Game begin

"Blood-Arrow and Red Encounter," Michael stated, the two players' names appearing in his AI-enhanced vision. "Both played ten matches and survived. Now, you two are going to use your precious life cards in this game," he added with a chuckle, a hint of dark amusement in his voice.

Life cards, coveted items in the AI Virtual Reality game, offered a lifeline to players facing certain death. They were just one of many cards that provided unique privileges, such as tracking cards, speed cards, and others that granted various abilities. However, these cards came at a steep price. A single life card, for instance, cost a staggering 100,000 in-game diamonds, a currency notoriously difficult to acquire in the VRG.

"Well, I don't need to worry about them because I know where they will drop, so I can simply avoid them," Michael said calmly, his eyes scanning the virtual environment.

'In AI, new players can't use skills. For any player's skill to unlock, that player needs to reach LV 10,' Michael reminded himself, a mental note of the game's mechanics.

< Get ready, players. >

The AI's robotic voice echoed through the waiting room, drawing everyone's attention. The lively chatter ceased, and even the entertainment halted.

< You are all playing Island Survival. >

< These are the rules of Island Survival. >

< Try to always stay inside the safe zone; the safe zone decreases every two hours in the game. You can check your bracelet to mark the time. >

< You will come into contact with different monsters in this game, monsters that want to eat you alive. >

< The more monsters and players you kill, the more rewards you gain. >

< Yes, you are allowed to kill anything that will hinder your victory. >

< Find and craft anything that can increase your survival rate. >

< Some things are very poisonous in the game. >

< These are just advice, because there are no rules. >

< Now get ready, game starts in five seconds. >

The players quickly stood, those armed gripping their weapons tightly.

< You will all be thrown into separate locations. >

A ripple of unease spread through the room, but the AI's next words eased the tension.

< Those with teammates will be thrown to the same location. >

< Survive with your teammates and share your victory and rewards together. >

< Remember, if you die, you die for real. Good luck, players. >

The promise of shared rewards brought a flicker of anticipation to some faces, including Poisonous Queen's, though she masked it well.

< Get ready. >

< All new players' attributes have been unlocked. >

< 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Go. >

White pillars of light enveloped the players, transporting them to the virtual island. Michael and Poisonous Queen were the last to vanish.

[ISLAND SURVIVAL]

They materialized in a dense forest. Michael calmly surveyed his surroundings.

'The same as my previous life,' he thought, a sense of déjà vu washing over him.

{ Host is in a game. }

{ Do you wish to see the cheats available in this game? }

'Do you need to ask? Show me,' Michael replied mentally.

{ Loading cheats... }

{ Players' and monsters' locations revealed. Map of the island gained. Equipment locations revealed on the map. Speed boost ready. Monsters' weaknesses discovered. High attack damage added to every host's attack on both players and monsters. Host's defense doubled. Host cannot feel hungry or thirsty. Host is resistant to poison. }

'What the—! These cheats just made me a god in this game!' Michael exclaimed inwardly, his eyes widening.

He pulled up the map, visible only to him. 'So, in front of us, which is north, have four LV 3 monsters, and behind us, which is south, have two LV 5 monsters, while east has ten LV 2 monsters, and lastly, west has one LV 7 monster. This game is just—up. And in my past life, we chose south, and we luckily escaped those two LV 5 monsters.'

'Well, with my high level of damage, what is there to be afraid of?' Michael thought, a confident smirk on his face.

{ First, you need to find a weapon. You can also use your fists, but the damage will be 30% lower, } the system advised.

'Okay,' Michael nodded.

"What should we do now? We can't just stand in the open like this," Poisonous Queen asked, her eyes scanning the forest.

"We are heading east!" Michael declared, striding purposefully in that direction.

"Okay?" Poisonous Queen nodded, following him, unaware of the dangers ahead.

[BACK IN THE CITY]

In a dimly lit room, two figures sat facing each other. One was a portly man in an oversized suit, his face etched with a mix of greed and malice. The other, a muscular figure clad in black, blended seamlessly with the shadows.

"So... what do you want?" the man in black asked, his voice a low, menacing growl.

"I want two people erased from this world," the fat man said, his eyes glinting with a cold determination.

"You know I only take deals which will benefit me and my guild, so what's in it for us?" the man asked calmly.

"One week of lifetimes," the fat man offered.

"Are you stupid?! You are asking us to kill two people, not two chickens, and you are here giving a week of lifetimes!" the man said coldly.

"Then one month of lifetimes," he increased the offer.

"No. As the boss of the Shadow Assassins Guild, I want more. I will only take your deal if you give six months of lifetimes."

"What?! Isn't that too much?!" the fat man yelled.

"Too much? How is six months too much? Three months for each person," the man said calmly.

"Then kill only the guy and use the girl as you see fit," he changed his plan, his eyes narrowing.

"A girl? Is she beautiful?" the man asked, his voice laced with a predatory curiosity.

The fat man, unable to see the man's face, nodded.

"Okay then, three months of lifetimes, and the deal is done," the man said, his voice a chilling whisper.

The fat man hesitated, then, remembering the humiliation Michael had inflicted upon him, he gritted his teeth and nodded.

"Fine." He extended his hand, the green bracelet on his wrist glinting in the dim light. The man extended his own hand, revealing a silver bracelet.

Seeing the silver bracelet, the fat man smiled and nodded, transferring the agreed-upon lifetimes.

'Just wait and see, you fool,' he thought, his eyes burning with a vengeful fire.