God's Avatar

Menu

Ethan, whose eyes were furrowed after the abrupt appearance of the so-called “menu system”, made him grin for a second. It was really the same menu features that they had on the game.

Complying with the instruction, he somewhat controlled the pseudo-cursor in his head into the “Next Page” tab, and immediately an instruction of the menu appeared.

[Welcome to the menu system. This menu offers a variety of services not limited to Housing, Status Appraisal, Skills, Inventory, Cash Shop, Friend’s Tab, and Status Tab. To use the menu system, one must think or say the word “Menu” and it will immediately appear in your pseudo-mind. Only the players can use this menu system and no one would be able to see what you’re seeing right now.]

After reading the menu system levitating in the air. Ethan turned back to his fellow teammates and passed on the information he got on the so-called “Menu”.

With his order, they immediately acted per his instruction. Some are thinking the word and others are saying it out loud, no matter what approach they choose, the result will be the same.

A menu system appeared in front of them, levitating in the air as if it was defying the law of physics. The appearance of the menu system is a transparent and game-like interface. Just by looking at it, they somehow forgot the situation that they are in.

It was just a game…

“Wait, I have a question…”

Jon walked up on Ethan who was currently daze by further reading the features of the menu system.

Ethan without turning his head to the side to look at him gave a nod, indicating that he can inquire.

“This menu, does it have some sort of inquiry tab? I was wondering if I can ask about our current situation,”

“Maybe, let’s see.”

Ethan said simply and looked for a certain tab. But it was nowhere to be seen. He rummages at his menu, looking for that certain tab but no matter what approach he does, it was useless. There is no “Frequently asked question” or “Admin report”.

Ethan looked down on the ground with a grim expression on his face. Jon noticed it and he understood what it meant.

“No luck huh?”

Ethan shook his head simply.

“I’m sorry guys, I shouldn't have ordered you to play for one raid. This thing is not supposed to happen if we didn’t conduct that raid and enter such an odd dungeon.”

Ethan's words were understandable. He thinks that this is his fault for dragging his teammates alongside him. If they’d just sleep that night then this whole ordeal will not happen.

However...Jon can’t help but look at his sad expression, sulking in his remorse. His new face is not suitable for such worriedness. Jon just simply laid his hand on his shoulder, indicating that he has his back no matter what happens.

“This is not your fault Ethan, we were all in this together. As for me, I independently followed your orders and I’m thinking that it goes for everyone.” Jon said. His compassionate words swept through Ethan.

“You may be right…” He replied. A glint of sadness in his face began to fade away gradually.

“As the vice-captain of the team, I should not let the captain carry all the burden. So, if you are troubled, I will ask all our teammates here once and for all.” Jon declared and turned around to face his teammates. His red cape fluttered in the wind, giving him a dignified appearance.

“My fellow teammates! My fellow friends and family. We are in a situation that no one seems to explain straightly. Not even the menu system, I know that we have families from our original world but we can worry about them later. This time we must worry about ourselves! Of how we will be able to return to our world. If the menu doesn’t have the answer then I will give you some insights into our current situation.

“This type of phenomena happens only in fiction, I watched a lot of anime and read a lot of light novels dealing with this specific genre called''Isekai ``” it’s a Japanese word for Another world. There are many ways of how a person can transmigrate to another world: Died in a truck accident, portal, summoning, and the one we are in; stuck in the video game.---”

“So are you saying that we got isekaid in this world?”

Matthew interjected his explanation. He somehow got a glimpse of what he was talking about. In fact, he also watches anime and reads light novels so he knew all about the isekai thing. But to believe that it was true, it was utterly ridiculous. It can only happen in fiction and fictions are not real.

“That’s the word that I can think of for the moment. As I don’t believe that transmigration works let alone us being stuck on our own avatar. VR world might look plausible but our world’s technology is decades away for it to happen.”

Jon seemed to share insights with Matthew about this isekai thing.

“Then what should we do?” Matthew replied, “In this type of scenario, especially being stuck in the game, we need to go to the nearest town and gather information.” Matthew added.

“If you think that way then that’s the only thing that we should do, however. We don’t know what dangers are beyond in this world. We don’t even know if our skills work in this world. For now, let’s build a stronghold first then discuss it there.” Jon ended.

“Skills huh?” Matthew’s eyes were shining brightly after hearing that word. To be able to wield magic in this world is truly a dream come true to him. He looked at his staff resting on his shoulder. His enthusiastic expression can be seen by everyone and they believed that he might suggest something…

“Then if we want to know if our skills and abilities work in this world. Then let me do the honor of testing it!” Matthew voiced out like a child. Keenly interested in the topic at hand but Jon gives him a shaking head.

“I’m sorry Matthew but this is not the proper place to test our abilities. And even if it works it will damage the perfect vegetation of our selected stronghold. Look around you, a plain, the smell of the nearest river, trees that have fruit on it. I don’t want it to be scorched by your magic.”

Jon said firmly, it can’t be helped then. Matthew can only heave a sigh of sadness, after all the man he was talking to is the vice-captain of the team. He holds an authority similar to the captain. Respecting his decision, Matthew can only withdraw his staff. Then suddenly a staff-swathed of divine light was scattered. It appears that the staff he’s holding vanished in thin air. But it was completely normal and there is no reaction from his teammates to be heard. This scenario is completely normal in the game so they didn’t question it.

But what really happened is that his staff; when in combat, it will materialize out of thin air, and if not in combat, it will vanish. It is one of the features of weapon-customization in the game which is the end-game feature of Legends of AEON.

“Guys, there is one question that I would like to ask you. I want you to make it clear to our captain here.” Jon continued with a dignified voice. They were not able to adapt quickly to the change of tone. It was so dignified that you can’t help but kneel to his almighty presence.

“Do you guys think that Ethan is responsible for this?” He simply asked.

The rest of his teammates, excluding Ethan, were dumbstruck at the question.

“What are you talking about? Of course not and even if we don’t want to we can just tell him beforehand. But did you hear something like that?”

The man who spoke is Jericho, his voice is comparably similar to the tone of Jon. Simple but mighty, elegant but dignified.

“I agree with Jericho, I don’t think Ethan was to blame for all of this ordeal.”

“We agree as well!”

“Me too.”

“Me too.”

“Me too.”

Then the rest of the players were declaring that it was their own will to play one raid. Ethan was felt assured at those words and the burden that he is currently carrying in his heart began to soften.

“I’m really sorry guys. I will surely find a way to return from our original world. Though I cannot promise you that because we don’t have any idea what’s in this world. But I can only assure you that I will do my very best to find a way.”

Ethan declared as he returned his shining helmet to his head. Covering his elegant face, it turned immediately to a mighty divine knight.

“That’s our captain right there!”

Everyone clapped, some whistled in joy. Thankfully, their captain is now back on track after clearing all the doubts he has in mind.

“Then, as per our vice-captain suggestion, we will build our stronghold here. This place is perfect and I even want to thank who sent us here.” Ethan looked around as if he was analyzing everything in his surroundings.

“As expected, this place is really perfect. But the question is, how do we build our house here? It’s not like we will have to chop some woods and build it like Minecraft…” Ethan was somehow troubled, even though his face is masked by the helmet, concealing its expression, everyone noticed his troubled tone behind it.

“I think I have an idea about that,” Jon said.

“Hoh?” Ethan leaned over towards him, looking interested.

“Remember in the instruction? Housing is stated there and if we can use it through our menu system.”

With that, Jon opened the menu and looked for the Housing. He used the pseudo-cursor and clicked on the said tab.

“Housing system? I believed in the game, you can have a customized house but it’s an instance housing.

What is instance housing? To understand this, we need to know what an instance is. An instance is a dungeon commonly seen in most MMORPG games. It is a version of a zone that is only allotted to a single player or a party. Unlike in towns which players may interact with other players of other parties, an instance excludes everyone else and reserves a copy of that area to the player or party that enters it, preventing interaction from other parties or players.

An instance housing is a private dungeon only reserved for a player who owns the house. Though he/she can invite a specific number of players to his/her house through mail invitation.

“Then should we buy our own house or share it?” Jericho asked.

“Of course, we will share. This place will not be able to accommodate twelve houses in one location.” Jon replied.

“You may be right,” John said, looking around the plain forest. This is the only flat land he could see.

“Okay guys, everybody quiet. I am now in the final stage of building our house!” Jon declared.

“What do you mean?” Ethan c****d his head to the side.

“I mean if I were to click this button, someone will appear.”

“Huh? I don’t know what you’re talking about, just do it already. I can’t spare any more time in this heat.” Ethan complained.

“Eh?”

“Even though it was not that obvious, I am sweating profusely here.” He said.

“Oh, that’s because you’re wearing full-plate armor. Jeez, who’s in their right mind to wear full-plate armor in the middle of the sun?”

“Huh? Are you mocking me? Do you think that I have a choice in the first place huh?”

“Ah…” Jon was suddenly struck in his realization. They were all suddenly stuck in their own avatar.

“Sorry about that. Well, then let’s go.”

At that moment, Jon clicked a certain tab, a golden light immediately arrived by Jon’s assent. The light appeared five meters away from them and it caught everyone's attention. The light was still faltering out and a moment later the light disappeared and a figure of a specific creature appeared in front of them.

Everyone let out a sigh of admiration. It was not a man. It was some sort of raccoon-looking gentleman wearing a black suit and a carrying briefcase on its hand. A raccoon is the only word near to describe the appearance but it was not a raccoon but a certain species that can be found commonly in the game. In fact, it’s prevalent all around the world of Legends of AEON.

“A Shugo!” Everyone blurted the word. They didn’t feel creepy at his appearance, in fact, they found it cute. It was bowing towards them reverently as if submitting itself to the lord.

“Greetings master, I’m the real-estate auctioneer or a butler that you know of in the game. I will do my very best to offer you the best houses that a menu can offer.”

It was an opening statement of the NPC when you’re buying a house. It really is turning into a game.