Alas sais na ng gabi kinabukasan nang nakumpleto ang grupo. Actually, anim talaga kami, dahil sub-player si kuya Liam. Pero minsanan lang ito nakakalaro, dahil na rin sa kumpleto kami kung maglaro, and the comp-shop was pretty crowded a year ago.
Nasa bahay ko silang lahat, at kasalukuyang kumakain ng spaghetti na handa ni manang Maleng. Actually, si Gwynne lang at si Rin ang kumakain, dahil si Sky ay hindi na pinakawalan ni Chriss simula nang magsidatingan ang mga to kanina. Si kuya Liam naman ay umiinom ng kape—typical 'tagabantay ng comp-shop' habit.
"Okay, pinatawag ko kayong lahat dahil sa isang napakaimportanteng desisyon na aking napagisip-isip." Panimula ko.
Iba't iba ang reaksyon ng mg ka-team ko.
"Anu meron?"
"Hindi mo na kami papayagan na magsama ni Sky?"
"Masarap tong spaghetti ni manang, ah."
"My gahd, Chriss, bitiwan mo ko."
"Guys, easy." Pina-Rin pa sabay tayo. "Na forced-marriage si him—ittai!!"
"Rin, kalma lang, bata pa ko." Tawa ko at hinarap sila. "We will establish the Team Sands—no, the whole Holocaust Guild—in the DRAGON game."
"Ooh, perfect." Sabad ni kuya Liam at nilapag ang tablet niya sa lamesa. "The current update consists of a Guild-system. The guild have to be composed of 2 or more teams. Also there is a new Guild War Feature. You can surmise what is there to it."
"Yep, and that's why we are discussing this matter right now." I scanned the room. "So, are you with me?"
All of them was grinning. It was always like this, and I know better than to ask them again.
"I didn't have to ask, did I?"
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"First in the finish line, Calm Kenzie!! Followed closely behind by Dyrrick Villenueva!!" the loud speaker boomed our names as I broke the line in front of me. Probably the longest triathlon I have been to, the 200-kilometer overall track was not an easy one.
"Gratz, man." Rick patted my back.
"Tell me again of why we are here?"
"To join the competition, of course."
And a blasted competition it is. Sa ten years na panghihila sakin ni Dyrrick sa mga triathlons at marathons, we run against pros, and everyone fully recognized us as pros ourselves. Tumakbo lang kami ng ilang libong kilometro, professional na agad?
I silently slipped away in the crowd of onlookers who wanted to catch the second finisher's attention. Oh well, yan naman talaga ang gusto ni Rick eh. Saves me time to escape the last ceremonies.
I quickly changed and ran towards my bike in the bike's rack. Have to go farm some in DRAGON. Nang makita ko kung gano kalakas yung 'Boxhead Princess', ikanga, I understood that I wasn't good enough. Drastic Rage Online's lack of a level system is one thing to consider.
Pagdating na pagdating ko sa bahay ay pumasok agad ako sa kwarto at nagready agad para pumasok sa full-body device. But when the headset fell down on my vision, I was disappointed.
The game you want to enter is under maintenance for a better gaming experience. Game will be online in two hours.
Lumabas nalang ako sa kwarto at nagpasyang kumain. Come to think of it, when I started playing DRAGON I never really had a decent meal. In-on ko ang TV at nagsimulang magluto. Since I started college my family left me, sending only the monthly allowance na sa sobrang laki ay pwede nakong magtayo ng mansion.
Joking aside, my parents are not really 'that' rich. Ma is in Europe right now with a few fellow architects, pondering over the idea of a skyscraper whose height I know nothing about. Si Da- well, si Da ay nasa Pacific Ocean, sakay ng cruise ship na pag-aari niya, at sa di ko malamang dahilan ay ayaw niyang iwan ito. Probably his love of the sea went overboard.
The meal I cooked was made of just bacon and toasted bread, and I sat down in front of the TV. Nag-fe-feature ito sa isang famous chef na Japanese na nakabase sa Singapore. His restaurant is the No.1 in the SEA region, sabi daw ng reporter.
Tumunog ang cp ko.
"Low."
"Dude, umalis ka? Blanko ang first place dito oh!!"
"Yah. I thought I could play DRAGON, but the game is under maintenance."
"Heh, serves you right."
I looked at the clock.
"Have to go Rick. Say hello at the other side."
"Ade-" I ended the call. That basterd has a dull sense of humor.
BINABASA MO ANG
DRAGON: First Link
Science Fiction(To be edited) The Near Future. Where humans have made progress towards the enhancement of virtual reality. The Link. A device used to enter the world where one fights for his own visions. Hime. The 'old' gamer who goes to an adventure inside the vi...
