Brand New Life Online: Rise Of The Goddess Of Harvest

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Entertainment, Balance, Gameplay, and Story.

The four basic requirements for a videogame.

And even as Arcadia is actually a real world, these are still necessary.

Why? Because the world itself seems to be maintained by the power of the System, which has transformed it all into a videogame-like world.

From what I've learned from that dungeon, it appears the past had no such game-like powers. People seemed to cultivate Mana and Ki into their bodies, and they mostly used martial arts and spells.

They had no levels at all either! No Skills, and no items. There were things called Relics, which was the closest to equipment, but they worked using divine power.

However, this world was much different than what it is now. Events, Quests, Items, Skills, Levels, Players, everything in between, such things did not exist.

Therefore, when the System appeared, somehow took over everything, and reconstructed it all back from what was left, these four Administrators were created.

I don't know if they're real people, or if they're beings beyond humans or players, but I know something. Their presences alone seemed to be linked with the most basic and profound aspects of the System.

I don't know how everything truly went, but I am fairly sure the System was what "revived" Arcadia after its destruction by the hands of the Demon King of the End in the original timeline.

But where did the System come from?

That is… Something I can't even guess.

"We've called you here for a reason." The Archivist spoke. "And I believe you must have already guessed for what reason it was."

"I…"

"You want to use the privilege we've granted you as a reward for fixing that error to do something unthinkable, right? Right? Heheh!" Entertainment laughed childishly. "That's so fun! Can't we let her do it?"

"That doesn't feel balanced at all. In fact, I've been eyeing you for a long while, Player Planta. You've been granted already many privileges and an unbalanced power and build because you are one of the holders of the Forbidden Knowledge," Balance talked with the voice of a sharp and intelligent young man. "You've been serving the System well, keeping your own world safe from the threats of Arcadia.

That, we recognize you for. However, what you want is too much."

"Think about the gameplay! Wouldn't it be disastrous for the other Players if they suddenly can't no longer access the special Dungeon we prepared?" sighed Gameplay. "Though… You do have the privilege."

"We've already taken into consideration any crazy thing you might try, and we offered you the Privilege, nonetheless. Because we know how you are, and we know we can trust your common sense," the Archivist said, also known as Story. "But what you're asking is different here. You're requesting us to grant you access to the privilege beforehand, for a reason we didn't expect you to take."

"This, by itself, is a very big problem." Balance spoke, readjusting his glasses.

"B-But this is my reward, and I may choose to use it however I want, right?" I asked them. "That error… I fixed it for you guys! Something that could have escalated into something EVEN worse! You shouldn't limit when I can use what you've given to me. I think this would be a rule of the system, right?

I have the right over my own things; therefore, it would be against the rules if you want to take that right away…"

"Hmph! You dare speak in such a tone?" Balance got furious. "Let me tell you that such an error was provoked by the NPC you brought along to begin with! You should have never let that mentally unstable girl inside your Dungeon!"

"You're talking about Brisingra?!" I asked. "YOU should be the one to watch your tone! I've been solving all of YOUR problems back on Earth as well! Without me… How much destruction would your little "game" could have already caused?"

"Tsk, that's that, and this is this, two different subjects!" Balance tried to argue against me. "And you're merely a Player at the end of the day. Respect the Administrators, or we will TERMINATE your account!"

"Enough." The Archivist spoke, Balance quickly went silent. "Balance, I understand your concern, and your frustration with Planta's unbalanced strength. But you must also understand that, beyond gameplay, we are dealing with a real world here, with people and their lives. We are trying to figure out how this mess of a world can be saved over time.

And the strength she was given was to fight the threats that sometimes, go beyond what we calculate."

"So you're saying that we should let her do whatever she wants? That Divine Dungeon is too precious and powerful to given to a Player! She's already a World Boss, how many privileges do you plan to give to her?" Balance argued.

"Well, she was the only one capable of entering the Divine Dungeon to begin with, and she acquired it through her connection with the Inheritance of Hephaestus." Spoke the Archivist. "The story does not lie! It has been weaved by me after all. Balance is good, but too much will always make a story feel too restrictive."

"This is why I sometimes believe you never take into consideration the Balance of the gameplay." Sighed Balance. "And-"

"Ahem!" I quickly interrumpted their rant. "Can you two please stop ranting? I have come here to ask for your help, not to watch you argue… Am I giving you that much work?"

"Yes, you are!" All four of them said at the same time.

"A-Ah…" I sighed. "I'm sorry…" I lowered my head.

I realized I got too cocky because I was still affected by the sadness I felt, but that was wrong. I had to be more respectful with these Administrators, they're probably constantly working for everything to work properly.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

All four of them remained in silence after I apologized.

Wow, did that work?

"I suppose… Well, apologies accepted," sighed Balance. "Don't lower your head now, Planta."

"It's fine!" Entertainment giggled. "Thank you for all your help so far though!"

"Truly, you've helped a lot… Yes, we had to admit that at least," nodded Gameplay.

"I agree. Thank to you, the story I've weaved is slowly becoming even better," the Archivist said.

"Ah, I'm glad we can get along…" I sighed in relief. "S-So?"

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