NOVEL WEB Chapter 1 He Was A Player
Chapter 1: He was a player
"Max, my boy… You are here," A grandpa whispered on his death bed with his eyes closed as he heard the door opening.
No one other than his grandson had keys to their house. Thus, Mateo knew that the person he had been waiting for had finally arrived.
Max, an eighteen-year-old student, dropped his school bag with a sigh, "I told you I am not in a mood for your jokes during the afternoon, grandpa. What the hell you mean you will die in an hour?"
He pointed his phone's screen at his grandpa, who opened his eyes languorously. And seeing his own message, Mateo laughed faintly.
He closed his eyes, whispering softly, "It's true, my boy. You will lose your grandpa in an hour. How do I know all of this?
Well, that's because I am a player, Max." Mateo started a monologue about his main occupation that had been unfortunately postponed.
Max, who had been living an everyday life until now, couldn't believe his grandfather in the beginning. He thought his old man went senile in his old age. Yet, as Mateo continued speaking seriously with dangerous details, Max became absorbed in his story.
In fact, he even saw messages of his grandfather's glory.
"You saw it, didn't you?" Mateo chuckled as he noticed an absent-minded expression in his grandson. His words awakened the young man, making Max look at him incredulously as if he saw a hero or a man with absurd achievements.
Max nodded, his gaze much different from before.
Mateo whispered, "Every world has a player society. Those players clear the dungeons in their own worlds, then get tickets to The Tower, the ultimate goal of every player."
Even their Earth had those precarious existences; players much stronger than the best soldiers from first world countries. Their numbers were scarce, for they controlled the dungeons for their own gains.
Mateo had stumbled upon a dungeon through a lucky chance. He teamed up with established parties, who treated him worse than a porter. But when the push came to shove, Mateo was the one to kill the boss.
His abundant mana awakened thoroughly, turning him into a high player.
"Earth has a selfish player society. The leading three families control the dungeons and even birth of people with mana. If they locate someone with even a drop of mana, they turn him into a loyal dog or kill him.
Their business is the main priority… The advancement of technology that often is unexplainable through science is because of them. I didn't want to be a part of their society and even the world.
I entered The Tower, then found happiness in different worlds. Unfortunately, the origins were my shackles. I couldn't create a family with other races, even humans from other worlds.
That was when a miracle happened. One of my wives gave birth to a son. He came to the world without any mana, however. My wife also paid the price with her life for this miracle, dying with him in her arms," Mateo's eyes flashed with sadness as he slightly scrunched his face with pain.
Max bit his lips as he had never seen his grandfather in such a weak appearance.
Mateo turned his head to the side, smiling at his grandson, "I took your father to Earth, believing he would live a good life here. I made a grave mistake, however. I told him about his origins. I told him tales of his mother… and my own.
He didn't show any signs of jealousy but pride. He was proud of his origins and his father. He also grieved about his mother.
Yet, when you came to the world, the whole world shook. All three families found out about us. They chased us for a month, for I needed this much time to seal your abundant mana within your body.
You had more mana than me at birth, Max. That was when your father's jealousy took over him. He tried to kill you, so I had to banish him to the other side of the world. Max, those are your origins," Mateo uttered with complicated emotions, lifting his eyes to look at his grandson.
That was when he found out about Max's tears.
Max grasped his grandpa's hand, "Are you really going to leave me?"
"Ah…" Mateo let out a soft voice, feeling like he soon would choke on his tears. His grandson finally understood that his message wasn't a joke. He cared more about a grandpa who had raised him for years than a man he couldn't remember.
In his last hour, Mateo felt immense happiness and pride, "You've grown up into a fine man, Max.
You will overcome all our limits and reach the sights I could only see in dreams," Mateo smiled.
Max asked softly, "What couldn't you achieve, grandpa?"
"Do you really want to become a player?" Mateo asked with a clear expression. He wouldn't let his feelings control him when such a dangerous matter was on the line.
Being a player was the most dangerous job ever. Players could reach miracles, but they also could die at unexpected moments. Not every player had enough talent to clear all dungeons, let alone survive every expedition.
If Max wanted, he would be able to continue living his normal life. Mateo's seal would last an eternity on his body. However, if, by any chance, Max stumbled on one of three families without any knowledge, his ignorance would cost him his life and future.
It would also be a mistake to waste Max's talent. His abundant mana pool allowed him to pursue whatever path he wanted.
Yet, if he wanted to remain an ordinary boy, Mateo would do all for this wish.
Max smiled, "What couldn't you achieve, grandpa? I will do this in your place. I will see what you couldn't and leave your name behind."
"Don't use my nickname, fool," Mateo rebuked his grandson, "My name will bring you too many problems if you use it. But I like the idea of leaving my name in every land I couldn't step in.
If that's what you want, Max, then engrave my name on the highest trees in every land you visit. That's the best gift you can give to me!" Mateo grinned.
Max nodded, "Tell me all before you go. I want to hear more of your stories about the world and origin limits… I swear to not waste this information."
"I will be brief," Mateo smiled.