A True Rise!

Xiao Yu left the BOSS room, feeling so stifled, as if he were about to explode at any moment.

Although he knew that Wotkud hadn't truly died, and that his minions in that instance hadn't actually died, the pain still gripped his heart. He knew that the deaths of these subordinates were only a matter of time. Once Heroic difficulty was unlocked and their skills were fully mastered, they would have no chance of winning and would likely be killed on the very first day.

The so-called Heroic difficulty is just a formality, a way to conclude this story campaign.

But they're just NPCs, just data. Why am I so angry? Why am I so conflicted? I've already received a huge sum of money, more than many people earn in a lifetime. Isn't that enough?

Xiao Yu asked himself these questions, but he couldn't find the answer. Rationally, he knew that everything he had done was right. He was a professional gamer; wasn't playing games all about making money?

On the other hand, he felt a deep sense of guilt deep inside. He felt as if his chest was about to explode, and the intense feeling of suffocation made it hard for him to breathe. He needed to find someone to relieve his guilt.

After much thought, a name popped into his mind: Kara, the Blind Eye. When he was diagnosed with a terminal illness, he wanted to win the prize money from the Demon King Tournament to cure it, and it was from that woman that he got his inspiration. Although he didn't think of her as a real fortune teller, she was quite good at comforting people. He hoped that her space hadn't been closed yet.

While thinking, Xiao Yu entered the website address and login password for the Temple of Fate.

[System prompt: Logging into 'Temple of Fate'. This website is a professional technical training website. Please register an account and log in to enter.]

Xiao Yu had already registered an account when he came last time, so he simply entered his username and password and selected to log in.

System notification: Identity verification in progress, verification successful. Welcome to the Hall of Destiny, Xiao Yu. A woman's voice echoed in his ears, and the next second he found himself in a beautiful hall.

This hall seemed slightly different from the one he had seen before. It was a hall filled with a mysterious atmosphere, without any statues of gods. In the center of the hall was a huge solar system instrument, and the dome was painted with densely packed star maps. The floor beneath his feet had a pattern resembling a magic circle of six-pointed stars, and the walls were painted with all sorts of mystical strokes. Sunlight shone through the stained glass windows, reflecting colorful rays of light. Xiao Yu knew that all of this was just a virtual world constructed by a computer program, but he still couldn't help but feel a mysterious atmosphere.

His inner turmoil seemed to be somewhat relieved, and in the mysterious atmosphere, he inexplicably felt a sense of relaxation.

In the center of the hall was a tent, and a woman walked out of the tent. She was wearing a gorgeous golden cloak, a hood over her head, and curly hair that fell over her shoulders. Both her hands were covered with huge rings. She was still in the classic prophetic (charlatan) pose.

Kara, the Blind Eye, Xiao Yu guessed that this must be an alias.

"Welcome to the Hall of Destiny, Xiao Yu. It's been a long time. I didn't expect we'd meet again. Is there something on your mind now?" Kara smiled at him, her amber eyes giving him a strange sense of warmth.

"Yes," Xiao Yu sat down on the soft cushion in the tent, hesitated for a moment, and then slowly recounted his experience.

Kara didn't interrupt, but listened quietly. After a long while, when Xiao Yu finally finished his story, he looked at her eagerly, "So, here's my question: why do I feel depressed, why do I feel oppressed, why do I feel—painful, even though I've already earned money I could never have imagined before?"

Kara took a sip of tea and smiled, "Actually, the answer is quite simple, but before I answer you, let's first clarify one thing. In reality, the people at the game company use you, order you around, and treat you as a pawn. You're just a high-level employee in reality. But in the game world, your subordinates trust you, obey you, and are even willing to die for you. You are the Elemental King, isn't that right?"

Xiao Yu nodded.

"Then the answer is obvious. What you're doing now is sacrificing those loyal people who are willing to die for you, for the sake of those who are using and manipulating you. As the Betrayer, of course you'll feel repressed and in pain."

Xiao Yu nodded. "I've already thought of that. The question is, what should I do? Give up everything in reality for the servants in the game?"

Kara shook her head. "You can't look at it that way. The question is, what do you want to get from the game? If you just want money, then you've already achieved your goal. If you want more money, or fame and fortune in real life, then just continue on your current path. But from your words, I can tell you clearly want more. You crave recognition, you want to achieve something great, to become someone the world notices—things you can't get in real life. Yes, you're somewhat famous now, earning tens of millions a year, but that social status isn't enough for you. You're still just an employee. And to put it bluntly, even though the Dynamic Angels' only won an award, their fame and income are actually higher than yours."

"But in the game world, you are the Elemental King, the Destroyer of Worlds—a status you can never achieve in reality. Clearly, you are more accustomed to your identity in the game than in reality."

"But it's just a game," Xiao Yu voiced his biggest question. "How can I give up reality for the sake of a virtual world?"

"Oh, it's really just a game?" Kara looked at Xiao Yu with eyes that seemed to speak volumes. "Tell me, Mr. Xiao, how much of the past year have you spent in reality, and how much have you spent in the game?"

Xiao Yu said, "I spend very little time in real life; almost all of it is spent in the game."

Kara clapped her hands. "Then it's obvious. Because you spend so little time in reality, the achievements you gain there have very limited meaning for you. On the other hand, your achievements in the game world are much more satisfying. You could even say that the game world is the real world to you, while the real world seems illusory."

Xiao Yu nodded. "Now that you mention it, I do sometimes feel that when I return to reality, it feels very unreal, as if the game is where reality is."

Kara's expression turned serious. "That's obvious. So you only have two choices now: either shift your focus back to reality, try to break free from the game's influence, and return to reality—theoretically, that's a healthier way to live." Kara smiled sarcastically.

"Of course, you can immerse yourself completely in the game, then the real world will have no effect on you. If you don't care about the real world at all, then what difference does it make whether you earn ten million or fifty million? Anyway, nothing will change in the virtual world."

These words made Xiao Yu suddenly realize that he still had several million in hand, which was enough to live on. Even if he fell out with the game company, at most they would deduct his endorsement fees or something similar. How much real harm could that do to him? He thought, "I'm not taking your bowl, I'm not under your control, so what?"

The thought of simply turning against the game company popped into his mind and became unstoppable. His heart pounded wildly, and he was thrilled by this idea.

But is it really wise to give up a large sum of money in real life for some NPCs in a game? If his friends heard this, they would probably think he was crazy. Even Xiao Yu himself thought he was crazy for having such a thought.

Caught in this dilemma, Xiao Yu left the Temple of Fate. This time, he generously gave Kara 10,000 points, feeling that the revelation Kara had given him was definitely worth that much money.

However, he still couldn't make a decision. Unconsciously, Xiao Yu returned to the Immortal Throne. Sitting on the Immortal Throne, looking at the empty hall around him, Xiao Yu fell into deep thought.

He didn't know how long he had been lost in thought when a rustling sound suddenly rang in his ears. Xiao Yu looked up and saw an elemental creature walking into the main hall.

It was Agnes, whose entire body was made of transparent ice. Agnes was like a ghost, always wandering in the corridors of the Immortal Throne. As the captain of the Elemental King Guard, she always followed Xiao Yu.

Although the other person was taciturn, Xiao Yu had almost come to regard him as a friend.

Tell me, Agnes —who am I?

"You are our king, great Lord Azathoth."

"So, do you believe in your king?"

"Lord Azathoth, whether it be the rise of glory or death and destruction, no matter what enemy we face, no matter the outcome, your men will always follow you."

"No matter what the outcome, huh?" Xiao Yu muttered to himself, a self-deprecating smile suddenly appearing on his lips.

"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now, Lord Azathoth," Agnes said, turning to go.

No, there is something I need you to do.

"I am always ready to serve you, Lord Azathoth. So, what do you require of me?"

Azathoth (Elemental King): "Summon all the Elemental Lords and the four Elemental Prince. We have something to do!"

Xiao Yu —or rather, the Azathoth, Elemental King —suddenly rose from his throne, the Power of Chaos emanating from him with unprecedented strength, and his distorted voice became unusually firm.

Azathoth (Elemental King): "I am Azathoth, Elemental King. Some lowly mortals have long sought to challenge the will of the Elemental King. They are arrogant and presumptuous, believing they can obtain everything they desire through intrigue and power struggles. Such recklessness and arrogance have led to their downfall. Now, it is time for them to pay the price! The Elemental King will rise again—but in my own way, a true rise!"