Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sound of metal striking against each other rang throughout the smithy. Two people were inside the workroom which felt like a furnace to anyone outside.

One of the two men was striking a hunk of steel with a hammer bigger than some people’s forearm.

He was naked with just an apron on his bare chest, his glove hands were clenching the hammer like it was his greatest treasure.

On the other side of the workroom, another man was sitting. He was clothed, but he was not working on metal. But he had a wooden handle in his hands. He was polishing it with sandpaper. The handle seemed like it was not well done, it was not symmetrical, and had a lot of bumps and some uneven shapes coursing its body. But the man looked at it like it was perfect.

‘It's perfect!’ Rhax mentally exclaimed, he was finished. The handle took 3 days for him to make. That was 1,5 days in real life. It was good he didn’t have any lessons on Tuesday because he spent it all inside the game. 24 hours in real life is two days in Ethea, meaning 12 hours on Earth is a whole day in Ethea.

He worked hard these days, he went back to the forest and cut wood, because the wood he cut previously wasn’t retrieved. And Rhax would not go back to that place again. His mind still hasn’t accepted the fact he killed three humans. They were NPC:s, but for some reason Rhax feels like his mind wouldn’t care for that information.

Anyhow, after 3 days of hard work, the handle for his bayonet is finished. Meaning, he can now put the blade inside the handle and then sharpen it.

But he would have to do it at another time, because he was tired and needed to log out. He has work to do…

So, he stored his handle and went to the house. Peter was still working, so Rhax didn’t bother him. They started to understand each other these past days.

Rhax went to his room after saying hello to everyone in the house. He then thought of the words: Log out.

The feeling on his real body was a little different than the one inside Ethea. His body in Ethea was stronger, and sore… His muscles were working for 3 days on the handle and he felt his shoulders and hands cramp.

Also, the lumberjacking has also participated in the cramp festival. He knew that his body inside the game was getting stronger and more in shape because of the work he was doing. He will not become jacked like Peter in just 3 days, it will take him time. But it is possible given time.

‘What if I train in real life and get jacked, will that make my Ethea body more jacked and have higher stats?’ Marcus thought as he was making breakfast. It was a good idea, he would gain stats, but at the same time build himself a better body. Who knows, maybe women will get attracted to him.

“Gulp!”

Marcus gulped in fear because remembered a person he knew was attracted to him, even when looks like this. And just imagining her reaction to him with six-packs sent a shiver down his spine.

It was a great idea in his opinion, he was free 4 days out of the week, meaning he could go the gym whenever he wanted.

It could ruin his Ethea in world time, but it is not like he was an important person inside the game. Not yet anyway, his knighting ceremony was coming in a couple of days, but until then he was no one.

But what bugged him honestly was his time while logged off, what do the NPC:s think of it. Do they think he is asleep, or do they not find him all together? Like if someone entered his room in Peter’s and Julia’s house at this very moment, would they find a sleeping Rhax or an empty room?

He couldn’t figure it out, and he thinks the developers wouldn’t want him to figure it out. Maybe it is just something in the background and one shouldn’t focus on it?

After finishing breakfast, he went into the shower, it didn’t take a lot for him to be ready to go to school. Today he had the second-year students.

“Ring!” “Ring!” “Ring!”

Suddenly his phone started to ring inside his pocket. He was surprised, it was still 8:30 in the morning, who would call him at this hour?

He took out his phone and looked at the screen. The caller was unknown, but Marcus wasn’t scared. So, he accepted the phone call.

“Hello, this is Marcus Ricci.”

A feminine voice came from the other end of the phone. “Yes, hello, Mr.Ricci. My name is Jessica Paul.”

Marcus felt his head spin. “Jessica Paul, as in the show host for Ethea Now?”

Jesscia chuckled and answered. “Yes, Sir. You are correct.”

“How may I help you, wait, how did you get my number?” Marcus didn’t feel good at the possibility that his number was compromised.

Maybe hearing the tone to which Marcus questioned her, Jessica tried to elaborate. “Don’t worry Mr.Ricci, I don’t have your number, I just went into your social media, and then called Rhax using that feature there. But I now understand your name is Marcus Ricci.”

“Aha, that makes sense. Now how can I help you?”

Marcus heard Jessica take a deep breath and speak. “I would like to host you on my show: Ethea Now. What do you say?”

Marcus was stunned, host him? He was a nobody, he felt like it was a joke to mess with him. “Host me? Jessica, I love your show and watch it constantly, so I know, I’m not a person worthy of appearing on your show.”

“Marcus, what type of bullshit are you saying?” Jessica’s polite tone was gone and an irritated one replaced it. “You killed a direwolf alone, killed three people alone. If that doesn’t make you worthy of coming to my show then no one is.”

Marcus chuckled. “Good, you are sincere, sorry for making you irritated, but I needed to be sure it was not a joke…” Marcus didn’t feel guilty for manipulating Jessica, his pride was on the line. So, he had to make her show her sincerity. And she showed it.

The other line went silent for a couple of seconds. “I’m happy that I proved it. What is your answer?” Her voice was muffled, it sounded like she was biting on something.

“I accept. This isn’t a good way to communicate, do you have a paper and a pen nearby?”

“I do.”

“Good, then right down this number…...” After telling her his number, he said goodbye and then closed the call.

He was happy, no scratch that, he was ecstatic. He will appear on his favorite Ethea show, that means millions of people will be seeing his real face.

He stopped his mind from overstimulation, he had a lesson to attend to. “Ah, the Roman Empire, my favorite.” He hummed as he walked toward the University.

………

Jessica was fuming, that piece of shit known as Rhax manipulated her. She now understood Michael’s warning. This man was sick, he pushed her buttons and then acted like it was nothing.

Agh, she wanted the whole world to know how much of a piece of shit Rhax is, and with that thought that she called a personal friend of hers. She is also an Ethea player, maybe not as famous as Raven, but she has a lot of followers.

After two rings the phone picked up. “Hello, Hon.” A thick southern accent entered Jessica’s ears.

“Hi, Meg. How have you been?”

“Well, not fucking much happened in the span of the two days we didn’t talk in. Believe me, it is dryer than a camel's ass.” Jessica smiled at her friend’s crude language. This was what she loved about Megan, she was filter less and would say outrageous things in good intentions. That was what most of her followers liked about her.

“So, does that mean you are free?” Jessica wanted to be sure.

“No, I was planning on going to Mars and then nuking the moon. Of fucking course I’m free. What’s up?” Jessica only rolled her eyes at Megan’s words, she always liked to exaggerate.

“I was wondering if you would like to come to my show this Friday?”

“I would love that, but I hate interviews. So, if you have another person there then count me in.”

Jessica smiled because she knew she had her. “Well, don’t tell anyone but I have a guest that will break the internet.”

“Who?” Megan’s voice went higher in pitch, she was clearly excited.

“I will give you a hint, he properly has the most epic start of Ethea in history….”

“Gasp!” Jessica heard Megan gasp though the phone.

“Oh, sweet mother of God, you got Rhax on the show?” Megan was squealing.

“Aye, I did. But it is a secret, so don’t go around and move that big mouth of yours.”

“Welp your dad liked this big mouth of mine….” Megan fell into hysterical laughter at her own joke.

“No, seriously, you got Rhax to do an episode with you? This is huge, he is like God right now. My little brother literally has his photo with the dead direwolf on top of him as his phone wallpaper.” This was why Jessica wanted to expose how shit Rhax’s character is. He is already influencing people, even though he has been on the internet for like 6 days.

“Aye, but Meg, I have to tell you something. I need your help in dealing with Rhax…”

“Why? And how can I help?” Megan’s voice became serious.

“The man is a piece of shit, imagine the first time we talked together and he manipulated me into his palm. Also, the way he speaks is very creepy, it is like everything he says has double meaning. As to how you can help, I want you to attack him using the murder of the three NPC:s, I want you to question his mental stability, his morals and him as a person because I can’t do it. Can you do it?”

Jessica only heard a short laugh from the other line. “Oh, Hon. You take the reins and leave that stallion to me.”