BECOMING A GOD ONLINE

5. TWO WEEKS TESTING? WHAT A JOKE

The principal's words caused the students to murmur among themselves.

As the murmurs grew louder, the principal slammed his hand on the podium, making everyone jump. “Quiet!” he thundered.

The principal’s eyes were fierce.

Seeing that everyone was silent, he continued.

“For those who don’t know, Elyria is a revolutionary virtual game that aids in cognitive development. It’s another world entirely.”

Everyone was quiet, all eyes fixed on the principal.

Michael thought silently to himself.

What did the principal mean by “another world entirely”?

The principal continued, his voice serious.

“The government and the developers have revealed that there are no NPCs in the game, including the monsters.”

The crowd erupted into shocked murmurs and gasps. Students looked at each other in disbelief, their eyes wide with wonder.

Michael’s mind was racing.

“So that monster wasn’t an NPC?” he thought.

“Then what was it? A player?” Michael became confused.

Were NPCs humans too?

“What kind of game is this?” he wondered.

The principal raised his hands, trying to quiet the crowd. “Please, let me continue. This is important.”

But the students were too stunned to listen. They were all talking at once, trying to make sense of the revelation.

Most of them were already playing the game.

“No NPCs? What does that mean?”

“Is it just players then?”

“But what about the monsters?”

Michael just sat there, his eyes fixed on the principal, waiting for more answers.

But the more he thought about it, the more questions he had.

What was Elyria really?

He looked at the bracelet on his wrist, almost wondering aloud.

The hammer sounded three times again, echoing through the hall and silencing the crowd.

The principal surveyed the room, ensuring everyone’s attention was focused on him before continuing.

“It’s normal for you not to know,” he said, “because this game was originally created for military training.”

The students exchanged curious glances.

“But,” the principal continued, “the government has decided to make it open and free for all after a recent development, which they say they will reveal when the time is right. However, they emphasized that everyone’s participation in the game is paramount.”

The room remained silent as students processed this unexpected turn of events.

What kind of development could have prompted the government to open the game to everyone?

And why was participation so crucial?

Michael felt his curiosity hadn’t been this piqued in a long time.

Just as the principal was about to continue, a student’s voice rang out.

“Excuse me, sir! What about the monsters? Are they players too?”

The principal’s eyes scanned the room, locating the student who had asked the question. He paused for a moment before responding.

“Ah, yes. The monsters. That’s a good question. According to the government, the monsters are not players.”

The student pressed on. “Then what are they?”

The principal hesitated, clearing his throat before responding.

“They… are not players, at least not in the classical sense. When discussing our world, they are not players, but… they might just… might… be real monsters.”

The class fell into an uproar again, students shouting and screaming in shock and disbelief.

Michael’s mind went blank.

“What? Real monsters?”

In the midst of the chaos, a pretty girl stood up, her eyes sparkling with anger.

“It isn’t a game, is it?” she asked loudly. “It seems like the government knows nothing about it. Two weeks of testing? What a joke!”

Her words added fuel to the fire, and the room erupted into even more chaos.

Students were screaming, shouting, and demanding answers. The principal tried to regain control, but it was no use. The hall was in pandemonium.

The hammer struck five times, echoing through the hall and slowly silencing the noise.

The principal’s voice boomed through the room.

“Everyone calm down. You are correct—we are uninformed. But rest assured that ELYRIA is a game.”

“Like you, I have many questions, but I was instructed to reveal this bit of information.”

He paused, surveying the room before continuing.

“As for the monsters, those are among the things the government promised to reveal to us when the time is right.”

The students exchanged glances, still trying to process everything.

The principal’s expression turned serious.

“But there is something more important than the monsters that you have to know.”

His eyes swept across the students.

“Who among you has gone to the Ground of Awakening?” he asked.

Almost everyone raised their hands.

Michael was shocked that so many people were already actively playing the game.

Even Victor raised his hand.

“Good,” the principal said, nodding. “Now, I must tell you something important. The powers you awaken on the Ground of Awakening are not based on the game, but on your own constitution and frame of mind.”

This is not a game, Michael thought.

He remembered how the band could magically sink into his body and emerge at will.

There was currently no technology like that.

If he could, he wouldn’t play this game.

What kind of game awakened powers based on your real self?

The principal paused again, ensuring everyone was listening.

“It’s your talent, your innate abilities, that cause the powers you awaken. Not the game, but your own potential.”

“That is why when you log out of Elyria, you discover that the bracelet is inside you instead of on your wrist,” he continued.

The hall fell silent again, but this time it was a stunned silence.

Students looked at each other in disbelief.

Some began to mutter among themselves.

“This sounds more like science fiction than a virtual reality game…”

Others whispered, “Innate abilities? Talents?”

The principal’s expression turned grave, his eyes solemn.

“Yes, you might have guessed it already. When you enter the game, it’s not just your consciousness that enters… a part of your soul does too.”

The hall fell silent once more.

Students exchanged horrified glances, their minds struggling to comprehend his words.

The weight of his statement was immense.

The principal continued solemnly.

“So, though it seems safe, it is advised that when you die in the game, you remain logged out for five straight days so your damaged spirit can recover. Each death in Elyria is like a death in the real world—the pain is real, and it might even be felt in the real world after logging out.”

“And also, the penalty of death might be more than just a five-day log-out period. But this is the safest measure the government can ensure for everyone, because this game is of utmost importance to you and the world at large—their words, not mine.”

The hall was silent. The students’ faces were pale and worried.

“Damn it, I thought they said the game was safe,” Alex, who had been quiet for a long time, couldn’t help but swear.

“If you hadn’t said anything just now, I would have thought you were dead,” Michael said with a wry smile.

He knew how hard it was for Alex to stay quiet when things were this heated.

“This game sounds risky,” Alex said, unable to hide the growing unease he felt from the principal’s words.

“Very risky,” Michael replied, deep in thought.