NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 4: Reunited
In the darkness of his bedroom, a low whirring motor and the bubbling nutrient gel echoed in Julian's waking mind. The last memory he remembered was a sudden attack, losing Umbra and then bleeding to death before he could leave combat.
"Ugh…"
As he removed the safety harness and pressed the ejection button, his body became dull and difficult to move, and he felt a bitter sensation in his chest.
'I couldn't even spare the time to think… being an Evoker is difficult.'
Because he needed to process the battle, avoid any damage, and recite the chants of spells in his mind, Julian discovered the difference between being a Guardian who focused on melee combat and the physically weaker Evoker. He could die with a single blow.
On the screen, an annoying message and countdown make him grit his teeth.
[◊ You have died—12 Hour Lockout Activated! ◊]
[11:59:20—Remaining]
The frustration with his actions made him splash the gel with both hands.
No, it wasn't entirely his fault.
There wasn't a quest or beginner's pack when he entered the world, and normally, the tutorial knight would help you get started.
'I need to be more careful. The lockout increase to a full day soon.'
With a loud slosh of the sticky gel, he slid from the black machine with his naked body, feeling clean and silky smooth from the expensive gel.
He stepped out of the VR unit with a throbbing pain across his throat where the monster attacked him, and then walked to the mirror and saw his neck was swollen and red.
"The nightmare mode is really extreme… pain synchronisation from the first login, eh?"
Julian's eyes widened as he gazed at his body, no longer focused on his neck.
He couldn't believe his transformation happened so fast.
Because in the past, when he entered the game, it took weeks before his body started to adapt and evolve from the experience gained in the game.
'This is better than my last life.'
Although people would evolve and improve from the game.
This improvement didn't mean ugly people would become supermodels—if average, most people could become decent-looking when using full-body VR machines.
Julian measured his height using the mirrors built into the AI system—the numbers flashing made his lips tremble before curling into a smile.
Despite Julian managing his diet and daily training in the past, it wasn't until entering the game that his body now became perfectly toned and muscular. A lean body is improving on his previous 12% level of body fat.
The most significant change was his face.
His dark circles vanished, cracked lips became soft and smoother, and his cheeks were soft and squishy instead of sunken.
[Height: 6ft 3 in (1.91 m)]
[Weight: 90Kg]
[Length: 21 cm]
"Phew… I can get stronger even though I am an Evoker."
An Evoker was one of the many evolutions people could undertake, with the main being a Guardian or Assault and the rare being Mystics who could heal wounds or create defensive barriers to protect the party.
Bzzzt!
Suddenly, Julian's phone vibrated in the VR unit's charging slot.
The company that created the high-class VR units added this feature to allow people to communicate with others outside the game.
This feature allowed users to message and call people directly in the game without using third-party software.
'Probably because the company also made the phones, it was a suitable business model.'
He walked to the dressing table while shaking his head, wondering how long the meal would take to finish, since he wasn't in the game world that long.
"Come to think of it… Sena was a rare Assault class."
Julian grabbed his phone and noticed several missed call notifications before he opened the one from the Avalon Admit account.
[Message]
Avalon Admin
• Achievement unlocked: Spectacular Demise! Keep up the… effort.
◊ You have reached level 2
• Gained 2 Magic
◊ You Looted Shadow woven Robe from [Nightmare Hound]
Item Level 5
Bind on Equip
Cloth
Chest
+1 Defence
+1 Magic
Requires Level 2
"A simple garment woven with faint traces of shadow magic, offering minimal protection and a touch of power."
◊ Your Account has been locked for 12 hours after dying!
• Please note that this will increase to 24 hours per death after the grace period ends!
◊ The Real Money Trading Auction house will open in 22 hours.
He remained quiet for a few moments, a little annoyed by their mocking achievement, but the news of the auction house and the item he gained made up for it.
『I gained two points. That's huge!』
"Well, what now?"
Julian didn't expect to be sent into that nightmarish world, so he bit his lower lip and wondered what to do after his mistake.
The initial plan was to play for four hours while the Wellington baked, then eat and continue gaming into the night. He shook his head, grabbed a pair of tight training pants and boxers from his drawers and headed to the treadmill.
"My speed was so low I couldn't even see the hound."
First, Julian started to warm up and performed several sets of squats.
If he focused on building up attributes, he could probably reach a five or six in his attack and speed attributes without items in the following days.
However, he'd focus on speed over attack because the attribute speed affected more than movement speed.
It also improved his dynamic vision and hand-eye coordination, increasing his magic accuracy.
Like this, Julian's body jogged on the treadmill for an hour, using a high-level marathon setting that worked on core strength and stamina over pure speed.
"Haa…Haa…Haa."
A strong and constant stream of breaths echoed in the room as his slightly tanned upper body dripped with sweat.
While coming to the end of his hour-long workout, the door suddenly started to ring—he ignored it and tried to maintain his speed to improve his endurance at a 12-minute-a-mile1 pace.
Because Julian forgot and didn't reply to Sena's messages and calls, he guessed she might be angry with him now.
"Ah."
"I'm coming in!" A loud voice sounded before the door clicked open, and the woman entered his house with a huff.
Before he could leave the machine and get ready, the door to his room swung open violently, hitting the wall before a woman's figure appeared.
"Julian, why weren't you online? I waited for ages for you!" Kang Sena's voice echoed before it suddenly faded with an exclamation. The moment she saw him still jogging in his tight pants with his junk and muscular evolved body visible. "… eh?"
"Y-Y-You?! When did you get so ripped?!"
Kang Sena's face became redder than a tomato in seconds as she quickly rushed out of the room, squeaking various words and curses before the room became silent.
Though he should have been angry, she overstepped her boundaries. Julian could only smirk to himself.
"Why does this feel so nostalgic?"
The images of her death flashed through his mind briefly while putting on a loose shirt after wiping his body and listening to her still complaining while searching his kitchen.
"Ah, this smells so good, Julian. Can I stay for dinner?"
Somehow, the extra large serving of Beef Wellington seemed to have been planned for this moment, as he looked at himself in the mirror with a wide grin.
'After all, a life without this idiot isn't worth it.'
"Yeah, sure, but what will you pay me?"
"Hah? Pay… don't be stupid, okay? I won't listen to you again."
"What about a kiss?"
"K-Kiss, but you…" Her face turned bright red, skittering to the opposite side of the kitchen while holding a rolling pin in her hand. "Don't come near."
Despite her tough words, she swallowed hard.
Her gaze locked on his body, namely his crotch and forearms.
"Princess, if you want to eat, you must earn your keep." Julian teased—the twelve hours vanished from his mind, as did the end of the world, at least for this moment.
He just wanted to savour the feeling of meeting again.