Chapter 3 SATSUKI'S REPLACEMENT

After reading the message on his smartphone, Noctis at first had doubts.

Then his stomach lurched when he saw the attached video recording of the last moments of his brother.

"That's it. I'm joining the fray. Don't worry brother. Your death won't be in vain."

Then he packed up all the weapons and badges his father and brother sent over in his backpack.

He went to his room and chose to wear black pants and a black shirt that is perfectly accented by his slim yet tall and fit body.

Then he put on a black mask which is also a God-Class item that could change his voice and cover his face.

He combed his unruly silver hair, put on his mountain climbing sneakers, placed his weapons and armor inside his God-Class backpack, placed the backpack on his back, and grabbed the sheathed daggers with a dragon emblem engraved into the handles, the twin weapon of the katana his brother used, and placed them on the God-Class sheaths on his hips.

"Satsuki has been eliminated. You have been chosen as his replacement. Do you agree?"

He clicked yes.

"Real name, age, game username."

He typed "Lelouch, 23, Zero"

Then the screen changed again,

"Player Name: Lelouch Age: 23 Level:1 Ethnicity: Japanese Hp: 25 Strength:25 Defense; 30 percent Agility: 29 Mp: 35 Knowledge:100 Class: Assassin Spellcaster Rank: Novice (Elite Player) Money: Error. Infinity"'

"VRMMORPG Fantasion is only playable by means of a specially made gaming capsule developed by the Tokyo Gaming Solutions. Please set up the gaming capsule and transfer yourself into the gaming capsule to play the game. Thank you.""

Another message flashed on Noctis' smartphone.

Noctis went straight to the gaming room, found the gaming capsule that his father recently sent to him, turned it on and set it up, and went inside the gaming capsule.

The gaming capsule immediately snapped shut after he was inside.

"Player Noctis, the game is starting. Please wait for a few minutes."

He's grateful for the fact that he can already use those weapons that his father and brother sent over to him. He also knew in an instant that it was his father who secretly changed his money stats.

A portal with a wooden door appeared right in front of him.

A sign was placed at the door, in blood red and dripping shade, and written in capital letters: "Beware, player, of the dangers that lie inside. Play at your own risk. Win the game, and you can return. Lose, and you shall forfeit your life."

Noctis took a deep breath, then entered the portal without even looking back.

It will be a one-way trip with only two possible endings.

Either he'll win, or he'll lose. Armed with information on the trendy but dangerous VRMMORPG Fantasion, he is determined to do whatever It takes to survive, climb up to the last floor, and win.

Noctis' father noticed him entering from the Administrator Panel screen, in his office at the headquarters of Tokyo Gaming Company, and looked on with approval.

He wished it was that easy to just go home, plug out Noctis' game capsule, appear in front of Noctis, hug him, and explain what happened, why he had to do what he did and delete Noctis' account from VRMMORPG Fantasion.

But even he knows that if he overrode the main game creator, he would be put at risk.

"Don't fail me, Noctis. When we see each other again, I'll explain why I had to do what I needed to do. Don't repeat the same mistakes your brother did in this game. I'm counting on you to do your part, son."

He sent a quick voice message to his son.

Then he went and attended to his duties as a board member.

Noctis listened to the message that flashed on the gaming capsule screen. He couldn't help but smile.

Then he pulled himself together and continued walking in the empty entrance until he saw a well-dressed female elf wearing a slim hunter's attire that accented her tall and slim yet sexy body.

"Hello, Player Zero. I have been expecting you. You're quite a bit late in coming here. It should not be a problem, yes?"

"I'm Zelda, one of the Game Guardians."

She said in a cute girly voice.

The cute and good-looking elf reached out her hand to offer a handshake. Noctis shook her hand but said nothing.

"Let's see what tests we have in store for you. Ah, yes, an obstacle course where you're supposed to dodge spikes, Arrows, shuriken, spells, and other weapons and

life-threatening objects that fly at you out of multiple holes in the wall.

He couldn't help but keep looking at the elf's beauty, sexy figure,and cuteness.

"Hi Zelda. I know that you're a busy employee of VRMMORPG Fantasion, and you have a lot of in-game tasks, but before you distract me to death with your good looking, sexy avatar, allow me a moment to equip myself first."

He winked at Zelda.

"No Problem. Wave at me when you're done equipping yourself, Noctis."

Zelda smiled at Noctis.

Noctis looked at his stats,

It will never do to get killed right from the start before he even started climbing up the game levels.

In the end he equipped the following items:

T Shirt

Class: God-Class

Level; 34

Defense: 100

Jeans

Class: God Class

Level: 34

Defense: 100

Jacket

Class; God Class

Level: 34

Defense:100

Sneakers

Class: God Class

Level: 34

Defense: 100

Cap

Class; God Class

Level: 34

Defense:100

AntiMagic Pistols

Class: God Class

Level:34

Accuracy Range:135

Attack Speed: 200

Ring

Class: God Class

Level: 34

Swiftness: 200

Then he waved at Zelda since he is done equipping himself.

" You know, you look similar to the deceased elite gamer. Same silver hair, same height, same garments. The only difference is he's an upright person, and he liked to dress in pure white armor from head to toe. His main weapon is a white katana."

"My brother was a stickler for the rules, Zelda. Such a perfect, saintly angel. I'm the exact opposite. He always scolded me half to tears before because of his oh so precious morality and values. Small good it did him in-game. I don't care about the stupid rules at all. It's no use talking about the dead. You must have figured out by now why I'm here. Anyway, let's focus on the task at hand, shall we?"

Noctis, getting tired of forever being compared to his brother, replied back to Zelda.

Then when they are already in the testing area,

Noctis nimbly dodged, shot at the weapons, and counterattacked everything that came at him without even a scratch.

When he came out unscathed the elf clapped.

"Bravo, Zero. I sense you're not someone simple. Let's proceed to the last test, shall we?"

Then he found himself on a battlefield.

It seemed the battle hadn't gone well on his side.

The center of his army, consisting of a light infantry of horsemen, still held tight, but quickly being eliminated.

The light infantry spearmen on his left flank, seeing their horsemen being annihilated in the center, threw down their spears and shields, broke, and ran.

The heavy infantry on his right flank attacked recklessly.

But the rear-guard, consisting of elite horsed riflemen, is still intact and undamaged, along with the reserve troops, which is an elite artillery battalion armed with highly accurate howitzers.

His left, right and center flanks fought in an open, grassy battleground, with no chance for cover, while the rear-guard and the reserves guarded a high and narrow pass.

So, he ordered the remnants of the right, left, and center flanks to pretend they were routed, and make for the high pass, where his rear-guard and his reserves waited in ambush.

The remnants of the right, left, and center flanks pretended they were defeated and routed.

They fled to the narrow pass, and center flank of their foe, in their eagerness to secure a quick and decisive victory, chased the remnants of his right, left, and center flanks all the way to the high pass, only to be annihilated when the riflemen and the artillery battalion opened fire with their hidden guns and howitzers.

The light infantry, light horsemen, and heavy infantry reformed their shattered lines, formed themselves into one formidable steel fist, turned around, and smashed the enemy's rear guard.

It was so effective that the enemy turned back and fled to where they came from.

I sure hope that taught them a lesson.

Noctis thought.

He turned what would have been an imminent defeat into a lopsided victory.

The head of the major guild involved in the battle walked to Noctis, shook his hand, and offered him a permanent position as a strategist in his guild.

Then the simulation faded away.

"Perfect. I didn't know you were that cunning. Using your wits to turn the tide of the battle. If you failed both tests, you would have ended up back at the entrance, or worse, dead."

Zelda said, satisfied.

"I'd have liked to accompany you to the Lobby, but I still have a lot of tasks to do. See you when I see you, then."

"Wait. Can I add you in-game, Zelda?"

"Sure, Zero. Why not?"

After the two finished adding each other in-game, Zelda winked back at Noctis, then walked into a waiting teleport portal.