The place Dart chose within this Instance has something called open air environment.

They walk through the doors, looking up they see no ceiling. It looks like it is raining yet they can’t feel it landing on them.

“What’s this place?”

“Is it raining or not?”

Dart doesn’t say anything. He himself doesn’t realize what is going on. To keep face he just casually walks towards a server.

“Table for six.”

“Right this way.”

Seeing Dart’s confident stride, the group follows without question. The rain landing on them but lacking sensation is still puzzling them.

This kind of environmental effect can be considered expensive. In actual fact, it is not something you can purchase outright, but have to rent.

“I don’t like it.”

“What’s there not to like?”

“If it's going to rain, then rain. What is this?”

“No one wants to sit in the rain, use your brain.”

“I’ll use your face.”

Only a moment passes before the group is seated. The seats look wet despite feeling dry, this is a side effect of the rain and not purchased separately.

There is ambient music playing. Its volume is low and competes with the pitter of rain falling.

The guys aren’t used to this kind of setting. They feel out of place. Until drinks and food arrive.

This place can be considered expensive. But in truth, they still can’t feel the weight of Vcoin and do not consider it as real money. Sorp included.

The poor servers, the women in particular, are constantly harassed and grabbed at. Yet their smile never fades.

Perpetual Power’s virtual world might not be old, but people don’t treat it like real life. It’s easier to brush of any injustice. It’s easier to treat it all as fake.

The feeling of a finger sliding down your back is as real as can be. But the mind is a complex thing. The feeling of disbelieve is all that matters.

If they think of it as fake. It is fake. If it’s real, it’s real. Not only that, the people working as servants often do so out of necessity.

Being who they are. The group doesn’t enjoy the lack of confrontation. Their attempts to rile the staff has failed. So it becomes boring. Instead they start targeting other guests.

Sorp and Dart enjoy themselves with eating. Being the largest of the group, they need to eat more.

Kom is most active in this. He has trouble sitting still in such a calm environment. His mind flickers back and forth.

His target is a table of four women and six guys. The numbers are skewed but the women suit his tastes.

Kom gathers his three compatriots. Leaving Sorp and Dart to their eating. This is according to their usual dynamic.

They rise from their seat and wander off. Dart and Sorp watch them leave with indifferent expressions. This is still to be expected.

“Dart.”

“Mrph?”

Mouth filled with meat Dart acknowledges Sorp.

“What happens if we fight in here?”

This is what mattered. Sorp was very aware this wasn't the ring. This wasn’t a coliseum.

“They’ll try and throw us out.”

“Try? What happens if I don’t let them?”

“Hard to say. I’m not sure.”

Only now was Sorp’s interests sparked. He already knew the fight with the six guys would be easy. What he wanted to fight was the large guys he saw patrolling.

Dart saw through Sorp’s thoughts without difficulty. He did nothing to prevent it and instead continued browsing through various things.

A few tens meters away, four men were acting belligerent, pushing things and acting threatening.

After a round of unpleasant cursing they turn their attention to the women present. Their gaze range from innocent, noble, lecherous and evil.

These four can be considered evil for evil’s sake. This is what they know. This is what they had been taught by their environment.

They act in this way not only because they have learned it, but because they’ve gotten away with it. Numerous times they’ve played this play.

The servers, men and women, turn a blind eye. Going so far as to never lose their subservient smile. Either they are virtual humans or accustomed to this scene.

This happens because this Instance doesn’t have to take responsibility for its customers. Only consequence would be a social one.

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

With enough dissatisfied customers, negative reputation can form. But even a negative review, one describing real danger, is only helpful.

It is a case of free advertisement. A popular saying amongst big Instance owners goes along the line of, you can do no wrong.

The servers act in a predictable way. The main difference being how adjusted they are. In real life they would at least some some discomfort.

This difference goes unnoticed by everyone except Dart. Dart himself dismisses it, attributing it to the virtual environment.

Sorp and Dart continue to passively watch over their friends. They are still waiting for things to go out of hand.

The usual ploy is to get the people to attack them. They have been quoted saying that it’s no fun if they just attack head on. This is the extent of how far they scheme. Not very far.

Pal and Ret. The most lecherous of the group nod at each other. They give Kom and Jarem a signal.

They smoothly transition from their arguing to grabbing a woman each. This turns the argument into a something serious. They’ve become more than just pests now.

“Let me go!”

One of the women is repulsed by Pal. She struggles fiercely. Pal isn’t an ugly man, but his demeanor is easy to decipher.

Ret on the other hand exudes a handsome harm. His pale face gives off a fragile appearance.

Ret could be considered the most handsome in the group of six, his fighting prowess ranked third after Sorp and Pal.

This is another reason why Pal and Ret are so confident. They have the most experience doing things types of things.

Often Sorp has had to bail them out, but not as often as they had succeeded in their fights. Even six against two they’d only feel pressured.

With the entire group with them. They were fearless. And more aggressive than usual. In normal circumstances. They’d let Kom and Jarem rattle the the party with words.

There was no point wasting time with their line up.

To their surprise. Only two of the six men showed any genuine will to fight for the hostages. Right now, no weapons were up.

They just held the two women back. It was a fragile grip. If the women really struggled they’d be able to shake loose.

It still required enough strength to shake lose. And it would hurt. And that was the problem. It already hurt to struggle just a little bit.

Instead of struggling the better choice was to have their companions save them. This was what the two women felt. The other two women in the group didn’t even panic.

As it turned out. These two women. They had met with these six men and two women. They joined them for a good time.

Four of the six men didn’t care about the two captured women. This is just a game to them. That and they are not single. Had it been the two other women, the situation might change.

Jarem and Kom were quick to rebound any advances by the two men. They struck them, hard and swiftly, aiming for the ribs.

In general they would pick easier bones to break. Something like the nasal bones, the clavica or the forearms ulna. But experience proved that it is hardest to defend their ribs correctly.

If their strike is adequate, they might even keel over from the strike alone. Not due to the pain but the shock the body experiences.

This only works on people that aren’t experienced in getting hit. They’ve been drinking some alcoholic drinks so it might not work as well.

They both hit their target with ease. The two men act in sync. They stumble backwards holding their left rib. Almost a theatrical display.

But they only get angrier. What they’ve been using tonight is more than just alcohol. Their eyes become increasingly bloodshot.

The chemical they’ve ingested can be considered a mystery to them. But in simple terms it is methamphetamines.

Combined with the alcohol, their pain receptors are easily ignored. But they still feel weaker. And largest hit is to their mentality.

Fueled by rage they try to attack again. Jarem and Kom might not be the best fighters but they can easily take these two out.

They dodge the wide punches. And directly strike the same place. If their bones were not broken before, they are now.

Internal bleeding is almost guaranteed. It is only a matter of how sever. Underneath their clothes one side of their lower ribs look concave. A disturbing sight.

The pain finally reaches high enough levels to negatively affect them. They can feel a sweet taste in their mouths as they slowly retreat backwards.

They look to their friends. It is only now that they see that they are laughing at them. Not the greatest friends.

This not only enrages them further, but it also pisses Jarem, Kom, Ret and Pal. People that value loyalty, loath betrayal like this.

Even Sorp and Dart are displeased. It's one thing not to help your friends when they fuck up. But to laugh at their misery in front of others is wrong.

There is a time and place for laughing at your friends pain. And this is not that place. Sorp feels this is reason enough to intervene. Dart continues to enjoy the show.

Only Ret and Pal see Sorp heading over. They can’t help but smile a complacent smile. But they also feel like the game is over. There is no more suspense.

In reality, there was never any suspense but they still held an illusion of one.

Ret and Pal become more unscrupulous and begin letting their hands roam free.

“Stop!”

“What are you doing!?”

Like the villains they are they only laugh. The glee in their voice is hard to ignore. But their action caused the four men to stop laughing.

Even if they are willing to laugh at their friends. They can’t be seen laughing at a women being molested, not while they are trying to get with the other two women present.

They, similarly have been partaking in different chemicals. Some eagre for a fight. This a game to them after all. So whatever happens doesn’t matter. This is how they think.

Once the fight breaks out. Kom and Jarem have to deal with the four men alone. Until Sorp arrives behind them.

Sorps titanic strength allowed him to grip a mans arm and fling him into a nearby table. He didn’t directly lift him but and only used his own sizable body as a counterweight to swing him.

The noise of their friend crashing into tables and chairs alerts the group of five. What meets them is this giant of a man. At least head and shoulder taller than them.

Even with drugs and alcohol clouding their minds, they can’t help but take a deep breathe. Their thoughts screaming at them to run.

Being unscrupulous and without any valor or honor. Kom and Jarem strike two of the men. These punches hold all their weight. Much more effective than a the lighter jabs from earlier.

This leaves them with only one uninjured man. Sorp, already bored, slaps at him. The force knocks the man over. Half his face bright red.

This leaves four women and six men, some of which are whimpering. The two women that had been watching the fight only look more interested.

In the end this is still a virtual world. It is easier to show your true thoughts. The lack of permanent consequences allows people to remain calmer.

The men on the ground are cursing inwardly. The pain is very real. Even as they limp away. Only one looks back at his woman, his eyes teary and filled with unwillingness.

These are not eyes Pal and Ret are unfamiliar with. They relish these kinds of moments. Their hands even more lively. Ignoring the pleading voices that have become increasingly desperate.

Sorp grabs one of the women, like a beast, he flings her over his shoulder and walks back to their table. He liked the look in her eyes. She wasn't afraid in the least. This was new to Sorp.

He had seen many women pretend to be fearless. But who was Sorp? His attention to detail is frightening. This woman really wasn’t afraid.

She wasn’t afraid because this is a virtual world. And she did come to this place to experience danger.

Her friend wasn’t as fearless but she still held her own. Since Pal and Ret already held two women she could only flirt with kom and Jarem.

Jarem is a bit more handsome than Kom but she still liked Kom’s figure. She only smiled at Kom and Kom came running. His enthusiastic way of talking instantly erupted.

When things settled down, the group was seated again. Two unwilling women and two excited women were sitting with the group.

Sorp’s woman was sitting on his lap. Her figure just barely covered one of his thick thighs. The difference in size put slight fear into the other three women.

The woman in question of course couldn’t see what they saw. She was enjoying herself. The group of men knew how to enjoy themselves. It was easy to be influenced by their atmosphere.

Dart was busying himself with various things while the group was laughing. He had even read up on something he found interesting.

There are a few reason why the women or men didn’t just log off the game when they were in danger.

The system decides if your are in a situation that is considered safe. This means no hostile party near you.

If the women excused themselves to the toilet they could buy time to log out. But not while they remained in the restaurant.

Many places within an Instance can be considered Sub Instances. Sub Instances are not really new Instances but are required for a multilayered place like this.

Directly exiting the virtual world from a sub Instance is dangerous. It is dangerous but not impossible. It just requires a longer time to exit and is easy to disrupt.

It would take about thirty to forty minutes, depending on the size of the instance. To successfully extract a person from a sub Instance.

In truth, this isn’t that dangerous. The issue is a mechanical one. The work put into it is more expensive than a regular disconnect so Perpetual Power made it more inconvenient to do this.

Before, people would wantonly log out anywhere. But a wait time of up to thirty minutes is too long for most people.

It does prevent long term imprisonment. Assuming a person isn’t guarded in shifts to maintain a hostile presence. This isn’t impossible to achieve. But you would need to find and hire people to do this.

People with real power and pull with Perpetual Power might even circumvent these requirements. There might be people out there with their own private prison.

Prison. Detention. That was how the two women felt. Their bodies being violated. And in a public setting. Even pleading gazes at the servants were rendered useless.

They just watched on with a happy smile. This was still with the servants expectations. They were even confident that they wouldn’t be harassed.

Everytime they were, the guards would get involved. There were enough guards in the instance to constitute a small private army. They were spread thin but could convene if they had to.

Jarem and Dart still lacked a women but they were more reserved when it came to these matters. They would still partake if there were enough women around.

Sorp didn’t speak too much. The group intentionally interacted with him, because without it he would remain silent.

Even when he didn’t speak a word he would laugh and smile with his friends. And his laughter and smile held a strong charm.

The woman on Sorp’s lap was entranced. Even the captured women couldn’t help but be distracted a moment. Until they remembered the hands playing with them.