A New World, an immersive game experience

'No, we aren't the same,' Eldrian thought, 'but it is undeniable that us gaining power from killing means we steal part of our enemy's XP... I wonder, is there perhaps an amount one can lose without issue?' Eldrian felt this must be the case; else, using lifeforce in any way should always lead to significant damage to oneself.

There must be some threshold of lifeforce that isn't needed to sustain one's 'self'. 'I wonder, do the AI ensure that what we take is only this 'safe' portion of XP? Perhaps what can move on to the realm of souls is limited even? Thus a portion always dissipates, and this is what other living creatures absorb upon killing one another? Or perhaps absorb simply by being near them, or eating their flesh in the case of animals?'

This felt like an excellent theory to Eldrian. He knew that almost everything had levels. Plants were perhaps the only exclusion, but it might simply be that he couldn't perceive their levels.

Regardless, Eldrian understood that NPCs also gained XP. Though from what he had observed, it appeared that they gained far less. Veterans with years of war experience would only be a few levels higher than the norm. Players, in comparison, would with that amount of time and- 'Actually, perhaps they simply do not manage to kill as many?'

'I mean if fighting means risking your life. Naturally, you would prioritize staying alive. Players do not have this issue. While we (or they, am I still part of 'players'?) lose XP on death, it isn't nearly as costly as when someone from ANW must be resurrected. And permanent death isn't even on the table, at least not in normal circumstances.'

Having concluded this, Eldrian felt he could accept the general situation. Returning to the actual problem. Miracle must be searching, not for someone capable of using magic. Rather, they must be looking for someone who could use this lifeforce.

This would explain why they suddenly turned from cooperating to locking Eldrian in an underground lab. His physical features changing was probably a clear indication of Eldrian accessing this mysterious power.

'This knowledge is likely the key to unlocking magic on Earth. Understanding how emotions can carry the power of lifeforce from one's mind to reality—finding a way to control this power. This must be what Miracle is truly after. I can't condone anyone learning about this!' Eldrian resolved, 'I should drop this topic and never think of it again. It is simply too dangerous.'

While Eldrian resolved to do just that, he was also fearful of abandoning it, fearing someone else might discover the secrets behind it. If such a person then planned to use it for evil or even merely self-centered ideals. There would be no one capable of stopping them and the damage they might cause could be catastrophic. Yet, Eldrian understood that he to might cause collateral damage.

'I can't be careless...' Eldrian understood that he couldn't rush things. No matter how much the thought terrified him. He also clearly understood that Miracle had likely let him run free since they hoped he would do all the hard work for them. Suspecting this chilled him to his core.

It made sense then why the person responsible for his capture was so incompetent and made his maybe allies inside Miracle, perhaps secret agents. He would need to be careful with how he moved forward.

It took Eldrian some time to recover from this knowledge. Forcing it to the back of his mind, he wished to focus on devils. An enemy he could actually face. He realized that all his worries about his own world, about Miracle, had made him consider things in ANW as an afterthought.

This was normal; after all, what Miracle did would influence what would happen to his family and the world he was born into.

Yet, he had turned a blind eye to the horrors transpiring around him due to his worries. He had focused on the big picture, ignoring the hundreds of thousands who were suffering from the orcs' invasion—ignoring the plight of the NPCs, taking his time to grow stronger at his own pace.

Eldrian shuddered, thinking of what torment Old Sword must be in—stuck in that fort filled with undead. Somehow not turned Unwilling. 'Are they using him as food? Relying on his-' Eldrian couldn't finish his thoughts, he flinched from just the thought of how painful that must be. And that was likely the least unfortunate thing that Old Sword might be experiencing.

Eldrian felt disgusted at his lack of empathy. His lack of humanity.

Brought back to the real world by this mental disgust in himself, Eldrian saw Vivian sending her opponent's sword flying. But his mind was in no state to appreciate the battle. He finally understood just how tormented Vivian must have been and still is—having always understood this. Her focus always on the smaller picture, on her father's situation.

'How could I have been so blind? So arrogant? Asking her to wait until we are stronger? How did she not curse me and run off to die in the attempt to save him?'

Vivian's opponent did not back down. After she had sent his sword flying, Vivian was wide open, and he rammed his shield into her open side without mercy.

Falling to the side, Vivian coughed roughly. She tried to catch her breath while recovering her footing, but she was just a few seconds too slow. Her opponent reclaimed his sword and not wishing to give her time to recover. He threw his shield at her.

She deflected the shield, but he had cleverly hidden his next attack behind it. As soon as she deflected the shield, she felt the wooden sword tapping her neck.

"You lost." The captain said, his voice strained. He was clearly exhausted too, covered in sweat and desperately controlling his breathing to maintain his stance.

"Indeed." Vivian nodded, lowering her sword as she started replying the match mentally while swallowing a potion.

Eldrian managed to bring himself out of his spiraling doomsday thoughts as she chugged her potion. Just minutes before, he would have considered her actions overly hasty, self-damaging even.

He could no longer even consider such thoughts. Instead, he hated himself for having thought them before. It was only natural that she would use her connection with Erik to secure herself as much as she could afford to hasten her growth as much as she could.

To push herself to the brink of total exhaustion. Drinking potions like water until their side effects caused her to be bedridden. Only to rely on Myropsis to slowly purify the aftereffects so she could repeat the process.

Eldrian couldn't believe that he had been blind to this as he enjoyed his experiments, as he focused on trying to secure tools to keep his family safe. This would have been acceptable if she were a stranger, but he considered her one of his closest friends!

"I'm sorry," Eldrian said as a sweat and mud-covered Vivian joined them. His sudden apology caught the two ladies entirely off guard.

"What for?" Vivian asked, using a dirty towel to keep the sweat from entering her eyes. She wasn't planning on taking a break for long so there was no point in dirtying a clean towel.

AN: A big thanks to everyone who continues to support the on Web.