Chapter 18

[A/N: Sorry for the late chapter]

A few hours later in an apartment, a young man could be seen logging onto Steam and turning on a stream with the title 'Come join me in Battle For The Top', a simple title but with its simplicity, it has its own charm.

Within moments over a hundred viewers appeared and began chatting in the stream chat.

[Killor: Daily stream, woooh!]

[Mark4: Already? I thought there were still a few hours left until the stream starts]

[LEoLiAniAL: @Mark4, Agreed]

"Now now guys, before you start spamming about why I am early, it's because I got off work early, meaning I had more time to stream for all of you," The Streamer told his audience.

[Killor: Lies, we all know you just wanted to play Battle For The Top and Need For Speed, @NetRedBane!]

[LEoLiAniAL: I agree with the user upstairs!]

[Mark4: Face it @NetRedBane, we know you better than you think!]

"Fine, fine, you all got me, but can you really blame me? Such a game like Need for Speed and Battle For The Top can be addicting!" The streamer told his chat with a righteous tone in his voice.

[Mark4: Whatever helps you sleep at night]

[LEoLiAniAL: LOL]

Ignoring the constant comments flooding the chat the streamer who was named NetRedBane just started up Battle For The Top and suddenly he found himself within the courtyard all the players decided to call 'The Outpost'.

Suddenly for the viewers, they went from looking at his screen to seeing everything that the streamer could see with his eyes.

The Viewers watched as NetRed walked over to the door of the abandoned building and queued for a Duo match with an NPC.

Soon enough however NetRed was thrown into a match.

Or more accurately, thrown into the waiting lobby of some kind of large sky scrapper that must have been quite old since tiles were broken, grass grew in between the tiles in the floor, and sitting directly at the center of the building was a giant oak tree with roots twisting and turning throughout the room's floor.

This place was where the Players and Teams would wait until the match begins.

NetRed then looked around until he eventually saw a flash of green over a figure sitting in the corner of the lobby.

Walking over to the said figure, NetRed froze in his steps as he laid his eyes upon the visage of the man who would be his teammate.

NetRed's teammate wore black boots, black cargo pants, a black T-Shirt, black combat gloves, and worst of all, a black mask that covers his whole face and imprinted on the mask was a white skull.

The only thing that revealed possibly who the man was, was his two eyes that were visible through holes in the mask and his white skin.

But what really made NetRed uncomfortable for being next to the man, were his dead eyes that gazed at him without any hint of expression or emotions.

"W-who are you?" NetRed asked, nervous.

"You can call me Ghost...tell me, where are we? How'd I get here?" The man called 'Ghost' asked NetRed.

"We're in the lobby...waiting for the match to start, as for how you got here, you would have to ask your fellows..." NetRed answered.

[Killor: So realistic! These NPCs seem to be intelligent!]

[ForTeOne: @Killor, I know right! How are these NPCs! They are definitely just paid actors!]

[BR@IN: Although I would normally agree with the man upstairs, I have to deny this statement, if these were paid actors then how come there are multiple proofs of these NPCs constantly playing through matches]

Ignoring the chatbox that appeared in the corner of his vision, NetRed continued to observe the man before him.

"30...29...28..." An intercom suddenly began counting down, making everyone in the lobby quite down and mentally prepare themselves.

"What's happening?" Ghost asked, ready to fight.

"We're about to be transported, you're new to this are you not? Just follow me, we can talk once we land," NetRed told Ghost.

"What do you mean land? Are they taking us to a plane or something?" Ghost asked, but the intercom went silent as it reached its final number.

Suddenly everyone's vision went black and a sudden shake happened as they found themselves on a plane seatbelted to chairs.

Looking around, NetRed could see Ghost alarmed due to the sudden transportation in the seat across from him.

"How did we get here?!" Ghost shouted in confusion so NetRed could hear him over all of the voices talking in the plane.

"Magic?" NetRed replied with a shrug not knowing how to explain the game's mechanics to the NPC.

"We should jump soon, I marked a spot on the Map, uh...just think about a map and it should show up in front of you," NetRed informed 'Ghost'.

Suddenly Ghost jumped due to what can only be assumed for the Map revealed itself before his eyes.

"What kind of technology is this?!" Ghost asked, swatting at the empty air in front of himself where the Map should be for him.

NetRed only shrugged in response, indicating he did not know.

"Save the talk for when we land, remember, just land on my marker on the map, it should be the Gold Marker on your map!" NetRed shouted as the plane's back opened up and teams began jumping out and jumped out himself.