Chapter 2 | NOIM

*Ring*

*Ring*

[Info] William Rivera, Human, Male, 22 years old.

I launched myself from the bed like a cannonball. Sweat dripping all over me as I tried to remember the nightmare I just watched myself. I sat there in a daze, shivering from time to time as I recalled all the blood and endless torture.

Apparently watching your parents, as well as hundreds of friends you haven’t even met yet die, did not even make it to the cut as a ‘Trigger’ in that nightmare of mine. Yep. I Eventually woke up after watching myself get decapitated then rebuilt over and over again. The pain somehow etched into my mind as if I really went through it all.

A fucking nightmare to start your day. Nice.

*Ring* *Ring* *Ring*

-Tap-

Turning off the alarm, I quickly made my bed and proceeded with my morning training. After doing some jogging and lifting weights, I then proceeded to do some boxing and taekwondo. Although I don’t go to matches anymore, I still practice everyday naively thinking that I might be able to use it someday.

It’s been a few years back then when I completely stopped my career as a fighter. The thought of having rules to follow when fighting someone was simply... unbearable for me. And I am by no means a sore loser. I haven’t even lost a single match yet. 13-0 baby. I mean imagine training every day for a month just to prepare for a fight and not being able to give and leverage everything you have.

Unable to cleanse the bad taste in my mouth, I eventually gave up and didn’t transition to the Pro League.

*Sigh* It’s a good thing virtual reality is coming up. Or else what would I be training for?

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By the time I got back from training my parents were already preparing for breakfast. My Mom, preparing the usual bacon and eggs on top of garlic rice. My dad, having coffee as he continuously scrolled down, viewing the news on his phone.

“So how was training?” My mom asked as she poured me a cup of coffee.

“Mom I told you long ago, I already stopped going to fighting matches. It’s been about two years already.”

“Just making sure. You know we don’t like seeing you hurt honey.”

“Nonsense. My son can take a beating. He’s the strongest person that I know. Second to his dad at very least” My dad grinned after finally chipping his bit on our morning conversation.

“Don’t get started with me on this again Joe. It’s because you encouraging him that he…- My mom bickered on but I didn’t have the chance to hear her as all of the warmth of they presented inevitably brought back the scene of my nightmare.

The scene where my parents died. Them, giving all that they have, even when they’re on the last steps of their doorsteps.

*Sigh*

I just hope they’ll be around forever. If not, at least just for a very very long... It took time before I realized that tears were already falling down on my left cheek. My parents, staring at me in silence.

...

“What’s the matter, dear?”

“Nothing… I… I’ll be right back…”

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[Location] Some Cafe in Makati, Philippines

[TV] “Well folks it seems that the World Government has done it again. Full immersion virtual reality---”

I know right Sheila? Who would’ve thought that virtual reality will come one in our lifetime?

I know right BURNS?! Who would’ve!!! It’s so amazing. Almost as amazing as the way you cut me off right!… [/TV]

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[Info] Edizon Madrigal, Human, Male, 22 years old.

Edizon glanced at the TV before serving the coffee on the table.

“Guilty pleasure?”

“Yeah.”

I replied, eventually chuckling at my own approval. To be fair, the program I’m watching right now clearly isn’t your typical morning show. Sources are bad... lots of fake news... but it’s pure entertainment.

The Shiela and Burns morning show has been airing for seven years and the ratings are still as prime as ever. Apparently, Watching two awry folks who clearly hadn’t had their cup of coffee, bash each other while trying to deliver the morning news inevitably makes everyone's mornings a lot better. We continued watching for another fifteen minutes before finally resuming our conversation.

“I’m amused. This show is the living proof of concept of how evil humans are.” Edizon commented before taking a sip of coffee like he hadn’t said that humanity enjoys each other’s demise.

“If that’s true then calling you a demon would be an understatement then?” I replied before joining Edizon in celebrating our own version of ‘Humor’.

We have been best friends ever since childhood and although we excel in different fields, both of us are surely good at fighting. And when I say good at fighting, I mean tried and tested. Edizon is somehow a magnet for bad luck. And I mean Evil Luck. Believe it or not, I wasn’t really into fighting before, never have thrown a fist at someone nor have pushed someone just so I can get in line first. It is all because of this guy. I remember back then we would get into fights day in day out and we would always go home with bruises all over us.

All in all, we had a very colorful life. We played around like kings during high school and lived a ridiculously free life during college. Kept our circle pretty small. And aside from some rare people we accepted as real friends, we pretty much treated everyone as your ‘business as usual folks’.

Smiling at everyone while not giving a **** at all. Probably why we were a natural magnet to fights and gossips. But, who cares about them, anyway.

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… ...

“Virtual reality...”

“I know right, Willia-”

“How dare you! Don’t you know that ‘Sheila’ is my favorite news reporter of all time?”

We laughed as we put an inevitable pause on our conversation.

“But yes... Who would’ve thought that we would actually experience it in our lifetime? I mean, it hasn’t even been 2 years since the project was launched and yet we’re already seeing results. You really can’t expect less from the World Government.” I mentioned as I examined the demo that was playing on the TV.

“Funny that statement would have been ironic if you said it 7 years ago.”

“Yeah, but they made it happen anyway.”

“Probably somewhere along the lines of delivering results and going overboard during the process.”

“...” We stared at each other as they realized that they both have been sidetracked from our initial topic. More importantly, we have gone through this topic dozens of times already. The history of the World Government has always been fascinating for everyone. Well… Ultimately it’s because joining all of the governing systems in the world shouldn’t be possible. Within a short amount of time at the very least. You know the scary thing about the whole topic is that we would always conclude in two different possibilities as to why the World Government came to be.

The first possibility being, the world, having a very powerful common enemy enough to cause our World leaders to feel threatened and band together

and the other possibility being is that a single organization is strong enough to subdue everyone. A single organization with absolute power to be precise.

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“Okay back to VR. What are our plans?” I glanced at Edizon after finishing the last bite of the Carrot cake he ordered a while ago.

“I’m still looking for good companies and pro guilds to invest in.”

“Won’t just investing in pro guilds would be the best choice? I mean, sure they can’t really fight that well now since the game will be in virtual reality. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t learn how to fight. I don’t know for others but I learned to fight right after I got into an ‘actual fight’. And it hasn’t been any harder ever since.”

“I’m not talking about that. It should be equal for everyone as far as I’m concerned. Being smart does not necessarily mean you’ll be able to fight better nor being good at fights does not necessarily mean you have the advantage and will encounter more opportunities over everyone.

VR is another form of reality after all. It would even be rude to call it a game. And just like reality, having talent won’t necessarily mean that you’re going to be successful.

There’s also will power, luck, passion, interest, emotional quirks, and all skills in real life. If what the government says is true then all of that should have a direct equivalent in NOIM.”

“NOIM huh… I wonder why they named it like that… Wait why are you so invested in this again? I barely just skimmed through everything and it looks like you’ve read the whole damn book!”

“Well, apparently The world government stated that simulation space can only be bought by using ‘Origin Coins’ which is one of the main currencies in NOIM.”

“Wait what…” I almost choked himself after hearing Edizon’s last sentence. Simulation Spaces are the main reasons why Companies and Organizations are interested in virtual reality. Simulation spaces are where you can simulate everything without the need for the actual or ‘physical’ need of the materials needed. It can be used in medicine, agriculture, architecture. It can even be used to predict the future.

“You know, the world government even stated that you can even run world-scale simulations if you have enough Origin Coins.” Edizon paused briefly after saying his most important point.

“Well, no shit…”

“See. That’s why I keep telling you that you should watch ‘Normal’ news every now and then.”

“Can’t help it. My mornings will always be better with Sheila and Burns.”

*Chuckle*

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