Second World

When Jack came out of the room, the ethereal mage with no gender looked at Jack's new appearance and said, "You make a disguise. Good. But refrain from going into the city hall, they had a spell that dispels any camouflage and disguise."

"Thank you for the warning," Jack said. "We will just be heading to the Zone Portal."

The ethereal mage nodded. "Good luck to you."

"Thank you again for letting us use the facility. We will take our leave," Jack said.

Wilted also thanked the ethereal. The two then left the building. Leavemealone was still at the last spot they saw him. The three then headed to the Zone Portal, with Wilted taking the lead since she knew the way.

More soldiers were guarding the Zone Portal here compared to Themisphere and Sangrod, probably due to the country's current volatile situation. Luckily, the inspection was only physical. No Dispel Illusion spell was used.

"Where do you two want to go?" Wilted asked.

"I doubt he had registered any teleport link in Themisphere country, so I think we should just go to Tranviste," Jack said while pointing at Leavemealone. He then asked Wilted, "have you established a link to Tranviste?"

"I have," Wilted answered. "All right. Let's go there."

She activated the portal and the three of them passed through.

They came out into a town with a dark bleak sky. Jack recognized the place, they were in Tranviste already.

"Let's go to the tavern," Wilted said. "I've visited here before but not really familiar with the place, do you know the way?"

Leavemealon who was being asked, replied in his usual stoic manner, "This way."

Jack found the tavern to be not as large as Raven's Den in Thereath, but this place also had some VIP rooms they could rent. Wilted went ahead and asked for one. Before long, these three players with different races and two high fairies sat inside a closed VIP room.

"So, what is the deal with this World Maker group? How come they know so much of this world? How come you do? You do know why we are getting pulled into this world, do you not?" Jack asked.

Wilted Tree nodded.

"Are you going to tell us everything now?" Jack asked.

Wilted was silent. She looked at Jack then at Leavemealone. The vampire was quiet but his expression said that he was interested as well.

Wilted sighed. "I'm not sure where to start'¦"

"Well, for the starter. How about telling us if we are all in some kind of involuntary mass simulation world? Are you going to offer me the red pill or blue pill now?"

Wilted laughed. "You are truly good at making light of a situation. No, no red pill or blue pill. We are not in a virtual world."

"In that case, we are in another world that possesses similar kind of rules as our RPG games?"

"Well'¦ That is also inaccurate."

"Hm? Then what is?" Jack asked, confused.

"We are not in a different world, but also not in our world," Wilted answered.

"Lady, I did puzzles as my pastime, so I enjoy riddle, but that is in the condition that the riddle has a proper clue and answer. If a riddle is one just for the heck of it, it will just annoy the hell out of me."

Wilted thought for a while before saying, "Do you know what is a phase change?"

"We are doing science now? Yes, a phase change is when a material change from one state to another," Jack answered.

"Yes, like water to gas, water to ice, and vice versa. Now, imagine if somehow you can do it on a larger scale, extremely larger scale, and also not just a change that was caused by heat."

"Wait'¦ Are you telling me'¦ Someone has changed our world?"

"Not just someone, it was Master."

"Master? That a*shole?!"

"His real name is Apollyon. He was a genius scientist that is renowned in the scientific community. He has secretly created a machine that can literally create a new world. But same as the phase change principle, although a material change, its matter remains the same. The machine that Apollyon has created, uses our original world as its base matter and also its source of energy. So, rather than creating a new world, the more precise term is probably re-imagining the world."

Jack and Leavemealone were both quiet for some while. Wilted let them be, they would need to take in the information slowly.

"So'¦ Are you saying our old world is no more?" Jack finally asked.

"Is there a way to reverse the process?" Leavemealone added.

"I don't know," Wilted answered. "I'm no scientist. I only know the basic concept. If there is a way to reverse the process, the only way is to find Master's machine first. But after he activated it, only he knew where it was hidden."

"What is your role in all this?" Jack asked Wilted Tree.

"I came into the picture because Master, or rather, Apollyon, despite all his genius, understands that he lacks something crucial in making a new world."

"And what is that?"

"Imagination. If he was left to re-imagine the world in his image, we would probably be living in a desolate world with nothing at this moment. Even with that God-complex of his, he did not want to live in such a world for himself. So he approached us."

"Us?"

"Do you realize this world is based on Trigitech's newest game, Second World?" Wilted asked.

"Yeah, every gamer knows that game. I am lining up to play the beta test when all this shit happened." Jack answered, then turned to Leavemealon. "You know that also, right?"

"'¦ I have never played games before," Leavemealone answered.

"You have not?" Jack said with a surprise. "Heck! You could have fooled me, with how good you are."

"That has got nothing to do with being a gamer. I am a professional martial artist. I am on my plane off to participate in the world tournament when the world change."

Jack turned back to Wilted Tree. "So, you are someone in Trigitech?"

"I am the co-lead designer of the Second World game. My partner and I spent years designing the game from the ground up."

"Why would Master'¦ Apollyon looked for a game as the basis of his new world?"

"Where else can he find a more detailed base for a new world? Out of all the media, games had been the most detailed one can glimpse a different world. The work and details that are put into creating a world for a game are massive, even the grass on the ground is created in detail. Second World had been the cream of the crops, the funds and workforces that Trigitech provides us is more than any other games that had ever been made. Their command is simple, make a world with as many details as possible."

"But what's the point? That Apollyon doesn't sound like a gamer, why did he want to exchange the real world where he is already renowned and respected, with this world that is based on games?"

"Because the original world was not enough for him. He wants to live in a world that came to be because of his doing. His arrogance demands that much."

"I see. That's why he named his guild World Maker. Such a prick. Did he care not of others who got their lives turned upside-down due to the world-changing?"

"That's just how he is. He doesn't care. Another reason for him to live in this world is that he wants to be a literal God. Being famous and respected in the previous world is all well and good, but he is still just a human, and he can't live with that. He desires to stand above all and have everyone act as he commanded."

"I know the game-worlds can give us normal humans some abilities that make us feel as if we have become superhumans or Gods. But if everyone is the same, then there are no Gods. He will just be an average person. Stronger maybe if he works harder, but I wouldn't consider a level 99 player as God if I can also reach that stage sooner or later."

"That's why he is after the Divine Treasures," Wilted Tree said.

"What? You designed a game that allows someone to become omnipotent by collecting those treasures? Who will want to play anymore if someone becomes a literal God and can trounce others anytime he wants?"

"We don't! As game designers, we understand that balance is the key to allowing players to enjoy. You can get ahead of others with skill or maybe some real-money advantages, but we will always try to keep the game balanced for everyone as much as possible. We certainly never designed a game that one player can become a God that tramples over others."

"Then why collecting Divine Treasures gives him the power to become one?" Jack asked.

"Because he tampered with our game design," Wilted Tree answered.