BECOMING A GOD ONLINE

4. GATHERING

Michael paused what he was doing and stared up at the towering figure in front of him.

The guy in front of him was Victor, a towering figure who had been terrorizing him for weeks, collecting a weekly “debt” of 50 cents—a supposed repayment for the two dollars’ worth of food Victor claimed Michael had knocked out of his hands in the canteen.

But Michael knew the truth—he had been sitting alone, minding his own business, when Victor walked by, tripped, and spilled his own food.

Yet Victor had used Michael as a scapegoat, demanding he pay back the money. Every Friday, he would come demanding 50 cents with his fist clenched, ready to strike if Michael couldn’t pay.

The memory of Victor’s previous bullying flashed through Michael’s mind—the public humiliation, the snickers from classmates, and the feeling of helplessness.

Michael’s anger rose.

“I don’t have anything,” Michael said, trying to calm himself.

Maybe because he had just brushed past death in Elyria that morning, Victor’s towering figure didn’t seem so towering anymore. Instead of fear, he felt anger as he remembered the humiliation he had suffered.

The classroom fell silent, all eyes fixed on the unfolding drama.

They knew how these things ended.

Either Michael was beaten to a pulp or… he was still beaten to a pulp.

There was no way around it. Victor, after all, was most likely the strongest in their grade, and he always found a way to bully whoever he wanted.

“You’re telling me you don’t have 50 cents? Again?” Victor’s voice was deep and threatening. “You’re really pushing your luck, Michael. I swear, you’re begging to get hurt.”

Actually, Michael couldn’t understand this guy. Probably because he had no friends apart from Alex and always behaved low-key, Victor thought he could do anything to him.

Well, he actually could. He was stronger than Michael and had gang-like friends who were always ready to help if things went south.

So despite the anger brewing inside him instead of his usual fear, Michael still behaved as he normally would.

“I really don’t have anything here, please…” Michael said, but was cut off halfway.

Victor’s sneer deepened. “Please? You think ‘please’ is going to save you? I don’t think so. You’re going to pay, Michael. One way or another. You can either hand over the cash, or we can take a little trip to the bathroom. Your choice.”

“No ‘please’? Then go f**k yourself in that bathroom,” Michael replied almost immediately, fuming, his eyes shining with anger. He even pointed in the direction of the bathroom.

Time seemed to stop as everyone watching the drama widened their eyes.

Even Michael was surprised by his own reaction, but damn the consequences. He could have done this a long time ago, but he had been scared of them picking on his sister.

The classroom went silent. The only sound was the heavy breathing of the two boys.

Michael’s heart was racing. He had never done this before. It felt good—but what would happen now?

Alex, who had been getting ready to plead on Michael’s behalf, was shocked.

What the hell was wrong with Michael?

Even the whole class wondered. They couldn’t figure out where the courage had come from.

Victor’s eyes widened in shock. He couldn’t understand what had just happened. He knew Michael as someone who was always pleading, so this sudden burst of confidence—

Where was it from?

Just as Victor was about to do what he did best—

The bell rang loudly, its sharp tone echoing through the corridors and classrooms of the school.

As the last notes faded away, a woman’s voice came over the intercom.

“Attention, students,” she announced. “All individuals above the age of fifteen are required to gather at Hall D immediately. Please make your way there promptly. This is not a drill. Repeat, all individuals above fifteen, report to Hall D at once.”

Most of the students in Michael’s grade were between the ages of sixteen and eighteen, with a few cases of nineteen—Victor being one of them.

“You are dead meat,” Victor said to Michael as he turned and left.

Michael watched him walk away. He didn’t really feel anything from the threat.

Alex walked up to him, looking at him strangely.

“What’s wrong? Why that look?” Michael asked.

“Nothing really, but you surprised the whole class just now. Nobody really dares to stand up against Victor—including you,” Alex replied, shrugging his shoulders.

He knew Michael too well. If it wasn’t for his sister, he would have long traded blows with Victor, even if he ended up getting beaten.

Michael hated people like Victor the most.

“By the way, why do you think they gathered us? Do you think it is related to Elyria?” Alex asked excitedly.

“Should be,” Michael replied. The scene of Elyria flooded his mind. Surprisingly, he couldn’t wait to get back into the game.

Ground of Awakening? Powers? What was that monster?

Michael thought silently, his interest piqued. He glanced at the bracelet on his wrist. He really couldn’t wait much longer.

As everyone made their way to Hall D, Michael could hear people trying to guess the reason they had suddenly been called there.

“What’s going on? Why are we being called to Hall D?”

“I have no idea, but I hope it’s not another boring assembly.”

“You guys haven’t heard about Elyria? And how the school is planning on hosting a competition based on it?”

“Who doesn’t know about Elyria?”

Another student, who couldn’t hold himself back any longer, asked,

“What’s ELYRIA?”

Everyone stared at him and burst into laughter. Someone even replied mockingly,

“Bro, where are you from? Even the unborn baby in my mother’s womb knows about it.”

Another round of laughter followed.

As the students entered the hall, they started chattering and murmuring. It was pretty noisy everywhere.

The hall was quite large.

The stage at the front of the hall was set with a large podium. The school officials were surprisingly present at the back of the stage, looking stern and serious.

But what caught everyone’s attention was the presence of the city officials.

The murmuring increased, and nobody could understand why city officials would suddenly come to their school.

Everyone was even more shocked when another person walked through the entrance of the hall.

“The mayor?”

Everyone was stunned.

Seeing the mayor was a very rare sight.

Just as the noise seemed to be reaching a fever pitch, a loud sound echoed through the hall.

It was a hammer being struck—like the small one used in court to demand order and silence.

The room fell silent.

The principal, a tall and imposing figure, stepped up to the podium and surveyed the crowd with a stern expression.

The principal had bright eyes and a sleek appearance. He looked to be in his late forties.

Seeing that he had everyone’s attention, the principal smiled and said,

“By now, I believe everyone knows about the virtual reality game, Elyria.”

It’s Elyria, after all… Michael thought.

What puzzled him more was what had made the city officials come here in person.

Is ELYRIA really just a game?