Once More

In a rundown room within an apartment complex, two friends were having a conversation as they watched television.

"Hey. Have you heard about Jada and Will Smith?"

"Yea. Everyone in Will's family wants to replace him with someone else. Do you think he'll get through that?"

"Of course he Will. He has the Will power to persevere."

[NotSoNews: It has been a year since Angela Klein, the twin sister of Bernilli Klein and Immersion Online's mascot, has gone missing. There has been no update since 6 months ago and all of her traces went cold. Within 2 more years, he will be proclaimed dead.]

Hearing this news. The two friends looked at each other.

"Dude! Angela Klein still hasn't been found? I thought that shit wasn't real at all. Now it's on the news!"

"I don't know! Things should have gone smoothly if she's Bernilli's twin sister but it seems that Angela just disappeared."

"What do you think will happen to Immersion Online's reputation now that their poster girl will be declared dead?"

"Hmm. Should we care?"

"Why shouldn't we?"

"Dude, we live in a shithole of an apartment, we can't even afford proper living, why should we care about some game that we can't play?"

The two were having a heated conversation regarding their standard of living. They were not getting the best out of life and that is because every time they get their salaries, they use all of their money on blackjack and hookers.

In Immersion Online, a casual conversation happened between strangers. It was a serene discussion, unlike the conversation from earlier which was no longer just a conversation about the issue they saw on TV.

"So Bob. I have been meaning to ask you since earlier." Chikinsupu asked Bob a question while they were walking towards Bagel Village.

"Yea? What is it?"

"Why did you not use a weapon?"

Upon hearing Chikinsupu's question, Bob could only stand in silence. He could not say that he forgot to bring anything, even a knife at the least.

"I- ugh" Bob choked on his words.

"Oh. Is there no default weapon for your class of choice?" Chikinsupu made his speculation but he was doubtful if that was the case.

Bob looked at Chikinsupu for a while. He did not understand how that relates to not bringing any weapon at all but -

"Yea! Totally! Let's go with that." Bob just went with the flow.

'This guy forgot to use his weapons, didn't he?' Chikinsupu looked at Bob as he thought.

New players get a variety of level 1 weapons. There was a sword, a Bo staff, and a slingshot within a beginner's inventory once they create their characters. Bob, on the other hand, did not have any of those since his character was not created by a player.

"At least use the staff, it should be the best one if you aren't familiar with any of the weapons." Chikinsupu said his opinion regarding the default weapons that Bob didn't use.

"Staff?" Bob was, as always, clueless.

"Oh my. You haven't tried opening your inventory yet, have you?" Chikinsupu asked shockingly. He could not believe such a noob would exist.

"Inventory? What's that?"

SLAP~

Chikinsupu facepalmed himself.

'So such game idiots actually exist? Hahaha.' He thought.

Bob was not aware of the features of a game system. He could have asked the system for more information but he did no think too much about it the last time he asked. When he first encountered the system, he asked about what essential meant.

And after that, Hell Dog Letani spawned and scared Bob, who got teleported to the database soon after. Consequentially, Bob forgot about the system.

"Uhm. How do I explain this? For now, try saying 'Inventory'. It should show itself to you." Chikinsupu explained with difficulty. He never thought that he'd have to explain such a basic thing to anyone at all.

"Okay. Inventory! Wah!" Bob did as he was told, he was a good boy. He was also surprised.

Bob's vision was suddenly blocked by an interface. This caused him to flinch and react poorly. He was scared of something everyone was used to.

"Dude. Seriously?" Chikinsupu exclaimed. He still hasn't removed his hand from his face.

"Okay. That's your inventory, where you keep your items. Got it?" He continued explaining to Bob.

Bob still did not understand what was happening. He just took everything Chikinsupu at face value because he doesn't want to tell Chikinsupu that he didn't understand.

"So. You're saying. That this is where I keep my stuff?" Bob tried to move around the interface but it followed his vision.

"Stop moving. Yes. It has a limit of 100 slots but it could be enhanced in 3 ways, or at least 3 ways are known."

Inventories had 100 slots by default in Immersion online. The slot count is not fixed, however. It can be increased in different ways.

People knew that it increases because of the STR stat but the proper ratio has not been established yet because it changes per unlocked slot.

Some quests could permanently or temporarily increase inventory slots. These are the types of quests that are hard to find.

And lastly, that is by loot boxes. Don't worry kids, it is not gambling if it's a surprise mechanic. (AN: Game piracy is just a surprise discount.)

"So. Try using the staff." Chikinsupu continued teaching Bob.

"Okay."

Bob replied positively. But he did not move or do anything. Chikinsupu waited for him but eventually got confused.

"Well? I'm waiting." Chikinsupu got fed-up with Bob's listlessness.

"Chikinsupu, we have a problem."

"Yea? What is it?"

"My inventory is empty."

They stood in silence. Chikinsupu could now understand why Bob did not try and do anything earlier. He does not know why Bob's inventory is empty but he'll just accept that fact.

Because he's tired of Bob's incompetency.

"Let's just go to the village blacksmith and secure a weapon." Chikinsupu suggested to just get weapons from somewhere else.

"Okay! Rodrik, the blacksmith, should be able to give us a discount if I ask him for it. We go way back." Bob replied without thinking.

Upon hearing Bob's reply, Chikinsupu once again thought that Bob was weird.

'This guy is a hardcore roleplayer.' He thought.

They arrived at the smithy and found Rodrik, the blacksmith.

"Hey, Rodrik!" Bob grabbed Rodrik's attention via shouting.

"Good day adventurer. I have the finest weapons and armor in all of Bagel Village."

"Yeah. Because you're the only blacksmith in the village." Bob retorted Rodrik's greeting.

"So, what do you need?" Rodrik asked and a prompt blocked Bob's vision

"Give me a dagger. Or a sword." Bob decided to ignore the prompt and continue his talk with Rodrik.

Rodrik never replied.

"Umm. Rodrik?" Bob was confused. He saw that Rodrik was looking at him while bobbing his body but never replied.

Chikinsupu decided to intervene.

"Hey! Hurry up and get the item from the trade window."

"Trade window?"

Bob looked at the prompt that blocked a fourth of his vision. He saw the items that were available within the smithy and their prices.

"Should I bring these to my inventory?" Bob asked. He now somewhat understood how slots worked due to Chikinsupu's teachings.

"Yea. Beginner items are practically free anyway so don't worry about the price."

Bob listened to every word Chikinsupu said. He did not like that Rodrik, his friend, was ignoring him but he had to do as he was told.

*You've successfully purchased Cracked Sword worth nothing.

"Woah!" Bob exclaimed.

"Yeah, let's go."

Chikinsupu dragged Bob outside the smithy and walked towards another bagel-shaped building. He did not explain anything to Bob as he dragged him and entered the building.

"What are we doing here?" Bob asked as he entered with Chikinsupu.

"You should get a quest first. You know what quests are right?"

"Yes." Bob could finally answer a question positively.

"Then it should be simple. Get the horned rabbit quest, since we are going to be hunting them."

"Okay."

Bob talked to Rose, the homeowner of the building, and a sculptor.

"Hello, Rose. Can you give me the horned rabbit quest?"

"Thank you, adventurer. I was running low on supplies lately."

*You have accepted the quest 'Give Rose the thing she needs every night'

"Why is the quest named this way?" Bob looked at Rose but she did not reply.

However, Bob could not inquire more about Rose as Chikinsupu once again dragged him outside. Chikinsupu did not want to see anymore cringe from Bob's roleplaying.

"Dude. I know that that's your thing but try to keep it at a minimum. You're a noob so just focus on learning first."

"Wat."

Chikinsupu no longer spoke to Bob as he continued to bring Bob outside the village. After a certain distance, they found something that Bob was terrified of.

"Here we are, Bob."

"Uhm. Am I going to fight that again?"

Chikinsupu looked at Bob with a stern gaze. He crossed his arms and blocked the way back. Chikinsupu wanted Bob to fight a horned rabbit once more.

"Do your best. Don't get raped this time."