Dystopian Tales Online

One of the best features of DTO is the Speech supporting system that allowed players to converse all throughout the game. Of course, one can just simply type the words on the chat box but that would be hard if the group is in the middle of the game. This system made commanding and directing instructions pretty simple.

The sound support system also classified the music scoring, placing the proper sounds in every action, making everything as if a stomp can be heard or even the howling of the winds sound very realistic. That is why, one can just simply listen if there is an enemy on the back or if the character is being pursued.

Leon controlled the mouse made Leon-36 move around. In every game, there will always be a starting point where the common ground can be found. Leon-36 found himself standing in the middle of the [Rebirth Stone] where most of the players, beginners or not, will surely met. He walked forward and hopped down from the entrance.

Rebirth Stone, by the name itself, is the starting point of all the players in DTO and VR. It is found in the middle of a town where medievalistic reality of grey brick houses, cobblestone pavements, and a moss-covered fountain with a Greek goddess is sculpted can be found.

Despite naming it as a stone, it is actually a circular stage slightly elevated from the ground with streams of mana flowing up. A large blue crystal is located standing on the middle most part of the stage where it is said to be the source of the largest mana of the game.

Aside from being a logging-in entrance, this is also the main reincarnation destination whenever a player was not able to register to a nearby town. There are lots of rebirth stones around towns with only the purpose of reincarnation. Only this one is the largest of them all.

Leon typed in a [Hello] emoticon then a dialogue box beside Leon-36 appeared, greeting the players on the world chat. They did the same and the chain of greetings continues. He left the World Chat and went over to open his map. He can go to dungeons by himself now due to his level, unlike before where he needed a party.

The game's level cap is up to level five hundred. Leon-36 is at least in the three hundreds. Though, he is already considered as a high level character. Both DTO and VR are good games, but not because of its unique graphics and music. But because of its hard to complete quests and slow leveling. Up until now, there are players who are playing for three years but never reached the first hundred level.

Leon-36 pondered what to do. He is about to open a new map exploration when a [Ding] plus a pop-out message appear on the screen. Leon blinked, reading the sender.

[AUD-01] : First time seeing you online in a weekday. Skipping classes? :snickers:

He recognized the character and smirked. For a person who asks this kind of thing, don't you think he is just barking on the wrong tree? Setting the voice settings on, Leon tested the mic for a while. He also opened a private chat towards the player.

"Whoa, hello too," Aud typed out.

"I'm not skipping. My classes are cancelled," Leon answered.

"Oh? OH?" A snickering emoticon was sent.

"Why type? Speak."

Leon looked on the lower left part of the screen where the world wide chat is found. He closed the chat box that made the box silent however he can still see the words from the other players appear on it. Beside the WWC is the icon for people who are online. He searched the name of Aud that is found at top and saw the account online with the green dot on the end of the name and an icon of a headphone that is on highlight.

Then, why is he not speaking?

"Sore throat," Aud typed in.

"How unfortunate."

"Not the least concerned," Aud commented with an emoticon of an angry character.

Leon can't help but to chuckle. Aud, a person whom he never met in real life, became one of his closest friends online. Ever since that time seven years ago, the existence of this character created a huge impact in his life, creating a connection invisible to everyone but stronger than any bonds. Not only to him, but also to the other people and players that they have met.

He also have met with Shin a long time ago. it was the next day after they realized that they attended the same school, and the moment they met they instantly became best friends. Meeting Shin in real life somehow made Leon feel a bit scared at first but gradually erased his doubt when they introduced each other.

It is also that time that [COINCIDENCE] do happen.

Leonard Graham is a son of a billionaire tycoon.

Shin Melville belong on the same league.

Nobody actually believed each other at first. They both know that their relationship will affect their families' future prospects. It's a good thing that Leon's family is focused on the medicine field while Shin's is on the construction industry. If ever they both belong on the same feild, they might become enemies now.

"What are you doing by the way?" Leon asked. To have Aud message him first, he must be doing nothing.

"Just walking around. Checking the market price or something. Reading the leader board over and over again."

"Why not go dungeon?"

"I will feel lonely if I do it alone."

He scoffed knowing that Aud is just bluffing. Even alone, Aud can finish a dungeon. With his skills in fighting and character control, one can tell that he is an experienced player. After their meeting for the first time, Aud revealed that he is a VR player. Actually, Aud invited him on the spot to form a party with him.

"I can see your potential. You can be of good use," Aud phrased it out.

A party is formed, no, a temporary party is formed. In the game, a party should consist of at least five members before they can register it to the program. Because there are only a four of them, they have to look for other members to join. Aud is pretty picky in accepting members that it took them a year to find players to scout.

There are three of them - all belonged to the Third String players. The two of them are twins and are still nine years old at the time, known as the youngest pair of players all throughout the game. They found the twins playing inside the dungeon finishing it on their own. The way how their characters complimented each other helped the two survive the monsters.

They are known as Marcus and Marlene Fischer.

The third player is of the same age of Leon and Shin. This player has the humanoid race with cavalier as its main archetype. By just looking at it, there is not really a huge difference with a humanoid-warrior, which is Shin's class, and humanoid-cavalier class. But Aud has his reasons to ask her in the team. He must have seen something to this player that anyone wasn't able to grasp.

Her name is Alexandria Johanson.

Completing the requirement, Aud then registered their party under the name [SORA], which means "Sky".

"Hey," Aud typed out. "Now that you are free, why not accompany me to the dungeon."

"Okay. What Floor?"

"Floor 155's map was released last night. It takes some time before the floor boss re-spawn again. Let's go there."

"Whoa, so you are seriously going? You know that reaching the [NEXT GATE] will take some time to finish. I'm actually waiting for someone right now. I can't stay long."

Aud bombarded him with a cry-face emoticon.

"You sure want to play hardcore," Leon said.

"You asked me what floor, then you say no. Now, should I use my power as the party leader?"

"Logging out..."

More crying emoticon appeared with a clasping hand on the end.

"Floor 135," Leon said.

"150..." Aud tried to bargain.

"132".

"145."

"100?"

"Gosh, are you much of a coward?"

"Okay, I'm out."

"OK OK OK OK! FLOOR 100! FLOOR 100!"

Leon can't help but to laugh. Aud must be desperately bored right now that he would rather kneel down and beg than to die of boredom. He gave in with the floor level and accepted. Aud is been spamming him with a cry emoticon as if he has been scammed.

"Let me give you a punch later," Aud wrote.

He didn't reply back, instead, he accepted the invitation of Aud-10 for a game in a dungeon. Moving the cursors around, Leon followed the procedure to transfer location. Aud came in first the dungeon, then, he sent his coordinates to Leon to follow him. He quickly used the teleportation skill to follow suit.

Leon-36 found Aud-10 waiting in one of the gates. He called out to the player. Aud-10 turned around to greet him. There are other players on the scene that made Leon wonder. In morning, there are only few players who would go down to the dungeons. That must be because most of the monsters are regenerated after the yesterday's fight. They are more aggressive in this time too.

To describe an NPC as [aggressive] might be weird but the HP of these monsters do increase in the morning.

"There are already players? That's new," Leon-36 commented.

"Must be because of Arcana. They are inside," Aud-10 replied, rubbing his nose.

"Oh, Arcana? Training?"

"Yes, they wanted to clear the 156th floor. Must be nuts after the Thunder Beasts's took the 155th."

Leon nodded as if understanding.

Arcana and Thunder Beasts are both large guilds. Actually, there is this so-called [FIVE STARS] consisting of five large guilds representing a race of its own: The Arcana, Thunder Beasts, Artisan's Guild, Merlin's Box, and Cassaianne Guild. Each of these guilds are owned by a race, meaning, that the majority of the members belongs to the same class. For example:

Arcana is the guild for Elven players. Thunders Beasts was owned by the Beasts. Artisan's Guild is of the humanoid Race. Merlin's Box are for the undead. The only guild that is different is the Cassaianne guild that allows any qualification of races. These guilds have their own set of rules to attain before they can accept members.

In Arcana, Elven are the priority. However, anyone can join as long as he or she has an archetype of this race, or has an affinity to magic. Additional requirement for admittance is that the player must pay the 100 Gold Coins (that is for the guild's treasury) membership fee and a level that is at least 20.

The same setting happened to the Thunder Beasts. Beasts have the top priority but anyone having archetype under this Race will be accepted. Just that the additional requirement is ten Saber Tooth and must be at least level 30.

The Artisan's Guild is a bit different somehow. In this one, ONLY of those in humanoid race is allowed, though, any humanoid having other race's archetype is still accepted. The reason why they only accept players in Humanoid class is due to the fact that almost one half of the population chose this race. Handling thousands of players made the Guild leader's head ache.There is no payment other than the player should be at least level 15.

Merlin's box accepts anyone with the undead race or archetypes. Though, entrance is free, it is still a bit hard to enter in this guild. Aside from being undead, one player would be at level 50 before they can enter. That must be the reason why their are only a few of them in the guild.

Last but not the least is the Cassaianne guild. This guild owned the overall ranking as the guild having the most wealth and members. Due to its "Free Admittance", any player, level one or level 100, is allowed to enter. This one is like the [BEGINNER'S TOWN] where everyone is equal. Also, one can leave the guild if they want to transfer to the guild that they really wanted.

The Sora party is registered under the Cassaianne Guild.

"These guild are sure crazy to clear floors," Aud-10 commented.

"And there's our guild that never even tried clearing a floor once," Leon-36 added.

It is true that the Cassaianne guild never cleared before. It's not because the members are weak... err... well actually they are. That is due to the fact that they just entered the guild to level up and when they finally reached the quota, they will transfer. The guild didn't lack of high-level players too but these guys are really idle. Like how Aud can finish a floor by himself but don't want to do it alone because he will feel lonely other than the doubt to lose.

"Looks like we can occupy this floor. Want to move up?" Aud-10 asked with a serious one than of excitement because they will be playing in higher floors.

"Then 125," Leon-36 nodded.

They both opened their maps and quickly transferred to another location to play.