NOVEL FROG Chapter 10: Welcome to the Sanctum of Interdimensional Magi
Guided by the fairy, the five players exited the spire-like tower and faced the outside world. Although a thousand questions piled up, none of the players were willing to intrude on the game’s opening cutscene.
Be that as it might, Alfred surveyed the landscape to its last detail. He stood in a clearing surrounded by a forest and containing a marble structure situated about one hundred meters away from him. Everything was meticulously crafted — the vibrant colors of the land, the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze. The scent of fresh grass and the warmth of the sun on his skin felt surprisingly real. He could hardly believe he was inside a virtual world.
The immersive sound design enveloped him, with the chirping of birds, the soft gurgling of a nearby stream, and the distant echo of unknown creatures adding to the realism. As he took his first steps, the ground beneath him felt solid and steady, as if he were walking in a vast, unexplored wilderness.
Prominence, standing beside him, awed at the sights. “This... I thought the tower we were in was pretty immersive, but the outside world feels endless!”
One of the players even scooped up a handful of dirt and placed some in his mouth before instantly spitting it out. “Shit! The dirt tastes like dirt!”
“What are you, stupid? Of course, it does!”
“Mhm.” Even Alfred, whose praise was hard to come by, complimented, “The team behind this game must have worked themselves to the bone to make this a reality… And with such a vast and dynamic landscape, they must be running an ultra-powerful server to keep up with the constant changes.”
“Still, I wonder who’s the headmaster…”
The players were chattering among themselves, totally awestruck by the perfect realism of this virtual world. Never in their wildest dreams did they imagine they would experience a game that was this lifelike in their lifetime.
“Miss Fairy, what language are you speaking?” Storm suddenly inquired.
The hologram fairy, who had been silent while observing the players’ antics, finally spoke up. “I am speaking in the most common language of this world — the Seraphian language. Your incubation process before becoming an acolyte has allowed you the ability to understand and speak in the same language.”
“Ooh!” Rather than English, Storm now spoke in Seraphian. “No way! I can actually speak the language! The game’s setting is really one of a kind! But how is this even technologically possible?”
“Hang on, let me test it. One, two, three… I am so handsome! Where are the ladies, your daddy is here!” Mike shouted, striking a suave pose and winking playfully at the other players.
Prominence burst into laughter, teasing him, “You just wanted an excuse to say that, didn’t you? Well, I must say, your Seraphian pick-up lines need some work.”
SuperNova nodded. “How strange. This new language is a tad similar to English… Maybe I’ll try speaking English with a Seraphian accent.” He scratched his head in amusement and attempted his best imitation of a Seraphian accent while speaking English: “Arrr, matey! I be sailin’ the seven seas, searchin’ fer treasure and adventure!”
The others burst into laughter at his pirate-themed antics, applauding his effort. Storm even joined in on the fun. “Ahoy there, Captain SuperNova! Ye be a fine sailor, indeed!”
As the players continued playfully experimenting with their newfound language skills, they eventually arrived at the only other building in sight. The hologram fairy gracefully guided them inside, leading them through a well-maintained fantasy-esque interior and toward the topmost floor. She eventually stopped them in front of a room with a sign that read “Headmaster’s Office.”
“The headmaster is inside,” the hologram fairy informed, then vanishing into thin air as if she was never there.
With curiosity and a hint of apprehension, the players approached the magnificent double doors. To their amazement, it swung open on its own, not through any mechanical contraption, but seemingly by supernatural means.
“M-Magic!”
Collectively taking a deep breath, they cautiously stepped into the room, where they laid eyes on a young man with light blue hair standing tall before a large window, gazing pensively outside.
“That’s the headmaster?” Prominence looked at him in awe.
“It looks like a real person!” Mike exclaimed.
“He’s remarkably young! Even younger than me in real life!” SuperNova scratched his head.
“I thought the headmaster would be an old mage with a long white beard or something…” Alfred commented. “But I guess this fits the setting, considering it’s still in the closed-alpha stage?”
In the presence of this enigmatic young headmaster, the players couldn’t help but feel a mix of wonder, excitement, and a tinge of nervousness. Even as the unofficial leader among them, Alfred was a bit taken aback.
Out of the blue, a powerful gust of wind swept through the room from the headmaster’s direction, ruffling the players’ hair and slamming the door shut behind them. Wh-What’s happening?!
“So, you are here.” The headmaster turned around, revealing a handsome face that appeared hardly older than their own virtual bodies. “I am the headmaster of this academy, titled Astralium. I have been eagerly awaiting your arrival, new acolytes.”
The players were taken aback by the headmaster’s air of authority and the enigmatic power he seemed to possess. Despite his youthful appearance, a profound sense of wisdom and experience emanated from him.
“Welcome to the Sanctum of Interdimensional Magi.”
***
One day had passed since Victor pulled the gacha, and now the moment had finally arrived — the players would log in soon. The appointed time was just around the corner, so he was getting ready to receive them.
“Welcome, new acolytes… I am an NPC— No, NPCs won’t be calling themselves NPCs… Let me try again.”
While saying this in the mirror, Victor took a deep breath, adjusting his vibrant azure robe, which shimmered in the sunlight. He tried to make himself look majestic, experimenting with different postures and expressions.
“Welcome to the academy, young apprentices. I am your headmaster… Victor? Argh! This isn’t good enough!” Victor clawed at his head as he faced the mirror.
Undeterred, he practiced again, but no matter how he tried, nothing felt quite right. Despite being reborn into a prestigious Magus family, his upbringing never covered the art of becoming a proper headmaster NPC. As for his past life as a programmer, there was much less to say...
Due to his persistence, Lizbeth couldn’t help but raise an amused eyebrow and make a sarcastic remark. “Master, are you sure you’re not turning into a broken record? You’ve been at it for hours!”
Hearing that, Victor’s expression stiffened and he coughed. “I’ll have you know, my dear assistant, I already have a script in mind. This is just... um... thorough preparation. Yes, that’s it! I am merely practicing to ensure I’m not nervous when meeting them.”
Lizbeth couldn’t hold back a chuckle. “So thorough preparation is how you call it? Well, I hope it pays off when you finally meet them.”
“Oh, it will. I’ll dazzle them with my presence and my perfectly rehearsed lines. Of course, I’ll need your help as well to make that possible, Liz,” Victor replied, simulating the whole scenario inside his mind. “Now, let me practice once more...”
Just as Victor was about to continue with his practice and ponder what kind of posture he should assume, a melodious “ding” resounded in his mind. In an instant, three lines of text materialized before him:
[Mission Accomplished!]
[Congratulations on passing the mission. You have done well in ensuring the first batch of players successfully log in to the game.]
[The reward (Interspatial ring (1 m3)) has been issued.]
They are here! His heart raced; anticipation filling his entire being.
Victor had spent a whole day honing his acting skills, practicing to embody the essence of a wise and charismatic NPC, much like the headmasters of his former academy. Obviously, he couldn’t deny that being a young headmaster might seem unconvincing among Magi because most of them were old — hundreds of years old at the very least. But against clueless players, his act would be more than enough to fool them.
Victor realized something useful as he spent the day cooped up in the academy. Using the Master Shadowlink Mark, he was able to project a holographic screen that could see everything within the academy’s vicinity, up to about a few hundred-meter radius around the Headmaster’s Building. And thus, he used it to spy on the players as they emerged.
Just like he had anticipated, the players were overwhelmed by the immersive reality of this world. Well, for Victor, it was a world just like Earth — there was no difference except it being much, much larger and magical.
What happened next was pretty much in line with what he and Lizbeth had planned. Realizing that the players might require some time to adjust to their new reality, Victor decided it would be best not to appear there as the headmaster right away. Instead, he instructed the fairy to guide them here by projecting a hologram of herself through the Shadowlink Mark of one of the players, allowing for a smoother introduction.
In the meantime, Victor busied himself with his own preparations for the grand entrance. He wanted to make a lasting impression and project his authority as the headmaster of the academy. There couldn't be any room for mistakes or uncertainties. Luckily, there was a large window facing the south, precisely at the Nexus Tower.
Throughout the night, he pondered and brainstormed for the perfect name for his academy. It had to be something captivating but fitting, a name that would embody the academy’s uniqueness and leave a strong impression on the players. After all, he couldn't just use a random name or even a placeholder for his academy’s name, could he?
Academy Name: Sanctum of Interdimensional Magi
Headmaster: Victor Asteriscus
Academy Points: 100
Academy Grade: Level 1
Total Acolytes: 5/100
Progression Value: 0/100
Victor stared at the name he’d chosen on the Academy Status page as a confident smile graced his lips. For those who lived in this world, the name sounded like a powerful force that spanned across numerous worlds and planes. Yet, for the players, it would invoke the idea of them being the interdimensional Magi. Technically, this term wasn’t wrong.
“They are outside,” Lizbeth promptly informed, quickly retreating to remain unseen.
“Oh?” With a final deep breath, Victor steadied himself. With a quick gesture, he conjured simple magic to open the double doors that separated him from the players.
As the doors swung open, Victor saw the players standing beyond the threshold, looking perplexed and startled, softly whispering among themselves. Without losing the momentum, Victor launched into his well-rehearsed introduction, the fruit of his thorough preparation, and welcomed them to the Sanctum of Interdimensional Magi, executing the moves that he’d been practicing perfectly.