The Quest Is Simply To NTR All The Heroes

Chapter 232: The After Talk

Later that day, Kaisen decided to do something different—watch the news. He figured it was about time he tuned into what the hell was happening around here.

It's not that he cared all that much, but this was still his birthplace.

Maybe a small part of him felt a tiny twinge of responsibility to see what the world had become while he was busy getting laid and dodging death threats.

The large, frameless screen on his wall flickered to life, blasting him with images and sound. Unsurprisingly, it was all Kayden's propaganda.

The usual crap—Kayden proclaiming to cleanse the world of evil with his self-righteous spiel, like some messiah with a vendetta.

Kaisen rolled his eyes, flipping through the channels like he was searching for a decent porn flick.

One channel was Kayden, another was the Authority, branding his brother a terrorist and splashing his face all over the screen like he was the boogeyman of the century.

Disheartened by the circus of lies and chest-thumping, Kaisen kept flipping until he stumbled upon something that caught his interest: news about the game.

Apparently, the update with the exit button and messaging feature had rolled out to all the "Passengers," the buzzword these days for people using the VR headsets.

A fitting name, Kaisen mused. They really were like passengers—drifting to another world, letting a magical device carry them away while reality burned around them.

What does that even mean?It means the game world is about to be swarming with players again, like a bunch of sugar-crazed kids at a candy store.

Was that a good thing? Who knows. But one thing he did know: he was going to dive headfirst into the chaos and have a blast, come hell or high water.

After that snooze-fest of an announcement, he shot a message to his friends. Of course, they too, had landed in the Ashbourne kingdom, just like he did.

A new place, fresh territory, and no other players around yet—practically a blank canvas begging to be painted with mischief.

They started gathering intel, chatting up locals, asking about the kingdom's vibe, rumors of adventurers rolling in from far-off lands, and whatever juicy gossip they could dig up.

And, just as he suspected, this was the second area on the map.

The same kingdom the queen had warned them about—impending invasions, political turmoil, and other drama that would make even a soap opera jealous. The more he thought about it, the more things didn't quite add up.

'The cat tribe did mention some General under the king's orders, forcing them to hunt down humans and shred their traditions like yesterday's newspaper. Definitely reeks of player influence, not NPC antics.'

'But where are these players actually from? If I could figure out their origins, I could piece together the narrative they're spinning back in their own minds.'

The lore of the game world shifted depending on the player's home planet—an infuriating but undeniable truth. Kaisen had learned that the hard way.

In his version of events, Ashbourne Kingdom was the bad guy, gearing up to invade the Evershade Kingdom.

But in another player's storyline, Evershade could be the ultimate villain, a kingdom of pure evil that needed to be overthrown, with its queen cast as the monster in the shadows.

'What a hot mess,'Kaisen thought, shaking his head.

'Everyone's playing hero, and we're all each other's villain.'

He took a deep breath, contemplating his next move.

'Maybe it's time to do some digging. The players are back, which means information's about to start flowing like cheap beer at a college party. I should get some intel before the plot gets any thicker.'

Earlier, when he'd tried to dig up some dirt on the game world—hoping to snag some tips, tricks, or cheat codes—he'd come up with a big, fat nothing.

It was like the entire internet had been scrubbed clean of any mention of the game. Not a single walkthrough, not even a whisper on a shady forum.

The only info out there was the sensational headlines about players vanishing while plugged into the game.

But now, after every last one of those players got kicked out of the new paradise and tossed back into reality, Kaisen was sure the internet would be buzzing like a nest of pissed-off hornets.

People would be spilling their guts, sharing war stories, and posting screenshots like their lives depended on it.

'Perfect time to do some sleuthing. I better jump in while the info's fresh.'

Kaisen thought, a sly grin spreading across his face. He called out to his frameless TV, and in less than a blink, thousands of pages lit up before him, like he'd hit the motherlode of all loot chests.

'Damn, that's a lot of data. Jackpot!'

Kaisen whistled, rubbing his hands together as he dove into the research, ready to soak up every juicy detail.

...

Sometime later, his brother Kayden barged into his room, a frown etched deep on his face.

"So, about the sword... Where the hell have you been, anyway?"

Kaisen didn't miss a beat, spinning a tale so wild it could've been the plot of a B-grade horror flick.

"What can I say? It turns out I got dropped into the middle of a deadly enemy kingdom, bro. The village is crawling with beastkin—real nasty types, part human, part cat, all muscle and magic. They hunt humans for sport, skinning them alive just for kicks.

"I'm telling you, Kayden, I'm practically living in the shadows, dodging these maniacs. But don't sweat it. I've got a plan to slip out of there soon."

Kayden's face went as pale as a ghost, sweat beading on his forehead. His mouth hung open as he stared at Kaisen, clearly buying every word.

"Beastkin? Skinning humans alive? Brother, that sounds...horrific."

Kayden stammered, his eyes wide as dinner plates.

"Oh, it's worse than horrific, Kayden. It's like a nightmare wrapped in a horror movie served with a side of hellfire," Kaisen said, laying it on thick, his voice trembling like a cheap violin.

"In that world, the only thing that matters is power. You've got power? Congrats, you're the king. But if you don't... well, start saying your prayers because you're basically a walking meat sack."

Kaisen let out a dramatic sigh, even mustering up some fake tears for good measure. His acting was so convincing, he could've won an Oscar. Kayden looked like he was about to piss himself, too scared to question a single word.

"But don't worry, dear brother," Kaisen said, putting a hand on Kayden's shoulder for the dramatic effect.

"I'll find a way to get that sword. Even with the new update screwing things up. The kingdom's about to be flooded with players who know about the sword, and every one of them is going to want it. But I'll get it, I swear. It won't be easy, but I'll do it for us. For you."

Kayden's lip quivered as he nodded furiously.

"Y-yes, brother. I trust you. This is a tough task, but I know you can do it. And whatever you want, it's yours. Just name it."

Kaisen smirked inwardly. Oh, he knew exactly what he wanted, but he wasn't about to spill the beans just yet.

He needed to milk this moment for all it was worth, set the stage for a big reveal. He needed drama. He needed fireworks. He needed Kayden begging like a dog for scraps.

"Anyway, brother, I've got some important meetings to attend. Rebel leaders to charm, alliances to forge, and that raging bitch to deal with. I swear, she's probably gearing up for another tantrum as we speak."

Kayden clapped a hand on Kaisen's shoulder, standing up with a weary sigh, like a king carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders—or at least the weight of a particularly irritating queen.

"What did Helena even do to you for you to suddenly hate her so much?"

Kaisen asked. He couldn't care less about Helena, other than how much she could satisfy his carnal desires, but he was still curious why his brother treated her like she was some poison ivy wrapped around his empire.

Kayden turned around, his eyes clouded with frustration.

"She's a bitch, Kaisen. Plain and simple. A few months ago, she was all sweetness and light. Now, it's like she's got ice running through her veins. She's cold, harsh, and has the nerve to talk back to me. Me! That woman… She's the reason I am the way I am."

Kayden's lips twisted into a bitter smile.

Kaisen tilted his head, raising an eyebrow.

"You mean like this? An emperor? Rich, powerful, and drowning in luxuries? What's not to like? Most people would kill for what you've got."

Kayden looked at his little brother, a strange, hollow smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. It was the kind of smile that hinted at dark secrets, the kind that suggested things weren't all gold and glory behind the palace walls.

"You wouldn't understand, brother."