When they returned to their room, they locked the door and sat on their respective beds, facing one another.

In the dim light from the candle, Sako began. “So, this is what happened from the top…”

Earlier

No matter how many blocks Sako passed, she couldn’t find anyone who seemed like an information specialist. She asked around to no avail. The sun was setting.

A black cat came out of an alley and stopped when it saw her.

It blinked its red eyes at her.

She blinked her blue eyes at it.

As it went across the street, she followed it. So adorable! She needed to pet it!

It turned and disappeared around a corner.

“Hey, come back!” She followed it.

Once she turned the corner, the black cat wasn’t there, but another cat, white with red streaks, stood still, eyeing her. She neared it bit by bit.

“Mraow!” It ran into a nearby alley.

Voice sounded from the alley—a conversation.

She poked her head in.

A group of Adventurers—about 30—watched in silence as a man had his sword through another’s man’s chest. The suffering man was fancily dressed in rich colours, obviously expensive. The assailant pulled his sword from his chest. The man dropped his sword and collapsed, blood pooling out of his body.

The squad was well-armed but beaten-up and exhausted. Their levels and stats were maxed out.

The assailant—a burly man who looked to be in his prime—turned to the rest. “There’s not much point to staying in this prison. We’re done. Let’s log before they catch up. We won’t get another chance like this.”

A lady in robes lifted her staff and a portal appeared in the wall.

Sako stepped into the alley. “Wait!” She trembled at the sight of the corpse, but she needed to have courage and get the info she needed. She hoped he wouldn’t kill her too.

They all paused and looked at her.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“Sorry, I was kinda eavesdropping. Did you say ‘log’? As in log out of the game?”

“Yes,” the assailant replied.

“Can I ask where you’re going? Me and my friend are looking for a way out too.”

“New York. Where do you need to go?”

“Tokyo.”

The assailant looked to the lady. The lady shook her head, frowning.

“I’m sorry, but we can’t help. This is a one-way, single-use portal.”

“Oh.” Sako hung her head. Even if they allowed her to follow them, she would never leave Kiyomi behind. And they seemed to be in a hurry, so it wasn’t like they could leave the portal open forever. “Thank you anyway.” She bowed. “Do you know how we could get home? Is there a similar portal like that we could make?”

“If you defeat the Demon Lord, sure, but we just did that, and it’ll be quite a while before she’s revived.”

“How long?”

“A long time.”

It was hopeless. “There’s no other way?”

“That’s the only way we’ve found. There could be others.”

“Okay, do you know of anyone we could ask about this stuff?”

He thought for a moment then looked at his companions. “Do you guys remember his name?”

“Vell. Vell Noxford,” a man with his hand in a cast and a bruised face said.

“Vell Noxford,” the assailant repeated to her. “He has a lot of info on a lot of things, but he’s far in the East. We’re in the West, so you’ve got a long way to go. But if you plan on heading there, make sure you’re maxed.”

“Do I have to be?”

“Yes, there’s a guardian at the border of the East. And if you’re even 1 level lower than 1 000, you’re basically dead because there’s a lethal mechanic, but I can’t explain that now. We need to go.”

“Wait, what about this guy?” She pointed to the dead man lying in blood.

“He’s the prince of the kingdom. Honestly, he was innocent, but we had to kill him to complete a major quest and to help forge the portal. You should run before they catch up.”

“Who?”

“The guards and the Captain of the Guard. Do not fight him. He’ll one-shot anything.”

The lady spoke. “Why are you telling her all this for free? You should charge her. Time isn’t cheap.”

He looked to her and smiled as he shook his head slowly. “She reminds me of my little sister.”

“Really?” Sako asked.

He turned to her again and sighed, maintaining his smile. The smile of a loving big brother. “Yeah.” His smile dropped. “But she’s… dead now.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. You didn’t do it.”

“HALT, CRIMINALS!” A voice barked at the end of the alley. Guards blocked one exit. One heavily armoured man overflowing with magical energy blocked the other end of the alley. He must be the captain.

“Move!” The assailant shouted at his comrades.

They rushed through the portal before him in a single file. He reached into his outer coat pocket, pulled out a ring, and tossed it to her.

She caught it.

“What’s—?”

“Use it to fly! Take care!” He dived through the portal. It shut behind him.

Sako slipped the ring on her finger. Fly?! How?!

Guards stormed into the alley from both sides, approaching rapidly. They all had all sorts of buffs on them, so she couldn’t take them out easily, at least not alone.

She jumped, but instead of landing, she shot off high into the air.

Now

“And then I had trouble flying, so I flew around everywhere and got lost. That’s why it took so long.”

“So, they’ve probably put a bounty on your head now. Great.” Kiyomi sighed. “Let’s leave the town early tomorrow morning.”

“Where are we going?” Sako asked.

Kiyomi stared at a physical map she was holding.

“Luthyia. That’s the closest town. Three days by carriage. I can’t use teleportation since I’ve never been there.”

Sako groaned. “So long.”

“I know. If only they had planes here.” She leaned over to the nightstand by her bed and blew out the candle.