Versatile: Alternate World



It's almost time. I didn't know what to tell my parents about this matter just yet but I am imagining all of the worst-case scenarios. Knowing my parents, they are easily not convinced by stuff like what I am about to say and I have to do some debate with them. They don't like me engaging in dangerous situations. And if they knew that Alternate World was never a real game, they would not just going to be shutting up on how dangerous the situation is and they might even try to stop me from doing it as well.

"Are you perhaps worried about your parents?" Riko came up to me while carrying a plate as I was watching everyone talking to my parents. It seems Riko noticed me watching them with uncertainty.

"You easily read me huh?"

"Naturally. We grow together since childhood. I know your parents as they even act as my second parents when my mom and dad are not there because they are busy with work. I know their personalities more than my own parents so I have an idea of why you seemed so bothered about telling them."

"Yes. Maybe I can convince Dad, but Mom would definitely oppose me to finish this. So I am already simulating the different scenarios happening inside my head to at least predict their response and immediately use what response I needed. Which is why I am practicing mentally."

"Haha, that's so like you but don't worry too much, just so you know that we are also here to convince them. Don't worry about it and rely on us if you can't make them do so."

"Alright. I know I can rely on you guys but I also needed to do this by myself as well."

"Alright. I won't disturb you anymore. Just don't overthink it. I am sure they will understand."

Riko left and went to the sink to put her plate there before returning with everyone. As for me, I am still trying to think about the discussion that I have to tell them. But there is also the advice that Riko gave me of not overthinking it. Perhaps I am just indeed overthinking stuff and it's not really that much of a big deal.

Perhaps. But it never hurts to be prepared for it.

...

...

...

...

6 pm. Everyone is now resting in the living room. My parents are also resting as well as they have spent the entire morning cooking food with us and they are all exhausted. Even the ghost in the bear is here as well and currently watching TV while lifting a dumbbell in his right hand. Looks like he still has the habit of continuously working out even now. But anyways, looking at them all here, that also means this is the perfect time to also release the bomb while they are tired as that would also lessen their arguments because they are too tired to argue with me. Mm, perfect.

"Mom, Dad, I have something to discuss with you all. Oh, also include Kigurumi in our discussion as well."

"Huh? Oh yeah, you did say something that you have something to discuss with us. What is it?" My father looks relaxed at first but I can tell on his face that he is trying to assess what I was about to say. I may be nervous but I needed to tell them what it was.

"Before that, there is something that we have to do first," I then looked at the elves and the three nodded before they snap their fingers, and the magic circles on the Reality Verse Nexus were suspended and no longer functioning properly. My parents noticed that and they frowned as they looked at their Reality Verse Nexus getting disabled. Even Kigurumi is shocked at what happened and is looking at me and the elves, questioning what is going on The rest are not surprised as they have already experienced it before.

"Don't worry. We just have to disable the Nexus as they will be a troublesome problem if they continue to detect what we will be talking about."

"What? What is going on, Manato? Care to explain?"

Before I can say anything, Riko pitched in, winking at me to let her handle the explanation a bit and sit back.

"You see Uncle and Auntie, Manato here found out something about the game we are playing. He was called by the creator of Alternate World before because of his achievements and how he handles most of the game's battle much compared to others, making the maker have extremely high praises for him. Which is why he decided to reveal some plans and the true nature of the game."

"True Nature?" My father frowned.

"Yes. You see, the game we play every day was not actually a real game but an actual Alternate World. All the NPCs we meet, all the monsters we kill, and all the experiences we have experienced are all real deals and not just a program of a computer. The proof is the elves here that are standing with us and interacting with us. After learning about the Alternate World, they realized that the world they live in was actually what their real world was and we are just thinking that everything in there is a game. This is also why all NPCs we encounter in the game are unique and they don't just say the same line over and over again and they knew how to interact with you even if they are just random people."

"Woah there, Riko. Slow down. You are making us very confused this time around. So let me get this straight, the game Alternate World was not a real game but just another universe is that what you are saying?" my father is frowning and had his two eyebrows crossed as his confusion grows.

"Yes."

"And these three elves are also denizens of that world and just crossed this world by accident then?"

"Mmhm. That's correct as well."

"That also means every single NPC who died because of our choices from some quests is also real flesh and blood people as well?!"

"Yep, yep. All are correct, uncle. Everything we thought of as a game was actually the real deal."

"Then what about the way we log in? The way we can use skills and we, being immortal?"

This time, the one who explained it is Renatta.

"It was one of the effects of the spells in your Alternate World's entry ticket, the Reality Verse which was in reality, a component of multiple Magic circles combined together and making the tattoo into some sort of a tattoo. The effects of the spell allow anyone who has the mark to revive in a nearby cathedral governed by the Goddess of Life to do the deed. So if you died, you really did die but because of the spell, your death is revoked, and you are recreated again using all of the previous memories you had on your previous body and transplanted on a new body containing all the information you have on your last one, allowing you to "revive" effectively."

"Indeed. Remember if we died in a quest and we revive in the cathedral and go back to where we last die we still see our bodies? That's because that was our literal bodies and they will just remain there until they rot later on."

"Wait, wait, wait. Hold on for a minute. We shouldn't have died since our real bodies are not transported to the game right? Only our consciousness was there and we are controlling an avatar."

"Actually, no. The real body we have in the real world was actually what our bodies in Alternate World are also using.  Even with the customization we did on our characters during character selection, it was not real and it was all just an illusion to you and the others' eye, allowing you to perceive as a different individual as you in the Alternate World but in reality, it is still our body. It is also one of the main reasons why eating a portion of food and water in the game is equal to eating real food in real life as well and why you never get hungry if you stuffed food in the game and then log out."

"Oh no..." My mother couldn't believe it. I looked at the girl on why she suddenly felt sad and broke down to tears and Pandora revealed it by passing a little note on me.

"Because she died multiple times in the game during the early phases. If what we revealed was real, it only means she died multiple times already and her body was no longer the real deal anymore."

Ah, she was afraid now after the reveal now. She is now confused about whether she still thinks she is still the same person she was before or the current she is no longer the same person.

"Manato, I know you like to joke but this kind of prank to elicit reaction from us is not funny," my father is now angry.

I sighed and shook my head. "I hope it was all just a joke Dad but what we revealed was actually the real deal. And I don't think I would even try to continue to lie if mother is already hysterical."