Last Shelter Online

45 Bloodline

Hiro was surprised to see the name of the app and quickly checked the CBT version app in his android bracelet.

It was still there.

'Are they separate? How did he get the app faster than the official website?'

[You: You're telling me to use an illegal app? Are you out of your mind?]

[Anonymous: Illegal? I bought it for $100!]

"Bought it for $100? Through what?" Hiro muttered with a hint of displeasure.

[Anonymous: Just kidding, I stole it lol]

[Anonymous: But it's not illegal. You need to pay $100 to download the game, so I'm actually helping you save money]

[Anonymous: You're welcome]

Hiro frowned when he read Anonymous's texts in the Love Room app. Like hell he would believe someone he met on the dark web just like that. Even though he was getting more suspicious of the game itself, he still decided to investigate in his own way without the interference of other people.

He ignored Anonymous once again and opened LSO's official website. A new announcement with a large headline was on the first page.

[Countdown for the official release of LAST SHELTER ONLINE: 05:45:55]

[Prepare your New Generation Full-Dive VR Gen. 10!]

Nothing on the page said that players would need to prepare $100, it was clear that Anonymous was making things up. What's more, the official version wasn't even available yet, so how did Anonymous get his hands on it? Is it possible to steal or hack?

He had to wait once again to enter the virtual world, this time for almost six hours. There was nothing he could do to pass time but force himself to sleep.

…

Even though Hiro managed to fall asleep, he woke up only half an hour later due to his nervousness.

He felt as if time was going really slow when he had to wait.

Tick, tock, tick, tock.

Hiro continued to stare at the 3D hologram clock's second hand projected from his android bracelet.

Time kept moving, and the time Hiro and others with compatible VR equipment had been waiting for finally arrived.

Ding!

[1 application requesting for update]

The app requesting an update was not the first LSO app Hiro installed from the smartring, but the app that Anonymous sent him.

[Update in progress]

[Update completed]

Hiro checked the LSO app on his android bracelet again. He now had two versions with the exact same icon, but the one Anonymous sent had brighter colors and an [LSO] title more inviting to play.

He was tempted to quickly open the official version and play, but he held himself back and opened the CBT version instead.

[Request timed out]

Hiro sighed after receiving the same consecutive results.

Ding!

[You received a new message from Anonymous]

[Anonymous: You need a new smartring if you don't want to use the app I sent. Gosh, why is it so hard to get you to cooperate?]

Smartring?

It was true that the smartring first came with the VR equipment he received as a birthday gift from Yuujin. And he used it. A smartring could only be used once, and if what Anonymous told him was true, he wouldn't be able to play LSO without the smartring as it was a set with the VR equipment.

Hiro could try running to Kira's supermarket to ask if he had a smartring, but he didn't want Kira to be suspicious of him while he couldn't wait to dive into the game.

At that moment, Hiro froze as a thought came to him.

'...How did he know I don't have an official smartring? And why did he only send the game software without the VR gear?'

It was as if he knew Hiro already had one.

…

Hiro suddenly felt like an idiot. That VR equipment, did Yuujin really send it?

All this time, he was under that assumption because of the letter that came with it, but the message came printed in Times New Roman as if its real sender wanted to show their identity.

And the fact that even the local police didn't know that he moved to a new address when he got another package sent to Yuujin's old apartment. How could a delivery man know his new address?

Hiro patted his forehead when he realized that he was being fooled all this time. He blamed his consciousness at that time because he was very tired and someone banged on his door to wake him up at 3 AM.

And so far, the only one he knew could trick him that cleverly was only one person, Anonymous. He was sure that only Anonymous was suspected at this moment.

[You: It was you who sent the VR gear and pretended to be Yuujin, wasn't it?]

He didn't show it through the text, but anger was boiling in his chest.

[Anonymous: Whoops, busted!]

Hiro frowned. He felt even more stupid. How did he even consider that gift from his brother without the slightest doubt? Was he unable to believe his brother's death so much that he was willing to accept anything with Yuujin's name on it?

'So pathetic.'

[You: What do you really want?]

[Anonymous: As I said, I need your cooperation. Do you really not want to know what happened to your brother?]

Anonymous's question was like a slap to Hiro's face. Of course he wanted to know what happened to his brother! Wasn't this a provocation!?

He intentionally ignored Anonymous and directly went to put on the VR equipment before activating the app Anonymous gave him. Moreover, as if he was permitting Anonymous to watch, he no longer blocked the camera on his android bracelet.

[Checking connection…]

[Synchronizing player information, please wait…]

[All set]

[System linked]

[Welcome to Last Shelter Online]

Dark.

Hiro couldn't see anything. He could feel that he was standing, but only pitch black filled his vision.

It was only a few moments later that a panel screen popped up in front of him. A notification.

[The system detected that the player already has an account.]

[Nickname: NightFall]

[Job Class: Barbarian (Basic)]

[Update: At level 35, basic job classes can be upgraded to one of the 15 advanced job classes that combine the abilities of two basic classes.]

[If the special requirements are met, access to 18 unique expert job classes will be granted at Level 100.]

[To access veteran job classes, players must complete all main story quests and bloodline-related quests and obtain a special item known as the 'Veteran's Badge'.]

Information regarding the job classes was now available.

[Bloodline: Demon]

[Bloodline will not only affect the character's preference, but also the story building by the system. It also has a special city and quest that can be useful to enhance your power.]

[Each bloodline has its own strengths and weaknesses.]

[Demon]

[Strength: Possesses the ability to steal the blood of opponents and become immortal.]

[Weakness: Holy attribute]

[Beast]

[Strength: Possesses a special Raging status that increases attack speed.]

[Weakness: Fire attribute]

[Dragon]

[Strength: Possesses a body as strong as steel and the ability to become immortal.]

[Weakness: Electricity attribute]

[Dwarf]

[Strength: Forging and enchanting success rate are greatly increased.]