Chapter 01: The Legendary Demon King

What the fuck? What had just happened? Just when I nearly got into the good part, something like this was to occur. I yelled calling for Mrs Green since it was her wifi that I used. She came rushing to see what happened to me.

“Mrs Green?! What happened to the line?” The moment I’d asked about my line, she was pissed off. Trying her best to annoy me further, she answered me just nonchalantly like it was no big deal.

“Got cut off, I think. I did not pay anything for the last 3 months.”

“What the fuck?! Why did you not tell me anything?”

“Why should I fucking do that? It’s my line, and I don’t use it often. Besides, my phone has its mobile network, so I don’t need an extra one.”

“My life depended on it, alright!”

“If that’s how it was, then pay if up a little. Not only your rent…”

I could not bother to listen to her anymore. My mind was somewhere else. I was on the verge of another trauma attack and I might kill this bitch for real. Fearing for the worse, I tried to stand up but I could do nothing more than just lifting my lifeless limb that hung from my waist down. It was useless. Everything was useless.

“You want to go out like that? Well, I had one wheelchair. My late husband’s if you don’t mind.”

Trying to get rid of me now? Whatever. It could be your dog’s for all I care. I wanted to move around. Staying stuck with no internet connection while in this condition would be going to do my head soon. Needed some fresh air before I went into one of those traumatic attacks again. Never had it since that one time, 3 years ago but never say never. One of these days, if I was not careful, some blood would be spilt.

After a while, Mrs Green gave me the wheelchair. The size was just about right, though it was old. I had to be careful not to spoil the wheel or else I was going to have more trouble than I was already at. Saying a cold-fish thanks to her, I moved towards the nearest cybercafé that I could find. Travelling with a wheelchair, with a whole body being bandaged, a broken left arm, stitches and more bandages on my head did make for a good scene alright.

People looked at me as if I had lost it. Babies cried and children ran away. Girls screamed at the sight of me, thinking I was a pervert on a wheelchair. Dogs tried to chase me but instead ran away, tails between its leg once my mouth started foaming. My eyes were red and I was exhausted. Honestly, I did not even eat anything yet since God knows how long. I was starving but I needed to go to the nearest cybercafé. I borrowed some money from Mrs Green after I had cajoled her for good 15minutes promising her to do the garden. For 5 meagre bucks! But money was still money.

*****

I arrived at the nearest cybercafé called AppleFruit after 1 hour of travelling. I was exhausted but nonetheless happy. Why did I go to this extend go a game that I no longer play? Well, every time I was in the verge of traumatic attack like just now, gaming was the only way that could help me. It diverted my attention and somehow soothe me. I owed my life to LIXXO in one way or another. Entering the place, I paid for 2 hours use that would normally cost others 4 dollars. Since I was on a wheelchair, I got a special rate. The other dollar, I got myself some drinks to be served to me later.

And yet again, I booted up my game. Seeing the familiar interfaces made me smile. Finally, I would go into my account and enjoy farming some items. I was poor in the real world, but in LIXXO, I was in a god-tier level of rich. Heh, if reality was as easy as this – Kill the monsters, get the money. Sell the loots, get more money. Do quests, again more money. Many ways to earn money.

But in the real world, earning money was not that straightforward for me.

“Hello, sir. This is the drink that you ordered.” Suddenly, one of the boys who worked here came to me. I knew him quite close as I often frequent this place to play LIXXO.

“Thanks, Al. Good to see that you are still working here.” I took the straw into my mouth with my left hand as I controlled the mouse on my right.

“Well, good to have you back. By the way, what games are you playing?” Al asked.

“Oh, this? It’s LIXXO. Been playing at your place all the while. Don’t you remember?” I answered him nonchalantly.

“I do remember seeing you play, but never knew about your character. But ain’t LIXXO going to close down soon? Why still play it?”

“Too much free time. Besides, I was getting into those attacks again. Might as well calm myself down before things get any worse.” But I was talking to deaf ears. Al was not focusing on what I was talking, but instead to the character that I was playing right now.

“Ohh wow… What the fuck did you just do?!” I could see that he was squirming with delight.

Being curious by his sudden change of attitude, I told him hoping to see more of that reactions. “Oh, this… just a normal attack and such? Why?”

“Hey, that’s no slime you hit. That’s a fucking Behemoth! Max level, mind you.” He was pointing at the screen.

“Yeah, so?” I answered nonchalantly. I think it was easy enough for me, anyway. No big deal and this Behemoth wasn’t a Boss level monster.

“No one fights Behemoth alone. Not even a party of 8 can win this. And you did this while talking to me.” Al used to play this game with me when he got some free time. I knew his playing style though we never partied. Just happened to be in the same area, helping each other to kill some mobs.

“It’s not unusual for me. At least I know I’m good at something despite looking like this.”

“You can say that again. If I did not see you play, I never thought of how good you are. Ever think of selling your account away?”

Suddenly, my hand froze. “What do you mean, selling my account?” I turned my head and asked Al.

“Well, sell your account. The game’s dying, right? Why not sell it away before it got wiped out?”

“Y-You can do that? I heard it’s illegal, isn’t it?”

“Illegal yeah, but there’s a load of people selling and buying accounts. We call it E-trade here.” Al just gave out a wide grin. Seemed like he was thinking of something.

And I did think I might like where he was going. “Ah… I-I see. How much do I get if I sell my account, Al?”

“Well, I’m not the expert, but the owner is. I’ll call on him to help you.”

*****

“So, you are one of the legendary Demon King of LIXXO?” That was the owner’s first word he saw my character.

“Huh? What Demon King?” That was first for me to hear someone called me that.

“You don’t know, even if you are one yourself?”

I shook my head. “Nope, no idea. I just play as how I liked to play, that’s all. Never knew about this weird mumbo-jumbo about Demon King.”

Al’s brother, Ed, was the owner of AppleFruit Inc., a small-town cybercafé that still operated even after 10 years. He was kind enough to help me explained what Al said to me earlier back then. The three of us, sitting in his room full of computer screens and VR gears. This room was like those found in ultra-geek PC nerds’ room. Creepy but at the same time it was amazing. Bunch of games were played at the same time and I could see from the screen how much effort had been laid to each game.

“I see… if you don’t know, then perhaps I shall explain to you what you actually missing.”

I just nodded and let him continue. “Demon King is the title we players give to 5 players who reached the maximum level of 300, maximum stats, had the best equips LIXXO had to offer and completes certain benchmark. If you think it’s easy to achieve, think again. In 15 years’ history of LIXXO, only 8 people reached level 300. To see one was a rarity among the rare. 5 million registered users, only 8 people level 300.”

“Alright, I get that it’s tough, but you said 8 people but just 5 Demon King.” The numbers the add up and I wanted more clarification from him.

“To achieve the title Demon King, your fame and your achievements must be the best among the best. I don’t know what you did, but your character and avatar’s name has been recorded in the forum as one of the Legendary Demon King. And what’s more…”

“There’s more?” I was surprised a little.

“You have been voted as the most powerful Demon King by at least 2,000,000 voters by the last count. That by itself was the most impressive thing you did.”

That made me lost myself a bit. In the game, I was never a friend of anyone nor involved in many parties nor partake in events. To hear I was the highest voted player around, was kind of surprising.

“B-But I did nothing. I just play the game as how I see fit.”

Ed gave out a chuckle. Did I say something that tickled his funny bone? “That doesn’t mean no one ever notice you, Bryan. You should know that every action you take, there are bound to be someone watching?”

“Yeah. I think so too.” Maybe, yeah. But I didn’t know. There was no active streaming technology that could help people to record in-game.

“So, are you selling your account?” Ed edged closer from his seat.

“Does it pay well?” That was what I am concerned about. If I wanted to sell, better make it worthwhile. Even a little money would go a long way for me.

“That I don’t know, we need to leave for the community to decide. The game is going to be obsolete soon, so I don’t know how much it would worth.”

“I see. Well, you are the pro, right? Al said so anyway.”

“So, you agree to sell?” Ed wanted my final confirmation which I replied with a nod.

“What’s in it for you?”

“Hah. Easy. I’ll take 15% of the sales as my commission, alright. Good enough?” I got it. He wanted commission money. Since I didn’t have to pay him any money for his service upfront, I think it was worth a shot.

“Well… I think it’s good enough. At least I know that if my account can make me money, I’m sure it would be better than getting wiped out and not earning anything. A dollar in hand is better than 1 million in gold coins in the game, right.”

“I see that you are a reasonable man. Alright, I’ll help you sell your account. I’ll put everything under your name, so you will be paid fully. And I trust you to pay me my commission once it’s done, right?”

“You have my word on that. As a soldier.” Ed's face showed that he was surprised with what I’d said but he then cracked a smile.

“Deal.” Finally getting the deal done, we shook our hands.

Honestly, I don’t know how much my account would be sold for, but at least I would earn something. Would it be 10 dollars? 50 dollars? I would be lucky if I can get a 100 dollar. Ah well, I would leave to these two to handle the matter.

As I left the place, I still had my 5 dollars intact with me. Whatever I used earlier, was free of charge. And because of that, I didn’t have to help Mrs Green. I smiled as I imagined her face hearing that I would not be going to do her chores for her and returned her money instead.