Rimelion: The Exploiter

4. Magic is hard

Finally, I felt ready. I gripped my poor excuse for a staff, focused on the rune, and took a deep breath. As I looked forward... Yes! A faint outline appeared in the air, guiding me. Carefully, I poured mana into it, tracing the shape with determination. But it failed. Again. And again.

By the fifth or sixth failure, I lost it. I bolted around the meadow, swinging my "glorious" stick at anything in sight. My mighty blows connected with trees, bushes, and, most satisfyingly, Lucas himself, who was still chuckling. My staff made solid contact with his skull.

[Critical hit! Target lost 1 HP.]

Oh god, someone help me!

***

Jeffrey sat in front of his computer screen, the dim glow illuminating his face. If John had been there, he'd have mistaken him for a fifteen-year-old punk in a brown coat. But he'd be wrong. Jeffrey had only just turned twelve.

"John's vanished from his previous sim, just as you anticipated, sir," said a shadowy figure to Jeffrey's left. "The assassin has breached his old simulation. It's only a matter of time before he picks up the trail and eliminates him. Are you certain you trust this... John?"

"Yes. In the last major simulation, I got close enough to the seed to discern this simulation's unique hash—a one-in-infinity chance." Jeffrey's eyes narrowed, a glint of excitement sparking within. "They thought they could stop me by cutting down the time before the game, but they miscalculated. John will be our hero this time, not me. I'll stay in the shadows, like the other shareholders, and avoid the early scramble. No more hustling around space stations three years after everyone else started."

"But why him?" The man stepped forward, his wrinkled hands gesturing emphatically in the screen's pale light. "You could have chosen many seasoned heroes, especially after the deaths of two of your competitors. There are plenty of openings."

"We've tried that route, and it failed. He is the key to winning the game and securing the seed. Let's just hope he's started building his own ship by now."

"Sir," the man interrupted gently, "this time, the game is a fantasy, not sci-fi. More like the third simulation, though the setting's different."

"Oh? Fascinating." Jeffrey leaned back, considering this. "I haven't been keeping up. But perhaps this might even the odds. Let the others exhaust their resources. We'll contact him when the time is right."

The screen shifted, casting a brief, flickering light on the room as a profile summary appeared.

[John - Employee Profile (15th year after the start)]

[John is an exceptional individual with a rare talent for uncovering exploits within our systems. Despite the integration of AI-driven code monitoring, which has stymied other testers, John has consistently revealed numerous bugs and vulnerabilities, demonstrating his unparalleled ability to detect flaws invisible to others.]

[In light of John's talent, the AI has been tasked with developing a system capable of on-the-fly fixes during John's gameplay to minimize exploit risks. It is critical to recognize that John's expertise and unique skill set are irreplaceable. Any disruption to his employment would impair the on-the-fly system's functionality, and thus, termination is strongly advised against.]

***

My hand moved fluidly through the air, tracing the rune, which glowed with a warm, golden light. "Heal!" I shouted as I completed the symbol, directing the energy toward Lucas. A soft, golden mist spiraled from my fingertips, drifting toward him with a graceful flourish. I held my focus steady, guiding the magic until it wrapped around him and settled gently into his form.