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The sunlight from my window started peaking in and woke me from my slumber. I felt someone cuddling me from behind, making me realize I was the little spoon during the night. It was also about this time I realized Yuki's hand had slipped under my shirt and was groping me.

I was about to remove her hand when I remembered her confession. I stop myself and start to think about it some more. Family relationships like that are now somewhat common, like how same-sex relationships were viewed in the early 2000s. We now have gene therapy clinics everywhere that allow parents to customize their children. Most don't use it unless they are curing genetic diseases or similar situations. Still, the rich have started using it in the last five years to ensure they have the optimal heir.

So, what is really holding me back? If the world is going to change like I think it will, many things won't matter anymore, let alone if two lovers are related. Is it love? Is that what is stopping me? Do I or can I love her back like how she loves me? I think back to her pained face when she cried as I woke up from my weeklong coma, and it made me realize how dependable she is. Maybe…maybe we can try something small. See where it leads us first, but I will have that talk with her a bit later.

I slowly slide her hand out from underneath my shirt and crawl out of bed. I look at Yuki and see my bed is a mess with the blanket balled up at the end of the bed. I see Yuki has worn as many clothes as I did, or should I say lack thereof. But it's to be expected, it's summer right now, and it's too damn hot.

I walk over to my dresser to get some clothes but stop myself. I don't plan to go anywhere except to log into the game, so do I need clothes in the first place? Instead, I opt to grab a clean pair of underwear and head to the shower.

I turn the shower on and step inside. I start to lather myself up, but as I do, I get phantom feelings of Yuki's hand on my breast. With this thought, I pinch my nipple until it becomes erect and moan slightly. Why am I turned on so much about this?

I snaked my other hand down to my wet mound and started to pump my fingers. My breathing became heavy, and I leaned forward until my head rested against the shower wall. I continued to play with my nipple and pussy until I exploded with one of the best orgasms I've ever had.

I turned around with my back against the wall as I slid down and rested on the shower floor, trying to catch my breath. A few minutes later, I could feel my strength return, and I shakily stood up.

"That was amazing. I guess I have been sexually frustrated for a while. Just another thing to contemplate on." I said as I continued washing.

After I finished my morning 'exercise,' I walked into the kitchen and started breakfast. As I put the food on plates, I see Yuki shuffle into the kitchen. My eyes, for some reason, are drawn to her chest. Once I realize that, I turn away quickly while I can feel my cheeks heat up.

"M-morning, Yuki. I got breakfast ready if you want some."

"Thanks. Don't mind if I do. By the way, digging the new look."

"Yeah, I figured it would be easier to just stay like this since I wasn't going anywhere, and we are about to log in the game today anyway."

I grabbed my plate and moved into the living room, where I turned on the TV for the morning news and sat down. I was then shortly joined by Yuki, who did the same. Though I do catch Yuki taking quick glances at me, I can't help but feel a little excited. I shift my focus back to the TV to calm myself down.

[With the religion reformation bill, all religions are now classified the same as folklore and myths. All places of worship are to be demolished or turned into museums by the end of next year.]

I was wondering when that was going to happen. Thanks to the last religious crusade in 2073, the death toll in the UK and middle east rose to over one billion. The World Alliance, formerly known as the UN, banned all religions worldwide or at least in all countries that were part of the alliance. Which was about 87% to 92% of the world.

[In other news, Exodus Technologies has announced a new Full Dive VR device called the Exodus Dreamcaster. It is a smaller, portable device that allows you to experience Full Dive VR without the bulky pod.]

[While the device looks promising, it does have a few caveats. It only has eight hours of battery life. The internal storage at the moment is small, coming with only 250 EB worth of storage compared to the pod version's 500 ZB of storage. On the plus side, for you folks looking to get into Full Dive VR, it comes at a much cheaper cost of $1600.]

[The company also announced that when the Dreamcaster comes to market in the following weeks. They will reinstate the time dilation that their hit game Rebirth Online originally had. all future game streams will only be watchable with the pod or the Dreamcaster.]

"Looks like more people will joining in Rebirth Online, mom. Looks like we need to establish ourselves before the new players start to flock into the game."

"Looks like it. Since I am not so worried about money anymore, I can relax and enjoy myself in the game. I already have a teacher teaching me things like Potion making, alchemy, and enchanting. I can use that and open up a store for our guild we were going to make."

"Ok, cool, maybe I'll pick up a trade skill too. Don't know if I want to do blacksmithing, but there might be something else for me. So, what are your plans today?"

"Well…I was going to go to the capital for that one quest I have, but after the goblin incident, I think I will hold off on that for the moment. I will focus on my trade skills and getting that quest done from Old Man."

After a few more minutes of relaxing on the couch, we went to our designated pods to log in. I stood beside my pod for several minutes, looking at it, contemplating if I should get back in or not. I remember what Yuki said about people possibly gaining powers. I steel my resolve and get into the pod and log in.

Back in the game, I realize I am still in the forest where we encountered the goblins. The battle of that day is nowhere to be seen as if it never happened. I pick myself up off the ground and head toward the road.

I didn't get very far as I heard some footsteps. Turning toward the sound, I come face to face with a woman. A woman who I saw only once but talked to occasionally…Eri.

"Hello, Gwyn…or should I say, Sarah?"

"Oh, hello…wait. How do you know my real name?"

"I know a lot of things about you. My mistress asked me to be a companion for you. To look out for you and help you."

"What happened to me in that dungeon? Why was I there for a whole week?"

"Easy there, Sarah. I will answer your questions but let us walk back to town and talk along the way."

I nod my head unsurely as we walk together. Finally reaching the road. Once we start to follow the road, I ask my questions again.

"I will give you the answers you want, although they might be difficult to take."

"First, my mistress is what you would call a Goddess. She happened upon your planet just before the release of a certain game you are now playing. She is a bit mischievous and started altering the game for her designs and giving me life in the process."

"So…wait? Is this game real then?"

"No, at least not yet. It will be soon. Her brother was the original creator of this world but has long since abandoned it. This world is doomed to fizzle out in the near future due to the lack of proper guidance and form of higher energy."

"If this world still had guidance from a higher existence, your civilization would advance enough to develop their own higher form of energy. But it does not and is doomed to die out. The Goddess Scarlet has decided to take this world for herself. While I can only guess her true motives, I know she wants to help the world to some degree."

"You're saying that my world would be dead in the near future if it wasn't for that Goddess?"

"Yes, that is correct. Now, as for your other question. Scarlet had taken an interest in you due to you befriending me. She looked into your life and decided she would try to help you. That dungeon was her way of trying to do that…or at least it should have been. I can't and won't go into too much detail for the sake of my own self-preservation. Still, another entity interfered with the dungeon, and things went a bit…weird."

"Ok…so will anything like that happen again?'

"No. It should not, as we will not be making any more dungeons for you. Any dungeon you come across will be the normal ones everyone can find in this world."

"I gained some abilities in real life. Will others be gaining them too?"

"Yes, the other 'players' will also be getting abilities and other boons with their physical bodies. It will be a slow process as your world will draw in mana to replace its lack of higher energy."

"Good to know, but why are you telling me all this?"

"There are various reasons for it. I cannot disclose some of these to you for self-preservation reasons, but some of the reasons are because you are my first friend. I also want to give your family an advantage for the future."

I nod my head in response to Eri's answers. I think about everything she had told me and decide I need to tell Alex and Yuki. We then have short periods of small talk until we arrive at my starting town.