Marcus Ricci let out a gasp as he was thrown forcefully out of Ethea. He was just doing the character selection, but suddenly a panel opened in front of him saying.

[Hello players! You all will be logged out of the game in seconds, the reason for that is a huge update.]

Then he was kicked out of the selection world and back into his capsule, he groaned at the slight headache he got from the forceful logout. This was the first time he started Ethea and he was kicked out like that, it didn’t sound like a promising beginning to him in the slightest.

“Well,” He whispered under his breath, he felt comfortable in the capsule, it was filled with something like a mattress that was designed specially to give the most comfort to the player. “That was something, at least I hope the update was worth the headache I got.” Still in the capsule he entered the internet using the headset that comes with the capsule.

He logged in into his social media accounts and saw the number of posts about the sudden log out.

“I’m thankful for the log out, I was being chased by five thugs and didn’t know how to beat them, now I have enough time to think of a strategy.” Someone posted, they seemed happy about the log out.

Then there was the other side. “I was on the brink of securing a deal with a merchant, and this log out took the chance from me.” Then it was followed by a lot of curse words, mostly toward the Outlaws.

Then there were the excited players, they wrote all such things, Marcus scrolled a little and commented when he saw something cool or funny. Finally, after almost 2 hours, the news was posted that the players can log in now. He sighed a sigh of relief, it was a Friday evening and it was the weekend, but he didn’t want to spend his whole weekend and then go back to work and he hadn't played Ethea.

He closed his eyes and he felt his mind travel to another place. He couldn’t feel his body anymore, it was a weird feeling, he felt like he was a ghost. But it didn’t last for long, as in the next second, he found himself in a field. It was a field of grass, the green grass was as far as his eyes could see, he felt the sun’s heat on his skin and the fresh air was blowing his short hair.

He felt calm for a minute then it hit him. “What the hell? I didn’t finish my character, why am I in the game?” He wondered out loud.

Like it was answering his question a blue panel appeared in front of him.

[Attention all Players! Congratulations and welcome to Ethea! This is not the Ethea you played before; it has been changed to be more realistic. So, from now on, there will be no health bar, no mana bar, or stamina bar. There will be no self-activating skills or the ability to use the skill the moment it is acquired, but the player has to train to activate and use it.

The leveling system has also changed, before it depended on XP, but now it will depend on the three main attributes. Strength, Stamina and Dexterity. You can raise the attributes by training or doing stuff that include one of the three or all three.

There have also been changes to the NPC and the world in general, the dead NPC will not respawn again.

Class has also changed; all the players have been reset to level 1 and their stats have been reset. Now you can only choose a class when you reach level 10. The classes will be acquired by NPC:s, that means for example if a player wants to become a thief, then they have to ask an NPC thief to grant them the class. Not every NPC can give classes.]

Marcus was at loss of words, what in the actual fuck was happening? The game was updated into becoming practically another world but with magic and the possibility of someone getting stronger.

“This is so cool!” He shouted into the sky, he always wanted to play such games, a game so realistic that it made the humans forget they were in a game.

Just then another system message appeared in front of him.

[There has been changes to the death penalty! Now if the player dies then the character they were using will die, meaning the player will have to create another character.]

Marcus was shocked to the bones, this is craziness and awesomeness blended at the same time.

Another system message appeared. But this time with information that made him pale in fear.

[The pain feeling has become realistic. It indicates that the player will feel the full pain of getting injured or anything that harms them like the real world.]

‘Ok, this is madness right here.’ He had the idea of ditching the game, but something inside him told him not to do it. But the idea was mad, the players will feel the full pain of the hits or anything that happens to their bodies. This too realistic for a game to have, and it was dangerous, the pain could make people mentally crippled.

In all honesty he may seem like a piece of shit for saying it, but Marcus doesn’t care about the people. He only cares about the thing, because it could mean that he will experience the pain, and Marcus does not like pain, not in the tiniest bit.

Then another message appeared. Marcus had enough and shouted. “Why don’t you just write a long fucking message like you did in the beginning?” There was no response only the message that said.

[There are no class restrictions, a blacksmith can use magic if they are taught, a mage can swing a Warhammer if taught.]

That actually made Marcus very happy, that means that classes will not be everything in the game, so for example if God forbid, he became a blacksmith for example. He scowled at the idea; he was a warrior he will always play a warrior. Then he would have a chance to fight and not spend his game life only making weapons and doing nothing.

Expecting a new message to appear in front of him Marcus was disappointed when it didn’t happen. He then looked at his attire and his surroundings. He was wearing a black shirt with a black pants. Marcus was shocked to see that the game actually made his character’s body like his own. He saw the fat on the belly area, he touched his face and felt his trimmed beard and his short black hair. He was not a fat man, no he was not, but he was not skinny either, he had fat on his body he will admit that. But he was not overweight.

With 6 months at the gym, he was sure all of it would disappear. But his work as a history professor at a university made him have little free time. He was only 29, going on 30 this year. Still single, not because he can’t get any dates, but because he doesn’t want to. Or at least that’s what he tells himself at night.

He was tall, 183 cm, his height actually made him look more buff than fat.

He was surrounded by grass, but he could see a forest like 300-400 meters in front of him. In his experience as an old-time gamer, if he goes into the forest, he will be a dead meat before he can even say the word dead meat.

He suddenly heard a voice from behind him, it was the voice of a child. He looked at where it was, two children walking with baskets in their hands full with things he couldn’t see. They were a boy and a girl, they both had black hair and brown eyes. They were chatting and laughing with one another.

He decided to approach them. He walked at them with a smile, he didn’t understand the weirdness of his situation, he was alone in a plain field wearing only scraps for clothes and was approaching two children with a smile on his face. So, the children’s reaction was totally normal. When they saw him approach the girl shrieked and hid behind the boy. “Molester!” She screamed.

Marcus stood in his place; his eyes almost bulged out of their sockets. He was just called a molester, this was something that will stick with him for the rest of his life, as his first Ethea interaction he was called a molester.

The boy took out a knife from his boot and pointed at Marcus. “Get away from us, or I will stab you.” Marcus would have been afraid but the boy’s hands were literally shaking from fear. Marcus was a huge man after all.

Marcus decided to play with these kids for a little while because they called him a molester. “Or what? You gonna stab me with these short little arms of yours?” He crooked a smile at them and tilted his head to the side, he made the craziest smile he can do and spoke. “If you don’t drop the knife, I will use it to flay the girl here in front of you.” He doesn’t know where the words came from, because the moment they left his mouth and he realized what he said he felt like shit. He was threatening a child and probably scaring them for life. The thought of these children as NPC:s never crossed his mind throughout the whole thing.

The boy dropped the knife and hugged the girl and started pleading. “Please, kill me, but let my sister go.”

Marcus really felt like shit at the moment he dropped to his knees and talked. “Calm down, I’m sorry for scaring you, no one is going to die. I was just messing with you, I’m very sorry. I came only to ask you where the city is.” He made his apology as sincere as he can.

The boy looked at him after he disentangled himself from his still afraid sister. “Really?” He asked with a voice filled with fear.

Marcus nodded; he offered his hand to shake with a friendly smile. The kid’s bad mood seemed to disappear and he shook Marcus’ hand. “Hello, mister, my name is Adam, and this is my little sister Olivia. What’s yours?”

Marcus didn’t know what to answer, would he answer with his real name or his online name. He concluded that people cannot see his name above his head like other games so he can choose whatever name he wishes too.

“My name is Rhax, it is a pleasure to meet you Adam, Olivia.” He said with a smile, which earned him a smile from Adam and a little one from Olivia who is still apparently scared.

“Adam,” He started, “you are a good brother, giving yourself like that for your sister is admirable.” Adam wanted to puff his chest in pride but Rhax wasn’t finished yet. “But it is also dumb, because this is not the way of a warrior. Do not offer yourself for your sister, but be strong enough that if anything threatens your sister, then you crush it under your feet. Got it?” That seemed to lit a fire in Adam’s eyes as he looked at Rhax like he was the personification of a warrior.

Adam nodded and Rhax knew at that moment that this man will train every day from now on to become the strongest to protect his sister. ‘It looks like I created a web novel's main character.’ Rhax was very amused by the idea of him inspiring people.

“Now,” he said, cutting Adam short in his daydream, “where is the city?”

Adam lightened up like he just got an idea. “No need to tell you,” Rhax wanted to ask why but Adam continued, “because we are going back there, so you could come with us, also with you then people will think twice before trying to do anything to us.”

Rhax liked the kid, he was smart for his age and played Rhax to become sort of his bodyguard by using information.

Rhax faked a sigh. “Ok, I will be your bodyguard. But I will get the knife, as I can use it better than you.” Without even waiting for the answer, he picked up the knife, it felt a little heavy in his hand. It was a normal knife, it was not a dagger, too short to be one. But it Rhax estimated that it will do its job, its job being stabbing the fuck out of anyone stupid enough to attack them.

He put the knife in his pants, and turned to the two kids with a smile. “Ok, kiddos, let us move, I don’t think your family will appreciate you being late.”

At the mention of their family their posture went rigid. “Mom will kill us if we are late.” Adam almost shouted with a fear-stricken expression. He then started walk-jogging while Olivia was shaking her head in amusement at her older brother’s antics. Rhax laughed, he really liked these kids.