[Text] Next Level

[TristanLuigi]

Ding-dong. That was the doorbell ringing, probably the postman. You recently ordered a mysterious game off Amazon called "Next Level." The rules stated that the player has to make it through 100 floors of a dungeon, and whoever makes it through all 100 first wins "the grand prize." It was $20 and the pictures were very odd. It had no ratings at all, even though it got a lot of sales. You head outside and take the package. What you find inside is nothing like you expected. There are only two items in the box: a slip of paper, and what looks like a glass octohedral crystal. You read the slip of paper:

          Thank you for buying Next Level.
          This is a highly dangerous game, and must played with great caution. The goal
          of the game is the beat all 100 floors of the massive dungeon before all the
          other players. The prize for winning is a whopping $1,000,000 in real money,
          but your penalty for losing... is death. You die when you run out of HP, or health
          points. You lost some when you are hurt, and can regain them using healing items
          or various other methods. You can use special abilities with MP, or magic points,
          which are restored over time. If you kill enemies, you can earn XP, or experience,
          that ultimately can level you up and make you stronger. Your karma level will
          change as you preform kind or evil actions, which raise or lower your karma,
          respectively. Players with excessively low karma may be sent to jail or even put
          to death, and killing other players without a strong reason will make your karma
          plummet very quickly. You also have an inventory and equip system that are fairly
          straight forward and won't prove a challenge. Keep in mind that this game uses
          your real person as your character. Effects and damage may extend to the
          real world. If you are prepared for this, sign below and crush the attached crystal.
          Signature: ___________________________
          The crystal for the first floor will not activate until you sign.

You read the paper carefully before signing. To your surprise, the crystal begins to glow a bright dodger blue with a dark, rotating, digital-looking 01 in the center. You precede to crush the crystal to bits, and you feel a surge of power flowing through your body, as well as the feeling of being encased in cold glass. In a second or so, though, you find yourself in the middle of a town, with rolling plains after the outskirts, and off in the distance, a looming tower. What do you do?
Yes, this is inspired by Sword Art Online. It will not be the exact same thing.

[Ad Bot]

[Ben Watts]

I see what kind of buildings there are and what is in my pockets. "Might me useful to know some things. . .

[childofdarkness016]

Open up the status menu! We need to see our stats, pronto.

[Conan]

this is interesting, to say the least.

reminds me of a creepypasta i read of a game that caused almost anyone who played it to go insane because they would become so obsessed with beating it or something, as the game would learn from its players.
wait, is it an SCP?


Explore contents.

[TristanLuigi]

I see what kind of buildings there are and what is in my pockets. "Might me useful to know some things. . .

You check your pockets and see everything you had in them at home.
Which happens to be nothing. The buildings are generic RPG stuff. A few shops for mages, archers, and warriors, as well as generic ones, inns, etc.

Open up the status menu! We need to see our stats, pronto.

100/100 HP, 50/50 MP, 0 XP, Level 0, 0 Karma.
You notice your inventory, which is completely empty except for the slip of paper you had before you came here. You also notice your money count, at 100¤ (Tell me if you want that symbol changed.) You could probably buy some basic equipment with that.

[Ben Watts]

See if I can find some work for gold coins, so I can buy weapons and actually live. (If not, check towns board for BOUNTIES!

[Legodude77]

Guys the reason why it has no reviews is because all the people who bought it died from the game!! But don't tell anyone I said that.

[TristanLuigi]

See if I can find some work for gold coins, so I can buy weapons and actually live. (If not, check towns board for BOUNTIES!

Work is mostly done by NPC's, but you can earn money through quests. You already have 100¤ (coins) which will probably get you some very low-tier equipment. You look at the prices in the shops, and you come up with this:
(Top, mid, and bot refer to armor location)
Stone Sword: 10¤
Flimsy Bow: 10¤
Weak Wand: 10¤
Iron Sword: 30¤
Standard Bow: 30¤
Basic Wand: 30¤
Leather Hood (MP boost, top): 20¤
Woolen Robes (Magic defense boost, mid): 20¤
Mundane Cloak (Magic attack boost, bot): 20¤
Everyday Helmet (HP boost, top): 20¤
Chainmail Armor (Physical defense boost, mid): 20¤
Mesh Greaves (Physical attack boost, bot): 20¤
Ranger's Hat (Accuracy boost, top): 20¤
Hunter's Coat (Evade boost, mid): 20¤
Jeans (Speed boost, bot): 20¤
Health Potion: 10¤
Magic Potion: 10¤
Bomb: 20¤

Buy away.

[childofdarkness016]

Buy the following:

Iron Sword
Weak Wand
Everyday Helmet
Hunter's Coat
Mesh Greaves

We have to do a stuff ton of quests so we can get health and magic potions.

And maybe a bow.

[Ben Watts]

I buy a Stone sword and Chainmail Armor, having 70 coins left to spend! I decide to look at those DEAR LORDEH- Bounties!

[TristanLuigi]

Buy the following:

Iron Sword
Weak Wand
Everyday Helmet
Hunter's Coat
Mesh Greaves

We can grind later for more ¤, right? If not, then it's better we don't be so extravagant.

You buy this, now out of money. Also, would you guys rather use ¤, the international currency symbol, or G, for gold?

[Ben Watts]

You buy this, now out of money. Also, would you guys rather use ¤, the international currency symbol, or G, for gold?

I cannot use that symbol, so lets just use G. .-.

[TristanLuigi]

I cannot use that symbol, so lets just use G. .-.

Kay. It was getting annoying to copy-paste.

[Ben Watts]

Kay. It was getting annoying to copy-paste.

So yes, about what I bought for 30 G?

[childofdarkness016]

Equip all of the armor, plus the sword, and frolic around town like a dumbass.

Also look for any quests.