Chapter 3 – Priests, Battles and Graveyards Galore!

The priest smiled kindly at Kazama and Nabiki as they looked at him in awe. Kazama seemed even a little more awed at the sight of such a young priest.

“What the hell does he think he is? He looks way too young to be a priest of any kind!”

Nabiki was the first to speak up to him.

“O-oh, who are you? And more importantly, where are we?”

“You are in a house of the virtual God young lady. As to me, I am but a humble servant,” He bowed low and continued, “And my name is Shohei. Now if you would please follow me down the stairs, perhaps I could help you out more.”

He began to walk down a flight of stairs. Nabiki followed with Kazama behind her not looking all too pleased.

“Who the hell is this sweet talker? A humble servant my ass!”

Once they had arrived at the bottom of the staircase, Shohei guided them past pews filled with people sitting. The people looked at Kazama and Nabiki in fear as they passed by. Kazama asked the priest a question as they walked past the people.

“What’s their problem?”

“The same problem we all face. The complete and utter entrapment in a game that’s supposed to be fun, not frightening. They came here seeking solace as well as a way to get better.”

“What do they expect to get better at?”

“They wish to get better in the ways of battle. Without it, they will be unable to participate in the many events of the game. They can still live inside the game however they see fit, but if they don’t find their calling…..they will forever be broken and lost in this new life.”

They entered the far end of the cathedral by the alter, which was much wider and more clear of space then the rest of the building. The priest turned to them and spoke.

“You two are quite talented, but to try and take on a pack of Dreads at your levels? That’s how people die.”

Kazama was finally tired of hearing him speak and was about to yell at him, but it was Nabiki who spoke up instead.

“We thought it was the best way to get better. But I myself didn’t expect there to be more Dreads. That was my fault…”

“There is no need to blame yourself for it, it’s a pretty common mistake. You’re lucky I happened to come by and rescue you both.”

Kazama squinted her eyes a bit and glared at Shohei.

“So you were the one that scared them off? So….how did you take our clothes off? Hmmm?”

Shohei nervously coughed at hearing her ask that and the people in the pews closest had their jaws drop. He extended both arms to reassure them all.

“C-clothes? Take them off? Oh no no no! One of the women here was able to do that!”

Kazama didn’t lose her glare and swiftly changed the subject, not for him, but for herself and Nabiki.

“Sure….” She started, still glaring, “Then how did you do that all by yourself at that graveyard?”

“I’m afraid that has to be my little secret. Now perhaps you both would like something to eat or dri—“

“Fight me,” Interjected Kazama, “And show me. I hate secrets.”

The people in the pews muttered a loud sigh and Shohei was a bit surprised at hearing this. He composed himself a bit and kindly smiled to her.

“Theres no need for us to fight. So let’s just go and—“

“No, I want to fight you.”

“Feh, very well, if you insist.”

Shohei brought up a menu and pressed a button. A server notice let Kazama know she was now about to engage in a player vs player battle.

* You are about to enter battle with player 2541235 – Shohei – You and the opposing opponent will be able to battle all out without worrying about any harmful side-effects. You lose the match if your HP drops to zero. Understood?

Kazama hastily pressed the button and readied her blade in her hands. Nabiki ran back over to where the people were sitting and sat down, ready for the battle to unfold. Shohei pressed another button on his players menu and his outfit began to change. Replacing this outfit of a priest was a large black trench coat complete with a double sided sword in his left hand. He began to swing the blade around as if it were nothing for him.

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“Are you prepared to battle….”

Shohei looked at Kazama as if he was trying to grasp her name. Before he could announce it from the bar he probably saw hoovering over her, she spoke to him.

“The names Kazama, and I’m going to show you a thing or two!”

“I certainly hope so. I don’t like to beat up on girl’s…”

“You take that back! Don’t you dare call me a girl!”

The crowd around Nabiki were awed at the spirit she had.

“Whoa,” Said a girl besides Nabiki, “Does she really think she can pull this off?”

Nabiki looked on and smiled.

“Yeah! She got this….I think….”

Kazama shouted at Shohei.

“Let’s start this! What are you waiting for?”

“I am waiting for you to make the first move little lady.”

Kazama couldn’t hold back her anger at this point anymore. She rushed at him with her blade pointed for his throat. Just as she was within striking range, Shohei lifted his sword and brought the tip of it down to the ground, causing a shock vibration to be felt throughout the cathedral. Kazama got caught up in one of the waves from the blade and was thrown into a wall. Nabiki winced a bit as she saw her partner crash into the wall. Shohei began to talk smugly, a little too smug for Kazama’s taste.

“You can’t defeat me like that. Your anger only helps you defeat yourself. You will never be able to land a blow on me if you continue in that vein.”

Kazama slowly lifted herself up from the ground as some of her HP drained away. She chuckled a bit.

“Really? Don’t make me laugh. Whether or not, I will find a way to strike a blow on you.”

With that, she charged again at Shohei with blade at the ready. Just as before, he brought his blade down and shook everybody again. But this time Kazama was able to miss the waves from the attack and bring her blade down onto Shohei, instilling a few points of damage on him. Shohei smiled at her for being able to pull of such a feat, as if it had never happened before. He then brought his blade up to meet her. Kazama connected her blade with his and locked eyes with him.

“I hate guys like you. You all think nobody can beat you, that you are the toughest in the whole wide world.”

He put both hands down on his blade and pushed her back a bit.

“I’m sad to hear you say that. I like a spirited woman like yourself. But you only chipped away at my health. Can you bring it all the way down?”

Kazama grinned a bit now and replied in a snarky attitude.

“Oh, I plan on it.”

Suddenly, she charged at him again swinging her blade. He brought his blade down on her and just as he did, she jumped on it. She further catapulted herself above Shohei, swinging her blade downwards at him. Shohei simultaneously swung his blade upwards at her in a blur. In one swift moment, a cloud of dirt blocked the view of everybody watching. Just as it began to die down, Nabiki and everybody watching sighed loudly at what they saw. The game server alerted everyone of what they saw.

* Player – Kazama – DOWN

Kazama was on the ground now huffing for air, but one thing could be seen on her face. She was smiling. The only thing that could confirm why she was smiling was the game server.

* Player – Shohei – DOWN

End Result: DRAW

Everybody looked on in utter shock at the feat Kazama had just pulled off. Nabiki ran up from where she sat and helped Kazama up. Shohei sat down and his sword and coat was replaced by his old priest outfit. Kazama smiled at Nabiki’s approach, and Nabiki could barely talk aloud about what she saw.

“Amazing! A draw? How did you pull that off!?”

“That’s what I want to know,” Interrupted Shohei with a light smile, “But I guess I will have to wait and find out.”

Kazama looked over at him and grinned.

“To be fair, even I don’t know how I did that.”

Nabiki looked over at Shohei and spoke to him.

“Now that this is out of the way, do you mind if I ask you a question?”

“I don’t mind, just as long as it has nothing to do with how I saved you both and the rest of that…”

“Well, I was talking to Kazama about it earlier, and I noticed all the people here and them wanting something more. And well,” she glanced at the people in the church, “I was wondering if you and the rest of them would like to join in the creation of a guild?”

Shohei looked a little surprised at her asking this of him.

“Ahh, why did she have to invite him?” Though Kazama to herself.

“That’s a very kind gesture of you.  I would love too, and I think it will help boost the confidence of these people and allow them to have fun. But I will only join on two conditions.”

“And what are they?”

He pointed toward Kazama and smiled.

“I will join as long as she is the leader of it….” He then turned back to Nabiki, “And that you two would join me to the graveyard to where I found you.”

Nabiki looked at Kazama, who nodded her agreement to her, then turned to the people.

“Well? Do you all want to join us and have to some real fun? Together we will all strive to become the greatest and show others whose boss!”

The entire crowd of people raised their fists in the air and proclaimed their allegiance to the soon to be guild. Kazama smiled at Nabiki’s enthusiasm and her ability to get the crowd to go.

Shohei then began to lead them to the entrance of the cathedral past the happy people.

“Then,” He started, “Shall we go to the graveyard?”

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Shohei lead them through the graveyard that Kazama and Nabiki had been in hours earlier fighting against Dreads. This time, none of the hellish beasts showed themselves and so they quickly made it through with ease. Shohei stopped them in the front of a giant mausoleum and then turned to them.

“This here is why I bumped into you both. I had read in a book in the cathedral that a layer of catacombs existed underneath this. I was on my way here when I saved you both. So if you will join me inside this place, I will join your guild after we investigate it.”

Kazama squinted at the mausoleum in front of them and pointed at it.

“Will there be something more in it for us then? Cause I won’t help someone else out unless it helps the whole group.”

“Of course! Whatever secrets that reside within will be split up between ourselves. And the best part will be your ability to level up fast. And we can claim this dungeon as a part of our territory after we beat it too.”

“Wait, that’s actually a thing?”

Nabiki spoke up to her and pulled he bow out of her menu.

“Yeah, anything you are able to beat and conquer is yours for as long as you wish. Which means they can become training grounds for members once they are beat.”

And with that, Shohei opened his player’s menu and equipped his sword, but not his coat.

“Then, shall we be going?”

The girls both in unison shouted, “Yeah! Let’s do it!”

Rather than reply, Shohei swung his blade at the mausoleum door and broke it open. As the rest of the door lay crumbling beneath their feet, they all walked inside. When they entered, they were invited by the smell of dampness and death. Skeletons in tattered clothing lay scattered about the room. Nabiki gasped at the sight and Kazama gulped a bit. Then, they began to prepare themselves for what lay next inside the dark rooms beyond.

End Chapter 3