Online Game: Starting With SSS-Ranked Summons

Gates looked at Arthur, his expression conflicted, before shaking his head slowly. "I would love to help, Arthur," he said, his voice tinged with regret.

"But the advancements in my private hospital aren't any better than the treatments available publicly. At least, not for something like this." He paused, his gaze softening. "I'm sorry, Fateless. Truly."

Arthur's face darkened for a moment, the weight of Gates's words sinking in. He nodded, masking his disappointment with a forced smile.

"I see. Thanks for being honest, Gates. I appreciate you even considering it."

The room fell into an awkward silence, Gates looked away, fidgeting slightly as if he wanted to say more but couldn't find the words.

Arthur finally broke the silence, his voice quieter than before. "She's only got four weeks, Gates. Four weeks. And I can't just sit back and do nothing. There has to be something out there—something I haven't thought of yet."

Gates hesitated, his expression betrayed him for a moment. Arthur caught the change in his expression immediately, and he leaned in forward with urgency.

"Gates, please." Arthur's voice was steady but filled with emotion. "I won't forget this favour if you help me. If there's any way, any knowledge you have, tell me. I'm not asking as Fateless or a trader—I'm asking as someone desperate to save the only person that matters to me."

Gates sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his neck before meeting Arthur's eyes. "Fateless… this world, Armageddon—it's not normal, you know that, right?" Find your next read on empire

Arthur frowned slightly, the unexpected turn catching him off guard. "What do you mean?"

Gates hesitated again, his gaze darting to the floor before he continued. "This world… it's real. More real than any of us could've imagined. And it won't stay confined to a game."

Arthur's confusion deepened. "What are you saying?"

Gates exhaled sharply, steeling himself before dropping the bombshell. "At some point—no one knows exactly when—this world and ours will merge."

Arthur's eyes widened in disbelief. "Merge? You mean… This... this world will merge with ours?" Arthur's voice was laced with disbelief. "And you're saying everyone will retain their abilities, items, and power from the game in the real world?"

Gates nodded solemnly. "Exactly. That's why governments and corporations are scrambling to recruit talented players now. They know the playing field will change drastically when the merge happens, and they want to secure as much power as possible beforehand."

Arthur rubbed his temples, trying to piece everything together. "That explains so much—the high salaries, the aggressive recruitment tactics. They're not just building teams for the game; they're preparing for war... in the real world."

Gates leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Not just war. They're preparing for chaos. Imagine billions of people suddenly waking up with supernatural powers, magical items, and a complete upheaval of the natural order. Governments want to control that as much as possible."

Arthur's gaze sharpened. "And you're absolutely sure about this? How do you know this information is reliable?"

Gates sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. "I wouldn't be telling you this if I wasn't certain. At first, I was also sceptical, but recent events have been happening and it's been hidden from the media by the world leaders."

"What events?" Arthur asked feeling something off.

"Certain Animals...have been evolving. They have been getting stronger, bigger and more ferocious than normal. It has been happening at a small scale but it's nonetheless happening." Gates continued.

"The merge...It's happening, Arthur. No one knows the exact timeline, but it's inevitable."

Arthur sat back, his mind racing. The implications were staggering.

"So, if this is true..." Arthur's voice trailed off before he straightened, determination flashing in his eyes. "You're saying that anything from this world can come back to ours. Which means if I find something in the game—some rare medicine, a healing artefact—it could save her."

"Exactly," Gates said with a nod. "If you find something here that can cure her, you can bring it back. But there's a catch—no one knows when the merge will happen. It could be weeks, months, or even years. You're racing against an unknown clock."

Arthur clenched his fists, his knuckles whitening. "Thank you, i will remember this favour."

Gates stood up and nodded. "You are welcome, I have a few things I need to do. I'm sure you do as well, take care."

Arthur nodded, standing up. He extended his hand to Gates. "Thank you, again."

Gates shook his hand firmly. "If you need anything, you know where to find me."

Arthur gave a faint smile. "Likewise,"

...

The man adjusted the lapel of his trench coat, his eyes on the grand facade of Detroit Hospital.

His gruff face bore no expression, making the people around him feel slightly intimidated.

"Detroit Hospital," he muttered to himself, his voice gravelly.

The information provided by Michaels replayed in his mind.

He should be a beta player with a high talent in armageddon.

According to the details, this so-called teenager had entered the hospital with the clothes, smell and look of a person who lives in a slum. But, the teenager shocked Michaels by paying extraordinary amounts of money for the treatment of his sister.

The only connection Michaels could establish? Armageddon, the online world shrouded in mystery

He grunted softly. "A kid like that doesn't stumble into riches without a damn good reason. And in this case, it's either illegal or far beyond normal comprehension." His lips curled into a faint smirk. "In Armageddon, the latter is far more likely."

The challenge wasn't just finding the kid—it was figuring out his in-game identity.

Armageddon's villages were home to millions of players, many fiercely protective of their anonymity. With no central database to cross-reference, leads were scarce, and players adept at hiding were damn near impossible to track.

"Picture's clear enough," he murmured, patting his pocket where a folded photograph of Arthur in the hospital rested. "I'll get this to the militants within the game. If they recognize him, we'll have something solid to go on."

His smirk deepened. "And when we do, it'll be easy to lock him in."

...

Inside the inn, Arthur decided to check his summons status. He knew that he had to speed up everything he had been doing, he was short on time.

"The faster I can progress the better. And, to be able to do that, I need to understand my own strength and limits." He muttered before he used his talent to summon his beasts.

First was Sunless.

The portal opened, and Sunless appeared from it slowly. Sunless knelt as usual on one knee, waiting for Arthur's command.

Arthur did not waste words, he immediately opened Sunless's Status.

[Race:] Undead

[ID:] Sunless (Epic-Boss)

[Level:] 10

[Talent:] Darkness (A)

[Health Points:] 170

[Mana Points:] 140

[Magical Damage:] 14

[Phyiscal Damage:] 16n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

[Damage Resistance:] 17

[Attributes:] Strength 16, Agility 11, Vitality 17, Intelligence 14

[Skills:] Rage (Epic), Dark Shield (Very Rare)

[Attribute Points:] 5

[Skill Points:] 5

—

<Dark Shield>

<Rank: Very Rare >

<Active>

<Description: Generates a shield infused with the Talent of Darkness, reducing the effectiveness of darkness-based attacks by 25%. Vulnerable to Light-based Talents.>

—

"Not a bad skill. Sunless is a killing machine, he needs a skill to protect himself. This skill should be able to boost his combat effectiveness, allowing him to last longer in fights."

Arthur nodded in approval, Sunless didn't get a weak or useless skill and Arthur was happy about that. The stronger his summons were, the stronger he became.

Arthur spoke to Sunless for a few seconds before he returned him back.

"Wait a minute, I wanted to summon Sylvaris next. But I won't be able to do that because this serpent is so large it will break many things inside. I can't afford to waste money now," He sighed, before deciding to summon Sylvaris later on.

"Alright, we will go with...lupin." He muttered, summoning Lupin.

[Race:] Canis lupus

[ID:] Lupin

[Level:] 10

[Talent:] Enhanced Speed (C-Rank)

[Health Points:] 100

[Mana Points:] 90

[Magical Damage:] 9

[Physical Damage:] 12

[Damage Resistance:] 10

[Attributes:] Strength 12, Agility 16, Vitality 10, Intelligence 9

[Skills:] Scent Tracker (Rare), Howl of Fury(Rare)

[Attribute Points:] 4

[Skill Points:] 4

—

<Howl of Fury>

<Rank: Rare >

<Active>

<Description: Let out a ferocious howl that boosts your attack speed by 25% for 10 seconds. Nearby allies gain a 5% attack speed boost and increased morale. Cooldown: 20 seconds.>

—

Arthur looked at the skill's description with some shock.

Arthur's eyes lingered on Lupin's newly acquired skill description, his lips curling into a pleased smile. "Howl of Fury, huh? Not bad at all," he muttered, leaning back in his chair. "A team-support skill… something I've never seen before. Even if the bonus is small, it has potential."

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "A 5% attack speed boost may not seem like much, but in fast-paced fights, every little advantage counts. And let's not forget the morale boost. If this works on all my summons, Lupin might have a very crucial role in team fights."

Arthur glanced at Lupin, who stood at attention, his piercing yellow eyes fixed on his master. There was pride in Lupin's posture, his tail swishing faintly as if he could sense the importance of his skill.

"Well, buddy," Arthur said, standing up and patting Lupin's head. "Looks like you're stepping up in the ranks. With that howl of yours, you're not just a lone wolf anymore—you're a leader. Borak better watch his back; he's no longer the only one giving commands out there."

Lupin let out a low, approving growl, his body vibrating with energy.

Arthur chuckled. "Easy there, big guy. You'll get your chance soon enough. We will test this out properly soon enough."