Chapter 565: The Past(3)
Chapter 565: The Past(3)
"Kill him! Kill that son of a bitch!"
Stop it.
"Kill him! You fucking piece of shit!"
Cut it out.
"Hey, you little shit! Come here! You're dead meat!"
I said stop.
"We won! We fucking won!"
"Fuck yeah! This is the shit!"
"Look at him go after all that trash talk. He disconnected immediately. How pathetic."
My dear childhood friends from my past life... please stop swearing so much. It’s... touching, really.
Despite my silent pleas, the three fired-up high schoolers didn't stop.
Sitting right in the middle of them was me, busy spewing everything from parental insults to crude expletives.
As some might know, the game my friends and I were playing in that PC bang was a world-famous AOS game.
Back when I was in high school, its popularity was at its absolute peak. I was so obsessed that I even played my promotional matches the night before a midterm exam.
The problem was that as time went on, it became a game that only brought stress, so I think only my friends kept playing it. The game itself is fun; the players are the problem.
"Admit it, that forward-roll snowball was legendary."
"Bullshit. Do you have any idea how hard I had to carry your ass?"
"But I carried in the end! A win's a win."
"Ugh. You absolute scrub. I'm done talking to you."
Having secured a thrilling comeback victory, the trio queued up again. Once the match was found, they started asking each other which champions they were going to pick.
Of all the scenes to show from my past, why this one? I can't even lift my head out of shame.
This wasn't Mora's fault; it was strictly my own mistake. That made it even more embarrassing.
"......Isaac?"
"..."
Even when my mother called my name softly, I couldn't look up. I wanted to find a hole and crawl into it.
Whether she sensed my feelings or not, my mother asked me tentatively.
"That boy is you, right? The one in the middle."
"......Yes. That's me."
"Well... I know cultures can be different, but you do realize how grave it is to insult someone's parents, right?"
I knew all too well. I only engaged in those parental insults because I was hidden behind the veil of 'anonymity'; I would never say such things to someone's face.
Insulting parents has been considered the ultimate taboo across all times and places. Even the Buddha would probably smash someone's head in with his wooden fish if he heard a 'yo mama' joke.
How much worse would it be in this world that valued honor so highly? To the nobility, insulting one's parents was equivalent to insulting their entire house.
Even if a war broke out between territories, the Emperor would probably look at such insults and think, 'That's a bit much...' In fact, he’d likely punish the one who threw the insult.
"Is your world a place where insulting parents is a daily occurrence? I cannot believe such a place is healthy."
"I agree. It makes me wonder if it was truly a decent country."
"Uh... please, calm down. Let me explain..."
With even my father chiming in with a worried voice, I had no choice but to explain frantically.
First, I explained the game I was playing and the computer itself. Just then, the game started, and the sound of mouse clicks filled the air.
"That fucking badger. Get ready to get your head caved in."
Stop swearing, past me. I really had a foul mouth back then.
I suppressed the urge to smack the back of my past self's head and continued the explanation.
"It's like... you know board games, right? Like Chess or the Baduk I taught you. The framework of a 'game' is the same. But this is a video game that my friends and I are playing."
"A video game?"
"Yes. It's like..."
Since it was such an alien concept to them, it took a long time just to explain. This was a world without coding, let alone computers.
Still, thanks to the recent invention of 'films,' I didn't have to spoon-feed them every single detail from scratch.
I just had to spoon-feed them about ninety percent of it.
"So you're saying you have to secure victory in battle using limited actions and rules? Like other games?"
"Exactly. There are many other games besides this one, but there are too many to explain individually."
"It seems interesting, yet also frustrating..."
Reactions to the gameplay itself were mixed.
On the positive side: in a world with few forms of entertainment, video games were practically revolutionary.
The idea of directly experiencing a world that could only exist in one's imagination was naturally exciting.
However, that advantage also led to the negative side. If the world-building wasn't interesting, people wouldn't care at all.
Furthermore, even if the world was intriguing, the actual product could be disappointing.
And above all...
"Aaaagh! What is our jungler doing?! If you're gonna play an RPG, go play MapleStory, for fuck's sake!"
"Ugh. This game is so unbalanced."
"This tin can is fucking useless."
Watching that spectacle was enough to kill any desire to play. I looked away as the high school trio unleashed a fresh barrage of curses.
I wanted to skip the scene, but since the cat was already out of the bag, I decided to just lay my past bare.
It was stressful, sure, but it was undoubtedly a happy memory.
For the record, those two guys I was playing with were the ones I kept meeting even after finishing my military service.
I wondered what they were doing now. I wondered if they had come to my funeral.
They were friends I could never see again.
"I-I think it looks fun, though? You're using your full imagination to create a world yourself."
"I agree. Even if it's a limited world, being able to experience it is incredible, isn't it?"
In the awkward atmosphere created by the swearing, Cecile was the first to speak. Arwen followed, nodding in agreement.
While opinions on playing the games were split, most were fascinated by the concept of game creation.
Since both of them were involved in producing films based on Xenon's Life, it was only natural they’d be interested.
"How many people in your world can create a new world like that?"
"Too many to count. There are countless companies—organizations—that make games."
"Amazing. I think I understand now how you were able to write Xenon's Life."
Also, as Mari noted, it served as a reminder that I was a perfectly 'ordinary person.' At least by Earth's standards.
"I knew there was a difference in development just by looking, but... the more I see, the more surprising it is. From firing meteors from a distance to simple entertainment. Everything is so much more advanced compared to the world we live in."
"I agree. The fact that even commoners can enjoy this kind of entertainment means that both science and culture have developed immensely."
"It makes me even more curious about what kind of world it is."
From the perspective of my family and lovers, Earth must have seemed like a 'New World.' A world overwhelmingly advanced in every field.
In reality, excluding magic, Earth was ahead in many ways: politics, ideology, science, culture, philosophy, and so on.
Since technology replaced things that required magic here, it must have felt like a distant dream.
"I knew you remembered your past life, but coming from a world like that explains why you were never fond of authority."
"But it doesn't seem like a very healthy place. Seeing how Isaac swears so casually..."
"Ahem. Moving on."
I had to move past my dark history as quickly as possible. I cleared my throat and quietly closed my eyes.
'Games' weren't limited to video games. Sports were also included.
In fact, sports could be called the essence of culture. While modern sports often started in Britain, their origins traced back to Ancient Greece.
There were things similar to sports in this world, too. But they were limited to hunting, jousting, or gladiatorial combat.
The Animus were trying to create something like the Olympics, but it hadn't been properly standardized yet.
And if there was one sport that reigned supreme on Earth, it was this.
"Shoot! Ah... wait? Whoa?!"
"It's in!! South Korea! They've scored against Germany, the strongest in the world!"
The ball game that boasted the highest popularity worldwide: Soccer.
South Korean soccer had enjoyed immense popularity alongside baseball ever since the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup.
Though it fell into a long dark age afterward, it underwent constant reform after sinking Germany in the 2018 Russia World Cup.
"Woooooah!! Goooooal!!"
"They've brought down Germany! They've brought down Germany! The defending champions, Germany, will no longer be seen in this World Cup!!"
The commentators shouted with cracking voices. As everyone knows, it was South Korea's second goal, scored at the very end of the match.
Soon, the whistle blew, and the match ended. Though they didn't advance to the Round of 16, it was a moment where South Korea left a massive mark on soccer history.
I had watched that scene vividly on live TV. Perhaps because of that, instead of showing me watching the television, the memory replayed the entire match.
I kept the explanation brief, but I showed them the game from start to finish to help them understand the rules of soccer.
"......Do they fight wars with a ball over there?"
"Pfft."
Perhaps because she was an Animus, a race planning to host Olympic-style games, Leona asked me in a quiet, disbelieving voice.
I understood how she felt, but it was so funny I couldn't help but laugh.
Actually, a war had once broken out because of soccer, so she wasn't entirely wrong.
Especially in Europe, where people lived and died for soccer, trouble broke out over the sport all the time.
"No, it's not like that. It might look a bit aggressive, but it's just a sport—a game. It's the most popular sport in our world."
"Is it a battle between countries? I think I hear your country's name."
"Yes. And Germany, the country we were playing against, was renowned as the strongest in the world. They were the previous World Cup winners."
Soccer has simple rules, but paradoxically, it's influenced by many factors.
From the basic condition of the players to the referee's tendencies, the atmosphere of the crowd, and more.
There are so many variables that the saying 'the ball is round' exists for a reason. It means 'miracles' happen.
"The World Cup... that was mentioned in Blood and Iron, wasn't it? The tournament held every four years?"
"Huh? Come to think of it, Germany? That's Hitler's country, the one that started the war in Blood and Iron. But the flag looks completely different now?"
"Oh? You're right."
"Did Hitler lose? Did the Soviet Union win?"
Hearing those words, I realized my mistake. To them, Germany was 'Nazi Germany.'
Since I might accidentally drop a spoiler, I spoke up quickly.
"Decades had passed since the war ended by then. It's practically a different country."
"Does that mean it was destroyed?"
"It wasn't destroyed. Anyway, that's not what's important right now, is it?"
My efforts to avoid spoilers seemed to work, as everyone nodded and moved on.
"The World Cup is a world-class tournament held every four years, like the Olympics. Most countries in the world participate."
"So they select representatives from each country and send them to compete?"
"You can think of it as a match where they stake their national honor. No wonder they're running like their lives depend on it."
"It looks fun. Do you have any intention of introducing it to this world?"
At Arwen's suggestion, I made an uncertain face. I wanted to introduce sports, including soccer.
However, because of the physical differences between races, there was a high probability it would become a 'league of their own.'
Just look at the Dwarves. No matter how round the ball is, most Dwarves don't exceed 160cm in height.
Of course, their short stature could allow for unpredictable dribbling—Messi and Maradona are examples of that.
But their basic physical specs were too lacking, and it would be far too advantageous for the Beastkin.
"Well... I don't mind introducing it. It's just that the physical specs vary so much between races."
"We'll figure that part out. Can't you just teach us? It looks so much fun."
Surprisingly, Leona, a Beastkin, showed great interest. Her eyes were sparkling, and even her tail was wagging.
She looked like she was saying, 'Give it to me now or I'll bite you!' with her whole body.
I was a bit taken aback, but combining soccer and Beastkin seemed strangely fitting.
"Uh... I'll consider it. I can't just introduce it blindly."
"Is that a promise?"
"Wait. I was the one who asked first, so why are you accepting her request?"
Arwen and Leona bickered for a moment, but it passed without incident. Arwen probably realized that Beastkin would have an advantage in sports.
But regardless of advantages, sports are full of variables. Didn't the defending champion, Germany, just get sunk by South Korea?
There are no eternal champions; while Beastkin might dominate, the unpredictability is what would make it popular.
"Let's leave sports at that for now. Next, I'll show you my school days. First..."
I should start with high school. I slowly closed my eyes and recalled my high school years.
Even though I stayed for night self-study until after 10 PM, I didn't study at all back then. It was boring.
After reincarnating, I studied hard out of pure curiosity about being born in a fantasy world.
After those thoughts, I slowly opened my eyes, and the memories of the past began to play.
A rectangular room. Desks and chairs arranged within that space.
Outside, the sun had set and it was pitch black, yet students were still in their seats.
And then...
"Hey. He's gone. Now's the time."
"I'll go down first, then you toss me the bags, okay?"
"Got it, just go already."
The scene of my friends and me trying to sneak out of night self-study through the window unfolded.
"..."
"..."
No one spoke immediately. Everyone seemed to be trying to grasp the situation.
As my friends and I attempted our 'escape' through the window, my father asked me tentatively.
"......Were you a prisoner?"
Please don't turn your innocent son into a criminal.