Chapter 65(Start of Stage 5)

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Somewhere in Japan.

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"Have you found out who this Karma player is?"

"No, he refuses to show himself in real life even after we invited him to several expos and events. We even tried contacting him through a call and we receive nothing on our end."

---------------

"What do you want?" Asks Kozumi.

I meet up with Kozumi in the cafe I always gather with Reina and the rest.

"I want you to work under me to find information," I say. "Of course, I won't ask you to do it for free. We will trade information on the BOG, how about that?"

Kozumi narrows her eyes. "I am pretty sure you already have a way to find information since you already can find my contact number..."

"Well yes. But I can only find things on the internet which may not even be true and altered. That's why I need someone to spy and find information physically."

Kozumi sighs. "Fine. I'm can't reject since I lost the bet right? But I am curious. How are you able to get all this information about BOG? I am pretty sure you can't find those stuff online. I am also very certain that because of your knowledge, you have a very huge upper hand advantage and that's why you were able to achieve first every time."

"That's a trade secret." I simply reply.

People like me can attract Kozumi the most. Because of my secrets to success, she is willing to become friends or acquaintances to get a small piece of that secret.

That has been always how she grows.

But of course, she is not a leech. She lives by the quote of giving and taking.

I have seen it myself too... Even though she is a damn scammer!!

"Karma?"

"!! Yes?"

"Ah, no. You look very angry for a moment." Says Kozumi.

No shit.

"Anyway, here is the information on Stage 6," I say, handing her a file.

"Hm? What about stage 5?"

"Well... There's nothing important about stage 5 really, it's just a team-based game. Something like MOBA merged with battle royale."

"Battle royale?" Asks Kozumi.

"You can't use your owned weapons for stage 5. You will need to play and fight against other players to earn coins and buy weapons. And also unlike a 1v1 MOBA game, It's a 1v1v1v1v1 game. 5 teams will face off against each other. The maximum limit for each team is 200 players. The minimum member for each team is 5." I say.

"200 huh... So you can bring your entire guild in? That's...a bit unfair." Says Kozumi.

"I know. That's why lots of players will be joining guilds and forming alliances once stage 5 starts."

Kozumi places her finger at her chin and nods."I see."

Everything I said just now is true except for one part: The fact that there's nothing important about stage 5.

Stage 5 was one of the most impactful stages throughout BOG. All because of a certain bastard, Jacob.

But of course, telling that to Kozumi will be similar to saying that I have the power to know the future or something which will sound absurd.

"Oh yeah, Karma. My father organised an expo for gaming experts. You should go!" Says Kozumi.

"Hm? Why?"

"Well, to get more recognition and stuff? Aside from the five gaming prodigies, there are also lots of other gaming experts! Maybe we can learn a thing or two from them!" Says Kozumi. Her eyes are shining.

"I haven't even announced myself to everyone though," I say.

"Eh??? Why not... But well, I'm sure you have reasons. How about going with a fake alias then?"

...

"Fair enough. I have never gone to an expo before too, I will attend." I say

"Great! Let's go!"

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We went to a building which is a mall on the first few levels. At the higher levels are a few halls and an office.

We took the elevator up to the fifth floor and Kozumi guides me to a huge door with someone standing outside.

"? You are?"

"Kozumi, this guy is my guest." She says, handing him her IC.

!!

"Oh! It's lady Kozumi! I apologize for my manners earlier, please enter." Says the huge guy.

He opens the door and we both enter.

As I enter, he bows at me.

The interior is quite dark.

But I can see people dressed quite adequately for this. Though most of them are people in hoodies or just casual outfits, some are in a tuxedo.

"Oh! Kozumi!" Says a guy in a white tuxedo near us. "Your knight in a white armour is here to greet the princess!"

"Tch." Kozumi clicks her tongue in frustration. "Fuck off Takiti, how many times must I tell you that I'm not fucking interested!"

"Huh? It is not a matter of whether you are interested or not. Your father and my parents have agreed on our engagement, you can't run away from it no matter what you do." Takiti says.

Kozumi narrows her eyes in rage and throws a glance at me.

?

"Well too bad! I already have a boyfriend!" Says Kozumi.

Huh? Oi! Don't bring me into your affairs!

Takiti looks at me and I try signalling to him that I'm not her girlfriend by shaking my head.

"So this poor guy who looks like a failure in life is your boyfriend? You need to fix your taste." Says Takiti.

IS HE AN IDIOT?!?!!

I sigh as Takiti walk towards me. "Hey, do you know that Kozumi likes gaming? I also have a gaming talent, let's see who is a better fit for her. Though the results are clear from the start!"

"Eh? Then who do you think is worthy to be your opponent?" Asks Kozumi.

"Hmm... Maybe only Karma, the rests are just nothing but trash to me!"

Kozumi starts to giggle a little at that remark.

...

Yeah, this guy is an idiot.

I roll my eyes and sigh. "Fuck off." I simply say and went on my way.

"W-What?! You-"

"Shut up, you are not worth my time," I say, glaring at Takiti.

"Ugh...you wait!" He retreats from that.

Really?? Do people like him in those cliche anime antagonists exist in real life?!

"Hmm... I thought you would teach him a lesson, I at least want to see him cry in embarrassment..." Says Kozumi.

"Fuck you, do it yourself!" I say.

I blend into the crowd to separate from Kozumi.

Hmm?

I can see Jacob and Joseph in a distance.

...

What are they doing? Everyone is gathered around them.

Joseph is holding Jacob's arm, it looks like Jacob is trying to touch a woman or something.

"What I do has nothing to do with you!" Shouts Jacob.

"You bastard..." Says Joseph.

"Losers have nothing to complain to a pro."

Joseph glares at Jacob. "If you weren't such a coward and fight me one on one, I would have won the fucking match."

Jacob smirks. "Why? Jealous that I have such a smart mind unlike you?!"

...

Everyone is glaring at Jacob.

"Hmph! What? Do you guys want to go against me?" Says Jacob.

Nobody dared to say anything. We all know that despite being a bastard, Jacob is still someone formidable with a strong background.

...

"Well too bad, that guy over there says you are trash compared to Karma and even he can defeat you," I say suddenly, pointing at the oblivious Takiti.

!!!!

I didn't realise Takiti is watching too until just recently.

"H-Huh? You bastard! What are you saying?!" He says.

I take out my phone and play a full recording of what he said to me just now.

"I-I..."

Jacob glares at Takiti in rage and Joseph laughs. "Looks like you are nothing even in the eyes of an ordinary gamer." Says Joseph.

"Shut up!!" Says Jacob. "Karma again... THAT FUCKER AGAIN!!"

Jacob slams his hand on the table and flips it.

Because of that one single remark, everyone starts to smile and even laugh.

Jacob stares at me then at Takiti. "Both of you better watch out, ALL of you better watch out!! In the next stage, I will kill both Karma and Joseph."

!!

"Is that a threat?" Says Joseph.

"Of course it is. You can't do anything about it, you and Karma will die!!"

And Jacob stomps out of the hall.

For a moment, I thought my identity was busted. Looks like Jacob is referring to Karma like he is another person... Phew.

"Anyway... You said that you are stronger than me huh?" Says Joseph to Takiti.

"N-No! I..."

Joseph looks at me and tells me "meet me in room 8E2H later at 3 pm. I have something to tell you." In hand sign language.

!

Did he...

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I knock on the door.

"Come in." Says Joseph.

I open the door to find a meeting room. Joseph is sitting at the end.

"Firstly, close the door behind you."

I did as instructed and takes a seat at the other end.

"I will get straight to the point. Are you Karma?" Says Joseph.

...

"No..."

"I see. You are, only Karma will use such an underhand trick to get revenge on someone who offends him and hide his identity."

Shit... He got me.

"So? Are you going to reveal that to the whole world?"

"Of course not. Worry not, this is a soundproof room and there's no camera and hidden recorder." Says Joseph.

Despite that, I still feel uneasy.

"Anyway, that's no, I don't plan on doing that yet."

"Hm... Okay. I want us to cooperate in the upcoming stage."

"Cooperate?"

"I want to have a one on one match with Jacob. But... He keeps preventing me from doing so either by putting traps or using numbers or by escaping... He just doesn't fight me head-on and win every time by either ambushing or tiring me out. It's annoying as hell!! I need you to take care of his minions while I advance." Says Joseph. "Don't worry, I will give you your appropriate rewards afterwards."

Huh?

...

"I can help on one condition, you work under me after I help," I say.

!!!

...

"Karma, I know we are both very prideful people. That's why I ask for cooperation...not to hire you." Says Joseph.

"I know but I need to take risks right?..."

Joseph glares at me.

I sigh. "Too bad then. Your affairs, don't drag me into them and settle it yourself. Are you not called a gaming prodigy for a reason? But... The offer to work under me still stands."

And I left the room.

...

Joseph sighs. "Tch."

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After that, I accompanied Kozumi until the end of the event.

"Phew!! That was great." Says Kozumi.

"What was?"

"You are a gaming prodigy, shush. For me, that was valuable and good strategies and information."

"I'm not one..." I reluctantly say.

"Hmm? Whatever. Call me when you need my help, I got to go now!" Says Kozumi and she left in a hurry.

It is quite late now. Around 9 pm huh...

I lean against the wall outside the train station and open the wrapper containing a simple chocolate bread.

There used to be quite a few smokers out here...

Taking a bite, I start to scrutinise everything just now.

Joseph said that Jacob pressured and won against him because of his dirty underhand tricks.

But as far as I know, that's Jacob's speciality.

Like Joseph and I, he has a good instinct and can think up effective strategies despite being a brat. He also has a very strong background and a complicating game style. When he fights in a 1v1, he can outsmart his opponent by doing absolutely nothing. His main speciality is trapping. The weapon speciality is a gun.

He doesn't like fighting people head-on but when he does, he stays quite far away.

And I don't think I should underestimate his ability to shoot. He can snipe someone using a Desert eagle from the top of a building.

And judging by current statistics shared online, his stats are not as much as mine but...is troublesome and impressive.

Jacob is also good at manipulation and can predict what his opponent's feelings are, be it fear or happiness.

Ugh... That's not the end...

Jacob also prepares excessively behind the scenes by watching clips of how his opponent fights. He can also think up weird but effective methods to grind for gears, stats, skills, money... Well, everything.

He shares those techniques with his guild, causing them to grow fast and strong. That's why his guild, named Irene, is one of the strongest organisations around. And... that's also the reason why joseph was outnumbered...

I can safely assume that every member is at least level 200 judging by the fact that they don't do anything but grind for stats all day long for the past stages.

I sigh.

If I remember correctly, the war started when Joseph provokes Jacob. That caused him to pull an all-out assault on every player he faced. Jacob didn't even spare the NPCs...

Well... I think i just poured oil on the fire...

Whatever, what's done is done, I should prepare for the fifth stage. The three idiots chasing after me will appear after stage 5 is done which is roughly 4 days from now or so.

?

I received a message from Reina and the others.

They are asking me to meet up at En's house...

What...?

...

I am very reluctant but I still went.

Ika opens the door when I press the doorbell and a wide smile appears on her face.

"Karma! Come hurry! the fifth stage is about to start!" she says."Did you bring your headset?"

"uh...yes," I reply.

Even Yumiko is here...

I throw a glance at Reina, I am still suspicious of her.

En's parents smiled at the sight of me.

"Don't worry ma'am. whatever you are thinking is not going to happen." I say out loud to the entrance.

"Eh? mom? I told you to not enter my room for today!" says En.

En talked?!?

"Don't worry about it darling~" says her mother and they left.

En's face is flushed red.

I sigh. "let's go." I say, wearing the headset.

The girls nod.

________________________

I open my eyes and find myself standing in the BOG lobby.

The girls are waving to me at a distance.

"Karma, you changed your appearance again?" asks Reina.

"Yeah, I plan to reveal my identity after this round and stick to my original avatar," I say.

"I see..."

"Anyway listen, the fifth stage... prohibits us to use our owned weapons," I say.

!!!!