CHAPTER ONE: BLOOD IN THE SAND

The year is 2030, technology had increased dramatically, and virtual reality gaming has become extremely popular. I remember it like it was yesterday, spring had finally arrived, and along with it was the launch of the most infamous MMO title, Death Gaze Online. I, of course, was one of the few lucky enough to snag an early copy of the game before release day. My name is Koichi Namakame, I'm a sophomore currently attending Tosen High, a brand-new high school built in Tokyo Japan. Today was the start of our spring break and I couldn't wait to play it once I had arrived home from school.

I rushed past my mother who kept calling my name asking if I had completed my chores for the day. Little does she know I have been preparing for this day ever since Death Gaze was first announced. All of my chores have been completed in advance leaving me nothing but free time for the rest of the weekend. I quickly tossed my bag onto my bed and pulled out my VR headset. I could feel the grin swelling on my face as I opened up the case that concealed the game.

"Koichi were you listening to me?" My mother questioned while opening my door just as I was about to put on my headset.

"Mom!" I whined with pouted lips "I already did all the chores last night!"

"Well son if you had actually listened to me you would know I wasn't asking about the chores," my mother replied while handing me a letter that had my name on it. "This came in the mail today, I'm pretty sure it has something to do with your new game."

"Could it be?" I quickly snatched the letter from my mom and proceeded on opening it. "No way…" I gasped while reading the contents of the letter. I was cordially invited to attend the first-ever DGO grand tournament which will be held a few months after the games launch. The winner will be awarded ten million yen along with some unlockable content in-game.

"I never understand why you kids waste all your precious time playing those stupid games, it baffles me," My mother muttered with a slight sigh.

"Mom there's prize money involved if I win this," I retorted.

"What are you going to do with fake money honey?"

"No Mom you don't get it. If I win, I'll receive ten million yen!" I watched as my mother's eyes lit up instantly.

"Well, what are you waiting for sweety log on those monsters aren't going to slay themselves!" My mother replied while trying to shove my headset over my head.

"Hey, wait just a min—"

"Have fun sweety, I'll let you know when dinner is ready!" Before I knew it, the startup process had begun. I was instantly sent into the game's main directory where I could choose my name, class, and race. I began scrolling through the lists of classes that were available and the assassin class immediately caught my eye. "Hmm, focus on stealth kills and excels in counterstrikes. Sounds like my kind of class!" I chose my name to be the same as my own and my race to be human. After adjusting my hairstyle and eye color I shifted my gaze over towards the begin button that had shown up on my HUD display.

Before I knew it, I was instantly loading into the game. I appeared in a pillar of shimmering light by a gate that held a crystal in the center of it. I then turned back to face the massive desert town that stood behind me. I was left in awe after witnessing the many shops, NPCs, and players that were roaming throughout the town. I took in a deep breath as the reality had finally sunk in. I was about to begin my journey as the world's greatest Death Gaze player. I quickly rushed towards the shops to try and buy some updated equipment.

The money that I had received from preorder helped me land a new blade along with some chainmail armor and a tunic. I quickly equipped my new gear and counted up the remaining gold pieces I had left. "Good, this should last me a bit, I think it's time to do some monster hunting!" I stated while tossing my bag of coins in the air and catching it. My ears began to pick up some nearby chatter as I shifted my gaze towards the mass of players that were crowding around the center statue in town.

A few of them were pointing up at the sky as a giant screen appeared instantaneously above the statue. I looked up at the screen and noticed it was the official press release of the game. "Seems like a full house," I said while approaching the screen to gain a better look. There he was, the creator of Death Gaze Online, Yusuke Nakamura himself. He is a 24-year-old Japanese American that came to Japan to get into the anime writing scene, however, things didn't work out as planned. Instead, he and a co-worker created an indie game named Blades of Fire an RPG that sold $300 million on release. This boosted him in popularity around the world and he announced 3 months after the release of his game a new MMORPG. He always looked excited and happy, but I know those emotions all too well and he is neither.

I can see through his ruse; in reality, he is a sad lonely man that nine times out of ten doesn't care what the public has to say about him. I watched as he stared at the host with his hands folded before his face and his eyes disengaged as if he didn't want to be at the press release of his own game. I let out a slight sigh as I began shaking my head. I couldn't stay and watch someone like him carry on as if he owned the world.

I took off towards the west exit of town where I found multiple players slaying mobs of fiendish lizards. I focused my gaze on the critters and saw that they were only at level one. "Perfect," I said while raising both fists. "This is my start!" The assassin class was also made available to me by the preorder. I was excited to see what kind of skills I'll be able to unlock as I gain more levels. I noticed a sudden presence approaching me from behind. I reached for the blade that I had attached to the back of my waist and quickly unsheathed it with a single strike against the fiend.

I watched as its body instantly disintegrated into data after one strike, leaving behind monster materials and some gold coins. I also received about fifteen experience points from that one kill. More lizards approached me from the sand in various directions. I could feel the confident grin swelling within my face as I began striking down each lizard one after another. Before I knew it, I racked up about sixteen kills with enough experience points to level me up. This is so awesome! I thought while spinning my blade between my fingers and then sheathing it back inside my sheath.

I began organizing my loot by pulling up the HUD display and scrolling through my inventory. I suddenly noticed a certain key item labeled skill unlock in my inventory that I had no recollection of ever receiving. "God Access …" I muttered while tapping on the icon. Nothing occurred when I touched it and I couldn't remove it from my inventory either. I continued to play with the icon until I heard a sudden shrill from a girl to the right of me. I shifted my gaze instantly to see a massive sand monster towering over a young female player.

I recognized that monster from the game guide that came with the preorder. It was an event monster and that young girl had triggered an event. What's more, that monster is a level 10! "Hey get back! That monster is too strong for you!" I shouted.

"Please save me, I don't know what to do!" The girl cried.

"Dammit," I rushed over towards her while unsheathing my blade. The sand fiend was a towering pillar of sand with a wide mouth and yellow eyes. It carried no arms, and its hands were unattached from its body. I watched as it raised its right hand in preparation to strike. My body instantly appeared before the young girl as I held my blade before me, backhanded. I courageously took on the brunt of the attack as I was being pushed back by the force of the blow. The girl was rolling beside me as my feet dug through the sand.

I gritted my teeth tightly as I watched my health drop tremendously. Dammit, what am I doing jumping into an event like that? I thought, instantly regretting the decision I just made. It's not like this girl was going to die in real life, if anything she was just going to be teleported back to her home location. "Listen, we don't stand a chance against this monster, we need to head back now!"

"Yes I know…" said the girl. She was quivering, frozen, as if she couldn't move "I think that creature did something to me…I can't move my body…"

"Say what…?" I muttered under my breath. I noticed that a paralyzed icon had appeared on my HUD display "that move…it must've paralyzed us from that strike…" I said while glancing back at the sand creature. "This is bad, the timer is set for a hundred and twenty seconds before we can move again!"

"He's going to strike!" The girl cried.

Dammit, I can't die already, my ranking will go down for the tournament! I instantly shut my eyes, prepared to lose my virtual life for the first time. The next thing I know, I hear a massive battle cry coming from what seemed to be a middle age man. I opened my eyes and saw a man dressed in gladiator attire leaping towards the sand creature with his blade aimed downward and both hands clasping onto the handle.

"Die you fiend!" The man cried as he plunged his blade deep into the skull of the creature. Blood sprouted outward from the fiend like a geyser as its body began to slowly stop moving then disintegrating into data. I watched as the man took a knee while shoving his blade deep into the sand.

"He did it…he actually took down that creature by himself…" I noticed the alert of clearing the event popping up on my HUD along with four massive level gains. I was finally able to move my body as I started walking towards the exhausted warrior. I tried focusing to see if I could read his player I.D. or level but nothing showed up.

"What is this place?" I heard him mutter from beneath his breath.

"Hey, are you ok?" I asked finally while stretching out my hand towards him.

"You there, you speak, and not in riddle either," the man said while glancing back at me. He had a shortcut and beard with gold plated chest plate and armlets. The gear he had was not something I recognized and not something that a new player should have. His sword seemed to emit some kind of exotic glow as he raised himself to his feet and turned to me. "Young man, what is your name?"

"Me? I'm Koichi Namakame," I replied briefly. I glanced back to see if the girl was still there, but she had already left before even thanking me for saving her life. Figures that would happen…My thoughts were instantly interrupted by the sound of laughter coming from the middle-aged man. "What's so funny?" I asked with pouted cheeks.

"That is a funny name."

"Oh yeah, and what's yours?"

"I…I used to have a name, one that my beloved wife used to call so often. But now that name is forgotten," a look of sorrow enveloped his eyes as he cast them aside while staring down at the sand. He let out a slight sigh and then returned his gaze to me. "You can call me Spartacus, that is the only name I know."

"Spartacus…" I pondered while stroking my chin with my right hand. I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my ankle as I watched the remaining of my life deplete before my eyes. A random lizard fiend had arisen from within the sand and bit me causing me to die and have my ghost appear over my body as I decided if I want to teleport back to my home location or wait for someone to revive me. "Dammit, my rank!" I cried.

"What sort of sorcery is this!?" Spartacus shouted while directing his blade at my ethereal body.

"What you never seen someone die before?"

"Assassin, how is it that you're speaking to me from the dead?" Did he just call me Assassin, geez I told the guy my name and everything?

"Is this your first time playing a virtual reality game?" I asked with folded arms.

"Game? What game? What the devil is this place?" I could tell from his facial expression he was serious; he didn't know where he was or what was going on. He's not an NPC and not a player. Just who is this guy? He says his name is Spartacus…could it be like the one from history?