NOIM; Connected Worlds

"Isabella!"

I screamed her name, frantically grabbing the air with bathed breath as if I just woke up from a nightmare. Catching up my breath I muttered to my self 'It was just a dream...' I don't know why, but it felt so real... Isabella...

*Sigh*

I've been getting this hunch lately. You know that feeling when you know something big is gonna happen but you don't know what it is? Yes? That's exactly what I'm feeling right now. I don't know why but it's starting to drive me insane. I couldn't blame my self either. What could be more interesting than something that you don't know?

Let's leave it at that... Might as well get ready. I lifted my self up and did a few stretchings before proceeding with breakfast. After an hour, having nothing to do I immediately summoned the interface and called Willam.

<Calling Willam Rivera...>

"Yo. Did you..."

"Let's meet up in the cafe at lunch. There's something important I need to tell you."

"Ok." Noticing Willam's tone. I immediately agreed.

"See you then."

*beep*

What's he up to again? I don't know why but for some reason he sounded... different? I looked at the sky past my window as I muttered...

'Finally, something interesting...'

...

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Cafe Orathoria, One day before the launch of Noim.

Two men sat in a corner of the Cafe gathering the attention of visitors. The man in a crossed legged position had skin that was as delicate as a woman paired with a well-toned body and a handsome face. He has deep dark eyes that portray a sharp and confident gaze, constantly giving an unfathomable but charming feeling. The other man had a more muscular body, similarly handsome but was dressed with a simple and honest smile that imitates the impression of gentleness and security. Scene some of the staff and fellow visitors couldn't help but take another look.

"Are they celebrities?"

"I don't know. Models maybe?"

"I like the one in long sleeves."

"I don't know... I can't read that guy. I like the other one though. Typical Alpha male. Simple but hot."

"He looks quite mature though..."

"I don't mind..."

*giggle* *giggle*

...

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Looking at Willam I couldn't help but let out a smirk.

"Is this still you?" I couldn't help but mutter. I've known Willam since god knows when. But for some reason, I feel that there's another person in front of me.

"Kind of."

"Would you believe me if told you that I traveled back time eight years from now?"

"Mmmm..." Seeing Willam's expression, I decided to observe further. The way he speaks. There were also some sudden changes in his mannerisms and additions to his current habits. Judging by the way he breathes, his facial movements. His pupil dilation. All of it appears to have undergone a massive change.

Moreover his eyes... Just then a thought snapped through me. These were things that cannot be controlled or imitated. These were things that can only be molded through time... If this is the case then...

"You believe me?" Willam asked impatiently.

Sitting in a crossed legged position I muttered...

"You know it's funny you don't look like a little brother anymore..."

"Little brother? Are you kidding me?"

Willam couldn't help but roll his eyes upon hearing my words. Seeing the familiar Willam I know, I couldn't help but mutter to myself... 'At least some of you is still in there.'

"Ehem." Willam voiced out to get my attention.

Looking at the impatient Willam, I immediately answered...

"Ok go on. Proceed."

"During my previous lifetime, approximately one year after the launch of the game, several cases were reported stating that Noim can further enhance the human body."

"hmmm?" Wow... This company is really just on a whole other level. Using an accessory to be able to summon the interface in real life, as well as introducing a full Immersion Virtual Reality System, then this...

Willam didn't wait for my reply and continued preaching.

"The top player that time was Alvin Monroe. He is a former basketball player who got crippled in a car accident. In an interview during my previous lifetime, He mentioned that his broken bones and ripped tissues were starting to heal and that he was slowly reaching his peak again, even surpassing his old self without any rigorous training. Just playing the game."

"Was there proof?"

"Yes, several of his videos scattered through all out the internet. A video of him playing basketball again... A video of him dancing... Carrying his wife... There was even a video of him jumping a 12 story building."

"Mmmm..."

"I'm sorry, do I sound crazy?"

"Kind of."

"..."

Curiosity filled me as I continued looking at Willam. He's not lying at the very least... My curiosity was pinched after my initial observation so I decided to see through this whole thing.

"Continue."

"That's not all. Even the government started to place their chips in the game." Willam mentioned nonchalantly after taking a sip from his cup.

"That's normal. If the game can make a crippled athlete reach his peak again, and even jump from 12 story buildings without getting a single injury, then that would simply be a way to enhance soldiers. Moreover, if they're physical body can be enhanced in such a degree, that could even extend their lifespan. Such a strong body was made after playing for a short amount of time, if what I guess is true, then you could even achieve immortality by playing the game. It's simply a way to enhance human life."

"But the weird thing is. Even before the interviews and the articles came out. Thousands of hidden experts have already surfaced within the game. Taking over all of the good farming spots and even privatizing some of the most influential storylines of the game. Soon after that, experts and other high-level figures that are not related to the group started vanishing both within real life and the game. Some felt threatened and went into hiding, never logging in the game again. While others started to play on a low key, covering every part of their body not giving any hints of their appearances."

"Hmm?"

"As we did a background check of them. It turned out that almost all of these unknown players had ties to governments all over the world."

Hearing Willam's statement, I immediately answered.

"It was possible that the world government had pushed back any information regarding the capability of the game to enhance the human body to maintain control and order. Wait... When the people of the government came out publicly what were their levels?"

"Their levels?"

"They were able to dominate almost all of the other players, so most of them should probably be within the bracket of the highest level players. They've hidden their selves really well, to be honest. Although you can reject having a spot on the leaderboard, hiding millions of high leveled players from the public is quite a piece of work." Willam stated.

I gazed seriously at Willam as I mentioned...

"It looks like the government knew from the start." Chills ran down my spine as I pondered more of this.

"That's expected, upon opening the Interface there's even a note stating that the government is a guarantor of this product or something like that."

"No. That wasn't stated."

"Wait... What?"

Looking at the surprised Willam, I immediately swiped down in the air summoning the interface.

<Anouncements...>

<Terms and conditions...>

<Manual...>

Looking at a daze, he summoned his own interface before muttering...

"That's weird..."

"What?"

"In my previous life, there used to be a note before the announcements section, stating that the government is a guarantor of this product."

"Hmm?"

"What?"

Looking at Willam with a calm expression, I stated...

"It's possible that the government isn't aware this time... It really makes me wonder... What's the purpose of sending you back here?"

"What's the purpose, and why you?"

"..."

My questions made him wonder as well. Not wasting any more time, I immediately broke the ice and said...

"Let's leave it at that. Continue."

Willam took a deep breath before proceeding.

"6 years after the game was launched, a catastrophe embedded earth. The universe turned brown red as the moon and the sun vanished. We started seeing planets around the earth that was even closer than the moon. The different entities we saw from the game came flying in from outside of the atmosphere as soon as the deep and endless space vanished before our eyes. Several intelligent life forms came to colonize earth enslaving most of humanity. Some of them even used us for food. Dragons took nest in the largest mountains and even the fucking undead came into life." Willam mentioned in a solemn voice.

"Wait, what?..."

"Nevermind. Proceed."

"..." The cup that I was holding almost fell down upon hearing Willam's words. I couldn't help but mutter a few incomplete sentences due to the shock. Looking at Willam's solemn expression... I couldn't help but mutter to myself. 'This wasn't so simple after all.'

...

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A few blocks from Cafe Orathoria.

"Tsch, Where are we going? You know, you're really such a pain sometimes." Isabella asked in an annoyed tone.

"Just a little more... Left here... Then right... Another left after two blocks..." Alice muttered as they followed the instructions on the navigation app.

"Are we there yet? I'm wearing heels you know. This better be a great place!" Isabella threatened.

"You'll see. Hehe. I've been scouting around Makati for 5 days now. It says here that we'll be there after a few blocks..." Alice mentioned while looking at the map on his phone.

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"What about the government?"

"They got wiped out a few days after it all started."

"All of them?"

"All of them."

"Mmmm... That's still within my expectations." I secretly sighed to my self upon hearing Willam's reply. It's a good thing that the government wasn't pulling the strings on this one. If all that Willam mentioned was true, then perhaps we might have a chance...

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Edizon's Nightmare.

Rain poured down as flames engulfed the whole city. People were screaming, running for their lives as those things were slaughtering their way all over the place. I was there, carrying a beautiful woman in the midst of all the chaos. Her hair was as red as blood while her skin was as white as snow. Her face was blurred out but I could still recognize her. She was Isabella...

I don't know why, but we were running from someone... or something... Moments passed as we've been running for nearly two kilometers already. The situation started to get hopeless as the pursuers continued gaining on us. We couldn't shake them off no matter what we tried.

"GO ON! LEAVE ME! You can't die with me. I won't forgive you! I won't forgive you!!!"

She was biting my shoulder as tears fell down her beautiful face, punching and slamming my back, begging me to let go of her. She didn't want to burden me.

"Why aren't you leaving! You can't save both us!"

"Why are you always like this? Please, just leave me!"

"Please! I'm begging you!"

*Sob* *Sob*

I don't know why, but I couldn't leave her. No matter what, I just can't leave her... We continued being chased for two more hours. That's about the time before my knees fell down. I couldn't go on any longer. I noticed that she had already stopped banging on my back for some time now and for some reason, I can feel that she was happy. Her face was filled with dried tears but that couldn't hide her red and rosy cheeks from blooming. She asked as she looked at me...

"Hey... Do you regret meeting me?"

I kissed her cheek as I whispered.

"Silly girl."

*Sigh*

"If only we had a chance... Maybe in our next life... We..."

...