142 The Change
Huff...
Leo let out a contented sigh as a fresh gust of wind swept through his horns. He had spent far too long in the fiery pits of hell, where the temperature was always well above normal. The cold wind was an indicator that he was back above the ground, and he couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief wash over him. He had been fighting demons and navigating treacherous terrain for what felt like an entire month, and the thought of finally being free from that hellish landscape was almost too good to be true.
He looked around, taking in his surroundings. The landscape was barren and rocky, but it was still a welcome change from the endless desert.
He scanned the area for any sign of Ava. He felt a twinge of disappointment when he didn’t see her, but he knew the portal they had used was completely random. He had already said goodbye to her, knowing that they might not end up in the same location. Despite this, he couldn’t help but feel that they had grown closer through this adventure.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts and refocus, Leo pushed away any lingering fantasies to the side. He quickly accessed the map icon in his system window, and a large, grey map appeared before his eyes.
Since the area was yet to be explored, everything was shrouded in thick fog, preventing players from seeing anything outside of their immediate vicinity.
Leo knew that this was a common feature in new and unexplored areas within the game, but it was still frustrating. He quickly marked Kilgros workshop on the map, his destination. With a quick command, he summoned Fenrir.
The mighty wolf materialized beside him, and Leo mounted him. He noticed his pet glancing around the area, happy that they are not in hell.
“Let’s go to Kilgros...”
.....
Leo spoke, and he could see Fenrir’s ears perk up at the mention of the dwarf blacksmith. Leo knew that the wolf didn’t have much love for the gruff old dwarf, and he couldn’t blame him. After all, Kilgros almost strangled Fenrir on their first meeting.
But despite this, Leo knew that the dwarf was one of the best blacksmiths in the game, and he needed his help to repair his equipment. With a reassuring pat on Fenrir’s head, they set off towards the workshop.
***
Leo climbed out of his VR pod, feeling a sense of disorientation as he adjusted to the real world. He massaged his sore leg muscles before stretching his body, trying to shake off the stiffness that came from hours of immobility. The sun was peeking through the half-closed blinds, casting a warm glow into the room. Leo squinted his eyes as they adjusted to the brightness, feeling a sense of contentment wash over him.
‘Let’s get ready...’
Packing all his things inside his bag, Leo quickly descended down the stairs and entered the kitchen. Since his parents were still asleep, the kitchen was empty and he quickly made himself a sandwich, being mindful not to make too much noise. He didn’t want to wake them up and preferred to eat breakfast on the go. Once he finished his sandwich, he quietly left the house through the front door, closing it behind him with a gentle click.
As Leo walked towards his car, he caught a glimpse of his reflection on the window. He noticed that black bags were visible underneath his eyes and he felt slight annoyance.
He knew that he had been playing Fragmental through the entire night and the evidence of it was clear to see. He couldn’t help but think that
‘Maybe I should sleep more...’
Leo couldn’t help but think that. He didn’t want to sacrifice his health for the sake of the game.
Unfortunately, money was involved, and Leo quickly shook off the thought of lowering his gaming time for more sleep.
He knew that the more he played, the more he could earn in-game currency, which could be exchanged for real money.
Leo was determined to earn as much as he could and the thought of not sleeping crossed his mind as he knew he could spend more time playing if he didn’t sleep.
Starting up his car’s engine, Leo suddenly recalled an important detail he had forgotten: Ava’s recent appearance change.
He had seen her in the game and she had changed her appearance to a more alluring one. He thought that he had developed a slight resistance to her beauty, but he knew that it was only slight.
The thought of her made the muscles of his face twitch. He could already imagine himself becoming one of the boys that were openly glancing at her during the lectures, not caring about the lecture itself. He knew that it would be hard to control himself, but he didn’t want to come off as a creep or make her uncomfortable. He knew he had to act normal and not stare at her during the lectures.
“Just act normal... and don’t stare.”
Leo slammed his hand against the steering wheel as he pulled out of the driveway and spotted Ava exiting her house. She looked stunning in her tight black skirt and form-fitting t-shirt, accentuating her curves.
‘Fuck...’
He couldn’t help but curse under his breath as he thought about how he wished he had skipped class today. Despite his regret, he knew he couldn’t avoid attending university forever. After all, he had paid for his education.
Ava noticed Leo’s car, but he didn’t dare look towards her, as he knew that if he did, he would probably make a traffic accident. He kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead, trying to steady his breathing and keep his focus on driving safely.
The journey to the university was surprisingly short. It felt as if time had flown by, and before he knew it, he was driving his car in the parking lot. As he walked towards his classroom, he felt as if his legs were a few times heavier than usual.
Leo had arrived early, so there were only a few people in the classroom. He could see Ava’s empty seat, and he couldn’t help but feel anxiety. He knew that he had to see her eventually, but he had hoped to have more time to prepare himself for it. He took a deep breath and walked into the classroom, determined to make it through the day.
Since everyone was already aware that ‘Leonard’ was a cold person with no interest in socializing, nobody even tried to speak to him. This allowed him to peacefully take his seat and relax, giving him a moment to prepare himself for what was to come.
Scrumble...
Suddenly, he felt something within the pocket of his jacket and took out a small paper note. He hadn’t used this jacket in a while and had forgotten to check the pockets before leaving home. Curiously, he unfolded the paper and saw a few lines scribbled in black marker.
[ Meet me on the roof at the lunch break... ]
Leo frowned before crumpling the note and putting it underneath the table. He had no idea when the note was slipped into his pocket but it was way past the date and he had no plans to receive any kind of confession.
He had deduced that the writer was a female, based on the writing, but he found the way the note was written a bit suspicious.
It was too sweet... It even had a print of red lips and a heart painted onto its surface. Leo couldn’t help but wonder if it was a prank or a joke. He didn’t want to get involved in any kind of situation that would make him uncomfortable.
Burying his head in his hands, Leo tried to doze off, as he had been feeling increasingly tired and wanted to catch some sleep. He closed his eyes and let himself drift off, letting the monotony of the class lull him into a peaceful state.
...
The class went silent, and Leo felt a sense of satisfaction wash over him as he felt his mind moving towards the dreamland. Unfortunately, his nose picked up a familiar fragrance of rain, which made his heart race.
Half-opening one of his eyes, Leo looked towards the girl who was walking towards her seat. Their eyes met, which made Leo momentarily stiffen, though his expression remained unbroken.
He heard Ava greet him, but only a second later he understood what she said.
“Morning...”
Leo felt all the eyes in the class fixated on him and Ava. He only nodded his head in response, before burying his face back inside his arms. Leo was fast approaching his limit. Ava’s beauty was already making him nervous, but the extra effort she had put into her makeup was really testing his limits.
“You look tired”
He heard Ava speak and he could only nod his head in response. He didn’t dare speak, because his throat felt dry, as if he were in the middle of the desert.
====
Hello...
This is me ‘the author’. I have read through the comments from readers and have decided to re-edit and rewrite some of the early chapters.
L to those reading this book on pirated websites, as they may not receive the updated chapters.
After this chapter is released, I will also be creating an auxiliary chapter where readers can provide feedback on mistakes, plot holes, and any issues they may have with the story.
I plan to re-edit 1-5 chapters a day, depending on my availability. However, please note that I will not be adding any new content but instead focusing on polishing the existing material to improve the reading experience.
The daily release schedule will not be affected by this editing process, but don’t expect any major changes to the story, such as Leo becoming a dragon god or the game merging with reality.
No foreshadowing intended...
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