Hygea, a nation of heroes it seems like. They don’t have to survive off of fish under the ice, they must hunt wild game and farm. I see no trolls here. It is strange, I was granted the title hero-king in my nation and most of the time I felt like an outsider but here, I really am. It’s comfortable.

I smashed a few thugs that were following me down my chosen alley within seconds not aiming to kill. They didn’t seem used to combat, despite their strange weaponry and various ages. Children with staves? Humans with cat ears? I feel like everything I know has just been burned like my kingdom. I rubbed my nose and fluffed my cape nervously. This didn’t seem honorable to me. While I would usually not fight with my lessers or especially children, one of them seemed capable of powerful magics. From heavy experience I can sense intuitively through reading body language and the rhythm of movements how much the fighter values their offensive strength. All of them valued themselves highly, and yet they did not understand basic concepts of ambush, speed, foot placement, proper timing of breath or advanced group tactics. They figured I was easy? Then they cannot read my skill either. How disappointing.

I leaned down to a child to examine them but the assailants were already up and upon me. I sent them packing into the ground one after another, dodging a few swings and a magic bolt with hair’s breadth timing. The power was great, beyond our strongest mages in the kingdom. None of them would be this poorly trained. How mysterious.

“I don’t want to kill you. This is not a fight you can win.”

I advised them. They are clearly amateurs who have managed to stumble upon talent and power yet have not known failure or tested themselves in personal combat.

“This Ahgo guy’s got to be hacking somehow… you see that subclass?”

“It’s like that Cowboy guy, is this another secret patch?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, how can you hack a brain chip game?”

“Hey, Ahgo, why are you ?? level?”

They were whispering from the ground and pulling themselves up. No painful movements, no jerking of the muscles, not tired at all. The wind wasn’t knocked from them either. On a closer look, they didn’t even appear to be taking in breath consciously. Something was off with the timing and motion of their chests. What strange land is this?

“How do you know my name? I have never heard of a human nation like this one, to think news of my fall would spread so far…”

“He’s roleplaying. He won’t tell us anything.”

“Hey! Come on, just break character for a second and tell us how you got that subclass!”

“What’s a subclass? I didn’t understand what you said by question mark question mark level either. I am new to this land, I have no problem fighting with you but I refuse to kill such unskilled opponents,” I said.

“What!? I’ve been playing for years! I’m pretty good you know!”

No, you are terrible.

“Hey, maybe he’s a noob that got ahold of a secret account or something. Maybe he’s a game master playing around?”

Just more mysteries spew from their mouths.

“Then should I answer his question? Why would he ask something so obvious…”

Am I in another world? This seems far too different, it’s as if the basic laws of reality have shifted.

I’ll try something then.

I summoned my short ice sword Hydr from memory and tested its weight and heft.

“Woah, did you see that? He didn’t even cast a spell and his special gauge didn’t budge!”

“What if he’s a raid boss player? No way it’s not a game master, lets just report him and go.”

They began to leave without answering my questions. Poor manners, that may just be normal to humans here. I liked the humans back home a tad more.

“Get away from that troll! You’re bullying him!”

A strange man showed up, dressed with a skirt with big sleeves and a style of sword I have not seen before. Ah, I see, the skirt hides his legs. In combat that would be invaluable. He has another sword by his side, but he is not using it? Perhaps if he is disarmed he would draw it.

“Oh look it’s the Cowboy Samurai. Great, have him to yourself hero of justice, he’s just some crazy roleplaying game master.”

“Wait, what if it’s system shock?”

“Well we reported it already…”

They were talking easily as they walked past the skirt man, who had sheathed his sword and approached me openly. No wariness at all towards the people around him, even though he challenged them?

“Hello there skirted man. I am very confused by this kingdom. I have just come here summoned quite mysteriously, and would like some answers if you don’t mind.”

“You’re new to the game? Why is your level ?? then? They said you were a game master, is that true?”

He seemed rather excited. A boy meeting a hero, is that it? Game masters must be heroes in this world. Here, the kingdom regards this existence as a game. I can understand this much so far.

“I do not know what game and game master refer to specifically, I am a Hero-King from the fallen Troll kingdom to the far north. My name, the ruffians knew my name on sight although they have never seen me. Also, what is this level?”

“Anyone can see your name, level, class, subclass, health, and special gauge. You just got to focus on it with your brain chip. I was confused when I started playing, but they gave me a notification so it was easy. Maybe your download got bugged or something?”

I held my head. Just more questions. Although I can understand these people perfectly, why are some words so strange?

“Are you alright? Maybe you should log out?”

Okay, I understand now. Although I understand their language I do not understand their culture. This is like a diplomatic mission, although I was poorly trusted and not confident in handling them. I will clearly state from the beginning everything and attempt to reconstruct my understanding of these people from the ground up.

“I am sorry. As I am new here, I do not understand all these words you use at all. I was merely walking and was summoned here. I am from the far north, a Troll Hero-King of a fallen kingdom. I am hoping you can explain to me the concepts of this kingdom’s culture. Speak as if you were introducing it to a child, as I am not so different right now. What is this ‘game’?”

That was good, that should get a decent answer.

“Roleplayer, huh... Well, I’m Cowboy. I am a samurai. This world was made by smart people. They, uh, put it all together with machines. Then they also put machines in people's heads. The machines in the heads of the people allow them to see this game, uh, world from inside their mind. The machines in the heads of the people can connect to a, uh, a invisible web. It travels through the air. And then everyone gets here, and they make a character to run around in this world and have fun. It’s a game. Everyone has a number, that’s level. As the number grows higher you can do more damage and fight harder battles. In this game, your emotions power the strength of your attacks. Everyone can see using the machines in their heads can see all that information I told you about just by looking at you. Does that make sense?”

This Cowboy, he was groaning and making poses with his hand towards his chin. A human body language for thinking, I remembered that from my visit to their lands. He put such effort to explain that to a foreigner. To think I am in a world created from a mind, not unlike a magic of untold power far greater than Granadyr’s. To alter the very fabric of reality itself.

“Thank you, Cowboy the Samurai, for your kindness. These machines of your people sound like magic to me, I have never heard of such powerful magic that it could create a world entirely of the mind. To what strange land was I summoned to…”

“Ah, well, I grew up with it myself so I’m used to it. You seem quite lost, Is there something you’re looking for?”

“I suppose I’ll have to accept that story as explanation enough. In that case, no one knows of my kingdom and I may be in another world entirely. As Hero-King, I failed in my duty and my nation burned to the ground. I seek an ending in battle.”

“‘An ending’? Oh! Dying to protect your honor huh? Yeah, samurai’s used to do that all the time. So it’s like you want someone to kill you in a fair fight, because you’re guilty about being unable to save your country!”

Guilty? I’m guilty?

“I do not understand guilt. If you could explain, I would appreciate that, though I have nothing to offer you but my skill.”

“No, no, I like helping people, it’s part of being a samurai. Hold on, I’m not really to sure about this myself, I’m going to use the machine in my head to find out some information about it.”

He went still. No wonder my observations about the characters around me was confusing then. It’s as if I am in a book. A living book, where the writers are constantly acting in a massive play with a whole world created from the mind as a set. I rubbed my nose and fluffed my cape. If it’s a game, do they even die if they die? The thugs earlier did not seem hurt at all. I looked at my hand. Is this still flesh? Can I even die now?

I sighed. What’s the point of fighting if there is no victory to be won, no kingdom or resources to protect, and everything can be imagined out of thin air? The whole world here is fake!

But, on the upside, I could fight forever against countless opponents and although I would slay them over and over they would only learn how to better combat me.

It was like my fights against Granadyr. I felt the urge to weep, thinking of him, but it would hardly protect what little honor I had left.

“I checked Wellness Central, It seems like it’s all about feeling you’ve done something wrong. I don’t mess up at home, the machines there are too expensive. Dad does though, maybe that’s how he feels when he costs himself a lot of money…”

“Indeed. I failed my kingdom. I will resolve this by facing death.”

“You know if you die you just run to your corpse in ghost form and can revive from there, right?”

“I had considered such an outcome, to think it was true... but I am a foreigner to these lands. I may not have changed to be the same type of being as people like you. Cowboy, would you do me the honor of facing me in a serious battle? I have asked a lot from you, If there is any way I can repay you before I die I will attempt to do so, you may ask anything of me.”

“A duel huh? I joined a friend’s guild recently, they have a dueling area there. Let’s go. By the way, how’d you get that troll skin?”

For this game, huh. It seems he thinks I am acting as well, why would you act in game where you are already acting?

“I was born with it.”

“Ahgo, you’re so into your character. Promise to tell the truth if I win?”

“I can’t, because I just told you the truth already.”

“Wow, such dedication…” said Cowboy.