Chapter 1: MMORPG
"Come on guys! I don't see why you all are so against being in this virtual reality game. It's going to be fun!" Naruto Uzamaki shouted to his friends as they followed close behind him.
It was their summer break and each teen planned on spending it on their on accord. Most planned on getting far away from the city as possible. Others, out of the city wasn't far enough. Either way, what was happening now wasn't a part of their plans.
You see, Naruto decided upon himself to register his closest friends in a gaming contest known as Adventure Central for the newest gaming device to hit the market. The game was said to be the world's best ten times over. It was supposedly so good, in fact, that one wouldn't need to finish the game in order to never want to put it down.
Naruto saw a sign that advertised the contest during the last month of school and register himself and all of his close friends in Adventure Central. Through someway they won and now they were all on their way to get their new systems from the CEO and organizer of Adventure Central.
"I don't like this, Naruto." Sakura Haruno, Naruto's best girl friend, said. Sakura was a pretty young girl with hot pink hair and emerald green eyes. Sakura was known for her love for medical studies and being under the tutelage of Tsunade Senju, a well respected doctor and fighter across the world. Unlike Naruto, Sakura was a realist and didn't dream outside of the box of reality.
"Oh come on!" Naruto whined enthusiastically. "What's there not to like? We get to play an expensive game that not many people do. We get to be the first, as a matter of fact. So again: What is there not to like?"
"I think Naruto is right guys." Tenten stated as she surveyed her manicure for one last time. "We should look on the bright side. This might be a bonding opportunity. We would've barely hung out this summer. At least we have something constructive to do now."
"Hai." Hinata Hyuuga smiled at her best friend. "Tenten and Naruto are right. This is going to be a fun bonding experience with many benefits."
"Name one other than "friendship" and being the first to own an expensive gaming device, because I don't see any other." Sasuke Uchiha asked. Sasuke, like Sakura, was a realist. He barely saw things outside of what they were, which is probably why Sakura liked him so much. Sasuke saw the real stuff, like many others of their friends.
"Listen, don't think of it like that." Tenten smiled sweetly. "This is just something to have fun with. Nothing more. Nothing less."
"Speaking of opportunity and gain," Shikamaru Nara stated finally, "what exactly are we getting for all of this? I am sure that besides the game, these corporate losers are going to compensate us for all of the free advertising and marketing we are going to be doing for them."
"What does compensate mean?" Naruto asked, which earned him a punch to the head from Sakura.
"You idiot!" Sakura growled.
"Compensate means payment, Naruto-kun." Hinata stated meekly.
"Oh!" Naruto gave them all a foxy grin. "They gave me $500 for this. Of course, I spent all of it on some new clothes, shoes, and ramune! Yeah! Lots and lots of ramune!"
Everyone in the group groaned. Naruto was indeed a headache. "So instead of splitting the money amongst ourselves, you chose to do the exact opposite and keep it all for yourself. Naruto, you are such a loser!" Sasuke shouted.
"Sorry! I didn't think about it!" Naruto whined. "Besides, what were you guys going to do with the money? It's not like you needed it!"
"It's not like you did either!" Ino Yamanaka shouted. "I could've totally used it on some new clothes and shoes too!"
"Whatever." Naruto passively stated. "Everyone knows that you and Sakura spend money like water. Your shoes are so expensive I am sure that $500 would've only paid for a heel off of your stilettos." Upon seeing Ino's raging face, Naruto tried a new approach. "Why not sell a few pairs of shoes and get the "would be" $500 back?"
Ino gawked a the boy as if he had just said the most alien thing she had ever heard. It was that much of a horror to her. "Don't speak that way about my shoes! They are not, and never will be, for sale! EVER!"
"Hey guys, can we stop arguing for a second and look ahead? I think we're here." Tenten smiled as she pointed to the large tower in front of the group. "We better get in there before the CEO losses his temper waiting on us. We did take like forever to get here."
"But we can't go without Neji!" Hinata stated. "He just texted that he was on his way. He just got out of his meeting."
Naruto turned to Hinata. "We can't wait that long!" Naruto whined. "It's going to take him forever to get here with his limo driver."
"Neji's driving in his car." Hinata stated with a smirk. Everyone knew that when Neji drove his car, time was not a factor. Neji may have the best driving record among his friends, but he shouldn't. Neji was known to drive like the devil himself. He doesn't have road rage, but when he's on a mission, no one can stop him. Not even the police. That goes double for when he is driving his own sports car his wealthy uncle bought him for his 17th birthday.
"Well then, we need only to wait maybe another minute for Neji." Shikamaru stated. "Can you wait that long, Naruto?" Naruto just gave a grunt of reply.
As if on cue, another minute later a shiny red, expensive sports car zoomed into the corporate parking lot in front of the group. Out of it stepped the Neji Hyuuga in all of his arrogant glory. His long brown hair flowed behind him as the wind picked. He wore his normal attire (ironed and pressed slacks, button down shirts, dress shoes) with black shades that hid his all seeing eyes. Neji closed the door to the sports car and waltzed up to his friends.
"About time you showed up, Hyuuga." Sasuke stated in his equal glory. Both boys were some of the most handsome kids in their school. Neji, being older than Sasuke, always had the upper hand on the latter. Especially since Neji had many girlish features. "You always have to make a flashy entrance, don't you?"
"Uchiha." Neji stated coolly. "It's a pleasure to see you walking like a lost dog again. Still can't find your master, pooch?"
"Enough of the pleasantries!" Tenten clapped her hands together as if being a teacher and her friends were her students. "We must go get our consoles or whatever so I can get home. Mom is expecting me."
Neji snaked his arm possessively around Tenten's waist, much to Sasuke's distain, and walked with her inside of the building. It was an understatement to say that Sasuke and Neji had a rivalry. Both boys were trying to gain the upper hand during every chance they got. One thing both boys wanted, which Neji Hyuuga got the day he asked, was Tenten's true affection. Even with all of the girls pending for Sasuke and Neji, both only had eyes for the girl in Neji's grade.
The CEO's name was Mark Dwight. Mark was a skinny young man with blond hair and green eyes. He didn't seem like much of a dominant person, and Sakura was sure he wasn't that great of a CEO manager. But apparently he was good enough to see who gets the first gaming systems in the world.
"Alright." the man smiled as he pulled out some papers and handed one to each teen. "These papers are going to guide you into the game. There are some things you should know about the game. First off, you need to know it's name. The game itself is called Epic Tale 101. In the game you will make your own character and their lives will be chosen at random. Some of you may start off as poor and lost as ever. With no fighting skills what so ever. Some of you may start off as wealthy as a king. With as much fighting skill as a knight. So don't get your hopes up if you aren't the type of person you would like. The story molds to your will. As long as you have your prime objective in mind you won't be disappointed."
Naruto raised his hand excitedly. "Uh… Mark, is there a story we have to follow?"
"No at all." Mark smiled wider. "This is my favorite part of Epic Tale. There is a story you can do, but you don't have to follow the story. See, you can start off as a poor, badly trained thief but mold yourself into a richer better one. The normal story of a thief is to become so well known that he/she can't possibly go unnoticed. But of course, you don't have to do that. You can go from being a thief to being a wizard or something. It's purely your choice."
"Can we play together?" Ino asked.
"Of course. As a matter of fact, these consoles will be synced so that each of you will start off as a band of friends who come together in order to stop a large group of evil warlords across the Epic Tale's world. Of course, that is purely optional. And besides, each of you will have your own background, own skills, and own notoriety." Mark explained. "It's kind of like a cross between Free Realms and Assassin's Creed."
"Then why the hell are we going to be together in the first place?" Sasuke asked. "There is no possible way a thief and one of the king's most loyal knights would be put together on the same team."
"Well, there is a story behind this, but that will have to wait until you start the game." He stated. "Trust me. You will understand in due time. Now come and get your consoles." A huge man with muscles rippling under his suit rolled in boxes. He stepped up to each teen and handed them their respective boxes. "These are your headset consoles. They are the basic sets for the game, so no worries. Oh, and your game will automatically save every time you shut it off. Just don't forget to save your game."
"What if we don't charge it?" Ino asked.
"It just won't save." Mark smiled sweetly. "Alright, now off you go. If you have further questions, my personal number is inside of your console boxes."
"Well thank you, Mark." Hinata smiled as each of her friends thanked the CEO and bid him farewell.
(Later that night at Naruto's home…)
Naruto happily sat his prized console on his bed and giddily stared at it. Naruto had been waiting for weeks to get this, the newest game to hit the gaming world, since he first heard about it from one of his gamer magazines. So you can imagine how he felt when the Mark Dwight emailed him later that same month with the news that he was one of the firsts to own the console headset.
Naruto immediately shed out of his day clothes and put on his pajamas. After that he locked his bedroom door and closed his curtains. He then snuggled into his bed and opened the new box and found a large headset (almost like a biker's helmet only with the sides being more like large headphones attached with cords, the visor being more of a screen, and much more futuristic).
Naruto pulled out the instruction sheet Mark handed him at their first meeting. "So these cords need to be placed on my forehead and the back of my head." Naruto immediately put on the headset and planted each respective cord on his head. To say he felt silly was an understatement. "Alright, now I need to turn on the power switch. Easy enough."
As soon as Naruto turned the power on he could no longer feel the instruction sheet in his hands nor could he feel or hear the air conditioner in his room. He couldn't see his normal bedroom either! All he could see was darkness. That is, until he saw blue water and neon colors zooming past him at high speed.
"What the hell?" Naruto shouted.
"Welcome Naruto Uzamaki." A voice sounded above Naruto. It sounded like some sort of female computer voice that he heard used every time on TV. "Welcome to Epic Tale 101! We have a few lifestyle selections you can choose from." Almost immediately, three words and pictures appeared before Naruto. The first word was "Fisherman." There was a picture of a small village planted next to the ocean above the word. The second word was "Common Thief." Above that was gold piles and swords. The third option was "Merchant." Wagons and horses were in the third picture with lots of food piled around. "We have analyzed your interests and deduced that these occupations will suit you much better than the rest. Of course, you are free to change who you are inside of the game. But for now, please select your occupation. Please use a clear and loud voice when addressing. Thank you."
Naruto skeptically looked at the choices before him. There was no way in hell he was going to be a thief. Sure he stole bread and stuff from local bakeries, but a change of pace might prove better. And he was pretty damn sure that going around the world selling shit was not going to prove any better, although he did love food. "I choose Fisherman!" Naruto shouted to no one in particular.
"Fisherman has been chosen by Naruto Uzamaki!" The voice stated clearly. "Good luck on your journey, Naruto and please feel free to call out to us for help." With that the voice faded out and Naruto was left sailing in the immense space before everything went black once again.
When Naruto finally awoke, he was sitting at some sort of campsite. Taking the initiative, Naruto began looking around. First he surveyed himself. Naruto wore no shirt, per usual. All he wore worn out shorts and straw sandals. A large tattoo was printed on his chest with a shark tooth necklace. He also had a red rag tied on his head. Everything else about himself was normal. He still had the same spiky, blond hair, the same muscle mass, and the same fox whiskers. If anything should be noticed, it's his skin. Naruto had gotten just a little darker, probably from the sun.
After that, Naruto noticed that the campsite he was at looked normal. There were trees all around him. A few tents were scattered amongst the campfire, which was burning true. He then noticed several bodies, all looking far too familiar. The one closest to him was the one he chose to disturb. "Ino?"
