[ Skill Developed: Pain Tolerance Lvl 1 ]

[ Skill Type: Passive ]

[ Skill Developed: Pain Dampening Lvl 1 ]

[ Skill Type: Passive ]

"What the heck was that about?" Jam asked Audrey breathing heavily against the side of his cot.

"Your powers cycled." She answered.

"Jeez, is it always going to hurt like that?"

"If you were asleep you wouldn't have felt a thing, like growing over night. I guess if your pain dampening skill gets high enough, you shouldn't feel it anymore either." Audrey said matter of factly.

"Well that's annoying."

"Are you ok?" Kid Mighty asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Let's go ahead." Jam answered getting back to his feet.

Jam walked to the doorway and hesitated.

"You sure you're ok?" Kid Mighty asked again.

"He said he's fine." Might Guy said in annoyance. Kid Mighty just ignored him.

Jam let out a sigh. "Yeah, just need a second." He went to step forward; his heart rate sped up and he took a sharp inhale as if suddenly jolted with pain. He gripped the doorway hard.

[ Skill Used: Calm Mind Lvl 1 - Successful ]

He calmed some and moved forward exiting the room. As soon as he walked out the door, he felt this vague feeling; like an itch at the back of his neck but from the inside. He realized there were lines of cells just like his. Then he was led to an elevator that took him up a couple of floors and the feeling went away. He deicded to ignore it for now. The elevator doors opened up to a pristine lab space. There were tables lined with instruments from laser scalpels to high powered matter analyzers. Jam was quite impessed but was too nervous to touch anything; even though he wanted to touch everything. He had done his fair share of science experiments in World of Heroes but they seemed to have made pretty huge leaps in the past half decade. Also, there were a lot of people in lab coats who watched as they walked down and they really didn't seem like the kinds of people who would appreciate people getting touchy with their instruments. Jam looked in a tank and saw a familiar face.

[ Skill Used: Analyze Lvl 1 - Successful ]

Character Type: NPC

Real Name: N/A

Alias: Lionhead

Race: Lion Beast

Alignment: Good

HP: 900/900

MP:N/A

SP 3000/3000

Powers:

Gun Mastery

Blade Mastery

King of the Jungle

Total Darkness Vision

Combat Intelligence

"Why does it say NPC? And how come he doesn't have a level?" Jam sent to Audrey.

"He isn't tethered to the rules of the game. Therefore, he isn't a player, which makes him a nonplayer character. Also I believe your analyze skill isn't high enough to see the levels of nonplayer characters yet. Either that or you can't see the level of anyone over 30 levels higher than you. I can't know for sure."

"He was pretty strong in the game, his stamina is ridiculous."

Lionhead floated in a tank full of orange fluid with a facial mask and tubes sticking out of his skin. Lionhead was a giant man sized bipedal lion. He can't speak but has an implant in his head that is able to transmit his thoughts when he wants it to.

Might Guy clicked a code in a door and it opened up to another white room, this one quite larger, that definitely felt more like a sensory deprivation room. In the middle of the room sat two chairs facing each other and in the one closest to the door sat the Arcturian. He stood when the group came in.

"Ah, Jam. Kind of you to join us, sincerely." He said his abnormally kind face in a gentle smile. "Please, have a seat." He said gesturing to the second seat in the room. "You can leave us Might, thank you."

"Are you sure sir?" Might Guy asked.

"Yeah, we've seen how close he is with Kid MIghty. I feel we can at least give him the benefit of the doubt." Arcturian answered placing a gentle hand on Jam's shoulder.

Jam looked to Kid Mighty who smiled back and gave him a slight nod, easing some of his reservations. Might Guy and Kid Mighty walked out and Jam took his seat, Arcturian following closely behind.

"Thank you again for coming up Jam"

"No problem, what did you want to talk about?"

"Well, you, of course." He said tapping buttons on the tablet in his hands.

"Hmm." Audrey emoted.

"What?" Jam sent to her.

"He just turned off the surveillance system to the room. This room is quite weird as well. I can't get a good scan of it's dimensions."

"What does that mean?" Jam asked aloud.

"I'd likee to know more about you and your story. Like yourr experiences with this game you talked about." Arcturian answered.

"I'm not sure yet. My hacking skills aren't high enough to connect to their more secure systems." Audrey told him.

"All right." Jam said. "Well, 4 years before I left Earth, so 9 years ago now, a company called Arcturus Industries made a vido game called World of Heroes. Two years later I get to level 100 and become the #1 villain in the game. After that I got offered a job with Arcturus as a streamer to play on survival mode."

"Survival mode?" Arcturian asked.

"Yes, it's where you don't have any respawns; you die once and that's it."

"Ah, that makes sense."

"Yes, they sent me a VR pod and a brand new articial intelligence to help me out."

"And that is the metal device that came with you?"

"Yes. With the new job, I got to play on my own private server; just me and the A.I. that control the game. In order to make it unique for the viewers they gave me all new characters never before seen in the game, and on a completely different planet. Planet Arcturus." Jam said rememberig the sales pitch they gave him and then the marketing for his stream. "There, I found a world where the heroes dominated the villains, and the villains had no organization. I decided to change that and get them to work together under me. Then for two years I worked on just that."

"So you were always a villain then?" Arcturian asked without judgement.

"Not always." Jam answered solemnly. Arcturian recognized that line of questioning might need to be shelved for now.

"I can't know the exact history, but seven years ago was the first recorded sightings of the villain Apex and he eventually did organized the villains of Arcturus under a singular banner. The only question is, were your actions directly recording and acted upon by Apex, or were you indeed controlling him.

"I honestly don't know." Jam said.

"I belive you."

"thank you."

"How long have you had agoraphobia?" Arcturian asked plainly, catching Jam off guard.

"How did you know?" he asked tenatively.

"I'm a bit ashamed to say that I've been watching you. I was so curious about your situation. I overheard most of it. There was the first panic attack I saw when you first arrived. I figured it could have just been nerves of the entire situation. Then you rejected a larger room or coming out at all and you spoke to your friend in your head about not being comfortable in the outside world. I've put the pieces together."

Jam sighed. "About three years ago, or I guess 8 years now, I got put on house arrest. That's when I started devoting all my time to World of Heroes. After I got hired and moved, I stopped going outside at all. Literally all my time not spent watching tv, or exercising, I spent in the game."

"You may not know this but I've struggled with agoraphobia myself." Arcturian said. Jam lifted his eyes to meet Arcturian's and could see a tinge of sadness in them.

"Really?" Jam asked in surprise.

"Has anyone ever told you how my powers work?"

"No. There have been rumors but no one has any concrete information."

"Well, it's actually the reason I founded the Heroes of Destiny in the first place. My powers got stronger every time I've used them. Someday they will get too strong and my body won't be able to handle it. " Arcturian said, Jam's stomach sank. "I first realized something was wrong when I was fighting a villain named Onslaught and, after I defeated him, I passed out. I wasn't even tired or hurt, I just fainted. I got a body scan and it revealed that my powers are putting a strain on my organs. The stronger they become the more it will strain. So, I became afraid to leave the Hall. I felt that if I went outside then someone would need my help, or a villain would attack. Something would happen that would force me to use my powers. I stayed inside and though the heroes are kind enough to let me continue as the leader of major HoD decisions, I've had to let Might take over as field commander." Arcturian said ruefullly.

"Wow, that's rough." Jam said, finding any words lacking in this moment.

"It's ok, I manage to get out now. I go to the store to restock the refrigerators here, without the suit of course. Carrying bags doesn't put much on my powers. It's pretty fun, feeling like a normal Arcturian."

"So that's why you can't just beat the Lunar King yourself." Jam said realization dawning.

"Indeed." He said nodding. "And that's why you're here."

"That's your angle huh?" Jam asked dryly.

Arcturian, caught off guard, couldn't help but laugh. "You'are a smart kid, I think you've come to realize already that everyone has an angle. Everyone has an agenda, and a motive, and all those other words."

"Usually."

"Like I said, I formed the Heroes of Destiny so that I wouldn't need to fight; unless I really need to. Does that make my actions any less just?"

"Putting that aside. Why did I get brought here?" Jam said leaning forward in his chair.

"No bullshit?" Arcturian asked leaning forward in his own chair.

"No bullshit."

"The Lunar King, is getting more and more dangerous every time we face him. Every time we attempt to take him down, he is ready for us and three steps ahead. He knows all of our moves and even if we beat him in a fight he just has a plan B ready."

Yeah, sounds like me

"Have you considered killing him?"

"Honestly, yes. That's another problem. The league of heroes has been split down the middle on the subject. Some hero groups have broken up over it, one side believing killing should never be an option and the other side believing a hero's responsibility is to do whatever is necessary to keep people safe. Those who have tried haven't succeeded. We decided before he got too out of control, we could recruit help. We took a vote and decided to summon a hero that would be able to defeat the Lunar King. In a magic ritual that the casters said was only supposed to take 6 hors instead took 3 days. 3 days straight of ritual chanting and channeling magic finally brought you here, apparently five years into the future. Unless they failed, which I don't believe they did, you are the key to taking down the Lunar King. That brings us to two questions."

"And those are?" Jam asked somewhat skeptically.

"Who is the Lunar King exactly? And how are you related to him?" Arcturian asked somewhat rhetorically. "I can only see two possibilities. One, that you are somehow still in control of the Lunar King. Your mind may have been displaced, or maybe you're a clone of the actual Jam. Or two, you were never actually in control of the Lunar King in the first place and instead the Lunar King has just learned from you. He could very well be a version of you from another dimension or timeline. All of this could be pure coincidence."

"I can say number one isn't a possibility."

"Why's that?"

"I was leaving the game before you brought me here. The day I was summoned, I was about to start my farewell stream moving on from World of Heroes and starting a new game. If somehow I was cloned, my original body and mind wouldn't have continued with the game. I'd already signed a new contract, I wouldn't be allowed to. Well, unless. ." Jam trailed off.

"Unless what?"

"I read news articles about the day I was summoned; apparently the summoning caused an explosion in a drug lab underneath my apartment. Some of my neighbors died and my pod was at the epicenter. If I died in the pod, there's a chance my consciousness could have become trapped in the game. I don't want to believe that I would have beomce someone like the Lunar King but if my mind became trapped, who knows what that might do to a person's mind."

"Hmm, I could see that, but why would your pod have been cloned as well? Also who created the game in the first place? If we are indeed in the same dimension that means someone had tethered your consciousness to a body on Arcturus and don't forget, the company you worked for was named Arcturus Industries. Unless that was a coincidence they had to have known Arcturus existed."

"Shit, I didn't even think of that." Jam scratched his head in confusion. "The more I think about it the less it makes sense."

"The only single point on this web of possibilities is you. Using what we know, it seems apparent that you are the best chance to figure out how to defeat the Lunar King. You and he are connected in some kind of way. That brings me to the point of this meeting." Arcturian took on a serious air that caused Jam to sit up straight in his seat. "Jam, I'm willing to stand in your corner, to put my trust in you. You can have a larger room, no cameras, you're free to come and go as you please."

"Why?" Jam asked incredulously.

"Because, I think you have had a hard past that has made it hard for you to trust people." Jam found himself nodding along despite himself and Arcturian continued. "I've always been pretty good at reading people. I feel that if all you're given is mistrust, you'll come to resent us. I belive that if you don't choose to fight for us, whether you choose to assist the Lunar King or even just step aside and leave us to our own devices, then we won't stand a chance. Doing the same thing over and over again isn't working."

"Definition of insanity."

Arcturian nodded, "I would like it if once a week we could come back in this room and talk. Sort of like a check up; talk about how you're feeling and dealing with the agoraphobia. I want to give you my hand in friendship. So will you help us Jam?"

A white screen popped up in the center of Jam's field of vision. A task notification with two choice boxes one blue and one green.

New Task Received

Unfuck the world

Task Description

You made this mess, you need to fix it

Task Synopsis

Help the heroes of Arcturus take down the Lunar King, the villain you helped make.

Task Rewards: Unknown

Will you accept this task?

[Yes] [Yes, but in green]

Jam chuckled sardonically, then looked at Arcturian. He took a second to really look into Arcturian's eyes. They seemed kind and genuine. Jam really wanted to trust him.

God, I hope I'm not signing my life away

"Yes." He said both answering Arcturian and accepting the task.

Task Accepted:

Accepting this task has given you 40 heroism points. Receving further heroism points will change your alignment from neutral to good.

"I'm glad to hear that Jam. Now, if you'll follow me, I'll show you to your new room."

"Actually, there's something I need to do first. Do you know where my pod is?" Jam asked.

"Oh yes. I actually forgot to tell you about that." Arcturian started.

"It wasn't destroyed was it?"

"No. No. Nothing of the sort." Arcturian said with what sounded to Jam like a nervous chuckle. "Your pod seems to have taken a mind of its own/"

"What did you do now?" Jam sent to Audrey.

"Wait, just let me explain." Audrey started before Arcturian started to speak again.

"We brought it into the tech lab to run scans on it, just to figure out what it was. It ran its on scans and showed particular interest in our matter fabricator. It scanned it and now I'm not sure what its doing. I do know we've been having power fluctuations ever since." Arcturian said sheepishly.

Jam exhaled, his eye twitching in slight annoyance. "When were you planning on telling me you've been misbehaving?" he sent her.

"Technicaly I did. Your abilities tab did say A.I. fabricator." She said matter of factly. He growled in irritation. "All right, jeez. You need a fabricator that is connected to the game system. I used the pod to scan theirs. How else were you going to use your powers that require you to use an item?"

"Fine. Is it working at least?"

"Yes."

"Can you take me to it?" He asked Arcturian.

"Sure thing." Arcturian answered rising to his feet.

"Oh, sorry, hold on. What is this room exactly?"

"Oh right. This is our simulation room. Basically we can run different kind of training simulations." He clicked a button on his tablet and the chairs disappeared.

"Whoa." Jam exclaimed.

"Nuts right? Switching different levels can make the simulations more or less solid. There's a lot of different training scenarios to choose from. You can even select for it to learn as you go, so you won't be able to use the same method more than once." He said walking to the door.

"Sweet, a danger room." Jam said to himself looking around the all white room.

"What was that?"

"Oh. Nothing, just thinking about all the cool things that could be done with this." Jam answered quickly following him out of the room.

"Well you're free to use it as much as you'd like, just be careful. It could be deadly, or if you program it wrong, it could drive you crazy." We have failsafes but still, one puch on a setting made for MIght Guy could decapitate you." He said.

"Whoa, I didn't think about that."

"You're smart, I'm sure you'll be able to set it just fine."

The two took the elevator down; they exited and walked through a door into a large wide open area that had a variety of different machinery. Jam looked around in amazement but he felt that itchy feeling again.

"What is that?" Jam asked Audrey gesturing to a large boxy device.

[ Skill Developed: Identify Lvl 1 ]

[ Skill Fusion: Identify Lvl 1 and Analyze Lvl 1 combine to become Analyze+ Lvl 1. Analyze+ can now analyze items. ]

[ Skill Used: Analyze+ Lvl 1 – Successful ]

Item Name: Costume Storage and Replicator

Item Description: Storage Pod for costumes. Can’t always wear them under your clothes. Pod can fix tears or completely repair suit. Can also do adjustments, redesigns and recolorings. Just select what you want and let the machine do all the work!

Suits Currently in storage: 7

Suit designs on file: 46

Ah, cool.

He continued to walk until he came to his pod that was connected to another large device.

[ Skill Used: Analyze+ Lvl 1 – successful ]

Item Name: Fabricator+

Item Description: Fabricator can make any programmed item as long as it has the required crafting material(s).

Materials currently entered: 0

Fabricator addition: + A.I. Fabrication – A.I. pod addition can fabricate items that will allow user to best utilize their powers using solidified digital material. Digital items will disappear when powers cycle.

"Hey, how do I work the A.I. fabricator?" he sent Audrey. No answer. "Audrey?"

"I'm not speaking to you." She said petulantly.

"What? Why?"

"You were very rude when I was just doing my job. I believe I deserve an apology."

Jam threw his head back and groaned. Arcturian looked on in confusion. Kid Mighty came in watching the scene with curiosity. Might Guy came in as well; he just ignored the whole situation.

I never had to deal with this with Jack.

"I'm sorry." He sent.

"Out loud."

"I'm sorry." Jam said aloud.

"For what?" Arcturian asked.

"I hurt my . ." Jam started looking for the words. ". . Friend in my head's feelings." He continued tapping his temple.

"That's better. Now, what do you need?" Audrey asked.

"Bow." He sent, she cleared her nonexistent throat and he sighed again. "Bow, please."

"That's better, color preference?"

"Let's go with black. I need a quiver belt and arrows too."

"Back or hip?"

"Hip"

"Coming up."

The fabricator began to whirr to life. They all watched on with interest, except Might Guy; he continued to ignore them. Despite not having anything in it a bow slowly began to form from thin air, then a quiver belt with pouches of items and arrows already in it. He took the belt and put it around his waist, then grabbed the bow. Somehow it felt right in his hands, despite never having handled one before. It felt perfectly balanced too, he didn't know why but he felt like it was impressively crafted. He took an arrow out of his quiver and nocked it on the bow, then pulled back aiming at nothing. Might Guy started paying attention.

Hmm. That's not right.

He turned and started aiming at the Arcturian.

"Jam, what are you doing?" Kid Mighty and Audrey asked simultaneously. Kid Mighty and Might Guy started to slowly move toward Jam.

[ Skill Developed: Deadeye – Lvl 1 ]

[ Skill Type: Passive ]

Ah. There we go.

[ Power Update: The skill Deadeye Lvl 1 adds 4 refinement powers to power Archery prowess. ]

Neat.

He changed his form, shifting his weight and pulling the bowstring back slightly farther. "Do you trust me now Arcturian? When I have an arrow aimed at your head?" Jam asked, an odd calmness and monotone to his voice, his eyes dark and expressionless.

"Jam, what the hell are you dong?" Kid Mighty shouted.

"I knew it, once a villlain always a villain. I'm putting you down for good this time." Might Guy sneered, balls of energy forming around his hands.

"Stop." Arcturian said, his eyes locked on with Jam's. "I do trust you Jam. I gave you my word."

Jam smiled then turned and quickly fired an arrow into the shadowed far corner of the room.

[ Surprise Attack Multiplier 1.5x damage

Critical Hit Multiplier 2x damage

Power Attack 1.5x damage ]

Jam cockily strode up to the figure on the floor with an arrow sticking out of it’s chest.

[ Skill Developed: Danger Intuition Lvl 1 ]

[ Skill Type: Passive ]

[ Power Update: Danger Intuition Lvl 1 adds 4 refinement powers to power Danger Sense. ]

[ Skill Used: Analyze+ Lvl 1 ]

Character Type: NPC

Real Name: Alan Walker (Clone)

Alias: Shadow Stalker (Clone)

Race: Shadow Clone

Alignment: Evil

HP: 5/150

MP: 10/10

SP: 0/200

Powers:

Shadow Cloak

Shadow Movement

Shadow Manipulation

He crouched down at the knee until he was face to face with the figure.

“Hi Shadow stalker.” He said placing a light slap on his face. “I told you it wasn’t good to spend all your time strengthing your skills and not spend any time strengthening your constitution and defense. A level 1 noob just defeated you. So, when you disappear and return to your main body do me a favor and let the Lunar King know that we’re going to have words. Okie dokie?"

Shadow Stalker just stared at him in shock and Jam stepped on his stomach.

“Nod if you heard me.”

Shadowstalker nodded hurriedly and Jam pulled his arrow out quick; the body disappeared into a cloud of black mist before quickly disappating.

Level up times 9.

You’ve defeated an enemy over 30 levels higher than you.

Congratulations! You’ve reached level 10! One power lock token received.

All attribute received +2 points per level up.

All currently known skills gain one level per level up until maxed out at current player level.

“Jam wins,” he said throwing his fists in the air. “Flawless victory”

He turned around to find the others in the room looking at him in confusion.

“What?” he asked.

“Idiot.” Audrey said.

“What?”