Two Days Later
The cold air of the mountain bit at their faces as Hayato and a group of his guildmates from DesertLotus moved steadily up the rocky terrain. The path was treacherous, but their focus was unwavering, each step bringing them closer to the orcs that lurked ahead. The stillness of the mountain was suddenly broken by the sound of hurried footsteps on gravel. Hayato’s attention snapped to a mage from their guild, sprinting down the slope, his voice frantic.
"Hayato!" the mage shouted, desperation evident in his tone.
Hayato, having just dispatched an orc, turned to face him. "I told you all to wait for me. I’ll help with the stronger monsters higher up once we’re done here."
The mage, gasping for breath, shook his head. "It’s not that! A group from Tempest..."
But before he could finish, Hayato was already moving, his instincts kicking in. The DesertLotus members followed closely behind, racing up the mountain with urgency. As they reached a higher plateau, the scene came into sharp focus: a group of DesertLotus players surrounded by members of Tempest, tension thick in the air.
"We were here first!" one of the DesertLotus swordsmen shouted, his voice strained with tension.
"And you think that means you get this whole spot to yourselves with such a small group?" retorted a Tempest swordsman, his tone dripping with mockery.
A Tempest mage sneered, "You can’t handle this place. Why don’t you find somewhere more suited to your strength and numbers?"
Hayato stepped forward, his presence commanding instant attention. "How about we settle this in a civilized way?"
A Tempest assassin, his eyes narrowing with suspicion, replied, "And what civilized way do you suggest? I don’t plan on giving up this spot to the likes of you."
"The likes of us, huh?" Hayato’s gaze remained steady, unfazed by the hostility. "Something simple. How about a duel? The loser leaves."
A heavy silence fell over the Tempest group, their eyes flicking to the artifact Hayato wielded. The weight of his proposal hung in the air, unspoken but understood.
Sensing their hesitation, Hayato added, "Don’t worry. I won’t use the artifact."
Even with that reassurance, the Tempest members were cautious, exchanging uncertain glances. Then, a voice from behind them broke the tension.
"Mind if I join in?"
All eyes turned to see TAKASH1 descending the mountain, accompanied by a player who had evidently gone to fetch him.
"Of course," Hayato responded, a grin spreading across his face. The championship is just around the corner. Let’s see what he’s capable of.
The two rivals squared off, standing face to face. Hayato sheathed his artifact and rested a different one-handed sword at his waist. He then stepped closer to TAKASH1, closing the distance until they were mere inches apart, their gazes locked in silent challenge.
"What’s he doing? They’re too close to fight," a DesertLotus mage murmured, perplexed.
The DesertLotus swordsman beside him shook his head. "Not necessarily. At this range, drawing a sword and dueling might be tough, but it’s not a problem for a shield, which can land some hits and abilities even at close range. This is clearly a..."
"A provocation," the Tempest assassin finished, his voice laced with disdain. "Take him down, TAKASH1!"
TAKASH1’s expression hardened, irritation flaring in his eyes.
"Whenever you’re ready," Hayato said calmly, his tone a clear challenge.
TAKASH1 leaped backward, creating distance before charging forward again.
"Hey, hey, throwing away the advantage I gave you?" Hayato called out, half-mocking.
"I don’t need it!" TAKASH1 shouted back.
As TAKASH1 closed in, he drew his sword and shield, while Hayato unsheathed his own sword. The clash was immediate—Hayato’s sword thrusts were aggressive and precise, forcing TAKASH1 to stay on the defensive, using his shield to deflect the rapid strikes. Finding a brief moment to recover, TAKASH1 shifted tactics, sheathing his sword and shield to draw a two-handed blade.
Hayato’s expression grew serious as he recognized the shift in strategy. TAKASH1 charged, the heavy sword raised high, poised for a powerful downward strike. Just as their blades were about to clash, a shadow darted from behind TAKASH1, leaping into the air and striking his sword, causing it to fall short of its mark. The figure landed atop TAKASH1’s blade, skillfully blocking Hayato’s incoming strike with a pair of daggers.
"Made it just in time," the figure—Nama-ke-Chan—said with a relieved sigh.
"Who..." Hayato began, surprised by the sudden interference.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
"Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt your duel," Nama-ke-Chan said, bowing slightly. "I heard the whole story from our mage. We’re in the wrong here."
Nama-ke-Chan kept his head bowed while forcibly pressing TAKASH1’s head down as well, a gesture that seemed to deflate the tension among the other Tempest members, who now looked somewhat embarrassed.
"And you are?" Hayato asked, still wary.
"Ah, forgive me. I’m just a member of Tempest, not part of the leadership, but I’m committed to helping however I can," Nama-ke-Chan explained, his tone humble.
He’s skilled, Hayato thought, recognizing the ease with which Nama-ke-Chan had defused the situation.
"Besides, the championship is coming up soon," Nama-ke-Chan continued. "You can continue where you left off there."
Hayato considered this for a moment before nodding and sheathing his sword. "Alright."
Nama-ke-Chan straightened up, a relieved smile on his face. "In any case, you guys can keep this spot. You were here first, and it would be unfair otherwise. We’ll find somewhere else. Sorry for the trouble, and if you have any problems, just let me know. I’ll do my best to resolve things fairly."
With that, the Tempest guild left the mountain, Nama-ke-Chan walking beside TAKASH1, who seemed lost in thought.
"What’s wrong, Taka-chan? Don’t lose your confidence now," Nama-ke-Chan teased gently.
TAKASH1’s expression was serious. "He’s improved a lot since the last time… and with his artifact, it’s going to be even tougher. But I won’t fall behind."
----------------------------------------
Kurogiri leaned back in his chair, a grin on his face as he spoke. "So, you faced off against the mighty first in the rankings. Did you win?"
Hayato shook his head. "The duel was interrupted."
"Hey, hey, that’s not what I want to hear. After that, I’ve lost faith in your victory," Kurogiri teased, his tone light but playful.
Hayato scoffed. "Who do you think you’re talking to? Of course, I’ll win."
Kurogiri burst into laughter. "Hahaha! That’s more like it!"
Still chuckling, Kurogiri wandered off to chat with other guild members. As he walked away, Nagareboshi approached Hayato, her expression calm.
"A little humility wouldn’t hurt," she remarked, her tone teasing yet sincere.
"It’s not really about that..." Hayato began, his voice trailing off. "I just... I have to win. No matter what."
Nagareboshi tilted her head slightly, her eyes narrowing in curiosity. "To confess to the person you like?"
Hayato’s face turned bright red, and he immediately scanned the room, searching for Kurogiri with a glare. Kurogiri, noticing Hayato’s look, only seemed more confused, clearly unaware of the reason for Hayato’s anger.
Nagareboshi continued, her tone softer now. "Maybe you don’t need to go to such lengths. I imagine you confessed to this girl before, but she might have rejected you because she didn’t know you well enough."
Hayato’s shoulders slumped slightly, a sense of defeat washing over him as he remembered that moment.
"But maybe enough time has passed, and she’s developed feelings for you," Nagareboshi suggested, a small smile on her lips. "Waiting until the end of the championship or relying solely on a victory might be unnecessary."
Hayato looked up, his eyes widening in surprise at her words. Nagareboshi gave him a shy smile before turning to leave. As she walked away, Kurogiri sidled up to Hayato, poking his cheeks playfully, but Hayato remained lost in thought, still processing what Nagareboshi had said.
----------------------------------------
The Championship Day Arrives
The arena was set—a grand coliseum where guilds would battle until only one remained standing. Both DesertLotus and Tempest had advanced to the final round with little difficulty.
It was past midnight, and only Kurogiri and Hayato remained online. The rest of the guild had logged off to get some rest before the final. The two stood at the peak of a mountain, the sky above them filled with stars. Kurogiri seemed unusually quiet, lost in thought.
"Tomorrow decides everything... something that could change all our lives," Kurogiri murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
Hayato glanced at him. "Are you worried?"
Kurogiri turned to him, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Aren’t you?"
"Not anymore," Hayato replied, his voice steady.
Kurogiri’s smile grew. "Then win it for us."
"Don’t say stupid things. If it depended on just me, I’d be worried, but I know I can count on you guys," Hayato said, a rare smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
Kurogiri wiped away an imaginary tear, his voice mockingly emotional. "Ah, how they grow up so fast."
Hayato rolled his eyes. "Shut up… wait, are you drunk?"
Kurogiri burst out laughing. "You’ve got to enjoy life while you can, hahaha."
"Alright, I’m heading out. Don’t stay up too late. Tomorrow’s the final—get some rest," Hayato advised, turning to leave.
"Sure thing, mom," Kurogiri teased, waving him off. "Oh, and don’t forget to tell me how your date with Nana-chan goes in real life."
"As if I’d tell you!" Hayato shot back, shaking his head as Kurogiri’s laughter echoed behind him.
----------------------------------------
The next day, Hayato entered the guild’s base an hour before the championship final was set to begin.
"Anyone here?" Hayato called out, but the base was completely empty.
He checked the guild list—everyone was marked as offline.
I thought I might be late… but they should be logging in soon, Hayato thought, trying to stay calm.
As the minutes ticked by, the base remained eerily silent. Hayato found himself repeatedly opening and closing the guild list, hoping to see someone online. With just five minutes left before the championship was due to start, his nerves began to fray. Suddenly, he received an in-game email. Thinking it was from a guild member, he opened it quickly and read the message aloud.
"'You’re next.' And a link?" Hayato frowned, confused.
A level 1 sender? This must be some kind of prank, Hayato thought, dismissing the message.
He closed the email, but the unease lingered. The championship time came and went, and DesertLotus lost by default.
Hayato sat there, waiting for someone—anyone—to appear. But as the minutes dragged on, no one came. Finally, he logged out of the game.
----------------------------------------
Hayato slumped in his chair, sadness and frustration washing over him.
"How could they forget something so important?!" he muttered, his voice thick with disbelief.
He clenched his fists, his mind racing. "Weren’t we supposed to change our lives with this?! Did they give up on the game? Or did they think we couldn’t win?!"
His thoughts spiraled, anger and confusion mingling together. "But to not even try?!"
After a while, his anger subsided, leaving only a deep, unsettling feeling in his gut. The email he had received earlier flashed in his mind. He reopened the game, copying the link from the message and pasting it into his browser.
The page loaded, revealing a photo. Hayato’s blood ran cold as he stared at the image—a person slumped in a virtual reality chair, much like his own, still wearing the VR headset. But the body was covered in blood. Hayato’s breath caught in his throat as he noticed the necklace around the person’s neck—a necklace with the DesertLotus symbol.
No… it can’t be… Hayato thought, dread seeping into his bones.
"KUROGIRI?!" he shouted, his voice trembling with fear.
"AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"
The scream tore from Hayato’s throat as he recoiled in horror, falling from his chair. He scrambled to his feet, racing to the bathroom where he collapsed over the toilet, vomiting as terror gripped him.