Chapter 81 Not even the Joker did that...

The alternative continued speaking, her voice unwavering despite Dante's silent gaze. "Anyways, where was I? Oh yes! Live a normal life with super good looks and incredible talent. Any unfortunate event? You're still above peak humans in that world. Heck, I bet you could conquer any normal world with just high charisma; magic is just a plus."

Dante's eyes bore into her as he fully grasped her mindset. Instead of trying to climb and strive for a greater goal, she succumbed to the comforts the system offered, opting to live a simple, untroubled life. This revelation struck him like a thunderclap, his mind reeling from the sheer superficiality of it all.

As he processed this, an inner storm began to brew. On one hand, the notion of living without constant dangers or battles against other players was undoubtedly tempting. He could abandon the relentless fight, just enjoy life, and let the days pass in pure tranquility until he has to meet his natural end like everybody else.

But from the other part, deep inside the very essence that conforms to his soul, vehemently rejected the notion of giving up in such a blatant way; something inside him whispered his name, engraving a strange sensation of wanting more even if he knew he couldn't possibly chew it.

But on the other hand, something deeper within him vehemently rejected this idea. His very essence, the core of his being, screamed in defiance. It wasn't just about survival; it was about the unyielding pursuit of more, the insatiable hunger for growth and achievement. Every fiber of his being resisted the idea of giving up so blatantly; a primal urge urged him to want more, even if he knew that he couldn't possibly chew it all.

Dante's eyes glowed with a pale golden verdant fire, similar to the time he had obtained the effect of 'Greed.' The fire was barely noticeable unless one looked closely into his retinas, but it was there, flickering with an intensity that mirrored his inner conflict. He clenched his jaw and said with a conflictive tone, "I... I don't think it's right! I can't elaborate further because neither do I know what I want, but every cell within me says that I should keep going."

The alternative tilted her head, her expression a mix of curiosity and amusement. She leaned in closer, studying him with an intensity that made him slightly uncomfortable. "Really? Even when you have the option to just... live?" She gestured around as if to emphasize the simplicity and ease of her own existence.

The alternative, with a playful smile tugging at the corner of her lips, grandiloquently cleaned her clothes and spoke. "Then let's say you obtain everything. You turn out to be the top dog, and no one can defy you... what's next?"

As she posed the question, the world around them seemed to respond. The bustling city froze, the people and birds suspended mid-motion, the ambient sounds ceasing abruptly. It was as if time itself had stopped, leaving only the two of them locked in an intense gaze. Dante's fiery green eyes, which had been burning with an intense flame, began to simmer down. "I... Uh..."

Her golden hair caught the sunlight, shimmering like a halo around her face. She continued her argument, her tone both alluring and provocative. "Just like with immortality, it's a goal you want to pursue, but if you actually reach it... then what's next? You're immortal, congrats." She clapped her hands sarcastically, the sound echoing in the stillness. "Now you wait until the last star loses its light, and time doesn't have meaning anymore?"

the words that came out of Dante's mouth were slow and came with a contradictory tone of doubt, "I... think it's the journey and not the destination."

She shook her head, dismissing his words with a wave of her hand. "That's stupid. Let's rewind a bit. When you got here, you went to explore the world, level up, and upgrade. You did all of that because you needed gold, to survive. Do you even realize that you don't need to do much here? The moment you unlocked a decent upgrade, it was over. In the grand scheme of things, our lives don't matter. If you die now or later, will something change?"

If meeting the love version was a change in perspective about his future, then meeting this hedonist version perhaps could turn into a shift in goals, but soon enough, he recalled the love version again. The pure, raw display of power and her title of ranker, the title of being the best, standing above everyone else.; his life actually matter and have great potential. Dante didn't know how to explain this, so he continued listening while making an argument.

The alternative's fervor grew as she tried to pull Dante into her view of ordinariness. "You never needed to go and explore. Why do it? You don't have a reason, you never had an actual reason except the taxes. But that's easy to pay if you don't spend anything on trying to get stronger."

She reached the climax of her argument, her voice a mixture of passion and finality. "Look, money might not buy you true happiness... but it can buy you a really good fucking life and a lot of euphoria."

Dante's entire argument which he had been making since the start, instantly crumbled as he mumbled in bewilderment, "Wait-Wait-Wait Rewind there... Taxes? Like the one we unnecessary paid to the goverment?"

"Yes...? Like we have to constantly pay taxes to the system, every month? If not we enter debt???"

The alternative: "..."

Dante: "..."

...

...

...

In real time, her expression morphed from furrowed brows of confusion to wide-eyed disbelief. "Oh my... You haven't paid your taxes..." She took a deep breath, trying to process the enormity of his ignorance. "IMBECILE! DID YOU REALLY EXPECT EVERYTHING THE SYSTEM OFFERS WOULD BE FREE? Like the food, the places, the shops... For fuck's sake, no!"

Already with the theme of the future and goal forgotten, Dante defensively raised his hand, his face pale with fear. "H-H-How much is it?"

"It depends on your level, but if you haven't paid a shit since you came to this place, then I guess 50K-500k? we pay double the taxes because we are the chosen one from the heavens." She made quotation marks with her fingers, and her tone became very sarcastic. "So they want us to do more."

Dante's heart sank hearing at this information, he had been carelessly wasting his money, now that he thinks about it, he rushed Pinkie Pie by a lot, like there were a few dozen character he could had bought before her, has everyone else except him have been paying them??? "What happens if I don't pay?"

Dante's heart sank upon hearing this information. He realized he had been carelessly wasting his money. Reflecting on it, he had unnecessarily spent a lot on Pinkie Pie when he could have purchased many other good and cheaper characters before her. Had everyone else been paying except him...? "What happens if I don't pay?"

She replied, "You lose access to many valuable and necessary services from the system. The deadline is six months. Most players live with one month unpaid to save some money, but from your cluelessness about taxes, you probably have only a few days..."

The alternative shifted her tone, now practical and urgent. "So, let's quickly cover the basics. Don't buy magic; it's more complex than it looks. I mean real magic, not just telekinesis and teleportation. Articulating and creating working spells is tough. Get clothes that benefit your stats. Events are the best way to get gold coupled with special items."

She continued, her voice steady and informative. "Worlds are for XP, but even so, they kind of suck for that. In an event, you can ask for XP at the end, and they will give it to you. Of course, that XP comes at the cost of your usual rewards..."

Her tone grew impatient. "So now get the fuck out of here and go pay them. If you don't have money, enter an event. You are an aspect; what's going to kill you? Another aspect? There is more chance of you becoming the strongest in the server than that happening!"

She began to shoo him away with exaggerated hand motions as if sending away a bothersome dog. "So woosh woosh. You can buy a ticket to meet any alternative later, that's if you actually have something to ask."