Mundo - A Virtual World

Chapter 0 - Prolouge

Guide on the dialogues of the story

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"Dialogues... Dialogues..." : Dialogues

"Dialogues" : System Message

『 』: Status Window and Ability/Skill/Spell Explanations

<< Title>> : Title

<<<Ability>>> : Ability/Skill/Spell Activation

[Speaker] : Speaker

'Monologue' : Monologue

Italic Dialogue : Telepathy Dialogue/Sound Effects

Arc 1 - The First Page: Story of the Air

Chapter: Prologue

As the Dolls Start to Dance in my Palms

After the Exodus, the world was reshaped back to its roots and the seven continents we know today were merged together to form back the mega-continent of the past, Pangea. Not even satisfied on changing the face of the Earth and killing almost 70% of the human population and other species, an airborne mutagen appeared and mutated various species into fantasy creatures that was based on a popular game "Requiem of Panstacia". Some humans turned into humanoid demi-humans which were categorized into Dragonkind, Beastmen, Elves, Dwarves, Demons, and Lords. Some animals also mutated into fantastic dragons, kobolds, werewolves, and such. With those conditions and with the modern era destroyed by these changes, the world regressed back to the Dark Ages.

But there is also one important thing that changed the whole world. The game geeks/experts that survived said this was a blessing, while those who aren't told that this is a curse. Because the whole world turned into a game, one could see their statuses, a spacious inventory for everyone, an attribute window that could set one's ability, and the ability to change your overall self. But as an important figure once said, "Adaptation is the key for survival". Those who accepted the new world lives and those who didn't lived in their own fantasies until they die. Things were peaceful, though that peace did not last long.

The Demon Races, led by their mighty leader, the Demon Lord, waged war to all living race for no such apparent reasons. It was a sudden invasion for the unprepared lands. As there's only peace in the minds of most of the races at the time, the sudden confusion gave birth to a massacre of the humanoid races, especially the Humans, who are the weakest of the races.

As hope seems lost, the survivors of the first invasion banded together to save themselves from total annihilation. Dwarves and Elves who were mortal enemies decided to battle together. Even the Lords, who are loyal to the Demons revolted to their masters as they saw the inhumane methods used by the Demons in the war. But for the remaining two main humanoid races, the Dragonkind and the Beastmen, they decided to hide themselves in order not to lower their already low population. Although it was foolish for the 5 races who wanted to challenge the demons, but these two races have other plans.

2 years after the war began. The alliance was breaking apart. Their moral became so low that they only want to embrace death as the demons ravaged the alliance's remaining lands. With such conditions, the war would end with the total annihilation of the alliance. But...

As the alliance was making a last stand on the remaining capital city of humans. The Dragonkind, together with the Beastmen, rose from their hiding places near the capital and attacked the demons. Together with the alliance, the last stand was a victory and it started a victory streak for the alliance against the demons. But the war itself won't end even if they continue to break victory after victory. Negotiations were off as the messengers sent to the demons were brought back with only their heads left. The Demon Lord must be killed. As such, the alliance formed together a plan that will destroy the Demon Lord. The alliance planned to attack the military capital of the demons, Behemoth, while a separate team would infiltrate the capital city, Lucifer, and destroy the Demon Lord. Together with the heroine and her party, a team composed of 50 will infiltrate the capital knowing it is a suicide mission as the Demon Lord was that powerful.

The battle started with 2 of the team members' deaths as they slipped through a trap at the entrance of the Demon Lord's room. As the battle raged on, so does the deaths of the infiltrators... until only 4 were left to battle till the end.

? ~ The Heroine of Babel

Demon Lord's Castle

'Ughhh..' [Heroine of Babel]

I felt haziness towards my head with my consciousness slowly regaining. As I am regaining myself and opened my eyes, I felt my hand was covered by some liquid.

'Water?' [Heroine of Babel]

No, it was red, blood. I realized I've been bleeding all over my body. Even though I am not moving and lying down on the floor, my whole body hurts. Even moving an inch, the pain was transmitted all over my body. I wonder if I'm going to die. But when I said his name, most of the pain disappeared.

'Ventus...' [Heroine of Babel]

Inside my head was his smiling face. The man I loved the most. He died smiling when he shielded me. I was about to use our trump card when the Demon Lord sensed it's potential to destroy him and hurrily killed the two people who were distracting his attention from me. Maybe because he sensed the danger the Dark Lord's intention, Ventus moved between us with the fastest speed he could muster to block the demon's attack while facing me. There, the demon stroke him from the back. I could clearly see the demon's hand coming out from his chest. But one thing I could not forget, is his smile as he vanished as I finished chanting the spell and released it.

Ragnarok. The most powerful END spell. Using the caster's mana and life-force as a price, casting it spells death to the caster. As such it was classified as a forbidden spell. But this spell has the capability to destroy even a God-Level monster. "The target and its surroundings will be bather in a chaotic burst of light. The sight would be an art if the artist saw its activation and its end. The light itself is capable of slicing through the atoms of everything. And the instant it is cast, there's no way even with a person who has the highest reflexes and agility, Ventus, could escape. Just like the saying, Give and Take, it's the reverse in this case.

'This is the end... Right?' [Heroine of Babel]

We've done it. We've finished our mission. There's nothing more to go back. My family is dead. My relatives too haven't escaped the invasion of the demons and the person I loved the most died earlier. I closed my eyes as I surrendered myself to Death. Only waiting till he came to collect my soul.

But...

Are you sure this would end like this? [???]

I heard a voice in my head. I thought it was Death saying that but, I'm convinced it wasn't.

Wouldn't it be interesting if you continue to live your life? Wouldn't it be interesting if you see the future? [???]

Somehow, it has a playful tone like a merchant urging a customer to buy his products but it doesn't matter. I want to surrender now and cut off myself from his world, I don't have a reason to live now.

Then, if you want. Go and get that book. Read the first part and everything would be clear to you... [???]

I could see something shining at the side. It is in the bookshelf I hid in order to slowly cast Ragnarok. But right now, I don't care about anything. Even if I am offered by a king with greatest treasures he could muster, all I want is to go to the other side. But...

So that you will know the true system of this world. [???]

The last part ignited some flames to my soul. The true system of this world? A world full of wars in the past years with full annihilation of several towns and cities, I've always wondered if this world had such a hidden system that even wars exist. With nothing to lose, I decided to grab the book. As I read the first part, everything turned into darkness.