Chapter 909
Chapter 909
Anton watched the exhilaration on both Paul's and Eric's faces as they decimated the monsters inhabiting the world of Diablo II. Seeing their progress reflected in their stat and skill windows after each battle only motivated them to keep playing.
While his friends played, Anton felt like one of the tutorial fairies found in many games. He gave directions, offered occasional suggestions, and answered all of their questions regarding their skills, stats, and game mechanics.
Eric's face was filled with excitement as he charged headlong into battle as a Barbarian. From what Anton observed, Eric genuinely enjoyed fighting as a melee character.
Paul was equally entertained, kiting enemies with his bow. The Amazon's exceptional archery skills and the heavy damage they dealt to monsters delighted him for some reason.
Around noon, Anton informed them that it was time to take a break for lunch.
Paul and Eric complained, but they still followed his suggestion.
During lunch at one of the many restaurants in the Noble Section of the ship, their conversation revolved almost entirely around Diablo II. Anton spent most of the meal answering questions about various Barbarian and Amazon builds.
Several times, the three of them became so engrossed in their discussion that they spoke loudly enough to draw curious glances from nearby diners. Anton smiled inwardly whenever he noticed the bewildered expressions of customers who overheard fragments of their conversation.
"It's a pity we can't share this wonderful world with the others," Paul said, referring to the rest of their friends aboard the ship.
Anton understood the sentiment. Games were always more enjoyable when more people could join. Still, he remained silent, knowing that both Paul and Eric fully understood why such powerful magic had to remain secret.
"I can actually feel myself getting stronger," Eric said. "Now I understand why you wanted to compensate us. Losing your bloodline magic later is going to be a huge loss."
Paul nodded sadly in agreement.
"That's why I've been telling you to treat it like a game—and only a temporary one at that," Anton replied with a shrug.
After lunch, they returned to Anton's suite to continue playing.
That afternoon, Anton informed Paul and Eric that he would no longer accompany them inside the game because he had other things he needed to accomplish.
He believed they had already learned enough to continue on their own.
Anton also reminded them that because their physical bodies disappeared whenever they entered the hidden world created by his bloodline magic, they should only enter the game while inside his suite. He had already informed the ship's crew that he frequently conducted magical research and instructed them not to disturb him under any circumstances.
Paul and Eric agreed with his reasoning and promised never to enter the game anywhere except inside Anton's rooms.
Anton still wondered why his Diablo System only transferred his consciousness whenever he played non-ladder multiplayer, while the people he granted access to had their entire bodies transported into the hidden world.
The only time his own body was physically transferred into the game was during Ladder Season.
When the Diablo System failed to answer his question through its internet search function, Anton simply shrugged and accepted that he didn't know the reason.
He did have a theory, however.
Because the Diablo System had to physically modify the bodies of the players he granted access to so they matched the abilities of their chosen characters, transporting their bodies into the hidden world was probably necessary.
Anton himself was different.
Since the Diablo System was inherently his, perhaps it only required his body to enter the game during Ladder Season.
Leaving Paul and Eric in the sitting room, Anton returned to his bedroom.
He intended to continue leveling his Ladder character.
For the next two weeks, Anton settled into a steady routine.
Paul and Eric arrived early every morning, which meant Anton treated them to breakfast before they began playing.
He didn't mind the expense. He considered it part of the compensation for allowing him to use them as test subjects for his experiment involving the Diablo System and Izmorta's rebirth process.
After breakfast, Paul and Eric remained in the sitting room playing Diablo II, while Anton stayed in his bedroom leveling his own Ladder character.
At noon, the three of them stopped for lunch at one of the finest restaurants aboard the ship.
Afterward, Paul and Eric resumed playing the multiplayer mode of Anton's Diablo System while Anton continued progressing with his Ladder character.
Their gaming sessions ended around five in the afternoon.
Although Paul and Eric often wanted to keep playing, Anton insisted they spend their evenings with their families and the rest of their friends instead.
He enjoyed those gatherings himself.
Spending time with everyone was the perfect way to relax after hours of playing Diablo II.
After about an hour of chatting and socializing, Anton usually treated the entire group to dinner before spending another couple of hours with them.
Paul and Eric clearly would have preferred to spend the evening inside Diablo II, but Anton always insisted they return to their families afterward instead of remaining in his suite.
Once everyone had left, Anton resumed leveling his Ladder character.
Whenever he grew tired of grinding, he relaxed by watching a sitcom or an episode of anime.
Since he only needed two or three hours of sleep each night to feel fully rested, he had more than enough time to enjoy everything he wanted to do.
During those two weeks, he also visited the ship's library once a week to continue studying its collection, leaving Paul and Eric to play in his sitting room while he was away.
The voyage wasn't entirely peaceful.
Several fierce storms battered the ship during those two weeks, but the passengers had long since grown accustomed to such events. The ship's wizards were more than capable of protecting the vessel from storms, sea monsters, and any other dangers that threatened it.
At the end of the two weeks, Anton finally brought his Ladder Amazon to the maximum level.
He transferred the Chilling Grand Charm of Balance, along with its Faster Hit Recovery bonus, from the game into the real world.
Combined with the twenty percent increase to his Amazon's primary attributes, Anton immediately felt himself become noticeably stronger.
By then, Paul and Eric had each raised their characters to the mid-forties.
The combination of increased attributes, newly acquired skills, and powerful equipment had also made both of them significantly stronger in the real world.
They repeatedly told Anton that, despite trying to think of their access to the multiplayer mode as nothing more than a temporary game, it was becoming increasingly difficult.
The power they felt growing within them felt completely real.
Neither of them could imagine willingly giving it up.
Anton sighed.
When the time finally came for him to revoke their access to the Diablo System, there was a real possibility that they would beg him not to do it.
He began considering ways to handle that situation when it eventually arose.
Several possible solutions came to mind, but there was little point worrying about them now.
He would deal with the problem when the time came.
With his Ladder Amazon finally complete, Anton immediately created his next Ladder character—a Barbarian.