death, the Dungeon Boss had touched him and seen his terrifying stats. It became aware that even ten of it wouldn''t be his match. Therefore, fighting him wouldn''t be wise. It was why it hadn''t dared to kill him. Even though a swarming tactic would be enough to kill Rahu, too many of its brethren would die. Even though they would revive, the Dungeon Boss didn''t wish to see their suffering. It had been a couple of days since the game started. Very few Monkeys lost their life following that. Aspared to before when both the Monkeys and the Elven Race users killed each other, this could almost be termed peaceful. The Dungeon Boss was drunk on peace. Moreover, it was averse to fighting against monsters like Rahu. It was the reason it hadn''t decided on invading Larkrood Vige. Had Rahu not installed the game to give the Dungeon Boss a taste of peace, it would have invaded their vige already. ''This is a Moderate Grade Skill.'' The Dungeon Boss thought as its eyes shone. It stared at Rahu and asked, "What do you need in return?" Its question was an acknowledgement of the Invoker Crystal''s usefulness. It brought a smile to Rahu''s face. ''As I suspected, they are useful for the other races here.'' Worldcraft was created to evolve the minds of humanity. But, as a wise man once said, ''Humanity progresses the fastest when its existence is threatened.'' History was the best example. The number of innovations that sparked into existence during the two world wars was immense. Even though these inventions were created for the purpose of war, right as the war ended, the various inventions were transformed for civilian betterment. When one side unleashed chemical warfare, the opposing side created medicinal countermeasures to counteract the chemicals. And when thetter too retaliated with chemical warfare, the former advanced their medical research to treat their affected soldiers. The purpose was messed up, intended to up each other, but the results derived from it caused technology to advance at a rapid pace. That was what one called the ''Need of the Hour.'' Simrly, if there was no threat to humanity in Worldcraft, their growth would slow down. Only when their territory growsrge enough would a conflict happens. But with seven Realms, each spanning the surface area of Earth, no war on the scale of a world war would erupt for at least a couple of centuries. Therefore, conflict has to be localised. And that appeared in the form of Dungeons, especially from the intelligent Dungeon Races that were able to observe, learn, and grow through interaction with the users. Considering how Invoker Crystals formed the core of Worldcraft''s power system, there ought to exist a method through which the Dungeon Races could gain an advantage through the Invoker Crystals of other races. Rahu''s thoughts ended here. As a result, he probed the Dungeon Boss. He wasn''t sure of the reason, but its response meant there existed tangible benefits. "I need two things from you." Saying so, Rahu threw the fist-sized bamboo container to the Dungeon Boss. When it opened the container and saw the various Invoker Crystals within, he continued, "First, I need you to store these for me and guarantee their safety. For every ten Invoker Crystals I store in your care, I''ll pay you an Invoker Crystal." "When I need them, you''ll bring them to me. Otherwise, you''ll store them deep in the forest, away from the Elven Race." He said and observed the Dungeon Boss turning silent. It stared at the Invoker Crystal in its hand, realising the benefit of this deal. A ten percent tax on Invoker Crystals. All it would need to do is store them safely. With its power as the Dungeon Boss, that was guaranteed. As long as it gives amand, none of the Monkeys from the Dungeon will dare disobey. Moreover, thanks to the sport, none of the users dared to venture into the forest. If they did, the Monkeys could concentrate their attacks on the select few invaders and dispatch them to reality swiftly. Therefore, Rahu''s proposition was to the Dungeon Boss''s advantage, very much so that it wondered if he had a hidden agenda, asking curtly, "What''s the second thing?"I think you should take a look at "Your life," Rahu said, watching the Dungeon Boss be alert as he continued calmly, "I''ll kill you nine times. But after that," He said in all seriousness, "I''ll protect you." The Dungeon Boss stared at him in confusion and suspicion, allowing him to conclude, ''It seems they aren''t aware of the condition necessary for me to gain ownership of this Dungeon.'' Just as he didn''t know of the advantages Invoker Crystals presented to the Monkeys, they too didn''t know about the Quests the users received. As a result, both sides could scheme against each other. "Nine times?" The Dungeon Boss frowned, "Why?" "You see that game?" He pointed toward the cliff wall, "I n to make another just like that." "That will only profit you..." The Dungeon Boss hadn''t even finished its sentence when Rahuughed. He then raised a finger and pointed at the Invoker Crystal in its hand, "It''ll be a fight. If anyone wishes to challenge you, they''ll have to present you with a Moderate Grade Invoker Crystal. If you win, you''ll get that Invoker Crystal. If you lose, the challenger will get yours." "You''ll gain more experience in fighting us and can profit on the side." ''He is dangerous, but these crystals will benefit my race. We can give birth to more Elites and possibly Mid-Bosses too.'' Thinking as such, the Dungeon Boss nodded, "Alright. But if there''s any suspicious action from you, we''ll invade." "Your wish," Rahu waved his hand and walked away, "I''ll begin preparations then." He soon arrived before the crowd that was watching the game and thought, ''With this, I have created a safe to store my Invoker Crystals. I can also legally kill the Dungeon Boss nine times. With this, I have certified my route to ownership of Larkrood Vige.'' ''To protect my goods, the Dungeon Boss will remain deeper in the forest. So, even if another DOVA Agent arrives here as an Elven Race user, they won''t get the chance to target it.'' Rahu was content with this arrangement. Once he finishes gathering all six Invoker Crystals of his need, he could begin training with them to increase their Quality level and raise his fighting prowess. Thanks to Synchronised Reality, he could bring that to reality, a trump card that he could use in times of necessity. "Did it seed?" Trot approached him. "For now," Rahu nodded and asked, "How long will you remain here?" "I do feel tired, so I''ll take a nap in reality." Trot said and looked around, noticing another user anchoring the game in ce of Lace, "It seems Lace has logged out already. We''ll take turns logging in to see the progress of things." "What about your work?" Rahu asked. "That..." Trot coughed awkwardly, "I''m jobless. My parents created some assets in my name, so I''m getting enough money through rent." "That means you have enough time to y here." Nodding as such, he patted Trot, "If anything happens, send a message to my number. Also, remember to return to reality after every ten hours here. That way, your brain won''t be damaged from extender VR use." "Alright, I''ll keep note." Trot nodded. He wasn''t even concerned Rahu would monopolise the Invoker Crystals they had gathered. In their short interaction, he judged Rahu to not ce much value on Invoker Crystals beyond his equipping needs. He didn''t even bat an eye when Trot picked Invoker Crystals for Lace and his two other friends from the pile. It was why Trot could trust Rahu, one reinforced by the sheer strength in character and ability that Rahu disyed. "I''ll return to work then. I will only be able to log in tomorrow." Rahu said, shook hands with Trot, and logged out. Staring at the spot where Rahu stood before, Trot observed the status screen that was disyed when they shook hands, sighing as he shook his head at the sheer absurdity of Rahu''s stats, "It seems I have befriended a real elite of society." "He''s a DOVA Agent." Chapter 49 49: Brain Forest 5:30 PM! Rahu sat in his van and stared ahead nkly. To avoid alerting anyone of his presence within the van, curtains had been drawn on the windows. So, he couldn''t even stare out at the traffic to pass the time. One of his security team members took charge of driving the van while Deepika and Ashok were seated before and after his seat respectively. Held in their possession each was a suitcase. Within the suitcases was a drone that they specialised in operating. They hadn''t used it to date, as most of the situations could be solved without them. Despite that, protocol mandated they carry such lethal gadgets. Each drone came equipped with a variety of weapons. As there was still time for his appointment, Rahu decided to get some shut-eye. Thirty minutes was enough for a quick nap. It would help rx his nerves. "There''s some traffic, Sir." Deepika said as she pulled up a map in her Augmented Reality interface, "We might be dyed." "Anything you heard from the Forest Department in the meantime?" Rahu asked, "What seems to be the issue?" "There''s no response regarding that." Deepika shook her head and sighed, "The department refused to disclose any details until we are within earshot." "No use worrying then." Rahu closed his eyes and decided to rest, "What happened to the scout we sent to the destination?" Deepika pulled up the live feed transmitted to her by a security team personnel that she had dispatched to the forest department in advance, "Nothing unusual." Nanmangm Reserve Forest Department! 6:35 PM! The van arrived at a stop next to the entrance. The driver slid down the window and handed his ID to the security posted there, disying his affiliation to the DOVA branch. The gates opened as the driver drove the van inside. "Sir Rahu, you''re finally here." An officer stood at the entrance and shook hands with Rahu right as he got down from the van. Rahu observed the individual as his Augmented Reality interface scanned him, pulling up his information from the records. [Chandan Kumar, Conservator of Forests (CFO), Nanmangm Forest Department.] This was the basic information. With a thought, the details changed, disying Chandan Kumar''s posting from his date of joining until his current post, the number of years he worked in every location, etc. As a DOVA Agent, he even had ess to Chandan Kumar''s family information, the health condition of everyone, past illness, etc. Once he confirmed that the individual before him was the real deal, Rahu reciprocated with a smile, "What seems to be the issue?" "We''ll talk inside," Chandan Kumar''s facial expression froze up as he led Rahu to a room within the Forest Department, "Please follow me." Ashok and Deepika followed him while the rest of the security team dispersed across thepound. Theymunicated with Ashok in their respectivework while Deepika focused wholly on assisting Rahu. Chandan Kumar brought them to an empty room that was fitted with a tube light and a fan, nothing else. Four stic chairs were set in the room at his order, the cheapest of their kind. "This is to prevent an information leak. Please excuse my behaviour." He said and took a seat. Rahu didn''t mind it. Instead, he became serious. If Chandan Kumar was taking such measures to ensure there was no electronic device in their vicinity, it meant things were grim. The data security of the Forest Department might have beenpromised. Rahu leaned forward and motioned for the forest officer to begin speaking. "It happened at 1:20 PM," Chandan Kumar began speaking, "We detected a group of poachers, five in total. A team punitive team was sent in immediately. Allmunications were cut off soon after." "Have you sent in any drones?" Rahu asked as he tapped his chin in thought. "We executed multiple attempts, but all were met with failure. There''s an electromaic shield erected around the centre of the forest. All drones lose signal at the moment of entry." He expressed helplessness, "We had to resort to satellite imagery and the results were confusing." He took out a sheet of paper on which a thermal image was printed. It disyed eleven heat signatures around arge-trunked tree, seemingly in a seated spot. Positioned twenty metres away were two others, humanoid judging by the shape of the signature. "Even this was only obtained after a lot of trial and error in varying the captured heat spectrum." Chandan Kumar said, "We took an image every hour. All thirteen signatures have remained in the same spot. There''s only one ability that can create such a situation." "That''s why you contacted me, huh?" Rahu frowned as he stared at the forest officer, "But why now? Shouldn''t you have contacted me at the earliest?" "We weren''t sure of the situation yet." Chandan Kumar said. Basically, it took them time to figure out that the problem stemmed from Induced Reality. That meant the jurisdiction of the case fell under a DOVA Agent, which was when they requested Rahu''s presence. Every organisation followed a set of protocols respective to a situation. Besides, to summon Rahu, the forest officers would have to forward the case to their superiors. And only after being sanctioned by the higher-ups would they contact the DOVA Branch. It was a necessary process, which resulted in such a dyed action. Moreover, problems regarding Induced Reality rarely urred, so efficient protocols hadn''t yet been established for them. "You have a team, right?" Rahu asked. "Yes, they are ready." Chandan Kumar nodded. "They shouldn''t equip any electronic gadget. Keep everything mechanical." Rahu said as he got up and was brought to a dressing room to arm himself. He donned a tactical suit, covering himself from head to toe, prepared against all sorts of attacks, from firearm to chemical and even bacterial. "Sir, here''s your gun." Chandan Kumar said and handed an assault rifle. Rahu refused it and instead picked a handgun, "This is enough. It has been a long time since Ist used a rifle. I might just hold everyone back with it. Besides," He tapped his uVR Earth, "This is what I''ll be primarily relying upon." Chandan Kumar led a team of seven. Adding Rahu, Deepika, and Ashok, they numbered ten in total. As part of his security team, Deepika and Ashok had amplebat experience. Besides, their current mission was simply protecting Rahu while the task of the soldiers was in solving the situation. They had different objectives. The team set off immediately, deciding to first enter the electromaic shield set around the forest. Rahu patted Ashok and whispered, "Stop all data transfer with the security team. The signals might be picked up by the enemy. Communicate through emojis just to maintain the connection." Ashok nodded and began to send pings in the form of emojis. There was no meaning behind the emojis. It was just to test the signal transfer in the region as they traversed into forest territory. Rahu''s uVR Earth shone yellow as he entered creator mode, observing a dome of electromaic signals erected around the forest. Thework of signals forming it was dense. But when he traced them to the boundary, he was stunned. There were no electronic instruments there to transmit electromaic signals to form the shield. Rather, the signals were being transmitted from the trees. Rahu approached the closest tree and touched it, sensing the energy waves being emitted from it as a product of various chemical reactions. As a result, a systemic electromaic flux was being transmitted from the tree, with the trunk serving as the node, the branches as the pathways, and the leaves as the emitter. ''How is this possible?'' He couldn''t understand it. If it had been done through humans, then he wouldn''t have been shocked. All DOVA Agents could use a human body as a transmitter source of electromaic radiation. Through Induced Reality, they could control the bodies of their target and influence it in such a way that they unleash certain forms of radiation. It was aplex process but it wasn''t impossible to achieve. Even this was only made possible thanks to uVR Earths. With them, they had already mapped out the human neural synapsework. That data was the reason it was possible. Attempting it through animals wasn''t possible, as they hadn''t been mapped out yet. The day they create uVR Earths for animals would be when they could map out everything regarding the animals. But creating an electromaic shield that blocks all forms of radiation using nts as the source? That was impossible. nts didn''t have a central nervous system or even a peripheral nervous system like animals. Therefore, they remained immune to the effects of Induced Reality. But the scene transpiring before him was an impossibility brought to reality. nts do react to stimuli, albeit slowly. They have chemical reactions in response to stimuli. The face of sunflowers tracking the sun, the lid of a pitcher nt closing when a fly enters its pitcher, the closing of leaves of a touch-me-not nt when touched, etc. They were all examples of a response to stimuli. And somehow, that factor of trees had been employed sessfully to erect an electromaic shield. This wasn''t something that could have been achieved in a day or two. Rahu red at Chandan Kumar, "Was the forest department cking on its duty?" Chapter 50 50: A Sabotage From Base "Was the forest department cking on its duty?" Rahu red in anger as he pointed at the trees around them that were emitting electromaic radiation to erect a dome that blocked all forms of signals, "This has been going on for a long enough time." "I apologise," That was all Chandan Kumar could say in response. They weren''t even aware the premises they had been guarding all along had been broken into, repeatedly at that. Anything else he might say at this moment would only end up being an excuse. "Leave it," Rahu followed up on Ashok to ask about the status of their signal strength. "There''s heavy interference." Ashok said as the blinking of his uVR Earth intensified, "Only when I overclock my brain am I able to send some pings to the outside world. At most a couple of bytes in terms of data space." Ashok then tried to send a message to Rahu, frowning in response, "It''s even worse here. There''s too much jamming to do anything. We won''t be able to control our drones too." "Look here," Chandan Kumar stopped next to a tree and pointed at a drone lying there. It was one among the many sent into the forest by the forest department. He picked it up, observing it crackle with electric sparks. "Some form of blunt object had smashed it..." He then flipped it up, stunned to see dozens of w marks covering the drone''s underside, having clobbered up all the wires within. He turned around, intending to ry the news to Rahu, only to see the world around him darkening unnaturally. ''Aren''t I using my night vision goggles though?'' The equipped night vision goggles weren''t electronic in nature. They were using an old chemical model. So, the quality wasn''t the best. Despite that, it shouldn''t be faulty. Despite everything, his surroundings were turning darker and darker. "Sir, Rahu!" He shouted, failing to find anyone else around him. Even though he was a trained veteran, the situation still got to him, causing fear to sprout in his mind. Faint chirps of birds resounded in his ears, the cries akin to their morning chirps. But in the darkness of the night, it sounded terrifying. Thump! Thump! He could feel his heart thumping louder and louder as Chandan Kumar looked around, unable to find his way. There was no GPS to rely upon, he wasn''t equipped with any electronic equipment, and his uVR Earth''s signals were cut off, hence nomunication. To make matters worse, all he saw was darkness. "Is...is anyone here?" He was terrified. "Aargh!" Suddenly, a hand grabbed his shoulder and yanked him back forcefully. Chandan Kumar shrieked in response and pointed his gun at the target, his index finger about to press the trigger. Bang! Bang! "Rx! It''s me!" Rahu shouted as he lowered the gun to point it at the ground, watching two bullet marks on it. "...Rahu?" It took a couple of seconds for Chandan Kumar toe to his senses. He looked around, noticing that he could see once again. He was out of the forest now, yanked out by Rahu. His soldiersy nearby, all groaning as they stared at the sky, seeing the stars in a daze. "What happened?" Chandan Kumar was bbergasted, "I couldn''t see anything inside." "Induced Reality," Rahu stated with a foul expression. "Induced Reality?" Chandan Kumar was perplexed, "Wait, how is that possible? I thought Induced Reality only amounted to special animals the DOVA Agents use that target the nerves. What the heck is this then?" "It''s not limited, not in any way whatsoever." Rahu said and extended his hand, causing a spoon to appear on it, "A spoon." He flicked his hand, causing a pile of soil to form on it, "Soil." The soil vanished as water began to drip from his palm, "Water." He then shed the palm towards Chandan Kumar, causing a bright beam of light to sh onto him, "Light." "All this is Induced Reality?" Chandan Kumar stared at the beam of light in absolute shock. "We induce our will upon reality. That''s the core of Induced Reality." Rahu then motioned him to stare at the beam of light from the side. "Wait, why isn''t it illuminating anything? Isn''t it light?" Chandan Kumar frowned. As Rahu focused the beam of light on a tree, the trunk of the tree was supposed to light up in response, just as how it would if a torch light''s beam had been directed at it. But, it was dark. "That''s because this light is only in your mind. It''s not real. Moreover," Rahu stared at the tree, "The light I created isn''t perfect, because the data of it is iplete. Reflection, refraction, absorption, etc. when all the variables of light are calcted perfectly for this scenario, the vision in your eyes is corrected." He spoke calmly, "Through Induced Reality, I''m feeding the necessary information to your brain, allowing it to process the light I''m showing to correct the actual image being ryed to it by your eyes. It would then recreate the image to show a bright spot on the trunk." "But as I don''t have that data, I''m unable to recreate it," He addressed the groaning soldiers, "Meaning, if I had the necessary data, I too can recreate what you had experienced in the forest just now." ''Well, my Dark Room is a hundred times more terrifying, if anything.'' He remained silent about that, unwilling to rile up the soldiers to the extent they give up on the mission. "What do we do then?" Chandan Kumar asked in worry, "None of us can guard against Induced Reality. It''s blocking our sight, not to mention having rendered all ourmunication useless within." "Order some optic fibre." Rahu said after some thought, "If wirelessmunication isn''t possible, wired is our only option. Through it, I''ll be sharing my senses with you. We can proceed through the darkness after that." "Got it," Chandan Kumar made an order immediately. Two hourster, they had the necessary equipment set up. Cables of optic fibre properly shielded came inrge rolls. Rahu connected them to the helmets of each, causing their ends to coil around their uVR Earths. The other end of each was connected to him, totalling nine connections. Each optic fibre cable extended up to five metres, attached to a spring-loaded mechanism that maintains proper tension within the cable. This way, even while they were on the move and the distance between each varied with every step, the optic fibre wires would be maintained taut, as a result providing stable, high-speed connection to each other. Chandan Kumar then opened arge case, out of which an android in the shape of a dog walked out. It was equipped with electromaic shielding, free from any form of jamming. It also had thetest military-grade AI, allowing it to be a greatpanion during battles. But to avoid the enemy interceptingmands given to it or even gaining control of it, the only way tomunicate with it was through cable. As a result, another optic fibre cable was connected to him. At present, Rahu was like a prisoner, anchored to ten optic fibre cables. Thest of their preparation was to lodge tenrge nails into the ground and tie ropes to it. The other end of the rope was coiled around the hips of the soldiers. Rahu held the rope and said, "Based on what I sensed about the forest''s Induced Reality, it only affects our eyes. Therefore, if in the casemunication is lost with me, pull the rope and return here. Once you leave the forest''s perimeter, you''ll automatically break free of the Induced Reality''s effects." "Keep watch over things here." Chandan Kumar addressed another forest officer that stood guard at the lodged nails to oversee the rope. If the situation went awry, they could pull everyone back using the ropes. "Yes, Sir." The forest officer saluted in response. With that, their preparations were done as Rahu lead the team into the forest. There was a drum affixed next to the nails through which the excess rope was coiled. As the soldiers moved into the forest, the drum rotated slowly, providing more rope to be pulled into the forest. Five minutester, the forest officer rxed and stared at the drums. He calmly whistled as he crouched before the drum that contained the rope connected to Rahu. The forest officer''s eyes zed over as he pulled out a knife and began to cut the rope. "Sir, what are you doing?" One of the soldiers noticed his actions and shouted in a fluster, but the forest officer didn''t seem to hear him. There were four soldiers in total at the ce, excluding the forest officer. The shout of one of them alerted the rest as they raised their guns in rm, "Freeze! What are you doing?" "Heh," The forest officer snorted in disdain as a trail of blood leaked out of his nose. His uVR Earth''s glow suddenly shifted from ck to jade as a man calmly appeared next to him, visible to all four soldiers. At the sight of the man, the faces of the soldiers turned pale, "No...Induced Reality?" Induced Reality-Manav Sastry! "Fire! Kill the source!" One of the soldiers reacted quickly as he opened fire at the forest officer. He was a tadte as the bullets he aimed for the head only pierced the forest officer''s thighs. The forest officer had leapt behind a drum by now, gasping for air as he growled in pain. Two of the assault rifle bullets hit his thigh bone, cracking it. The shrapnel had stabbed into his leg muscles, causing unbearable pain. "Wow, that''s vicious." Manav Sastry whistled at the decisive nature exhibited by the soldier. He suddenly crouched low like a feline and rushed at the soldiers. As he wasn''t real, the bullets couldn''t harm him. The grounds beyond the forest were illuminated by the muzzle shes as Manav swung between the soldiers, a de in hand as he slit their necks urately. There wasn''t even a bleeding physically, but their brains hallucinated as such, resulting in their deaths. Taking less than a dozen seconds to dispatch four soldiers to the afterlife, Manav stared at the forest officer that was bleeding from all his orifices by now and growled, "What are you waiting for?" "Cut all the ropes before you die." Chapter 51 51: Acquire All Silk "Less than a minute..." Manav Sastry groaned as he observed the forest officer copse to the ground in a pool of blood. He had lost all control of his body, bleeding nonstop as his brain was harnessing way too much power of the body, beyond its biological capability, causing his various organs to fail one after another. Less than a minute since he unleashed Induced Reality, he was on the verge of death. Manav Sastry felt annoyed by it as he calmly crouched before the forest officer and poked him in the head, "At least you cut the ropes. Good, good, good." "Did I...did I do well?" The forest officer asked with a fanatic gaze, not even aware of his bloody state. He was oozing blood from all orifices. His feet had already gone cold from theck of blood supply to the region and several organs had already ceased function. Despite everything, he stared at Manav Sastry as if a devout believer gazing at the deity of their worship. "Yeah, you did well." Manav calmly patted the forest officer''s head, vanishing as thetter breathed hisst. As the soldiers walked into the forest, they pulled the rope with them, causing the cut ends to eventually enter the forest premises too, within the electromaic dome''s range. With it, all ten of them lost their anchors that would otherwise have helped them exit the forest. Manav''s appearance was short but impactful. And once his task was done, he didn''t even stay behind to watch the events transpire. Well, the host that could bring him to reality died already. So, he had no other avenue to inspect the ce. ... Kozhikode Gold Jewellers, head office Thiruvananthapuram! Seated in the CEO''s office, with his head resting on the easy chair, holding a book in ce was a man aged 55. It was nighttime already and he had just attended an important conference. Slumped on the chair, he rxed, intending to remain as such for an hour before it was time for him to return home. At that moment, his uVR Earth blinked blue. Company owners typically owned a red uVR Earth, one that allowed their employees to work from home through Virtual Reality. As he was an old man, he didn''t make the shift and was content with possessing a civilian uVR Earth. He intended to retire soon enough, for he had focused all his life towards hispany. Making a jewellery business was tough, especially since many giants in the country had a hand in the industry. Despite everything, hispany wedged a path for itself through the market share and currently was one of the biggest in the country. As his health was waning, he intended to rx and at least get a taste of the riches he had umted. But the moment his uVR Earth blinked, he sat up promptly, the old man''s nature of wishing to retire vanished like a poof as he sported a solemn, devout expression, full of energy like a youth. Closing his eyes, he fell asleep, arriving at his Virtual Space to see Manav Sastry there. He immediately kneeled on the ground and eximed, "Diamond of Luxury, King Seat, R.K. Raman greets the Cyber God!" "At ease," Manav snapped his finger and cause a pair of chairs to appear. He took a seat and motioned for the old man to do the same, "You''re not young enough to be so hyper. Take a seat." "As you wish," R.K. Raman groaned a little while sitting. His knees weren''t at their best state recently, so he was having trouble due to them. He stared at Manav Sastry, ted to see the deity of his worship, "What shall I do for you?" "How''s the gamer recruitmenting along?" Manav asked curtly. "It''s not going too well. There''s an obvious media bacsh but I''ve already thrown enough funds to suppress them." R.K Raman said coolly, "Currently, we have recruited three hundred graduates who''ll be working full time to erect whatever we need in Worldcraft." "All of them have stats in the hundreds and have affinity exceeding twenty percent for Arachmen." He continued, "There have been some initial losses, but recently, we have begun to mine Invoker Crystals." "We haven''t yet taken control of any of the beginner viges, right?" Manav asked next. "No, I fear if ourpany gains hold of a beginner vige, too manypanies would notice us and target our business on Earth." R.K. Raman expressed truthfully, "Therefore, we''re following your orders to create viges farther away. One of our teams is close to seeding. We just need some time." "Three hundred is too little," Manav frowned, "We need at least ten thousand for my ns." "That will take a lot of time." R.K. Raman sighed, "It will put a strain on our resources, especially since after your previousmand, I have been buying uppanies in the silk business." "Right, you were doing that too." Manav knocked his head once for forgetting that detail and said, "Well, extend a recruitment offer to those without a uVR Earth. Find ones with potent brainwave frequency and make them undergo the operation. Once they''re tied to yourpany financially, use them to make waves in Worldcraft. "I''ll do as you day." R.K Raman nodded respectfully. Manav then asked, "Have any of the DOVA Agents from India entered Worldcraft?" "Only Rahu," R.K Raman said solemnly, "And he has passed an order for all the DOVA Agents in our country to enter it too. I''m afraid it''s only a matter of time before the DOVA Agents enter Worldcraft. His influence in the circle is very high." "Well, that isn''t a surprise. He''s inferior in talent only to me." Manavmented, proud. "Things will change once the DOVA Agents take action. They are too strong for the Dungeon Bosses nearby the beginner viges to handle. It''s just a matter of time before they gain ownership of the viges." After a minute of thought, he spoke, "Well, I''ll leave that part to Heart." "Continue with your acquisition. Your jewellery business is booming. Work with the rest of the businessmen in Diamond and buy up the silk industry. Silkworms, spiders, etc. buy up the regions where these silk-producing insects are concentrated the highest. I''ve left you a blueprint. Build farms ordingly. And keep note," Manav''s voice turned serious, "No one from the media, government, or the public must be aware of these farms." "Understood." R.K Raman nodded and sighed sullenly when Manav vanished, "I hoped to bask in your presence longer." A memory card was left on the empty chair. R.K Raman grabbed it and inserted it into aputer present in his Virtual Space, pulling up all the information regarding the farms, "As usual, the n is detailed to the extreme." "As expected of the Cyber God!" He then called twelve other people that formed the core of the Diamond Branch, one of the four branches-Diamond, Heart, Clover, and Spade-that formed the cult that worshipped Manav Sastry as their God. He changed rooms, arriving at a round table with each seat modelled after the various cards in a deck of cards. R.K Raman took a seat at the position of King of Diamond, calmly observing the vacant seats being filled one after another. The figures of every one were masked by a shadow. It was to ensure information about their identities wouldn''t be revealed to anyone. Even though this was being held inside a Virtual Space, unable to be hacked into, it was better to take caution. Rahu was capable of entering Virtual Spaces. They had verified this im multiple times. It was since then did they begin taking caution on this front too. "Someone other than the Ace summoned us all?" The one seated at the Jack of Diamond expressed their surprise. "Did something happen?" "There is no disturbance in the business world." The one seated at the Three of Diamond said, confused, "Things are proceeding at the calcted pace." Everyone seated around the table were giants of the business world, with each belonging to a respective sector ofmerce. Unless absolutely necessary, for something that might shake their financial foundation, all thirteen of them wouldn''t be summoned. Therefore, discussions spiked in the room. R.K. Raman spoke, intending to calm everyone, "We''re going all out into the acquisition of the Indigo Realm. Please increase the rate of your preparations..." "We know that,e to the point." Suddenly, the Ace spoke, causing the room to turn silent. There was power in their voice, oozing out authority. Even in this room, the one at the seat of the Ace of Diamonds was on another level. Everyone else could only submit and listen to their words. The Ace of Diamonds stared at R.K Raman, calmly pressuring thetter. They were ranked first and second in the Diamond Branch, but despite only being separated by one rank, there was a wide chasm between them. The Ace of all four branches were in a league of their own, handpicked by Manav to excel in their respective field. At the Ace of Diamond''s pressure, R.K. Raman spoke, getting to the point immediately, "The Cyber God expressed his intention," "Acquire all silk!" Chapter 52 52: Spade Attack Squad Indigo Realm, Giant Tarant Dungeon! It was a Dungeon located deep in the wilderness of the Indigo Realm, at least twenty days away from the closest beginner vige on foot. This was one of the Dungeons being raided by the Byte Cult, the organisation worshipping Manav Sastry as the Cyber God. The Spade Branch in the Byte Cult was responsible forbat. Currently, a team of twenty Arachmen had entered the Giant Tarant Dungeon to train their stats. The average Giant Tarant spanned a size of thirty centimetres, massive for a spider. They worked tirelessly to spin expansive webs throughout the stctite caves that formed the Dungeon. The Giant Tarant Dungeon was a functioning ecosystem, as all Dungeons were. There existed a variety of bugs that ate the moss that grew around the moist regions in the cave. These bugs were then preyed upon by lizards. There also existed mosquitoes and a bunch of flies to buzz around and do their thing. Finally, at the top of the food cycle here were the Giant Tarants. By trapping their prey in the expansive webs they weaved, they gathered their food. Moreover, only a select few among the Giant Tarants possessed an Invoker Crystal. First among their kind was the Elite Giant Tarant. And standing at the peak of thedder, controlling the entire Dungeon like a king was the Giant Tarant Boss. The twenty Arachmen part of Spade entered this Dungeon and stopped after walking for a dozen metres. The one at the lead, captain of the group, raised his hand and motioned for them to stop, "This is enough. Let''s begin the resource collection." The captain gently ced his hand on the closest web cluster and activated his Skill. Skill-Silk Bomb! [Skill: Silk Bomb] [Grade: Inferior] [Brainpower: 10] [Willpower: 3] [Empower: 1] This was the basic Skill handed to all the Arachmen users. And as the captain activated the Skill, the cluster of web surged into a thumb-sized capsule that he pocketed. Silk Bombs were storable items. When thrown on a target, they explode upon impact as the sticky silk spreads out a metre radially and constricts whatever existed in their range. It was a trap-type Skill. Even though this was a beginner Skill on the likes of Grass Stick used by the Elven Race, it was slightly more useful due to its nature of being able to trap the target. In contrast, the Grass Stick Skill just created a stick. Any random tree branch could outss it. That wasn''t all. Grass Stick, as an object, wasn''t naturally urring. It was created by coiling around the grass in apressed form. Therefore, it had an expiry time. After all, grass was a product of nature that was alive. If plucked out, it begins to wilt over time. In contrast, spider silk doesn''t degrade over time. Rather, it develops microbe growth on the silk, creating a stable ecosystem of microbes. As a result, the structural integrity of silk, in ideal conditions, is maintained forever. Moreover, Silk Bomb onlypresses the silk. Adding onto their adhesive and stic nature, this was naturally possible. As a result, as long as they were preserved properly, the shelf life of Silk Bombs was forever. The captain of the team motioned for them to take a break after an hour had spanned, "We have expended all our Brainpower. Get some rest now." The group plopped on the ground and took out jerkies that they had brought as rations. Following that, they took a break. As long as they were in Worldcraft, they needed to eat, shit, and sleep to maintain the function of their Worldcraft bodies. But the only way to recover their stats was to rest and recuperate in reality. And considering how they were far away from a beginner vige, they couldn''t just log out. That would bring them back to the beginner vige. "I''m exhausted, captain." One of the peopleined, "I have been living here since the opening day." "I understand, but remember that we cannot rest until we set up a base here." The captain said, "Once we create a vige here, we can log out. Otherwise, every log-out and log-in session would cost us twenty days. We can''t afford to be dyed that much." While they were resting, another group entered the Dungeon and began to create Silk Bombs. Many groups were working on the collection task. Finally, once they had umted more than a thousand Silk Bombs, a team of six entered the Dungeon, brought on a pnquin carried by people. They had been transported from the beginner vige. The pnquin was neatly decorated with silk to give as muchfort as possible while travelling. The people travelling on it had also been provided with the best meals possible in the current Worldcraft settings. Everything was done to ensure their fighting condition was optimal. Spade-Attack Squad! Six people with stats in the thousand, elites among elites. They were tasked with killing the Giant Tarant Dungeon''s Dungeon Boss. "We''ll be camping here for ten days." The Attack Squad''s captain, named Enrigen spoke once the squad descended from the pnquin. "Our goal is to kill the Dungeon Boss ten times, got it?" "Let''s get it done quickly," Dora, the youngest of the Attack Squad said in disgust, "Spiders give me the creeps." "Then, wait here for a minute. Let me make preparations." Saying so, Enrigen met with the six captains that had been making Silk Bombs in the Dungeon by leading a group of twenty Arachmen each. "Captains, how many Silk Bombs do we have?" Enrigen asked. "Around eight thousand," One of the twenty-man team captains coted their gains, "All the Spades have exhausted their Brainpower. So, this is our limit. After this, we''ll have to manually gather and clump the webs into usable clusters. But they won''t be as useful as a Silk Bomb." "Eight thousand," Enrigen muttered, "We might quickly burn through it once the battle starts." "If need be, you can use our bodies as bait." Another captain said, "But our number too is limited. We''re tasked by the Ace to follow your orders without question. So, please n ordingly." "Got it," After some thought, Enrigen began toy down a n, "We''ll establish a supply line for the Silk Bombs. One group will act as a supple line while two groups will defend them on each side. ce sixteen Silk Bombs in a bag each and transport them ordingly. I want all preparations to be done in two hours." "Get everyone to work on that." "On it," The captains nodded and dispatched their teams to begin production. Following that, a captain pointed Enrigen towards a cave floor on which his team used a sharp stone to make a map of the cave. He pointed at the deepest spot, "This is where the Dungeon Boss had spread its. It''s a cylindrical cave system with twenty metres radius and a height of ny metres." He pointed at the diagram nearby where the Dungeon Boss''s location was drawn in detail, "There''s only one entrance and it''s positioned at the bottommost part of the cylinder. The Dungeon Boss is close to the ceiling and along the way, more than fifty Elites stand guard." "What about their homes?" Enrigen asked. By homes, he meant the expansive web every spider weaved. "There''s at least seventy of them." The captain said, "We lost ten men trying to obtain this information. The spiders here are loyal to the Dungeon Boss to a fanatic level. When we set fire to the bottom of the cylinder in order to smoke the Dungeon Boss out, a group of spiders fell on the fire and used their blood to douse it." "Well, fire isn''t always an answer," Enrigen muttered, "Besides, we''re not trying to exterminate them. The web they weave is superior in nature. So, harvesting that takes priority." The captain pointed at a route in the cave, "We have traversed through this path the most and have set up checkpoints at regr intervals. There''s water, ration, pebbles, and Silk Bombs ced securely in these checkpoints. There''s also a team of four standing guard. So, if the Attack Squad proceeds in this route..." "We''ll reach the Dungeon Boss the fastest." Enrigen nodded, "Thank you for your input. I have judged everything to be perfect for the raid. Once we''re done preparing, we''llmence." "Everything''s as the Cyber God dictates!" The captain saluted. "Everything''s as the Cyber God dictates!" Enrigen saluted in response. He returned to face the five people forming his Attack Squad, speaking, "Get ready. We''ll be taking action shortly." He grabbed a bunch of Silk Bombs and crushed them, watching them transform into a pair of gauntlets covering his hands. Skill-Silk Gauntlet! The gauntlet was pretty soft but it had spectacr shock-absorbing capabilities. Moreover, it was coated with the same substance that spiders secrete on their legs to not be stuck to spider webs. With it, none of the spider silk would stick to him. Enrigen then ced a bunch of Silk Bombs on his legs and transformed them into a pair of shoes that were slightly springy, allowing him to jump higher than usual. Skill-Silk Shoes! Both the Silk Gauntlet and Silk Shoes had one more property that was useful here. They can stick onto surfaces when he wishes, actively affected by his Willpower. Meaning, it allowed him to climb the walls of the cave. Two hourster, the Attack Squad was apanied by more than a hundred Arachmen Race users as they made a beeline towards the Dungeon Boss. Chapter 53 53: Attack Squad Captain Enrigen The cave wasn''t dark, dimply lit by luminescent moss that grew on minerals capable of radiating heat. Geothermal energy was abundant underground, thereby funnelling heat throughout the cave. It was pretty warm and hence, one could be light on equipment to traverse it. Enrigen headed the group of hundred, watching them set up a supply line for resource transfer. It was simple. An Arachmen stood at the entrance and when asked, he grabbed a bag from the pile and gave it to the nearest Arachmen. From one person to another, the bag would be transferred, with each Arachmen only having to move twenty metres. It was a human-type supply chain. There were guards posted to protect the supply line. As the Arachmen took up their respective posts, the size of the group dwindled steadily. The path was cleared out of all spider silk. Hence, any of the Giant Tarant, if they tried to target them, was swiftly dispatched. "Wait..." Enrigen motioned for the group to stop as he felt the walls of the cave and knocked it lightly. Followed by a smirk, he patted it with force, watching the cave wall copse, "Jackpot." There was a hollow section in the cave, spanning a room''s worth in volume. The entrance had been sealed by ayer of silk on which the spiders had pasted wet mud that once hardened, resembled the cave walls. In the room existed thousands of eggs, allid by the Giant Tarants. Enrigen grinned widely and motioned for the group to transport the eggs out of the Dungeon, "They''ll constantly produce silk for us once they mature. Store them with care and prepare to set up a farm immediately." "On it," One of the captains took charge of transporting the eggs out of the Dungeon. The base material required for their Skills was silk. Therefore, they could produce it on a farm, as long as they had enough silk-weaving insects. On a farm, there was no risk in resource collection. Moreover, they could experiment to improve the yield, which wouldn''t be possible in a natural setting like a Dungeon. The Giant Tarants only weaved enough web here necessary to capture prey. But on the farm, they would be generating silk as much as biologically possible, forced by the farmers. Besides, insects multiplied rapidly, so there would never be a problem with their numbers. The moment they began to transport the eggs, hundreds of Giant Tarants rushed into the cave. "They''re here!" Enrigen shouted as he took out a bunch of Silk Bombs and threw them all over the cave, "Be ready to attack!" The Silk Bombs exploded upon impact and spread a metre radially,tching onto the spiders in range. They were stuck to the spot, unable to break free. And the more they wriggled, the greater the silk wrapped around them. Enrigen had targeted spots dense with spiders using the Silk Bombs. The result caused small mounds of trapped spiders, acting as barricades to slow down the rest. [Skill: stic Rope] [Grade: Moderate] [Brainpower: 60] [Willpower: 4] [Empower: 4] Enrigen grabbed a fist-sized pebble from his pocket and crushed six Silk Bombs on it, turning it into a gooey mass. He then activated the Skill of stic Rope on it, causing the silk within the gooey mass to elongate into a short rope, a metre in length. Enrigen grabbed the rope''s end and spun it. Due to the generated centrifugal force, the length of the stic Rope increased as Enrigen flicked his hand, causing the pebble to m into a Giant Tarant, crushing it. The pebble came to a stop upon the impact. With the centrifugal force gone, the stic Rope shrunk to a metre in length, allowing Enrigen to make the rotary motion once again. He made the pebble perform full circles at least three to four times a second, at the end of which the stic Rope elongated to around two metres in length. The attacknded squarely on the target, after which he retracted it and repeated the process. Every five seconds, Enrigen killed a Giant Tarant. As all he did was spin a pebble in ce, he wasn''t even expending much energy, brisk even after killing thirty spiders. This method of killing consumed the least amount of energy and muscr strain. Besides, once his right arm hurt, Enrigen shifted to his left. He was ambidextrous and hence became a killing machine. "Let''s take a break here." He spoke after twenty minutes, having killed all the spiders that rushed into the cave. The Attack Squad sat on cushy chairs brought out by the members that followed them. All along, only the Attack Squad fought. The rest remained for logistic support. Enrique stared at the five members of his squad, "How''s your stamina?" "Good to go after fifteen minutes of rest," The youngest, Dora said, savagely excited, "I never thought killing spiders could be such a stress-relief task. We''re doing the world good by ridding it of these creepy arachnids." While they rested, the group members packed and carried the spider corpses out of the Dungeon. They had plenty of uses. Just the meat in them could be used to feed the various insects they were raising on farms outside. They also contained venom sacks that could be extracted for a variety of purposes. The venom could be used to poison the creatures in another Dungeon. "There are no Invoker Crystals among the pile." One of the membersmented while sorting out the corpses into a silk bag. All members wore gloves of silk to avoid being poisoned. One of the members, in his work enthusiasm, had ventured slightly deeper into the cave while picking up the corpses. He approached a pile and reached out to the spider at the top, noticing a glint from within the pile, "Hey, there''s an Invoker Crystal here..." Suddenly, silk was squirted on him from the gaps. The silk spread out like a nket and wholly wrapped around him. And then... It rapidly shrunk in size, applying enough pressure on his body in an instant that more than a hundred crunching sounds resounded. The man''s body had been turned into a tiny, metre-long cocoon, fullypressed. Not even a droplet of blood leaked out, fully sealed within. "What the?" The rapid bone-crushing sounds alerted all the members as they turned around in the direction of the sound, witnessing a massive spider, five times the size of the Giant Tarants rush out of the pile of spider corpses. A silk rope trailed from its abdomen, connected to the cocoon containing the man''s crushed corpse. It fled rapidly, dragging the over seventy-kilogram cocoon like it was nothing. "That''s the Dungeon Boss!" Enrigen bellowed as he threw a Silk Bomb, "Attack!" The Attack Team reacted promptly and threw Silk Bombs too, targeting the fleeing Dungeon Boss. But right at that moment, the Dungeon Boss screeched, the sound grating to the ears, causing everyone to grunt in response, distracted. A group of spiders, twice the size of a Giant Tarant appeared at this moment, shooting pellets ofpressed spider silk. The pellets unfurled into umbres of silk that blocked the cave, behaving like walls that covered the entire cave''s over ten-metre-wide breadth. The umbres stuck to each other to form this wall, acting as a barrier. The thrown Silk Bombs mmed on this barrier, further reinforcing it when they sted out silk. "Shit!" "No!" Five members shrieked in fear, for the silk umbre separated them from the rest of the group. Now, they were faced with the Giant Tarants. And before they could react, silks sprang upon them that shrunk into cocoons instantly, killing them in the process, violently. In one move, the Dungeon Boss killed six people and dragged their corpses away, vanishing deeper into thework of caves that formed its domain. "It''s tough!" The oldest in the Attack Squad, having the Worldcraft name of Robot muttered in all seriousness as he threw a pebble at the silk umbre with all his might, "We''ll waste a lot of time breaking down this silk wall. It seems to be the skill of the Giant Tarant Elites. Therefore, they can always use it to separate us." "A few seconds is enough for the Dungeon Boss to kill the ones separated. Its Skill is potently powerful." He concluded. "It executed its n perfectly. We didn''t even begin to retaliate but already lost six men." "It''s indeed smart. I''ll give credit where it''s due." Enrigen said as he attached an stic Rope to arge rock. Then, he took on a pose simr to a hammer throw athlete and began motion, spinning rapidly as he umted rotary momentum in the rock. And then, heunched it at the silk umbre, producing a bursting sound akin to a drum getting smashed open. The silk umbre was torn apart. The Giant Tarants waiting on the other side-watching their actions-were crushed by the rock that continued to speed forward, stopping only after destroying more than thirty spiders. "Alright, this works. Note it down." Enrigenmanded one of the captains, "And prepare more rocks for me." He stared at the scurrying figures of the Giant Tarants, revealing a wide grin that expressed his bloodthirstiness, "It''s time these insects understand humanity''s endless excellence at war." Chapter 54 54: Evolutionary Advantage For Projectiles The human supply chain brought in as many pebbles as possible, lining them inrge bags weaved from spider silk. There were a few Arachmen that obtained Skills rted to that. "Everyone''s ready, right?" Enrigen asked as he stared at the twenty people that had gathered around him, apart from his Attack Squad. In the possession of each was a bag, containing at least thirty to forty pebbles. Not only were the pebbles fist-sized, but they were also smooth and easy to hurl. They made great weapons. "Every creature is born with an innate ability through evolution. A Spider weaves webs, a tiger uses its ws, a rhino depends on its armoured skin, and a bird relies on its wings to fly." Enrigen lifted a pebble and assumed a throwing stance. "And humanity''s evolution happened in our hands, at two ces. Fingers to dexterously grab onto an object at varying grips, and finally..." He grunted and threw the pebble with all his might, "A ball-and-socket joint that allows our arms to crank up in any angle as we see fit." The pebble shed through the cave and mmed into the head of a Giant Tarant that peeked from a corner, intending to spy on them. The pebble smashed its head in, causing its blood to squirt out. "Humanity''s evolutionary advantage is in our ability tounch projectiles." Enrigen concluded as he cooled down his arm muscles, "We developed our intelligence over time to adapt to the prey we ughtered that were beyond our biological means." Every creature part of the food chain had its rigid ce as predator, prey, and scavenger. Humans were an exception, fluidly capable of moving across all levels of the food chain without any problem, all thanks to their throwing ability. With it, they could take down even the mightiest of creatures onnd, without sustaining injuries. All creatures relied on closebat to kill their enemy. But humans killed them from afar. "And that''s our difference." At Enrigen''s words, the twenty people behind him took a throwing stance and hurled pebbles, causing a rain of Giant Tarants'' blood to ssh onto the cave walls. They didn''t expend any Brainpower to do this. As long as they rested between each throw, they could hurl at least twenty to thirty projectiles without overstraining their muscles. And this was for normal people. The ones apanying Enrigen were Spades, selected to be part of the Byte Cult''sbat branch because of their fighting prowess. Therefore, they could hurl pebbles at full strength more than fifty times. And after enough rest, they could resume the process once again. The pebbles flew with enough force to shred apart most spider webs covering the caves, killing any Giant Tarants living there. After the Giant Tarants were killed, one of the captains approached a spider web and scraped its ends with a sharp stone. Once he scraped the part of the web attached to the wall, it contracted. He calmly proceeded to scrap all the ends, leaving a pebble in its centre. As the ends were scraped off, the web contracted towards the centre due to the weight of the pebble. The tensile stress it created caused the web to contract and shrink around it, forming a thickyer of silk over the pebble. In such a manner, they collected balls of spider silk and stored them inrge bags. The filled bags were transported out of the Dungeon through the supply line. A small vige was already being built there with the primitive tools they had created. Spider silk was being used as an adhesive to put togetherrge structures. "Sir Enrigen," A captain approached Enrigen and saluted, "Two more Spade teams have just arrived at the Dungeon''s entrance. Shall I ask them to begin collecting Silk Bombs?" "No, that won''t be necessary for now." Enrigen shook his head, "Equip them with some Skills and put them to use in the vige''s construction. We need to create a vige space and kill the Dungeon Boss ten times. Only then will we be able to make this territory ours and arrive here whenever we log in." "Understood," The captain walked away to ry the orders. "It seems the recruitment is proceeding well," Enrigen muttered. He continued with their raid and manually gathered as much spider silk as they chanced upon, rendering the Giant Tarants helpless. The only way to regain their advantage was by recreating as many webs as possible. But with the raid team collecting all the silk they weaved, despite their superior numbers, the Giant Tarants were overwhelmed. Only when the elites and the Dungeon Boss target the group personally were they able to kill any of the Arachmen. And such sneak attacks at most yielded five people. But in contrast, a pebble throw and a Giant Tarant ended up dead. It would take twenty-four hours for its revival. As a result, the number of spiders was dropping fast in the Dungeon. Enrigen intended to wipe out all the Giant Tarants within a day. Thereby, once they set up bases within the Dungeon, even when these spiders revive, they could be dealt with immediately. They''ll camp at the spawn locations and systematically get rid of them for their resources. Enrigen''s group primarily focused on killing the Giant Tarants. Multiple other teams too were active in the Dungeon, using the same pebble strategy to collect the spider silk. Fourteen hourster, Enrigen woke up after a twenty-minute power nap, "Is there any change?" "Nope, only the elites and the Dungeon Boss are left. They are hiding in the cylindrical stronghold." Robot, the oldest member of their Attack Squad calmly mentioned. "We''ve cornered thempletely." The group had reached the deepest part of the Giant Tarant Dungeon. All paths leading to this location had been wiped clean of all spider silk. "Should we attack?" Yara, one of the females of the Attack Squad asked, "I''m itching for a good fight. We have been unable to go all out until now." "You mad or what?" Enrigen bonked her head lightly and pointed up at the cylindrical cave, "They''ve been preparing for this all along. Look at the silk cluster surrounding them. That''s all ammo tounch their Skills." "Then, what should we do?" Yara frowned, "We cannot waste time here, right? There are only ten hours left of our objective." "No, we have enough time," Enrigen smirked as he motioned for ten people to stand guard at the cylindrical cave''s entrance. He then brought the Attack Squad deeper into one of the cave paths they had just cleared, "It''ll take twenty-four hours for a creature in a Dungeon to revive. Since this area has just been cleared, we have enough time." Hemanded the Attack Squad, "We''re sleeping here. Leave the guard duty to the rest." The captains hurriedlyid down soft quilts of silk for the Attack Squad members to sleep infort. Yara was stunned by the order, "Why now?" "Patience is a virtue," Enrigen grabbed his spot among the six quilts, closed his eyes and fell asleep instantly. "What..." Yara couldn''t make sense. She turned around to face the other Attack Squad members, noticing their confusion too. "Does this make sense?" "It doesn''t," Dora, the youngest sighed and curled up within her quilt, "But our Squad Leader has been appointed personally by the Ace of Spade. There must be a concrete reason for that." The fact that he was appointed by the Ace convinced everyone to shut up and follow suit. After all, in the Byte Cult, Manav Sastry was the Cyber God. Following him, the Aces of the four branches were hailed as Demi-Gods. They too garnered respect and devotion from the members. Six hours of refreshing sleepter, Enrigen woke up and approached the group standing guard, "Anything unusual on their side?" "They have grown restless," One of the captains responded, "We have identified their source of nutrition. This boss room only serves as a stronghold in terms of defence. Since we are blocking all pathways leading to it, the spiders trapped within cannot hunt for food." The insects and lizards that formed the food chain in the Dungeon had been blocked entry to this area by the Arachmen. As a result, the Giant Tarants were starving, especially since the bodies of the elites and the Dungeon Boss were massive. They needed a lot of food to upkeep their bodily functions. "Have they consumed the corpses of our men?" Enrigen asked. "Only two more are left." The captain pointed at two silk spheres barely visible from their spot on the ground, "We tallied 62 Giant Tarant Elites and one Dungeon Boss. Any stragglers among the regr Giant Tarants have either been dealt with by us or consumed by the elites as food." "If they resorted to consuming their own, it means they''re on theirst leg." Enrigen calmly nodded and then asked, "Alright, what about the slingshots I asked for?" "Here!" A group of Arachmen shouted as they carried arge, ''Y'' shaped wooden structure. A total of eight were brought in, each spanning a height of three metres. "nt one here," Enrigenid out the locations for each of the eight slingshots. While the Arachmen carefully lodged the slingshots in the ground at the respective areas, Enrigen woke up the Attack Squad, "Get ready." "We''ll taunt the spiders now." Chapter 55 55: Slingshot To Victory "Load!" Enrigen spoke slowly as he watched four people load each slingshot. They had selected a tiny boulder as a projectile, twice the size of a human head, around thirty to forty kilograms in weight. The material was granite and its edges were rugged sharp. An stic Rope had been attached to the tiny boulder before it was loaded on the slingshot. Four Arachmen grabbed the stic Rope and pulled it slowly, careful of their steps. They were each equipped with Silk Shoes and Silk Gauntlet Skills. Thereby, they were able to calcte their grip to hold the stic Rope steadily while not losing their foothold from the stic tension that was being built up. Thanks to the two Skills, they could pull the stic Rope as much as possible, causing the stic arm of the slingshot to curve, stretching as long as four metres. The two wooden arms of the slingshot bent a couple of centimetres under the stress. Thankfully, the handle of the slingshot had been lodged deep enough in the ground, as a result keeping it stable. Once the rubber arms were fully pulled, the men announced to Enrigen. "Let''s start, shall we?" Enrigen smirked as a group of people moved at hismand. They set up logs of wood and hay. An Arachmen carefully brought in a box, within which was burning hay. They had been using conventional means to light it up, taking around ten minutes to do so. If the timing was wrong, they would have to do it again. And Enrigen ensured everything worked at the correct timeframe. The logs of dry wood caught fire, releasing smoke. A tub two metres in diameter was ced over the fire. In it was a Giant Tarant, alive, immersed in water. It seemed some sort of poison had been fed to it, preventing it from moving its limbs. But it was wide awake. Time gradually clicked as the water within the wooden tub reached boiling point. "Screeee!" The Giant Tarant screamed in pain as its body was being boiled. Some herbs were added to the water in the tub, releasing an aroma. "It stinks!" Enrigen covered his nose at the smell. It was unbearable for the Arachmen. But it was irresistible for the Giant Tarants; the stench was an aroma to their olfactory senses. In their state of hunger, the spiders began to drool, immediatelytching onto the two meat cocoons in their possession. The Dungeon Boss screeched in response. Even it was unable to endure its hunger, devouring the contents of a meat cocoon on its own. The second one was shared by the elites. A grudging sense of hunger enveloped their beings at the sounds their boiling brethren made. The elites were vastly more intelligent than the Giant Tarants. Creatures in a Dungeon had superior intellect while the Dungeon Boss could even converse with people. This was a fact verified in the forums already. And with greater intelligence came a fair share of baggage. Empathy! Pain! Honour! Sense of belonging beyond one''s person! And upon seeing their brethren being tortured for the fun of it, the Giant Tarant Elites seethed in rage, intending to destroy the Arachmen. But even more powerful than rage, they felt a rumbling sense of hunger. They had been fighting against the Arachmen, using the reserve of silk in their abdomen. To replenish that, they consumed food. But, that was a trap. Right as they consumed their reserve, Enrigen cut off their food supply. And as time passed, their bodies digested the food and replenished the silk in their abdomen. It meant they began to feel hunger already. Due to the pressure posed by the Arachmen, the Giant Tarant Elites had used up excessive amounts of their silk to increase the defensive webs in the cylindrical cave. It meant they used up too much of their strength and hence fell prey to hunger. A Giant Tarant Elite was unable to handle its anger and hunger anymore as it swiftly moved toward the bottom. "Aim!" Enrigen calmly shouted as the men behind a slingshot adjusted its aim. "Fire!" Once the Giant Tarant Elite was within range, theyunched the tiny boulder at it. The boulder smashed through manyyers of web and mmed dead centre on its body, sttering it upon impact. Only after tearing through fiveyers of webs did the tiny boulder stop. Following that, its weight began to wear down the respective web''s strength. As the initial impact already caused many minute tears to form on the strands of the web, due to the weight of the tiny boulder, the tears only worsened over time. Enrigen tied his stic Rope to a pebble and threw it with force, causing it totch onto the Giant Tarant Elite''s corpse and yanked it to the ground. He extracted its Invoker Crystal and yed around with it, disying a taunting face towards the spiders, his voice trailing off with a musical tone, "I''ming for you!" "Load!" At hismand, all eight slingshots were loaded, aiming at dense spots of web joints, "Aim!" The cylindrical cave''s structure meant all the aroma from the cooked spider moved up, concentrating more and more towards the top. Being there meant their sense of hunger only worsened. Therefore, even when they were aware, at least to avoid losing their sense of reasoning to hunger, the spiders instinctively came down. But that was only temporary as with time, the aroma only thickened. "Scree!" As more and moreyers of webs were destroyed by the tiny boulders, the Dungeon Boss screeched in fury as it rushed down. "They''re here..." Enrigen grinned as he motioned for the Attack Squad to be ready. As the spiders rushed to the bottom, he roared, "Attack!" ''Shit!'' The Dungeon Boss realised its mistake at his roar. But it was toote by then. As the spiders rushed toward the ground of the cylindrical cave, they noticed the trap. Hidden amongst the various paths leading to the cylindrical cave, masked from the view of the spiders at their previous spots were Arachmen, numbering three hundred. In their hands each was a fist-sized pebble. All three hundred Arachmen had poised in a throwing pose,unching the projectiles at Enrigen''s signal. Three hundred pebbles mmed into the spiders. Many missed but many more hit their mark, causing severe injuries. But, this was just the first volley. It was followed by the second, third, and many more. The spiders intended to flee back to safety, but the tiny bouldersunched by the eight slingshots cut off their paths by destroying multipleyers of webs. Moreover, the dozens of tiny boulders hanging from the webs dropped one after another, raining down onto the spiders. It was a three-pronged attack. And caught in the centre were the 62 spiders. "Got you!" Just as the Dungeon Boss intended to target the Arachmen with its Skill, the web-weaving organ''s entrance on its abdomen was blocked by Enrigen. He threw three Silk Bombs at the entrance, closing it up when they sshed open. He followed it up with some pebbles, forcing the stretched silk to pull the pebbles into the entrance, further blockading it. Unless the Dungeon Boss removed the silk, it wouldn''t be able to shoot its attack. The fastest way to ovee it would be to activate its Skill by targeting the silk covering its abdomen. But that meant it would waste one activation of its Skill. If Enrigen were to block it again, the Dungeon Boss would fall victim to a vicious cycle. Hence, it hesitated for a moment. Of course, having been nning for it all along, Enrigen didn''t miss its hesitation. Held in his hands each was an stic Rope, attached to a heavy rock. He rapidly spun them and mmed the rocks on the Dungeon Boss, targeting its leg joints. When it screeched in pain, he threw a couple of Silk Bombs into its mouth, blocking it. He threw another Silk Bomb at its leg and used the stic Rope Skill on it, causing it to expand into a rope. Ittched onto the Dungeon Boss''s leg, adding stic tension. When the Dungeon Boss tried to move, the stic Rope pulled its leg back, preventing it from taking a step forward. In a state of fluster, it tried to leap and mp his head using its mandibles. But a tiny boulder mmed into its abdomen at this moment, shredding it apart. "Your movements were obvious." One of the Arachmen behind a slingshotmented in pride. Enrigen''s actions had flustered the Dungeon Boss to the extent it intended to take him down with it. As a result, its only option was to leap straight at him, making its path predictable for the slingshot to aim. "Attack!" The Attack Squad targeted the injured Giant Tarant Elites as the Dungeon Boss dropped dead. Within twenty minutes, all the spiders had been wiped out. Equipping the Dungeon Boss''s Skill, Shrinking Net, Enrigen smirked, announcing in victory, "We have won against the spiders!" "Victory is ours!" Everyone at the scene rejoiced, "Victory is ours!" Following that, the Spades made camps throughout the Dungeon to systematically capture the spawning Giant Tarants and extract their silk periodically, transforming the entire Dungeon into a giant, silk-producing farm. Chapter 56 56: Kamikaze Birds "Be careful!" Rahu warned the group as they proceeded deeper into the Nanmangm Reserve Forest. Walking at the forefront was Sonic, the android dog equipped with a sonar. Through the sonar, it captured a seismic map of its surroundings, rying it to Rahu through their optic fibre connection. Any wirelessmunication was jammed thanks to the densework of electromaic radiation that covered the forest. Allmunications were through their wired connection, for a third party might hear their shouts. When Rahu warned the group, hismand passed through the various optic fibre cables and reached the uVR Earths of the other nine members. Their uVR Earths processed the data and ryed it as an auditory prompt in their Augmented Reality. This was the safest means ofmunication possible in their environment. But of course, it was restrictive, as they couldn''t go beyond the length of their optic fibre cables. They were forced to move forward as a collective unit. "I can''t see anything." One of the soldiersmented, "Everything is pitch ck." This was the soldier with the weakest mind and hence was the first to fall under the effects of Induced Reality pervading the forest. Once he fell under its effects, his brain failed to process the visual information captured by his eyes through the night vision goggles. In a matter of seconds, all the soldiers were under the effects of Induced Reality. Rahu kept note of the timing whenever one of the team members announced they couldn''t see in the forest anymore, ''Chandan Kumar took 138 seconds, Ashok took 181 seconds, and finally, Deepika took 276 seconds.'' Deepika had the strongest mind in the group, the reason why she was the head of his security and also doubled down as his secretary. Approximately fifteen minutester, Rahu frowned, stating in all seriousness, "I too can''t see anything anymore." ''That''s fast!'' He was stunned. His mind was one of the strongest in the country. An average DOVA Agent would require more than an hour to influence him through Induced Reality. But this forest environment could induce the effects in him in a mere fifteen minutes. ''It''ll be life-threatening for a weak DOVA Agent to enter this forest.'' ''I need to figure out the cause as quickly as possible and investigate whether simr cases are happening in other areas in the country.'' He thought and switched his vision to the 3D seismic map captured in real-time by Sonic. He ryed the same to everyone, allowing the group to tread forward. Their vision was full of grains, but it disyed the terrain, tree trunks, etc. The image wasn''t precise, but it gave them enough information to work around the situation. ... "Are there any hidden locations in the forest?" Rahu asked Chandan Kumar in the nning room. "There''s one." Chandan Kumar pointed at the monolith, "This area is the home to many birds. So, we take care to never venture close to that location. After all, if a third party were to touch the eggs of these birds, they would unhesitantly destroy their own eggs." "Birds are plenty troublesome." Rahumented as he downloaded a digital map of the forest and loaded it on his Augmented Reality, "We''ll approach the monolith and scale its peak. Using the vantage point, we''ll scout the ce through sonar." ... Through his Augmented Reality interface, Rahu superimposed the map to the sonar seismic map, synchronising the two to get an urate picture of reality. Once this was transmitted to the rest, everyone could move as if they were able to see once again. ''Amazing. A DOVA Agent is on a whole other level.'' Ashok thought in amazement. Synchronising two such maps in real-time while sharing his senses with nine other people was a feat impossible to replicate for any of them. The group wasn''t just relying upon the image disys to move around. They experienced a drastic increase in their olfactory and acoustic senses. Induced Reality-True Lifeform Liger! Rahu swapped his senses with that of the Liger''s, allowing his muscles in the nose and ear to act in a way akin to the Liger''s. This ced a strain on his body but allowed his senses to be on par with a feline. And by sharing this with the others, the entire team could steadily tread through the forest, aware of their surroundings. Rahu was multitasking on various fronts, winning the admiration of everyone in the team. Nothing unusual happened for the first twenty minutes as the group had travelled fairly deep into the forest. Suddenly, one of the soldiers felt ack of tension in the rope around his hip. The rope still trailed over the ground and moved around various obstacles like a snake, generating a lot of friction as a result. Therefore, the soldier had to apply enough force to pull himself forward. Part of the tension was due to the rope pulling the drum outside the forest. But suddenly, part of the tension disappeared. "Please wait!" The soldier announced in their Augmented Reality interface and tugged his rope. He began to pull it, causing the rope to coil near his feet. And the more he pulled, the lower the resistance he faced, causing his thumping heart rate to spike further. "Oh no..." His heart lurched as the resistance in the rope reduced to a minimum before soon, he was clutching at its end, "The rope has been cut off!" ''I feared as such.'' All Rahu could do in this situation was to exhale slowly, ''Brother, you''re behind this, right?'' The moment when Mahesh, a civilian with a Civilian uVR Earth could temporarily turn its hue from blue to jade, representing a DOVA uVR Earth and manifest Manav Sastry through Induced Reality, it meant things weren''t absolute like before. uVR Earths functioned with an absolute guarantee of safety and security. That was Pomegranate Corporation''s motto. Manav Sastry''s existence questioned that motto. The day he saw his dead elder brother, Rahu understood that he had to throw his umted logic out the door. Even a civilian could at any time be a threat to him, a DOVA Agent. Moreover, the enemy hardly left behind any traces. Turning an entire reserve forest into a terrain emanating the effects of Induced Reality was something beyond the realm of possibility he deemed realistic. When Rahu came to know what was happening at the reserve forest, he braced for impact. ''There were soldiers standing guard at the rope anchors.'' He frowned in thought, ''Either all of them are obeying Manav or the one following him had killed the rest. If he''s able to bring out Manav through Induced Reality, then everyone there would be helpless.'' The only way to counter Induced Reality was through Induced Reality. It was an omnipotent power. If Mahesh''s case repeated here, then all the soldiers would be sitting ducks. Rahu felt around the end of the soldier''s rope, muttering after some analysis, "This was cut by a knife. Only one person was involved in this. And judging by the sloppy cut marks, he wasn''t strong enough to make a clean cut." ''Any soldier has more than enough strength to make clean cuts even on such a thick rope. Either the perpetrator was a weak civilian or an injured soldier with not much strength to spare.'' Rahu thought, ''The fact that Mahesh''s head exploded after he used Induced Reality makes me lean towards the second possibility.'' ''There was only one soldier and he was using Induced Reality while cutting the rope. That exins these weak cuts.'' Rahu prompted two more soldiers to pull their respective ropes and inspected their cut ends, ''I was right. It was done by one person. He was probably shot and further weakened every second through Induced Reality. That proves his waning strength in the cuts.'' By that, Rahu was able to get an urate picture of the scene that had transpired, prompting everyone, "Something has happened outside. We need to investigate it first. If we continue treading despite the risks, our lives will be in danger." "Let''s return." Hemanded and made the group turn around. Rahu motioned everyone to remove the ropes, "They have no other use. We''ll use them for our return." Since they almost travelled in a straight line, as long as they followed the trail made by the ropes, they would return to their starting position. The initiative stilly with them. But just as the group turned around, Rahu felt his skin crawl. His uVR Earth shone yellow, entering the Creator Mode as he observed the electromaic radiation around him spike in response. "Something''sing." Right as he said so, his ears picked up a mass flutter of the wings of birds, throwing off his senses. The sonar captured a sea of dots moving around in all sizes. "Birds?" Rahu was stunned, observing the birds move around in a pattern, forming rivers in the air as they flowed towards them. Through the Liger''s senses, he picked a dense stream of killing intent, collectively unleashed by the horde of birds, "Impossible!" It was as if the birds had met with a mortal enemy that had to be taken down, no matter the cost. Without any signs of self-preservation, the birds flew towards the group, causing Rahu to shrill in a fluster, "Raise your guns! Shoot! SHOOT! SHOOOT!" Chapter 57 57: 13 Jade UVR Earths In the dark forest where one''s naked senses had been inhibited; it was hard to keep track of things. The uVR Earths of everyone whirred at extreme clocked rates, employing artificial intelligence to convert the data transmitted by Sonic through Rahu Sastry into a form suitable for their perspective. Every soldier was positioned near Rahu, but their line of sight, position, etc. were all different from Sonic and Rahu. The sense of smell and sound was transmitted from Rahu through his position-obtained through his Liger''s senses. In a forest with a vast array of scents, even being ced a couple of metres apart resulted in a lot of variations. It was even worse for the data transmitted by Sonic, their canine android. The sonar data was centred around its body. The positions of every soldier were dots around it. Therefore, artificial intelligence had to be employed to tailor the offset into the calction to create imagery in which the recipient soldier observed sonar data with him as the centre. This offset value changed with every step the soldiers took, for the distance between them and Rahu, and between them and Sonic varied constantly ording to how they moved. It expended a lot of brainpower to tally things through in real time. And now, as thousands of birds flew towards them, forming rivers of feathery flesh in the air, the minds of the soldiers were further overclocked to process all the information. "Shoot radially outward! Avoid friendly fire!" Rahu shouted, "Just focus on the birds farther away. Leave the ones in your proximity to me!" "This is absurd!" Chandan Kumar initially thought all the birds were a product of Induced Reality. He pointed his rifle at the iing target and spewed dozens of bullets, observing through sonar multiple bird bodies falling to the ground. The data ryed by Rahu also indicated a dense scent of blood, nauseating him, "They are all real!" ''Shit! Shit! Shit!'' Chandan Kumar was worried. He was a forest officer, in charge of the Nanmangm Reserve Forest. His job description wasn''t just geared towards safeguarding the forest perimeter, but the livelihood of the birds living here was also part of his responsibility. Many endangered bird species thrived in this reserve forest. And now, as he gunned them down, a stifling sense of anger and loss pervaded his being, ''I''m killing the very birds I risked my life to protect until now.'' The muzzle shes from his gun lightened up the forest, but his sight didn''t pick up anything. It didn''t feel real, unable to see the bullets m his target. For a moment, Chandan Kumar hoped this was merely a dream. At this point, he would be happy to consider this to be part of a DOVA Agent''s sick Induced Reality experiment, "The birds...!" The finger pressing the trigger cramped in response to his suffocated emotions, causing the muzzle shes ejecting out of his gun''s nozzle to die out. Taking up the chance, dozens of birds flew towards him, brandishing their beaks and ws, releasing sharp screeches. "Don''t stop!" Rahu''s voice resounded loud and clear in Chandan Kumar''s head, transmitted through his Augmented Reality interface. A bird with a wingspan reaching sixty centimetres approached Chandan Kumar, only four metres away from clobbering his eyes. At this moment, Rahu''s uVR Earth''s jade glow brightened, for a moment pushing away the darkness in the minds of everyone. Induced Reality-Dark Room! The bird that approached Chandan Kumar was unable to feel its body, seemingly trapped in the void of space. It could neither p nor utter any cries. In the real world, its body copsed to the ground, limp. It was unconscious. Until the effects of Dark Room wane, it would be unable to regain consciousness. In a couple of seconds, his brainwaves spiked and influenced the brains of birds one after another, plunging them into the effects of Dark Room, thereby neutralising them. ''My efficiency is dropping.'' He frowned, sensing conflicting brainwaves being transmitted by the surrounding trees. The farther away from his position, the weaker his brainwaves got, taking significant time to influence a bird with Induced Reality. ''My effective range is barely five metres. And it''s slowly shrinking.'' He was worried. Electric currents were beginning to flow through the tree stems, reaching the branches too. Their intensity was gradually increasing as a nervous system was being created in them through electric lines. Gradually, the forest was bing more and more akin to a DOVA Agent''s brain, releasing stronger brainwave emissions. The entire scenario didn''t make sense from a logical perspective. But somehow, a human brain was being carved in the trees, treating every single tree as a neuron while the forest became the brain. [Moving Entities: 17,398] The artificial intelligence in Sonic ryed the data after crunching the numbers for a while, stunning everyone. This was just the number of birds that were targeting them in their vicinity. "What''s the total poption of the birds in this reserve forest?" Rahu asked Chandan Kumar. "This should be most of them." Chandan Kumar groaned, "The forest isn''trge enough to house any more birds." "Argh!" The soldiers shrieked whenever a bird collided into them. Even though the birds fell unconscious when they approached a five-metre radius from Rahu, the momentum behind their flight still carried them to the soldiers, causing a crash. Their protective gear defended against that, but it still wasn''t a good experience to feel living creatures m into you. "Ugh!" "Gah!" "It hurts!" Suddenly, voices of pain resounded in theirmunicationwork. ''What just happened?'' Rahu was confused, unable to detect anything either through scent, sound or even through Sonic''s sonar. No projectile had mmed into the soldiers, but for some reason, they shrieked in pain, as if they had been stabbed with needles. ''There''s only one exnation.'' Thinking as such, he shouted, "I won''t be able to provide defence for three seconds. Keep up your guard." Induced Reality-Inverse Perception! Rahu focused on the soldier that had shrieked first, observing a glowing object, resembling a feather. The tendrils on the feather seemed to be made from silk, glossy and faintly luminescent. Its sharp end had pierced the soldier''s back, preventing him from noticing it. Rahu deactivated and reactivated his Inverse Perception, observing the feather vanish for a moment, ''It''s indeed a product of Induced Reality.'' "There''s a DOVA Agent here." He announced, stunning everyone. Induced Reality-Synchronised Brain Wave! His uVR Earth''s jade glow brightened further as his brainwaves radiated long distances. A secondter, he grunted and deactivated it, ''There are too many interferences.'' The minds of all the birds were targets of the Synchronised Brain Wave. Even for him, going through that many bird minds in this situation would melt his brain. Once he ignored the birds and tried to detect any other type of brains, all he could find were those of his allies. Without determining the source of the Induced Reality, even Rahu wouldn''t be able to defend against the feathers. "Sir, we need to retreat!" Deepika shouted through their channel, "We cannot defend you against a DOVA Agent''s attacks, especially in this situation where we''re relying on you to act as our senses." "The birds had already blocked our retreat path," Ashok announced as he focused on the sonar data. He dropped the gun when a feather pierced his palm. The pain paralysed the wrist area, preventing him from moving his fingers for the time being. "I''m hit!" "If retreating isn''t an option, then..." Rahu alternated his Inverse Perception to the sights witnessed by his soldiers, changing every second as he observed luminescent birds shuttle between the trees. He pulled up information about birds from his database and inferred based on the short few images he captured, concluding, "Emus?" "Chandan, were there any Emus here?" Rahu asked. "Nope," Chandan Kumar replied, "Emu isn''t a native species. They''re only found in our country on Emu farms." ''What should I do now? Retreating isn''t an option. We cannot defend against the Emus either.'' Rahu felt troubled, ''Unless I find the source, we''re helpless against their attacks.'' "Chandan, point me in the direction of the monolith," Rahu said after observing the way the Emus behaved. Immediately, a response appeared from Chandan Kumar in his Augmented Reality interface. Staring in that direction, Rahu focused all his brainpower and unleashed a condensed beam of brainwave. Induced Reality-Synchronised Brain Wave! The beam pierced through the electromaic radiation abundant in the region and travelled for hundreds of metres before mming into the monolith, chancing upon a target there. When he received the feedback, Rahu''s eyes lit up, "Got one!" Induced Reality-Liger! Right next to the monolith in the centre of the forest was arge-trunked tree. And tied around it were thirteen people in total. Originally, there were eleven people there-five poachers and six soldiers. But now, the robed duo too joined the circle. The Liger was induced on the mind of a poacher as it appeared beside him and observed the group. All thirteen seemed malnourished, their cheeks sunken as if they had gone hungry for a week. Their eye sockets were pronounced, painting an eerie picture, especially among the six soldiers that were supposed to be able-built. They now seemed like poor farmers that had gone on a hunger strike. The Liger observed everyone as Rahu was rmed. ''Why is...'' "The uVR Earths of all 13 people..." He muttered in disbelief, having truly underestimated his dead brother''s ns, "Why are they glowing jade?" Chapter 58 58: Almost Suicidal ''How is this possible?'' Through the Liger''s eyes, Rahu stared at the 13 individuals equipped with uVR Earths that glowed jade, knowing that they were DOVA Agents, or at least somehow possessed the power of one. ''This case is no different from Mahesh''s. Their brains aren''t equipped enough to unleash Induced Reality. It''s taking a severe toll on their bodies.'' The Liger approached a poacher and sniffed, catching a pungent stench akin to rotting organs. And as it continued to observe, a trail of murky blood, no different from gutter fluid oozed out of his orifices. The Liger felt its throat being wrung dry from the smell as it instinctively leaped back a couple of metres. It then circled therge-trunked tree and observed the case being the same for the others too. Its sharp senses picked up on the fact that the people were somehow losing body mass. But other than that, it couldn''t figure out anything else. ''Man, I''ll be in bed for a while after this.'' Rahu inhaled a long breath as he focused on his uVR Earth. The jade glow on the left stabilised and grew stronger while the right side dimmed until the jade glow morphed into yellow. He was actuating two modes simultaneously. The Liger''s body flickered unnaturally, as it wasn''t realistically possible to maintain it using half an uVR Earth. Induced Reality-True Lifeform Liger! Rahu swapped his senses with the Liger and observed through its body while the right part of his uVR Earth shone yellow, entering the creator mode. In this mode, he could perceive all electromaic radiation, transferring the vision to the Liger body. Standing before a poacher, the flickering Liger noticed faint brainwaves exit his uVR Earth and seep into therge-trunked tree. The principle seemed simr to maic induction. After enough brainwaves condensed within therge-trunked tree and induced upon it, the tree began to act like a brain and released brainwaves too. And the released brainwave was one of Induced Reality. The Emus were birthed out of this brainwave. 13 brainwaves emanated out of therge-trunked tree, umted from the thirteen people tied to it. Each of these brainwaves spread out radially from therge-trunked tree and induced the trees along the path, turning them into conductors and emitters of the respective brainwave frequency too. "They are being used to generate Induced Reality. The Emus are birthed out of them." Rahu transmitted the imagery captured through the Liger''s eyes to everyone in his team, "We''ll charge there. I can''t keep this up for much longer. We need to hurry!" The right side of his uVR Earth dulled before blinking jade once again. Rahu was gasping by now, feeling his eyes droop. His mind felt exhausted, especially thanks to the brainwave beam that he had unleashed. It consumed a chunk of his brainpower. "Go! Go! Go!" Chandan Kumar announced as the team rushed forward, sting holes in the sea of birds as they cleared a path. "Chirp! Keeek! Aeee!" Various screeches resounded as the birds rushed the group, brandishing their ws, only to be shredded apart by the bullets. Upon noticing that the group was rushing towards the monolith, 13 Emus appeared in the forest, shing next to a tree each. The trees in the vicinity glowed, simr to an ionisation effect as the number of Emus doubled in a matter of seconds. Followed by wild screeches, the Emus rushed towards the group, with at least two targeting each soldier. "Sir Rahu! They''reing!" A soldier shrieked in a fluster. Just the bird feathers shot at him before hurt like a bullet wound. And now,rge birds sprinted towards him, rming him. He pointed his gun at the closest Emu and unleashed a flurry of bullets, screaming in fright as the bullets simply passed through its body, "Sir! Save me!" "Focus only on the flying birds!" Rahu roared as he grunted from the headache, "I''ll take care of the Emus!" His uVR Earth glowed yellow as he sensed the brainwave signature that had induced the Emu in the soldier. He tracked it based on the data captured earlier, determining the target as he faced his palm toward the monolith. Induced Reality-Synchronised Brainwave! Induced Reality-Dark Room! He tuned himself to the Emu''s brainwave frequency and targeted the poacher from whose mind this brainwave was being emitted. The effects of Dark Room mmed into him and forced his brain into a state of stasis, cutting off the brainwave emission. It was like an electric circuit getting jammed. The electromaic radiation in the forest turned jumpy, losing its flow. "Screee!" The Emu paraded its wings like a peacock as the triangles on it snapped like a bowstring, shooting hundreds of feathers at the soldier the moment it entered attacking range. "Argh!" The soldier shrieked and dropped his gun. He crouched low in doom, preparing for his death. He could feel a glow seep through his closed eyelids, trembling in doom. But as he braced for death, all he received was a kick from Sonic, prompting him awake. The soldier opened his eyes, stunned to stare at almost a hundred feathers that stopped a metre before him, as if freeze-framed. The Emu that had shot the feathers resembled a video scene that had been paused. Its image flickered, turning grainy, filled with noise. A few secondster, the Emu vanished. "Get up and start shooting!" Deepika shouted as she helped the soldier up, "Trust sir''s capability. He''s ranked sixth in the country for a reason!" Rahu followed the sonar imagery from Sonic as he leaped over a root protrusion and slid down, wiping the blood that leaked out of his nose as he focused. His uVR Earth glowed yellow as he captured the signature of the Emu targeting Ashok. Following that, his uVR Earth glowed jade. Induced Reality-Synchronised Brainwave! Induced Reality-Dark Room! The target was one of the soldiers around therge-trunked tree. The moment his mind fell prey to the effects of Dark Room, another brainwave fluctuation in the forest became unstable. That instability caused the bodies of Emus created by the brainwave to vanish. "Go left!" Rahu shouted and prompted the group to run through another path. He had just neutralised the brainwave active in the region. Therefore, they''ll be able to avoid Emu attacks there. But a few secondster, the brainwaves changed frequencies, rming Rahu, ''The frequencies can swap ces?'' The trees nearby were originally emanating the brainwave of a poacher. But now, they were emanating the brainwave of the hooded individual. And immediately in response, two Emus appeared amidst the group. One of them twirled and shot feathers. Synchronised Brainwave! Liger! A Liger appeared before everyone in the group and tanked the feathers, riddled by them. The Ligers copsed to the ground in a pool of blood. Rahu had used the basic Liger 3D Model to tank the attack. And once they served their purpose, he retracted them and brought out his True Lifeform Liger that pounced upon the two Emus. "Roar!" The Liger chomped upon an Emu neck and ripped it apart. When a second Emu targeted it with a hail of feathers, another Liger appeared to tank the blow. The True Lifeform Liger leaped past the flurry of attacks and approached the second Emu, only to be faced with a kick to the head, getting its skull shattered. The injury healed in an instant as the Liger clobbered its neck too. Thankfully, the recovery rate of the Emu models was very slow. Hence, once the two Emus were killed, their bodies dissipated. That made the region safe, only for a couple of seconds though. Rahu engaged his creator mode and observed the glow from the trees change, signalling that they changed the frequency once again. Immediately in response, two more Emus appeared, promptly targeting them. Rahu was almost running on fumes. Due to the distance between him and the monolith, the Induced Reality attacks heunched had to waddle through the dense electromaic radiation, losing most of its power. It was no different from shooting a bullet through a block of water. For minimal effect, he was consuming a lot of brainpower. Moreover, based on the recovery rate, the two individuals among the thirteen-tied around therge-trunked tree-would regain their power in a minute or two. It meant his Dark Room would be neutralised within two minutes. The currents flowing through the trees were only growing in strength. This implied that the effects of his attacks would further plummet, ''We don''t have much time.'' "We''re sprinting!" Rahu shouted, "If you get hurt, grit your teeth and endure. If we dy any longer, we''ll be killed." "Now, run!" At his shout, the team sprinted, spewing out bullets like maniacs. Instead of defending against the Emus, their goal was to evade the attacks. Deepika tucked her head between her raised arms, positioning them in such a way the feathers shot at her mmed into the bone of her arm. The pain was overwhelming, but thanks to the attacked region being the bone and not the nerves, she didn''t lose control of her arms, able to rush forth without getting incapacitated. Hiss! A rat snake had camouged itself as a protruding tree root, ready in wait. And the moment Sonic came in range, it shot forth and coiled around the android''s legs, causing it to lose bnce and fall. ''Shit!'' Rahu leaped in reflex when Sonic fell to the ground. As his body arched in the air over the android canine, his thoughts went into overdrive. If he were to stop here to orient it and get it moving, he would waste at least ten to twenty seconds. The Emus would easily catch up. The soldiers were almost out of bullets too, not able tost after a few more seconds, considering their firing rate. If they stop now, they''ll be drowned by the enemies, "Everyone...please endure!" His uVR Earth''s hue became ck as all optic fibre connections were severed. Now free, Rahu relied upon his AI and used thest sonar imagery he received from Sonic to rush forth without tripping from the obstacles. He emitted brainwaves with the Induced Reality of True Lifeform Liger, oozing out its bloodlust as an apex predator, thwarting the approaching birds, "Aargh!" Taking the opportunity when they hesitated, he sprinted thest stretch and leaped, reaching the monolith as he grunted, "It stops here!" Induced Reality-Synchronised Brainwave! Blood dripped out of his orifices like sweat as he synchronised his brain to all thirteen people at the same time, an almost suicidal action. He had no other choice, since he only had enough strength to unleash Induced Reality one more time. "Argh!" He spat out blood in response and fainted, unleashing a flux of brainwaves that enveloped the thirteen people. And immediately in response, the forest became visible in the night vision goggles of the soldiers. Induced Reality-Dark Room! 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