Craving Scarecrow

The sun is in the middle, casting light in every direction. As Livio stands in the field with others, he wipes sweat from his forehead. He is wearing a tight white shirt that clings to his body. The fabric stretches with every move he makes, without restricting him. His shorts are light and flexible, moving effortlessly with him. Underneath, he wears tight leggings to keep his muscles warm. He adjusts his shining guards, making sure they fit snugly. His toes touch the field directly. His outfit is simple, giving him freedom for training, just like everyone else there.

They are training their physical bodies and learning martial arts. It's been four days already, and they are training hard.

"Okay, enough! Relax and listen for some time," commands a person wearing a complete black suit.

Everyone training there sits on the ground, the grass cushioning them. Some even lie down on it.

They see another man standing nearby. He is wearing formal grey pants, a black shirt, and black sneakers. His sleeves are rolled up to the elbow, and he wears a watch on his left wrist. His shirt is untucked.

"Listen, everyone. Attention. If you want to survive, you must learn this. If you are in danger, most of us think someone will come and protect us. But that only happens in fairytales, not in the real world. If you are here now, it means you already know you are risking your lives with every step. But I know someone who can protect you, someone who will fight for you, who will even die for you. You just have to call him."

The man shakes his right hand in the air.

Everyone starts murmuring among themselves.

"I think he is referring to the king. I knew this was the best kingdom," a person says to another.

"Hey, I heard the king of this place is super strong. So, he is going to protect us," another person says to Nitin.

Livio looks around as everyone talks about the king or the protector.

"They are delusional. No, they are morons. These types of people die quickly in every situation. They cling to false hope," the person next to Livio remarks.

"You're right. They can't see that it's impossible for a player to save all of us. By the way, the king is just a high-rank player. His ability is super strong, that's it. He's no god," the person sitting behind Livio replies.

"What do you think?" the person sitting next to Livio asks.

Livio exposes his palms to them and waves. "I don't know."

"By the way, who are you guys?" Livio asks, putting his hands back on the ground.

"My name is Ethan," says the person sitting next to Livio.

"And I am Oliver," says the person sitting behind him.

"I am Livio. It's super nice to meet you," Livio says, touching his chest.

"Hey Livio, I don't think you're cut out to fight," Oliver says bluntly.

"Same. You'll either die trying to protect others or get betrayed," Ethan agrees with Oliver.

Hearing this, Livio lowers his head, feeling demotivated.

"Stop poisoning his resolve," Nitin arrives with Sebastian.

"I heard you guys. Why are you deciding what he should do?" Sebastian sits next to Livio.

"We're protecting him. If you were true friends, you should have stopped him before. Or are you simply using him like chewing gum?" Oliver looks directly at Nitin.

"What did you say?" Sebastian snaps, about to grab Oliver's shirt.

"Stop it. He has a point," Nitin puts his hand on Sebastian's shoulder.

"Are you agreeing with him?" Sebastian asks, grabbing Nitin's hand.

"There's no denying it. If you're weak in fighting and have a weak resolve, you can't make decisions in dangerous situations. You'll not only die but risk others as well. This is harsh but true. Don't worry, Livio is going to the food branch," Nitin explains, sitting among the group.

"If you want to join that branch, don't give good results. Just act like an idiot. Don't take it personally; this is advice," Oliver extends his hand for a handshake.

"Thanks, I'll remember that," Livio says, shaking hands with Oliver.

"By the way, these are my friends, Nitin and Sebastian," Livio introduces them to Ethan.

They greet each other.

"Now, I'm going to say the name of the person who is going to save you. That person is you," the instructor announces with a smile.

The field becomes silent; the wind blowing is the only sound. Everyone's smiles fade as they exchange confused looks.

"Hahaha! Look at these idiots. They thought someone was going to save them or fight for them. I've never seen bigger fools. We're humans. We only fight for our own needs, not for others," Oliver says loudly, standing up.

Everyone hears him, even the instructor, who chuckles.

"Who does he think he is?" people begin murmuring.

"I think we should teach him a lesson," someone says.

"Hey Miles, teach him a lesson," another person suggests.

A tall man, six feet two inches, stands up and stares directly at Oliver.

"I think we should join too," two others near Miles say as they stand.

"Yes, go for it, James and Williams!" people cheer.

"Everyone, stop it and pay attention," the instructor claps his hands.

"Guess we'll have to wait," Miles mutters, sitting down.

"Bring it on whenever you want," Oliver replies as he also sits.

"Now then, I'm sure you've all heard about Prabhavali at least once before entering the game," the instructor says, sliding his hand in the air to open a screen.

Livio remembers the moment he first heard the word.

(Note: Prabhavali = PBV)

"Prabhavali is the spiritual energy every living being possesses. But we can't feel it or activate it in the real world. Here, however, we can activate Prabhavali and use it both in this world and the real world." The instructor displays animated dolls glowing with different lights.

"Why can we activate PBV only in this world?" Miles asks, raising his hand.

"Because in this world, PBV is already present in the surroundings. When we feel it through deep meditation, it resonates with our energy. After that, we can use it," the instructor explains, sliding his hand to turn off the screen.

"Now then, let's awaken it."