Volume 2: Chapter 3: Character Creation (II) – Character Design

I walk over to the place I first appeared, while Lisa returned to the spot I first saw her. Erebus, carrying a clapboard that read {Entering Methodius Online for the First time, Take 2} on it walked between us. I close my eyes and wait for what is to come.

Erebus: ｢Take 2, and action!｣ *clack* When I hear the clapboard snap shut I open my eyes.

Lisa: [Welcome Mr. Wolfington to Methodius Online. My name is Lisa and I will be assisting you in creating your avatar. Behind us is your soul crystal. If it ever gets completely destroyed your avatar will be destroyed along with it.]

“Thank you, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Lisa: [Then let us begin. First please choose a species you want to start as. Please remember you will be stuck in that species form until the time you reach a deity level of power. Only at that time will you be able to change your form to a more humanoid one. Of course there are certain exceptions. If you select a species that is unable to speak the human tongue, you will still be able to understand it but because of the physical limitations of your body you will not be able to speak it. However, once you reach the Saint level of power you will be able to modify parts of yourself and overcome this limitation. Please take this into consideration when choosing your species. When you are ready please say the name of the species aloud.]

“Greater Doppelganger” I say aloud as soon as Lisa finished speaking.

Lisa: [You have chosen . Since this species is a natural shape shifter, the following things apply: The appearance your avatar has at the end of character creation is considered your “true” form. In your true form you do not receive penalties for attacking or killing another person regardless if they are an NPC or a Player. However if you are killed in this form you will receive double the normal death penalties and your killer will not get the normal penalties and even receive a bounty for killing a .

If you are killed in a different form you are treated as if you are a normal player and normal penalties apply for both parties involved. When killed outside you true form and you are wearing another person’s identity that you have consumed there is a % chance that you will lose that identity. Subsequent deaths with that identity will increase that % of it being lost. Do you still wish to be a ?]

“Yes, please.” I say without hesitation.

Lisa: [What do you want to use as the base for your avatar?]

“Please use my natural body as a base.”

Lisa: [Very well. You can make additional changes once you see how you would look as a .]

A mostly naked image of me appears standing in a relaxed pose. The only thing it was wearing is underwear which was protecting what little of my modesty I had left. As soon as it appeared the image flickered once and began to undergo a complete transformation.

Its arms and legs were the first to start changing, they grew to one and a half their original length, which caused its height to spring up another 15 inches. Its once slender fingers became even leaner than before but in return they grew to twice their length they were originally. Its feet on the other hand grew somewhat thicker and a little bit longer but now looked like it could support the weight of its new taller body.

The next to start to change was its torso. All the ‘extra’ flesh that wasn’t required for continued existence started to melt off its frame. Soon all that was left was the skin, bones, and internal organs. The waist shrank to only one third of its original size and the skin was now stretched thinly over my bones. The next to change was the head. Its face lost all its muscles and grew gaunt, the skull grew a bit larger and rounder, and finally the hazel eyes became a dark obsidian orbs.

Once my head finished transforming, the final thing to change was the skin. It grew multiple times thicker changing from a healthy tan color to a dusky purple. All the hair on my body vanished and the skin no longer looked like it was stretched across the bones. All the minute imperfections were gone, it looks a smooth as silk, and under the crystal light it gave off a slight sheen.

“Can we give it a pair of Alpha Sigma eyes?” I ask while staring intently at my doppelganger form.

Lisa: [Of course. I have already received the Metadata on what it is and it can do. One moment while I install it.]

I already knew Erebus had a hand in this so I didn’t question it. The doppelganger eyes briefly glowed purple and when the light faded both had pentagrams inscribed onto them. While they were glowing I could’ve sworn that I saw Septagrams surrounding the pentagrams, but then again maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me. I look over at Erebus, but his face is as impassive as stone. Sigh I look back at Lisa who was patiently waiting.

“Is it possible to exchange some of its internal organs for those of other species?”

Lisa: [One moment.] Lisa closes her eyes as if she is recalling something. [It is possible, but it is all a matter of compatibility. If the cross species organs you swap in are not compatible with your body, rejection will occur and your body will destroy the rejected organs. In the best case scenario, you will just lose the functions of those organs, in the worse cast scenario, your avatar will continuously die immediately upon resurrection due to lack of essential organs required to maintain its life.]

“Basically rending it unplayable?”

Lisa: [Correct. Unfortunately while Doppelgangers have the best compatibility with everything else, their unique constitution renders all effects gained from making such swaps null and void.]

“So it would be wasted effort? Hn? Then why can I have Alpha Sigma eyes?”

Lisa: [According to the Metadata I received, they are supposedly immutable. Even the Doppelganger’s body can at most only suppress some of its power.]

“So only things above a certain power threshold can withstand the nulling effect of the Doppelganger’s body?”

Lisa: [Yes, however if you put in more than your body can handle the power will end up destroying your avatar. And per the rules if your avatar is destroyed while I can allow you to make another, I cannot allow you to use the same species as you did previously.]

“So it is all a balancing act huh? That reminds me, is it possible to alter a Doppelganger’s genetic code to include one rare human mutation?”

Lisa: [That depends on the mutation. Which hone were you thinking of?]

“The Hyperion constitution genetic mutation.”

Lisa: [An interesting choice. While your request is possible, there is a 50 percent chance that it will not take. Additionally, since it is originally a human genetic mutation, there is no evidence that what it does in humans is what it will do in .]

“I see. So in addition to the chance of it not affecting the doppelganger’s body, there is no way to tell its actual effects even if it does take?”

Lisa: [Correct. Do you still wish to continue?]

“One last question: Since there is a lot of time between now and when the beta test starts, can I run through various simulations under the guise of so that we can find out all the idiosyncrasies of the ?”

Lisa: [While I can let you run through a single tutorial, unless your avatar’s soul crystal gets destroyed, I am not allowed to let you make another one.]

“I see, then apply the mutation. I’ll figure out if it worked or not once I am in game.”

Lisa: [Understood. Applying mutation now… Effects, if any, will only manifest once you enter the tutorial. Are there any other changes you want to make?]

“Logic, Overseer, Marth, and/or Darth? Do any of you have anything you want to add/or change?”

M: “Ms Lisa,” Marth’s Crystal glows as he speaks. “Is it possible to modify this body’s dantains?”

Lisa: [It is possible, but I may not be able to modify it precisely to your specifications.]

M: “That’s fine. Erebus, care to lend a hand to, or rather should I say, lay a hand on Lisa to help her out?”

Erebus: ｢It would be my pleasure.｣ Erebus walks up behind her and wraps her arms around her waist and quickly pulls her into his chest.

Lisa: [Eek~] Lisa shouts out as she is suddenly pulled into Erebus’s embrace.

Erebus: ｢Shush now, you will be safe with me. Now entrust yourself to me, and I will handle the fine tuning.｣ He whispers seductively into her ear. Towards Marth he says, ｢Should we start with the lower one?｣

M: “Yes, we need to start with the lower one.”

Erebus nods and guides Lisa to my doppelganger body.

Erebus: ｢We will be pulling out the lower datian so we can modify it easier. Put your hand into is lower abdomen and feel around for it. Once you feel something hard grab it and pull it out.｣

Lisa: [But what if I can’t feel it at all?] Lisa’s voice only contained fear.

Erebus: ｢Don’t worry, my dear, that is why I’m here.｣

Nodding at Erebus’s encouragement, Lisa bits her lip and trusts both her hands into the doppelganger’s lower abdomen. Her eyes flew open wide was her hands didn’t meet any resistance, but her amazement only lasted a second before she concentrated once more at the task at hand. Fumbling around for a few seconds until she feels something hard, grabbing it with both hands she pulls at it until it comes out with a pop.

Lisa: [What is this?] Lisa stares at the clear crystal in her hands.

Erebus: ｢To my knowledge, it looks like an un-typed magicite core and based on its size and shape, one could assume that it was only a rank 1.｣

Lisa: [How peculiar. Normally magicite cores are elementally aligned, how come this one is not?]

M: “According to my research, are capable of… wearing… their victim’s identities. So if we are incapable of utilizing the powers provided by that identity, we would be the laughing stock of all everywhere.”

Lisa: She asks holding up the un-typed magicite core.

M: “Erebus, do the thing we talked about earlier.”

Erebus: ｢Sure thing.｣

Erebus removes his arms from Lisa’s waist and takes up the magicite core and lets it hover between his hands. He mouths the words of an unknown language and a transparent pentagon appears above and below the magicite core. Lines then connect the corners of the pentagon turning it into a transparent prism.

A few seconds later the transparent sides became dyed with color. The top and bottom pentagons became pure white and black respectively. While each of the separate sides became a different color. If looking at it from the top angle and then going clockwise it would be red, light green, light yellow, violet, and finally aquamarine.

As I continued to watch the now multicolored prism, the sides soon became pyramids of the respective color. Apparently satisfied, Erebus’s lips stop mobbing. Pushing his hands together the item he just created grew smaller and smaller until it entered the magicite core that it was surrounding.

Erebus: ｢Phew that went well. I am assuming that my work was satisfactory?｣ Erebus asks Marth as he returns the altered magicite core to Lisa’s un-protesting hands.

M: “Perfect, couldn’t have done it better myself.” Marth's Crystal bounces up and down as if nodding.

Lisa: [What exactly did you do…?]

M: “We just simply altered the structure of the core so that it will be more useful to us than its previous form.”

Lisa: [You can do that?!?] Lisa was flabbergasted.

M: “I personally cannot, but Erebus, with your assistance, could.”

Erebus: ｢Lisa, my dear, if possible could you jab that core right back in where you got it?｣

Lisa: [Sure thing?] Lisa thrusts her hands into the doppelganger’s lower abdomen and returns the magicite core to its original position before retracting her hands.

Erebus: ｢Good job.｣ Erebus says as he pats Lisa’s head. He then turns and address Marth’s Crystal once more. ｢Should we pull out the middle dantian next?｣

But Overseer was the one to answer in his stead.

O: “No.” Overseer’s voice comes from the floating crystal to the right of Marth’s. “The existing structure is sufficient, I just need to add something to it so there is no need for you to pull it out.”

Erebus: ｢A ‘stove’ right?｣ Erebus asks, a smile on his lips.

O: “I assume you have already finished building the metadata for it then?”

Erebus: ｢Of course. Lisa can you please read off the description listed in the Metadata for the ‘stove’ in question?｣ His arms were once more wrapped around Lisa’s waist. Lisa nods and begins to speak.

Lisa: [Stove of Assimilation: Rank 1. Is capable of growing in strength and evolving. Created solely from highly refined Mageforce of the seven elements. Exact capabilities are unknown]

O: “That is perfect. With this, our doppelganger will be able to use the magic of its victims as well as grow stronger. Is it possible to have our doppelganger bind it with blood already or do we have to wait until we are in game?”

Lisa: [While it is technically and ‘item’, so it can’t be bound in character creation, but I’ll tell you what. Any stoves you have will automatically be bound to you upon entering the tutorial. Will that suffice?]

O: “Yes, thank you.”

Lisa: [Anything else that needs to be modified?] Lisa asked and this time Logic was the one to speak up.

L: “Erebus, were you able to make the thing I gave you the schematics for?”

Erebus: ｢I apologize but I was unable. This was partly due to the current constraints placed upon my ability, in part my innate lack of my talent, and finally in part the ridiculously high level of expertise the designed required to make.｣

L: “I see, that is a shame. I really thought you could do it.” Disappointment could be heard in Logic’s voice.

Erebus: ｢However I did manage to create the structure of the said device. While the process isn’t instant, by injecting your spirit energy into the “Stove” it will automatically start refining any souls that are stored within the stove at that time.｣

L: “I guess I should be grateful that you could do at least that much.” Logic sighs.

Erebus: ｢I apologize that I couldn’t meet your expectations. However, thank you for setting the bar high, as it actually makes me try for a change.｣ Erebus bows to Logic’s Crystal. ｢I also took the liberty to add in a few things of my own design, I hope you don’t mind?｣

L: “I suppose if you added them then they are bound to be useful.”

Erebus: ｢I assure you, you will find them extremely useful.｣ Erebus smiles and looks at the last crystal which Darth resides in. ｢Darth are you depressed that you have nothing to add ot the making of the avatar because you spent your sole focus on safeguarding your Lord?｣

D: “…” Darth says nothing as Erebus scored a direct hit.

Erebus: ｢Because of my generous nature, I took it upon myself to create something that would, if used properly, protect your Lord’s foul form external and internal attacks.｣

D: “A soul protecting artifact?!? You are able to make those?” Darth’s Crystal glows as he exclaims incredulously.

Erebus: ｢Of course. They are merely a matter of formation and spirit energy. All I did was make its , if I personally completed it, then it would be bound to me and you would require my permission for it to acknowledge you and protect your Master.｣

Darth grits his teeth but says nothing.

Erebus: ｢Now while the design is fairly simple it is strong. I made it so that its underlying structure can be change but only with things that are an improvement to it. If you truly want to make it your own, you best work hard.｣

Darth remains silent.

“I think we are done modifying him, but are we even allowed to receive items during character creation?”

Lisa: [If it is only to this extent, I am allowed. Since you are the first to choose a as your species, you were given some leeway in terms of customization. As for the items, since there is are five of you, you have a total of five potential boons which are all used. The Alpha Sigma, the Stove of Assimilation, the Soul Refining Stove, the framework for the soul protecting artifact, and finally the alteration to your body’s magicite core are your five boons. Normally all five together would not be allowed if you didn’t use your boons.]

“You said five, but what about Erebus’s boon?] I ask tilting my head.

Lisa: [He used his boon to speak with management, to secure your five boons as well as the right to assist in the alterations of your avatar.]

Erebus: ｢Lisa!｣ Erebus whispers loudly in her ear. ｢I thought I told you not to tell them!｣ Erebus continues frantically.

Lisa. [Erebus, you’re so cute when you’re frantic like this.] Lisa says as she turns around in Erebus arms and hugs him.

Erebus: ｢Why is this even happening…?｣ Erebus sighs.

*Ahem* I clear my throat. “Can we continue my character creation?” I interrupt their ‘moment.’

Lisa: [Of course. Now that you have your avatar, please select a name for him.]

‘I’m sorry “King of Games”, I will be using your name for my own.’

“Atem. My avatar’s name will be Atem.”

Lisa: [A complete name for an incomplete being… I can just taste the irony, well done. You are now registered under the name Robert Wolfington with an avatar named Atem.]

“Thank you Lisa.” I say bowing at the waist.

Lisa: [You’re welcome. Now that character creation is finished, are you ready to begin the tutorial?]

“Yes, please.”

Lisa: [Off you go then.]

A blinding light engulfs me and I disappear.

* * *

Once Dono-sama and the others vanish in the blinding light, I sigh and shed off Lisa’s appearance and resume my youthful appearance once more.

｢So how was my acting skills Nyx?｣ I look towards “Nyx” who was still wearing my form. She tilted her head as if thinking as she sheds my form. So standing before me is my wife, the long raven haired beauty that was the embodiment of the night. Others cannot see her as I do, but that is alright, I don’t want others touching what’s mine.

Nyx: ｢You are getting better. I’m pretty sure they thought you were Lisa, and I was you. I’m pretty sure we racked up quite a few brownie points for you with our acting.｣

｢But of course.｣ I smile. ｢Everything in accordance with Master’s will.｣

Nyx: ｢Everything in accordance with the Master’s will.｣ She repeats softly. ｢Now how shall I deal with that little wench who thinks she could steal my Erebus.｣ I can hear venom in her voice.

｢Relax Love, it was inevitable that she fell for me. With my acting combined with the seductive powers inherent to the darkness which is my nature, how could she not fall?｣ I sigh.

Nyx: ｢Just because I know, doesn’t mean I have to like it.｣ She pouts.

｢Since we are finished here, let’s go have some fun with our captive audience. I am sure you will enjoy it as normally we don’t have an audience.｣ I console her.

Nyx: ｢Okay.｣ A smile spreads across her face as she agrees and we walk hand in hand back through the door that leads to Lisa’s private server.

* * *

Continue Reading?No

Author's note: As I said before, I already had this chapter already handwritten so all I had to do was type it, and since I got my new keyboard on Monday I could type this chapter with relative ease, I only had to get use to keyboard.

For those who have read Coiling dragon, and various other Wuxia light novels, you will see lots of inspiration from those novels as well as some other light novels that I've read.

As I started writing v2c4, I realized I could go either 2 ways. I could allow his flexible mind to quickly learn how to adjust to his new body and use his skill instinctively as they will naturally be fed into his mind by his new form. This will allow me to get to the more "fun" things I have in store for him, as he will require less time to master the basics.

Or I can make him flail around unable to control his avatar's body because of the vast differences between it and his real life body, which in turn will lead to a humbling due to realization of his own inadequacy. This would then either cause him to give up or put a renewed effort into remastering him self and can lead to a sturdier foundation that he had in real life. As it will take time to explain this process it will delay some of the "fun" stuff I've planned in the future.

I was leaning towards the second one because while he is an advanced gamer, he is still a complete novice at virtual reality games. This will be the first time experiencing Virtual Reality and he will be a complete "newbie" at the whole moving your own body to play the game, etc. He is more use to pushing buttons or high apm on a controller or keyboard to play games. As such I felt like making him realize that even though this is just a game, it is not as easy as pressing a few buttons in a certain order and your avatar does the work for him.

Even if I don't humble him early, he will eventually get humbled by something or someone. The real question is, should I have him humble himself or should I have others forcefully humble him by showing him his inadequacy?

Whelp Author-kun out, and I hope you enjoyed that plot twist. (Huehuehue). Ciao~