Cosmic Champion
Prologue
Episode 1 – Seek
- Reduced cringe and increased logic.
Additional Info Updated [16th May 2023]
- Added the word 'Beta testing' to make it connects to the future episodes.
Rewrite Update [20th April 2024]
- Rewrote the whole ass story.
- Deleted cringe and began the saga seriously.
“By participating in our ‘Cosmic Champion’, you’d receive a fair amount of payment. If you are able to discover any new information, issues, or any bugs, you will receive even more!”
An unbelievable advertisement is being controversial throughout the internet at the moment.
At first, many thoughts the game was suspicious but after hearing the claims from those who have tried, some changed their minds.
“Just participating and get paid, right? What’s there to be afraid of?”
A thought sparks among people.
And now….
In front of a tall building stands a man.
A man in his early 20s. Blonde short slick hair. Bright blue eyes. Judging from his good-looking face, he must be a British.
He is quite tall, around 181-182 centimeters with the body that is not too muscular and not too slim at the same time.
Zekiel Ramon, a man who wishes to stand on his own feet.
The phone in his hand displays the image of Cosmic Champion’s advertisement.
“This game’s ads are all around the internet… many ‘Influencers’ are even helping them promoting it.”
“Since many people claimed that it’s fine…. I should try it myself too……. quite broke right now…”
He thought for a moment before picking up his courage and walks right into the building without further hesitations.
…
“Welcome! How may I help you?” Zeke is greeted by a woman
“I want to participate in the game ‘Cosmic Champion’. What are the requirements?” Zeke shows her his phone and points the screen.
“We only require your citizen ID, and your consent to our rules, sir.”
“Please read our rules carefully before signing in the back.”
The female clerk smiles as she handing Zeke documents.
“ID? hmmm…..”
Hearing that Citizen ID is required, Zeke somewhat mistrusts about it, but he still keeps his face calm.
“Thank you.”
He received the papers before sitting on a table not far from the clerk’s counter.
The documents feel more like a contract rather than a notice.
To participate in the beta state of a game is very important. Normally, there won’t be any company that publicly advertises their games just like High Future co. ltd. does.
However, they’re confident that there are no companies that could produce a game like theirs.
And that causes Zeke being surprised at how unbelievably simple the terms and rules are despite his ID as the cost.
| The participants will be hired as “Player”
- Players’ main purpose is to collect information inside the world of the game as much as possible.
Such as the environment: Trees, grass, stones, rivers, animals etc., or “Items”.
By a device provided by us in the form of ‘Wrist equipment’.
- Players must leave the game or ‘Log out’ as soon as the contract expired.
*Logging out must be performed within safe areas*
- The duration of the contract is 168 hours after joining the world of Cosmic Champion.
- Players are not allowed to log out before the contract expired.
We kindly ask players to inform your relatives or close persons before joining the game.
- After players successfully logged out, players will earn proper payments.
- Conditions of player’s revenue:
- When players fulfilled the contract and logged out successfully, players will receive 300£ (British pound) as a payment.
- If players were able to discover any new information in the game, they will receive additional payments according to said information.
- If the information are already registered, players will not receive any additional payments.
- If players wish to leave the game before the contract expired, it is possible, but players will not receive any payments.
Last but not least, Assaulting or murdering other players are prohibited.
If any players violated said rules, we will terminate your contracts and have you leave the game immediately.
Note: Because Cosmic Champion is a virtual reality role-playing game, we recommend players to be vigilante and cautious. |
“….Can’t fight with others??? That’s what makes people play games! .....”
“Maybe they’ll add it later….?”
Zeke reads the terms and rules slowly and carefully.
“So in short, 300£ is guaranteed… the rest is pure luck….”
Zeke pondered for a moment before turning to the last page and signs his name.
He then brings the documents and his ID to the clerk.
At first, he was worried that she might be surprised about his last name, but she doesn’t say anything besides giving him a faint smile.
…
“Welcome to Cosmic Champion, Mr. Zekiel Ramon!”
“To begin the testing, please get inside that room, sir.”
“Just inform your name to the staff and they’ll help you log in to the game right away!”
After a few minutes passed, the female clerk returns the card to Zeke before standing up and show him the way with a cheerful voice.
Zeke is amazed at how fast the process was.
“Thank you”
Zeke thanks the staff and follows the way. He is then greeted by a large white gate. The gate looks like it came out of a sci-fi movie.
He admires the gate for a few moments before taking his first step into his new life.
…
“So many people…”
Behind the gate is a large hall.
About 20 people are walking around looking busy. Zeke wonders if they are players too.
He sweeps his gaze around. Various equipment and cocoon-shaped machines are placed here and there.
He then sees a long counter at a corner of the hall. He decides to go there first.
“Hello, Zekiel Ramon. I want to participate in the testing.” Zeke says in a solemn voice.
…
“Thank you for participating! Before we start, player, please choose your weapon.”
A muscular man greets Zeke with a smile after typing on a keyboard for a few moments.
A hologram appears from the counter table.
“Wow! I’ve never seen this before. A secret technology or what?!”
“Interesting… Maybe I should try start a business with this type of tech…”
“Well….. which one should I pick?”
Zeke is excited and having more hope with this game.
The hologram shows various weapons: a sword, a bow with an arrow bag, a long staff, and a pair of daggers.
They are common weapons in most RPG games.
“This staff is too long to be a wizard’s weapon…”
The long staff before him is made of wood. Zeke thinks that it’s for striking rather than casting magics.
“No guns?” Zeke asks the staff with a poker face.
“…No, sir. We thought that the bow is more convenient that a gun, so we haven’t added the gun.” the large man replies with a slightly shocked face.
“I see…”
Zeke responds indifferently before returning to his thought.
“Don’t worry, player! We might add guns in later updates.”
Seeing the indifferent tone and face of Zeke, the man hurriedly speaks up because he fears that Zeke might not satisfied.
“Oh… don’t worry. I was just asking.”
“Yes…”
Zeke caught the meanings of his words, so he clarifies his manners making the male staff smile faintly.
“I think I’ll go with the sword.” In the end, he chooses the sword because it’s easiest to use and the most reliable.
The bow requires keen eyes which he doesn’t have them.
The staff is just a long wood. If he happened to fight with thick-skinned monsters, it might be a trouble.
And the daggers are just too short in the reach.
“Got it.”
“I thought you were gonna choose the bow.”
The large man says jokingly with a faint smile.
“Please follow me.”
After that, the man stands up from his seat and leads Zeke to a cocoon-shaped machine.
“Please get inside and relax. The Log In process won’t take long.”
When they arrived, the staff pressed the buttons on the panel in front of the machine, and its door is opened.
Inside the machine is quite cramped. One could stand in it but not much moving around.
Despite the cocoon being cramped, the door was made from clear glass to help players with claustrophobia.
“Player could always communicate with us through the device.”
“Good luck. Have fun!”
“Thank you” Zeke thanks the staff as the door is closing.
His eyes slowly close as a drowsiness overwhelms his senses.
Old Chapter
"My name is Zeke, a 21 years old dude who is currently looking for a job to make a living. I was born in an average family, so I have my own ambitions to strive in this world longer."
….but now……
In front of a tall building stood a young man. In his hand there was an “Invitation to An RPG Game ‘Cosmic Champion’! Sign Up Now and You May Win a Grand Prize!” advertisement on the phone screen.
"This game’s ads are everywhere on the internet….many 'influencer' are talking about this.....some say it's shady, some claim they had tried it and even got a small money just by participating the game.......I really need money right now...."
Zeke thought to himself for a while before picking up his courage and proceeded into the building.
“Welcome, sir! How may I help you?”, a lady receptionist greeted Zeke.
“I would like to sign up for the game ‘Cosmic Champion’. Are there any requirements?”, Zeke came closer to her and showed her the phone.
“The only thing you need to do is to read the terms and rules carefully, sir.”, the receptionist smiled as she handed Zeke a paper.
The paper was simply a contract and the conditions were simple. The applicant would be hired as a "player".
Players only need to gather information about the world inside the game as much as possible.
Players would required to leave the game once the contract expired. The contract only lasted 7 days since the registration.
Basically just like test-playing. Beta testing of some kind.
After that, players would receive their pays.
Since this is a virtual reality role-playing game, players must be vigilant at all time.
"It sounds easy money, but what is this? players must be vigilant at all time? It's just a game isn't it?...."
"Well, whatever. Maybe it's just a warning. I only need to play 7 days anyway.", Zeke was curios at first then made up his mind and signed the contract.
After that, he handed the paper to the receptionist and was told to stand in front of some large machine that looked similar to camera behind the counter. After that, she told him to wait for his ID card.
While Zeke was waiting, he recalled a rule. A strange rule that was on the paper.
"Murdering of other players is prohibited. Fighting between each other are not allowed."
"Maybe this is a not a PVP game?", Zeke thought in his mid.
PVP or Player versus Player. As the name suggested, it is the game that features fighting between players. Zeke felt a bit strange that since the game was a virtual-reality, why was PVP prohibited?
…..
“Thank you for participating! Please show this card to the staffs on the floor below.", after waiting for about 10 minutes, the receptionist called Zeke's name and handed him a card.
There were his portrait, name, and some personal info. on the card.
Zeke then proceeded to the floor below.
After reaching the floor, Zeke saw a large counter and not far from it, a large room with machines in cocoon shape.
"So many people....", Zeke thought. There were around 20-30 people walking around. He wondered if those people were the players as well.
“Hello. I’d like to participate in the game.”, Zeke walked to the counter and handed his ID card to a bulky man.
“Thank you for joining us! Before we begin, please choose your starter weapon.”
Hologram images appeared from the counter, in front of Zeke’s eyes. It seemed that the table had some devices to create holograms which surprisingly contrasted with the modern technology.
“Woah! This is the first time I see it. Is this some kind of secret exclusive technology or something?!”
“Anyway, what should I pick?”, Zeke thought to himself.
The started weapons were Sword, Bow, Staff, and Daggers. The kind of weapons you’d see normally in any RPG games.
“Though it’s called a staff, I don’t think it could be used to cast magics though…”
The staff Zeke was looking at was a plain long stick. He thought it must be a striking weapon rather than a magic tool.
“Why aren’t guns an option?”, Zeke asked the receptionist.
“They are prohibited, sir.”, the bulky man replied with some unbelievable in his face.
“I see...”, Zeke was a bit embarrassed.
“Aside from the starter arrows giving along with the bow, players could find materials to make stronger arrows from monsters inside the game. Well, arrows are easier to make than bullets, ainnit?"
“Ah..that's why.”, Zeke claimed.
He was curious that modern weapons weren’t in the choices, but after hearing the explanation he started to understand the game’s mechanics.
It could also be said that the modern bullets might not be useful for some tough monsters while the arrows could be because you could craft it from monster’s materials.
Just Imagine arrows made from some monster’s tough scales or teeth versus normal bullets.
“I’ll take the sword, please”, Zeke decided to take a sword because it’s the most favoured and easiest to master. The bow needs keen eyes. The staff was wooden, might be the worst choice if he encountered tough skin enemies. The daggers were too short in reach.
"Alright, I thought you were gonna pick the bow. Here, please wear this before enter the cocoon.", The staff gave Zeke something that looks like a watch.
"A Pineapple watch?", Zeke saw the watch and was a bit surprised that it looked like a brand watch of a certain company.
“This is a multi-purpose device. We could communicate with this as well. Please wear it at all time. It could also show your stats such as level, attack, etc. You just need to say ‘stats’ and it’ll pop up in no time.”
“Stats”
Zeke wore the device while listening to the explanations then tried testing it out.
A black screen appeared from the device.
"Wow! I haven't entered the game yet, and it's already working!", Zeke was amazed.
“As I thought. The stats looks very similar to common RPG games. Stamina seems to be my action points. If I run It’ll start to decrease. If I attack it’ll also decrease too. The decrease amount must varies by actions.”
“Attack 1+5…… that +5 must come from the weapon I suppose? And Defense is 1 because I’m not wearing any protective equipments, huh?”
“To think that 10 exp. are required to level up, this is gonna be easy for me!”, Zeke's gamer instinct rushed in after seeing the stats window.
“Order?......”, Zeke saw the order section and was very curious.
“Please think of it as some kind of species or type.”, the receptionist clarified.
“Oh......I see. Thank you. Shall we begin?", Zeke got all he needed so he’d like to start his make a living path as soon as possible.
“This way, please.", the man led Zeke to the cocoon machine and signaled him to get inside.
"And do remember that you’re very low in Defense now. Don't let your hp drops to 0. Please be very careful and feel free to contact the support team anytime via the device!”, he gave Zeke a final warning before closing the machine.
“Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.", as the machine closing, Zeke thanked the staff.
Then he gradually felt sleepy and closed his eyes eventually.
……
"A save point?", after waking up, Zeke found himself inside a small base of some sort. Besides him was a simple designed sword the size of his leg with its sheath covered.
"I am now in the game, huh? Let's go!", despite feeling a bit unease and confused, Zeke made his mind to enjoy the game. He moved out of the base to begin his journey and pave his money-making path.
.....
After walking for a while, Zeke came across a group of slimes.
Those slimes were mixed with green and blue colors. They looked like walking mucus with sparkly big round eyes like anime characters or common slimes you’d see in RPG games. Inside their bodies were dark spots with a sphere shape. They were the core of the slime.
“They seem to wander around. I wonder if there are water source nearby?", Zeke thought to himself after seeing the slimes.
Swoosh
Zeke rushed to one of the slimes and slashed its core with the starter sword making its whole mucus body splashed to the ground and disintegrated in one hit.
[You have level up.]
A voice rang out from the device on Zeke’s left arm.
“Nice”
After reviewing the stats screen he found that he is now level 2, so he started swinging the sword around to kill the remaining slimes.
….
There were 10 slimes in the group and Zeke has already killed 9 of them. He thought that if he killed this last slime he might reach level 3, so before finishing the job he opened the screen to check if he received proper exp. or not.
“What the hell!!!?!?”
“WHY IS IT STILL 0?!?!”
Sorry for being gone too long. Many many things happened but I can tell you this rewrite is my last and best time. If you're still reading, Thank you so much.
See you next chap.
Paypal
