VIP System

Leo paused, his mind racing as he considered the implications of the new skill. It was a powerful, undocumented update, but what if he synced with someone else the first time? Another human, perhaps? The thought tugged at his curiosity and unease.

"Aya," he called out, his voice echoing through the dark void, "what would happen if I synced with another human?"

Aya's voice responded from the shadows, her tone light and teasing. "You'll age," she began. "Humans typically live around a hundred years, but by then, they're really old." Her words slowed, a realization dawning on her. "Any older, and their bodies can't handle it anymore. They eventually die." A nervous laugh echoed through the emptiness. "You were lucky, very lucky, to have synced with an elf for the first time."

Leo's frustration bubbled over, his fists clenching at his sides. He felt his head burning, a searing heat fueled by the surge of emotions. "You're sick," he snapped, his voice trembling with a mix of anger and fear.

Aya's laughter echoed back, unfazed and almost proud. "Sick, perhaps. But that's the nature of our world, isn't it?"

Silence stretched between them, the weight of their conversation settling heavily in the void. Leo's consciousness floated, surrounded by the shifting patterns of code and data streams. Each flicker and hum seemed to pulse with a life of its own. "What's going to happen now?" he asked, the uncertainty gnawing at him.

Aya's tone softened, the playfulness giving way to something more serious. "All you can do is wait," she said. "We still have a few more minutes. Ask me anything, though I can't guarantee I'll have all the answers." A chuckle followed, familiar yet unsettling.

Leo's mind churned, searching for questions that seemed just out of reach. The silence grew, only the hum of the pipeline breaking it. After a moment, he asked, "Where can I find you?"

Aya's amusement returned, her voice dancing through the void. "Engineers like me live inside the World Tower. I can't say exactly where, though. It's... complicated."

Leo frowned, the frustration resurfacing. "Why is it complicated?"

She sighed, the sound heavy with unspoken truths. "Engineer's Domain is not just a place; each is a world of its own, constantly relocating across the tower levels. Finding me would be like finding a needle in a haystack, assuming the haystack was also trying to hide the needle."

A sudden buzzing sound echoed through the pipeline, reminiscent of a countdown. Aya's voice cut through the noise with a newfound urgency. "The update is about to be completed," she informed him. "There's no need to look for me just yet. The time will come when you'll be required to find me, but for now, you need to focus on leveling up your VIP status."

Aya's tone softened, carrying a hint of encouragement and playful mischief. "And to make up for the forced update, here's a tip from yours truly!" she said, her voice dancing with a teasing lilt. "Try to complete the dungeon you're heading to right now. It holds significant challenges and rewards that will aid in your progress."

Leo was about to respond, but a blinding light began to flood the area, making it impossible to see. Panic surged through him as he felt the digital landscape dissolve around him. "Wait, Aya!" he called out, but his voice was swallowed by the light.

In an instant, the void and the light were gone. Leo found himself back in the real world, gasping for breath. The room was dimly lit, the hum of the pipeline replaced by the quiet stillness of his surroundings. He blinked, trying to adjust to the sudden change.

He was inside a small house. Slowly, the sound of murmuring filled the air, coming from outside. He sat up and paused, listening intently. After a moment, he stood up and walked towards the door. As he opened it, the voices became clearer, a mix of laughter and mockery.

Outside, people had gathered around Roxanne, who was sobbing. Their teasing remarks did little to ease her distress. When she heard the door open, her tear-filled eyes caught a glimpse of Leo. Without hesitation, she ran towards him and hugged him tightly, her sobs intensifying.

“I thought you were gone,” she sobbed, her voice trembling. “When you disappeared, I... I was scared I’d lose you, like I’ve lost so many others.” she cried. "But then I realized I was still here, so that couldn't be it. Maybe... maybe you're slowly dying from some newly created plague, and the village will start to die as well."

Leo, bewildered by her frantic thoughts, chose to ignore the confusion swirling in his mind. He raised his hand, gesturing into the air. A faint light appeared before him, gradually taking the form of Ai. Still in her feline form, she looked up at him with a nonchalant and slightly arrogant expression.

"Do you know where the cats are?" he asked, glancing at Ai. Before she could respond, Roxanne turned and embraced Ai, sobbing even harder.

Ai's head was pressed against Roxanne's chest, muffling her response, but she managed to lift a paw and point towards a corner of the village. Leo followed her direction and spotted the kittens being fed by the locals, seemingly unbothered by the surrounding commotion.

A smile spread across his face as he confirmed that all the cats were safe. The sight of the villagers caring for the kittens warmed his heart, giving him a moment of solace amidst the chaos.

Leo initially ignored the murmuring of the townspeople, dismissing it as background noise. But soon, the snippets of conversation caught his attention, and he realized they were all directed at him.

"I told you! Pathetic!"

"You can't blame them, it's the hardest one out there."

The air was thick with mockery, the villagers' words cutting through the otherwise peaceful scene. Their voices rose and fell, each taunt sharper than the last.

"He doesn't stand a chance."

"Did you see him? Clueless!"

Leo's ears burned with the sting of their words, though they didn't bother him much on a personal level. Still, curiosity gnawed at him. What was the cause of such widespread derision?

He glanced around, noticing the townspeople's pointed looks and sneering faces. They were talking about him, but the context was elusive. Why were they so convinced of his failure?

Stepping away from Roxanne, who was still clinging to Ai, Leo approached a small group of villagers who seemed particularly engrossed in their gossip.