Chapter 13

"Guys, I'm already a magician," Zen announced to our ears.

“Really? Excellent! Dagon exclaimed.

"You took a long time," I said. Everything went well?

"I'll tell you right away." See you in the hotel room. Are you listening, mobster?

“Hey? Oh yeah…” Greek had just returned. What's happening?

In Allsium you could go into inactivity by spending more than five minutes without leaving the site, and also by disconnecting to go out to real life. In any case, the Italian was already active again in Allsium.

panini face ."

“ Go well , go ok , I'm coming.

Dagon and I had toured the hotel to see what it had to offer. It was like those mammoth cruise ships that had everything anyone needed to have a good time. We did some shopping, chatted with some travelers, and went into the arcade. We weren't game freaks like Zen, but everyone at Allsium had experience with consoles. Let's say these were Allsium's grandmothers, and you had to respect and know them.

We double”played some classics, like the latest edition of Mario Kart for the Nintendo Switch and arcade classics like Metal Slug and Golden Axe . We had not been bad at all, since with a few coins we managed to pass them on. Before we knew it, Zen was already giving us the news.

But actually five hours had passed.

It didn't take us two seconds to get to the room. Walking through a safe area meant that at any time we could travel to our property immediately.

"Okay, we're all here," Zen said.

"Well, I don't notice anything different about you," Greek blurted out. Have you really chosen a path, or are you staying with us, stronzo ?

Dagon chuckled as Zen spread his hands and raised his eyebrows.

"I wonder if the pasta”rich diet isn't killing your brain cells at an accelerated rate," he replied. What do you want to be noticed, mobster? I'm a magician, I haven't been on steroids or anything like that. My power is based on knowledge, let's see if you find out.

"Yes, yes, whatever you say," Greek replied. But, in the end, which path have you chosen, tuna face?

“Well, that's what I had to talk to the three of you about. Zen had a serious face, something unusual for him. I think I have been a little selfish, I hope you can understand me.

Greek shook his head and sighed, and the four of us sat in a circle on the floor. This is how things were discussed in the group since we formed it.

"Now," the Japanese cleared his throat, "try to listen and don't say anything until I'm done, onegai shimasu."

Zen saying please in his language meant that what he was going to say next was important.

"You keep us on tenterhooks," Dagon said. We hear you.

" Arigatou , guys. Well, as I told you before, I have managed to become a magician. The initiation ceremony is not a test, at least mine has not been. When crossing the door, multiple choices have appeared and I just had to think about it and choose.

"And you've been thinking for five bloody hours?" Greek interrupted.

“Yes, uh... well, from what I had read on the internet, they usually give you a choice of four or five paths when choosing a path, but they have given me eleven.

“How is that possible? I asked, encouraging him to keep talking.

“I have no idea. What I do believe is that the system allows you to choose paths based on your experience as a user in Allsium. No one knows us better than the system, so it is trained to offer paths that we deserve. There were a couple of paths that didn't even sound like The Good Player's Handbook to me.

"And I'm sure you've picked one of those, right, yakisoba ?"

Greek and Zen liked to exchange gastronomic quibbles by way of insult. In this case, calling a Japanese man a fried noodle was funny.

"I couldn't resist," he confessed. They were very strange paths.

"But how is it possible?" Greek asked.

"You have done something to make such strange paths appear to you," Dagon said.

"Yeah, but what?" Zen wondered.

Nobody could explain it.

"I think I know why unique paths have appeared for you," I commented when they stopped thinking aloud.

"Explain," Dagon urged.

“Look, I think it all depends on the missions completed. Before entering the Guild Fountain we had already completed quite a few quests, some of them difficult for mere newcomers. For example, the B”rank quest, acquiring a property in Initium, seems easy, but what if it has something to do with the quality of the property? You see that this room is not just any hovel. I paused briefly. And another thing, Zen is part of a group that, as soon as they arrived at Initium, had to kill two people and, in addition, managed to get out of another attack alive, facing more than six. I think that's where the shots can go.

"I always say you're a man of few words, Gunner”san, but when you speak you nail it," Zen agreed.

"I agree with Vinci," Greek said. I think killing two people before reaching the first Initium Guild Fountain is unthinkable for anyone. Perhaps we have unlocked new paths, and not just in the Path of the Wizard. We'll see what awaits us, better not give it too much thought.

"Wow, guys, we're breaking the mold. Dagon had benefited from the group despite going out to work in real life and missing out on everything.

In Allsium it didn't matter if they were present or not, the achievements were for the four of them, although perhaps what each one had starred in did count for the system when choosing a path. In any case, we would never know.

"Well, what path have you chosen?"

“Well, the Path of the Astral Magician.

“ Thing ? the Italian jumped like a spring. What is that?

“I think it has to do with soul manipulation, or something. Let's just say I could take the soul out of my body and perform without anyone being able to see me. That translates into invisibility, ease of stealth...

"And the profit of the group?" Greek raised his eyebrow expecting good news.

"Well... I think my soul could serve as a shield."

The Japanese argument was quite poor.

Dagon and I both wish we had spared the string of insults Greek unleashed after the Japanese's response. In life we had witnessed such a hectic pace when it came to launching expletives.

"Damn shrimp head!" It was the softest thing he said. Have you been thinking five hours to pick that shit?

"What can I say..." the Japanese replied with a shrug. I think it can be useful.

“ What misery ...!

"Come on, come on, guys," Dagon tried to say. I'm sure Zen has chosen well. You can't scold him for choosing a path that doesn't appear anywhere in the Manual. Honestly, I think that because it is so rare it is already worth having chosen it. Surely he has skills that will surprise us and will be very helpful.

"With the accumulated experience of the completed missions, I have been able to learn two path skills," Zen informed with a small voice.

"Surprise us," I said.

Greek frowned and put his hand to his forehead. He was not in a very good mood.

“Now I am able to remove the soul from my body and I can be in two different places at the same time. I have to test the distance, but I can do the work of another drone without problems. They can see the body, but not my soul, not even you.

"Did you take your soul out here?" Dagon asked.

"Indeed, and he's smacking Greek right now, but it looks like I need to further develop my path tree so that the soul can interact on the physical plane."

Greek turned around and made a show of swatting flies, which was quite funny.

"And the other ability?" Dagon asked.

I can make myself invisible. And he winked at us.

The dream of every human being in the power of a Japanese who lived locked up in his house.

"I envy you," Dagon told him. As we manage to bring our skills to the real world, you're going to get sick of spying on girls in the bathroom.

It wasn't a bad idea, but the best skill in the world had gone to someone like him.

"Sorry to disappoint you, Dagon”san, but I'm not interested in girls or sex. I have chosen it because I believe that I can make a difference and not be detected in compromising situations. Zen seemed like a feelingless machine in that regard. I think that for that alone it is already worth having chosen the Path of the Astral Magician.

Japan had long suffered from a brutal birth decline, even years before the world chaos, all caused by people who showed no sexual interest. Nobody understood the case of Japan, not even the Japanese themselves.

Greek, like a good European bathed by the Mediterranean, like the Spanish, was a real Latin lover . He'd lose his ass for any girl who had two good legs and a couple other good things. We spoke little about these topics, out of respect for Zen's decision and Dagon's lack of luck with the female gender, but the Italian assured that in real life he was quite a Casanova.

Maybe it was skirt trouble that caused the mob to come after him.

I was trying to hide the fact that I had never had a girlfriend; they hadn't even given me a kiss or a hug. That at eighteen years old was no longer very strange, especially when a world alarm had gone off that alerted about the worrying drop in the birth rate. The lack of interest in sex and heterosexual relationships was more than evident among the population, and no one was hiding it anymore.

Allsium was the virtual world in which all that was spread: people bid on bets to sleep with virtual famous people, many others were sold and most paid for good sex without risk of pregnancy. All, of course, at a better price than in real life. In addition, the sensations were exactly the same, so Allsium, in addition to an unexplored world, was the paradise of sex on demand.

People could instantly transport themselves to any virtual Earth property as long as they were invited to. Depending on the distance, a small amount of virtual money, or toll, was paid, so maintaining relations with a Japanese woman was not a problem for an Indian. Of course, that fidelity thing had passed away; diseases did not exist in the Land of Allsium, so you could be with as many people as you wanted without fearing contagion of any kind.

The wonderful and active virtuality had arrived to snatch all interest from the dull and stupid reality.

Greek, before embarking on the journey through illegality, had offered me to go with him to the house of some sisters who had invited him to have sex. I was embarrassed that they knew I was a virgin, so I refused. Something inside me told me that maybe one day I would find someone I wouldn't have to say goodbye to when we gave ourselves to each other. That still happened in real life, it was the romantic idea of many people who, however, the facilities of virtuality did not usually take long to tempt.

Zen had no interest in relating or having sex with anyone, it was too rare that he had teamed up with three people. Dagon, for his part, had assured us that he was too shy to embark on a sexual adventure or even pay for it. He was a sensitive boy who did not know lies and spoke as he felt. Unlike me, to whom shame was stronger than sincerity.

"Well, being an Astral Mage will have some use to you, I hope," Greek sighed with a shrug.

He did not have any shame or shame in admitting that before going on a trip with us he had spent the nights in virtual brothels or had relationships with strangers. And if it could be with more than one at a time, the better.

"Have confidence," Zen said. What we need is to gain experience to continue learning new skills for the path.

"You had experience to exchange for physical abilities as well, right?"

Experience points were obtained to exchange for path skills and also for physical skills, so that when a Guild Source was reached they could be distributed without going back. Zen had used experience points in abilities from the Path of the Astral Mage, to make himself invisible and manipulate his soul like a drone, but he still hadn't told us what physical abilities he had invested in.

"Well, I've invested in agility," he replied.

“ What? thing ? Greek did not have a good face. Are you telling me that being a magician you have invested in agility?

It wasn't to agree with Greek, but for a magician to invest in extra agility was just as normal as seeing the Japanese leaving his room in reality.

“Yes, whats up? Zen answered somewhat annoyed. I use my points to improve my skills and you use yours for whatever you want. I don't pretend you're going to like it, fusilli , but I know what I'm doing.

Greek was still frowning.

Could you explain your reasoning to us? Dagon requested.

He had asked so politely that Zen couldn't refuse.

“Well, agility is not only useful for walking, running or reacting faster than an ordinary human. For a magician it becomes an important skill because it helps to cast spells faster,” the Japanese explained. It may seem strange, and although the Good Player's Manual recommends improving intelligence and perception, I firmly believe in my choice.

"You better be useful, sashimi ," Greek snorted.

"Useful I don't know, but it will be fun for a while," Dagon commented between his teeth.

“Guys, to achieve our purposes we have to innovate. How many wizards of the Quake Path, Frost Path, or Flame Path do you think are out there already prowling for illegality? You are before an extraordinary being,” he said, opening his arms like a prophet.

Seen that way, he was right again. Either that or Zen's power of conviction was awesome. In any case, no matter how angry we were, the process was irreversible and there was no point in arguing.

"I've been looking at tickets to go to Tveirland," Zen said. It's going to cost us a pretty penny. If I know, I don't buy the drone. Just kidding, the drone was a must.

"Japanese don't have a sense of humor," Greek snapped.

"Shut up, yakuza, " he replied. Guys we need to go out and earn money on easy missions. That will increase the budget of the group, in case we in Tveirland have difficulties.

"You spend five thousand credits on a drone and now you start to scratch?" Greek snapped.

“We have money, but we need a safety cushion. It is not so difficult to understand.

"Why don't you and Greek go out and complete missions?" Dagon asked. So Zen tests his powers and Greek proves that they are useful.

Dagon was a kind and honest person, although that didn't mean he was stupid. By the way we would get rid of their discussions for a while.

"Sounds like a great idea," I said, winking at the big guy.

"Do you want us to go out on missions?" Zen seemed to be amused by using his powers. Fine by me. Do you have a problem, spaghetti ?

“None, balloon fish face, let's get going as soon as possible. Guys, you can take a nap now. When we get back we're going to Tveirland, capito ?

It was going to be funny to see those two team up.

"Okay, guys, see you in a bit," said the Japanese leaving the room with Greek.

"Don't put yourself in danger unnecessarily. Remember that you can go back to the room when you are not in combat mode “I told them.

"Yes, yes... come on, arrivederci ," answered Greek, closing the door.

We stayed in the hotel room at the controls of the drone, which I let Dagon fly. It seemed like an excursion without more, but in illegality it was better not to trust.

"And if they run into the clan who are after us?" Dagon asked.

I did not know to say. If they found them they would go through what we had gone through Greek and I not long ago. Another chase, a lot of nerves and little room for error.

In that case they would be aided by the enhanced agility and power of Zen's Path of the Astral Wizard. He did not doubt the potential of his path, but against these minions it would do him little good to separate his soul from his body or become invisible, otherwise unless it was to hide.

“Dagon, keep an eye on them and fly as high as you can so we can see their surroundings and warn them in time.

“Okay, Kid, I'll keep an eye out.

The missions in Initium were simple. If there wasn't some problem related to the clan that was chasing us, or some violent adventurers, nothing would have to happen.

He couldn't explain it, but he had a feeling that something was not going to go well on that excursion.