Chapter 3 – The Bounty and the Departure

[System: Alert!]

[The Navy has placed a bounty on your head!]

[Bounty Value: 1,000 gold coins]

[System: Status Condition Updated: Insomnia – Cured.]

Arnold (yawning):

— Huh...? Cured from insomnia? I didn’t even see the sun set... Man, this game is crazy. Does it think my character couldn’t sleep? And here I thought I suffered while gaming... this guy suffers more than me!

Arnold gets up from his improvised tent in the middle of the digital jungle. In the distance, he hears bells and NPC voices.

He was now level 25. His body looked noticeably more agile and a bit slimmer. The sword on his back now felt natural, like it had always belonged to him.

— Alright, let’s see what this next island has. Enough of coconut-fetching missions and fighting marines with plastic swords...

---

[Reality – Real World]

Mom (yelling):

— Arnold! Time for school! ARNOOOOLD!!!

(pause)

— Ugh, let me see what this boy is up to...

She rushes up the stairs and opens his bedroom door... empty.

The bed is messy, the phone lying on the pillow… with the screen completely black. A red glow flickers for milliseconds, then disappears.

Mom (frightened):

— Arnold? Where are you, my son?! Honey, honey! Arnold's gone!

Dad (eating cereal on the couch):

— Gone? Ah, he’s a chubby kid, he can’t have gone far. Last night I saw his room glowing red... figured it was his charger acting up.

He’s probably around. That boy can’t go an hour without eating.

Mom (hand on her chest):

— I... I don’t know... I’ve got a really bad feeling...

---

[Back in the digital world]

Arnold arrives at the Central Island's dock, sweating, with torn clothes and a makeshift bandage on his left arm.

Arnold:

— Finally! Level 25... I can go to the next island! Gotta sail out before these NPCs see me.

As he approaches a small wooden boat, a boatman NPC recognizes him:

NPC (stammering):

— Y-you’re the... wanted guy! The one on the Navy’s list! Y-you can pick any boat! On the house! Anyone you want! (he bows, shaking)

Arnold (grinning):

— I want the best one, with a magic turbo engine and everything, alright?

[System: An Elite NPC is approaching fast!]

Arnold:

— Of course... it’s never that easy, is it?

The sound of heavy footsteps echoes. A black-armored NPC with a flaming sword appears in the distance, running.

Arnold jumps into the boat, which begins to move on its own.

— Thaaanks, NPCs! And... sorry about all the trouble, okay?

He sails away. In the background, the island gets smaller as the sun slowly sets behind him.

[System: New Area Unlocked – Dark Vale Island]

[Danger: Moderate-High]

Arnold (looking ahead with a smile):

— Now the real adventure begins...