MMORPG: Rebirth as an Alchemist Chapter 3

Inside a high-end mall's restaurant, Ren and Roni sat down for dinner. Ren had no desire to join, yet hunger gnawed at him, and Roni refused to budge from his doorstep without him tagging along for the meal, so he relented.

Ren preferred grabbing food at his go-to kebab spot by Fate Academy—a humble street-side stall boasting the nation's finest hot pot.

Roni loved this upscale mall, a prime spot for chilling with his wealthy buddies down the line.

The cuisine here didn't appeal to Ren. Sure, it tasted great, but the steep prices hid behind pretentious, fancy labels. It was merely an ordinary burger, dished up on vibrant plates with exotic spices available at any standard eatery.

Man, I can’t believe you got into Fate Academy too! The moment my mom told me you were at Raven’s dorm, I knew I had to come find you! It’s gotta be destiny—since I’m crashing there as well!

Mm . . . Ren chewed on his burger to dodge chit-chat.

While Roni chattered away, Ren pulled up the guy's details from his recollections. Roni had arrived in Zone A ahead of him and landed in a different class.

The pair were mere neighbors sharing humble roots. They’d never been tight. Roni’s mom loved boasting about her prodigy son to neighbors and Ren’s mother, claiming he was a genius bound for a Zone A Academy.

Truth be told, his aunt and uncles’ support made college in Zone A possible for him.

Yet Roni despised his working-class kin and spun tales about his background to classmates.

During the massive construction upheaval, both families got displaced. Roni and his folks were fine, sheltered by relatives.

Ren’s parents, however . . . fortune didn’t smile on them.

No kin stepped up to house another hungry soul.

Worse still, Ren’s striking features— inherited from his mixed-heritage mother—drew girls’ attention, sparking envy from Roni and other guys.

Perhaps from that jealousy, or a prank gone wrong, Roni fueled gossip that Ren’s parents dwelled in the slums. After that, folks dubbed Ren a rat, and girls shunned him.

Looks meant nothing without cash and clout.

Ren ignored Roni and the rest back then, even erasing Roni from memory over the years. Still, the slum rumor crushed him when it rang true about his parents.

Not this time, though . . .

Ren eyed Roni. He’d ensure payback came with hefty interest.

Those rumors turned Ren’s school days into pure torment. Nobody wanted links to him; all scorned the poor kid.

Sorry you had to cover it, man. Roni dabbed sauce from his mouth and flashed a grin. I got too pumped seeing a familiar face here and left my wallet back in the room. I swear I’ll repay you.

Oh, you definitely will, Ren thought inwardly. No sweat.

Oh yeah, there’s this hot new game dropping. They say it’s full VR, like you’re actually living as a character in that world!

Covenant, Ren said flatly, shutting down further talk. His contempt for Roni was obvious, but the dude missed every cue.

Ren couldn’t fault him for it. Roni’s skin was thicker than armor.

Exactly! Man, I’m dying to dive in.

Roni beat Ren into the game. Despite being broke, his bootlicking and parasite tactics won over rich classmates till one handed him a used pod.

Ren, meanwhile, couldn’t scrape together enough for one back then—not even post-graduation. He joined a guild just to borrow one.

Man . . . rich kids have it so damn easy. Envy dripped from Roni as he ogled teens strutting in designer gear and top gadgets.

If I were loaded, I’d snag a mansion and fill it with gorgeous maids! Roni cackled, then glanced at Ren. Your turn—what’s your dream?

Ren paused briefly. He loathed feeding Roni’s ego, but thoughts of his parents lingered. I’d just give my folks the life they deserve.

Roni’s face fell. You’re such a devoted son.

Then he slouched back, lips pursed in a spit. Like, what use are my parents? They couldn’t provide jack, yet popped out kids nonstop. You have no idea the horde of bratty siblings I endured. Good riddance to that nightmare.

Ren stayed silent. As an only child, his mom’s miscarriage had claimed his unborn sister. The tragedy wrecked her health; no more pregnancies followed.

Hey, check her out! That babe’s a stunner. Roni’s eyes gleamed at a stunning girl—long blonde locks, piercing blue eyes, and a killer figure.

She wore the most luxurious designer gown, accentuating her full bosom and sleek, snow-white legs. The newest Bijoux jewels—the priciest brand worldwide—graced her skin. For the wealthy elite, possessing a full set was mandatory; lacking one meant exclusion from their exclusive world.

Her purse and boots, fashioned from the costliest leather, were bespoke creations. Flanking her were bodyguards in sharp suits and ties, their arms laden with countless shopping bags.

Ren felt a jolt of surprise—it was Silvia, offspring of a major tycoon in the nation. She led the Golden Phoenix guild and ranked as a top beauty within the game. Despite her guild's middling prowess, her family's fortune granted access to scarce items, scrolls, and hidden intel, elevating her crew to COVENANT's upper echelons.

Roni let out a disappointed sigh. “Fellas like us can only stare at those wealthy, gorgeous women from a distance. They’d never spare us a glance.”

That rang true. Throughout his previous life, Ren had never encountered Silvia, even though they shared the same school! Ironic that he finally beheld her in the flesh now, albeit from afar.

All gazes fixed upon her, and in reality as well, Silvia commanded attention merely by standing there and breathing.

Back then, countless elite players and even heads of premier guilds pursued her fervently. Yet Silvia brushed them all aside with cool detachment. She merely leveraged them to fortify her guild's standing even more.

Far from mocking her, Ren truly respected her. She harnessed every resource at her command to ascend the ranks. Her fierce competitiveness and relentless drive ensured Golden Phoenix's unyielding status, despite being an all-female guild.

Ren sipped his coffee. He’d harbored a few crushes before, but with school and work consuming his days, there was never space to welcome a woman into his world.

There had been one exception, though Ren never viewed her as a girlfriend since she’d exploited him solely for intel—and that betrayal got him ousted from his inaugural guild.

Ren sighed deeply. Why had his past life been such a tragedy? Why had he allowed himself to be encircled by such self-serving opportunists?

Ren couldn’t pinpoint the reason. Perhaps his naivety stemmed from a friendless existence shaped by his grueling routine?

A spark of fierce resolve ignited in Ren’s eyes. This time around, he’d choose whom to trust with utmost caution. Foreknowledge of true natures—both in-game and in reality—meant he’d face no pitfalls in that arena anymore.