Before leaving the dojo, Liam stopped at the reception. He had to sign a tract for the training and his own training room.

  Just as advertised oer he would have to pay five hundred credits a month.

  Liam felt his money slipping through his fingers. heless, he found the dojo’s price to be surprisingly fair.

  But he uood as Sarah expihat he was only allowed to learn the deeper Winding Dragon Art if the master accepted him. It was not a matter of money.

  Afterwards Liam felt somewhat awkward as he asked if it was ok to deliver a VR sole to his training room. He didn’t want to use it at home, letting Merida think that he wasted all his money.

  Liam was surprised as Sarah looked at him with incredibly plicated emotioually she agreed with a sigh.

  Since he just got to know her, Liam didn’t ask further questions.

  He said his goodbyes aurned home.

  The day Liam got up even earlier to buy a sole.

  But he was surprisingly met with difficulties. It turned out that the sole was only sold in high-css shops, which refused to accept his bck card.

  One shop even threateo call the army.

  Liam had to search for quite a while until a rather shady shop was finally willing to serve him.

  As a sequence, he came te to the dojo, getting scolded by the master and forced to plete some difficult routines.

  Merida was even worried as he returned home with exhaustion written all over his face.

  But Liam reassured her as he ate a joyful meal with Serena and the doctor.

  Looking at Serena, Liam felt warmth in his heart. It was great to see the young girl smiling more often, waking up like a colorful flower after winter.

  As Liam went to bed that day, he realized that he gradually got used to his new life, even finding many positive aspects.

  Waking up, Liam stretched his body, all his muscles tingling. Today was finally the day.

  C? Are you here?

  [Pyer Liam?]

  you tell me when the game unches?

  […]

  [At twelve o’clock within your time zone.]

  Thanks.

  Liam kept this in mind as he stood up and ate breakfast.

  Reag the dojo, he told the master that he would prefer to train alooday.

  The old man agreed, handing Liam a training pn. This was a normal procedure. After all, the master couldn’t permaly tend to his students.

  Felix and Silva also didn’t visit the dojo every day.

  Thus, Liam found his training room.

  It was only a small room, its maiure that it was quiet. It had some props for training and a small window. A calming fragrance filled the room.

  Liam involuntarily smiled, affected by the peaceful aura.

  Training for a while the young man was soon interrupted when a knock came from his door.

  “Delivery for Varsmith.”

  Liam’s eyes lit up as he opehe door. A disied man put a rge package into his arms, letting him sign before leaving.

  But before Liam could carry the VR sole into the room, another door opened.

  A young man strolled out, looking at Liam in surprise before smiling.

  “Oh, a new neighbor. Hi. I’m Ken.”

  Liam shook the outstretched hand.

  “o meet you. I’m Liam. I guess I call you senior brother iure.”

  Ken blinked his eyes in fusion. Looking at Liam’s white training clothes he suddenly let out a ughter before suppressing it immediately after.

  “Mate, have you been tricked? I hear the old mary it sometimes. Don’t worry, you should be able to ext month.”

  “What? What do you mean by tricked?”

  “They told you to bee a student if you want to rent a room, didn’t they?”

  “What? No, I asked to bee a student.”

  “You… oh. Well.”

  Liam felt some worry looking at Ken’s face.

  “Why? Is there something wrong with the dojo?”

  “No, no. In fact, it’s quite prestigious.”

  “Then what’s going on?”

  Ken pondered for a moment, gng at the package in front of Liam.

  “Isn’t this a VR sole?”

  “Sure.”

  “Then, don’t you know the rumor? The reason why martial arts deed.”

  “What rumor?”

  “It’s said that the Virtual World ce where the A Civilization traiheir warriors. You could not only learn from the movements ingame, but the adva in level will be fed back to your body.

  You literally strengthen yourself by pying a game. Who would still bother with learning martial arts?”

  Liam was stunned. He couldn’t quite believe Ken’s words.

  C? Is this true?

  […]

  Unreliable…

  “Is there some substao this rumor? it really be this easy?”

  “Well, I don’t know. But sihe sole is still sold freely, there should be a catch.

  Most people specute that the upper limit isn’t that high. Thus, the top masters don’t feel threatened.”

  Liam furrowed his brows. He learned a bit about starlight masters form Silva and Felix, knowing that a 10-star master was the peak. Humanity only had a few of them.

  He couldn’t imagiheir power, however.

  But thinking about those top figures in the game it was hard to believe that humans could ever reach such a level.

  At this moment Ken’s voiapped Liam out of his thoughts.

  “Well, it was ting to know you. I have to go now. Maybe we meet up sometime.”

  “Sure. Thanks for telling me so much.”

  “Don’t mention it. Wanna give me your phone number?”

  “Oh sorry. I don’t have a phone.”

  Ken looked fused for a moment but quickly a polite smile formed on his face again.

  “Ahh, I also often thought about getting rid of my pho’s too stressful. I kind of envy you.

  Well, I’m sure we will meet again if you are staying here from now on.

  Bye!”

  “Bye!”

  Liam’s smile fell as Ken disappeared. Although they had a friendly versation, Liam didn’t know what to feel about this neighbor of his.

  He saw through Ken at a gnce, havioo many such people. Young upper-css citizens eager to make new es. Purely utilitarian.

  In his old life Liam was surrounded by such people, even his parents ting among them.

  Although such people weren’t necessarily bad, one shouldn’t interpret too mu their politeness.

  Liam shook his head, getting rid of his thoughts as he pushed the VR sole into his room.

  Opening the box with eager eyes, he was surprised by what he found.

  Liam inally expected a to lie down in. This ged when seeing the size of the box, making him think about a helmet.

  But what really appeared was a metallistruct with a form simir to suspenders, a broad metallic bridge eg them at the height of his neck.

  Liam spent some time figuring out how to use the sole before patiently waiting until it was twelve o’clock.

  ***

  Meanwhile on some secret huma.

  There was a secret underground boratory with a security so tight not even a speck of dust would get in ued.

  In a rge room, a sphere floated in midair. It was built from various unknowals, lights shining on its surface, emitting strange signals from time to time.

  A walkway circled the sphere, filled with all kinds of sensors and puters running on fidential teology.

  Above them was a room showing the sphere through a rge window, a few people gathered within.

  A stern middle-aged man with short dark hair, round gsses, and wearing luxurious clothes spoke up:

  “Director Enurey, how long will it take? You have put us off multiple times. Even my father is getting impatient!”

  Director Enurey was a middle-aged woman with a pale face. She rolled her eyes at this question.

  “Don’t always use your father’s name. No one will believe that a dignified 10-star starlight master cares for our small research.”

  “This is not small research.”

  “I agree.”, spoke a tall man in military uniform, his chest filled with medals.

  “Tzz. Must be my lucky day if even General Raghoff agrees.”

  “Don’t get used to it, Traunim. Never fet that we keep an eye on you and your private army.

  The virtual world will be used tthen humanity and is not something you monopolize!”

  “Sure, sure. Don’t fet that my father is also a hero of humanity.

  But all this talk is useless anyways as long as the Director ’t present as.”

  “Gentleman, please. My team is w day and night. But the virtual world is the most advaeology we ever uhed.

  We still wo… three years.”

  The man called Traunim shook his head with a displeased look on his face.

  Just as he wae the director to hurry up, bring arms rang out in the boratory.

  “What?!”

  “Has the boratory been found?”

  “Status report!”

  The general immediately checked his fident els but didn’t find anything.

  However, o him the director’s face paled as she stared at the ss in front of her, the dispyed data pying crazy.

  “No! How is this possible?!”

  “Director?”

  “What’s going on?”

  “The Virtual World! It’s ung by itself!”