Chapter 13 “Keys to the past. Part two.”

“Wait, dodge, counter. Wait, dodge, counter. How long I am doing it? An hour or so?”

Arata was fighting the last wolf. He defeated four of them already. This one appeared the last, so he was still at 20 %.

“It took some time, but it’s much faster ever since those things started to appear.”

Arata looked as wolf was starting to run at him. The moment he did that one, two, three gold shields appeared in the way. It didn’t stop the wolf but every shield did damage anytime wolf ran through them and three shields combined slowed down the wolf quite nicely. Arata once again dodged the wolf attack and countered with one of his sword. The wolf hp went down to 8%.

“How great dps I am when healer is making more than me?”

Arata thought to himself. No matter how one looked at it Arata’s classes were that of ‘dps’. Meaning that his main specialty should be making as much damage as possible. In comparison healer’s job was to keep up the health of people and tank’s job was to focus the enemy attacks on them as they specialized in high defense and would take less damage than anyone else which would make healer’s job much easier.

“Well to my defense I have to dodge attacks so I am not dps right now but rather tank. But it’s time to finish it.”

At the end of fight Arata decided to attack on his own, instead of doing the same thing over and over again. He rushed on the wolf that didn’t have his old speed anymore. Mobs were same as players in that case. After a long fight they slow down and became weaker, well in most cases at least.

Arata running next to it slashed the wolf one time making it go down to 5% with last of his strength, wolf jumped at Arata. Arata only set his swords in right position and wolf jumped right on it and the swords pierced through its head.

“Finally, well I will have to repeat the same process many times so it still long way to go. But it should be easier from now on.”

[You have leveled up by 250%]

[You have gained level. Current level 32]

“Each wolf for 50% nice, oh an item as well”

[Wolf’s ring

Agility +14

Movement speed +1

Hunting their pray wolfs use speed rather than strength to defeat theirs enemies. This ring is representation of their power.

Level Required 50]

“Looks like it will take some wolves to equip wolf’s ring.”

Arata joked to himself but he got a good item which fitted his class. Arata looked around and didn’t spot any more wolves, every wolf in close range probably come to fight already so there was no more of them anywhere near. Arata called Kotori who was on one of the trees.

-hey Kotori! We are done you can go back.

“Even so it’s good to have someone on the back doing damage for you, and when it’s healer it’s even better, at higher level I won’t have to be that careful and take some risks.”

-are you sure?

She answered from the top.

-it’s dark so I am not, but nothing is attacking us right now so it’s not like they are around the corner.

Kotori jumped down and get to where Arata was standing.

“Ah she is looking at me like that again, well I am somehow used to it, especially it’s always the same after the fight, she will ask how I do it and where I learn it, well I can answer that.”

Arata was waiting for a question that everyone asked after they seen him in battle but he wasn’t prepared for what he heard.

-Arata I love you.

Because Kotori shooted him with something like that.

“…wow, I didn’t except that… Anyway she is the same as always, I also teased her a little with having her smile for me. Looks like it only added oil to fire.”

-hey don’t joke like that.

-no I really mean it, you are the best guy I even know, and you are everything that I would like my boyfriend to be.

-…

“One day I won’t be able to take it anymore, really I will just say ‘sure let’s grow old together and have happy life’… Like I could say that! Anyway she is just teasing me again.”

-hey say something. Girl just confessed to you.

“Ah I stopped for a second again. I am really not good with stuff like that.”

-you are just saying it, anyway didn’t you hear that decisions like that shouldn’t be made on rush…

Arata tried to answer reasonably so she stop playing around as there were still many levels to get but somehow Kotori didn’t answer him.

-hey Kotori, you will find someone who you will really love one day…

The silence continued when he tried to add this.

-hey say something because it’s getting strange…

“It’s really getting strange. Grandpa once told me that you can easily impress woman with fighting ability. I took it for a joke that time but maybe it works? Anyway, I decided that I won’t succumb to temptation already. Someone like me who couldn’t make a single friend for last five years shouldn’t be even thinking about going out with someone. Anyway I should say something fitting.”

-Kotori…

Arata tried to say ‘something fitting’ but when he saw Kotori face turning from usual into the one she started to make, he didn’t know what to say.

-hey Kotori! What happened!?

Arata didn’t except to see reaction like that. For a moment he thought that it was his fault as he might somehow hurt her feelings, he definitely didn’t have experience in being confessed still that wasn’t a face of rejected girl would made.

It was face of despair. Kotori’s eyes lost their light. Then she fall down on knees and she was kneeling on the ground without moving, with blank expression. She didn’t react to anything that Arata was trying to say, and for most part he was saying her name.

“That look.”

In Kotori’s face Arata somewhat saw his own reflection. He also had dead eyes like that. Especially, in first year after the accident in which his parents died.

“There are no words that I can say to her right now. Without knowing the truth everything I say won’t have any effect. I also can’t ask about the truth. I struggled with my problem for so long, how can I repair someone’s life when I still repairing mine? Nevertheless I have to somehow get her back to normal.”

-Kotori its fine.

Arata didn’t get response right away but he kept trying. He started to repeat her name.

-Kotori! Kotori!

-Arata?

-yes it’s me Kotori.

“Okay now is the important part, I have to…”

Still, Kotori didn’t say anything else and disappeared from the world.

-shit!

Arata cursed at his incompetence even if though he didn’t have any way to stop her.

“She must be thinking that I find her strange right now or even worse that I pity her for the reason that I don’t even know. I must at least tell her that it’s not true. But how? She just disappeared without saying anything. She will probably come back after some time but it will be too late at that point. I somehow feel that if I wait too long, we won’t see each other again. Now, what other options do I have? Wait! I still have her phone number.”

Arata logged out immediately.

Getting out from capsule Arthur quickly picked up his cell phone and located name Kotori in it. He tried to call her right away but there was no answer.

“I know that it’s hard to pick it up but you have to do it Kotori. Don’t worry about anything and trust in a person that you said that you like.”

Arthur decided to call once every 10 minutes as long as it took. Then after the third call he received a SMS, the sender was Kotori.

[Good evening

You must be Lia’s good friend if you call her for the third time already, even though you probably know that she won’t pick up. I will call you later to tell you about the situation if you are willing to listen that is.

Lia’s father.]

“At least someone is there for her.”

Knowing that she is not alone calmed Arata greatly.

“Still this message, I can answer the call but I don’t plan to ask what happened.”

After about half an hour Arthur’s phone ring again this time it was a number that he didn’t know.

-hello. Is this the person called legendary Arata?

“She must have a nice dad if he can say out loud that name perfectly normal without laughing.”

-Kotori called me that few times but cut the legendary part please and Arata is just a nickname from the game. My real name is Arthur Rain.

-I see. You must know her from a game if you call her Kotori. Most of her friends are from games anyway so I am not surprised. Her real name is Lia Stafford and I am Jorge Stafford, her father. I wanted to ask you something. How long do you know Lia?

-around two days.

-hmm, strange, I am sure that I once heard her talking about ‘legendary Arata’ back when she was twelve or eleven. Anyway back to the matter. Did you saw what happened to her?

The question her dad asked signaled that it was not a one-time thing.

-yes I did. In message you wrote that you will tell me what was the reason for it, but I don’t think you should do that.

Arthur wanted to right away get it straight.

-ah, it’s only natural that you don’t want to hear about someone’s worries especially if you know her only for two days.

-no, that’s not it. How long you know someone doesn’t have anything to do with it, and we somehow did end up getting along on the way. It was mostly hers openness that allowed it. She can even joke saying that she loves me.

-hmm, that’s rather strange, she never was that opened to anyone. Well she is like that, because… .

-as I said I don’t want to know. She wanted to be seen as open person who can say things like that openly so I will respect it and see her as she wanted to be seen.

After hearing that Mr. Stafford stopped for a moment and then continued.

-I see that you are good friend indeed. That should be fine, treat her like nothing has happened.

-I am afraid that I can’t do that, either.

-but you just said.

-don’t get me wrong Mr. Stafford. It’s not that I don’t care what happened to her so I don’t want to know. If I knew I could somehow help but if you tell me about it, I definitely won’t be able to help her. That’s why I will wait, until she decided to tell me herself.

-but that may never happen.

-it’s possible but if she want help, she needs to ask for it. As long as she is running away, no one can help her. Also, I am not sure if I could help her anyway, even if she asks me for it.

-that’s true, but at least, I see that you understand her.

-I don’t know what happened to her but let’s say that I also once had that look on my face. So I can understand what she might be going through.

-‘that look’… well, I had it too. Anyway, she should come back in about an hour. Normally it doesn’t take her longer than that so just wait for her.

-thanks Mr. Stafford.

-now before we finish our talk there is one more thing.

-oh, and what is it?

-if you touch my daughter you won’t escape with your life,

-… .

-hahaha, I just wanted to say it once. It was nice talking with you. Goodbye, legendary Arata.

-… .

The talk ended without Arata saying a word back to it.

“Well for now I should just go eat something then wait for Kotori inside EOA.”

Arthur did just that and returned to a capsule.

Arata appeared back in the forest it was already dark. Before there was some light from setting sun but now he couldn’t see as much as before.

“Now then, what should I do? I could just wait but I don’t want to stay doing nothing. Good thing that I am at least sure that she will come back. Even if she doesn’t want to come back Mr. Stafford should push her to do it. Oh! I got an idea, why don’t I just exp up a little? I will just take few wolfs and bring them down to low health and when Kotori comes back I will kill them. It will be an experience present for change of mood.”

With this idea he searched for wolfs, it didn’t took him more than 2 minutes to find group of three.

“Perfect, three is just the number I needed as I am little tired after last fight already. Dodging for more than hour is really stressful and hard, still it’s the best way to exp.”

He pulled them to the place where he fought last time and started a fight again. Without Kotori it was going much slower than before but even so after some time, health points of wolfs were like 52%, 56%, 64%. As he once again dodged another attack and slashed the one with 52% his health went below a half. At that moment that wolf howled to now visible moon.

In previous fight the same thing already happened. It brought up the wolves number three, four and five but when fourth and fifth wolf did the same, no more wolves came. It could only mean that there were no other wolves in range.

“Howl all you want. We already cleaned most of wolves around here.”

Arata thought like that and indeed, the howl didn’t bring one or two wolves. This time, it was about ten of them. Also even thought it was bad enough, the biggest problem was not them.

-a…

Arata couldn’t say anything when he saw a wolf or rather a dread wolf coming from the trees. He was different than others. He was two times larger than them, his fur instead of gray or brown was completely white his eyes were red and from his fangs and jaw dropped the red blood. Arata also spotted something familiar in him. He had a dark aura emanating around him which looked exactly like aura that he once saw from the wolf in beginner’s city when he was helping Anari with her quest. But this time wolf was white and two times bigger and…

-80 level!

Arata checked his level although it might have been better if he didn’t. Right now he himself was 32 so it was 48 levels of difference.

Luckily for Arata the white wolf didn’t attack him the moment he saw him. But the other ten wolves did and he already had another three at his left and right side.

“Okay, as long as this guy doesn’t come I should somehow manage.”

Arata thought optimistically but sole presence of white wolf was enough to make other wolves fight better. It was not that they were faster now but they started working together. Two from the front and two from the back together rushed at Arata who was standing on the middle.

[Black dash]

There was no choice and he decided to use skill to escape, at the same moment damaging two wolfs that were coming from the back. Both of them were now around 50%. Arata turned back to where wolves were coming from. Few wolves were coming at him. He managed to dodge them and make some damage while doing so, but he once again became surrounded from all sides. Arata decided that this time instead of waiting for them, he rushed in the direction with the least amount of them. That seemed as good idea at first but there was a reason why he didn’t do it previous fight, and back then it was only five of them. As soon as Arata started to run, every wolf seeing his back rushed at him all at once.

Arata run up towards one wolf and jumped over him while slashing him with two swords but while he glanced at what was behind him he saw that he will soon meet his end.

[Black dash]

Arata went through most of the wolves doing them some damage which made most of them 95%. That was good idea but it wasn’t something that he could do nonstop as his stamina would run out.

“If only I could regain my stamina faster.”

He thought to himself. With endless stamina he would just black dash all day long and kill them all. But that was of course not the case so he couldn’t do that. Once again he stood in a place having every wolf before him.

“Need to find better place to fight I can’t have full surround like this.”

Good tactic to fight multiple enemies is to get them to one chock point and defeat them one by one. Other good tactic was using mass AOE spell which would damage them all at once. Arata couldn’t do either of them. First required high defense and ability to block attacks but Arata’s defense was focused on dodging. Well, it was not like a tank class would survive assault from pack of wolves with his level. Second one, sure he had his black dash, he could also use sword slash as AOE but in the first place he was much lower level than wolves there wouldn’t be enough damage before fuel runs out.

But then Arata come up with good idea.

“I will just climb the tree. The wolves couldn’t get Kotori when she was on it so maybe I will get some time regain stamina. With this tactic it will sure take even more time than it already takes to kill even one wolf but it’s definitely better than dying.”

[Leap]

Using leap Arata jumped on one of the tree.

“Let’s see right now I still have 20% stamina left, so I should wait for at least 80%.”

It was a solid plan to fight only while having stamina to use his skills. Unfortunately it didn’t work. Arata heard a loud howl coming from direction of white wolf and as soon as it ended Arata was falling from the tree into masses of wolfs.

“Short stun effect!?”

When Arata regained control, he kicked the trunk of the tree and landed in save for second area. As soon as he landed wolfs would attack him again.

“There is only one choice now.”

The only thing that Arata could do now was to stand and fight. He used last of his stamina to use lighting speed and found a location from which he wouldn’t get attacked from every direction.

There was a wall of trees that were clump together there which wolves shouldn’t be able to go through. There Arata decided to fight near it so the wolves couldn’t attack him from that angle. Still they could do it from all others.

When one wolf came, he had no problem and could counter.

When two wolves came, he just focused on avoiding damage.

When three wolves came, he had had a lot of trouble and was making a desperate roll on the ground and get up as fast after it as he could.

If four wolves were to come he would have small chances of survival. But somehow thanks to the ‘tree wall’ he found, there were no more four pronged attacks like the one at the start.

Arata managed to keep it up for about 10 minutes. Even if wolves’ health was not going down by much, he also managed to keep his heath high as well. But then. The three wolves came and he made roll on the ground to avoid their attacks. In this high group they were practically just lunching like rockets straight and when Arata dodged they were back in the circle allowing another one to do the same.

After dodging three wolves Arata had to get up but then right away another group of three have come and the ‘rules’ were broken. When Arata was avoiding their attacks, his leg got clean hit from third wolf’s claw. Arata hp instantly went down by 40% and even though it wasn’t that much, he could no longer continue as before. Getting hit is one thing but having reduced ability to move and feeling the pain in the leg was another. He forced himself back on the feet but it hurt really badly. He even stopped for a second and was too slow to dodge attack from a single wolf. He got hit in arm going down to 32%.

“I can’t give up!”

Ignoring the pain he continued for another 3 minutes but when the three wolfs attacked again and he jumped to the ground, he couldn’t stand up fast enough afterwards. With no choice as another wolf was coming, Arata just blocked his claw with his weapon. But blocking attack from enemy who was way higher than you couldn’t be considered full block. Arata’s hp went down to 26%. The same wolf continued. Second attack the hp went to 16%, and then to 5%. Still, for some time now Arata knew from the start that it will end up like that eventually. But he kept struggling until the end with only one thought in his mind.

“Kotori.”

What will she do when she returns and won’t find him there? Or even worse, what will she do if she finds his body lying in some dark corner without inch of life. Because Arata didn’t have any chances of winning anymore, he was just thinking of what will happen.

“Will she be sad, or will she laugh at me? Will she think that it’s her fault? That would be probably the worst. She can also think that I just didn’t care about her and went exping on my own. Second part is not entirely wrong but I didn’t want to exp just for myself.”

When wolf was lunching another attack Arata already knew that he was done for. But then, unexpectedly wolf stopped his attack and moved back. Arata’s body started to shine and second later he was surrounded by pillar of moonlight. Any of other wolves didn’t even come close when he was surrounded by it. He heard a voice coming from the top of tree.

-what are you sleeping for! The fans are waiting!

It was a girl in a long white cloak with gold parts on it. But those parts looked blank as they just faded compared to her golden hair.

Kotori was holding a shining orb in her hand it was shining in the same light as what surrounded Arata. Arata’s health, stamina but also confidence went back to 100%. Having been restored to max and after getting a buff called “Song of stars” which increased his overall stats and abilities by 15% Arata said to wolves.

-you heard the lady. I can’t keep the fans waiting.

As if commanded by those words, the moonlight pillar disappeared and wolves once again started their attacks.

When one wolf came, Arata slashed him five times.

When two wolves came, each of them got slashed twice.

When three wolves were came each of them got slashed once.

Ignoring minor injuries which he got from blocks or small miss steps, Arata was slashing wolves left and right. He could do this and he didn’t worry about his health as he had best assistance that he could ever ask for.

“One on the left, two on the right”

He was now completely immersed in the battle.

Arata rushed to the wolf to the left. He blocked his attack with left sword and slashed him by second sword. Knowing that others two are at his back he made a backflip and attacked them from midair.

“Two on the left.”

He turned faced their way and countered their fangs with his sword making a thrust inside their mouth with other and drawing an arc while slashing their flesh off.

Normal wolves or rather anything in normal world would die if it happened to them but wolves’ HP went down only by 5%. But that was not over as another slash was coming after this attack. When the first wolf fall, other wolves changed their charge and run tactic and slowly came closer to Arata. That didn’t scare Arata nor did it change anything. Rather from that moment Arata was slashing them even faster and more accurate. Having no room to move wolves attacks couldn’t be that fast. Their biggest strength ‘the speed’ was gone. But because they clamp up to Arata, he took one bite after another. Just like him they also began to make more damage. Still, Arata was quickly healed up by Kotori while wolves’ wounds would stay and even if their HP was going down slowly, cutting of their legs did a lot. Kotori wasn’t using her shields anymore. She was cleanly focused on healing. Arata HP was jumping back and forth like crazy but it never went below 40%. Despite numerous hits, Arata was fighting like he didn’t feel any pain and every time he was healed made him fight even less defensive.

“The best defense is offence.”

-come! I will kill you all!…

In this berserk mode, Arata quickly deployed most of wolves and when their HP was low enough he started to use black dash to maximize the damage. After 20 minutes only 5 wolves were left and their health was lower than 10%.

-I can feel your experience points. Come!

Even though full in HP, Arata’s body was covered in blood. But he did not care about that.

But then when he was about to finish the rest of wolves the white wolf finally made his move.

“Time for the main dish.”

Arata was sure of his victory, for him there was simply no other option. He rushed at white wolf. To that the wolf howled to the moon loudly. Arata got stunned for a second but that didn’t do much to him but.

-aaaaa!

Kotori fell from the tree and landed on the ground. That was at least what Arata heard.

[Lighting Speed]

Arata in the flash get to where Kotori was now lying. Her eyes were close and she wasn’t moving, but Arata didn’t have time to check on her, as the 6 wolfs with the white one leading them rushed to him.

Because he didn’t want to fight here and Kotori looked fine but just unconscious, he rushed back to face them on.

“First the small ones.”

[Black dash activated]

[Black dash activated]

Double use of this skill cleaned the remaining 5 wolfs and only the white one was left. Although. His HP even after getting hit by Arata’s Black dash didn’t change at all. But Arata didn’t care about things like levels or hp right now and shouted to him.

-hey you! Yes, you white doggie. Come closer and I will punish you for what you did!

Having seen Kotori fall from the tree because of this wolf howl, Arata didn’t care if he had to hit him thousand time or ten thousand times. He would fight for as long as it took.

Fighting against 80 level boss-class monster, Arata couldn’t afford for any mistakes but the moment the white wolf attacked, Arata was not ready for that speed. White wolf hit him with head and Arata was send flaying two meters back and hit the tree. Right away wolf was getting ready for another shoot, but it was Arata who get up quicker and rushed first. He got before his fangs. When wolf attacked, Arata jumped to the right and slashed the wolf before he even finished his attack. After that exchange Arata was at wolf’s back. After two slashes one from each sword Arata got hit by surprise attack by wolf’s back left leg. Arata HP was already at 10%. Realistically speaking it wasn’t really good and even though he did not feel like it, Arata was one hit from dying.

-Arata! You can do it!

His body was once again shining in moonlight and he quickly recovered back.

“No time to slacking now!”

The moonlight soon faded, after few seconds and Arata attacked by wolf again, but this time Arata could somehow dodge it without extremes. He now moved faster as his stats were now increased by 30% thanks to the buff called ‘Song of stars’. It was now stacked to two, but.

“The better the skill the more it costs she probably doesn’t have mana for one more.”

Arata continued his fight with white wolf. The buff was really helpful and right now, wolf’s strength didn’t feel that overwhelming anymore. Arata was fighting him without taking any more damage. But there was another problem as no matter how many times he hit him it didn’t give any effect.

“No use, it’s the same like that time. I wonder if it’s because his level is too big or normal attacks just doesn’t just work? It’s either of this but I need to try holy attack.”

-Kotori try shooting those holy bolts that you used before!

Arata shouted and Kotori did just that. By that attack wolf’s HP went down by 0,5% which was about 15x better than Arata’s normal attack. Arata saw some hope but Kotori quickly shouted back.

-no use! My mana will run out before he goes down to 70% and if I ‘over agro’ you and he starts attacking me it’s over.

“Hmm, maybe I could defend her somehow but it will be hard to do that. Also when the buff fades I wouldn’t be able to defend even myself and those 20 minutes will not be enough as her mana will need to replenish. No, the only answer lies is that move.”

Arata already tried to repeat ‘that’ move few times. The spell he once used to defeat a wolf with a dark aura like this one. But no matter how many times he tried, it never worked, not even once. But this time Arata somehow knew that it will work 100%. He would not waste this moment. There were too many things riding on it.

Pointing both of his swords to the front in direction of the white wolf he started to chant magic words that were bringing the image of the past. And in comparison to all other times his image was clear like never before.

-We are those that believe in victory…

-We are those who have entered the citadel…

-We are those who found the flame…

-We are those who used it to conquer evil! As our swords were shining with it red light!

Wolf started to attack once more. Arata prepared to counter it. When wolf was in close range Arata rotated on his right leg and during that step, both of his swords started to shine. The spin dodge was at the same time attack and shining swords hit the wolf right away. Having experienced the shock of the attack white wolf jumped back and howled. His hp went down by 20%.

-there you are. Come it’s time to pay for your sins.

With the swords which were emanating red-white light, Arata rushed at the white wolf. Wolf used his fastest attack which surprised Arata at start, the head hit. But having seeing it once, Arata jumped up and stomped on the head with his left leg. From there he made huge number of slashes. Arata ran on the wolf and during it he destroyed all of wolf’s leg muscles.

Although Arata could finish him off the wolf at that point as he had only HP 11% left, Arata jumped down. The wolf already movement nearly stopped and he fall to the ground. Arata bursted.

-that what you get for attacking my girl, you piece of shit!

He shouted that loudly than he slowly come front of the wolf. His left sword stopped to shine but the one in the right, the sword of lighting speed started to shine even stronger. Arata sheathed back the left sword and using two hands with his last hit, Arata slashed off white wolf head.

[You have leveled up by 1000%]

[You have gained a level, current level 42]

[You have unlocked new skills]

[New item collected]

[Ring of moonlight

Increases overall abilities by 5%

Those who seek the light not always look for it during the day. Sometimes only the light of the moon can show you the way. The power in the ring is for those who understand that way and are the true masters of stars and universe.

Epic Class Item

Class specific: Moonlight _

Level Required: None ]

Arata was looking at the ring that he now held in hands. He couldn’t use that item but he couldn’t think of anything else that he would want more than this.

-Arata, what was that?

Kotori wanted to ask about his last skill that he used as well as about his last words which he shouted. But Arata said.

-Kotori.

-hmm?

-here.

Arata gave her the ring as he putted it on her finger.

-why are you giving me a ring? It’s really beautiful. But does it have a meaning? You do know that giving ring to girl is not something you normally do, right?

She was little embarrass while saying it but it looked like the fight that she experienced just now wiped previous events from her mind and she was back to her usual playful self.

-you can interpret it the way you want. I glad that you are back.

Arata didn’t think much about what to say. He was just honest.

-glad to be back.

In that moment, Arata could see ‘two times of day’ at the same time. The night with the full moon emanating at her finger and the brightest sun in universe in form of her smile.

Still Arata could not anticipate that look for very long. As After few moments later despite having his health at 100% he passed out from blood loss.

The next day Arata woke up finding himself on some glade. Seeing the unfamiliar scenery he quickly he looked around and analyzed the situation.

“How did I end up here? I don’t remember.”

-good morning, Arata.

Kotori welcomed him. She was sitting on one log not so far from him while eating rice bread. This bread was the most common way to fulfill the hunger in the game so every adventurer had some of it.

-yea, good morning Kotori, where are we?

Arata answered.

-you don’t remember? Well you passed out right after the fight after all.

-it couldn’t be helped, there were wolves and other stuff… anyway where are we?

-I dragged you out of the forest but we are not that far from it. Look…

Kotori pointed down the hill. There was indeed a coniferous forest with spiky trees.

-this place looked like slightly better place to sleep so I chose it. Anyway I just started eating, want some?

-who would want to eat this?

-well, I know it’s bad but it doesn’t matter what it is right? It’s just a game after all. And the bread is cheap and there are others things to buy.

-I never thought that you would say it’s just a game.

-hehe.

-anyway I am not eating it. You also shouldn’t. I will prepare something myself so just wait for it.

-ah yes I remember, you were buying some stuff. But you don’t look like someone that can cook Arata.

-I can follow a recipe book.

It was true that Arata’s experience in cooking was still low.

-you found a recipe book here? No, before that. How does even cooking work in this game? I never tried it.

-it works same as everything. That means the same as in real world.

-you know I once played a game in which they said the same thing. Unfortunately the truth was far from reality. Anyway shouldn’t we start killing wolves again? We are like what two, three days behind already? Sure it was mostly my fault but I want to make up for it from now on. Let us not waste any time!

-but the time invested in cooking is never a wasted time.

-ehh….

-if you can’t wait then help me so it doesn’t take too much time then.

-but you really want to cook in the game?

-it’s really worth it.

-I don’t think that it will taste anywhere near the real thing but sure I can help. So what do you want me to do?

-peal those vegetables while I will check the book.

Arata instructed her but Kotori had a different definition of help.

-you want me, master of cooking art to peal you vegetables?

-you are master of cooking art?

Arata asked surprised. For someone to call themselves master of cooking art they would have a great confidence in their skill.

-I definitely better than you. Give me that.

She then run up to him and took [Marco’s cook book] from Arata’s hands. But then when she started reading her attitude changed a little.

-hey Arata, where did you get that?

-in beginners’ city. I worked there in one restaurant to earn some money. The chief from there gave it to me.

-you know, those recipes don’t look that bad. They are well written. It’s like real cooking book, I wonder what would happen if I made that in the real world.

-I tried cooking one of those in real and it turned out quite good.

-really? They must have used some real recipes to create it then. There are actually many things in here that I already prepared once or at least heard about but there are also some strange things that I never seen before.

-so you really know about cooking?

-it’s natural for a girl isn’t it? Heard about a woman who can’t cook? Well, it’s true that nowadays there are many that can’t but if you want to survive in world you must know how to fill your belly. I didn’t know that cooking system is like this. In previous VR I played the food had the same taste no matter what you eaten or how hard you tried on cooking. They probably didn’t have time or money to create better system. Well, it was also one of the first VRMMO after all so everything wasn’t perfect. It was good enough for me to play for those years. MMORPG aspects were on high level.

-focusing on main element was good call. Anyway if master of cooking art wants to take lead, go ahead. But before you choose anything look at ingredients I have.

-I already know what to look for, something with wolf’s meat.

-well, we have many of that in stock.

-no I talking about white wolf’s meat, it dropped yesterday and it’s says that it’s rare ingredient.

-if its unique ingredients it’s at the end of book.

-at the end you say? Let’s see, oh there is something. ‘Stew of moon’. A weird name. Recipe looks good overall but there is also note with tells about origin of the meal. It’s quite interesting so listen. ‘While we were going through snowy mountains and we didn’t have anything to eat the only way to survive was to hunt. One day we found a white wolf. He was three times bigger than any other wolf in the area. The fight against him took us two hours as the beast was really resilient but there is nothing that could stop us, ‘the hungry man’. The wolf’s meat looked like any other meat so I made a stew out from it. But it turned out that those who ate it will become a little stronger. I named it stew of moon as the fight and a feast took place at night when everyone was freezing to death yet still looked at the sky with full moon which emanated over our heads. It’s also better name that ‘stew from white wolf’s meat’ and unique food deserves a unique name.’

Kotori ended up reading Marco’s story.

-it’s so like him to make useless notes like that

-he probably wanted to remember the moment. The story also wasn’t that bad. Anyway it looks like this stew is made just like normal stew but with use of white wolf’s meat so I don’t need it anymore.

Kotori threw the book back to Arata.

-need some help?

-no, you can lie down and wait, you had a hard time yesterday after all.

-then I will take you on your offer.

Arata return to lying on the grass once more. After some time Kotori asked a question, or rather asked for a question.

-hey Arata, do you want to ask me something?

-hmm, not really. Ah maybe one. You didn’t do anything strange to me when I was sleeping, didn’t you? Like writing something on my face? I don’t have a mirror so I can’t check it.

Kotori was rather surprised and at the same time amused by his answer but then just answered.

-haha, no I didn’t, after I dragged you here I also soon went to sleep as well.

-I see and where were you sleeping?

-of course, next to you.

“Somehow I should have known that. Wait does that mean that I will be hunted by her father now? Even if he was probably… hopefully joking, it wasn’t funny.”

-you sure are open. Like always.

Arata commented.

-only to you, anyway I don’t have to worry anymore.

-worry? About what?

-about you.

-me?

-you know, I already know that you like me so I don’t have to worry. But sorry Arata, I can’t get married yet, my dad won’t let me, but thanks for the ring, I will cherish it, and one day we can do that.

“Really? No really!!”

At first Arata didn’t know what to say or if he should say anything at all but he soon returned to the earth.

-wait, wait, wait, how did that idea come to your mind again?

-you gave me ring and said that I can think what I want. It’s not bad image to think of it as engagement ring so I will think about it like that.

“Well, I technically said that but still.”

Arata could not deny it now.

-you really have crazy ideas.

-why you are so reserved Arata? Yesterday you were so angry when I fell from the tree you wanted to kill that wolf so bad, you even cursed which is unusual for you.

-… .

-I also heard a line ‘my girl’ somewhere along the lines.

-… .

-anyway Arata you can’t hide it forever or rather you already can’t hide it, so just give up.

-I can’t hide it?

-wait, you think you are a good liar? Then surprise, no, you are not, especially in this matter. Legendary Arata or not you are someone who has absolutely no experience with girls. Am I right?

-it doesn’t look like you have any experience either.

-sure I don’t but I am at least open about it.

-too much open if I had to say.

-it’s definitely way better than denying everything when in truth you thinking, wait I will recite your words. “She has a smile which is brighter than ten thousand suns and I really like her golden hair. No I must stop it’s too embarrassing for me to say it. Let’s just say she is pretty and make it sound like cheap complement.”

At first Kotori became really red but then just joked around.

-well it’s my thoughts but I didn’t say that… Ah, I shouldn’t have to say that loudly.

-Arata when you try too hard at thinking, your inner thoughts just comes out from your mouth, so give it up already. Anyway it’s great that you think like that, even if those are really embarrassing things you say. You are so pure Arata.

-I am not.

-second ago you confirmed that it’s your thoughts.

“…”

Arata run out of the arguments.

-fine I give up, I like you.

-see its way better to be honest. So we are now a couple.

-couple?

-yes couple, well it’s in a game for now but in future we have to meet together in real as well. But as I said its better if it’s in a long future than shorter as my dad has a collection of weapons in our garage and may not be too happy about the whole thing…

“So he wasn’t joking.”

-hahaha, don’t worry he will definitely like you and I was just joking anyway. If you want you can meet him right away.

-let’s leave it for a different occasion. By the way Kotori, should we do anything special now? As you already figured, I have no experience in this at all, so I don’t really know what couples do.

-that’s a good question but I also don’t know. But shouldn’t we just do what we normally do and it will work out somehow?

-it’s an easy going way of thinking.

-shouldn’t love be like that. I mean you don’t have to worry about it as it is one of most natural things for humans. So it should work on its own.

“I somehow ended up with a girlfriend. Ah who I try to kidding I should just start shouting from joy! It’s not like I ever made a features of perfect girl list but if I had to describe it in one word it would simply be Kotori and also… ”

-now that I think about it I liked her from the start.

Arata got too excited once again and say it loudly.

-and you say that I am open. Well your way is way more poetic than mine. That’s for sure.

Kotori heard that but Arata was no longer embarrassed.

-I have a soul of an artist within me.

-rather than saying that, Arata get up the food is ready. And I can already tell that after you eat it, your love points will become max.

-what are love points?

-hehe…

Kotori gave him a bowl with stew, and he started to eat. After finishing eating he took another serving and another. He could not even tell her that it’s good as he would have to stop eating to do that and it was too hard for him to do that in that moment.

-glad you like it.

-Kotori.

Arata said her name while staring in the distance without blinking.

-yes?

-I think it won’t work out after all.

-ah, why you are back to it again? As I said just be honest.

-no it’s just that a low creature like me can’t be with great Kotori who have mastered the cooking arts.

-hahaha, don’t worry you are legendary Arata after all. But speaking of legendary Arata, I still didn’t ask about it.

-hmm?

-Arata, what VRMMO did you play after you quit Light in the Citadel?

-I didn’t play any. ‘eye of Adventure’ is my first VR game. I didn’t even touch other things. Why do you ask?

-you really didn’t play any other VR game?

-for quite long time I didn’t play any games at all.

-but you didn’t play any yet you fight like that!…

It looked like Kotori finally asked the question that Arata was expecting for some time. But rather than simply asking that question.

-so that version was the truth!

-I am lost a little right now.

-you know after you disappeared without notice, we created many versions of yours disappearance.

-we?

-you know, me and others from your fanclub. Anyway there was a version where you decided to train in mountains as VRMMOs were about to become trend and you foresee that the true gamer must know how to fight.

-well, it’s not entirely wrong. Some of trainings that I have were in mountains. But if you ask about my fighting style I learned it in real world from my grandpa. Ah that was true hell training. Compared to that, our guild trial or yesterday’s fight was a walk in park.

-I see. But it must be nice to know your grandparents. Mine were dead before I was even born. So your grandpa is… . Wait, you call him grandpa, it’s so cute!

Kotori teased him a little.

-something wrong with that!

-no, no, anyway your grandpa is a sword master or something?

-well something like that, anyway the basis I know are from there and combined with avatar that doesn’t have many of human limitations. I can fight like this.

That was what he answered, although the truth was that Arata didn’t do anything in the game yet that he couldn’t do in real life as well. Except for the game skills that is.

-so Arata, do you live near some mountains?

-I used to when I was living with grandpa.

-and your parents? You didn’t live with them?

“Telling her about it now, isn’t best idea as she might just once again remember her memories, right now she is back to usual self and I don’t want to touch the thing, at least not yet.”

-stuff happened, anyway right now I living on my own. What about you.

-me? Ah no, I still live in my family home. It’s you who is abnormal to live alone the moment you finish school.

-that’s true as well, anyway we should get going. Exp awaits.

-one more thing.

-Kotori how long is it already since we started?

-don’t worry, at least our adventure is longer, anyway your class is twilight swordsman right?

-yes, what about it?

-so as a fighter how can you use spells?

-I have a second class so I can.

-you have double class?

-yea thanks to that I can use spells, although because my main profession is a swordsman the second is only a small boost.

-small boost? You killed that wolf in seconds when my attacks took like 0,5% of his health.

-he was vulnerable to light that’s why.

-my attacks were also of that type, that’s why I ask how much damage your skill makes?

Unfortunately Arata could not answer that question.

-I don’t know, also it’s not normal skill but basic magic.

-basic magic?

-you don’t know about it?

-it’s my first time hearing that term.

Arata thought that it was something taught to any magic oriented profession but it looked like it was not the case. The truth was however that the concept of basic magic was not vastly known, and people who were skilled in it were not many.

-I will try to explain but don’t expect much. In theory basic magic is a way to make anything that you can think up. Although it mostly ends up bad and it mostly doesn’t work and not everyone can do it. But it is very useful in right hands.

-you have right hands for it?

-no, the chances that something will work for me are like one in a million. It’s rather hard to have clean image in your head and actually make it happen.

-so that was why you were chanting something to make it somewhat like a spell, right? But your words I think I heard them somewhere.

-if you followed my guild, then on our website there was a poem posted for some time.

-ah yes, it was from there! But I didn’t think that it’s a good poem.

-well no one really ever did but somehow it stayed. Anyway this time no more questions, let’s go.

-one more question.

-…, ok what is it.

-do you like me?

-I already answered that, and wasn’t you super sure?

-answer again.

-yes I like you.

-hehe, let’s go Arata, we wasted a lot of time already, there are many levels to ding!

Kotori happily started to run.

“What do I have with her?”

And soon, Arata followed.

//**This chapter is far from over. Continue to _13.2**//

http://www.royalroadl.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=333&t=3127