Chapter 4: Cultured Men

The commotion subsided when the spokesperson started speaking, but whispers and utters still can be heard in the area.

“Please lend us your ears as we explain the further procedures and as we provide you more in-depth knowledge about the game,” the spokesperson announced.

The mumblings in the crowd completely stopped.

“Now, let’s start with the wristband. Please tap the wristband to fully activate its functions,” the spokesperson directed.

The people followed the instructions. Mikaila did the same. When she tapped the wristband, a green light blinked from the contours three times. Seconds later, the green light completely and fully glowed.

“Introducing… this cutting edge technology! A wristband that can record all of your in-game progress! It also has a special User Interface that can show your Player Information - this includes your in-game name, attributes, status, and other necessary options. We call this ‘The Bandtasy’,” the spokesperson proudly announced.

“That was cringe,” a person commented by whispering.

Another person from the crowd raised a question,

“Uhm, how can we activate it, or some sort? Where’s that ‘User Interface’ you’re talking about?”

“Good question!” the spokesperson responded. He continues,

“It’s simple. If you want to use the User Interface, you just need to think about using the interface.”

“Uhm... what?” the person asked out of confusion.

The spokesperson chuckled. He responded after,

“Just think about using the interface and a User Interface will automatically appear in front of you.”

People are still confused.

The spokesperson had no choice but to demonstrate it,

“Okay. Please observe.”

After saying those words, a holographic User Interface appeared at the front of the spokesperson.

People are amazed.

“All I did was think about using the interface. Now, you try it for yourself,” the spokesperson said.

Some people are still confused. But later on,

“Wow! It works!” a person from the crowd shouted with enthusiasm.

People started to follow. One by one, holographic User Interfaces started to pop out from the crowd.

Mikaila and Celly tried it themselves,

“Wow! That’s so cool!” Mikaila uttered.

“Woah!” Celly’s reserved reaction.

“I will give you time to examine the User Interface,” the spokesperson declared.

The two ladies examined the User Interface.

The User Interface consists of four parts; the User’s Name, User’s Image, User’s Information, and the Interactive Tabs.

The User’s Name is at the very top of the User Interface. The text is horizontally centered and it is displayed in all-capital bold letters.

Below the User’s Name is the User’s Image - it’s just a large half-body portrait of the Player. It covers one-third of the whole UI.

The User’s Information is below the User Image. It shows the following information: Health Rate, Status, and Age.

“Hmm… Age … Status - Healthy …. what is Health Rate?” Mikaila wondered.

“I think it corresponds to ‘HP’. It’s a common term used in games. It is the overall life points of the player,” Celly said.

“I see. The term is, somewhat, familiar to me,” Mikaila replied.

Mikaila continues exploring the User Information. Her attention is directed at the Interactive Tabs. The Interactive Tabs are just right under the User Information. Currently, there are only two Tabs,

“Attributes? Talents?” Mikaila whispered.

Mikaila tapped the Tab that has a label that says “Attributes”. After she tapped it, another floating window popped out from the User Interface. In the window, another three Interactive Tabs can also be selected.

“Body, Mind, Spirit,” Mikaila mumbled.

Mikaila tapped the “Body” Tab; another floating window appeared. The recent window shows a horizontal bar graph. Only three labels are shown, and these are Endurance, Speed, and Strength. The bar and measurement of the three data are still at zero.

“Hmm... What are these?” Mikaila asked.

Celly answered,

“I think it’s the generic ‘Stat Measures’ of the game. Most MMORPGs use the said System. It shows and measures the overall aspects of the character.”

“Oh! I get it! I used to play a game with the said kind of system. It is also used to upgrade the power of the character,” Mikaila said enthusiastically.

She continued,

“But I wonder … how can I upgrade my Stats in this game?”

Mikaila’s question also makes Celly wonder.

“Hmm… Let’s see, I believe it will be explained later on,” Celly responded.

“Okay!”

Mikaila closed the “Body” window. She, then, tapped the “Mind” Tab to check the other attributes. After reading what’s inside the “Mind” window, she closed it again and she did the same for the “Spirit” Tab. She closed the “Attributes” window to go back to the main User Interface.

She tried to check the remaining Interactive Tab in the main User Interface which is the “Talents” Tab. She tapped the Tab and as expected, another window appeared. But,

“Weird! It’s empty,” Mikaila uttered.

“Hmm?” Celly also wondered.

“Well, let’s just leave the explanation to them,” Mikaila decided.

They both agreed.

The other players continue to examine the User Interface. Later on,

“Can we move forward now?” the spokesperson asked after he cleared his throat.

The spokesperson successfully draws the attention of the people towards him.

“You can also view other players’ Information by simply pointing your arm, installed with the wristband, to the player of your choice,” the spokesperson informed.

The spokesperson, then, demonstrated how to do it. He pointed his right arm to his assistant at his side.

“Now, you need to think about the User’s Information,” the spokesperson followed.

He did what he said and suddenly, a holographic User Interface appeared. This time, the User Interface shows the assistant’s Player Information.

“You can use this Interface to add the player to your friend list,” the spokesperson added.

“Now you do it,” he instructed.

The people followed.

Mikaila pointed her arm to see Celly’s Information.

Surprisingly, Celly tried to dodge Mikaila’s pointing arm. But before she can evade it, the User Interface already appeared.

Mikaila viewed and examined Celly’s Player Information. She started at the lower middle of the User Interface.

“Age: 20 years old… Oh, you’re the same age as me.. Hmm…. health rate, still empty… wait…” Mikaila mumbled.

Celly’s face starts to turn pale.

Mikaila continues,

“You said that your name is Celly? But why it shows here that your name is ‘Frinces Marylaine Franceska Reanzales’? Mikaila asked.

“Ah-eh” Celly uttered as she frantically tries to come up with an excuse.

“I….I just…. I just use the name ‘Celly’ in-game because I’m too shy to reveal my real name,” Celly’s stuttered reply.

“Oh…. okay! It’s fine! You don’t have to be shy with me” Mikaila said.

Mikaila, then, tapped the ‘Add Friend’ Button at the bottom of the Interface.

Celly’s wristband glowed right after. Celly noticed her glowing wristband so she tapped it. A friend request notification popped out. She accepted the friend request sent by Mikaila.

After that, Mikaila’s wristband glowed too. Mikaila tapped it and a notification shows up. The notification says that the friend request she sent to Celly was approved.

“Nice. Now, we’re officially friends in the game,” Mikaila happily expressed.

Celly is just staring blankly in the air.

Mikaila waved her hand at Celly’s face,

“Hey, are you alright?” she said to call the attention of Celly.

“Huh?” Celly uttered.

But before Celly can reply properly, the spokesperson spoke again,

“Let’s proceed! We will now discuss the different starting points in the game. As you can see, there are six Main Portals, and each of them corresponds to a Geographical Landscape. Players can choose where to start by simply passing through the corresponding Portal.”

The people’s attention is diverted to the six closed Portals.

“Each Geography has its own Ecosystem! And each location has different areas and hidden places to explore!” the spokesperson continues.

The players are amazed once again. A person from the crowd raised a question,

“So, how exactly can we earn from this, again?”

“Good Question!” the spokesperson responded.

He continues,

“These areas are teeming with hidden treasures and valuable materials. Some monsters also drop rare equipment when you kill them. All you need to do is hunt them down,”

“Then?” another player questioned.

“You can trade the items you collected to other players. You can use real money, or you can use another form of currency to buy it. It’s the players who will drive the economy in this game. Consider this game as a sandbox - we already said that this game is like a new world. You can do whatever you want and you can be whoever you want! People can form communities and even build a whole new country in this game,” the spokesperson added.

The players are enlightened, but the spokesperson is not yet done,

“All of you here! Consider yourselves lucky! You are the first players that will step foot in this world, so you will be the one who will build the framework of this world’s community!”

People are happy to hear the latter words of the spokesperson.

Later on, an alarm was heard. The flooring and the lighting in the area turned green. People are surprised.

The spokesperson declared,

“We are now 20 minutes before the Grand opening of the Portals. I’ll give this time for you to choose your Starting Points. An expert is assigned to guide you in each Portal. All remaining information will be explained by them. You can also use the remaining moments to find more friends”

People are starting to choose their destinations.

Meanwhile, Mikaila and Celly are still planning where to go.

“So, what do you think?” Mikaila asked Celly.

“I … Uhm… I think we should pick the Portal with the least players. Because you know ... fewer players - fewer rivals for the treasure hunting,” Celly stated.

“Makes sense,”

The two ladies waited for the other players’ choices before coming up with a decision.

Later on, a commotion started in the crow,

“Woah! Isn’t that?.....”

“Yes, I think it is her!”

“Whoaaaa! I can’t believe she’s playing with us!”

“Relax guys! It’s just me!”

Mikaila and Celly noticed the commotion amongst the crowd.

“Woah, I didn’t expect she’s also here,” Celly commented.

“Uhm, I’ve seen her somewhere. Who is she again?” Mikaila asked

“She’s ‘MyNameIsMeowy’. She’s a local game streamer,”

“Ohhh, that’s why she seems familiar. I always see my friends sharing her live streams,” Mikaila said.

She continues,

“Uhm, what’s up with her? Is she an expert gamer? She seems to have a lot of fans.”

“Naaahh,” Celly responded with a visible disgust on her face.

She adds,

“She’s not even good! She’s just famous because of her face and boobs! Boys find her expression cute, but it’s super cringy!”

“Oh, I see,” Mikaila commented.

“Seriously! She’s very cringe! Some people are trying to call that out, but Meowy has a big army of SIMPS.”

“Simps?” Mikaila curiously asked.

“Ugh! They are simpleton fanboys that are willing to die just to protect and glorify their so-called ‘Princess’”

“Ah! I think I get it” Mikaila responded.

She continues,

“How about you?” she asks Celly. “Do you have your own fans?” Mikaila added.

Celly is surprised by Mikaila’s question. She blushed and it’s obvious that she doesn’t know what to respond.

“Huh? What?” Celly shyly asked.

“I mean, you’re cute and beautiful. You’re the typical ‘short-haired Chinita girl’ that the boys are wanting.”

Celly is throbbed by Mikaila’s compliments.

She bashfully replied,

“Uh… Eh… I don’t see myself like that! And… and if what you’re saying is true…. I won’t use my beauty ….”

Celly suddenly stopped, as if something crossed her mind out of the blue. She has dazed again.

Mikaila noticed it,

“Hey! You okay? You’re like that again,” Mikaila asked out of concern.

“Ohhh! I’m okay!” Celly quickly answered.

 She continues,

“I just said that I don’t like that kind of attention from boys.”

“Oh... Okay! I got ya,” Mikaila said.

Boys continue to flock at Meowy,

“Meowy-sama! Please take me with you!” a fanboy pleaded.

“Yes, Miss Meowy! I want to go with you also!” another exclaimed.

“I’ll offer everything that I will earn from this game, just please notice me Meowy-senpai!” a simp bargained.

“No! I’ll offer my whole worthless life just to be with you Meowy-Lodi!” another desperately bid.

Meowy is overwhelmed by the crowd of fanboys, but the commotion intensifies.

Suddenly, a middle-aged man with glasses blurted out of nowhere,

“STOOOOP! HAVE YOU NO SHAME!? Come on! We’re better than this!”

The commotion stopped and the fanboys’ attention was diverted to the middle-aged man.

The man walked his plump body in the middle of the crowd at the front of Meowy. When he stopped walking, he faced the crowd, pushed his glasses with his two fingers, and continued talking with a serious face,

“Look what you did! Our Lady is visibly stressed because of you, wild animals!”

The man, then, turned around and faced Meowy. He kneeled down and said,

“I am deeply sorry for my fellow fanboys. Some of them can’t control themselves when they see your dazzling beauty. On behalf of all the fans of MyNameIsMeowy, I humbly apologize, My Lady.”

The man kissed the foot of Meowy. His face showed a gratified grin after kissing Meowy’s foot.

The other fanboys saw it - as expected, they reacted violently at what they saw,

“Hey! What the f*ck was that!”

“You opportunistic piece of sh*t!”

“You have no rights to touch Meowy-sama!”

The protest continues. Wild and loud shouting engulfed the whole area.

“SHUT UUUUPPP!!!” the middle-aged man with glasses exclaimed.

The crowd was silenced. The middle-aged man’s shout even caught the attention of the other people in the Third Station.

“You’re no better than me! I know that all of you are desiring to do that and all of you will kill just to touch Meowy. But, at least have some class!”  the middle-aged man with glasses asserted.

Awkward reactions can be observed from the people in the room.

“The f*ck!?” Celly’s surprising expression.

“Yah! That was disgusting!” Mikaila uttered.

The middle-aged man continues,

“Come on! We are the proud fanboys of Miss Meowy! Instead of fighting over who will be Meowy’s rightful servant, why don’t we come up with a peaceful agreement like the cultured men we really are?”

It seems like the fanboys are not satisfied with the man’s idea.

“But.. but… I gave her lots of money during one of her live streams. I think it’s unfair for me,” a fanboy mumbled with a sad tone.

“Me too, I donated 2,000$ just to make her do a wacky face in a live stream,” another spouted.

“I gave her the latest version of YourPhone!” a fanboy bragged.

“I donated her a brand new sports car!” another boasted.

“Oh yeah!? Well, I donated the clothes and jewelry she’s wearing now. So, technically, she’s mine!” another blurted.

A small commotion started again.

After a while, a random fanboy spoke,

“Guys, guys! I think the middle-aged weeb has a point!”

The fuss stopped.

“Hey! Who you calling a weeb!” the middle-aged man with glasses reacted.

“Come on! Let him finish first!” another fan said.

The middle-aged man has no choice but to hold his anger.

The random fanboy continues,

“Why don’t we all team up and follow Miss Meowy together?”

“Hmm. Not bad” another fan commented.

“Yaaah! We can build a community with all the fans of Meowy-sama!” another excitedly suggested!

“Yeah! We will be the largest and strongest community inside the game!”

“Oh Yeaaahh!!”

“All for the sake of our beloved Princess Meowy!”

“We love you Meowy-Sama!”

All the fanboys cheered! They shouted and celebrated like wild animals. After the celebration, a fanboy asked,

“So, what Portal should we choose?”

The simps brainstorm and think deeply as if they are deciding in a life-and-death situation. Later on,

“I choose the Shores!” a fan shouted.

“Care to explain why?”

“Come on! It’s a shore, man! A beach! You’re a man of culture, you’ll understand why”

The simps pondered for a moment. But after a while, their faces slowly formed a maniac grin.

“You are a f*cking genius!” another commented.

The cheering continues.

“Now let’s start walking towards the Portal!”

“Yeah! Let’s go!”

The group of fanboys started walking towards the Portal labeled as ‘Shores’.” They continue their happy cheers while striding.

“Uhm, guys?” Meowy confusedly uttered as she was left by the group of simps.

Mikaila and Celly witnessed the whole drama.

“Well, that was wild,” Mikaila commented.

Celly shook her head out of disappointment.

There is still time left for Mikaila and Celly to decide what Portal to choose. They continue waiting patiently until the players can come up with their final decisions.

While waiting, another lady shouted out of nowhere and called out Mikaila.

“Mikaaaiiilaaaaaa!” the lady joyfully shouted to call Mikaila.

The lady caught the attention of Mikaila. A delighted expression was seen on Mikaila's face after she saw who the lady was.