Life's a Game

"So you are telling me this young upstart showed up out of nowhere, killed the Demon within twenty minutes and left without saying a thing?" A random player dressed like a cowboy asked, stunned.

"Actually Hunter, he kept saying 'skip dialogue' while I was trying to talk to him." the bartender's assistant remarked while polishing a glass.

Both the Bartender and the Regular customer, Hunter stopped and stared at the assistant in surprise, while the poor guy shrank in on himself.

didn't ask for any information from you?"

"Did he at least say his name?" Hunter asked.

"he didn't have to, the username showed up as Tobias Jackson." the assistant stated.

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I approached a fairly large house. Here was the inn I planned to stay at while I wiped out a few goblins and monsters in the surrounding area over the next few days. Then I'd move to the next city in the region. I didn't think it was a bad plan. It was an easy way to get rewards. Approach the right person and you can trade rewards for other more expensive upgrades and weapons, or even more valuable: information.

Naturally I was on the hunt for the latter.

I needed information to get rid of this stupid-

Ding! I bit back a sigh of irritation.

I had turned the volume down but the noise still annoyed me after having to hear it so much.

The introduction tutorial window which continued to display even now that I had reached level 63.

I hadn't walked too far away from the abandoned building where I fought the demon. So I could understand the notification about the 4,000 coins I received. That didn't mean I had to like it though.

Ding! A new notification popped up. What is it now?

The game's introductory system popped up no matter what I did so it came to no surprise for me that it showed the standard information only a beginner would see.

The statistics listed his name as Felix Xenotime. He owned the inn he was standing at the entrance of. Likely he was outside because the game system managing all the NQPCs told him an actual player was in the vicinity.

A man wearing a white hooded cloak with gold trim and half of six point stars along it and on the corners. The cloak is held in place by a five point star clasp.Under the cloak is pale blue long sleeved robe and pants with matching solitary half of gold six point stars on the corners of the outfit, trim, and on the torso. Holding it in place is a slightly darker pale blue belt. And on the feet are white calf length boots that have half of the same stars on the front.

He had pale skin, straight blonde hair long enough to rest on his shoulders and teal green eyes, the left of which held a monocle.

All right here we go, NQPC's were only overly nice to beginners. let's see how awkward this exchange gets.

Ding! two dialogue options popped up.

I could either introduce myself or ask where the owner of the inn was.

[ "Hello sir my name is Tobias Jackson" ]

[ "Hey you wouldn't happen to know the owner by any chance?" ]

Picking the first made me seem kind of naive.... the second....

I already knew what happened when I didn't pick either option. Happened with a fish merchant awhile back. We both stood there staring at each other waiting on one of us to speak.

Most awkward five minutes of my life.

"Hi I'm Tobias Jackson, I was wondering if I could get a room here." I faked smiled.

Ding! my eyes flicked to the message bar, it showed I completed a mission: Introduce myself to twenty NQPCs.

Huh.

The reward was ten tickets. Well that could buy some decent transportation, depending on where I wanted to go.

I hit the okay button and ignored the system notification saying that my prize has successfully been removed from my gift box and added to my inventory.

The NQPC, Xenotime regarded me. I had no way of asking, my job was to stick as close to the script as possible, NQPCs were only given so many lines of dialogue. But I wished I could ask, what I seemed like to them.

I tuned out his explanation of lore for his town in favor of reminiscing how things were for back when I was younger. Thinking about last year would just be unpleasant.

All my life I was the weird kid, the "avoid at all costs kid". For a long time I never understood why.

Maybe it was how I never conformed to the common standards of society. one time in second grade we were asked to draw a monster then explain why we thought it was a monster.

I remember the students in my class all said something like,

"because he's big and scary"

"because he's ugly"

"because he's growling"

"because he's showing everyone all his big pointy teeth!" yeah I don't know what was with that kid. I think his name was Jonas or something. He seemed genuinely proud of his answer though. The teacher just smiled and nodded, probably planning to dismiss everything we said.

I said something like "Because he's all alone,"

The woman looked baffled and a lot of the class looked surprised. A lot of gasps were heard. A lot of other kids asked why I answered the way I did.

It was because... I could understand that feeling. I thought that if I had friends I wouldn't be an outcast. Of course I never got any so I abandoned this mindset but still.

Returning to the present I noticed Xenotime walking to the desk where a row of keys were just out in the open. At first I thought that was weird then saw the electronic bar crackling quietly, the stats showed Xenotime could use lightning so I imagined that unless you were an experienced lightning user you'd get shocked if you tried to reach the key yourself.

The tutorial window popped up and I tried not to feel irritated at the ding noise since this time it'd give important information. Apparently my room was number seven on the second floor. I guess I should have warned Xenotime that he didn't need to explain my room key.

The tutorial window also showed a notice explaining what I just surmised on my own about the keys laying in plain sight. I figured I could dismiss it.

"Xenotime I wish to use the bathhouse," I stated.

Xenotime tilted his head. "Bathhouses are only open to levels six and u--"

"Display window, show full stats and achievements," I sighed folding my arms.

Ding! [ Level 63 monsters killed: 237

rank B: agility

rank A: intelligence

rank B: regeneration/healing

Attack skills: Standard Sword User Moves, Gymnastics,

Defense skills: Temporary Shield, Common Combat skills

current health points: 90,884 ]

A pause.

"Apologies,I saw the bar for the introductory panel and I figured you were a beginner," Xenotime apologized.

'If I were a beginner that comment would be fitting, but....' I thought with a forced smile. "I can understand that,"

I would give anything to be a NQPC, at least then having this constant screen would make sense.

I scanned the amount, it was the exact same amount of gold coins that the room cost. I opened my mouth, and looked up to see Xenotime eyeing me silently.

"you're giving me a gift? but I haven't accomplished any side quests." I blinked in disbelief.

"Consider it an apology for the misunderstanding on my part," Xenotime smiled.

Gifts couldn't be returned and I wasn't one to let things go to waste so I kept it.

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Ding! [ Four potential enemy players are approaching]

"mmhmm, I know," I remarked absently. I can hear them talking and they are at least fifty feet away.

Ding! [request to join their group?]

(Yes) (No)

"No way," I shrugged nonchalantly and hit no.

I needed a way to contact someone about this annoying glitch.

It was tiring as it was that the NQPC characters all automatically assumed that I was simply a beginner. At least only NQPCs could see the introduction panel.

Although it would be interesting if an opponent underestimated me. Still it's probably revenge for those times I obsessively played games by mastering the timing in them and cheating that way. Arguably it was simple math. Anyone could do it with effort.

Ding!

[ Game Update: Information about the upcoming playthrough { Arcane Cosmic Fortress }

will be arriving in approximately Four Days

Time till Launch: 96:30: 58 ]

"That's .... that sounds interesting," I remarked.

Ding!

A different notice popped up.

[ Special Event Playthrough items will be added to the store located in the Arena's ARCADE. Hurry to the Store to load up on requirements as they stock!]

I ignored it. I'll go to the shop whenever, knowing the other four/five hundred thousand something people here they'll be rushing to get items or rushing to the bank to get the in game currency of Tokens, Tickets, Promissory Notes, Coins, or even EP (Electronic Points) or ET (Electronic Tokens). Either way the place would be ridiculously packed.

Not my idea of a good day.

Similarly I didn't want to listen to the loud obnoxious chatter for too much longer so I got up.

"Hey where are you going?" a voice called out, slurring their words indicating they were drunk.

"I don't need this right now..."

My notification window showed [four potential allies have shown interest in you]