Isekai Online's
Chapter 1 - Internet Cafe OUTNET
The day turns into night, the digital clock shows at 18:00. A young man in a school uniform who was quite tangled with rainwater took shelter in front of a small cafe. His hand was busy clutching the phone displaying the location map, there were some small dots placed as markers but he was still hesitant to step up.
“I've compared four different locations but the price is no match. Did they form an alliance to not drop the market price?”
This young man was still holding his phone and enjoying the warm coffee to reduce the cold air that pierced his body. Water drops fell from his hair and hit his phone screen made the young man rubbed it until accidentally his phone screen displayed a fairly cheap game rental store advertisement.
“What is this? Grand Opening?”
An interesting promotion that appeared accidentally made this a treasure that should not be missed just like that, he rushed off towards the place.
\=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
THE GRAND OPENING OUTNET
New Member:
7 Days: Rp. 30,000,00
14 Days: Rp. 50,000,00
30 Days: Rp. 75,000,00
VIP Members:
7 Days: Rp. 100,000.00
14 Days: Rp. 175,000,00
30 Days: Rp. 225,000,00
VVIP Member:
7 Days: Rp. 375,000,00
14 Days: Rp. 575,000,00
30 Days: Rp. 700,000,00
Bonus: Free Meal and Drink!
\=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The young man groped his pocket to see how much cash he was carrying at the moment, ascertaining if it was enough to make him play the game that he was currently still hesitant to play.
There's only one way to get him out of that doubt. Encouraged by his heart's feelings of looking for extra money to pay the hospital bill fee made the young man make up his mind to move forward.
It didn't take long to find the place where it was meant to be. The young man recognized a long queue right in a building with an LED banner that read OUTNET. Seeing this elongated queue of course it will take a long time to get into it. Even to create a membership account still requires a long time, it can be proven by this long queue.
The young man was quite surprised by this condition, his sense of pleasure that finding a cheap place had suddenly been destroyed. He realized that it was not just him who was aiming for a cheap price to play a game.
“What can I do, I'd better find another place” the young man left.
His sense of disappointment again pushed his feet to pass through the line of queues that extended like snakes. His gaze focused on his phone screen that displayed the location of the nearest rental store.
All of a sudden, while passing through the main DOOR of OUTNET himself was hit by a girl wearing a black suit male suit who was walking to drag someone by pulling a tie that was coiled around his neck.
Some people who saw this incident wondered about what was happening inside. This uproar continued as the previously dragged man suddenly stood up.
“Can't you be a little polite?” he tried to stand up straight and fix the position of his tie.
The girl looked at him with a sharp look as if she wanted to kill him.
Slowly the man's facial expression became stiff and his gaze turned to the young man who had just been hit.
His facial expression was slightly surprised upon seeing the young man.
He embraced the young man and whispered small, “Friends. please help me!”
The young man did not know the man at all but under these conditions, inevitably he had to go with the flow carried away because behind him some of the victims had fallen because of the sharp gaze of the girl.
The young man whispered back, “Sorry, who are you? Don't take me in your trouble!” it was obvious that the young man wanted to escape in this condition.
“Oh, don't you know who I am?” the man spontaneously replied to the young man.
“What we have met before?” ask the young man.
“Of course never, I guess this is the first time we met but.. are you sure you don't recognize me?” the man was pretty sure he was famous.
The young man took off his embrace and opened his cell phone and took a photo of the man who tried to get along with him.
With the help of an image search application that looks for similar images, the young man soon finds out who the identity of the man in front of him is.
“I think I know who you are, it's if you don't happen to be similar to this guy” the young man replied to the man's words.
“It's the first time there's someone who doesn't recognize me. Back to our little business, man. So I need your help because I have a problem here of course” the man glanced at the girl next to him who was still observing him with a sharp gaze.
The young man's body shivered like something troublesome was coming.
“I'll shorten the problem I'm having. So, uh, this should be my quiet day off playing a game that is currently being talked about and somehow the Demon Queen sent one of her Demon Generals to look for innocent creatures to make a living sacrifice taking care of the endless work. Therefore, my friend, please take care of my valuable equipment!"
While saying that, the man took out a thin card and slipped it into the young man's pocket and whispered, “I tipped this thing."
“Eh?” the young man was stunned and saw the man being dragged back into a black car not far from the OUTNET entrance.
“Actually what just happened?” the young man was confused.
“I guess, you just became a black waitress for her” a small voice answered the young man's question.
The young man checked his uniform pocket and found a card with VVIP OUTNET.
“What is this? why did I suddenly feel such a huge burden of responsibility?” the young man's body shivered after seeing the card.
“Come in, it's not good to show off the card in public."
The young man turned his face and found a man who resembled the previous man.
“It seems rude to ask this, is he your brother?” ask the young man.
“Salah, she's my sister."
“Ah, although wrong but it answers the question why your face is similar. So, what can this card do?” the young man showed the card again.
“As usual, my sister wanted to run away playing games from her pretty solid job but the Demon Queen in her office smelled it and sent Cerberus to chase after her. Sorry if you're caught up in this little stupidity."
“I think it's good I'm grateful about this. A very rare coincidence when I want to go but find luck like this” in his words the young man again looked at the long queue behind him.
“Em, can I use this now?” the young man showed his card.
“Of course, after all the stupidity of the sister must be borne by her brother, right? I don't know what character he played but stick with it.”
“Eth why it feels like you're forcing myself."
“What can't?”
The young man and the recently encountered man simultaneously entered the main door of OUTNET through an open automatic door.
Inside the building called OUTNET it turns out to have employees and security officers standing on each side of the room.
“As someone holding a VVIP-Card, I welcome you to the Internet Cafe OUTNET! The safest and most convenient place to enjoy the internet!” said the man.
The young man looked at the area around him, this building has an incredible level of security. It was seen with the presence of surveillance cameras and security officers carrying small arms in their belts.
“I think it will be a little crowded here considering our long queue up front, as a member of VVIP OUTNET please enter the elevator that has been intended for VVIP” members right after the man said it, an elevator door was wide open complete with a female guide dressed slightly open bowing in respect.
“This is just my feeling but do all the VVIP members have this kind of interest?”
“Well, my main goal is to make VVIP members just to extort their money with this kind of service, I hope you don't get caught in their sweet traps."
“Thank you, I'll remember that."
They continued their small journey into the elevator while waiting for the elevator to finish delivering them, the young man once again observed the VVIP card he had left.
“So, when will your sister take this?”
“Now, I don't know for sure. His job isn't as casual as I'm just taking care of this little kingdom."
“I understand a little why you brought me in, you want to keep me locked up as a prisoner of war until your sister takes her throne back, don't you?”
“...”
“...”
“...”
The awkward feeling between the two made the atmosphere of the elevator become silent, though, the sound of the friction of the elevator going down this building could be heard clearly even the female guide standing next to them put on a stiff expression due to this awkward situation.
“Can I return it now? I have a bad feeling about this."
“I think it's too late for that, just enjoy the confinement of our royal prisoners."
The elevator door opened and the sight before the young man made his pupils dilate even his body screamed indicating an impending danger. They continued their journey by following the female guide in front of them.
“Now I understand what you mean by blackmailing VVIP members."
“At least I can big profit with this business."
Right in front of the young man, there was a world that was far different from the one he had been familiar with. A Casino that stands under a building called OUTNET that can only be entered by becoming a member of VVIP OUTNET.
If the top is the Internet Cafe OUTNET, their bottom fits better with the designation of Internet Casino OUTNET.
“Need to remember, I only have liquor licensing and gambling beyond that is already the responsibility of every individual."
“Can I bring a knife or something? The world is dangerous especially for a schoolboy like me."
“Liet me, I'm escorting you. No one dares to mess around when the King visits, right?”
“Oh, lucky me. Let's just say there's no Assassin on duty at the moment” replied the young man in a cynical tone.
“Keep that aside, There are actually several reasons why I brought you here.”
“...” the young man fell silent.
“I need additional data how commoners use DDVR ULTRA version and I need the data report to send to Isekai Online developer team. That's very hard considering no commoner wants to subscribe to VVIP-Card."
“Of course! You don't know how much it costs them."
“Eh? What's that expensive?”
“Wahai my King, try occasionally being poor to feel it."
“...”
Once again silence pounced between them until the female guide who was walking in front opened a door with a flat numbered 001.
The young man and the man entered the room. Right in front of him stood a sophisticated equipment shaped like a sleeping capsule.
“So this Deep-Dive Virtual Reality edition ULTRA?” the young man asked as he observed the thing before him.
“That's right, what do you think?”
“At least the upper middle class can have it and the common people will make a revolutionary movement to try it" the young man replied.
“Luckily there are now commoners who can try it without doing revolution movement” the gaze of the man looked at the young man before him.
“...”
“...”
The two of them came face to face and a small smile and laughter appeared on their faces.
“I haven't joked like this in a long time."
“More myself, the last time I joked like that suddenly my enemies increased."
“You know. Not everyone understands the circus you threw."
“It wasn't a circus, just a joke that accidentally flung out of my mouth."
The man smiled, “You know.forget my brother's stupid request. I'll have someone else do it and just use this."
The young man received another card that read [Isekai Online (Alpha Tester)].
“What is this?” the young man looked at the card he had just received he found a hologram watermark and a QR-Code.
“Do you know how many variants of other devices to run games with Deep-Dive Virtual Reality technology?”
“Ah, I had time to find out about it. The price is very different because of the additional features is not it?”
“To be exact, how would you react if you knew the truth between the devices it all has the same features just that the feature is locked?”
“Eh? Just be right. Don't tell me they purposely locked that feature to change the market price of their device?"
“Well, they've done it. It's not a problem because they managed to sell it."
“I didn't expect them to take such huge profits with such cheap tricks."
“What can I make, technology business should evolve over time. We can't introduce technology directly, but we have to slowly, even if it's deceiving people."
“So, what is in front of me this?”
“Em.. ordinary devices equipped with additional features so as not to look cheap. As I said, the locked feature has been fully unlocked and made this device into the ULTRA version."
“Honest of you.”
“At least I opened a little by giving you a magic card that is able to open all the locked features. The card was only produced for a hundred people, I think you can use it to explore Isekai Online until my brother returns."
“Ah, right too. This I return to you” the young man took the VVIP card that was still in his pocket.
“No! you save it yourself and return it when my sister returns” the boy immediately refuses and walks towards the exit.
“Wait, how do I take care of your sister's character?”
“Ah, I'll take care of it. My sister might only need a few items that can be obtained when doing Boss Raid or buying it on Isekai Online forums. It's just that, right now we have to wait until there's someone selling it. You can find out what Items he needs after logging in with his character and report them to me."
“How about this card?”
“Ah, I gave it to you. No need to be returned. Think of it as our friendship deposit."
“Are you sure?”
“Hmm.. what commoners do not really like to accept offers like this?”
“You know, my instinct caught something else as if you said you wanted to get something else."
“What is it clearly visible?”
“Of course, to be honest my current situation is very strange and a sudden storm just like that."
“Well, I'll tell you why I did this. Is your little sister okay?”
“!”
The young man's eyes widened as the man brought his sister's circumstances. He had a strong feeling of connection with this incident with his sister until he remembered something.
“Sister's stupidity must be borne by her brother, so that's what you mean. From the beginning you knew who I was?”
The man smiled.
“Is this the responsibility for what your sister does?”
“Of course, but I'm sure this is still not enough but we will discuss it next time. Isn't there something you want to do now?”
“...”
The young man was silent.
“I only remember my old self when my sister was hit by the same problem, lucky that the game was able to make enough money to date. That look in your eyes and determination made me realize my old self. A brother's pride to protect his sister. At least I'll try to make my sister's mistake to apologize for what happened to your sister."
The man went away.
“Oh! One more thing.. Happy Hunting!”
After saying that, he left while waving his hand and left the young man alone.