That day, for the first time since Rise Online was released, thousands and thousands of people gathered in the same place. However, this wasn't a scheduled event or a natural event for the game, it was just something that the fame of Kaizen and Bloody Lily made possible.
Gathering so many players for a demon war should be an arduous challenge, even more so because of the uncertainty, but they managed to do it and almost without realizing it.
Since what happened to Mibothen was widely publicized, everyone wanted to help solve this problem, everyone wanted answers and it was Kaizen and Bloody Lily's group that got the answers everyone needed, now all that was left was a way for everything to return to normal and if a war against evil was necessary, people wouldn't hesitate to play the hero.
However, although the Bloody Lily is more than impressive and happy with the numbers of its allies, other people are annoyed that this is not in the plans or expectations of Hónghé Holdings.
Inside the modern offices of Hónghé Holdings in Los Angeles, Charles Richards, the general developer of Rise Online, was engrossed in his work, surrounded by computer screens and other prototypes of virtual reality devices. He was immersed in codes and algorithms, trying to understand the complexities involved in creating yet another device even more modern than the capsules they had just launched.
While he was meticulously soldering a plate, the sound of something in front of his door snapped him out of his thoughts.
*Pii!
Charles looked back and saw through a screen on the side of the door that it was Hollie Rees, so he executed the voice command:
"Come in." said Charles, adjusting his posture and his gaze to see Hollie Rees, his secretary, rush into the room.
Hollie was clearly agitated, her face reflecting a mixture of excitement and concern. She hurried towards Charles' desk, holding a tablet in her trembling hands.
"Charles, you won't believe what's happening now." Hollie said, trying to contain her worried voice.
Intrigued, Charles frowned and asked: "What's going on, Hollie? Why do you seem so agitated?"
Hollie took a deep breath before answering, trying to catch her breath. "Thousands and thousands of players have gathered in the same place. It's a massive gathering of players, all uniting against the forces of the Eye of Hermodr in Mibothen! They are following in the footsteps of the Bloody Lily. But, Charles, that wasn't in the plans, was it?! We had no idea this would happen!" explained Hollie, with a mixture of concern and fascination in her voice.
Charles' eyes widened and then his eyes became calmer, at the same time as a closed smile appeared on his face.
"What? Why are you smiling?" Hollie Rees asked.
Then Charles approached his desk and turned on one of his screens, showing the scenery around Mibothen covered in players from different perspectives. There were hundreds of people broadcasting what was happening live, as well as the developers' own monitoring cameras.
"If that's the big problem, I'm already aware of it."
Hollie, with a frown, tried to understand the situation. "But, Charles, if this wasn't in the plans, why are you so calm? It's not a minimal change created by Odin, it's a change so big that it could decree the end of a world, in other words, the closure of a server."
Charles walked over to the large window that offered a panoramic view of Los Angeles. He stood there for a moment, observing the city that stretched out before him, before turning to Hollie.
"This wasn't in our plans, but it's not something we could ever have predicted. However, why should we do anything about it? This freedom to be able to do almost anything is what makes Rise Online and the communities created within it so incredible. They have a life of their own, an ability to adapt and evolve that transcends our preconceptions."
Hollie still looked uneasy. "But, Charles, what if something goes wrong? A server could be shut down and Hónghé Holdings' reputation could be damaged."
Charles approached Hollie and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Hollie, understand that what's happening now is something incredible. The players are coming together in a show of solidarity and courage. It's as if they're writing their own history, and this could be an opportunity for Rise Online to grow and evolve in ways we never imagined. The trust that players have in us is precious and the freedom that only we can provide will engulf the gamer community no matter what happens."
Hollie began to relax a little, seeing the passion and conviction in Charles' eyes. "But, Charles, what do you suggest we do? How should we react to this unexpected situation?"
Charles smiled again and took the tablet from Hollie's hands, turning it to show one of the live streams. "We could follow what's going on closely, try to understand the dynamics, the players' strategies and how they're organizing themselves, both on the enemy side and on the allies' side. But that's all very boring, so why don't we just watch and do nothing?"
"Wait a second, what?" Hollie was confused. "Your suggestion is that we do nothing, not even analysis?"
"Exactly. Why should we analyze something that is purely behavioral? All that's left is to have fun watching it unfold, and as far as I'm concerned the worst has already been avoided." Charles said, looking at his computer screen.
Hollie's eyes naturally went to his screen too, which showed a person walking, a man in black armor, with straight black hair and broad shoulders. This was none other than Kaizen, walking through the streets of the Royal City of Mibothen.
"This is Kaizen, what is he doing? When did he leave the capitol? How did he do it?" asked Hollie in surprise.
…
Edited by: DrHitsuji
If you want to see original illustrations of Rise Online characters, consider helping me on pa treon: /NandoFalske
More character images in:
https://discord.gg/bpqq9u4gS8
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