I wasn't always a good player. People would ask me all the time how I got to where I was. I would always reply with "Hard work." They would give a small chuckle because they thought I was joking. Surely I was hiding a secret that let me get into the top rankings. Maybe there was a particular technique or some black market dealings that I must've done. It couldn't possibly just be just hard work, right?

Nope, that was really just it.

Even getting into the professional gaming scene was a bit rough. It had taken a toll on me, but it was something at I wanted to do from the very beginning. At first, I thought, "No way, that would never be me." Looking at the pro players, I asked myself, "How would I ever get to their skill level?"

At first, I thought it was talent. That only the most talented players would be able to climb to the top. That's still true to a certain extent, but there are a lot of people who have gotten where they are through hard work alone. I was just an average college student, but I got introduced to Conviction Online through a friend.

It started as a hobby, as most things do. You don't ever think, "Maybe I'm going to be rich by playing video games." You did it because you had a passion for the game. I think people forget that more and more as time goes on. Conviction online was one of those unique games. It had a transferable market to money relationship. Any gold you can get in that game can be transferred to real currency, and vice versa.

I remember the conversation clearly.

"You down to try out this Conviction game?" He asked one day.

"I don't know man; I'm pretty busy with school."

"I hear it's like, the new big game, though!"

"Yeah man, I know about it. I don't know if I can spend time to play it."

"Hey man, loosen up! We can play it casually or something. Make money on the side, you know?"

Little did I know, that decision would change the way I viewed myself forever. I started playing the game casually, more focused on my academics than the video game at first. I had gotten into a good University, so if I just focused on that; then I would be looking to get a stable job within a few years. Maybe then, I could get more serious at the game.

Of course, things never really go the way you want. I had tried so hard to get good grades in academics, but it was never enough. There was always someone better than me. Someone who had more money than me. Someone with more connections. I hated that. It wasn't fair. Maybe it was my lack of skill, but how would I know if the mountain I was climbing was insanely steep?

People say you have to live with what you got, but how could I? How could I, when I was faced with people who have had their life handed on a silver platter? Their parents were giving donations towards their school, them having money to not be in debt, them being arrogant because they know nothing will happen to them. It seemed like no matter what I did; I was always a step behind someone who had these things that I didn't.

Success stories are far and few between. People would like to think that if they work hard enough for something, then more opportunities would be available to them, but why wait for opportunities when you could make them yourself? It didn't seem logical to me.

That was the beauty of Conviction Online. There was nothing that could hold you back, only your skill and convictions. There was no bar to set, only a bar to break. Anyone from any age, any background could pick up the game. Nothing stopped a player from becoming the very best. There were no debts you had to pay, there were no physical limitations you had to overcome, and there were definitely no 'cheaters' that had an unfair advantage from day one.

The huge turning point was the tournament. When they had announced their first-ever Worlds tournament; that was when I decided to quit University. If I was going to waste a good portion of my life trying to make more money, then it might as well be something that I loved doing. In hindsight, it might've been not such a good idea, but taking risks was part of growing up. If it didn't work out, I would head back to University and be an average person.

I perfected my craft. I would play for eighteen hours a day, with little breaks in between. It was a full-time job for me, but it didn't feel like one. I would reach a daily quota every day, only converting the gold I needed to real cash for food and rent — everything else I spent on becoming better.

I would join several guilds throughout my time playing the game. I learned a lot of insights from a bunch of people. I would make friends with good players, but also some enemies along the way. I learned how to be a good leader, I learned to be humble in times of hardship, and I learned that strength and skill garnered respect. Who would follow someone weaker than them?

I climbed the ranking slowly but surely. My fame increased dramatically, and along with that; my notoriety. People started knowing my name, and I started getting noticed by corporations. I began getting messages from sponsors willing to give me money to compete in regional and state PvP tournaments. Several top guilds wanted to recruit me for their main roster, and several brands wanted me to endorse their products.

"Hey, have you seen that Aaron dude? Who is this guy?!"

"Dude, he just soloed an entire Chaos Dungeon!"

"How much would it take for you to join our guild?"

"Down to scrim with us, later? We're looking for good talent."

"Would you be interested in sponsoring with us?"

I had ignored most of the offers. Some people were okay with just that, but not me. I wanted to be better. I didn't want to get approached by the top guilds. I wanted to be the leader of one. With the money I had gathered, I had made enough to create a small E-sports team. I got a couple of my friends, and some good players that would join, and we made our rounds in the gaming world.

Tournament after tournament, rankings after rankings. We would beat them all. We were one of the most infamous guilds in the North American server. Everyone wanted to join our ranks because skilled players attracted skilled people, and we were finally at the very top.

In a few months, I managed to become the Rank One Warlord class in Conviction Online on our server, and even teams from Europe; the reigning region at the time, took notice of me. I once had an offer to move to Europe to join one of their European teams.

Eventually, though, all good things must come to an end. As time grew on, more competition eventually piled up. We got quickly dethroned from our crown. Unlike me, my teammates had other things to deal with in real-life. Not everyone could've afforded to spend their whole day gaming. 

Some tension within the team boiled up, and the group ultimately disbanded over conflicting directions of where the guild was going. The thing I was building up towards never truly came to fruition. I couldn't gather a team to compete in the Worlds tournament, being held just next year.

One day, however, I got an offer. It was a generous offer, something that I couldn't possibly ignore. It was from a large corporation in North America. They owned several top-rated guilds in the nation, and they approached me to make a super team to compete in the Worlds tournament.

I couldn't say no, and they also knew that as well.

I was tasked to create a team out of the best players they owned and compete in the World tournament. Initially, I had plans to retire after my first team disbanded; I had enough money to last a lifetime. I thought to myself, however, "If I'm going out, it might as well be the biggest bang anyone had ever seen." My passion for the game couldn't allow me to fade into obscurity that easily.

So then it happened. I had gotten the best team I possibly could, just in time for the Worlds tournament. This tournament was no joke. Every top team from every region was going to be present. Every sponsor from every tech company, beverage companies, big moguls such as pharmaceuticals, clothing companies, you name it. Even your grandma who ran the lemonade stand would be present. It was bigger than anyone had ever imagined.

So we climbed, and we climbed. We beat the North American teams below us, we beat the Korean powerhouses, we demolished the Chinese super teams, and we even surpassed the reigning European realm. We won against the wild card regions, and we also undermined the Russian cheaters.

So there we were. Top four, semifinals match. It was us against the other best North American team. I knew every one of the players on the opposing team, and so did my teammates. These players were around our skill level, but their mindset was a lot stronger than ours. We won by a hairsbreadth, and I made the final winning play.

It didn't feel like a winning play, because I knew that after that play; we would no longer be a team.

So there we were. Our team in shambles. Competing in the final game against the best European team, and by extension; the best worldwide team. Several multi-billion dollar companies backed them. Their reach was massive, and everyone was rooting for them. They were the ones favored to win the tournament from the very beginning.

The rest was history. We won, I got fired and became filthy rich, soon retiring afterward. I didn't feel accomplished, though. I never really did complete my goal of being the best. Winning the world tournament was something that I despised. It was a title that didn't mean anything to me.

I would eventually get praise from the public along with the other top players about my victory, but it was praise that I didn't deserve.

It was a good thing that training dummies had a ridiculously high amount of HP because I didn't know how long I was whacking the damn thing. Of course, I was doing other things as well, but the time just flew by without me noticing. Looking at the in-game time, eight hours had passed since I started playing the game.

That meant only four hours in the real world.

Wiping the sweat off of my face, I put down my sword and shield and decided to rest. The game mimics fatigue very well, but there was an option to dull it out. This could only be used out of player combat, but it was an excellent system to make sure training wasn't as grueling as it should've been.

 I wonder what Ace and Yoona are up to.

While training, pointless things came to my mind. I thought a bit about the conversation White, and I had. Would creating my own guild in this game be ideal? I already had good experience with it, but I had a feeling that it wouldn't go well. I guess it was just me being bittersweet about the past.

Standing up, I had accidentally slipped on my sweat. I didn't realize how much I was training until I could see a small puddle of my sweat on the ground. I was both slightly disgusted and amazed at the same time.

There were several things I learned with the help of White. There was an in-game modifier that isn't displayed anywhere that affected your damage. The force of your swing, along with the formation of your attacks, did slightly increase your damage to an extent. That meant that there were some upsides to learning swordsmanship or fighting techniques. 

Skills were also something that intrigued me. Sometimes, while training; I would subconsciously activate an ability without noticing. If I performed a spinning slash with enough force, I would sometimes activate 【Tornado Slash】. I didn't know how to re-create the effect accurately, but the system was probably there to smooth out combat. I could only guess with a lot of skills in the game comes a bunch of things you had to memorize. Maybe it was easier to commit some skills to muscle memory instead.

The rest of the time during training, I spent trying to improve my combat. Linking skills together, animation canceling them to output more damage along with other small things such as understanding the timing of my skills, the cool-downs of each ability, and specific rotation of skills I could use in quick succession. 

It was probably boring junk to some people, but for me, it was the fundamental rules I would build my combat around.

Also, a shower. That's what I need. 

"Too bad there aren't any showers in-game." I unexpectedly said aloud.

Exiting the training room, I had arranged all the dummies back in their previous places. Leaving the Training Hall, I needed to get back on track. Leveling was the prime objective, but I also understood the importance of learning professions early on. People thought that once a game started, it was a race to the top. 

Wrong. Eventually, there would always be a scenario where the game starts to stagnate. Gaining experience gets harder as levels increase, and monsters will soon require many people to take out. Soloing was not the best choice in an MMO, because it was the best way to ensure you eventually get behind. Since you're spending your whole day leveling and grinding mobs, building connections and forming friendships are harder to come across. 

I needed to learn more about the world. Talking to NPC's was an excellent way to start, but also; checking out the nearest Inn was a prime place to find gossip about the game from other players. I was just also interested in getting some beverages. I wanted to see how well the system would mimic food.

There were several inns scattered across town, so finding the nearest one wasn't too hard. I didn't even need to look at the mini-map, because there was one just across the block. Dodging around several people, I managed to arrive at the front gate. I realized there were fewer people in the town, probably because they're too busy exploring the outskirts.

Heading inside, I heard a small tingle. Looking upwards, it was a bell that fastened to the top of the door frame. An NPC quickly looked over and noticed me swiftly, so I only gave a slight smile in response.

"Hello!" She said. It was someone dressed in a maid outfit, "How can I help you today?"

 "What do you got for me?" I respond, looking around my surroundings.

The tavern was cozy, and there were some people already situated at the various wooden tables aligned in the middle of the room. Picture frames of landscapes hung the walls, and murmuring of the several player groups made the inn look bigger than it actually was. There were also stairs leading up to a second floor. The first floor was probably a pub, while the latter was where all the beds were.

"Well, we have an assortment of items such as bread and soup, but also beverages such as beer and wine. If you wish to stay the night, then you can come and ask the Innkeeper right ahead."

"Sure, I'll get some beer for now, then."

"Very well." She said, leading me towards the front counter, "Just wait here, and I will be right back with you."

As she walked around to occupy other customers, I decided to open my quest tab to look for upcoming quests I could do. Usually, there would be an option to see quests one or two levels above yours, so I had an ample amount of time to see the number of quests there were within my vicinity. 

Scrolling through with my finger, there were your typical run-of-the-mill gathering quests, a few hunting quests along with some others, however, nothing that really stood out. None of them were really interesting, but I decided to bookmark them all, just in case I would need to rethink in the future.

I received my beer moments later, and with a sip of my drink, I decided to cheer myself for good fortune. The alcoholic beverage didn't taste particularly bad, but I couldn't tell if it was meant to be such a way, or if the system couldn't mimic that unique taste. Whatever the reason, my attention was quickly shifted away from my drink to some players moments after. 

"What did you say, you fucker?" 

"Stop KS'ing our shit, that was our zone!"

"It's not my fault your group sucks ass." 

"Say that again, see what happens."

Nothing was more common than two men duking it out over a farming area. Usually, it was for women, but I guess this case was different. Taverns and Inns are neutral-zones. This meant that although PvP is allowed, there would be no penalty for death. It made the Inn the perfect place to host fistfights and PvP matches.

I didn't seem to mind, returning to my own thoughts. It looked like the situation got out of control, however, as a chair was hurled towards my direction a few seconds afterward. I caught the chair mid-air, and set it down slowly, making sure not to break it. Items such as chairs still had value. Anything you broke in neutral zones, you would be deducted currency for.

"I think it's time for you guys to stop," I said, sternly.

These players were level five, so I had a good chance of stopping them both. I had also just recently hit level eight with the passive experience I gained from training earlier. Of course, I already allocated my skill and ability points, so that meant I had a good advantage over them.

One of the players took a glance at me and quickly backed down. The other one, however, looked at me with killing intent. He was a medium-sized man in a mohawk style haircut and was formerly the one who started the confrontation.

"You think just because you're a few levels ahead means you're better?" He replied to me angrily.

"...Yes."

Pointing his spear at me, he gestured me to approach him. I knew he was looking for a fight, but I didn't think he would do it so brashly. Peering around, the other players that were watching started getting out a rectangular-cut glass slab. It took me a few seconds to understand what they were doing, but I finally realized. They were recording the match!

I could only give a small sigh. Before he could react, I rushed towards him. Both of my shield and sword ready at my side, I give him a harsh kick, incapacitating him. He hurled towards the ground, seemingly surprised at my speed. I knocked his spear quickly away from him with my Shield and pinned him against the rough wood. 

He tries to throw me off by squirming around, but since I had more Strength than him, I knew that it was futile. In a last-ditch attempt, he reaches for his spear just in arm's length. I quickly maneuvered myself forward and jabbed his hand with the tip of my sword. He screams in agony, cursing at me along the way. 

"Holy shit, did you guys see that?" One of the spectators said.

"What happened? He just got shit on!"

"Is the level difference really that big?"

"Who is this guy?"

"I'm posting this on the forums later, dude!"

The crowd was getting rowdier by the second. Impressed by my quick display of actions, several murmurs permeated the room. I knew that if this were to keep up, other players might start joining in. That would be the worst scenario because I didn't think I could take all of them on at once.

"You gonna get off, you bitch?" The man with the mohawk said.

"If you stop making trouble," I replied. He didn't say anything afterward, so I retreated away from him.

Well, that was a killer. Not wanting to be noticed any longer, I head towards the table and take a big gulp, finishing my beer. Leaving a few coins I had gotten out from my interface; I quickly left the tavern. No one dared to stop me as I exited the door. The whole place seemed to be in a daze after what I had done.

I had initially come to get information about the game, but I guess that was a waste of time. With that option no longer available to me, my only plan was to head back to get started learning the profession I needed. I had yet to talk to the instructors about what profession I wanted to get into.

Walking towards the district, I get interrupted by a faraway voice.

"Hey!" Someone said, "Wait, Winter! Wait up!" 

Turning around, I had first thought it was the person from previous, so I unconsciously raised my guard. The bad news was that it indeed was, but the good news was that the person with the mohawk didn't seem as hostile this time.

"What's up?" I said, narrowing my eyes.

"Hey man," He panted, catching up to me. "I just wanted to say sorry for earlier."

"No problem." I replied reluctantly, "Things like that happen, just don't be an ass about it."

"Friends?"

I see what he's doing.

"Sure, but don't ask me to do stuff for you."

"That's fine, I just want to be friends with a good player."

"White: You there, man? I need you for something."

"Aight, for sure." I said, "I'll catch you later, then."

"No problem, I'll see you around." He stated, "So, no hard feelings?"

"Winter: Yea, what's up?" 

"White: What level are you?"

"You're fine, mate."

Winter: Just eight. You know that.

"White: That's good enough. When are you not busy?"

"Winter: Why? Do you need anything?"

"That's good to hear." He replied, quickly leaving.

"White: There's a dungeon I want us to do. It's recommended for level ten, but I think you're good enough to join in."

"Winter: Is it just us two? "

"What's your name?" I decided to ask on a whim.

"White: No, I got my assassin friend to come along. She got her friend as well."

"Winter: So, it's a four man party?"

"Can't you see?" He replies, pointing upward at his name plate.  "It's Chris."

"White: That is correct." 

"Winter: Any reason why this dungeon is good?"

"White: It has a specific drop I want. You should tag along too, it has good items for your class as well."

"Winter: Where is it?" 

"I see it." I reply, "I meant your real name."

"White: Just come to Ashur Woods Trail. It's a hidden map, so you'll have to follow me."

"Winter: Sweet. I'll come over once I get started on professions."

"It's the same as my in-game name." 

"White: You didn't get started yet?"

"Winter: No, I was too busy fighting you, idiot."

"Isn't that un-ideal, though?"

"White: Lololololol."

"Winter: Nerd."

"White: OK, I'll wait for you there."

"There's a lot of people named Chris." He said, "Why are you interested?"

"I'm just curious." I reply, "I might've heard your name from somewhere."

"Oh, OK." He says, "I gotcha."

"Well then, I gotta head." I stated, "I'll see you around."

"Winter: K, coming soon."