ã€ŠP4NGEAã€‹


 Chapter 1

    Anton stood in the office, looking down at the simple file folder with a single sheet of paper inside. It lay on top of a wooden office table that separated him from the man sitting across him. The dark brown leather chair spun, the man lifting his gaze at Anton. He relaxed his back, resting it on the chair¡¯s dark brown backrest. Anton moved his eyes from the piece of paper up toward the eyes of the man.

    The man shook his head.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± the man said. Anton understood what this all meant. He approached the table and took the folder into his hands.

    ¡°Should I read it here?¡± Anton asked, his finger intertwined between the folder¡¯s plastic sides.

    ¡°Your choice. It won¡¯t change anything, however. That¡¯s the unfortunate truth,¡± The man said in a calm, flat tone, hiding all emotions from Anton¡¯s hearing ears.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Anton replied, not intending on taking the discussion any further.

    ¡°You have the rest of your day to tidy up. I don¡¯t want anything else left tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°If you say so,¡± with those parting words, Anton retreated from the room.

    He turned around and stepped away, not looking back. He pushed the glass doors to the room open. It felt far heavier now compared to when he first entered. He let the door slide back close on its own, shutting the room away from the outside world, before leaving for good.

    He let out a sigh and made his way back toward his computer, stepping above the gray and black carpet. He went past a group of younger employees that had been hired by the company. They turned their heads toward him, but Anton decided not to care. He knew none of them, granted, most of them had entered work earlier this week.

    ¡°Anton?¡± he heard the voice of a girl calling out to him. He looked behind him, finding a girl standing not far behind. She carried two thick books in her arms.

    ¡°Rebecca?¡± he asked, but he decided against stopping.

    He continued his walk toward his desk. He sat down on his rolling chair. The green chair had served him well these last two years. It replaced an older dark red chair, one that had been serving the company before he joined it. Rebecca went to her desk and set her books down, before heading toward him.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked, a hint of curiosity mixed in with the worried tone in her voice.

    ¡°...¡±

    Nothing.

    Anton thought in his mind, but he knew that this was a lie. He expected this coming from a mile away. He noticed the signs. He even prepared for it. Yet¡­

    ¡°Nothing¡­¡±

    No, it¡¯s not nothing.

    No warnings, no discussion, no information whatsoever. His seniors had been fired left and right, despite their significant contributions. People didn''t stay long, and they either left by themselves or were fired. The company wanted cheap labor, and Rebecca just so happened to be in that position. Being someone that had been hired specifically to replace him, Anton admittedly had ill feelings toward her. Despite being under his wing for a few weeks, teaching her what he knew, he couldn¡¯t help but feel betrayed by her. He knew she had nothing to do with it, he knew she couldn¡¯t do anything even if she wanted to, but he just couldn¡¯t help it.

    He looked away from her. Anton moved his finger to the computer¡¯s power button and pressed it.

    ¡°You¡¯re alright?¡± Rebecca asked, her dark brown eyes gazing at him through her pink glasses.

    ¡°I¡¯m fired,¡± Anton said with a curt tone. Rebecca''s lips curled into a frown as she heard those words.

    ¡°Is it my fault?¡± She asked with a slight hint of panic.

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    ¡°Please, go,¡± Anton replied, not bothering to look away from his computer screen. The screen showed a lock screen, the picture of a calm beach behind it. He typed in his employee id and password, unlocking his computer.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Rebecca said as she turned around, her long black hair swaying as she moved away.

    Anton turned his head and watched as her figure disappeared into the office. He sighed and directed his attention back at his computer screen. He then reached for his red backpack tucked away under the desk, and pulled out a black hard drive. He plugged it into the computer¡¯s USB port, connecting the machine with the computer. A notification appeared on the screen, confirming that the hard drive had been successfully connected.

    He opened a program that he had developed. This program took him eight entire months to complete, and had he taken a little longer, it wouldn¡¯t be done in time. Luckily for him, he managed to finish it just one week before this day. He had made sure that it worked. He took a deep breath and ran the program. The program did its work, installing backdoor access to the company¡¯s entire network.

    Aripi had several issues with security, some of them the company didn¡¯t bother to fix while others they weren''t even aware of. Many of Anton¡¯s seniors even told employees to not use the company computer for personal use. Now, with the program successfully installing itself onto the entire network, Anton fully understood why. The program started making several changes and adjustments, while Anton took all of his files and moved them into his hard drive. He made sure to secure every single file he had ever worked on. He saved every data from his work account, and logged out all his accounts from everything.

    It took him three entire hours to finally complete the process. With everything done, he unplugged the hard drive. He made sure to test the access through his phone, and after confirming that everything worked as expected, he shut the computer down. He bid farewell to the computer and stood up. He checked his table, making sure that he didn¡¯t leave anything behind. After all these checks, he turned toward the exit, saying goodbye to the office that once became his second home.

    The ride home didn¡¯t take long. After he signed up for this job, he bought an apartment thirty minutes away from the office. Located on the city outskirts, the building had a lower rent price compared to other areas. Anton watched the few passengers on the train as it made its way toward the station. The train swung left and right, shaking everything inside, including himself. Anton checked the time. 4.40 PM. This particular ride felt slower than usual.

    He watched the buildings passing by, buildings that had accompanied his ride home all these years. The train started slowing down before coming to a complete stop. Anton got off the train and walked toward the exit. It took him another ten minutes of walking before he reached his apartment.

    He entered the lobby and headed for the elevator. He hit the number ten on it and stood in the center as the entire thing moved upward. He stared at the numbers as it increased. The elevator let out a ting as it stopped on the floor. He got off, making his way to his apartment room. The number 1002 stood in front of the wooden door. He unlocked it with his keys and pushed it open.

    He entered his apartment room. The room had wooden tiling and creme walls. He put his backpack down beside his wardrobe and headed for the toilet. He took a quick shower, changed into his indoor clothing, and headed for his personal computer. He turned the computer on, its fans making a whirring sound as it booted up. He sat down at his foldable chair, far less luxurious compared to the rolling ones in the office.

    The operating system¡¯s window flickered on his screen, before showing him a lock screen similar to the one in his office. He typed in his password, this time without needing an id. A different screen showed itself to him, this time with a picture of him and his companion in the background.

    ¡°Kayla¡­¡±

    He muttered his companion¡¯s name. He then opened the application, the same one that he created. It had a simple goal, give him access to the company¡¯s data after he left. His employee account would be deleted soon, thus he made sure that every file was either on his computer or his hard drive. After feeling sure that he left nothing behind, he started working on a different thing.

    He navigated the server, selecting only the files he needed. He made sure to not touch sensitive data, not wanting to give anyone a chance of figuring out what he was doing. After selecting all the data he needed, a download icon appeared on the upper right corner of the screen, along with the internet speed and download progress.

    As he waited for the program to download what it needed, he used his phone to check his banking account. He had the feeling that things would turn out this way, sooner or later. He had a mission, and getting hungry wasn¡¯t a part of it. Deciding that he had more than enough savings to live off for the next couple of months, he returned his attention to the screen. He watched as the files one by one transferred into his computer, his network connection the only lavish thing about this entire room, with speeds exceeding the ones used by the average person.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the entire data to be downloaded. With it all saved on his hard drive, he got off the computer and made his way toward his bed. He picked up the Dual Reality headpiece that he stored on his bedside table, putting it on his head. He closed his eyes, a virtual window appearing behind the darkness. Using the power of his mind, he navigated through the menu and hovered his cursor above the P4ngea logo. He took a deep breath, before using his mind to select it, entering the game.

    He felt his body getting lighter as the device transported his mind into the game.

 Chapter 2

    Anton opened his eyes, looking up at the brown wooden ceiling. A bulb hung at the center of it, emitting light into the room. Birds chirped in the distance, the refreshing mountain air caressing his skin.

    ¡°You¡¯re back. Been waiting for you,¡± Anton heard the soft voice of a girl, one he knew well. The voice of his companion.

    ¡°Kayla,¡± he muttered her name, prompting the girl to smile. She approached him and sat down on the bed right beside his legs. The girl retained the game¡¯s generated features. Yellow hair tied in a ponytail and dark blue eyes. She wore dark red armor, one Anton chose for her.

    ¡°Yes, master,¡± the girl said with a gleeful voice.

    ¡°I told you to not call me that, remember?¡± Anton said while rubbing his eyes. He then used his right hand to push himself up. Kayla approached him and assisted in getting him seated upright.

    ¡°You also told me that despite being an AI companion, I don¡¯t need to follow all your words,¡± Kayla said, her right hand on her chest.

    ¡°Well, there are some exceptions to that,¡± Anton said as he got off the bed.

    The bed let out a faint squeak as his weight was relieved from it. He navigated toward the balcony, looking out at the tall trees that surrounded his virtual home. Several trees modeled after pine trees stretched beyond the land, covering the mountains. He rested his hands on the railings, leaning outward toward nature

    ¡°They haven¡¯t changed one bit since you last logged in,¡± Kayla said, standing beside him.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I thought there are updates in this area?¡±

    ¡°Most of them are in the city. You want me to give you a quick tour?¡±

    ¡°Yes, please.¡±

    ¡°Follow me, then,¡± Kayla said as she turned around and headed back inside.

    ¡°Actually,¡± hearing Anton¡¯s words, Kayla stopped in her tracks. She turned around, waiting for what he wanted to say. Anton opened up his virtual menu and selected his player profile. He took a screenshot of his screen and sent it to his computer.

    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you no matter how long it takes,¡± Kayla¡¯s words made a smile appear on Anton¡¯s face. Anton navigated the menu and logged out of the game.

    After his return to the real world, he made his way to his computer. Using the program he installed, he added a large amount of money to his in-game bank account. Even without hacking, employees could add money to their accounts for testing purposes. Technically, this wasn¡¯t illegal, at least it wasn¡¯t the most illegal part of the entire thing. He made sure to use the access to delete the log file detailing his actions, and after going through some checks, he made his way back to his bed. He logged in once again, returning to P4ngea.

    ¡°That was quick,¡± Kayla said upon seeing him back in the game.

    ¡°I expected it would take at least a couple of days,¡± She joked.

    ¡°Who taught you to be sassy?¡± Anton asked sarcastically.

    ¡°You said I should do whatever I want, or rather, whatever my programming told me to do.¡±

    ¡°And I programmed you¡­¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s your fault.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just move on,¡± Anton went past Kayla and headed for the ground floor.

    She quickly followed in his steps, skipping down along with him. Despite being a two-floor house, Anton didn¡¯t fill it with much furniture. He did leave the interior design to Katla. She could only work with the items he bought, though. That reminded him of the added money and quickly checked the balance for his account.

    It was all in his account. He decided he would leave that money alone for now, not wanting to raise suspicion and stick with smaller purchases. Kayla waited patiently behind him. Once ready, he opened the door and set his foot outside. The moment he left the house, he saw the appearance of a block of text above his vision. It had a wooden sign background and some leaves, with the village¡¯s name, Alvandor, listed on it.

    ¡°That¡¯s one of the new things,¡± Kayla said as she appeared from behind him.

    The sign then disappeared. Noticing that, Anton turned around and headed back inside, much to Kayla¡¯s visible confusion. He closed the door, leaving Kayla outside, only to reappear a few seconds later. The sign once again reappeared. Anton looked up at it. While it wasn¡¯t a physical object in the game¡¯s world, the sign remained in a single place, thus looking up at it didn¡¯t move its position.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°... You¡¯re asking me?¡± Kayla looked at him.

    Anton noticed her blank stare, probably because her programming failed to bring up any responses. Anton let out a sigh and continued his way through the mountain village.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to explain that?¡± Kayla asked curiously.

    Anton knew that the girl¡¯s personality had been generated by random numbers, and he could change it if he wanted, but he found that side of her quite charming. Cute, in a way.

    ¡°That¡¯s a highly unneeded update.¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡± Anton nodded to Kayla¡¯s question.

    The game had countless issues, and not having a large sign wasn¡¯t one of them. It was a weird addition, one that made the game less immersive. Anton stopped above the cobblestone road that linked one house to the other. Several wooden houses formed the little mountain village. The smallest ones had two floors with three bedrooms. Their size and price varied, with the most expensive ones being called a manor thanks to their size. A getaway for the wealthy, in a way. Calm winds blew through the skies, their realistic sensation engulfing Anton¡¯s virtual skin.

    Anton opened his in-game menu. He navigated the settings, looking for the button.

    ¡°You know how to turn that off?¡± he asked. Kayla looked confused and then pointed upward.

    ¡°The wind?¡±

    ¡°No, the signs.¡±

    ¡°Oh, go to settings, display, then landmark markers. You can choose your preferred style there, or you can turn it off.¡±

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    Anton browsed through the many options the game offered him. His hand glided over the virtual screen, pressing virtual buttons. Eventually, he arrived at the settings Kayla mentioned. He looked through the several styles the game offered, trying to remember when the game added them. Despite being a developer himself, he didn¡¯t remember most of the changes applied to the game.

    He did know about the ones related to AI and the player base. The game¡¯s community had been rather vocal about some recent changes, which unfortunately fell on deaf ears.

    He chose to turn off the markers, opting for the markers on his map instead, and closed the screen. He looked around the village, looking a bit emptier when compared to the time he last played. It hadn¡¯t been that long, he thought.

    I guess that shouldn¡¯t be a surprise.

    He continued walking, making his way toward a large building in the distance. The village offered nature-based living, thus all the pine trees and grass that surrounded each individual house. Some players had clearly paid more attention than others. While most of the houses looked relatively bland from the outside, featuring just a few decorations on their front yards, others had an entire forest somehow fitted there.

    A cat sat near the road, licking its paws when it saw Anton. It approached him while meowing.

    ¡°Here kitty kitty,¡± Kayla said as she kneeled and started patting its head. The cat let out a tiny purr as it enjoyed the sensation of Kayla¡¯s hand running through its fur.

    ¡°Meooow¡­¡±

    ¡°Cute, isn¡¯t it?¡± Anton said as she watched Kayla play with the cat.

    ¡°Very. Can we keep it?¡±

    ¡°For the thousandth time, no.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll keep asking for another thousand, then.¡±

    ¡°Besides, it had an owner. Look at its collar.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate,¡± eventually, the cat walked away.

    Kayla waved her hand toward it before continuing on her walk, walking beside Anton. They approached a white concrete building, shaped like a box. Two rectangles with the letter H on them occupied its roof. They entered the building and headed for the receptionist on the first floor.

    ¡°How about Oakport?¡± Anton considered Kayla¡¯s suggestion for a moment. Kayla noticed the uncertainty on Anton¡¯s face and continued.

    ¡°It has been updated recently.¡±

    ¡°Oh, alright then.¡±

    ¡°Fly or drive?¡±

    ¡°Drive.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kayla continued the car booking process with the receptionist.

    Players could have their own vehicles and store them in selected places around the map. Normally, homes, depending on size, had their own garages, some large enough to house an entire airport. Of course, those ones were expensive and would take either years of grinding or real-world money to obtain. Alvandor¡¯s had a close-to-nature kind of vibe. Sounds and noises like engines and heavy machinery were seen as disturbing, their operation banned within the region. Players couldn¡¯t keep their vehicles in their houses, and could only store them in a garage that could be accessed through this building.

    ¡°Which one?¡± Kayla asked. Anton approached her, looking at the screen that showed various different types of vehicles with different prices. He didn¡¯t have much money before this, so he didn¡¯t have a car, with most of his money going into upgrading his weapons and equipment.

    ¡°Would thirty minutes be enough?¡± he asked, his hand hovering on top of the sedan that he selected.

    ¡°To Oakport? Sure, but we¡¯re not returning after that?¡± Returning to Alvandor wasted time, something that he didn¡¯t have much of. He could feel the clock ticking, each second in this world counts. He shook his head and selected the cheapest option.

    ¡°Thank you for your purchase. Your car will be ready shortly.¡±

    The receptionist played a predetermined voice line. Unlike Kayla, who had advanced AI, NPCs like her had limited AI capabilities. Kayla thanked the receptionist before guiding Anton toward the southern side of the wide concrete building, toward the main lobby. There, a red sedan was parked, ready to be driven. The two entered the car. Kayla pulled her seatbelts. Anton, meanwhile, rested his back on the car¡¯s seats. It was a normal sedan, old by real-world standards.

    He did choose the cheapest option, after all.

    ¡°Seatbelts?¡± Kayla pointed toward the buckle.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I can die, though.¡±

    ¡°But you went out of your way to choose the cheapest option. I assume you wouldn¡¯t want to spend unnecessary hospital bills.¡±

    ¡°... Fine¡­¡± reluctantly, Anton pulled the belt and pushed it into the buckle. It let out a soft click as it rested into place. Seeing Anton¡¯s reluctance, Kayla let out a sly smile.

    ¡°You told me to not follow all your words.¡±

    ¡°You sure learn fast.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a computer program, after all.¡±

    ¡°And I programmed you¡­¡±

    ¡°Correct,¡± unable to find a way to retort, Anton looked away. Kayla giggled as she started driving.

    The car left the lobby, making its way down the mountainous road, heading toward the city below. Far in the distance, a large city extended toward the horizon. Tall buildings towered into the sky while a massive port beyond them was filled with various cargo ships anchored around it.

    Kayla hit a speed of eighty kilometers an hour, cruising down the empty road. A notification popped up on Ethan¡¯s screen, telling him that they had left the peace zone, meaning that they were now prone to being attacked. Ethan swiped the notification away. Kayla, meanwhile, slowed down as she approached some curves, trees starting to cover the right side of their car. P4ngea followed a right-hand drive system, a bit uncommon when compared to Earth. A warning suddenly appeared in Anton¡¯s vision.

    ¡°Bandits¡­¡± Anton muttered. He opened his settings menu, navigating the settings as fast as possible.

    ¡°Kayla¡­ where¡¯s the pacifist option?¡± Anton scanned the screen again, but he couldn¡¯t find the option.

    ¡°It was-¡± Anton felt a harsh shake on the car, throwing him around.

    ¡°See, seatbelt saves money!¡±

    ¡°Kayla, this is not the time! Where¡¯s the pacifist option!?¡± Anton asked in a panic.

    ¡°It¡¯s removed!¡± The world felt like it momentarily stopped, at least that''s how it feels for Anton. A second explosion brought him back to reality.

    ¡°Shit!¡± Anton cursed. He closed the settings and swapped the screen to his inventory. He pulled out his trusted weapon, a dark blue magic staff with a black prism on top. He held it in his hands, his eyes searching for where their attacker came from.

    ¡°Watch out!¡± Anton yelled, looking at an explosion on the side. The explosion hit two pine trees, which collapsed onto the road. They blocked the right portion of the road, a sharp turn right after that section, and from behind that turn, appeared their attackers. An attack helicopter appeared from behind the trees on the right, flying not far above the treetops. Its guns whirred. Kayla saw it and reached for the handbrake. Using her right hand, she slammed the steering wheel left, causing the car to violently go left. She pulled the handbrake before pushing it and making a violent turn to the right, following the outer perimeter of the turn.

    Anton felt his body being thrown around in the car. He held tight to the seatbelt, his right hand holding on to his staff. Once the car straightened, he quickly lowered his windows. The helicopter opened fire, sending bullets down the road. The shots sent a plethora of debris onto the side of the car, some jumping inside. Kayla drifted at the next left turn, trying to keep her path as erratic as possible. At the entry, she kept the car close to the turn¡¯s inner perimeter. The helicopter turned, aiming its gun at the speeding sedan.

    Anton let go of the seatbelt and crawled onto the window sill. He aimed his right hand at the helicopter, his left holding down the roof rack that kept him in place. The bullets got closer to them, but they soon stopped, right before a U-turn. Kayla grabbed the handbrake and made a sharp drift around the turn, disappearing behind a thick layer of forest as they continued their descent toward the city. Kayla planted her foot on the gas, the engine roaring as it was pushed to its limit.

    Anton held on, looking at the helicopter that flew behind the shadows of the trees. Kayla followed the straight road down. The helicopter then flew right above them, crossing the road and going to the other side. It turned its nose, aiming once again at Anton''s car.

    "Wind Breath!¡± the black prism at the end lit up. A gulf of wind flew from the wand, pushing from behind Anton, heading for the helicopter. It pushed the helicopter slightly, but not enough to get it off course. Anton racked his brain, trying to search for the correct spell that would put it down. The helicopter''s machine gun whirred again. He turned his head forward, noticing a tunnel quickly approaching them. It gave him an idea.

    ¡°Wind Pull!¡± He yelled. He pulled the helicopter, still adjusting its course from the previous attack, toward him. Kayla continued pushing the car, pushing it past one hundred twenty kilometers per hour. The sudden pull left the pilots little time to react. The helicopter broke off from the spell¡¯s effects, but it was too late. Unable to change course in time, the helicopter slammed into the top side of the tunnel. Its tail broke off from the body and flew into the empty tunnel. The fiery tail traveled several hundred meters before coming to a stop. With a breath of relief, Anton pulled himself back inside the car.

 Chapter 3

    The car made its way into the city. The fact that pacifist mode was no longer an option annoyed the heck out of him. It explained several complaints that surrounded the game, about how the game became more hostile. It was a recent change, only applied a few weeks ago. He was busy back then, thus he didn¡¯t notice the cause.

    It made the game harder, especially for lower-level players. Level wasn¡¯t necessarily the issue, per se, but most lower-level players lack the money required to buy advanced weapons, which made them an easy target for higher-level, PvP players. It resulted in an increased gap between low-level players and high-level or paying ones.

    ¡°... What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kayla asked, her eyes on the road. Now that they approached the city, more and more buildings appeared before them, occupying the surrounding area. He watched the buildings, wary of snipers and mages hiding among them. With their run-down sedan not suited for engagements, he half-regretted not choosing something else.

    ¡°Still, that was some good driving,¡± Anton complimented. It was a surprise, as while Kayla usually drove him around, he never saw her drive like that.

    As an AI companion, she had the capability to learn new things. When the player went offline, the game used to allow companions to be set on a quest to learn new skills or improve the skills they already had. Anton had set her to learn transportation skills, which allowed her to operate any vehicle, a skill essential for his mission. He didn¡¯t remember her being this good, however.

    ¡°Aww, that¡¯s nothing,¡± it was the farthest thing from nothing, considering that she drove an old good-for-nothing sedan. Well, it is good for one thing, getting its passenger from point A to point B. Fighting an attack helicopter wasn¡¯t on its list of features, however, and no amount of slapping would increase its defense stats. The fact that the car remained intact was nothing short of a miracle.

    Once they passed the city¡¯s outskirts, they would soon enter Oakport¡¯s peace zone. The peace zone, as its name suggests, banned all fighting between players. Back then, players could still remain safe outside the peace zone by activating pacifist mode. Pacifist mode stops the player from being affected by all player attacks, although the player could still be attacked by NPCs or mobs. It also banned pacifist players from attacking others. A warning would be sent to nearby players when a pacifist player turned off the mode, and the player wouldn¡¯t be able to enter the mode a few seconds after turning off or after attacking another player. It made the game safe for those who didn¡¯t want to fight.

    Ethan felt exhausted from the brief fight he had. He rested on the seat, pushing all the energy remaining in him to continue focusing on his surroundings. He wasn¡¯t safe just yet, after all. The game didn¡¯t actually simulate physical fatigue or pain, but it couldn¡¯t do anything about mental fatigue. Kayla looked toward him and pushed lightly on the gas, increasing the car¡¯s speed.

    Finally, a notification appeared in Anton¡¯s vision, telling him that he had passed the border and entered the peace zone. With no more enemies to worry about, he felt the energy returning to his body. He returned his weapon to his inventory, but he didn¡¯t change his position. Instead, he continued leaning back on his seat.

    ¡°... So, where are we going?¡± Kayla asked after she parked the car near the sidewalk. They still had some time in their car, around twenty minutes. The sun shone brightly in the sky, not obstructed by any clouds, nor moving an inch since they last left Alvandor.

    ¡°You said you¡¯re going to take me to see the new updates?¡± Anton asked, finally pulling himself off the seat. They didn¡¯t need to worry about daylight, as depending on the location, the place was engulfed either in eternal daylight or an eternal night. The world in this game took the form of a half circle, with the sun stuck in a position at the center of the world.

    Anton thought about taking Kayla toward the Marrow Peaks, but they would need a proper vehicle before that, and since they still have some time in this car, might as well go and explore the city.

    ¡°Oh, right, my bad,¡± Kayla turned the steering wheel and got back on the road. She returned to the road, heading west. In the distance, between the office buildings that reached into the skies, Anton noticed a thin line extending from the ground.

    ¡°That?¡± he asked, pointing his finger toward the thin line. He never saw that line before. Kayla nodded to his words.

    ¡°Luna Space Station,¡± the second she finished her words, Anton noticed a rectangular vehicle floating in the sky, making its way toward the station. It approached the station¡¯s side and stopped.

    ¡°The Advanced Future update? I heard about those things, saw a video about them once,¡± Advanced Future was the most recent in-game update. Anton remembered that it added several space-related things to the game including space itself. It added space, the moon, and several futuristic vehicles, starships among them.

    Since the game lacked a proper space setting, while these vehicles could be used to leave the atmosphere, they could only go to a single destination, making them more of a status symbol than an actually functioning vehicle. Anton then pulled out the in-game market. A virtual screen appeared in front of him. He browsed through the listings, choosing the vehicle market. Two sports cars made a quick pass beside them, racing each other. The sudden appearance caused Kayla to weave to the left. They barely clipped them before making a turn at the intersection.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we in a peace zone?¡± Anton asked. The peace zone shouldn¡¯t allow harmful contact between players.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say they change that as well?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ that,¡± unable to hold his curiosity, Anton switched the market for the changelogs. He started reading through the game¡¯s changelog. It would still take them a while to reach the station. Oakport was significantly quieter compared to when it first came into the game. Even walking around posed a challenge.

    Now, however, the number of players on this street could be counted by hand. Granted, the game¡¯s world had expanded since then. Most of them were probably on the moon right now. Some NPCs made their way around the area, evidenced by the marking on their left arm in the form of a yellow armband, sometimes exposed on the arm, other times integrated into the NPC¡¯s clothing.

    AI companions were an exception to this rule. They could be dressed however the players wanted, thus their arm bands could be removed.

    I wonder how many players left because of these changes.

    Anton wondered to himself, his finger scrolling down the list. Some of them were related to bugs, others related to new features, but some of them concerned him. He knew that they lost players after some poorly received changes. The effects stacked up, and within the year, they had lost a significant portion of their player base.

    ¡°Traffic,¡± Kayla called out. The car slowed down at an intersection. Lots of cars lined up in front of them, waiting for the lights to turn green. Beyond that intersection, more cars lined up behind each other, lining up toward the toll gates.

    ¡°We have fifteen minutes left. Should we break some laws?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember programming that into you.¡±

    ¡°But my programming told me that my job is to get you to your goal.¡±

    My goal¡­

    ¡°Fine, then.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s see what this car can do,¡± the sedan, being an automatic, had a simple shifter, displaying controls similar to a real car. Driving in the game felt more arcadey than realistic. So while the car may look like a real, old automatic sedan, it had different handling. Kayla gripped the shifter, her foot on the brakes. Once the light hit green, she pulled the shifter back, setting it to ¡®D¡¯. She moved forward before cutting to the right.

    ¡°Just making sure, we¡¯re in a peace zone, so we still can¡¯t die, right?¡±

    ¡°No worries, worst case scenario we¡¯ll pay for damaging the car,¡± with those words, Kayla slammed on the gas, and the car jumped. It cut the lane, driving straight toward the oncoming lane. A truck that was making a turn from the right side of the intersection halted to a stop as Kayla cut in front of it, honking its horn in fury. Kayla ignored it, however, and weaved through traffic. She cut the countless NPC cars that lined up at the toll gate, managing to secure a place.

    The NPC that they cut off honked their horn. It took them a while before they let them off. Being an NPC, Anton knew that the person wasn¡¯t real. The long honk did make him half curious and half annoyed, so he looked behind. The black SUV had its window tinted, making it hard for him to see the design of that NPC. He soon felt his entire body thrown back as the car sped away from the toll gate. Kayla planted her foot on the gas, the red line in the speedometer rotating to the right.

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    ¡°This is what you people say about paying for the entire speedometer, right?¡±

    ¡°I really didn¡¯t remember mentioning that to you,¡± as an AI companion, Kayla got most of her information from the game¡¯s database as well as what the player said. She, being Anton¡¯s companion, could follow only Anton¡¯s words. Anton recalled his memories, the outside world blurring as they hit the car¡¯s top speed of one hundred and eighty kilometers per hour. The engine roared in the front, pushing all the juices it had left in after its long life.

    As the car sped through the highway, weaving in between traffic, the station grew larger in front of them, its tip reaching for the heavens. Anton looked up. He remembered that place being mentioned on the internet, photos from inside the game spreading around after its grand opening.

    ¡°Is the station inside a peace zone?¡± Anton asked while pointing toward the station.

    ¡°Yep, it is.¡±

    ¡°How about the moon?¡±

    ¡°As long as you stay inside the cities,¡± Anton then looked toward Kayla, who glued her eyes on the road, her hand gripping the steering wheel.

    ¡°Alright. Mind if we do a quick visit?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll follow you wherever you go,¡± Kayla said.

    They made their way down the long stretch. Anton turned the in-game radio on, founding a station that played one of his favorite songs from the game. The two hummed to the tune. From the mirror, Anton noticed a yellow sedan chasing them. A luxurious sedan, having speed much greater compared to their own. It swerved left and right, cutting through traffic like a knife through butter.

    It made its way from the rightmost lane and entered the center, its sudden cut forcing another driver to brake and honk their horn. The sedan didn¡¯t care and went by Anton¡¯s left, overtaking them and speeding away. A silver hatchback made its way from the leftmost lane to the center lane, causing the yellow sedan to swerve to the right. Probably wanting to take revenge, it sped away and cut through the gap between the hatchback and a white Kei pickup truck in front of it. The sedan¡¯s front bumper got too close and clipped into the pickup¡¯s back.

    The pickup was thrown to the right. Its driver tried to regain control of it, but the sudden nudge was too much. It lost control and slammed into the barrier on the right. The violent crash sent the pickup¡¯s main body into the sky, spinning while throwing debris all over the highway before slamming back onto the highway upside down. Kayla slammed the brakes, the car¡¯s brakes screamed as it pulled the vehicle to a sudden stop. Kayla turned the steering wheel right, dodging the debris, before turning back left and stopping in front of the pickup. The yellow sedan, meanwhile, escaped the crime scene, leaving nothing but its front bumper behind. Anton watched as the sedan sped away into the distance.

    Upon stopping, Kayla let go of her seatbelt and opened the door, running outside.

    ¡°Kayla!?¡± Anton called out, but she didn¡¯t hear him. From the mirror, Anton watched as Kayla approached the flipped pickup, kneeling down beside its door. She then pulled the door open and assisted a girl that tried to crawl out of the wreckage. She pulled the dark-skinned girl from inside the pickup, laying her down on the road. Anton noticed the lack of an armband on her arm. Another person crawled from outside the other side of the pickup and rushed to help.

    Anton let out a sigh and checked his clock. Time continued ticking, ignoring their current situation. Anton expected Kayla to return after helping the pickup¡¯s occupant out, but she continued kneeling there. She pulled an item out of her inventory, a health potion, one he gave her to heal herself. Anton then let go of the seatbelt and stepped outside. As if to insult him, he saw the black SUV that they previously cut off speeding past him. He then approached Kayla. The girl that Kayla rescued now sat on the road, her back resting on the pickup¡¯s window frame, despite the window itself shattered into a thousand pieces. A young man kneeled beside her while drinking a potion himself. He could hear the girl cursing the person that crashed into them.

    ¡°Kayla-¡± Anton called out, but noticed the girl¡¯s eyes heading toward him.

    ¡°Anton?¡± she asked. Anton turned his eyes toward the girl.

    ¡°... Who are you?¡±

    A frown escaped the girl¡¯s lips.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been gone for, what, one, two¡­ three months? And you¡¯ve already forgotten about me?¡± she complained. Anton looked toward her, his mind searching for any possible names. Realizing that Anton still didn¡¯t recognize her, she opened her menu and scrolled down. Her hands selected an option, and her previously short black hair changed length.

    ¡°Oh, Mana.¡±

    ¡°I literally changed my hair length, and you didn¡¯t recognize me? Really? Urgh.¡± Anton extended his hand and helped her up.

    ¡°You know her?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°She¡¯s my senior at work.¡±

    ¡°Lead programmer, to be exact,¡± Mana corrected Anton.

    ¡°Ex-lead programmer, to be exact,¡± Anton continued. Hearing him, Mana approached him and pinched his cheeks.

    ¡°I¡¯m still a lead programmer, just not for this game.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Anton pulled himself away.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m Kayla, Anton¡¯s companion.¡±

    ¡°companion? As in AI?¡±

    ¡°Correct,¡± Kayla responded. Mana looked back toward the man. The man extended his hand toward Kayla and Anton.

    ¡°The name¡¯s Jerrico, Duke Mana¡¯s AI companion,¡± Anton and Kayla shook hands with Jerrico.

    ¡°I assume I can return my hair length to the length of my choice now,¡± Mana said before switching her appearance back. It made little difference, now that Anton thought about it.

    ¡°By the way, Mr. Junior, mind helping your boss a bit?¡±

    ¡°Ex-boss. Like you, I¡¯m no longer with Aripi.¡±

    ¡°Got fired, eh?¡±

    ¡°You know about it?¡± Unlike Anton, Mana left the company on relatively good terms. She received an offer for a higher position, better-paying job in a different company, and she took it. Anton remembered the parting gift she gave everyone on her last day.

    ¡°Where did you get that chocolate anyway? It¡¯s delicious.¡±

    ¡°So you remember the chocolate but not the person that gave them?¡±

    ¡°You look different.¡±

    ¡°My hair looks different,¡± Mana said, exasperated. Unable to retort, Anton shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re busy so¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to leave us?¡±

    ¡°Unless you¡¯re quick about it,¡± Anton said. Mana then pointed toward the flipped pickup, specifically the open bed behind it.

    ¡°Was carrying a wooden bed frame, took a quest to deliver it to the station. I¡¯m assuming you¡¯re heading for the same place, right?¡±

    ¡°... Does that bed even exist anymore?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a small one. Great pay, but very strict completion time. Tied it down to the bed,¡± the four of them then approached the truck bed.

    ¡°Still there. Packaging¡¯s broken, though,¡± A large wooden box dangled from the pickup¡¯s bed, two of the ropes that tied it down had snapped. From the packaging itself, the unbuilt piece of furniture looked to still have some part of it worth rescuing. At the very least, Mana would face less fines. For Anton, what happened to Mana had little to do with his mission, but since she helped him a lot in the past, and not helping wouldn¡¯t cost them that much time, he, with slight reluctance, agreed to help.

    ¡°Kayla. You help Mana and Jerrico unload the cargo. I¡¯ll call a replacement vehicle.¡±

    ¡°Roger.¡±

    ¡°Making your girl do all your work, eh?¡± Mana jokingly asked. Anton wasn¡¯t the one who answered, though. It was Kayla instead.

    ¡°I¡¯m strong enough to handle this. I will protect Anton even if it costs me my life, something like this is nothing.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s some sweet words for an AI. So that¡¯s what Anton taught you, huh?¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t tease him too much!¡± Kayla retorted. Anton, meanwhile, decided to ignore the little squabble in the background. He received a warning, telling him that in three minutes, the car would be stopped and returned to its owner, in this case, the game. The game offered him to extend the rent, but since he would be carrying some cargo with two extra people, he opted to rent a new car instead.

    He browsed the rent page. Every place had its own unique selection. He noticed that the quick rent feature didn¡¯t offer some of the higher-end vehicles. He continued scrolling and ordered a large pickup truck with a cab. The game said that it would take around two minutes before the pickup arrived at their location. Anton looked back, finding the cargo loaded safely off the pickup.

    The in-game police, bearing the markings of the Oakport Police Department, arrived at the scene of the crash. The in-game police themselves acted more as a decoration, to help with the sense of realism. They lacked any actual presence. One of the officers stood around the pickup, writing down notes of the accident, while another stood further away, directing traffic. Unless a player came up and started a conversation, they were set to not say anything other than some predetermined voice lines.

    The four watched as they did their job, no one understood what they were there for.

    ¡°... If I punch a police officer in the peace zone, what will happen?¡± Anton''s words caused the other three, Kayla and Jerrico included, to look at him.

    ¡°As your AI companion, I have no right to stop you, but I really suggest against doing that.¡±

    ¡°As Duke Mana¡¯s AI companion, I will do whatever is required to protect Duke Mana, even if it means stopping you,¡± Kayla and Jerrico said at the same time.

    Hearing him, Kayla snapped her head toward him.

    ¡°I won¡¯t let you.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t even done anything,¡± Anton continued, but it didn¡¯t do anything to stop the two AIs from staring at each other. The arrival of the pickup stopped their bickering. The pickup truck appeared from the highway, coming in and parking in front of the sedan.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go,¡± Anton said while dragging Kayla away. Kayla growled at Jerrico before looking away and jumping into the driver¡¯s seat. Anton got in the front passenger seat, while Mana and Jerrico loaded the cargo into the pickup¡¯s cargo bed. They secured the load before getting into the truck¡¯s rear cabin. They all pulled their seatbelts and clicked them in place. The sedan then disappeared from behind them, its timer ran out.

    After making sure that everything was ready, Kayla changed gears and drove the pickup truck away.

 Chapter 4

    ¡°We¡¯re not making it,¡± Mana said from the rear cabin. She checked the in-game clock and compared it with the quest¡¯s time.

    ¡°How¡¯s the cargo?¡± Anton asked from the front seat, Kayla driving the pickup beside him.

    ¡°Relatively intact. Well, one of the parts was thrown away, and a part of the packaging got ripped.¡±

    ¡°Well, that was a rather violent crash, after all. You¡¯re driving?¡±

    ¡°Yep. I was already pushing it to its max. Wish we got a better pickup¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Duke. Had that other guy not crashed into us, we would have arrived by now.¡±

    ¡°What did you even drive, usually?¡± Anton asked curiously. He remembered Mana driving a sports car in real life.

    ¡°A supercar. You know, those super-fast ones that zoom all over the place? I¡¯m a champion in the Royning Track Championship, just so you know.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that one,¡± Anton knew about that one. The update before Advanced Future, called Royning Championship, was an update dedicated to car people. Most of its events took place in Royning, a city known in this world as the automotive center. Many of the in-game brands had their base located there.

    ¡°... Wait, what? You¡¯re joking, right?¡± Anton asked, not bothering to hide the shock in his voice. Mana always drove safely in the real world, so he found it hard to believe. The Royning Championship was a game-wide event, so tough competition from all around the game gathered there.

    ¡°Want me to prove it?¡± Mana said. She pulled herself between the two front seats.

    ¡°I¡¯ll pay for any damages to the truck,¡± she said with a smile. Anton then looked toward Kayla. Kayla noticed and glanced back at him.

    ¡°Why are you looking at me? It¡¯s your car¡­ well, not necessarily yours¡­¡±

    ¡°I still have a lot of money left,¡± Mana added that last bit.

    ¡°How about a bet?¡± Mana increased her offerings, as if not wanting to lose this argument. She opened her screen and sent a trade offer to Anton. On it were the keys for a red supercar.

    ¡°... What if I lose?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m dying to prove my point here, so I¡¯ll give you a deal. You lose and all you need to do is believe my words,¡± Anton considered his options. If they crashed, then he would get himself a supercar, one that he could use to help his mission. It would help him save up money. Since it was a trade, even if an employee found out about that transaction, it wouldn¡¯t look suspicious. They were in a peace zone, so they couldn¡¯t die, and the game didn¡¯t simulate pain, so¡­

    Anton finally turned around and shook Mana¡¯s hand. Kayla saw that and stopped at the side of the road. The two swapped places, placing Kayla beside Jerrico. Kayla snorted and then looked away. Jericho did the same, looking out the window.

    ¡°Who knew there could be animosity between AI programs,¡± Mana commented as she pulled the belt. Anton looked behind, finding both of them refusing to talk to each other. He didn¡¯t comment and looked back toward the front.

    ¡°Ready?¡± Mana asked. Anton pulled the belt, strapping it in place.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you can¡¯t feel pain anyway.¡±

    ¡°... Wait, what was that potion for?¡± Anton asked, only then remembering that Kayla gave Mana a potion.

    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t know? You cannot die in the peace zone, but you can be hurt in it. Your HP could be reduced to a maximum of half your total. It was introduced in the Royning Championship update.¡±

    ¡°Damn.¡±

    So many unnecessary changes.

    Anton held on tight as the pickup launched into speed. It quickly accelerated, even faster compared to his previous sedan. It passed one hundred kilometers per hour, still increasing in speed. He glanced at Mana, who drove with confidence. She noticed his gaze

    ¡°But make sure you don¡¯t drive like this in real life,¡± she added.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even have a car.¡±

    ¡°Well, I do.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why that information is relevant.¡±

    ¡°Well, at least now you know who to ask when you ever need one,¡± Mana said, her eyes on the road. She weaved through traffic, narrowly avoiding other drivers. Had this been the real world, Anton would be screaming at this point. Betting on the hope that the game hadn¡¯t introduced changes to the pain system, he held his mouth shut. As the speed increased, it soon became evident who would be winning this bet.

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    ¡°Sigh, you win,¡± Anton said, standing next to Mana. Mana paid for the fees. Since they totaled the pickup, damaged the cargo, all while being late, it caused her to pay a hefty bill.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m keeping my supercar, then.¡±

    ¡°Not that I particularly want it,¡± Anton folded his hands and leaned back on the pickup truck''s door behind him. The supercar, while fast, lacked any sort of defense. It also lacked off-road capabilities, not exactly an ideal fighting vehicle.

    ¡°If only they didn¡¯t remove pacifist mode.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. What¡¯s with that?¡± Mana asked. Anton responded with a shrug.

    ¡°I¡¯m dealing mostly with the AI, not those kinds of things.¡±

    ¡°Well, nothing we can do about it. By the way, have you heard?¡±

    ¡°About?¡±

    ¡°Aripi getting acquired- ah, they¡¯re back,¡± from the distance, Mana noticed Kayla and Jerrico returning from dropping the packaging. Anton looked their way, noticing the still visible animosity between them. He didn¡¯t remember programming AI to be able to show dislike to other AI, but he wasn¡¯t the only one working on the AI¡¯s base program. Maybe someone else made that change.

    ¡°What¡¯s your plan from here on out?¡± Mana asked, pulling her body away from the pickup truck. Just behind her, the Luna Space Station rose high up into the sky.

    ¡°We¡¯ll check out the new space update. You?¡±

    ¡°I heard of a good quest nearby,¡± a supercar then appeared from behind Mana.

    ¡°See ya later,¡± Mana waved toward Anton and Kayla. She and Jerrico entered the supercar. As if to show off, Mana sped toward the end of the parking lot and drifted around the edge. She made a sharp turn before speeding away toward the exit.

    ¡°Cough cough.¡±

    Anton coughed after sucking up the virtual smoke.

    ¡°You¡¯re alright?¡± Kayla asked, her voice filled with concern.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Anton said as he turned around and entered the passenger seat. Kayla went past the front of the pickup and entered the driver''s seat. She turned on the engine and waited for a box truck to pass by, heading for the exit.

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    ¡°Those NPCs were really angry when they saw the cargo,¡± Kayla said, looking toward the truck. The truck stopped in front of the gate, paid for the fee, and drove off. Kayla pushed the handbrake down and drove toward the gate.

    ¡°Sorry for throwing that to you and Jerrico.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Unlike me, those NPCs followed a predetermined script. As for Jerrico, I will only care about him if you care about him.¡±

    ¡°I think that last bit is unnecessary.¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s¡­ just forget about it,¡± Anton said.

    The pickup stopped in front of the gate, the parking fee automatically deducted from Anton¡¯s balance. The two left the lot and headed for the station.

    ¡°It sure is huge,¡± Anton looked out the front window.

    The building stood proudly above the land, like a spear facing the heavens. In the distance, Anton saw a starship diving down from the sky, before leveling a few kilometers away from the station. Kayla stopped the car, prompting Anton to get out. The massive starship made its way toward a gate at the station¡¯s side. Shape-wise, it looked like a space train, a merge between a container truck and the fuselage of a large plane. It featured a very boxy shape, with large engines occupying the rear space. It had two pairs of small wings near the end, one pair facing horizontally while the other facing vertically, with the vertical ones larger than the horizontal ones, each of those wings supported a rocket engine the size of a school bus

    Smooth metallic paint covered the exterior. Another set of vertical wings occupied the space behind the cockpit. As it got closer to the station, the loud roar of its rocket engines became louder. It reduced its speed and navigated into the docking, its right side connected to two sets of jetway-like bridges. A platform extended from the station, extending all the way to below the ship. It then rotated upward, holding the ship in its arms, locking it in place. Once it was secured, the engines were turned off, and the air became silent once more. Anton then returned to the pickup.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. We should be able to make it in time,¡± Kayla said as she pulled the stick back.

    They drove off, heading for the station.

    ¡°How long do they dock for?¡±

    ¡°Twenty minutes.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    From the parking lot, Kayla drove the pickup uphill, making a left turn at the top. She followed the road running in front of the station. She then made a turn into the station¡¯s front parking lot, occupied by several empty cars. Kayla backed into an empty parking spot and the two got off.

    ¡°Should we just leave it here?¡±

    ¡°Could parked cars be damaged?¡±

    Kayla nodded to Anton¡¯s question.

    ¡°I¡¯m returning it, then,¡± Anton said.

    They still had some time in the rent, but since empty parked cars could be damaged by others, it wasn¡¯t worth the risk, especially since they wouldn¡¯t be using it anymore. The pickup truck then disappeared. Anton and Kayla then made their way into the station. It looked far emptier compared to what Anton initially thought. There were still a lot of people, both players and NPCs alike, but with how silent the city itself was, Anton expected more people to be here.

    Maybe they¡¯re still on the moon.

    He himself didn¡¯t know just how big the Advanced Future update was, so maybe, once they got to the moon, maybe only then he could see a crowd similar in size to when the game first launched.

    The two made their way to the front desk. They purchased a ticket for two and headed through security. A massive elevator sat behind the front deck, capable of holding up to fifty people at once, that would take them up to the gates. A large group waited in front of them, with some other NPCs, solo players, and their companions off to the side. The elevator arrived, and from inside, a group walked out of the elevator, heading back outside through a path on the right of Anton.

    They then board the elevator. It had glass walls on all sides except the floor, giving them a magnificent view and it sped up the steel cables. It took them around fifteen seconds to reach the gates. Shaped in a circle, the floor had a diameter of forty meters from one end to the other. Some vending machines occupied the sides of the large room with seats in the center. Large glass walls surround the waiting room, giving them a great view of the surrounding area.

    Anton and Kayla lined up behind the crowd, waiting to enter the ship. The crowd moved forward. They walked through the covered bridge, entering the ship. The ship¡¯s layout looked like an airplane, with three by two by three seating. Anton and Kayla selected seats near the ship¡¯s rear, choosing the place near the window. From inside the ship, he could see the ship¡¯s previous passengers waiting for the elevator.

    The elevator metal doors opened, letting some people out who ran toward the ship while letting others in. It closed again, descending back into the ground floor. He couldn¡¯t imagine how crowded this place must be when the update first dropped. Maybe, at that time, they would see launch-level crowds.

    ¡°Is this the only station?¡±

    ¡°In the city? Yeah. There are several scattered across different cities, though.¡±

    ¡°And each tower could only hold one ship at a time?¡±

    ¡°The most is three,¡± Kayla answered.

    ¡°And the moon is the only destination?¡±

    ¡°For now, yeah.¡±

    Quite the smart tactic, Anton thought. By building facilities with limited sizes and a single destination, they would focus the players in one region. The early days when the game had enough players to support multiple different events in different locations at once had ended. That had its own pros and cons, however, so the player count was probably not the only reason they changed the events format.

    Just then, an NPC employee made her way from the rear of the ship, walking down the aisle. She warned people who were still standing to sit down and buckle up. She did a count of all the passengers. The gate connecting the bridge to the building was closed. An NPC stood guard in front of it, his body visible from the starship. The starship¡¯s doors were closed and locked. The NPC walked to the front of the ship before disappearing behind a dark blue metal door that separated the cockpit from the rest of the passenger compartment.

    Another warning spread through the radio, asking players to use their seatbelts. Anton and Kayla fastened their seatbelts and straightened up their seats, similar to how an airplane during take-off. The windows didn¡¯t have window shades and remained open at all times.

    Being a virtual world, there would be no need for safety briefings. A warning told players that the ship would soon depart. The engines turned on, filling the compartment with its faint roar. The roar grew louder, and the bridges retracted to the station. The support platform released the ship. It started floating, the pilot pulling it away from the platform. Once the ship cleared the platform, the platform retracted back into the station.

    The entire ship tilted backward, its underside facing down. A red light appeared on the ceiling, and Anton felt his entire body moving.

    ¡°Virtual gravity?¡± He wondered aloud.

    He could feel gravity disappearing. Instead, something else pulled him toward the ship¡¯s bottom, keeping his orientation aligned with the ship. The ship¡¯s engine screamed, propelling them through the sky. From the window, Anton watched as the world quickly shrunk behind them.

    As they ascended higher into the sky, he saw the countless bright lights decorating the neverending space. If this game continued for longer than he expected, many of those lights would soon be visitable. It would take a long while before that amount of progress could be made, and Anton didn¡¯t think P4ngea would stay that long.

    With how things were going, it looked impossible. Anton didn¡¯t have access to all that information, though, so he could only sit back and relax, all while doing his best to complete his mission.

    ¡°How long before we reach the moon?¡±

    ¡°Ten minutes.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°Next update would probably introduce new planets.¡±

    ¡°You know about them?¡±

    Kayla shook her head.

    ¡°No. I only know based on the rumors floating around. As an AI companion, I couldn¡¯t give you accurate data about that.¡±

    ¡°I know, I know. Not that it matters anyway.¡±

    Most of Anton¡¯s plans involve traveling around the world itself, this game¡¯s version of Earth, P4ngea. The fourth version of the world, rebuilt after a series of massive disasters. It had also become the reason why so many ancient cities and locations exist underneath the soil of the world.

    Of course, it was all just in-game lore. A game needed some story to make it interesting. While MMORPGs tend to focus on exploration and co-op playing, occasionally PvP like P4ngea, most of them also had a sprinkle of the story here and there. MMORPGs or RPGs in general, with their massive worlds, tend to have a lot of little stories that paint a bigger picture about the world itself.

    Anton didn¡¯t care much for those secrets. If he really wanted to know, he could probably just drag one of the narrative team¡¯s members to a full night of drinking. He could extract some information that way, but that wasn¡¯t his goal. His mission involved extracting something entirely different.

    He glanced at the companion that sat next to him.

    ¡°Hm?¡± Kayla noticed his sudden gaze and tilted her head.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Anton said as he looked back outside.

    Kayla, she was the one he wanted to extract. Anton felt unsure about the game¡¯s future, and he believed that with how things were going, despite how it looked on the surface, the game would at some point collapse. He didn¡¯t want to lose Kayla, thus he did what he needed to do. He had extracted most of Kayla¡¯s basic programming and data into his own computer, but Kayla couldn¡¯t be called Kayla without the personality and memories that formed her.

    AI programs required a lot of data to work with. This journey was a trip to provide the data the program required. Create as many memories with Kayla as possible, to make sure when the game did collapse, all of her would remain intact, separate from the game. As he faced the sky, the endless space that extended far beyond what the game would let him explore, he couldn¡¯t help but think of the AI, the girl that sat beside him.

    His trusty AI companion.

 Chapter 5

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Kayla asked, kneeling in front of a boy that sat all alone in the space station. They had arrived on the moon, and now stood in the space station¡¯s main hall. Anton let out a sigh as he waited for the two. He had a feeling that these kinds of encounters would only come more often. As he waited, he took a look at his surroundings. The station¡¯s main hall consisted of a large room, with the height equivalent of a three-story building. A miniature starship, around a fifth of the real one, hung on the roof. Polished titanium formed the entire area, with the exception of some large windows near the ground that showed the city standing beyond the station. Orange lines ran all the way from the ground to the roof, marking sections to the hall while ceramic tiling colored in orange formed the floor.

    Each section of the station had its own color. The docking area, where ships come and go, had green colors, while the toilets had a light blue color. It was fairly crowded as well. Not as much as Anton had initially expected, but still quite a crowd. He wanted to return after a quick look around the space city, but seeing Kayla approaching him while holding the boy¡¯s hand, he knew that wouldn¡¯t be the case.

    He noticed that the boy had a yellow armband represented by a yellow ring on his T-shirt placed above the boy¡¯s green sleeves.

    ¡°Quest NPC?¡± Anton asked.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t say that,¡± Kayla reprimanded him. Normal NPCs were programmed to not be self-aware, thus the word NPC and AI shouldn¡¯t mean anything to them.

    Anton decided against arguing, however.

    ¡°Fine, what should we do, then?¡± he asked. The NPC looked up at him, tears in his eyes.

    ¡°Brother. I got separated from my brother¡­,¡± the boy said, holding back his tears.

    ¡°Got it, all we need to do is find him, right?¡±

    ¡°Anton.¡±

    ¡°Fine, fine, let¡¯s go,¡± Anton turned around and headed for the exit.

    "My name''s Kayla and he''s Anton."

    "Umm, I''m Rito."

    ¡°Nice to meet you, Rito. Can you give us any info about your brother?¡± Kayla asked while holding Rito''s hand. He looked to be an elementary schooler, his true age unclear to Anton. Anton had no plans on asking about it, either.

    The boy wore a mostly white T-shirt with green sleeves and blue shorts. He had black eyes and short red hair with an elegant black watch on his right hand.

    Anton made his way across the station while looking around. Beyond the space station was the highway leading into the city. A large bubble made out of clear windows covered the area beyond the highway, creating a controlled environment kind of setting. Outside those glasses, right of the space station, they could see P4ngea and the countless stars that surrounded it. The game¡¯s sun shone on the left side. It didn''t shine as bright as he expected, thanks to the glass bubble that covered the city.

    Cars come to and from the station. For those who didn¡¯t drive, the moon offered the subway as transport. As they stood in the lobby, Rito started talking about his brother.

    ¡°He¡¯s about as tall as Mister Anton, with black hair and black eyes. He has lightly tanned skin, and is wearing a brown shirt,¡± Rito started explaining.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you contact him?¡± Anton asked, his eyes on the train schedule.

    ¡°I lost my phone.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Most NPCs didn''t have access to virtual screens and still utilize the normal way of communicating through smartphones and the like. Some do have access to them, but most of those are shopkeepers who used them to sell their wares, or super-rich NPCs for story purposes. It would make sense that a child wouldn¡¯t have access to one.

    "Do you remember where he went?" Kayla asked.

    Anton looked out at the parking lot beyond the station and the lobby. Cars and buses filled the lobby, picking up and dropping passengers. Most of them had yellow armbands. Some of the people there headed for an underground subway station under the complex, while others climbed onto the buses.

    "You think he''s still here?" Anton asked with slight doubt. In the real world, it wouldn''t make sense for this brother to be far from Rito.

    Unless they were terrible people and didn''t care about their own family, that is.

    Anton checked the quest log. He noticed the lack of quest information. There was nothing there. No quest title, no explanation, nothing.

    Anton looked at Kayla and called her to the side.

    "You stay here, okay?" Kayla said before approaching Anton.

    "Can you check the quest tab?"

    "Alright," Kayla said. She opened her own version of the menu, similar to the ones the players had. As an AI companion, however, she didn''t normally use it.

    "... What do you want me to check, again?"

    "There''s nothing on it?"

    "Nothing."

    Anton nodded after hearing that. Kayla noticed what he meant and looked back at Rito.

    "It''s not a normal quest," Anton added. His words caused Kayla to stare at him.

    "Don''t say it that way. I may be self-aware, but they aren''t."

    "Urgh¡­ fine¡­," Anton eventually relented. Despite saying that, Anton had no idea what he could call this thing.

    "Let''s just say we''re helping someone," Kayla said before returning to Rito.

    Anton stood in his position, switching his focus from the two AIs to the crowd. Without a quest log, he had no idea what to do. He couldn''t look the quest up, he didn¡¯t even know the title, nor did he have any experience with finding lost people.

    Even if he knew the quest¡¯s name, he couldn¡¯t just leave the game and look it up online.

    He finally decided to approach Rito and Kayla.

    "Do you remember his number?" Anton asked. Rito shook his head.

    "We just met recently¡­ I¡­ didn''t remember. The contact is on my phone."

    "Recently?"

    Rito''s words made Anton even more puzzled.

    It¡¯s not a standalone quest?

    Something may come before this quest, with them accidentally stumbling onto someone else''s quest, ripping them off necessary information. It may also be no more than some backstory the game made up.

    "What happened?" Kayla asked, looking for details. Anton decided to pay attention, hoping to get a hint.

    "My¡­ My parents died in an accident. Brother was there and rescued me. He took me to a hospital to get me treated. The doctors told him to leave me in their care, but after realizing that I no longer have a family¡­ he insisted that he took me in."

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    "Interesting¡­," Anton muttered, his voice faint enough to not be heard by the other two.

    The game had three types of AI implemented into its program. The first was the normal AI seen in many older games, NPCs, both people and monsters alike, with predetermined dialogue, choices, and actions. The second would be the companion AI, AIs that like Kayla, had the ability to analyze situations, store memories, have personalities, and act as companions for the players.

    The third would be the story AI, a hybrid between the standard AI and companion AI. It had predetermined personalities and dialogues, but as soon as something went off the planned route, like in this case, it would turn into a companion AI, creating unique personality and memories for this specific NPC. In a way, it allowed multiple people to complete the quest, but their experience changed depending on their choices. These kinds of AI were susceptible to scenarios that befall a normal NPC, though, things like death, sickness, or getting lost.

    Anton, at some point, probably had worked with one. He couldn¡¯t tell because he didn¡¯t go off the quest path, so everything went as planned.

    ¡°How about we find your phone, then? Do you remember where you dropped it?¡± Kayla asked. Anton looked around the station. In this crowd finding a lost item may prove difficult. The game didn¡¯t have lost and found, either. Most players didn¡¯t just lose their stuff, after all.

    Even if they did¡­ Well, it''s their problem.

    ¡°What does your phone look like?¡± Kayla continued.

    Rito paused for a brief moment, his finger tapping his chin.

    ¡°It got this gold case¡­¡±

    ¡°... Just making sure, it¡¯s not real gold, right?¡± Anton asked.

    Despite the game¡¯s setting, the valuables in this world stayed the same. Gold continued being a precious metal. It didn¡¯t make sense for a child to carry such a thing, but Anton wanted to make sure. To his relief, Rito shook his head.

    ¡°It¡¯s colored gold, but it¡¯s not gold. It¡¯s made out of rubber.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Anton nodded and made his way back into the station. Smartphones lost their value in this world, all thanks to virtual screens, so most players wouldn¡¯t be interested in stealing them. Its golden color also made it stand out above the ground.

    ¡°Do you remember your number?¡± Kayla asked. She held Rito¡¯s hand, guiding him through the waves of people while Anton walked in front of them. Rito shook his head.

    ¡°How did you get separated in the first place?¡± Anton asked, his eyes going from one point to another. He paid attention to the building¡¯s corners, especially behind the various decorations that were scattered around the station.

    ¡°Brother warned me to be careful, but I got excited and ran to look out the window, and once I looked back, brother was gone.¡±

    ¡°Have you asked the customer service?¡±

    Rito shook his head again.

    ¡°Should we start there?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°Well, it beats searching the entire station¡­ Where is the customer service?¡±

    ¡°The other way,¡± Kayla pointed to the direction where they came from. Anton let out a sigh and didn¡¯t say anything else after that. He simply turned around and headed back toward the station¡¯s main lobby. They went past where they just stood and continued on further, before eventually arriving in front of the customer service desk. An NPC could be seen standing while trying to calm down a player.

    ¡°Brother!¡± Rito let go of Kayla and ran toward the player. The player jerked his head back toward Rito. He let out a huge smile as he kneeled and accepted Rito into his arms.

    ¡°Where have you been!? I¡¯m so worried about you!¡±

    Anton watched the touching reunion from afar, noticing the lack of a yellow armband on his arm. companion AIs couldn¡¯t get lost, and since no one else stood near him, he must be a player.

    ¡°I tried calling you. What happened?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I lost the phone you gave me.¡±

    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll get you a new one,¡± the player patted Rito¡¯s head.

    ¡°... Seeing that, doesn¡¯t it make you happy?¡±

    Anton glanced at Kayla.

    ¡°Well¡­ I guess?¡± he replied, only to receive an elbow to his side. The game didn¡¯t simulate pain, but it did simulate the feeling of being touched. He knew, had this been real life, he would be wringing on the floor by now. Giving Kayla her own personality and freedom to do what her programming wished did have its drawbacks, but it made her feel more human, so he couldn¡¯t exactly complain.

    He glanced at her, who smiled as she watched the reunion. Anton let out another sigh, followed by a smile of his own.

    ¡°Thank you very much for helping him,¡± the player lowered their head before them, Rito looking up at him and mimicking his movements. Anton winced. The voice felt familiar to him, although he couldn¡¯t remember why. He tried to keep his smile, but the voice bothered him.

    Am I hearing things?

    ¡°We¡¯re glad to see you two back together,¡± Kayla said with a smile. Anton didn¡¯t say anything and just stood next to her. The two then left their heads up.

    ¡°... Anton?¡±

    He heard his name being mentioned by the player.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Anton looked his way. The player realized what he just said and flailed his arms in front of him.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing.¡±

    ¡°You just mentioned my name.¡±

    ¡°I, I didn¡¯t mean to.¡±

    ¡°Regardless of whether you mean it or not, you know my name, which means you know who I am,¡± Anton pushed on, taking closer steps to examine the player. The player had an avatar that he didn¡¯t recognize. He didn¡¯t change his, being too lazy to create a new avatar from scratch and just used his face.

    As Rito described, the player¡¯s avatar had short black hair and black eyes with tanned skin. He had a faint memory of his voice, but he only noticed after that player specifically called out his name. He still didn¡¯t recognize the player, but the player clearly recognized him.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Anton asked, investigating the person. The person took a step back and grabbed Rito¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Kayla, lock him in. This is an order!¡± Anton declared. The chaos naturally caught the attention of passersby, both humans and NPCs alike. Kayla shook the second she heard Anton¡¯s words, but she complied. She approached the player, surrounding him and Rito, making sure neither of them could escape.

    ¡°... Anton, are you sure about this?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not letting him go unless he spills it out. I can recognize that voice anywhere,¡± Anton said with a dire tone.

    The player looked side-to-side. Anton watched his eyes, trying to guess where he went to escape. From the other end of the room, Anton noticed security guards running toward them, and he assumed a couple of them closed up on them from behind as well. They were running out of time.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry!¡± the player screamed and dashed between Anton and Kayla, making a run for it. He stopped at the last second, causing Anton and Kayla to crash into each other. They quickly recovered, but by then, the player had gone past them and disappeared into the crowd. They slipped through the guards and headed for the station¡¯s lobby.

    ¡°Damn it, let¡¯s go!¡± Anton yelled and grabbed Kayla¡¯s hand. The security guards tried to stop him, but they swerved between the crowd, accidentally hitting a couple of NPCs. Anton noticed a yellow armband in the midst and pushed him down, causing him to collide with one of the security guards, sending them both tumbling down.

    ¡°We¡¯re sorry!¡± Kayla yelled. Anton, meanwhile, focused on getting out of there. The player had disappeared. Without the possibility of catching up, he searched for a path to the exit. The chaos had taken over the station. Some players were keen to join in the action and rushed to help the security, while some NPCs stood on the side watching.

    So much for pacifist mode!

    Anton saw an opening in between the formation. A player, standing near the stairs, taking a fighting stance, a smirk on his face. He quickly glanced back at Kayla, who replied with a firm nod. He let go of her and clenched his fist, positioning it for a punch. The player at the end prepared to receive his punch. He stood right in front of the staircase heading down toward the street.

    As they approached, Anton dropped down to the floor, making use of the fact that pain wasn¡¯t simulated, and tumbled, hitting the player on his feet. The surprised player looked below at Anton, who stopped at his feet, only to then receive a powerful blow to his head.

    It knocked him and Anton over the edge, causing both to tumble down the staircase. Kayla leaped over them and stopped at the end of the staircase. She turned around, grabbed Anton¡¯s hand and quickly pulled him away.

    ¡°That¡¯s one hell of a strategy if I ever see one!¡± the player said with a laugh as he remained seated near the stairs, watching as Anton and Kayla disappeared down to the subway.

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Kayla answered as she ran away. They traveled the staircase, heading deeper underground.

    The two felt a sense of relief as they hid under the LED lights of the subway. They weren¡¯t safe just yet, however. They quickly purchased a ticket and hid behind a vending machine as security guards stormed the area. The next train was a minute away.

    ¡°Can you time this?¡± Anton asked.

    ¡°Leave it to me,¡± Kayla replied, a hint of confidence behind her rugged breath. This subway station was, luckily, not the final destination, so the subway would only stop momentarily here. The iconic sound of a train horn filled the air, followed by the light of the train¡¯s front lights. The three security guards went near the train, guarding its door as passengers came and went.

    The crowd forced them to not stand too close, giving enough room for the two. Kayla looked behind and held Anton¡¯s hand. Anton nodded, trying to calm his breath down. With her finger, she formed the number three.

    Three, two, one.

    Now!

    Anton saw Kayla¡¯s lips twisting, his entire body being pulled immediately after. The two made a dash for the subway¡¯s closing doors. Their rapid footsteps caught the attention of the security guards, who turned around only to find their shadow cutting straight through them. They leaped into the subway at the last moment, right before the door closed shut.

    The three guards ran up toward the door, yelling from outside. Kayla waved toward them, a smug smile on her face, as the subway picked up speed and left the station.

 Chapter 6

    ¡°What was that about?¡± Kayla asked as they left the station.

    The train stopped at Moon¡¯s Cargo Port, a port a kilometer away from the space station. Most of the people here were players, particularly the rich ones who dealt with transporting valuable cargo between P4ngea and the moon. The ground beyond the glass opened up, allowing one such cargo ship to make its way beside Anton, its size almost twice the size of their starship. It turned its head toward P4ngea and leaped away.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when we¡¯re on our way,¡± Anton said, opening the menu. He knew that searching for the player from before would be impossible, considering the sheer size of the moon¡¯s city. Just looking at it from the distance told Anton all he needed to know.

    ¡°Can you fly a starship?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re heading back?¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t supposed to spend that much time here anyway.¡±

    Anton no longer had the mood for sightseeing. Kayla watched him from the sides, her eyes looking into his face. Anton glanced her way, noticing the sadness on her face.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Anton asked.

    ¡°You said you wanted me to tell you all about the new updates.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ ugh¡­ fine,¡± Anton changed screens. He opened up the vehicle rental menu, the normal, four-wheeled ones.

    ¡°Would one hour be enough? I need to eat, after all,¡± Anton said after looking at his real-world clock.

    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to at least spend a day here?¡± she asked with puppy dog¡¯s eyes on her face. Unable to resist, Anton finally relented.

    ¡°Fine, fine. Let¡¯s spend the night here.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s eyes lit up the moment she heard it.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll make sure you have fun.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be in your care,¡± Anton then paid for the car. He decided that it would be better to reorder it later. It took a while, but the car eventually arrived. Kayla hopped into the driver¡¯s seat. She turned the wheel, heading out of the port.

    <ul>

    <li>??</li>

    </ul>

    As they made their way down the highways of the moon, Anton looked up at the countless stars that twinkle in the sky beyond the glass that covered the city. The structure looked like several glass bubbles with different sizes merged into one large unit.

    ¡°I guess I owe you an explanation, huh?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to force yourself.¡±

    ¡°Will you accept my excuses?¡± Anton asked, turning his head to the right.

    ¡°As an AI companion, I have no right to judge you whatsoever.¡±

    ¡°... You sure?¡±

    ¡°Well, I mean I can comment, but it¡¯s not like I can do anything other than that. You can turn that part off if you want.¡±

    ¡°Nah, it doesn¡¯t feel right,¡± Anton let out a sigh and slumped into the car¡¯s seats.

    ¡°I recognized that voice,¡± Anton started speaking, Kayla nodded her head. She said nothing, allowing Anton to continue.

    ¡°It¡¯s a voice that used to haunt me¡­ I¡¯m way too dramatic, aren¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ But I think it¡¯s fine. If you really think that voice is that haunting, then it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s your experience, after all.¡±

    ¡°Well, basically, that voice used to bully me,¡± Anton noticed Kayla¡¯s expression changing the moment she heard that.

    The AI companions could only act based on what information the players fed to them, either by the players or by the game. It couldn¡¯t access private data, especially not the private lives of the players themselves. Like humans, AI too can feel shock when they are fed data that they did not expect.

    ¡°It¡¯s far behind me now¡­ but¡­ yeah¡­¡±

    Anton glanced at Kayla.

    ¡°...¡±

    Kayla remained silent, making the air feel uncomfortable.

    ¡°Kayla?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m considering what to say, sorry.¡±

    ¡°Just say what is on your mind.¡±

    Kayla glanced back at him.

    ¡°But¡­ it doesn¡¯t feel right. Something stopping me from saying it all.¡±

    ¡°... I guess some of your personality might interfere with your choices.¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°But if I force you to spout it out?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll probably be forced to say it,¡± Kayla replied.

    ¡°But that wouldn¡¯t feel good, would it?¡± she added.

    ¡°You holding back like that only makes me more curious.¡±

    ¡°Well, here I go, then,¡± Kayla looked forward and took a deep breath.

    ¡°I really want to say that you may be mistaken, believing Rito and that player are truly nice people, but¡­ he recognized you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s because you didn¡¯t change your avatar.¡±

    ¡°Should I change it?¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re perfect the way you are,¡± Kayla complimented. Anton felt his face getting slightly hot. Kayla let him cool down before taking another breather and continuing.

    ¡°Since it¡¯s the same person, he probably changed. Everyone changes after a while, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It had been years at this point. I don¡¯t even remember the details. Sorry, it¡¯s just¡­ I lost control.¡±

    ¡°Everyone loses control once in a while. Don¡¯t worry about it. Instead, I would like you to rely on me more,¡± Kayla said calmly.

    ¡°Well, if you say so.¡±

    ¡°Look, the city¡¯s coming into view,¡± Kayla pointed ahead. Tall, futuristic buildings with various shapes rose into the sky. A wide stretch of solar panels covered the landscape on both sides of the highway, with two smaller towers on the sides. They all faced the sun, the bright star that refused to move.

    ¡°I assume there are no weather changes here?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a controlled environment, so no,¡± Kayla answered. She then stepped on the pedal, the car increasing in speed.

    ¡°Let¡¯s have some fun.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    <ul>

    <li>??</li>

    </ul>

    The clock showed that it was already six in the evening in the real world. Anton and Kayla got off their taxi in front of the hotel they would be staying at. The three-star hotel, looking fairly luxurious for its class, stood on the city¡¯s outskirts. It explained why the hotel cost less while being luxurious at the same time.

    The two made their way through the hotel¡¯s lobby. A large painting covered the area behind the receptionist. As Anton checked into the hotel, Kayla made her way from one end of the floor to the other, paying great attention to the stars that occupied the hotel¡¯s black floor tilings. The walls sported a deep shade of brown, exuding comforting energy. Gentle melodies of a single grand piano filled the air inside the hotel¡¯s walls. The pianist''s hands ran through the entire piano¡¯s keyboard, her fingers dancing in the air.

    ¡°Kayla,¡± Anton called, waiting in front of the elevator. Kayla turned her head toward him, and with rushed steps, came closer. Anton then pressed the elevator¡¯s button and waited for her to arrive before going in.

    ¡°This is one fancy hotel,¡± Kayla said as she watched the numbers go up.

    ¡°Yeah. We struck a good deal.¡±

    The elevator let out a ting, its metal doors making way for the people inside. Anton and Kayla stepped onto the carpet floor. The dark gray floor, despite the color difference, still sported the countless glittering stars that formed the pattern and general theme of this hotel. They went toward their room. Anton used the key card, once again decorated in the shimmer of stars, and opened the door.

    Anton searched for the key slot and inserted the key card into it, turning all the lights on.

    ¡°I¡¯ll pull the curtains,¡± Kayla said as she headed for the other side of the room. She took the thick piece of brown cloth into her hands and pulled them in different directions, splitting them down the middle.

    ¡°Woah¡­¡±

    The two exclaimed after they saw the sights. The room faced away from the city, so instead of the tall towers, futuristic buildings, and beautiful light shows of the moon city, the empty surface of the moon greeted them, the side beyond the glass bubble. Pale white rocks covered the landscape. Beyond them lay the countless stars that filled the skies, the sun shining among them.

    Anton didn¡¯t get bored of the sight even if he had been seeing it for hours at this point. Anton decided to let the window remain open, as the sun wasn¡¯t bright enough to the point it blinded him. The glass walls seemed to filter the sun¡¯s light, in a way, making it look like a bright, clear night, even with the sun floating right there.

    Anton sat down on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. The entire room had been themed around stars, with the walls, floor, and ceiling a combination of the colors black, dark blue, and dark gray. He then rested his body on the bed¡¯s smooth surface.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to go and eat dinner.¡±

    ¡°Will you be returning after that?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Got nothing to do for the night.¡±

    ¡°Gotcha. I¡¯ll look for some more info on the city for now.¡±

    ¡°Do you even need to search?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s more natural that way, right?¡± Kayla asked with a smile.

    ¡°Good night, she whispered.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not even sleeping yet,¡± Anton replied with a chuckle. Using his mind to navigate the menu, he logged out of the game.

    <ul>

    <li>??</li>

    </ul>

    The moment Anton opened his eyes, he found himself back in the real world, alone. He rose from his bed, the entire room looked much more boring when compared to the virtual world. He got up and walked toward the toilet, before heading for the kitchen.

    He had lost count of time. Cooking would take too long, so he decided to eat out. He changed into more proper clothing and headed out of his apartment. There was a small food stall near his apartment, one he frequented when he didn¡¯t cook. He entered the stall, finding the owner behind a display of delicious-looking dishes.

    ¡°Ah, Anton. It¡¯s been a while,¡± the stall owner greeted.

    ¡°Yeah. You good?¡± Anton asked while pointing toward food items kept behind the display cabinet. The stall owner took a brown paper wrapping from a plastic that consisted of clean wrapping specifically made for food. He then inserted the food items that Anton chose into it.

    ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re going for the usual?¡±

    ¡°It had been a while.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. You don''t want to eat here?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, got something else to do.¡±

    ¡°Right¡¯o,¡± the stall owner started wrapping the food up for Anton. He then gave Anton the packaging and Anton paid in cash.

    ¡°See ya around.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, see you,¡± Anton then left the stall and headed for his apartment.

    <ul>

    <li>??</li>

    </ul>

    Kayla scrolled down the in-game website detailing experiences that could be found inside the city. Being an AI companion, she could only access the data available for players. She slumped her body to the back of her chair, closing the window in front of her. She then glanced toward the bed, seeing Anton¡¯s body lying on top of it.

    She stood up from the chair and slowly approached the bed. She sat down on its side, looking at Anton¡¯s sleeping face. She pulled herself down beside him, facing upward. She then turned around so that she faced him. She pulled herself closer. She touched Anton¡¯s left arm, doubt filling her mind. She touched Anton¡¯s virtual skin again, before hugging his arm and pulling herself closer. She felt the virtual heat traveling between them, Anton calm¡¯s breathing signaling that he was still asleep, far away from this world.

    Kayla opened her mouth and muttered his name.

    ¡°Anton¡­¡±

 Chapter 7

    Anton and Kayla spent the rest of their day on the moon, visiting various locations before returning to the hotel. Anton logged out once more to sleep in the real world before returning the next morning.

    ¡°So, you can fly a starship, right?¡± Anton asked, standing in front of the miniature starship that would take them back to P4ngea. He decided against risking it with the civilian ship and decided to lease a personal starship instead.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it too late to ask about it now?¡± Kayla asked, but Anton shook his head.

    ¡°I know you can.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your trust, that¡¯s all I can say,¡± Kayla said as she made her way to the rear of the ship. The ship had tandem seating with a cargo space behind the cockpit. It had the size of a box truck. It had the truck¡¯s boxy shape, except for the sleek front surrounding the cockpit. A single laser cannon occupied the space below the nose. It had a total of six wings. Two sets occupied the middle section, crossing in an X shape. A set of vertical wings at the rear, one up and one down, supported a small engine on their tips.

    The rear housed the ship¡¯s main door, which opened down to form a ramp. The ship¡¯s four main engines, two stacked on top of each other, all rectangular shaped, occupied the space beside the rear ramp. The cockpit itself had the ability to open upward, but the cockpit¡¯s position high above ground made climbing in hard so Anton and Kayla decided to just enter from the rear.

    Kayla got into the front seat while Anton occupied the rear. Kayla ran through the ship¡¯s checklist, making sure everything was set. She then started the engines. She called the port¡¯s traffic control, which guided her through the underground hangar, heading for the launch pad. The ship went through an airlock, before entering the launch ramp. The large doors then opened up. Kayla pulled the ship¡¯s nose upward and pushed the engines to full power, sending the small craft upward and away from the port.

    Once they traveled a safe distance away from the port, Kayla adjusted their heading, their nose pointing toward P4ngea. Kayla reached for the throttle control on the left side of the cockpit and pushed it forward. She played around with the controls. Anton felt the push as the ship, more akin to a starfighter, headed off into the sky, blasting away. He couldn¡¯t see Kayla¡¯s exact actions, her movements covered by his control panel, but he let her do her thing.

    ¡°This looks so similar to fighter jets,¡± Kayla muttered.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, where are we going? Oakport?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Anton thought about the question.

    They didn¡¯t have a reason to return to Oakport. They do need a vehicle. Anton planned on having most of their trips on P4ngea, and renting a new car every time they needed to get somewhere would cost. Anton remembered what Mana said the day before.

    ¡°How about Royning?¡±

    ¡°Royning? Sure, why there though?¡±

    ¡°We can get a car cheaper then.¡±

    It cost more to buy a vehicle the further away it was from the place the vehicle was produced. Royning, being the center for many in-game vehicle companies, not just limited to cars, offered the best prices.

    Just then, Anton remembered something else. With pacifist mode no longer a thing, if they wanted to travel, they would need to be wary of bandits watching them. An armored vehicle would be better, but at the same time, he didn¡¯t want to spend too much right after he had inserted that much money into his account. Even if he had deleted the log file, employees could still see his purchase log. He could delete that again, but it would eventually be noticed when one account had been getting numerous stuff out of thin air.

    ¡°We should take a quest,¡± Anton said. Kayla turned her head and looked behind her, half of her face blocked by the control panel.

    ¡°Are you still Anton?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I still am.¡±

    ¡°Huh¡­¡± she turned facing forward. Anton knew that he rarely took any quests with all the business he had recently, but was asking for it that surprising? He took a lot of them in the past, why was she so surprised?

    ¡°Are there any easy ones?¡±

    ¡°I think industrial cities like Royning and Kuando should have some simpler ones, things like transport and the like,¡± Kayla said. She turned the starship''s nose slightly. She then started touching the screen, and in the rear cockpit Anton saw a new marker. He started tapping it, changing the map into a wide space map. He played around with the screen. The map changed sizes several times, before showing the city of Royning.

    ¡°How long before we reach there?¡±

    ¡°At these speeds¡­ roughly seven more minutes,¡± Kayla replied.

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    ¡°Alright then.¡±

    Anton leaned back to his seat, letting go of the ship¡¯s touchscreen.

    ¡°I wonder if the more expensive ones have virtual screens?¡± Anton wondered aloud.

    ¡°Never entered one, although the promotions did show signs of them having it.¡±

    Anton then opened the in-game internet browser. Located in a different menu to the market, it featured a wide array of things for players to do. The game allowed players to make content and upload them within the game, thus Anton could easily find a detailed review for a starship.

    ¡°...¡±

    Anton scrolled down, managing to find a picture of a large space yacht in the lines of video thumbnails. He noticed its creator, a player affiliated with the company. He opened the video up and watched it at one point twenty five speed. The player started with introducing the update and the ship that came with it. He spent quite some time explaining the ship¡¯s interior. Being a yacht, the ship lacked any defense weapons. In the real world, astronauts couldn¡¯t leave their craft in space without using special clothing and equipment, and that feature carried on in the game. Without any defense weapons nor the ability to go out in space, a ship¡¯s occupants could only protect their ships from inside. The ship did feature powerful engines that could be used to escape.

    The person then went on to show the ship¡¯s interior. Smooth wooden panels formed its flooring, while the ceilings and walls had a clean white design with bright LED lighting integrated into the walls and ceilings, making the entrance way look like a tunnel. It all looked very luxurious and expensive. Anton clicked on the link, which transported him into the in-game market.

    As expected, it cost a ton of money to purchase, one most regular players would have no chance of getting. It was the most expensive in-game yacht, although not the most expensive vehicle in the game. When Anton last checked the market before the space update, an in-game battleship was the largest and most expensive vehicle available to players. Very few people privately owned one, with most of them owned by groups and guilds.

    He didn¡¯t know anyone that owned such massive ships, but he would be willing to bet that those who privately owned them paid real world money to purchase them. A player affording one just from playing didn¡¯t make sense. Anton compared his balance to the cost of those ships. He had enough money to buy one, with a small amount left behind.

    He didn¡¯t entertain the idea any further, though, as like yachts, those ships didn¡¯t serve any practical use. The missions related to the sea, pirate hunting for example, never required such powerful ships to be used. The best a pirate could afford were small destroyers, ones that could be taken out with air power and even those were uncommon. Most used small fishing boats-sized crafts and even smaller boats, one that could be toppled over with a few magic spells and gun holes to its sides.

    The feeling of being able to purchase it did feel weird, however. It gave him a sense of power, as if he was one of the richest among those who played this game. He decided to stop thinking any further, not letting himself get any weird ideas. He switched screens, and this time, looked through things he could realistically afford. The screen showed him several cheaper ships. He could afford them, yes, but he had little need for them. P4ngea had large areas where they could travel by water, but most of the planet consisted of land.

    The map stretched for two thousand kilometers from one end to the other. Most cars could reach up to two hundred kilometers per hour, making a trip from one end to the other lasting around ten hours. Some sport and supercars could go a lot faster. The game also had tanks, APCs, and several other types of armored vehicles, but none of them could go that fast.

    ¡°Kayla, you can drive or fly anything, right?¡±

    ¡°My skill level is maxed out now, so yes, yes I can. What are you planning?¡±

    Anton didn¡¯t immediately answer. He had some considerations when it came to picking his vehicles. Tanks could carry a limited amount of small cargo in special storage boxes. When it came to speed then they had a severe disadvantage compared to other vehicles. The massive guns that they carried would be overkill most of the time. Military trucks, meanwhile, had a large capacity and high speeds, but most of them had weak armor. They should be enough to deal against magic attacks, but missiles and rockets from an attack helicopter like the one that fired at them the day before would be the end of them. They tend to lack weapons as well.

    Armored Personnel Carriers (APC) came into mind, but looking through the list, Anton worried that they, too, were too slow. He wanted to visit various locations in the world, not sit around his vehicle. It also lacked firepower and armor. Finally, Anton looked through the screen showing a series of Light Armored Vehicles (LAV). Seeing how the general stats fitted his needs, he switched filters. The screen now showed a variety of possible options, starting from the cheapest one all the way to the most expensive.

    He scrolled down the list, weighing his options. He noticed one that stood out from the rest.

    ¡°Where is the headquarters for Rodley?¡±

    He asked.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Mitte.¡±

    ¡°How about we head there?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Kayla adjusted the ship, turning it left.

    Mitte was a mountain city located twenty kilometers away from Oakport, near the base of the western side of the Huju mountains.

    ¡°Know anything about Rodley? Specifically the type 57?¡± Anton asked.

    He glanced outside the windows of his starship. Some time had passed since they left the moon, P4ngea growing larger in front of them. He saw a cargo ship heading toward them. It adjusted its course and flew behind Anton¡¯s small starship.

    ¡°Rodley type 57? That¡¯s a Light Armored Vehicle. It¡¯s pretty good based on the stats, but I assume that¡¯s not what you¡¯re asking for, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Anton said before looking back forward.

    Anton then switched virtual screens. He returned to the in-game internet and searched for reviews about the vehicle. Anton managed to find a video from the same creator and opened it. It didn¡¯t have much useful information, however, as they only went through the vehicle¡¯s features in general. He switched videos, finding one with a more detailed explanation along with comparisons to other LAVs.

    The game had some better LAVs for sale, but they cost more. For now, the Tarup 57 seemed to be enough to fit the purpose.

    ¡°How long before we reach Mitte?¡±

    ¡°Around four minutes.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Anton looked out once again, enjoying the view as the planet quickly got closer.

 Chapter 8

    Kayla made a smooth landing into Mitte, landing at the city¡¯s airport. Thanks to their superior speed, starships could travel much farther distances with less time, thus they had options for a ten-minute and thirty-minute rent. It cost more, though, those ten minutes cost far more compared to an hour in a car.

    Anton and Kayla ended up hanging around the ship for a while, playing with its systems while waiting for it to disappear. Once their lease ended and it disappeared, they made their way out of the airport.

    ¡°Should we take a taxi?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t far from here. Renting a car would be a waste.¡±

    ¡°Alright, then,¡± Anton said before opening his virtual screen. He went to the taxi app and ordered a car. It took only thirty seconds before a taxi arrived in front of them.

    The two entered the backseat and the driver drove away. They made their way down the winding streets of the city. Mitte, more like a village compared to an actual city, had a peaceful atmosphere. Not many people lived here resulting in even less activity when compared to Oakport. The taxi drove through narrow streets, driving carefully through the asphalt streets. Lines of brown wooden houses occupied both sides of the streets. Anton watched his surroundings as buildings passed, noticing the many shops and cafes occupying said buildings¡¯ lower floors.

    ¡°We should get a cup of hot chocolate sometime,¡± Kayla said as she looked out the other side of the window.

    ¡°Sure. How about we grab one right after we return from Rodley?¡± Anton asked, prompting Kayla to turn his way.

    ¡°Great idea,¡± she said with an excited smile.

    The taxi continued down the winding roads. It accelerated, only to brake a short moment later as it turned a u-turn before speeding up again. It went through several twists and turns before eventually hitting an intersection and turning left. It took them down a straight road, directly toward the Rodley company building. A large bubble engulfed the complex, although this one looked different compared to the one on the moon. For one, it wasn¡¯t made out of glass. The car passed right through it, meaning that it had no protective capabilities. Its function became apparent as soon as they went past it.

    Loud bangs and booms could be heard echoing in the distance as the taxi made its way closer to the building. Anton reached for his setting and toned the sound effects all the way down, until it was nothing but little humms. In the wild, sound provided an essential warning to the dangers lurking near them, but this being inside a peace zone, the only dangers were to his virtual ear from hearing all the weapon testing going on within the complex.

    The taxi came to a stop in front of the main lobby. The Rodley building looked like a massive white container with around one kilometer in length. Other than windows decorating the sides and the Rodley logo above the entrance, it had no interesting visual features.

    Anton paid for the taxi fare and got out. The taxi then turned and drove away.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Kayla said. Anton followed as they took the steps toward the two glass doors that guard the entrance.

    Upon entering, they went past security checks that serve no purposes other than for visual appeal. Security guards pretended to check them for explosives and weapons, but since all of their weapons were stored inside their inventory, the search found nothing. Even if he had his weapons outside, all they would do was tell him that he needed to store them.

    After clearing security, the two went up to the reception desk at the end of the lobby. Four different military vehicles were on display, each sporting different specifications. Anton already knew what he wanted, so he headed straight for the reception.

    ¡°I would like to buy a Tarup 57,¡± Anton said.

    ¡°Please wait a moment,¡± the receptionist replied. She scrolled through the virtual screen behind the reception desk and clicked a contact.

    ¡°We got customers, they want the Five-Seven,¡± the receptionist said through the microphone in front of her.

    ¡°Please wait a moment. One of our sales staff will be with you shortly. For the moment, feel free to wait over there,¡± the receptionist stood up and pointed toward a gray empty couch between two of their displayed vehicles.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Kayla replied. The two of them then made their way to the couch. As the receptionist said, it didn¡¯t take long before an NPC wearing formal clothing approached them, a folder in his hand. Seeing him, Kayla stood up.

    ¡°Thank you for your patience,¡± the man said, shaking Kayla¡¯s hand first before shaking Anton¡¯s. Kayla then sat back down, the salesperson sitting down across them.

    ¡°I heard you wanted to buy the Tarup 57. Is that correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Anton answered.

    ¡°Brilliant choice. We are delighted to know you trust our products,¡± the salesperson went through his folder, pulling out several pieces of paper detailing the specifications of the vehicle.

    In the market, the vehicle¡¯s specifications had a graph style to them, where the comparisons were made based on lines that showed just how good or bad a vehicle is in a particular category. What stood in front of them, however, were numbers. The first page showed the Tarup 57¡¯s picture. It featured eight wheels that supported a boxy, brick-like body with a sloped front. It had a turret on top, above the vehicle¡¯s midsection, that sported the vehicle¡¯s weapons.

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    Behind that picture were lines and lines and lines of numbers, specifications, and explanations that Anton couldn¡¯t be bothered with. He already had enough headaches with coding, so he regulated that duty to Kayla. He tapped Kayla¡¯s shoulders, prompting her to spring into action.

    That is, to start reading everything from start to finish.

    After Kayla finished, she and the salesperson started discussing the vehicle. Anton, meanwhile, took one of the candies from the glass plate in front of him. He took one with a picture of an orange on it, ripped the packaging off, threw the candy into his mouth, stuffed the wrapping in his pocket, and leaned back on the chair, doing all this while Kayla had a serious discussion with the salesperson.

    Anton occasionally heard things like ¡®how¡¯s the armor?¡¯ ¡®what possible weapon options?¡¯ and ¡®off-road capabilities?¡¯. While Kayla had her discussion, Anton instead fiddled with his virtual screen, candy in his mouth. Bored, he searched for other players'' comments on the vehicle.

    Eventually, Kayla¡¯s discussion ended. She turned her head his way, a tablet in her hand.

    ¡°So?¡± Anton asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s good,¡± she answered flatly.

    ¡°Well¡­ okay then.¡±

    ¡°But there¡¯s some customization option that you should consider,¡± Kayla handed the tablet to him.

    Anton looked through the list, reading through the description. In general, Rodley had three main customization options. Weapon, armor, and fuel. They offered some others, like engine customization that could provide extra power, or a luxurious cabin. He considered those things unnecessary.

    He settled for the 25mm cannon that provided good offense against both people and lightly armored vehicles, extra fuel tanks so that he didn¡¯t need to refuel as often, and extra armor for protection. As a result, the vehicle had a reduced interior size, but it was too large anyway. The 25mm could be equipped with TOW (Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided) missiles, but he thought that he didn¡¯t need those, and decided to go with grenade launchers instead.

    ¡°25 mm, grenade launcher, extra armor, and extra fuel tanks,¡± Anton said while ticking the boxes.

    ¡°Great choice. This specific combination is currently available. I will notify the team,¡± the salesman said. A screen then appeared in front of Anton, showing the item along with the money he needed to spend. He accepted and the transaction went through.

    ¡°Thank you for your purchase. I shall prepare your vehicle immediately,¡± the salesman stood up and offered his hand. Kayla stood up and shook him, while Anton remained seated. The salesman turned and walked away, while Kayla sat back down.

    ¡°A LAV, huh?¡±

    ¡°You can drive, right?¡± Anton asked after stretching his body. He hadn¡¯t moved much during their entire conversation.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Of course I can,¡± Kayla said, her face full of confidence.

    It didn¡¯t take long for their LAV to appear in front of the lobby. It sported a dark green look, as Anton went with the default paint. Anton and Kayla walked out of the building. The salesman came out from the vehicle¡¯s rear and handed the keys over to Anton.

    ¡°Once again, thank you very much for your purchase,¡± the salesman said with a slight bow.

    ¡°Thank you as well,¡± Kayla replied. The two then entered its interior, which had the combination of an all-white paint with black seating. Several pieces of equipment lined up on the wall, above the passenger seats. The driver occupied a space on the front left of the vehicle, with the gunner¡¯s or turret operator¡¯s seat located a bit further back on the vehicle¡¯s right side, behind a wall. Anton handed the keys over to Kayla and she took up position in front. Anton closed the door and sat down in the gunner¡¯s seat. The vehicle lacked windows, except for the periscopes on the driver¡¯s hatch. The gunner, meanwhile, only had cameras on the turret as means of looking at the outside world.

    It was frustrating, considering that he needed this kind of vehicle if he wanted safe travels between cities. He would probably buy a fighter jet later on, but he needed to wait for safekeeping.

    Kayla lifted the brakes and drove out of the area, hitting the main road, heading back for Mitte. Just as they left the barrier, they noticed a dark red sedan parked on the left side of the road. A person stood behind the sedan, waving toward them.

    ¡°Should we stop? Looks like he needs help,¡± Kayla said. Anton took a look through the camera. It looked like a quest. He had just made a purchase, so stacking some money on top of it should help hide it.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Kayla pulled to the side and opened the driver¡¯s hatch. Anton moved forward to behind the driver¡¯s seat, peeking through the opened hatch.

    ¡°Do you need help?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°Fighters, you must help us. I come from a farming village not far from here. Recently, our produce trucks were attacked by bandits when they were making their way to the city. They used a vehicle similar to yours. We cannot defeat them with our weapons,¡± the person said, an obvious tone of fear in his voice.

    ¡°We should really help,¡± Kayla said. Anton thought about it for a moment. Vehicles could be destroyed, and restoring them cost quite a sum.

    ¡°Can you give us a more accurate description of that vehicle?¡±

    ¡°Ah, based on what our scouts said, it is large. It had a flat bottom with a rounded top. It also had this long barrel in its front. It didn¡¯t have wheels but instead tracks.¡±

    Doubt filled Anton after hearing the person¡¯s description. The word ¡®long barrel¡¯ concerned him.

    ¡°That¡¯s dangerous,¡± Kayla commented.

    ¡°Yeah, very! Our trucks go boom! the second it was hit by its long barrel. Three people have been killed so far. If it¡¯s not attacking our trucks, it¡¯s going after us with a gun in its front,¡± the person said with a frightened face, his body shaking just from recalling the memories.

    ¡°Please! It already wounded my son, if this continues, we all would be dead!¡± the NPC continued begging them. Hearing his story made Anton uncomfortable. He thought of a sentence to deny it when Kayla said something.

    ¡°That¡¯s despicable! Show us the way. We¡¯ll stop them.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s answer naturally came as a shock.

    ¡°But-¡±

    ¡°Thank you! Please, follow me!¡± the person said before running back to his car and taking off. Kayla closed the hatch and followed behind.

    ¡°... Kayla.¡±

    A quest confirmation screen appeared on Anton¡¯s virtual screen.

    ¡°We need to help him. Don¡¯t you feel bad hearing his story?¡±

    ¡°No, not really.¡±

    Kayla turned his head back when she heard that. Seeing her determined face, Anton let out a sigh.

    ¡°Fine, fine. Let¡¯s go,¡± Anton let out a sigh and accepted the quest.

    ¡°Thanks!¡±

    Anton retreated back to the gunner seat. He sat down, watching the dark red car from the screen in front of him. He opened his virtual screen and took a look at the quest screen, only to realize the situation he had gotten himself in.

 Chapter 9

    PvP Quest.

    Kill the rogue tank.

    The quest screen told him all he needed to know. Some players decided it would be a good idea to mess with NPC, prompting a sudden quest. It had a similar system to bounty quests in other games, but with a bit of story made by the game¡¯s system. Anton gritted his teeth. Not only was he expected to fight a tank in a LAV, it was also the result of some random player¡¯s boredom.

    He should have known when he heard about the long barrel. Why would someone, who wanted to steal the produce, destroy the truck that carried it?

    He also hated that real players operated the tank, making the quest much harder. Anton faced real players before, the helicopter chase from before came to mind, but that didn¡¯t make him any less worried. He thought of canceling the mission, but he couldn¡¯t begin to imagine Kayla¡¯s disappointment in him if he did that. In his seat, he let out another sigh, surrendering himself to fate.

    I¡¯m rich, repair costs won¡¯t hurt me.

    He repeated to himself, trying to get his mind off the quest. The group made a left turn at the intersection, driving further down into the valley. A warning came on, telling him that he had left the peace zone. They continued driving down the road, following the NPC¡¯s car that drove in front of them. Eventually, the car stopped on the side of the road, prompting Kayla to stop as well.

    The NPC got off his vehicle and made his way toward the LAV. Kayla opened the hatch once more.

    ¡°The area ahead is where we last engaged the enemy. I hate to say this, but I couldn¡¯t risk going with you. Fighters, please defeat the enemy for us. Once you¡¯re finished, you can return to the Mitte Adventure Terminal to collect your reward.¡±

    ¡°Alright, just leave them to us,¡± Kayla gave the NPC a thumbs up. The NPC nodded and headed back to his car. He turned around and ran off toward Mitte. Kayla closed the hatch before moving forward. A small red circle appeared on Anton¡¯s map, showing the location where they last spotted the target.

    In other games, the enemy would be located inside a circle and the players needed to find it. Since the bandits consisted of real players, there was a chance that they had left the area. Anton checked the location. He couldn¡¯t see the exact place yet, the marked area covered by dense forest.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go offroad,¡± Anton said.

    ¡°Roger,¡± Kayla replied, turning the Tarup 57 off the road and into the dirt. Kayla held the brakes as she moved the LAV down a steep descent, before stopping near some beech trees.

    Kayla carefully navigated through the dense tree cover. The forest consisted mostly of beech trees, separated a few meters away from each other. The LAV¡¯s large size made navigating through the tightly packed trees difficult. Anton kept a watchful eye on their surroundings as they approached the marked location. They stayed close to the road, but not on it. Kayla lightly tapped on the gas, minimizing the engine sounds.

    ¡°There they are,¡± Anton muttered. A flipped-over truck. Its rear end gone, thrown into a tree. Its front had been burnt, evident by the blackened color of the cab. Both doors had been opened. The left one lay above the truck¡¯s frame, while the right one lies on the ground right below the flipped cab, all of its windows shattered and gone. Some parts of the metal frame bent, others snapped. Had no one told them about it, they may not have recognized it as a truck in the first place.

    ¡°How long has it been since it attacked?¡± Anton asked. It looked like it had been severely damaged.

    Anton thought about possible clues. Based on how the truck flipped to its left side, the attack most likely came from the truck¡¯s right. The truck faced toward Mitte, toward where Anton came from.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go left,¡± Anton said, wanting to chase down the bandits and get this over with.

    He still didn¡¯t know how to defeat them, however. His 25mm cannon couldn¡¯t pierce a tank¡¯s armor, nor did he know any heavy magic that could take out a heavily armored vehicle. He could go back and equip his vehicle with TOW missiles. It would cost him a lot more, however, and the longer they play around, the farther the tank could go.

    He hoped that the bandits, all of them, remained inside the tank. Armored vehicles, especially tanks, were weak to ground troops. The tank provided a limited view thanks to all the armor they have, thus their crew may have trouble spotting someone hiding in the bushes or standing right beside them.

    ¡°Move slowly, make sure they can''t spot us.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kayla did as told and maneuvered the Tarup 57, using the forest as their cover. They went deeper into the forest, distancing themselves from the road, while driving close enough to still see it. Another destroyed truck lies on the road, this one in a worse condition compared to the one before. Its entire front cab was gone, with its chassis and a small part of its engine remained. The truck behind it was slightly luckier, with the truck bed gone and both doors opened.

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    As the two searched for the tank, a notification appeared, telling them that their allies had entered the area. In PvP bounty quests, other random players could choose to side with one of the sides involved in the conflict. Those in the same team couldn¡¯t damage each other, a rule made specifically for quests like this.

    ¡°Should we meet up with the other team?¡± Kayla asked, but Anton rejected the idea.

    ¡°It will only waste time. I can communicate with them through text,¡± Anton explained. He noticed a different notification on his screen. He checked it, finding some words from their ally.

    ¡®Found it?¡¯ the message said. A special group chat had been set up just for this mission. Anton ignored them. Noticing that he didn¡¯t reply, Kayla stopped the vehicle and replied with a simple ¡®not yet¡¯.

    ¡®Share info once you find it,¡¯ the other side replied.

    ¡®Alright,¡¯ Kayla typed before returning to the control and continued moving forward.

    Thirty minutes passed. Anton let out a yawn, frustrated at how the quest went. The quest marker didn¡¯t move. They hadn¡¯t found anything. No communications went between the Tarup 57 and their allies, either.

    ¡°Should we just abandon this?¡± Anton asked, not bothering to hide the annoyance in his voice.

    ¡°...¡± Kayla didn¡¯t reply immediately, probably thinking about what she should say. Anton let out a sigh. He knew that Kayla didn¡¯t want to let go of the mission, but at the same time, he didn¡¯t want to spend all his time hunting down a target that didn¡¯t exist. Just then, Kayla slammed the steering wheel and jumped into speed.

    ¡°Kayla!?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t hear that?¡±

    ¡°Ah, right,¡± Anton went to his settings and returned his volumes.

    She drove as fast as she could, while being wary of the terrain. A boom shook the previously silent air. Anton moved the camera toward where the sound came from. A notification appeared from the other team.

    ¡®Help us!¡¯ it said, with their location attached to the message. Their marker was located seven hundred meters in front of them, meaning they drove on the right course.

    Anton noticed something on the screen and checked his cameras, finding their target sitting in the middle of an empty field, its barrel pointed at another vehicle. That other vehicle stood not far in front of them, covered in smoke and flames, smoke so thick to the point that they couldn¡¯t see the vehicle¡¯s shape. Two people took cover not far behind it, hiding behind a tree. The two drank their potions. Meanwhile, a second vehicle, standing further away from Anton¡¯s position, left side of the destroyed vehicle, turned its cannon toward it. The second vehicle had a shoebox shape, with its front the only area with a sloped surface.

    Unlike the Tarup 57, it had tracks instead of wheels. It turned its cannon toward the tank and opened fire. Most of the rounds bounce off rather easily, sending tracers into the sky and the ground surrounding the enemy. The tank shrugged it off, the rounds doing no more than scratching its skin. It turned its turret toward the second vehicle. The two people, now healed, ran across the foliage, heading toward a third vehicle left on Anton¡¯s Tarup 57. The last vehicle looked similar to the second one.

    Anton looked at the tank, recognizing its shape. His eyes widened once he realized the vehicle¡¯s type. Its large sandy brown body stood tall above the plains. Its roundish turret with a flat top, its massive cannon, and its two large exhaust pipes at the rear of the vehicle. It formed a silhouette of a famous tank, its in-game design having many similarities with its real-world counterpart, although with several minor differences.

    ¡°Kayla, retreat!¡±

    ¡°Eh!? Ah, alright!¡± Kayla moved the vehicle backward, away from the engagement. Anton quickly typed a message and sent it to the chat, asking everyone to retreat and regroup.

    He then looked back through his screen, noticing the two people entering the third vehicle. He received no reply. The second armored vehicle reversed, while the third one, left of him, started speeding away with him. With the second vehicle in its sights, the tank opened fire, sending a projectile screaming toward the vehicle. It pierced right through the vehicle¡¯s left side, causing a large explosion. No one left the vehicle. Kayla drove away, escaping, the third vehicle following behind him.

    They managed to escape and met up deep in the forest.

    ¡°They survived, and are now hiding while watching the tank for us.¡±

    The boy with glasses said, a girl sitting beside him. His name was Ronald, and the girl, an AI companion, was Cecily. She had light blue short hair with a dark blue robe. They were a friend group of three people, making a total of six people with their AI companions. Based on their faces, Anton assumed them to be around high school. The ones that stayed behind to watch over the tank were called Caleb and Mia, with the last two in the single surviving Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) named Luke and Lily. Ronald, acting as the boss of the group, now sat inside Anton¡¯s Tarup 57, discussing what to do.

    The group operated Rodley IFV-01s. In the game¡¯s lore, these were Rodley''s first IFVs. They lacked thick armor and had relatively limited speed and maneuverability. They carried 25mm cannons, similar to the one Anton¡¯s Tarup 57 used, but used a much earlier model. They were cheaper, though. Price was the only thing they had going for them.

    ¡°Wish we equipped some TOW on ours,¡± Ronald let out a sigh.

    Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided were missiles that could easily destroy the tank.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you equip it now? We only need one with it,¡± Anton asked. Ronald shook his head.

    ¡°Unfortunately, we didn¡¯t have enough money to get it.¡±

    Anton then glanced toward Kayla. He went with his original plan to equip the cheapest option, the 25mm. A decent weapon for most of the engagements he expected. The tank threatening them couldn¡¯t even hit fifty kilometers per hour, so if they ever met another one, the 25mm would be enough to distract it as they made their escape. If they wanted to finish this quest, however, they would require that TOW missile.

    It would take a while for them to return to Mitte, but with Caleb and Mia watching the tank for them, they didn¡¯t need to worry about losing it.

    Or so they thought.

    ¡®Everyone, they¡¯re heading for you!¡¯

 Chapter 10

    Boom!

    They felt a harsh shake as an explosion occurred near them. Anton, Kayla, Ronald, and Cecily were all thrown around as the Tarup 57 shook violently. Kayla leaped away, jumping into the driver¡¯s seat. She hit the gas, causing the vehicle to jump forward.

    ¡®We¡¯re hit! We¡¯re hit!¡¯ Lily¡¯s voice echoed through the in-game voice chat.

    ¡®The tank, it fired a shot!¡¯ Caleb explained, also through the in-game voice chat.

    ¡®They¡¯re dead, the IFVs gone! They¡¯re aiming for you, Ronald!¡¯ Mia said.

    Kayla swerved through the forest, driving as fast as she could through the narrow openings. A boom came heard behind them, but they escaped relatively unscathed.

    ¡®Second shot, second shot!¡¯ Caleb called.

    ¡°Luke, Lily, where are you now?¡± Ronald asked.

    ¡®Mitte Adventure Terminal. They got us.¡¯

    Hearing that, Ronald directed his attention toward Anton. Anton searched for the tank through his camera, its figure no longer visible behind the dense foliage.

    ¡°What should we do now?¡± Anton asked, Kayla continued driving away from the tank. Going back to the Rodley building and getting TOW missiles equipped will take a long time, and with the third and last IFV gone, They no longer had any vehicles to entertain the bandits.

    At this point, they were too deep to let that tank go. Without needing to even look at Ronald, Anton knew that he would like to avenge his friends.

    ¡°The truth is, I can use Light Pierce.¡±

    Anton turned his head at Cecily¡¯s words. Light Pierce, a powerful, high-level spell that could destroy almost everything. Physical weapons, to help balance them against long-range magic and weapons, could deflect them. But, all vehicles, including battleships could be damaged with Light Pierce.

    There was just one major issue.

    Light Pierce only had a distance of three meters, meaning the user needed to be very close to the target. Cecily needed to get close to the tank to use Light Pierce, and that posed a problem. Kayla needed to place the Tarup 57 near the tank, to minimize the time Cecily stood out in the open. Hiding a person was one thing, but hiding an entire LAV?

    They couldn¡¯t let Cecily die, either. If she died, that meant leaving them with returning to Mitte as their only option. At best, that meant wasting time. But, at worst, that meant needing to find the tank again. Anton doubted that their two scouts could continuously keep up with a tank. As slow as a tank was, as long it had fuel, it could continue moving.

    ¡°Maybe we should call for support?¡± Kayla suggested. Both Anton and Ronald checked their list of friends.

    ¡°No,¡± Anton answered.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try asking my dad¡­¡± Ronald said. They waited for his reply.

    ¡°It will take a while¡­¡±

    ¡°Guess we¡¯re out of options, huh?¡± Kayla looked toward the other AI companion in the vehicle.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Cecily said with confidence.

    ¡°No, no, no. Cecily, the question isn¡¯t whether or not you¡¯ll do it, it¡¯s how you do it.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yeah, right. About that,¡± Cecily scratched her cheeks with a wry smile. Anton then looked toward Ronald.

    ¡°Call your friends. Ask them where the tank is.¡±

    ¡°... Aren¡¯t we in the same voice?¡±

    ¡®Yes, heard you loud and clear,¡¯ Caleb said from the voice chat.

    ¡®About that tank. It hasn¡¯t spotted us just yet, and looks like it¡¯s returning to that field. Must have a good view out there,¡¯ Caleb continued, explaining the situation.

    ¡°The open field¡­¡±

    With no cover, it would be impossible for Cecily to sneak up on the tank. The tank may have terrible visibility, but they should still be able to see Cecily, especially if she approached from afar. They need to make a distraction. The Tarup 57 was fast, but Anton doubted it would be faster compared to the tank¡¯s turret traverse speed. He also needed to consider the open plains the tank sat in. Yes, it was open, but it didn¡¯t really give much room to maneuver. Kayla also needed to dodge the countless things that blocked their way, things like trees, roots, or branches that blocked the way.

    Considering that it managed to hit the trucks and the IFVs from such a distance, the crew certainly had experience. If only they had one of the other IFVs still with them, then they could possibly do this trick. The tank¡¯s gun would track the IFV, while the LAV circled the tank¡¯s other side, attracting attention and possibly gunfire from the tank¡¯s smaller machine guns.

    ¡°What if we crash the Tarup 57 into the tank¡¯s sides, leap out, then use Light Pierce?¡± Cecily blurted out her thoughts. Ronald looked at her and lightly knocked her head.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t our vehicle, we couldn¡¯t do something so rash.¡±

    ¡°We can repair it, though,¡± Kayla said, inviting Anton¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°What?¡± she asked, oblivious. Anton let out another sigh.

    ¡°For one, that meant going in a straight line straight toward the enemy tank, making it an easy shot. Second, there¡¯s no guarantee that we would survive the shot in the first place.¡±

    Neither had gone out of the vehicle to check the damages, but based on the sheer force that pushed them when the last IFV was destroyed, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if all four ended up getting killed in one shot.

    ¡®What if we lease another vehicle to help distract it?¡¯ Luke said through the voice chat. Ronald looked at Anton, waiting for his comments.

    ¡°Depends on the vehicle. If we can get something with good off-road capabilities¡­ but it would be obvious that the car would be a trap.¡±

    ¡°And it will focus its fire on the Tarup 57,¡± Lily added.

    ¡°Then, what if we get Cecily to drive it?¡± Kayla said from the driver¡¯s seat.

    ¡°Hmm, me?¡± Cecily pointed toward herself. She then let out an ah and clapped her hands together.

    ¡°I get it! Since the tank wouldn¡¯t consider me a threat, it would focus its sights on the Tarup 57. I can pretend to be a distraction, get closer to it, and use my magic.¡±

    ¡°But that would mean risking the Tarup 57.¡± Ronald muttered, turning his attention toward Anton. Anton checked his balance.

    ¡°... Fine¡­ let¡¯s go with this plan. We can repair it anyway,¡± Anton said with a slightly tired tone.

    ¡°Sorry for involving you like this, even if we just met,¡± Ronald apologized.

    ¡°No problem, I guess. Come on, let¡¯s finish this.¡±

    <ul>

    <li>??</li>

    </ul>

    The group made their way toward the street. Once they were far enough from the plains, the Tarup 57 came to a stop. Anton selected an off-road equipped pickup truck. It looked similar to the one he used with Mana before, but with a performance upgrade, allowing it to better handle the dirt.

    Ronald and Cecily left the vehicle. After she closed the rear door, Kayla maneuvered the five-seven off the road, clearing the way for the incoming pickup. Anton rested his back on the seat. He opened the virtual screen and muted himself from the voice chat.

    ¡°Kayla, turn off your mic,¡± Anton said. From the driver¡¯s seat, Kayla wordlessly did as told.

    ¡°Yes?¡± she asked after turning her mic off.

    ¡°I need to rest a bit. Don¡¯t feel comfortable with either of our mics on.¡±

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°But they couldn¡¯t hear you through my mic?¡±

    ¡°I know¡­ it¡¯s just¡­¡± Anton scratched his head.

    ¡°How do I say this? Sometimes people just want alone time, where no one is around?¡±

    ¡°Sorry. I don¡¯t really understand that feeling.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t think about it,¡± Anton said, returning back to the screen in front of him.

    Kayla stopped the LAV a few hundred meters away from Ronald and Cecily. Anton used the cameras installed in his vehicle to check their surroundings.

    ¡°To think we were roped into this thing with those kids.¡±

    ¡°How do you even know that?¡±

    ¡°They look young.¡±

    ¡°Look isn¡¯t the thing that decides age, though. Besides, it may be just their avatar.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, their actual ages aren¡¯t important. Not like we will see them again.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not interested in playing with them?¡± Kayla asked. Anton stopped and made sure that his microphone had indeed been muted, before continuing.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know... I¡¯m not even that interested in this quest anyway. I¡¯m used to being with just you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know whether I should be happy or not hearing that.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t like playing with me?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that. As an AI companion, I¡¯m not even capable of disliking you¡­ but still, I wish you would play with others more.¡±

    ¡°Others¡­ huh.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s words made Anton recall a memory he didn¡¯t want to remember.

    ¡°... Did I strike an unpleasant memory?¡±

    ¡°How do you know?¡±

    ¡°Sorry¡­,¡± Kayla whimpered.

    ¡°I¡¯m more interested in how you decipher that in the first place.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ there¡¯s the thing with Rito and his brother.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah¡­¡±

    Kayla was right. It did have something to do with him. He didn¡¯t want to discuss it any further, however. At that moment, the pickup truck came and parked beside the road, prompting the other two to go into them. Ronald took the driver¡¯s seat and Cecily took the passenger seat. It made the perfect topic to switch into, only for him to realize something.

    ¡°Wait, you can enter someone''s vehicle without permission now?¡± Anton asked, staring down at the screen.

    While he wasn¡¯t necessarily close with Mana, he did have her as a friend, thus she could enter his vehicle without permission. For a moment, he thought that it was a result of them being in the same party, but Kayla gave him a different answer.

    ¡°No. It¡¯s a new system. Everyone can enter a car unless you set it to be locked,¡± she explained. Anton headed for his settings and quickly checked through his lists, finding that the change had turned off his default setting for vehicles to be unlocked.

    ¡°This too?¡± he said with a hint of frustration. He quickly changed the settings, but it did nothing to Ronald and Cecily, probably because they were already inside.

    ¡°Yeah. Should we get going?¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Anton answered. The two then turned on their mics, allowing them to communicate with the other six.

    ¡°You two ready?¡± Kayla asked through the radio.

    ¡®Ready when you are,¡¯ she heard the answer coming from the other side.

    ¡®Scouts here, the tank isn¡¯t moving.¡¯

    ¡°Roger, we¡¯re moving,¡± Kayla then pushed the Tapur 57 forward, the pickup following behind them. The two vehicles went deeper into the forest, away from the road.

    Anton opened the map and mapped a route toward the tank. He used the party map, a map that allowed all members inside the party to see it. He marked waypoints that went through trees, making a long line of points similar to a snake traveling through the land. These zig-zags serve as a way to hide their presence and make it harder to shoot them from a distance.

    ¡°I hope you all don¡¯t mind me taking the lead,¡± Anton said.

    ¡®Of course.¡¯

    ¡®We¡¯ll rely on you.¡¯

    ¡®Please avenge us.¡¯

    ¡®We can do this!¡¯

    Loud barks filled with enthusiasm echoed through Anton¡¯s ears.

    Must be nice being a kid.

    ¡°Scouts, where is the tank and its gun facing?¡±

    ¡®Tank facing north, toward the road. Gun facing the same way,¡¯ Caleb¡¯s voice filled the tense air.

    ¡°Alright, I will engage from behind the tank, from this point,¡± Anton changed his waypoint color and added one behind the tank. He made a line from southwest, circling the enemy¡¯s left side in a clockwise movement. The machine gun on top of it is its largest threat to Cecily. The five-seven would focus its attacks on the top side of the turret, before trying to hit the parts further down.

    ¡°Scouts, you think you can provide us with supporting fire?¡±

    ¡®Affirmative, commander!¡¯ Caleb answered.

    Commander?

    Anton couldn¡¯t say he hated being called that.

    ¡°Someone¡¯s up in the clouds,¡± Kayla teased.

    ¡®Huh, who?¡¯ Ronald asked, not understanding the joke.

    ¡°Kayla!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, nothing,¡± she said with a light giggle.

    ¡°Urgh, start swerving left and right. Ronald, try to keep up with us, hide your figure behind our LAV.¡±

    ¡®I¡¯ll try my best.¡¯

    After that reply, Anton focused on his camera. He kept track of their position relative to the tank, making sure the main gun was always aimed at the tank that rested in the middle of the plains. As they got closer, Anton gripped the control stick on the right side of his seat, ready to fire the second he saw its figure.

    Then it appeared.

    Its silhouette, its turret, its long barrel, its sandy brown color that stood like a sore thumb in the center of all the greenery. Anton kept the tank¡¯s body in his sights, ready to fire. Kayla drove to the right, heading east, before turning north. This made the vehicle travel relatively parallel to the tank, preventing it from getting a straight shot and forcing the bandits to lead the shot. They would be forced to aim in front of the LAV, making it a harder shot compared to when the LAV headed straight for them, when all they needed to do was to fire at its body.

    Anton kept his attention on the turret, waiting for the moment the tank crew noticed their arrival.

    Then it happened. The tank¡¯s turret toward them. Its speed, while slow compared to other armored vehicles, still fast enough to lock on to Anton¡¯s Five-Seven. The entire body of the tank moved as well, placing Anton¡¯s Tarup 57 right at the end of the barrel. As expected, it didn¡¯t immediately fire, but instead adjusted its aim, pointing to a spot in front of Anton¡¯s LAV.

    ¡°Brake!¡± Anton yelled. Kayla pulled the entire vehicle to a halt. Ronald managed to stop as well, barely hitting Anton¡¯s LAV. A projectile weighing around ten kilograms zipped past the front of the LAV, narrowly missing it and crashing into an unfortunate tree fifty meters away from it.

    ¡°Damn, how good are these guys!?¡± Anton yelled. Kayla quickly continued moving.

    ¡°The tank we¡¯re facing will take a while to reload. Let¡¯s go, before they load another shell!¡±

    ¡®Alright!¡¯

    As they continued moving, Anton adjusted his cannon. Anton pulled the trigger, opening fire on the tank from behind the trees. Tracers pierced through the sky, filling the empty air with red-colored darts. They crashed into the tank¡¯s side, some attempting to drill into its thick metal armor while others bounced off. Some even went into the sky.

    ¡°Right!¡± Anton called out, prompting both vehicles to make a sharp turn to the right. The sharp turn caused Anton to hold onto his seat, unable to shoot his gun as she tried to counter the turn. Once the turn ended, he continued firing. The sudden turn forced the tank crew to realign their shot. The sheer speed of how fast they could get Anton¡¯s LAV back in their sights was frightening. They adjusted their aim, aiming in front of Anton, to account for Anton¡¯s movements.

    Anton wanted to call another brake, but if he made a mistake, he would put them in another tough situation, with no speed to escape.

    ¡°Ronald, split. Kayla, Left!¡±

    Boom!

    A loud noise filled the air as the tank fired another shell at them. This one scraped the LAV¡¯s right side. The armor deflected it, sending the shell into the sky, the force enough to shake the LAV¡¯s occupants. Kayla continued driving, speeding away. The two vehicles left the forest cover, now in the same plains as the tank.

    Kayla made a right turn, the LAV¡¯s nose facing northeast.

    The LAV then made a turn, facing toward the LAV, while Ronald¡¯s pickup made its way south of the tank¡¯s position. The tank body had been rotated, with its rear now facing the southeast. Anton continued firing. His 25mm managed to hit the machine gun above the tank¡¯s turret, possibly damaging it, but other than that, it absolutely did nothing. It was simply too weak for the tank¡¯s armor. The tank aimed once more, but this time, it didn¡¯t fire. Its turret continued to track the LAV, however.

    ¡°... Huh?¡±

    Its entire body turned toward the LAV, then it opened fire. Not with its main gun, however, but inside, the front machine gun next to the driver. Smaller bullets rattled the LAV¡¯s side. The turret aligned itself with the LAV, and the machine gun there, too, started opening fire. Anton, distracted by them, noticed it too late. The main cannon fired.

    ¡°Brake!¡± he yelled. Kayla quickly did as ordered, but it was too late. The shell, unlike before, slammed into the ground in front of the LAV, throwing the LAV upward before crashing back down. The shot didn¡¯t hit the LAV, but the force momentarily disabled the vehicle, getting it stuck.

    ¡°Kayla, you¡¯re alright?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Kayla replied from the driver¡¯s seat. She tried moving forward, but the LAV refused to move.

    ¡®Anton, Kayla! Your vehicle¡¯s front side is stuck in the crater!¡¯ Caleb said through the call.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Kayla switched gears and attempted to reverse. The tank¡¯s machine guns continued pestering them with bullets, although, like their 25mm to the tank¡¯s armor, it was ineffective. The tank moved forward, attempting to block their escape. Its gun adjusted its aim, ready to fire once it reloaded its next shell.

    ¡°What should we do!?¡± Kayla asked from the front.

    It would take a few more seconds before the LAV could take up speed, reversing away from the crater, but those few seconds gave enough time for the tank crew to destroy them. Anton racked his mind, trying to find a way out. He checked the screen, thinking of firing at the tank again, but then noticed a small marking on the bottom right side. A marking of a black ball with white cloud-like drawings.

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s it!¡±

    Using the buttons on the side, he quickly selected the marking. He pulled the trigger, sending grenades out from small tubes on the turret. They flew and exploded in the air, filling the once-empty air with smoke.

    ¡®Now¡¯s our chance!¡¯

    Anton heard Ronald¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Forward!¡±

    Anton yelled, sending the LAV back into its previous position, stuck in the crater. They heard another loud explosion above them, throwing them to the side. The smoke prevented Anton from seeing anything happening outside.

    ¡®I¡¯m on them!¡¯ Cecily said through the radio.

    ¡®Light Pierce!¡¯

    Anton heard her yell, followed by the sound of a loud explosion.

 Chapter 11

    The battle ended with the sight of a tank¡¯s burning rubble, a large hole in its rear. As the smoke started to fade, Anton could see its once fearsome silhouette, now nothing more than a destroyed piece of scrap metal. Its once mighty barrel now dangled off the turret.

    ¡°Is everyone alright?¡± Anton asked through the voice chat.

    ¡®The truck¡¯s flipped over.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m fine.¡¯

    ¡®We¡¯re good as well. Damn, that¡¯s one cool show. It¡¯s a shame you two can¡¯t see it.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, yeah, we¡¯re stuck here, we know.¡¯

    Voices filled the voice chat. Kayla started reversing the LAV, which survived the attack, away from the crater. Anton used the screen to check for damages. Several in-game damages had been detected by the system, the damage to the turret being the most notable.

    To put it simply, it''s gone. The entire turret disappeared.

    The outer armor had also been damaged, along with some sensors and cameras. Anton checked the predicted costs for the damages.

    Anton rechecked the quest screen, showing that it had been completed, with the rewards listed on the bottom part of the screen. PvP quests tend to give more than NPC quests, due to how dangerous they were. Kayla moved the damaged LAV into an open position, away from the remains of the tank. Kayla opened the door, waiting for Ronald and Cecily.

    Curious, Anton got out of the LAV and saw the four people approaching. He moved away from the door and approached the tank¡¯s remains, the smell of ash filling the air. Small, white flames danced near the tank¡¯s rear, right below the hole that had been torn into the tank¡¯s rear.

    Being one of the most powerful spells, Light Pierce could easily break all elements, with the exception of physical weapons that had deflection abilities. No matter how thick armor or magic shield the enemy had, it could penetrate through. A spell hard to use, truly an interesting spell, used by an AI no less. For the first time, Anton saw the usage of such a powerful spell. He regretted the fact that he couldn¡¯t see the spell in action thanks to the thick smoke, but he couldn¡¯t do anything about it.

    Kayla moved the LAV beside him, the driver¡¯s hatch opened.

    ¡°Ready to go, or need some flowers?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting on.¡±

    ¡°Eh? So no flowers?¡±

    Anton ignored her and went to the rear of the LAV. With everyone on board, they moved away and back to Mitte.

    <ul>

    <li>??</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°Thank you so much! I, I can¡¯t tell how much I appreciate your help!¡± the person said. They gathered in Mitte Adventure Terminal, which served as respawn points and quest locations. The rest of the group gathered around the person, Anton leaned back on the orange wall, orange being the color theme for this building, standing at the corner of the building.

    There weren¡¯t many players inside. Those who came, tend to come for the terminal¡¯s quest system. Like the PvP quest, many quests could be found in the world with varying difficulty, but for newer players, they tend to rely on quests from the terminal. A group of four came and went to one of the quest booths. Anton couldn¡¯t see what they were doing from his position, but it must have something to do with quests. Maybe they were about to accept one, maybe they just finished one, or maybe they were just looking through.

    What they actually did had little to do with him, however. He continued observing them, as a way to pass the boredom. The four then turned around and headed off. They went into a car parked in front of the terminal¡¯s lobby and then drove off. Anton glanced toward the group of seven, Kayla among them. They hadn¡¯t finished speaking, smiles on their faces.

    Could you even afford the repair costs?

    Anton asked internally. Repairing vehicles, especially armored ones, cost a lot of money. His Tarup 57 was the only one that survived, and even then he faced a huge bill, not counting the bill required for the damaged pickup. When totaled, the rewards were just barely enough to break even.

    And all that with their vehicle surviving. Anton didn¡¯t understand how they could smile like that. Unlike him, they probably didn¡¯t have unlimited money.

    ¡°Kids sure do grow fast, eh?¡±

    Anton heard a heavy voice coming from beside him. He looked toward it. A large man stood in the corner, half of his body covered by shadows. He had short white hair and wore a tuxedo with round glasses covering his black eyes.

    Is he a villain? Don¡¯t say¡­

    ¡°You¡¯re not that tank driver, are you?¡±

    ¡°No, of course not. Why would I attack random NPCs?¡± he asked, his voice filled with what Anton felt like genuine curiosity.

    ¡°So what they face is a tank, eh?¡±

    ¡°... Mind explaining who you are?¡±

    ¡°Oh, sorry. I assume you are not curious about my real name, but my in-game name is Barnum. I¡¯m Ronald''s biological father,¡± the man said. He had a weird sense of calmness around him, as if all he did was watch over the world.

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Ronald sent me a message, asking me if I can play. He¡¯s facing a great enemy. I was at work, unfortunately, but I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t come,¡± he explained calmly.

    ¡°Kids need to be given a chance to grow.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a high schooler?¡± Anton asked out of curiosity.

    ¡°No, a middle schooler. He and his friends are from the basketball team. They have a match tomorrow, so they decided to take it easy.¡±

    Which part of that quest could be considered taking it easy?

    ¡°Well¡­ good luck.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll tell them your wishes. As to you, I assume you¡¯re the person in a mini tank that assisted them?¡± Barnum asked. The word ¡®mini tank¡¯ caused Anton to pause for a moment, wondering what it meant.

    ¡°Oh, yeah. It¡¯s called a LAV, though.¡±

    ¡°Yes. When he first saw you, he described your vehicle as a mini tank. He later corrected his words, however.¡±

    ¡°So¡­ what are you here for?¡±

    ¡°I was hoping to watch the epic battle between them, but as it turned out, I was too late.¡±

    Very late.

    Anton didn¡¯t get why this person even talked to him in the first place. How did he know that Anton participated in the battle? Was it because he stood there alone, while the other seven surrounded the NPC? Did he mistake Anton for an AI companion?

    Anton didn¡¯t bother correcting or asking him about it, though. He noticed a virtual screen appearing in front of him, detailing the results of the battle, the rewards, and the experience he had received. He looked toward the seven, noticing them turning around, walking toward him.

    ¡°Dad!¡±

    ¡°Hey, kiddo. Good work out there,¡± Barnum said, petting Ronald¡¯s head.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a child anymore!¡± Ronald retorted, but despite his words, he didn¡¯t pull himself anyway.

    ¡°You kids ready to return?¡± he asked, addressing the other children.

    Anton glanced toward Kayla and walked away.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Anton whispered when he passed Kayla.

    ¡°Okay. Everyone, we¡¯ll be going on our way,¡± Kayla said to the six.

    ¡°Ah, can we add friends?¡± Ronald asked.

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s words caused Anton to stop. He exhaled silently, turned around, and waited for the friend requests to pop up. Since AI companions couldn¡¯t add friends, only three requests popped up.

    Well, adding friend contacts wouldn¡¯t hurt, Anton thought as he accepted all of the requests. Anton then looked back to the group. Seeing the six eyes on him, all from children with similar size as himself, he let out a thin smile.

    ¡°See you later,¡± he said with a soft voice.

    ¡°Yeah, see you all later!¡± Kayla repeated his words, in a much louder voice. The six along with Barnum waved toward them as Anton and Kayla headed out of the terminal. They left the building and got back into the Tarup 57.

    ¡°Where to now?¡± Kayla asked as she got into the driver¡¯s seat.

    ¡°The repair station.¡±

    ¡°... Yeah, where after that?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just get this repaired first,¡± Anton answered as he sank himself into his seat.

    ¡°Actually, can you get this repaired while I grab lunch?¡±

    ¡°Sure. Just leave it to me.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Anton closed his eyes and left the game.

    <ul>

    <li>??</li>

    </ul>

    Kayla drove the LAV down the narrow streets of Mitte, her head peeking out of the driver¡¯s hatch. The Tarup 57 had periscopes that provided a very limited view of the outside world. Cameras on the left, right, and front of the vehicle assisted the periscopes, providing a limited view through a screen on the driver¡¯s console, behind the steering wheel.

    The left camera malfunctioned, providing a blurry image of its surroundings, while the right one outright didn¡¯t work. Kayla didn¡¯t complain, her hands on the wheel as she carefully navigated the asphalt streets. The air felt cold and fresh, thanks to the city¡¯s altitude. She went past the airport, following the same route the taxi driver took them earlier. She noticed a cafe sitting on the side of the road, a magnificent view beyond it. She marked it in her mind for later.

    She continued going down, heading for the Rodley headquarters. Rodley headquarters offered a cheaper option for repairs compared to other vehicle repair spots in Mitte. It didn¡¯t take her long to reach the stretch of road linking the city and the building. She looked to the right, seeing the spot where the NPC once parked, the dark red sedan no longer there. She continued deeper, eventually reaching the Rodley headquarters. She brought the LAV to the vehicle repair station and pulled it to a stop.

    Since Anton asked her to repair the vehicles, special funds had been transferred to her, which she used to pay for the repairs. It took fifteen minutes to restore all the LAV¡¯s systems. The repairs returned the Five-Seven to its former glory, just like when it first came off the assembly line.

    Well, it is new, just taken on a battle on its first day. She hopped off the front hatch and went outside. She did a quick check around the vehicle. She wanted to make sure they were ready to set off the second Anton returned to this world. Once everything was done, she reentered, albeit this time from the rear door. She made her way to the driver¡¯s seat, noticing Anton¡¯s limp body resting on the seat. She kneels beside his body, looking at his face.

    She let out a smile before turning back toward the driver¡¯s seat. She then reversed the vehicle out of the lot and made her way back toward the cafe. She kept the hatch open, giving her a better view of the road, the fresh air hitting her virtual skin. It didn¡¯t take long for her to arrive safely at the cafe. She parked the large vehicle in the parking lot, crawled up from the front hatch, and took her place on top of the turret, gazing at the distant mountains.

    <ul>

    <li>??</li>

    </ul>

    Once Anton returned to the game, he noticed the LAV in a parked position. He stretched his body and felt his limbs. He then got out of his seat and went to the driver¡¯s seat, noticing Kayla no longer there. He crawled out through the opened hatch. He pushed the hatch further back, giving him more space to crawl. It was still pretty hard. It took him some effort before he could escape from underneath it.

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re back,¡± Kayla asked from the turret. Anton went up and sat above the Five-Seven¡¯s metal body, the turret didn¡¯t have any more space available.

    ¡°Beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Anton looked at the direction Kayla looked at. A neighboring mountain stood proudly in the distance, captivating the eyes of those who saw it.

    ¡°So, where are we going?¡± Kayla asked as she got off the turret and stood on Anton¡¯s side. Anton looked toward the wooden building that sat right next to them.

    ¡°Want some hot chocolate?¡± He asked. Kayla¡¯s eyes lit up the second she heard those words.

    ¡°Yes, please!¡±

 Chapter 12

    ¡°Alright. Where are we off to now?¡± Kayla asked with excitement.

    ¡°You sure are excited after that cup of hot chocolate.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s delicious! I feel all fuzzy and warm now.¡±

    ¡°Well, good, then. The area I¡¯m planning to go next is somewhere colder,¡± Anton said, leaning beside the Five-Seven. He opened his virtual screen and tapped a location on the map.

    ¡°... Marrow Peaks?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    Marrow Peaks, a location eight hundred kilometers west of Mitte, close to the western borders of the world, a popular spot in the game. Known as the ice world, the in-game lore described it as the center of an ancient kingdom.

    ¡°We¡¯re heading directly there or¡­?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s stop by the cities along the way. I don¡¯t think ten hours in this thing is comfortable.¡±

    ¡°Roger. Should we depart?¡± Kayla asked.

    Anton nodded and the two reentered their vehicle. Anton sat in his usual spot while Kayla backed the Five-Seven out of the parking lot, before making her way through Mitte. She drove straight, past the intersection that headed to Rodley. She continued on and made a turn right, following a windy road down to the lowlands. From there, she followed the road west. Anton decided to relax while still watching the cameras, careful of attacks now that they drove outside the peace zone.

    City outskirts in particular were risky because of their traffic. The further someone is from a city, the less likely they would be attacked, but at the same time it meant that they were farther away from peace zone, cover, or repair stations, so they still needed to be careful.

    ¡°If only pacifist mode still exists¡­¡± Anton muttered.

    He wouldn¡¯t be in this cramped vehicle if he could go around without worrying about others shooting at him. He then noticed a small dot coming from the distance, flying low above the ground, kicking up dust as it went. It approached his position, and within seconds, he heard the loud sounds of a jet engine flying right above him.

    He reflexively closed his ears. Within seconds, that jet fighter disappeared, flying away into the horizon.

    ¡°Just as you mentioned it¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Luckily, other than the loud sound ringing in his virtual ear, the pilot seemed to be no more than just a stunt devil. Had the jet flown any lower, he might have found himself back in Mitte¡¯s Adventure Terminal, another hefty cost on his tab. Kayla switched lanes and headed for the highway. She then merged lanes, paying attention to her surroundings. Once she settled in, she pressed on the gas, the Five-Seven increasing in speed. It took a while longer for it to accelerate. Being a large and heavy vehicle, Kayla put extra attention to driving. Anton felt as she swerved left and right, going through the middle of traffic.

    Only NPCs follow the rules. A common saying existed in video games, saying that a player wouldn¡¯t want to waste time on the road following road rules. Not long after he thought about that, Anton saw another player, driving a semi-truck, speeding down the highway. It approached Anton from behind, towing a container behind it. Like Kayla, it swerved left and right, dodging the traffic. They moved between NPC cars, occasionally greeted by loud horns from angry NPCs. One of the weird things people could only see in a game. A semi-truck and a LAV racing each other wasn¡¯t something people could see in the real world, after all.

    Anton watched as that semi passed them, its long trailer shaking as it as the semi threw it around, holding on for dear life.

    Hoooonk!

    The truck roared its horn, as if celebrating the fact that it managed to pass Anton. Anton simply watched as the truck, faster than his Five-Seven, accelerated away. The Tarup 57 had reached its max speed, one hundred kilometers per hour. The truck, despite pulling away rather slowly, was still faster.

    ¡°We lost, huh?¡± Anton asked from his seat.

    ¡°Yeah. This thing isn¡¯t built for racing.¡±

    ¡°Neither is that one.¡±

    Kayla chuckles at Anton¡¯s words. Despite saying that, Anton prioritized safety. If he died, he would find himself back in Mitte. No matter how fast they went, they couldn¡¯t reach their destination if they kept dying over and over again. Anton leaned back on his seat again. To the north of them, mountains stood tall above the horizon, while to their south, a large port city stretched near the waves.

    Anton started looking for things to do. His vehicle couldn¡¯t go any faster, the engine placed in front of him screaming at the top of its lungs, propelling the heavy vehicle forward.

    Should have taken some speed upgrades.

    Anton thought. He opened up his in-game market and looked for the vehicle. He checked the online order page for it. Ordering online cost more, but it gave him a good rough estimate on how much upgrades cost.

    ¡­ Maybe I don¡¯t need to hold back? But¡­

    He didn¡¯t want to be caught, nor did he want to destroy his in-game finance. He didn¡¯t want to force himself to take quests, either. But, at the same time, he felt that going on the road like this, while cheaper, took too much time. Not even an hour had passed since he left Mitte.

    Bored, Anton headed to the rear of the vehicle. He then opened a hatch and stood straight up. The Five-Seven¡¯s interior was not high enough for an adult avatar to stand up straight in. As a result, Anton found his face being hit by the winds as the LAV sped down the highway. He couldn¡¯t see much, however. The turret that housed the vehicle¡¯s 25mm cannon blocked his view. He ducked back down and closed the hatch.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to be like this for a while, huh?¡± Anton asked. Kayla checked the in-game GPS.

    ¡°A few more hours¡­ I guess¡­¡± Kayla said, with gaps in between her words.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound reassuring.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to.¡±

    Silent fell upon the LAV. Anton returned to his seat, but as soon as he sat down, he noticed the engine going silent. He could still hear the rumble it made, but no longer the high-pitch scream it let out when it was in full power.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°You say you¡¯re bored, right?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°... I didn¡¯t say anything like that.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Kayla didn¡¯t say anything else, but Anton could feel the vehicle slowing down.

    ¡°Did something¡­ oh.¡±

    Anton saw two people standing on the side of the road with neither of them wearing yellow armbands. Anton opened the map, checking to see if there were any villages or settlements nearby. He came out empty. This particular section of the highway didn¡¯t even have a single building, let alone a city.

    Kayla continued slowing down, but she didn¡¯t stop. Seeing them, the two girls, or more accurately, the one girl closer to the highway, started waving faster. She wore a simple pink shirt with blue shorts with pink shoulder level, straight hair, while the girl behind her wore a light blue dress. She had light blue glasses on her face with long black hair.

    ¡°So¡­?¡±

    ¡°You really want to help?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Kayla said with confidence.

    ¡°Fine¡­ let¡¯s help them.¡±

    ¡°Yipee, thanks,¡± Kayla stopped and pulled out beside them.

    What are you thanking me for?

    Anton thought, letting out a chuckle. He crawled forward, kneeling behind the driver¡¯s seat. They stopped in front of the two girls. Kayla opened the driver¡¯s hatch, poking her head out.

    ¡°You two need help?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Ah, Sis, can you help us get to Norbva?¡±

    ¡°Sis¡­¡± Kayla muttered what the girl said before letting out a sweet smile. Beside her stood another girl, standing farther away. Kayla turned around, trying to look at Anton who hid behind her seat.

    Anton opened up his map. Norbva was located fifteen kilometers to the northwest of their position. Thinking that it wouldn¡¯t take long, Anton gave his approval.

    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll take you there. Hop in,¡± Kayla pointed toward the rear of the vehicle. She opened the rear door, allowing the two to enter.

    ¡°Thank you!¡± the girl replied. She returned to her friend and pulled her away.

    Anton prepared his weapon, just in case they tried something funny. They crawled in, and noticed Anton kneeling behind Kayla. Anton turned around. He changed positions, sitting down on the metal floor facing back toward the two girls. The two girls noticed him, the one behind her letting a little shriek. After seeing that, Anton kneeled again, and whispered to Kayla¡¯s ears.

    ¡°You guard, I drive.¡±

    Hearing that, Kayla moved up from the seat. Anton sat down and gripped the wheel. The layout looked similar to normal vehicles in a way. A screen behind the steering wheel displayed several cameras providing a view of the vehicle¡¯s surroundings, with screens and instruments on the sides beside that screen showing various information about the vehicle. Anton then closed the hatches and continued down the road. He updated the map so that they made a stop at Norbva.

    ¡°Thanks for the ride Sis¡­ and Mister¡­¡±

    Do I look older than Kayla?

    Despite wondering about it, Anton decided not to bother. Anton closed the hatch and started driving.

    ¡°No problem. How did you two get stuck there anyway?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°Her friends from college wanted to play together, but we chose the wrong spot when we started.¡±

    New players?

    It had been quite some time since Anton last saw new players in the game. He didn¡¯t interact that much with other people in the first place, especially not new players.

    ¡°Really? So you¡¯re walking from your spawn point to Norbva?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not the case. We rented a car to get from Okcra. We didn¡¯t pay much attention to our spawn point anyway. What we do know is that we were five hundred kilometers away from our target. We can¡¯t afford the rent.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s far.¡±

    ¡°I know, right? Ah, by the way, my name is Sophie.¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­ I¡¯m Charlotte.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s shy, so I hope you excuse her.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m not shy!¡±

    You sound like you¡¯re shy.

    Anton commented from the driver¡¯s seat. He kept the LAV at eighty kilometers per hour and tried to not swerve too much.

    Are they all new players?

    It would explain why none of the friends came to pick up those two¡­ or maybe, they were coming. They just decided that Norbva would be the pick-up point. Regardless, all of it was none of Anton¡¯s business so he decided to keep silent.

    ¡°I see. I¡¯m Kayla, and he¡¯s Anton.¡±

    ¡°Ah, you two look close.¡±

    ¡°We are,¡± Kayla answered with a cheerful voice. Anton realized that so far, he could only hear Sophie¡¯s voice, with Charlotte saying one or two words every now and then.

    Guess she¡¯s really shy.

    Anton had no intention of changing that, though. It had nothing to do with him.

    He exhaled, realizing just how boring driving eighty kilometers per hour on a straight, virtual highway could be. The sounds of the screaming engine helped hide the conversation behind. He could still hear it, but not clear enough to understand the context.

    The virtual world should be a place where things that couldn¡¯t be done in the real world were done, like speeding a few hundred kilometers per hour, for example. Some called it escapism, others described it as a world better than real life.

    Anton didn¡¯t have much of an opinion on it, he only cared about building memories within Kayla. As the girls started talking about various things, including what ice cream flavor tasted the best, Anton thought about the days when he spent working on Kayla, on the AI companion system in general.

    The AI companion had been developed as a separate entity from the game, so that it could be added to other games without much modification. As long as Anton had the AI¡¯s base program and Kayla¡¯s memories, then she would be fine. When he first worked on this project, he didn¡¯t expect that making the AI separate from the game would benefit him in this way.

    It gave him a bittersweet feeling. If the game shuts down, Kayla would no longer be able to experience the world, but she would still be able to live and recall the data she gathered from her time. Like a ghost that could no longer interact with the world, only able to recall old memories before its death. In the end, she was no more than an AI program, a product of human intelligence, but her existence here, speaking with the two girls behind him, it all felt real.

    While keeping his eyes on the road, Anton checked his quest screen, making sure that he didn¡¯t accidentally take an in-game quest. As expected, nothing showed up on his screen.

    ¡°Have you been friends for long?¡± Kayla¡¯s question brought his mind back from its long journey. Anton rested his body into the driver¡¯s seat, thinking that he should take it easy. He lowered the speed down to seventy kilometers per hour, thinking that those three probably wouldn¡¯t mind.

    ¡°We¡¯re¡­ in the same class.¡±

    Anton heard that sentence, but he was too focused on passing a car that it didn¡¯t register with him who said that. As the girls continued their talks about education, Anton checked the map and slowed down. He took the exit on the left and made his way off the highway. The road took him on a different way, now heading North. It wouldn¡¯t be long before they arrived in Norbva.

    ¡°By the way, you know anything about this quest? It¡¯s called Seekers of the Forest,¡± Sophie asked.

    ¡°Seekers of the Forest?¡± Kayla repeated her question. Anton felt like he heard that quest name somewhere. Some quests do have quest names, especially those that had some story in them. Quests that carry the story of this world, in a way.

    ¡°Kayla, had we played through that one before?¡± Anton asked.

    ¡°Is that the one that involved those white-clothed ninjas?¡±

    ¡°I think so.¡±

    He remembered something about the quest. Something stuck in his memory, but he couldn¡¯t remember exactly what. He did remember struggling through a quest. It was so hard to the point he outright cheated by adding funds to his account. At the time, it was still a legal move because of his status as an employee. He forgot what exactly made him struggle, but he could clearly remember almost failing to complete the quest. He was unsure whether that quest he had in his mind was this one, or something entirely different.

    ¡°Why do you want info on that quest?¡± Kayla asked the two girls.

    ¡°Well¡­ our friend accidentally accepted it¡­¡±

    ¡­

    Not again.

 Chapter 13

    Anton parked the LAV near the lobby of Norbva¡¯s Adventure Terminal. The building looked similar to the one back in Mitte, with its theme color being the only major difference. Unlike the orange one back in Mitte, this one had a pink color. Anton and Kayla followed Sophie and Charlotte into the building. Thanks to Kayla¡¯s request, Anton found himself once again roped into a quest he didn¡¯t have much interest in.

    Inside, four other girls waited. Two of them wore yellow armbands, signaling that they were AI. Seeing them, Anton noticed something and held Kayla back.

    ¡°Is Charlotte an AI?¡± he whispered. She, unlike the other AI, didn¡¯t have a yellow armband. AI companions could be dressed up to hide their yellow armband, though.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t she say that they¡¯re together in university?¡± Kayla asked, pointing toward Charlotte.

    ¡°Charlotte? You mean Sophie and those two, right?¡± Anton glanced as the group, another group of six, started talking with each other. At this point, Anton couldn¡¯t help but feel like a babysitter for kids, even if the kids he babysit were middle schoolers and older. The two looked at each other, not understanding the question.

    ¡°So... You want me to confirm it with them?¡±

    ¡°Maybe not,¡± Anton answered before lightly pushing Kayla toward the group.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting in the Five-Seven,¡± he said before turning around.

    ¡°Why do I feel like this is going to bite us back later¡­,¡± Kayla muttered before heading back toward the group.

    Anton made his way back toward the parked LAV. As he crossed his arms and leaned back on his vehicle, he looked at the scenery surrounding him. A mix of apartment and office buildings occupied the landscape. This region felt more like a city compared to Mitte.

    He noticed the cloud moving in the distance, its dark gray form covering the bright blue sky. He opened his virtual screen and checked the weather forecast. Heavy rain would soon fall upon the city, but the surrounding areas didn¡¯t seem to be affected by it. As he waited, he thought about the mission.

    He didn¡¯t remember much about the quest, but based on the name alone, anyone could tell that their mission involved the forest. He tried to remind himself of the quest he took all those while ago. He remembered doing it with Kayla, he remembered completing it after a long, exhausting fight. He remembered almost dying during the mission, but he couldn¡¯t remember what the mission itself was about.

    He remembered that it involved a jungle, and he remembered that it was very hard, but what made it hard?

    He had a feeling that the group of six would come out from the terminal, approached him, and asked him to help, especially since he and Kayla went through the same mission before. He couldn¡¯t guarantee that he would be helpful, however. He didn¡¯t even know if he could bring the Five-Seven into the forest.

    He glanced toward the terminal¡¯s double glass door. They opened, revealing seven people coming out, with Kayla leading their way. He hopped back into the LAV and went straight for the driver¡¯s seat.

    ¡°Be careful, it¡¯s rather cramped,¡± Kayla said as she got in. She went toward the turret operator¡¯s seat, a seat usually occupied by Anton. Everyone else sat down on the chairs on the sides of the vehicles.

    ¡°Ah, he¡¯s Anton, and he would be taking us there,¡± Kayla said, introducing him to the rest of the group. Anton didn¡¯t bother to say anything and just raised his hand.

    ¡°Hi, I¡¯ll send you the quest invitation,¡± one of the girls said. A quest confirmation then came onto his screen. Anton accepted the invitation and joined the party. The rest of the girls then introduced themselves. The other two girls were Daisy and Michal, with Lucy and Lea being the AI companions.

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s on?¡± Kayla asked. The girls looked at each other and nodded.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go,¡± she said. Anton drove the LAV out of the terminal and followed the map further up north, toward the forest. The girls started chatting in the rear, the voices of their excited murmurs filling up the vehicle. Anton kept his eyes on the road, the driver¡¯s hatch opened. His ears, however, caught snippets of their conversation. They discussed various things like university, hobbies, and other things.

    The three confirmed AI in the group, Kayla and the other two AI all participated in the conversation, making it feel like he was the only NPC in the vehicle.

    Is this all recorded, I wonder.

    Anton¡¯s original goal was to travel the world with Kayla, create memories with her that could be used to maintain her personality if the game ended. That plan had met several delays, all thanks to the constant new events that popped out of thin air. But, even so, did all of this count as making memories? Shouldn¡¯t it count as making memories?

    If Kayla¡¯s programming retains them, and Kayla¡¯s character grows because of it¡­

    Anton then arrived at an intersection, stopping as he waited for the red light. He used this chance to turn his head around, looking at the seven girls that sat in the rear of his vehicle, laughing after one of them made a joke. Even Charlotte smiled with them. It looked fun, it truly did, but Anton knew better than to barge in.

    So, if Kayla had fun, does that make everything worth it? Even if she lost her memory, shouldn¡¯t this experience still shape her, turn her into a more complete version of herself?

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    As Anton sat there, waiting under the red lights to pass, he thought about the last few hours inside the game. His time in the game hadn¡¯t even equaled an entire day yet, but it all felt so long. Maybe he shouldn¡¯t be focusing on all the stunning locations that he had yet to visit. Maybe, instead of thinking about it all, he should be more like those girls.

    Laughing so loudly to the point it became annoying.

    Maybe he should be more like Kayla, more willing to lend a helping hand to those who need him. That meant less time for travel, but at the end of the day, he did create memories.

    Mana and Jerrico. Rito. Ronald, Cecily, Caleb, Mia, Luke, Lily, and Barnum. And now, Sophie, Charlotte, and her friends.

    Well, he couldn¡¯t just enter this group all of a sudden, it would make everything awkward, especially with him being the only boy in the group. Still, maybe he should try to relax a little, laugh a bit more. He looked at his balance, its number still beyond what most players in the game had, even beating those who paid huge amounts of money to play the game.

    Oh Kayla¡­ just what did you do to me, he sighed.

    The light turned green. He pressed on the gas, the LAV taking up speed once more as it followed the tracks. He glanced one more time at his balance before closing the screen. He then saw a weapons shop on the right side of the road.

    A little bit won¡¯t hurt, right? Anton thought as he pulled the LAV over.

    <ul>

    <li>??</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°So, what with the change of heart?¡± Kayla whispered to Anton¡¯s ears. Anton stood further away from the group, near the entrance, right beside some jackets on display. Kayla had been helping the girls, but for some reason, she decided to come and talk to him.

    ¡°Am I not allowed to be nice?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about that,¡± Kayla said in an exasperated tone.

    ¡°But still, you look like you¡¯re enjoying yourself.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to enjoy this. I mean, whose fault is it that we kept getting dragged into stuff like this?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, it¡¯s mine. But still, won¡¯t helping others make you happy?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°I still don¡¯t care, to be honest. But¡­ Well, I just realized that maybe this is better for you.¡±

    ¡°Aww, so you¡¯re sacrificing everything for me?¡±

    ¡°... I guess?¡±

    Kayla let out a laugh as she looked at Anton¡¯s serious face.

    ¡°Sis, what do you think about this?¡± one of Sophie¡¯s friends, Daisy, asked while holding a pistol in her hands. Kayla winked at Anton and jogged away. Seeing Kayla act all cheerful like that brought a smile to Anton¡¯s face.

    ¡°Wow, you look cool in that!¡±

    On the other side of the store, Anton heard the words of Sophie. In front of her stood Charlotte, holding a heavy-looking weapon in her hands. She held a two-handed, black longsword, one devoid of any carvings or decoration. Its blade had rough edges at one side, its size only slightly smaller than Charlotte herself. She nodded meekly.

    ¡°Is that thing heavy? It must be heavy.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ not really¡­¡± Charlotte said. She then tried holding it in one hand, made sure the area in front of her was clear, and carefully swung it around. She then handed it over to Sophie.

    Sophie touched it and held it in one hand, before returning it to Charlotte.

    ¡°Ah, the two-handed sword! It¡¯s quite light despite its looks.¡± Kayla said while approaching them.

    ¡°Yeah, I was surprised by the weight. Still a bit heavy, though¡±

    Kayla noticed Charlotte holding it in one hand.

    ¡°You need both hands for best results,¡± Kayla said.

    ¡°... You think I should use this?¡± Charlotte asked, she moved her left hand so it too held the sword¡¯s hilt. Her words triggered something within Anton. He remembered something relating to a sword.

    What was it?

    It didn¡¯t have anything to do with that sword specifically, but he couldn¡¯t remember the details. Was a sword the key item? Did one of their enemies wield a sword? Did Kayla wield a sword?

    ¡°I think you should use what you like.¡±

    Charlotte then gripped the sword¡¯s black hilt and nodded. The game could randomly generate a variety of AI, with various differing personalities. Kayla, being an AI companion, couldn¡¯t detect another companion unless she was either told about it or saw the AI¡¯s yellow armband. Even a low-level AI companion would be helpful in the quest. With that in mind, Anton steeled himself and called Sophie over. Sophie glanced his way and stepped toward him.

    ¡°What is it?¡± she asked curiously.

    ¡°Is Charlotte an AI?¡± Anton asked. Sophie looked at him, looking a bit bewildered. She then looked back at Charlotte, who, at that moment, listened to Kayla as she explained the weapon.

    ¡°I¡¯m the AI.¡±

    ¡°... It really did bite me back, didn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°I assume Kayla said something about it before?¡±

    ¡°She just said that it will bite us back, somehow.¡±

    ¡°... Charlotte, huh?¡± Sophie turned around and stood beside Anton, looking at Charlotte.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m worried for her.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    ¡°You do?¡±

    Anton nodded to her words.

    ¡°Then, can you help me look after her? Kayla would definitely be happy if you do.¡±

    ¡°Fine¡­ don¡¯t bring Kayla into this, though.¡±

    Sophie then smiled and walked back toward the two.

    So she¡¯s the AI.

    Now that Anton thinks about it, Sophie being the AI did make sense. She had no problems with speaking, and would be very helpful to Charlotte who had trouble communicating.

    Watch over her¡­

    As he looked toward that section of the store, Anton noticed Kayla giving the sword back to Charlotte. Daisy and her AI companion, Lucy, walked up to Kayla and said something. Kayla turned toward Anton and jogged lightly.

    ¡°No running in the store.¡±

    Kayla pouted for a second, before resuming with what she wanted to say.

    ¡°How much is the budget?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Anton didn¡¯t answer. He opened up his virtual money and transferred some funds to Kayla.

    ¡°This is¡­ a lot¡­¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re buying basic ones.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not that basic. Still, this is quite generous.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    Kayla then smiled at Anton before taking the group of six toward the cashier. Anton, meanwhile, stepped out of the store and returned to the Five-Seven.

 Chapter 14

    Anton waited in the Five-Seven, waiting for the girls to finish their little shopping. He spotted a car making a turn from an intersection further down the street. It made a sharp right turn, getting onto the road and driving on the LAV¡¯s left. It quickly sped away. Another car followed from behind, drifting into the corner. Anton realized where this one headed for, but it was too late. Unable to get the LAV out of harm¡¯s way, the car¡¯s rear slid and hit the Tarup 57¡¯s left side. It scraped the LAV¡¯s left side before making a run for it.

    Anton got out through the driver¡¯s hatch, and while grumbling, went to check on the damages. The vehicle didn¡¯t sustain any serious damage, with some scrapes on the side. Anton didn¡¯t buy any external storage compartments, so other than some paint lost, it suffered virtually no damage. It still annoyed Anton, though, Despite being in a peace zone, he wasn¡¯t in peace anymore.

    Anton went back into the vehicle, but this time, he sat on the turret operator¡¯s seat, a seat he hadn¡¯t occupied ever since those two girls came by. He swung the turret around, making sure it still functioned. He decided to just watch the turret, in case someone else decided to play with him. Anton saw the first car that went past him going in the opposite way, with some damage to its rear bumper. Anton swung the turret toward it, making it go further to the left, away from the vehicle. It weaved through NPC traffic. Anton then noticed the second car coming in. Like before, he swung the turret toward it and traced its trajectory. It went past, this time not hitting him, but he wouldn¡¯t let the car go. He opened fire, sending 25mm rounds into the back of the car. The explosion threw the car forward, sending it into the sky and tumbling further down the road.

    It rested a few hundred meters away from the LAV, flipped upside down, its wreckage consumed by flames. As it continued to burn, Anton noticed the group returning from the inside. The sight of burning flames, and the man crawling from under it, naturally caught the group¡¯s intention. Anton stayed in the turret position until they made their way into the LAV.

    Anton then got back into the driver¡¯s seat. Once everyone boarded, he used a button to close the rear door and started driving away from the scene. He closed the hatch, and using the limited view from the cameras, glanced at the burning vehicle, its driver disappeared somewhere. Local police and firefighters had arrived on the scene, but since the police acted more as a decoration, they didn¡¯t catch Anton. They didn¡¯t even look his way.

    Anton took the turn, the same turn where the two cars came out from, and continued on his journey. He checked the map, and followed the route up and away from the city. A notification appeared in his view, warning him that he had left the peace zone.

    ¡°Kayla, you¡¯re manning the turret?¡± Anton asked.

    ¡°I am,¡± Kayla answered. As if to show proof, she rotated the turret in a full three hundred sixty degrees turn. Anton could hear the turret swerving, its progress displayed on a small screen on the left that showed some information regarding the vehicle.

    Kayla returned the turret to its original position.

    ¡°Anyone want to try it?¡± Kayla asked. Three distinct voices yelled out their interest. The first was Sophie. The second was Daisy, and the third was Michal, Daisy and Charlotte¡¯s friend from university. Charlotte remained silent as usual, while Sophie, despite being an AI companion, interacted more with the others.

    Kayla started showing them the turret. She then turned it toward the forest on their right. She opened fire, sending shells into the jungle. Anton watched from the driver¡¯s seat, the screens showing him information regarding the vehicle. Anton saw the turret swerving again, turning left, its barrel pointing upward. It didn¡¯t fire, however. The barrel then went back down, the turret turning further to the left.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    Anton heard Kayla¡¯s whisper in his right ear.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Anton asked back.

    ¡°What happened with the car?¡±

    ¡°Someone hit us,¡± Anton replied flatly.

    ¡°No, I mean that car?¡± Kayla said. Anton realized that she meant the burning car.

    ¡°So you noticed?¡±

    ¡°There are no other weapons near us.¡±

    ¡°Just someone getting on my nerves.¡±

    ¡°Sigh¡­ Your choice, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Why do you sound so disappointed?¡± Anton glanced back. She saw Kayla shrugging and returning to the group.

    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault¡­¡± Anton muttered. Anton made a turn and went deeper into the forest. Following the map, he went off the asphalt road and onto a dirt road, heading south. The bumpy ground shook the Five-Seven. Anton noticed the cannon behaving erratically. Someone must have their hands on the control stick as they shook around.

    The shaking stopped as they arrived in front of a small village, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Anton stopped in front of the gate to confirm the location. The village resided on the left side of the road, meanwhile he noticed a tunnel on the right side of the road. That tunnel reminded him of something, but he couldn¡¯t put his finger on what. He ignored it and turned to the left, entering the village.

    A notification appeared, telling Anton that he had entered a peace zone. He stopped the LAV in an open space beside a lone teak tree, a bamboo shack not far behind it. A lone NPC sat on it, a bamboo hat on his head. He looked at the parked LAV. Anton opened the rear door, and the group came bursting out.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°I¡¯ll handle this,¡± Daisy said with confidence, leading the rest of the group toward the man, while Anton waited in the vehicle¡¯s cabin. He waited next to the opened rear door, his feet dangling from the vehicle, the LAV parked close enough that he could hear them.

    ¡°Hello, sir. We come to accept the quest you posted,¡± Daisy said.

    The group of seven formed three lines of people. On the front, closest to the NPC stood Kayla, Sophie, Daisy, and Michal. On the second line, standing behind them were the AI companions, Daisy¡¯s AI companion, Lucy, and Michal¡¯s AI companion, Lea. On the rearmost, only one person stood.

    Charlotte.

    Anton let out a sigh and got off the vehicle. He approached her. He kept his distance on purpose, standing beside her. Charlotte looked up at him when she noticed his figure, but she didn¡¯t say a word.

    ¡°Ah¡­ young warriors¡­ I am honored¡­ I apologize for not being able to receive your arrival properly. As you can see, our village isn¡¯t in the best of conditions,¡± the NPC stood up and said. The group looked around, finding an almost empty village with little life in it.

    ¡°As you can see¡­ There is hardly anyone here. This village had been like this for a while, now, all thanks to those damn Scumbars,¡± the NPC continued. His face reminded Anton of the same NPC that accepted his arrival before.

    Something about him feels off, triggering a part in Anton¡¯s memory. He decided to pay close attention as the NPC continued on.

    ¡°If you can vanquish these so-called forest ninjas for us¡­ it would help us tremendously.¡±

    ¡°Scumbars?¡± Michal wondered.

    ¡°Yes. They attack our village, robbing us of our resources and destroying our belongings. Many of the villagers had moved out of the village out of fear of them. Please, help us protect this tiny village. I know that we may be insignificant to the wider world¡­ but heroes, you wouldn¡¯t let us suffer, would you?¡±

    The dialogue didn¡¯t change.

    Anton thought. He had heard those exact words before. He still couldn¡¯t remember a thing, however.

    ¡°Of course we¡¯ll help. So, what do you need us to do?¡± Daisy said, not bothering to hide the excitement in her voice.

    ¡°Calm down, young miss. You see¡­ it¡¯s not that I want to underestimate you, but these Scumbars are powerful fighters. They may be devils, but they¡¯re strong, there¡¯s no denying that. My daughter runs a weapon shop here, while my friend has a shop over there. Please, feel free to stock up on equipment. Once you¡¯re ready, come and find me.¡±

    ¡°Alright then.¡±

    And with that, the group turned around and huddled together.

    ¡°So, what should we do?¡± Daisy asked.

    ¡°Weapons are ready to go,¡± Michal answered.

    ¡°How about food and healing equipment?¡± Kayla added. The group turned toward her, most shaking their heads. They then went to the shop the NPC talked about. Anton transferred some funds to Kayla but stayed in position. He then turned his head, looking toward the NPC that stood before him.

    ¡°... Have I seen you before, young man?¡± the NPC asked, scratching his beard.

    ¡°Why did the Sumbars attack you?¡± Anton asked back. The NPC¡¯s, he remembered calling him the village elder, face tensed up.

    ¡°Ah, so you know what they are actually called. Have you faced them before?¡±

    Anton then stepped toward him, closing their distance to just a meter from each other.

    ¡°My memories from that event are hazy. Can you provide me with some extra information? Like the answer to my previous question?¡± Anton pushed on.

    ¡°Envy. They¡­ envied this thriving village, and they came to rob us of our hard-earned riches,¡± the NPC answered, keeping his calm voice. Anton then looked around.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing worth looting around here.¡±

    ¡°I assure you, young man. Defeat the Scumbars, and return to the village in a few months, you will see change,¡± the man said with confidence.

    Anton knew that this wasn¡¯t true. It had been years since he completed the quest, or at least he remembered completing the quest. The village hadn¡¯t changed one bit. He then noticed the sound of footsteps. He looked around, finding the group walking back toward him.

    ¡°Ah, warriors. Are you ready to embark on this journey?¡± the man ignored Anton¡¯s eyes and addressed the rest of the group. The group nodded vigorously.

    ¡°That is good to hear¡­ Very well, I shall give you the coordinates,¡± the man returned to his bamboo shack. He took a piece of paper and showed it to the group. Daisy took it into her hands and opened her map. She looked around, struggling to find where to insert it.

    ¡°Let me help, you go here, and here,¡± Kayla went to her and pointed things out.

    Anton took one last glance at the village elder and turned around. He headed back to the LAV. He was about to go inside when he noticed the appearance of the marker, leading them far into the forest. He looked that way, looking at a small path that could only be traversed by two people at a time. It could hardly hold two people going in opposite directions, let alone a vehicle like a LAV.

    ¡°We won¡¯t be able to drive there,¡± Anton said, stepping off the LAV.

    ¡°It¡¯s three kilometers in. The game didn¡¯t simulate exhaustion, right?¡± Michal asked.

    ¡°No, don¡¯t worry about it. Let¡¯s go, the faster we get there, the faster we¡¯ll receive our rewards,¡± Sophie said before heading off, the rest following behind her.

    Anton went back into the vehicle and made sure that it was turned off. He also checked the hatches before going back out. He locked the vehicle and caught up with the group. He took up position on the rearmost of the formation, with Charlotte walking in front of him. He made sure to not get too close to her. The second they entered the forest, a notification told me that he had left the peace zone.

    As they made their way through the forest, the girls, including the AI companion, talked about all sorts of things. They made comments about the forest, noting the rain trees that covered both sides of the path. As he progressed through the path, the surroundings reminded him more and more of that mission that he and Kayla went to back in the day.

    They arrive at a fork. Anton checked his map, noticing the marker asking them to head west. The second route went further south. This junction reminded him of something. He remembered something unpleasant as he threaded the path west. He didn¡¯t say anything, because he couldn¡¯t remember. He kept his guard up for traps that may be placed around him.

    As they went deeper, he noticed a flat patch of dirt on his left, with no bushes, trees, or leaves on it. At the same time, he felt something stalking him, eyes paying attention to his every move, waiting for him to make a mistake. Anton then heard a crunch coming from in front of him. He noticed everyone frozen in place, especially Charlotte, who had just stepped on a branch.

    He heard a faint whistle. It lasted for three seconds, and the second it stopped, he leaped out to Charlotte''s right. Just then, at that very moment, a figure clad in full white jumped at them.

    ¡°Wind Shield!¡± Anton yelled, just barely getting a shield up before that figure crashed into them, pushing the two down into the patch of dirt beside them. The patch collapsed under their weight, causing all three to tumble down a deep, dark shaft.

 Chapter 15

    The game didn¡¯t simulate pain, but it still simulates touch. Anton felt the cold hard dirt on his back as he slammed to the ground, a feeling similar to the one he felt all those years before. He didn¡¯t feel any pain, and could get back up within seconds after his fall.

    ¡°Charlotte!¡± he yelled while frantically looking around the room. His voice echoed through the dark room, him unable to see anything.

    ¡°Campfire!¡± he called out a skill, holding a ball of fire around the size of a small campfire in his right palm. It lit up his surroundings.

    He looked around again, noticing the large tunnel dug into the dirt, the roots of trees dangling from the roof. The tunnel had a circular shape, its size even larger than the starship that took them to the moon. He then found Charlotte slumped at the other side of the tunnel, struggling to get up. Beside her stood the figure, clad in a full white clothing. It covered him head to toe, with a yellow armband on his left arm.

    Despite Charlotte right in front of him, he looked around the area, seemingly ignoring her. He then noticed Anton¡¯s light and turned around, pulling out a sharp thin sword from the white sheath.

    The well-made blade reflected the glow of Anton¡¯s fire. Anton took a battle stance. With practiced movements, he pulled out the magic staff from his inventory. The figure noticed and dashed, brandishing his sword forward, attempting to stab Anton with it.

    ¡°Wind Breath!¡± Anton yelled, sending the ball of fire in his hand toward the figure. The figure dodged out of the way. On Anton¡¯s left hand appeared the magic staff, increasing his magic power tremendously. He tossed the staff to his right hand and used its handle to block an attack.

    ¡°Dirt Sword!¡± he yelled out his spell, prompting lumps of dirt in the shape of sharp swords to sprout out from the ground right beneath the figure¡¯s feat. The figure hopped out of the way, the swords striking empty air.

    Anton then spun the staff around, his hand spinning it around like a propeller.

    ¡°Fire Tip!¡±

    The staff¡¯s tip lit up, making it like a circle of fire, a propeller in the darkness. He faced the enemy, using the fire to light up his surroundings. The enemy looked at him, a death glare in his eyes. Anton then heard the sound of something bouncing behind him.

    Anton stopped his staff, gripped it, and stabbed it at the enemy, causing the figure to jump back. He heard a hissing sound, and using the white smoke that started to cover him, he ran toward Charlotte. The figure saw him and leaped toward him, blocking his path. He pulled himself to a stop, braking above the dirt surface, kicking up dirt into the air.

    Using the distraction, he threw his staff into the enemy¡¯s chest. The enemy was surprised, but quickly grabbed the staff, right before it hit him. Anton, however, held on to the bottom tip of the staff. He, with all his power, pushed the staff into the enemy¡¯s chest. The enemy tried to stop it, but Anton''s sudden outburst caused the staff to hit his armor.

    ¡°Steel Strike!¡± Anton yelled loudly, before giving it a stronger push. The spell changed the weapon¡¯s properties from a magic-wielding weapon into a physical weapon, increasing its physical damage.

    ¡°Urgh! Argh!¡± the enemy screamed, trying his best to stop the staff, his voice echoed throughout the tunnel.

    ¡°ARGHHH!!!¡± Anton replied with a louder scream. The enemy dropped his sword and used both of his hands to hold the sword back.

    ¡°ARGH!¡± he tossed the staff aside and tried to jump away when Anton threw the staff straight for his neck. It hit.

    The attack stunned his enemy, his body becoming wobbly. Using the momentum, Anton grabbed the staff¡¯s handle and used it to slice the enemy¡¯s side. The enemy became limp, and the NPC turned into a green outline. It broke apart, generating a wind sound effect and forming green lines that traveled deeper into the tunnel.

    Anton took a breather, before walking toward Charlotte, who had gotten up and rested on the side of the tunnel. She looked up, shaking.

    ¡°Come on. We need to go,¡± Anton said while looking deeper into the tunnel. Charlotte slowly got up, her hands helping support her body. Anton glanced her way.

    ¡°Campfire!¡± he uttered. Another ball of fire appeared in his palm, this time on his left palm. Anton stepped forward, Charlotte following behind him. She didn¡¯t say a thing.

    ¡°... I now remember,¡± Anton muttered. Charlotte didn¡¯t reply, making Anton think that she simply didn¡¯t want to talk. Anton, still holding his staff in his right hand, opened his virtual screen. He opened up the quest chat, a group formed for this quest, and told the rest of them that they both were fine.

    He then switched to his inventory. He brought a potion out and used it to restore the health he lost from the fall. He then opened a trade screen and sent a potion to Charlotte.

    ¡°Drink it,¡± he said, again, without a reply.

    He checked the group screen, showing the health of its members. He noticed that the rest of the group had their health slightly reduced, meaning they probably fought enemies, meanwhile Charlotte¡¯s steadily increased. He also noticed that he couldn¡¯t connect to the voice chat. The tunnel must have some properties that blocked voice, only letting text go through.

    ¡°Are¡­ we stuck here?¡± Charlotte asked. Despite being close to each other, Anton realized just how faint her voice was.

    ¡°A quick way back up is by dying.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡±

    ¡°But if you want to complete the quest, then stay with me.¡±

    ¡°Alright¡­¡± Charlotte said, despite not without doubt. Her voice shook, her sound barely audible.

    Anton then heard the sound of flowing water in front of them. He moved forward, founding a small stream with a small line of light. He looked up, finding a crack in the thick layers of dirt that allowed sunlight to come in.

    ¡°We should rest here,¡± Anton said, resting his body on the dirt wall next to the stream. He pulled himself down to the ground. He crossed his legs, his palm facing upward above his legs while holding a fireball that lit up the room. Charlotte nodded and sat right next to him. Anton glanced at her.

    ¡°I remember the mission,¡± he repeated. Charlotte glanced his way, not saying a word. Anton noticed the girl¡¯s eyes on him, even if she didn¡¯t turn her face. He continued, recalling the mission he and Kayla went before.

    ¡°We tread this path before. It will lead us straight to the center of the Sumbar¡¯s village.¡±

    ¡°...,¡± Charlotte opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

    ¡°Look. If you want to say something, say it. I can¡¯t read minds.¡±

    ¡°Sorry¡­¡± she answered, her voice barely audible.

    ¡°And I have human ears, so please speak a bit louder.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Charlotte suddenly yelled, only to realize what she just said. The echoes of her voice hammered down the words she just spoke. She covered her face and looked away, her body visibly shaking.

    ¡°Not asking for an apology¡­ but, that¡¯s much better,¡± Anton said with a smile, even if he knew she couldn¡¯t see them.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know what you talked about with Kayla or Sophie, but I need you to know that they¡¯re both AI.¡±

    ¡°... Huh?¡± Charlotte slowly turned back toward Anton, looking at him.

    ¡°I know about Sophie¡­ I named her.¡±

    ¡°So you know about Kayla as well?¡±

    ¡°I thought that she¡¯s¡­ umm¡­ your girlfriend.¡±

    ¡°Pfft!¡±

    Anton''s sudden burst caused Charlotte to move back a little. Anton¡¯s laugh echoed through the tunnel, traveling in the enclosed space.

    ¡°Well¡­ now you know. You can¡¯t keep relying on them, unfortunately,¡± Anton said before leaning back against the wall.

    ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡±

    ¡°Because after this, we¡¯ll need to face some enemies, just the two of us,¡± Anton said while looking deeper into the tunnels. The tunnels extended beyond Anton¡¯s light, its end not visible. Anton knew just how close they were to their target, though.

    ¡°... Why¡­?¡±

    ¡°The tunnel prevented us from turning on voice chat.¡±

    Charlotte then checked her virtual screen.

    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ right¡­¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t notice?¡±

    Charlotte shook her head.

    ¡°Say, Charlotte, why did you play the game?¡± Anton asked. Charlotte responded with a long silence. Anton glanced her way, catching sight of her eyelids closing and opening.

    ¡°I¡­¡± she trailed off, her eyes looking down at the ground.

    ¡°I heard you can have AI companions.¡±

    ¡°So not your university friends?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re a reason as well! ¡­ But¡­ the main reason is¡­ I want an AI companion,¡± she said, forcing the words out.

    Anton understood her well. If he didn¡¯t understand, he wouldn¡¯t be here. He wouldn¡¯t be worried about Kayla. For him, despite being an AI program, his own creation no less, she was still someone important to him. Her programs had allowed her to have feelings that to him, felt genuine. He cared little about the zeroes and ones that formed her.

    ¡°And what do you want to do with that AI companion?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ want to play the game together. That is alright, right?¡± she asked timidly.

    ¡°Of course, but is that the only reason?¡±

    ¡°... I don¡¯t want to be like this. I hate being like this.¡±

    ¡°You hate your inability to speak your mind? To communicate with others?¡±

    She simply nodded.

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    A replacement for real humans. Someone that wouldn¡¯t judge her shortcomings and would support her all the way. Someone that would stand behind her and lift her up when she fell. He understood it well.

    ¡°You know, if Sophie is here, I¡¯ll guarantee that she¡¯ll come to hug you,¡± Anton said.

    ¡°How are you so sure?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re companions. Their goal is to support us, as real companions do. Stay by our side, push us from behind so that we can reach our respective goals,¡± Anton couldn¡¯t help but feel like a scientist invited to a talk show, talking about his AI programs.

    But those were his genuine beliefs. For him, Kayla was the best support he could ask for. Her actions did annoy him, sometimes, dragging him around to do unnecessary things. For him, she was too kind, but at the same time, that is her. Changing her personality would mean changing Kayla.

    ¡°But at the end of the day, we¡¯re the ones who need to change. If we didn¡¯t, then all their help would be for nothing. I think it¡¯s disrespectful to them. You also wouldn¡¯t want to help push someone forward, only for that person to constantly look behind, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go,¡± Anton said, standing up.

    ¡°Look, I¡¯m not going to force you to change. I probably should tell you in the beginning that you don¡¯t need to speak if you don¡¯t want to. I¡¯m not going to even ask you to change. Changing or not, that¡¯s your choice. There¡¯s nothing inherently wrong with wanting to be by yourself. But, if you truly desire to change, then you need to push yourself,¡± Anton said as he brought his hand up, the fire in his hand lighting up the way.

    Anton heard the sound of shoes pushing dirt around. He glanced at Charlotte and paused for a moment before continuing his steps. He used the fire to light up their surroundings. The deeper they go, the smaller the tunnel became, its diameter slowly reducing with every step.

    ¡°Prepare your sword. You chose it, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I have some experience with them.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a gamer?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ But I did play fighting games before.¡±

    ¡°What game?¡±

    ¡°Aldhia Star.¡±

    ¡°You wield a sword there?¡±

    ¡°... Yes. The land that uses them generates more money.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ well, that¡¯s good to know.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Anton stopped, noticing the once large tunnel now only wide enough to hold one at a time. He could see a light at the of the tunnel.

    ¡°Is that¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yes, the camp,¡± Anton answered. He stood there, thinking of a way other than fighting.

    ¡°Look, I never tried this way before, so it may be risky.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Charlotte didn¡¯t reply. He turned around, finding the two-handed black sword in her hand. He turned off the fire and prepared his staff.

    ¡°What¡¯s your build?¡±

    ¡°... Physical¡­ Kayla said.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Anton turned back and faced the light, the end of the tunnel.

    ¡°Our enemy would be mostly physical weapon users. In this game, magic and modern weapons struggle to penetrate physical armor. Anyway, as I said, I wanted to try a more peaceful way. Before, I and Kayla took the more violent route.¡±

    ¡°Will the story change?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. We¡¯re going to find out,¡± Anton said while gripping his staff.

    ¡°So unless they attack us, do not strike. Still, prepare your weapons.¡±

    Anton stepped forward, Charlotte following close behind. They walked up a narrow staircase, reaching the light that marked the end of the tunnel. They arrived at what seemed to be a thriving village. Several NPCs with long pointed ears and brown clothing, similar in model to the white one the NPC that attacked them used, made their way across the camp, minding their own business.

    The village consisted of wooden houses with a wooden fence guarding the village¡¯s perimeter. Most of the houses were built on the ground, while several treehouses supported by Agathis trees floated above the village. Spiral wooden staircases connected them to the ground, while wooden bridges connected one treehouse to the other.

    One of the villagers noticed their arrival and started whispering among themselves. They watched as the two made their way straight through the village. Some of the villagers distanced themselves, others ran into their homes or climbed up the stairs. A group of soldiers, proven by their white clothing, approached the two, their swords on the ready.

    ¡°This is Sumbar territory, humans! Turn back right now!¡± the person who seemed to be their leader yelled.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to even ask?¡± Anton yelled in reply, his thundering voice causing Charlotte to move slightly back.

    ¡°Humans, you think you can fool us?¡±

    ¡°If that is my intention from the get-go, shouldn¡¯t I be attacking the second I arrive here?¡±

    ¡°Your answers matter not, this is your last warning, turn back now!¡± the swordsman said.

    Anton prepared the staff to guard, waiting for the attack.

    Clang.

    He heard the sound of two swords clashing coming from behind him.

    ¡°Huh!?¡± the confused scream came from the leader of the Sumbar soldiers. Anton looked behind, finding Charlotte locked in a swordfight with another Sumbar soldier.

    ¡°Soldier! Stand your ground!¡± the Sumbar leader yelled, but the attacking soldier ignored him. Anton stepped forward, but stopped. He paid attention to Charlotte¡¯s strike. She stepped back, dodged the attack, then counter-attacked, swinging her longsword straight for the enemy. A diagonal damage mark appeared on her attacker¡¯s chest. She struck again, slicing from the other way. It knocked the soldier to the side, throwing him to the ground. Villagers watched in fear as the attacker¡¯s body slumped on the ground.

    Charlotte stood there, watching the attacker. As if not pleased, the attacker forced himself to stand back up. Despite limping, he sent another attempt at Charlotte, but with one quick swoop, Charlotte sent him to the ground, the soldier never standing up again.

    ¡°... I¡­ I killed him,¡± Charlotte muttered, her voice shaking. She stared at the ground where the enemies once stood.

    ¡°Do you not kill enemies in Aldhia?¡±

    ¡°I do, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll see him soon enough. They¡¯re just normal NPCs, not like Kayla and Sophie,¡± Anton said, bringing a thumbs up toward her. He knew what he said was technically a lie. Even normal NPCs in this game had major differences compared to normal NPCs in other games. He couldn¡¯t let her continue, however, not in this quest where they still needed to fight.

    ¡°Still, that¡¯s impressive. Great job.¡±

    ¡°Thank¡­ you¡­ You did good, as well¡­,¡± Charlotte said shyly. Anton then looked back at the group of Sumbar soldiers, who were as stunned as the rest of the village was.

    ¡°What¡­¡±

 Chapter 16

    Charlotte took the front after that battle. Sumbar soldiers surround them, escorting them through the village. Anton, meanwhile, checked the voice chat.

    ¡°Anyone hear me?¡±

    ¡®Ah, you¡¯re back!¡¯

    ¡®How¡¯s Charlotte, is she alright?¡¯

    ¡®Where are you now?¡¯

    A series of questions bombarded the two. Charlotte glanced back toward Anton. Anton nodded, urging her to speak. She activated her voice chat.

    ¡°We¡¯re alright,¡± she answered before glancing backward toward Anton. Anton went up to her side.

    ¡®Good to hear. Where are you two now?¡¯ Kayla asked.

    ¡°The camp,¡± Anton answered, scanning his surroundings. The soldiers that surrounded him had tense faces, but they didn¡¯t comment on what he said.

    ¡°Kayla, I remembered now. We need to fight with physical weapons,¡± Anton said, holding his staff. In front of a wooden house, stood an old lady. She wore a dark purple robe, different from the clothing the soldiers and villagers used. She had wrinkles on her face, her black hair tied in a bun. They approached her.

    ¡°Are you the humans sent from that human settlement?¡± she asked in a calm voice.

    She acted like that even when he and Kayla set out to defeat her back then. Even in the face of death, she stared at it without flinching. But, at the time, Anton didn¡¯t try negotiations. Only after he completed the mission did he know the secrets of the quest. Had Kayla been here, she would be the one handling peace talks, but now, without her, Anton decided to step up.

    ¡°Correct, but we have an inkling that what we heard wasn¡¯t the case. Tell me, why did you attack the human settlement?¡± Anton asked.

    ¡®Huh¡­ Ah! The quest objective changed!¡¯ Kayla said from the voice chat.

    ¡®Are you two attacked as well?¡¯ Daisy asked. Anton looked at the soldiers and the elder, none of them seemed to react to the voice chat. He took out his virtual screen and typed a quick reply.

    ¡®Wait.¡¯

    ¡°Would you like to hear about our side of the story?¡± the elder asked.

    ¡°We would, but my friends would soon arrive. Them joining isn¡¯t an issue, I assume?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. As long as you come with peaceful intentions, we would gladly accept you with open arms.¡±

    ¡°But madam-¡±

    ¡°Yet, I heard you killed a Sumbar soldier. Is that true?¡±

    ¡°He attacked us first,¡± Anton answered.

    ¡°Your soldiers couldn¡¯t stop him,¡± Anton bit back.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± the elder asked with a slightly surprised expression. Her voice remained calm, however.

    ¡°We Sumbars are a peaceful tribe. We won¡¯t attack unless provoked,¡± the elder continued.

    ¡°My friend here was backstabbed by one of them. Your soldiers witness it themselves,¡± Anton retorted. Charlotte looked toward him, her face communicating that she didn¡¯t want to talk. Anton nodded calmly.

    ¡°If you truly want to change, then do it. If you prefer staying the way you are, that too is alright. Your choice,¡± Anton uttered under his breath.

    ¡°...¡± hearing that, Charlotte stepped forward.

    ¡°Yes! One of the swordsmen attacked us first,¡± she said, summoning all her courage. Anton gave her a nod of approval. The elder looked toward the leader, who hung his head in shame.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t stop him.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s the attacker?¡±

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    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know,¡± the soldier answered.

    ¡°Very well, then. As long as you have no ill intentions, I shall invite you to my house. Please follow me,¡± the elder said calmly. Anton and Charlotte followed the lady into a wooden house.

    The two went into one of the house¡¯s rooms. They entered what looked to be a living room. A round low table that occupied most of the room, leaving some space around its edges for guests.

    ¡°I shall serve you tea in the meantime. How many people will join us?¡±

    ¡°Six.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± the elder walked to the back of the house. Not long after, Kayla and the rest of the group came, escorted by a few soldiers. They all entered, seating down on the floor next to the round table.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t remember this being a part of the quest,¡± Kayla whispered as she sat down beside Anton.

    ¡°I think we took a different route,¡± Anton replied. The elder returned not long after.

    ¡°Enjoy,¡± she set down eight cups on the table. Anton held them in his hands, and after three seconds, a virtual screen appeared in front of him, showing the properties of the tea.

    The tea had healing properties, but no buffs or debuffs. After he confirmed that the drink was safe, he nodded.

    ¡°Thank you very much,¡± he said before taking a sip. The rest of the group enjoyed their drink as well.

    ¡°This is delicious!¡± Lea said.

    ¡°I know right?¡± Lucy added. The elder smiled and sat down across Anton.

    ¡°So¡­ we¡¯re here for negotiations?¡± Daisy, still acting as the group leader, asked.

    Anton thought about taking a back seat for the negotiations and didn¡¯t say anything. He then realized that the rest of them were looking at him, Kayla included. He remembered that he was the one that knew of the quest, since Kayla probably forgot about it. It had been a while, after all. Had he known that he would be going through the quest again, he would have asked Kayla to remember it. Some quests, including this one, couldn¡¯t be accepted by the same person twice, after all.

    Regardless of the outcome, the player couldn¡¯t return and redid the quest, and needed to rely on outside help to replay the quest. Anton thought about the time when he finished his quests, and thought about a proper question.

    ¡°Can you tell us about your relationship with the human settlement?¡± he decided to start from there.

    ¡°An interesting question, young lad.¡±

    ¡°We Sumbars had been living in this forest for years. Twenty years ago, we were friends with humans. Our relationship flourished. Humans assisted us in gathering materials, we assisted humans in finding food. We know the forest like the back of our hand, the dangers it posed, the jewels it hid.¡±

    Anton hadn¡¯t run into a forest monster just yet. Fearsome creatures that could tear through low-level players without any difficulty. The combination of their power and the Sumbar soldiers made this quest considered a difficult one. While higher-level players would be offered the quest, lower-level ones would need to come up to an NPC ]and talk to him to start the quest. Anton didn¡¯t know how Charlotte¡¯s friends managed to start this quest despite being under-leveled, but he had no interest in that.

    Anton had more interest in the elder¡¯s words. Anton tried to remember what the human elder said back when he first played the quest. His dialogue may change now that he took a different route, it may also remain the same. He wanted to compare the two, trying to find any similarities or differences.

    He remembered the human elder saying something about the relationship between them. The roles didn¡¯t change, either. The Sumbars helped the humans in the forest, while the humans helped the Sumbars outside the forest.

    ¡°But then, they started invading the forest.¡±

    Anton noted her words. It was the first difference.

    ¡°Keen on expanding their territory, they started cutting down the forest.¡±

    On the human side of things, it was the Sumbars that attacked.

    ¡°Cutting down the forest itself wasn¡¯t an issue. We, forest people, too occasionally cut down trees in our vicinity for material and expansion. But they did so at such a rapid rate that within weeks, their heavy machines roared in front of our doorsteps. Smoke polluted our skies, noise filled our air.¡±

    ¡°It was the Scumbars! Despite all the help we do for them, they started attacking us! They marched into our streets, killing our people!¡±

    Anton reminded himself of what the village elder said back then. He couldn¡¯t remember the exact words, but that was roughly what he said.

    ¡°So, we decided that it is time to protect our homes. We are a peaceful tribe, so we went to their settlements in hopes of finding a solution to this situation-¡±

    ¡°-But then the Scumbars attacked us. The entire group was lost.¡±

    ¡°-But then the humans attacked us. The entire group was lost.¡±

    The words sent a shiver down Kayla¡¯s down her spine. She shook beside Anton. Anton approached her and whispered.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    Kayla glanced toward him and nodded. Anton then slid away, returning to his original position.

    Two entirely different groups with different versions of the same tragedy. By default, the game didn¡¯t give the player a choice. They will start with the human side of this quest, but the game often did allow players to choose their own ending, Rito being one such example. Anton assumed that based on how the quest went so far, he would eventually be allowed to choose one of the sides of the conflict. He couldn¡¯t pinpoint which side was the right one, however, not with such differing stories.

    Anton remembered the flames that rose from the Sumbar¡¯s village when the quest ended. The frightening sight of what used to be homes to hundreds of people being consumed by a large ball of flames. Back then, he couldn¡¯t care, and even now, admittedly, he wouldn¡¯t care, if not for the girl that sat behind her. She became the reason Anton wanted to search for a better solution.

    All of this, all for Kayla.

 Chapter 17: Interlude

    ¡°No¡­¡± Kayla muttered, standing a hundred meters from the village''s wooden walls.

    Explosions rocked the world, rattling the trees and sending them to the ground. A sturdy wooden house exploded into a thousand small pieces as a bomb landed on top of it. Screams of civilians filled the air as they desperately escaped the unending barrage.

    ¡°Alright, men. Take ¡®em all out.¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    From behind Kayla, an NPC soldier, clad in dark green and black armor, gripped his machine gun tight and opened fire on the civilians.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Kayla yelled, but the NPC soldier purposely ignored her. The waves of people were cut down in one quick swoop, their cries disappearing into the game¡¯s dark blue sky.

    ¡°Hahaha, I can do this all day!¡±

    ¡°Stop!¡± Kayla yelled once more, stepping toward the soldier that lay on the ground. The soldier ignored her and continued firing.

    More explosions rocked the village, sending debris into the sky. With loud booms countless weapons hit the ground, toppling trees down to the ground. Red fire started consuming the village, flames licking the countless wooden surfaces scattered all about. They grew bigger, eating everything that stood next to them. Within just a few seconds, the flames grew hotter. It felt like it could melt his skin, Anton thought, just standing there. He realized Kayla was about to attack the soldier, bringing her weapon out, when he stepped toward her and held her back. The soldier didn¡¯t notice the weapon she held.

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    ¡°Nice one,¡± the soldier aimed and pointed toward the burning village.

    ¡°Let go!¡± Kayla tried to free herself. She looked behind to find Anton holding her, preventing her from stepping away.

    ¡°Our mission is done here. The quest is finished.¡±

    ¡°But we couldn¡¯t let them-¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re done, alright? I already received the rewards!¡± Anton bellowed. His voice silenced Kayla. Just then, right at that moment, droplets of water started dropping from the sky. One by one crashing into the earth.

    ¡°Ah, this sucks!¡± the soldier said.

    ¡°Come on, boss. We need to retreat.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s unfortunate,¡± the soldier replied. He then grabbed a grenade from his belt, cooked it, and threw it toward the village.

    ¡°No!¡± Kayla screamed, but her voice did nothing. It landed right on top of a burning house, exploding above it, sending wooden shards all around. Kayla looked toward the village, her head hung low.

    The other NPCs started retreating, grouping together and heading out of the forest.

    ¡°Come on,¡± Anton said, standing away from her, looking back at her. He was ready to leave, but Kayla showed no signs of leaving.

    ¡°Kayla, I¡¯ll leave you here,¡± he threatened.

    ¡°Go¡­ no¡­¡± she suddenly shook her head.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Anton asked, annoyed. Was there some fault in her programming? He needed to run a check on the program after this.

    ¡°Delete me.¡±

    Anton froze after he heard those words, his hands extended, but for the first time, it felt as if he couldn¡¯t reach her. The rain intensified, more and more droplets hit the ground. Anton thought he misheard something, so he forced himself to move.

    ¡°Kayla?¡± he asked. He still felt annoyed about her malfunctioning, but his eyes widened when he heard her voice again.

    ¡°Delete me.¡±

 Chapter 18

    After that, the Sumbar elder continued talking about the events that followed. All of it contradicted the story that the human elder told. In the Sumbars¡¯ version, the humans started attacking Sumbar villages without provocation, while the humans had a different story. The human elder told him that the Sumbars were the ones attacking their settlements, claiming that they lost lives trying to defend their homes.

    Both the humans and Sumbars claimed that despite their grievances toward each other, neither of them ever attacked first. Neither of them sent their soldiers to attack the other side. All they did was defend themselves.

    ¡°I see. Can I ask you something else?¡±

    ¡°Sure, feel free to.¡±

    ¡°Do you know about the human settlements being attacked by Sumbars?¡±

    ¡°I know you wouldn¡¯t believe us after you were attacked by one of our soldiers, but we would not attack human settlements. Even if they attacked us, we will do our best to protect our homes, but we will not attack their side.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Anton then stood up. The rest of the group looked up toward him, but his eyes stayed on the elder. Anton then bowed slightly.

    ¡°Thank you for your time. We will be making our way,¡± Anton said. Hearing that, the rest of the group hastily stood up.

    ¡°Very well. I hope my story can give enlightenment to all of you,¡± the elder said as she stood up.

    They all bowed. Sumbar soldiers then escorted Anton and the group to the village¡¯s gate. They went past it and followed the small dirt path that led away from it. Kayla walked forward and replaced him as the guide for their journey back to the village.

    ¡°I wish teleport points were a thing here,¡± Daisy complained.

    ¡°I know, right?¡± Lucy agreed to her. They didn¡¯t actually feel tired, but without teleport points, the walk would take a while. Anton started considering buying a helicopter. It may be a challenge to park it, though.

    Eventually, after the arduous walk across the forest, they arrived back at the human settlement. Anton checked the time and went to the LAV, ignoring the human elder that sat in his bamboo shack, looking at the group.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s our plan?¡± Sophie asked after entering. Anton closed all the hatches to the vehicle, making sure no one could hear them. After he made sure that the vehicle was soundproof, he returned to the group sitting in the vehicle¡¯s cabin.

    ¡°We eat dinner,¡± he said with a flat face. All seven girls stared at him, looking shocked. They then opened their virtual screens.

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re right!¡±

    ¡°Since when did it get this late!?¡±

    ¡°Damn, I¡¯m hungry!¡±

    ¡°Mom¡¯s going to be angry, oh dear¡­¡±

    ¡°What are you eating for tonight?¡±

    Chatter from the girls filled the vehicle, but Anton noticed that Charlotte kept silent.

    ¡°We¡¯ll meet back up in thirty minutes,¡± Anton said. The rest of the humans in the vehicle nodded, and they all logged out.

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    <li>??</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°So¡­ what do we do?¡± Kayla asked toward the rest of the AI companions.

    ¡°Wait?¡± Sophie asked.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect we all to be in the same time zone,¡± Lucy muttered

    ¡°Same? Which timezone do those three live in?¡±

    ¡°GMT +7.¡±

    ¡°Huh, Anton just so happened to live there. Interesting.¡±

    ¡°Do you do something when Anton¡¯s offline?¡± Lea asked.

    ¡°Hmm? I do what he told me to do.¡±

    Hearing Kayla¡¯s answer, the rest of the girls looked at each other.

    ¡°Charlotte didn¡¯t ask me to do anything.¡±

    ¡°Neither do Daisy.¡±

    ¡°Nor Michal.¡±

    Seeing the three AI companions, Kayla brought something out of her inventory.

    ¡°How about we played some cards?¡±

    <ul>

    <li>??</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°... Where¡¯s Charlotte?¡± Anton asked upon returning. He had timed it so that he returned to the game exactly thirty minutes after they separated. Once he got back to his vehicle, he noticed that Charlotte wasn¡¯t there. Everyone else had already gathered.

    ¡°She left the vehicle just now, said she wanted to do something, alone,¡± Daisy said. Anton looked toward the rear, realizing that the rear door had indeed been opened. He decided to stay put, especially since Charlotte said that she wanted to go alone. Not long after, she returned.

    ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late,¡± she apologized.

    ¡°Wow, you¡¯ve changed!¡± Kayla said. Sophie approached her and scanned her from top to bottom.

    ¡°You look really different like this,¡± Sophie commented, the rest of the group, including the AI companions, nodded.

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    Anton remained silent, observing her from the sidelines. She had removed her glasses, while her hair had been changed to short black hair. The rest of her face remained the same, however. Her light blue dress was replaced with a black long-sleeve shirt and black knee-level skirts. On top of that shirt was a silver chest plate.

    ¡°What¡¯s up? Why change avatars?¡± the others started asking questions. Charlotte scratched her cheeks.

    ¡°Just¡­ trying something new,¡± she said. The avatar itself wasn¡¯t something fancy, the set available for even new players, but it did look different compared to her previous clothes.

    ¡°It looks great on you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah!¡±

    Anton watched from the sidelines as the girls fawned over her. It suited her a lot more compared to the previous look.

    ¡°Ehem.¡± Anton brought their attention back toward him.

    ¡°Ah yeah, the mission, sorry,¡± Kayla apologized.

    ¡°So, what should we do?¡± Sophie asked. Anton checked his quest log. The objectives have changed once more.

    ¡°... Choose a side? Which side are we going with?¡± Daisy asked.

    ¡°The Sumbar? But they attacked us¡­ Well, the humans are shady as well¡­¡± Michal muttered.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not decide hastily,¡± Anton said. He then opened the rear hatch of the vehicle. Anton stepped outside and made his way back toward the village elder. The village elder saw them coming and stood up.

    ¡°Warriors, did you vanquish those Scumbars for us?¡± the NPC asked. Anton shook his head.

    ¡°No, but we did have some questions for you,¡± Anton said. Anton then explained everything the Sumbar elder told him. The village elder¡¯s face darkened as he heard Anton¡¯s words. He frowned, but he didn¡¯t say anything.

    Eventually, Anton concluded the conversation.

    ¡°So, what do you think?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ no, it¡¯s¡­ impossible! She¡¯s lying! Yes, that must be it! I have never ordered my men to attack her! She¡¯s lying to you, don¡¯t believe her!¡± the elder said in a fury. Anton looked at his face, noticing his expression, a mix of shock and disbelief.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Anton asked. He didn¡¯t say anything else and went back to the LAV. The rest of the group followed him.

    ¡°Warriors, do not trust them!¡± the village elder yelled. Anton ignored him and went inside. The rest followed suit. He turned on the LAV and drove back to the village¡¯s entrance. He parked the LAV within the village¡¯s peace zone.

    ¡°So, what do you think?¡± Anton asked after turning off the Five-Seven. As the girls pondered the question, Anton turned toward Kayla.

    ¡°You remembered what happened?¡± he asked. Kayla thought about it, winced, and shook her head.

    ¡°It¡¯s been so long that I''ve lost my memory about it,¡± Kayla answered.

    ¡°... So here¡¯s the thing,¡± Anton said, bringing their attention back toward him. He started explaining what happened before. All the details from his previous quest. The group paid attention. Anton purposely left Kayla¡¯s request out. As he finished his story, he glanced toward Kayla.

    Did you really forget it, even that request?

    Kayla looked back at him, not saying anything. Anton shook his head.

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    ¡°So one of them is lying?¡± Sophie asked.

    ¡°That may be the case, but I have a feeling that it isn¡¯t,¡± Anton said, much to the confusion of everyone there. They stared at him blankly, waiting for his explanation.

    ¡°What if they¡¯re both correct?¡± he continued. The rest of them still didn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°What made you conclude that?¡± Michal asked.

    ¡°The NPC. You noticed too, right?¡± Anton asked Kayla.

    ¡°... Don¡¯t say it that way¡­ But yeah, the village elder looked surprised when he heard Anton¡¯s words.¡±

    ¡°Yes. That may be because he thought we got into his secret, or¡­,¡± Anton went to the turret seat. Kayla moved out of the way. The vehicle¡¯s small interior didn¡¯t help with the number of people they had. A price to pay for the protection they received, in a way. Anton took the control stick and turned the turret, pointing it toward an area outside the peace zone.

    A tunnel.

    He moved away from the screen, showing the display toward the rest of the vehicle¡¯s occupants.

    ¡°If my feelings are correct, then this tunnel led to the Sumbar¡¯s village.¡±

    ¡°... You mean¡­?¡± Charlotte asked, her voice only slightly stronger compared to before.

    ¡°Yes, the large tunnel we fell through. We managed to get from where we fell all the way to the village without anything blocking our way. So, there¡¯s a chance that despite the fighting, both sides still have trust for each other and refused to block off the tunnel connecting them. Well¡­ I haven¡¯t actually tried entering through this one,¡± Anton explained.

    ¡°I see. Wouldn¡¯t that be a risky thing, though?¡±

    ¡°Correct, but both sides claimed that they wouldn¡¯t attack first. What if this claim is true? Technically, when they attacked us, we were already deep within the forest.¡±

    ¡°... But what about the one that attacked you and Charlotte? I mean, that one is already in the forest, but we weren¡¯t that deep,¡± Sophie asked. Anton turned around, his eyes landing on Charlotte. Charlotte shook after receiving the attention of everyone in the vehicle, but she pushed her voice out.

    ¡°He was¡­ surprised. Yeah¡­ I think he was surprised as well. I was in front of him, but he didn¡¯t attack me. Instead, he was looking around the tunnel¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait, so does that mean¡­¡± Kayla turned toward Anton.

    ¡°There¡¯s a third party in this fight,¡± Anton said. After realizing that no one had any questions, Anton continued.

    ¡°This is a bit unfair because it¡¯s information from before you all played the mission, but when we played it, the ending is different.¡±

    Anton then described the soldiers that showed up to destroy the Sumbar¡¯s village. Modern soldiers, wearing modern armor, carrying firearms and using modern weapons to destroy the village. It did not fit the setting at all. There were several times when quests would fuse what seemed to be a medieval setting with something more modern, but most of the time it had some explanation behind it.

    These soldiers appeared out of nowhere, and they only showed themselves after Anton and Kayla went for the final mission, after they removed most of the Sumbar soldiers.

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying there¡¯s someone that is purposely trying to start a war?¡±

    ¡°Correct. Think about it. Both sides had their delegations attack, but no one returned, so no one can describe what the attackers were like, or how the battle went. Both of them were also attacked by the other, but neither side ever said that they sent a team to attack their enemy. In other words, the possibility of a third side purposely trying to start a war fits in, right?¡± Anton explained.

    ¡°It does make sense,¡± Sophie said.

    ¡°What now, though?¡± Kayla tilted her head.

    ¡°I have a plan.¡±

    Hearing Anton, everyone leaned in closer, wanting to hear him.

    ¡°We get both of the elders to meet in the spot where we were attacked. Once there are signs of an attacker coming, we¡¯ll push the elders into the tunnel and evacuate them. Since I, Charlotte, and our attacker all survived the fall, it shouldn¡¯t kill them. I¡¯ll be standing by in the tunnel itself and use wind magic to slow down their fall. This will bring the attackers into the tunnel, where we can fight them off on unfamiliar grounds.¡±

    ¡°But what if the elders refuse to believe us?¡± Daisy asked with concern.

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll discuss it later,¡± Anton said casually. The group looked at each other and nodded.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in.¡±

    ¡°I hope this goes well.¡±

    Anton returned to the driver¡¯s seat and drove back to the village elder.

 Chapter 19

    ¡°We¡¯ll split into two teams. One will pick up the Sumbar elder, the other will take the village elder. Our target would be the patch where I and Charlotte fell through. It¡¯s here, at the exact midpoint of the route,¡± Anton opened up his map and put a marking.

    ¡°Keep our guard up against all foes. We don¡¯t know what would happen if they died. This may be the only time you have a chance to get this quest, so let¡¯s not waste it.¡±

    ¡°Should we swap weapons?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°What weapons did you all wield?¡± he asked. The rest of the group, excluding Charlotte, brought their weapons out. He examined them one by one.

    Daisy and Michal wielded modern weapons, with Daisy carrying a pistol and Michal wielding a submachine gun. Lucy and Lea both had magic weapons, although in different forms. Lucy¡¯s magic spear balanced magic and physical power, while Lea had a magic staff.

    Sophie and Kayla both had physical weapons. Sophie wielded her scythe, while Kayla used a dagger Anton gave her.

    ¡°Lucy, Lea, do you know how to use Steel Strike?¡±

    Lucy and Lea looked at each other before shaking their heads. AI companions followed the player in terms of leveling. For skills, they could be asked to train their magic separately from the player, but it would take time.

    ¡°What is Steel Strike?¡± Michal asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s a spell that turns a magic weapon into a physical one. It sacrificed magical stats for increased physical stats.¡±

    ¡°So¡­ does that mean the rest of us are useless?¡± Daisy asked.

    ¡°Not necessarily, but the Sumbar¡¯s armor, and I assumed whoever our foe is, had physical-based armor. They¡¯re only weak against physical attack.¡±

    Physical armor had special properties. When a player had armor that matched their weapon element, they would receive a boost depending on the match. Players that used both a physical weapon and armor would receive an increase in defense against both magic and modern weapons, to balance out the range disadvantage.

    When facing such foes, a magic and modern weapon wielder needed to keep their distance and use it to their advantage. The protection boost would be lost if they didn¡¯t use a physical weapon, however, so disarming their weapons became a well-known trick.

    Most players that used the physical build would have backup weapons, but the same couldn¡¯t be said for NPCs.

    ¡°If we can disarm them, then we can negate the armor¡¯s advantage.¡±

    But doing that would be tough. It meant putting a tremendous weight on the physical wielders in the group. Even then, Anton wasn¡¯t a dedicated physical wielder. He only had the spell. The staff still counts as a magic weapon, just as hard as steel. Going back to Norbva would take some time, and it would need some more to get used to wielding such weapons. The group was already a group of newbies, getting them to use things that they weren¡¯t used to wouldn¡¯t give them much of an advantage, Anton thought.

    ¡°We¡¯ll divide into two groups, each group has two physical wielders in their team,¡± Anton then turned toward Kayla. Kayla nodded.

    Anton then turned toward Charlotte. Charlotte didn¡¯t have the confidence to speak with the elders yet, but she did have the talent for wielding swords. The Sumbar elder looked to be more willing to talk and discuss, so he should be able to take her on. The human elder, on the other hand, looked to need some more convincing.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go with Charlotte, while Kayla will go with Sophie. Daisy and Lucy will go with me, while Michal and Lea will go with Kayla. Any objections?¡± the group stayed silent.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s move.¡±

    ¡°Should we huddle? No, let¡¯s all huddle!¡± Daisy said while extending her hand to the middle of the cramped space.

    The rest of the girls put their hands in the middle, forcing Anton to do it as well. Anton then noticed one hand missing from the circle.

    ¡°Charlotte?¡± he called.

    ¡°Ah, yes¡­ sorry¡± Charlotte answered, putting her hand in the middle.

    ¡°Alright! One, two, three! Peace Operations is a go!¡±

    ¡°Woo!¡±

    With that out of the way, Anton and the rest left the vehicle. Anton took his team and made his way toward the tunnel. Charlotte, Daisy, and Lucy followed behind them. They brought their weapons out as they entered the tunnel.

    ¡°Campfire!¡± Anton declared. With his words, a ball of fire lit up in his palms. He went down the staircase, entering the tunnel. The staircase made a round turn before arriving at the bottom. Once they arrived at the bottom of the staircase, the tunnel expanded, becoming larger. It differs little from the section below the forest, only with fewer roots showing on the roof.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go,¡± Anton said and started running. The game didn¡¯t simulate pain, and fatigue from running counts as pain, so in theory, they had unlimited sprint. Anton needed to get to the Sumbar elder as fast as possible.

    He kept his hand up, lighting up his surroundings. No obstacle, not even a twig, blocked their path, allowing them to get there faster compared to the forest route. The trip didn¡¯t take long. Within a few minutes, they found themselves at the entrance to the village. Many villagers looked toward them after they appeared from the tunnel, looking worried like before. Anton made his way through the village, under the stares of countless Sumbars. A Sumbar soldier made his way toward them and escorted them to the elder.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Humans, you are back,¡± the Sumbar elder said after seeing them.

    ¡°Yes. We have an answer from the human elder.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it,¡± the elder said before letting them enter her house. They went inside and sat around the round table. Anton then explained everything, the Sumbar elder paying attention to all of his words.

    ¡°We would like you to meet the human elder. We will escort you and make sure you return safely-¡± Anton hadn¡¯t finished talking when a Sumbar soldier that guarded the house''s door cut his words.

    ¡°We won¡¯t let you take our elder!¡± he declared, pointing his weapon toward the group. Anton stared him back in the eyes.

    ¡°Marko! Stay out of this!¡± the elder said.

    ¡°But madam-¡±

    ¡°Very well. If this could end the conflict between us, I would be willing to talk with him,¡± the elder ignored the soldier and addressed Anton.

    ¡°As you mentioned, you expect a third party to come, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why we¡¯re meeting here.¡±

    Anton borrowed a pencil and paper and drew a rough layout of the map. He copied the forest path onto it. He included the patch of dirt that connected it to the tunnel.

    ¡°This¡­¡±

    ¡°This is a shaft that connects the forest route to a tunnel that connects the human settlement and the Sumbar¡¯s village,¡± Anton explained. The elder stared at it.

    ¡°You are the first humans to use that tunnel in a long while. I thought it was blocked?¡± the elder asked, confirming Anton¡¯s suspicion that the third party never attacked through the tunnel.

    ¡°No. That is not the case. We took the path here all the way from the human settlement. The tunnel is wide open.¡±

    ¡°So why¡­ never mind. Please lead me. I hope you don¡¯t mind me taking my troops?¡±

    ¡°That is alright, but if possible, put some markings on your troops, to differentiate them from the third party.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± the elder then called Marko and explained to him the situation. Marko¡¯s expression changed as he heard the words. Once the elder finished, he nodded. He looked toward Anton and the group before heading back out.

    ¡°It will be a while before we are ready. Please wait a moment,¡± the elder said. Anton then contacted Kayla, asking how her side was progressing. It didn¡¯t take long for her to reply. They were still trying to convince the human elder to go with them, although little by little, it seemed that he started being swayed by it.

    ¡°We¡¯re ready,¡± the soldier said. Anton noticed that they now had a symbol of a dark green tree on their chest.

    ¡®He finally agreed to go with us,¡¯ Kayla said through the message. Anton then looked at the elder and nodded. The group then stood up and made their way out of the village. A ring of Sumbar soldiers formed a ring around the elder.

    The first layer had eight soldiers walking with almost perfect coordination, while the second layer had a group of ten soldiers.

    ¡°We will adjust our formation when the road becomes narrower. For now, we will use this formation,¡± Marko explained to Anton.

    ¡°Alright. Charlotte, you¡¯re the best of us. Take the front,¡± Anton ordered.

    ¡°Me¡­?¡± she asked, full of doubt. She pointed toward herself, as if not believing Anton¡¯s words. Anton and the rest of the group nodded.

    ¡°Of course, you¡¯ll keep us safe, right?¡± Daisy asked.

    ¡°Of¡­ of course! Trust me!¡± she said while pumping the air. She then went toward the front of the escorts.

    ¡°Lucy, you will go behind Charlotte to balance out our magic, Daisy, you guard the rear with me.¡±

    ¡°Roger roger!¡±

    The group assumed position. Charlotte looked backward, and Anton gave him the thumbs up.

    ¡°Le- No, let¡¯s go!¡± she took the first step, and the entire force moved forward into the forest. Anton watched his surroundings as they made their way through the forest. Anton sharpened his senses. The birds chirping, the sound of the soldier¡¯s march, the soft wind blowing through the winds, the sound of critters running through the forest.

    Every detail counts, every little thing.

    ¡®We¡¯re moving,¡¯ Kayla said through the chat.

    ¡®Prepare to fight,¡¯ Anton typed in through the chat. He purposely turned them off, fearing that the enemy NPCs could hear him and react to it.

    As the road became narrower, the formation became tighter. Charlotte made her way deeper into the forest before stopping, allowing the guards to reform their formation. With how narrow the road was at the meeting point, moving around would be a challenge.

    Before they continued moving, Anton checked his inventory. He opened up a notebook stored inside the game. It listed all the spells that he had learned to use. Most spells required the player to learn it by memorizing its name and shouting it when they wanted to use it. Some require a specific pose before it could be activated, while others needed him to reach a specific level.

    Anton looked through the list and memorized everything that might prove useful.

    Float, a spell that could be used to slow down the target¡¯s movements. To use this, he needed to shout the spell while pointing his hands with open palms toward the target. He would then need to slowly clench his fists. He needed to be careful, as an abrupt clench would stop the target mid-air, while clenching it too slowly may result in the target slamming into the ground.

    Speed Enhance, a spell that allowed him to move faster in a short amount of time. He only needed to shout its name to activate it.

    And finally, Leap, a spell that allowed him to jump farther. A unique spell in a way, as unlike other spells, it didn¡¯t need the user to yell its name. A whisper would be enough to activate it, although it did have other drawbacks. It required the player to put extra force on their jump for it to activate. It also lasts longer than Speed Enhance, so he could activate it before Speed Enhance.

    He looked through the list, searching for any other useful spells, but nothing else stood out to him. After he finished reading, he stored the notebook back into his inventory. The group had readjusted to a new position, with two soldiers on each side of the elder. The rest escorted her either on the front or the back, making a long line of people marching across the forest. Anton checked his map again, looking at the distance between him and the target location.

    He kept the distance in his mind. He closed the map and once again returned his attention to his surroundings. After a while, he noticed a group of people coming from the other side. Charlotte and Lucy moved to the left side, stepping off the road. The rest of the soldiers, except for the two escorting the elder, stepped aside as well.

    Anton continued observing the elders as both sides met in the middle, right in front of the dirt patch, the hole leading down now visible.

    Anton stepped toward the dirt patch standing beside it. Charlotte and Lucy stood across from him. The two elders stared at each other before letting out their voices.

    ¡°It has been a while, Arco.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t changed, Wei.¡±

 Chapter 20

    The two elders smiled at each other, although something about their gaze felt different. Anton then heard a rustle from the bushes near them. He saw a shadow moving in the corner of his eyes.

    ¡°Leap,¡± Anton readied his legs.

    ¡°Speed Enhance!¡± Anton yelled while leaping into the shaft.

    ¡°Wind Breath!¡± he sent a gust of wind downward to stop his fall. Back up on the surface, the action started.

    ¡°Hiah!¡± Charlotte yelled. Anton couldn¡¯t see the fight from the tunnel, so he waited for the two elders. A while later, they jumped into the tunnel.

    ¡°Float!¡± Anton yelled while pointing toward the two elders. He clenched his fists carefully, slowing them down. He pointed toward the human side, the two quickly moving aside. Charlotte then fell inside.

    ¡°Flo-¡± the spell didn¡¯t trigger in time, and Charlotte crashed into the tunnel floor. An enemy came from above, his sword pointed at her. She rolled out of the way, and with a horizontal slash, cut through the enemy¡¯s feat. It threw the enemy off-balance. Charlotte did a quick follow-up attack and finished him. She then stepped aside, with the rest of Anton¡¯s group jumping into the tunnel.

    ¡°Campfire!¡± Lucy yelled, using the spell to light up the tunnel. Lea did the same, their fires giving light to the darkness. Anton pointed toward the human side of the tunnel. The rest of the group quickly circled the elders.

    ¡°Kayla, you and the rest evacuate the elders. Charlotte And I will hold out.¡±

    ¡°Roger!¡± Kayla traded words with the elders. A couple of soldiers from both sides came down to the tunnel.

    ¡°Everyone, follow their orders!¡±

    ¡°Humans, I¡¯m giving you leadership. I trust in your judgments!¡± both elders declared.

    They started running toward the human side of the tunnel. Several soldiers went to accompany them. Unlike Arco, the Sumbar elder, Wei didn¡¯t have many escorts. Anton recognized the few soldiers that did come with him and let them through. Around eight Sumbar soldiers also went to escort their elder, while the rest stayed behind to block the path. Several human soldiers stayed behind as well.

    Their attackers then fall into the tunnel. They crashed to the ground, but quickly got up. Anton recognized those soldiers from two years ago. They wore the same armor and had the same weapons.

    ¡°Everyone, charge!¡± Anton aimed his staff forward and leaped without hesitation. Those liars, those people who hurt Kayla. An unsuspecting soldier turned toward him, only to disappear the next moment.

    ¡°YEAH!¡± with a loud warcry, the rest of the group went toward the group of soldiers, brandishing their swords.

    One of the Sumbar soldiers muttered a spell and fired upward, creating a ball of flames on the roof, right next to the hole that connected the tunnel and the outside world. The enemy soldiers leaped back and started firing their guns at the army.

    ¡°Wind Shield!¡± Anton yelled. He stayed in place, standing in front of the attacking force, putting himself in the hail of bullets.

    The bullets quickly depleted his shield but not his health. He stabbed the staff toward an enemy, forcing them to fall back. He then leaped away. Charlotte took his position and struck the final blow. Two enemies down, a lot more to go. The fight soon turned into a large brawl, with Sumbar soldiers aimed with physical weapons closing the distance. The human soldiers moved backward, crouched down, and fired their rifles. Anton saw shadows coming from above. He dodged an incoming attack, stabbed the enemy, before jumping back.

    He then retreated back toward the group of human soldiers. More and more enemies entered the tunnel. Some wore normal modern armor, while others wore Sumbar armor. They had no markings, though.

    The brawl became chaotic. From behind, Anton saw Charlotte slashing right through a group of enemy soldiers.

    ¡°HIYAAAAH!¡± Charlotte roared. The two NPCs fell and disappeared. She quickly scanned the area in search of another enemy. She noticed a Sumbar swordsman fighting off another Sumbar swordsman. She targeted the one that didn¡¯t have the tree marking and sliced through him.

    ¡°Thank you, human,¡± the swordsman said.

    Charlotte blushed and nodded slightly. The two part ways, searching for their own enemies. As the battle continued on, more and more enemies entered the tunnel. Most of them didn¡¯t stand a chance, however, as the size of the shaft limited the amount of enemies that could fall into it at once. Many of them were distracted by the darkness and the tunnel, as well.

    Anton spotted one of the enemy soldiers aiming toward a Sumbar soldier. He had his hands up toward the ceiling, maintaining the flames.

    ¡°Steel Strike!¡± Anton dashed toward the enemy and stabbed him from behind, right before the person could fire a shot.

    Anton continued his strikes, looking for more enemies. Anton struck through another soldier, this one an impostor wearing an unmarked Sumbar uniform. After taking the soldier out, he noticed that the fire in the ceiling started dimming.

    ¡°Campfire!¡± he held his right hand up high, giving light to the underground battlefield.

    The soldier that previously held the fire retreated and took a quick rest. Seeing him, two Sumbar soldiers approached him and guarded him against incoming enemies. They held enemy physical attackers in their position while Charlotte finished them off from behind. They also used their weapons to block any projectile coming toward him. While his right hand held the flames, his hand traveled to the group chat and activated the voice chat.

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°Kayla, where are you?¡± he asked through the voice chat, the two soldiers holding off the bullets for him. Charlotte behind them targeting whoever attacked him.

    ¡®We just arrived at the peace zone. You think you can retreat to the human side of the tunnel?¡¯ Alita asked through the voice chat.

    ¡°We¡¯ll try. Everyone! We¡¯re heading to the human side of the tunnel!¡± Anton yelled. The soldiers formed a line, with the resting soldier back to duty. He swapped positions with Anton, now lighting their way back. They moved backward, guarding against enemy attack.

    Yet the soldiers coming through the hole refused to stop. If they got far, the enemy would be able to shoot at them from behind. He searched for a way to get all of the troops safely on the other side.

    ¡®Charlotte, Anton! Hold on. Help is coming!¡¯ he heard Daisy¡¯s voice from the radio.

    ¡°Alright!¡± Anton replied.

    Some of the Sumbar soldiers started swapping their swords for staff. They got behind the sword-wielders who acted as vanguards and tanks. They started firing magic at the enemy, side-by-side with the village elder¡¯s guard. The combined attack made it tough for any enemy to attack them.

    They slowly pulled back. The enemy continued falling. Despite having the upper hand, Anton noticed that the casters started losing Magical Energy. He didn¡¯t use any complex spells and he had a large Magical Energy pool thanks to his level, so he never paid attention to them. It felt similar to using a heavy machine gun, all he did was continue firing.

    But that wasn¡¯t the case for NPCs. NPCs, especially the swordsmen, didn''t have a large amount of Magical Energy. Once their Magical Energy ran out, they would be in a tough situation.

    ¡®Charlotte! Anton! Go!¡¯ Daisy said

    ¡®I hope the Sumbar soldiers forgive us for doing this¡­¡¯ Kayla muttered.

    Once he heard their voices, he noticed the enemy stopped coming. He heard the roars of a cannon screaming above ground.

    ¡°Everyone, let¡¯s go!¡± Anton yelled, and the entire group made a run for the exit.

    <ul>

    <li>??</li>

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    After a few minutes, they arrived at the entrance to the human village. The Sumbars kept their guard up, even after entering the peace zone. They couldn¡¯t see the peace zone notification, so it was understandable¡­ probably. Anton didn¡¯t know whether that was actually the case or not. AI companions could, he knew because Kayla sometimes pointed it out for him.

    They made their way toward the bamboo shack that started their adventure. The two elders sat inside the shack, talking about something. Anton noticed the LAV missing, the rest of the group nowhere near them.

    ¡°Kayla where are¡­¡± Anton then heard the rumbling sound of a vehicle engine.

    The Five-Seven parked next to the teak tree. Its front side covered with dirt and some scratches, with leaves and bushes weaved here and there. The rest of the group came from inside it. Kayla then approached him, looking downward.

    ¡°Umm¡­¡± she glanced toward the LAV before looking back at Anton. Anton smiled and patted her head.

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    Kayla¡¯s eyes lit up the second she heard that. She looked at him with sparkling eyes.

    ¡°Warriors, come in,¡± the village elder called from the shack. The group then entered the shack.

    The rest of the soldiers sat down outside, guarding the bamboo shack. Anton and the rest sat cross-legged on the bamboo floor, with the two elders sitting beside each other.

    ¡°We need to talk to you,¡± Arco, the Sumbar elder. The two elders exchanged glances before bowing their heads.

    ¡°We¡¯re sorry.¡±

    ¡°And thank you,¡± they said. The entire group was taken aback by their words.

    ¡°We have made great mistakes. We have believed the lies that were fed to us by our enemies.¡±

    ¡°And we roped you all into this mess. So for that, we apologize,¡± the two said solemnly.

    That was quick.

    Anton thought, but considering that they had strayed so far from the original quest, the game probably struggled to generate even more content.

    ¡°What are your plans now?¡± Daisy asked. The human elder scratched his chin.

    ¡°First would be an official announcement of the reconciliation between our two villages, and after that, the official reopening of the tunnel that connected us. After that is where things become tricky. As you warriors know, many of the people who once lived in this village had moved out. We will need to convince them that it is safe for them.¡±

    ¡°And our enemies had sown distrust into the hearts of many Sumbars. It will take time before they can reaccept the humans, even longer than our lifespans, I believe.¡±

    ¡°After we leave this world, it will be our successor''s task to learn from our mistake and fix the problem we and our generation started.¡±

    The two elders then continued on with a lot of information. How the conflict started, how they actually knew each other before the conflict, and the changes they planned to bring. It took quite a while before they finished. The rest of the group started asking various questions. Anton remained seated, filling his mind with various not important thoughts as he waited.

    Kayla sat there, unmoving, her eyes on the elders. She asked questions and paid attention to the answers. Eventually, the time came for them to finally go back to Norbva. The quest that lasted a few hours felt like it had gone for days. Anton and the rest waved toward the two elders, now standing side by side with a smile on their faces. Anton re-entered the driver¡¯s seat and opened up the driver¡¯s hatch. The rest entered the cabin and left the rear door in an open position.

    They waved as the LAV turned around and headed back toward Norbva. Once they left the peace zone, they closed the hatches and sped away.

    <ul>

    <li>??</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°Phew, that¡¯s the end of it, eh?¡± Kayla asked while leaning back to the LAV¡¯s white interior.

    ¡°Wow¡­ the rewards are awesome!¡± Daisy said.

    ¡°That¡¯s because you all are under leveled. You¡¯re not supposed to take this quest with your levels,¡± Anton said, his eyes on the road. It didn¡¯t take long for them to arrive back at Norbva. Anton parked the LAV in front of the Norbva Adventure Terminal, where the entire thing started. The group got off the LAV.

    Anton then looked at the six girls that stood before him and Kayla.

    ¡°So that¡¯s it, huh?¡± Michal said.

    ¡°Ah, that was fun!¡± Lea added.

    ¡°And that¡¯s just one quest, I wonder what other quests would look like?¡± Sophie wondered. Anton looked to his right, Charlotte standing there silently, a thin smile on her face. He clenched his fist and lifted it up. Charlotte noticed. She glanced his way, before slowly lifting his hand and giving him a fistbump.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see if we can take more quests.¡±

    ¡°Maybe tomorrow? It¡¯s getting late, after all.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ yeah, you¡¯re right.¡±

    Anton then glanced toward Kayla, who stood there, giggling as she watched over the friend group.

    ¡°Should we go?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Ah, yeah,¡± Kayla nodded. Anton then noticed a virtual screen appearing before him. It came from Charlotte. He looked toward her and pressed ¡®accept¡¯.

    ¡°Ah, right, add us well,¡± Daisy said, sending him a friend request. He accepted hers and Michal¡¯s.

    ¡°Alright. Stay safe now!¡± Kayla waved toward the group before entering the LAV. Anton smiled and entered. Kayla went to the driver¡¯s seat and opened the hatch. The girls moved out of the way as the LAV turned back toward the road. Kayla and Anton waved from the front hatch before setting off, leaving Norbva behind.

 Chapter 21

    ¡°Should we continue to Marrow Peaks?¡± Kayla asked. They drove down the highway, going at max speed. Anton checked the time. It had gotten quite late, and he planned on turning in for the day.

    The game didn¡¯t require players to log out in a safe space. If he wanted, he could log out here on the side of the highway. If things didn¡¯t change, Kayla and the LAV would enter pacifist mode. That was under the assumption the game still allowed pacifist mode for when the player went offline. Kayla would still be activated as far as he knew. The idea of leaving his AI companion in a cramped vehicle cabin didn¡¯t sit well with him. She could still be sent to train or do something else, but she would need to go her separate ways from Anton.

    ¡°... You want to rest for the day?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    It would be nice if she could continue driving to Marrow Peaks, but the game forbids that. Anton checked the map, looking for a city close to him. He wanted to find an inn for the night, bonus points if there happened to be an aerospace company around, even more points if that company didn¡¯t sell expensive stuff. Yes, he was willing to spend a bit more now, but that didn¡¯t mean he wanted to destroy his bank. He found one around thirty kilometers south of his position. He marked the city.

    ¡°... Okay,¡± Kayla said after checking the mark. She took an exit and turned toward the city.

    <ul>

    <li>??

    The city of Murkmar. </li>

    </ul>

    As they entered, Anton noticed a flight of two aircraft flying overhead. One smaller jet fighter escorting a larger cargo plane. The two made circling flights above the city. They headed for a simple hotel located on the city outskirts. Buildings made of red bricks lined up on both sides of the city. As Kayla and Anton drove through the scenery, a red and white gate went down and blocked their path. Two red lights flashed one after the other, accompanied by the sound of ringing bells.

    A yellow train pulling eight passenger cars pulled into a station left of Anton. It let out a screeching sound as it hit the brakes and slowed down. The gate then opened, allowing vehicles from both sides to pass. Kayla made a right turn and headed to the city¡¯s west side. It took another five minutes before they arrived in front of their hotel.

    Anton and Kayla checked in and headed into their room. They entered a room with pine green walls and wooden floors, a large double bed in the center of it. Other than the bed, the room had a bathroom and a simple wooden table without anything else.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m logging out.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kayla answered. Anton went and lay on the bed.

    <ul>

    <li>??</li>

    </ul>

    Once he woke up, he went to his computer. He sat down on the chair and looked through the computer screen. He checked all the files he downloaded. He ran a quick program he made to verify the contents of the files. The program automatically tidied up the files based on the date the server created them.

    He left the program to do its thing and went to prepare for the night. After he was ready to turn in, he returned to his computer. He noticed one file sticking out in the midst, one created two years ago. Curious, he decided to test the program, making sure that everything went as planned.

    He went through the program and activated the Kayla he had stored on his computer, separate from the in-game Kayla.

    ¡®Hmm? Anton? Where am I?¡¯ he heard Kayla¡¯s voice through his speakers, her avatar floating on the screen, looking around the empty void.

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain that later. Do you remember what happened in that forest quest?¡±

    ¡°Of course. We helped reconcile them, right? That¡¯s¡­ not what you¡¯re asking for, is it?¡±

    Anton shook his head. Kayla should be able to see him, as he allowed the program to access his face cam. The little green light beside his camera turned on, telling him that the camera functioned properly.

    ¡°... Yeah, I remember. Looks like you did the opposite of what I asked¡­¡± Kayla said with a light chuckle.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it really is. I¡¯m just an AI companion, after all.¡±

    Anton shook his head again.

    ¡°Good night. See you¡­ I mean the in-game you¡­ See you tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Okay, sweet dreams.¡±

    Anton then shut down the program. He made sure that the program saved his recent offline conversation and went to sleep.

    <ul>

    <li>??</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°Morning!¡± Kayla greeted him after he went online. Anton rose from the bed, Kayla standing beside him.

    ¡°Morning,¡± Anton replied. Anton stood up and stretched his virtual limbs.

    ¡°So, where are we going today?¡± Kayla asked. She went around and stood near the door, but noticed that Anton didn¡¯t move.

    ¡°Do you remember what happened last night? After I logged out?¡±

    ¡°Last night¡­¡± Kayla tapped her chin.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me to do anything, so I just slept,¡± she replied. Anton purposely made it so that the program used already downloaded files to run Kayla. He decided against running it directly from the game¡¯s servers, in fear of someone catching on.

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°What about the forest event?¡±

    Kayla¡¯s face changed when she heard that question. She looked down to the floor, her hands behind her back.

    ¡°Of course. We helped reconcile them, right? That¡¯s¡­ not what you¡¯re asking for, is it?¡± she asked while fidgeting slightly. She glanced at Anton, before continuing.

    ¡°... Yeah, I remember. Looks like you did the opposite of what I asked¡­¡± she said with a chuckle. Anton then approached her and took her into his arms.

    ¡°Anton?¡± she asked. She let Anton embrace her virtual body.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Anton whispered.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it really is. I¡¯m just an AI companion, after all.¡±

    Anton then shook his head. He looked into her eyes, the eyes of the AI companion in his embrace. Despite being an AI companion, in theory no different from a cold, hard machine, there was a sense of warmth coming from her eyes. She felt like a real person, capable of thinking and feeling on her own. To something like her, Anton refused to acknowledge the fact that she was nothing more than a machine.

    ¡°Anton¡­¡± Kayla muttered his name. Anton pulled her closer. Kayla pulled her hand up and hugged him.

    <ul>

    <li>??</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°Whalesark Industries?¡± Kayla asked after seeing the marking on the map. Anton nodded. Kayla glanced at him.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±

    It took a while for them to reach the company. The company had its base located in an airport fifteen kilometers away from the city. Whalesark itself wasn¡¯t a large military company in the game. It built mainly civilian aircraft and helicopters. It did have several jet fighters for sale, with two helicopter models. As Kayla drove them there, Anton searched for reviews for the two models. One was more of a gunship/transport helicopter. It could carry more cargo along with larger weapons but cost more to buy and operate.

    The other was a light helicopter. It had an egg-like fuselage with a capacity for four people. It could carry either TOW missiles, small rocket pods, or machine guns. They couldn¡¯t be aimed and required the pilot to point the heli¡¯s nose toward the target. The TOW missiles did allow the copilot to adjust the missile¡¯s flight, while the machine guns could be pivoted to track an enemy. Both applications required the helicopter pilot to aim the nose at its target, however.

    Both models couldn¡¯t use fire-and-forget weapons, weapons that could be fired and track their targets on their own. But the larger one had more armor and heavier weapons. The smaller one lacked such protection. Anton thought about possible engagements. Against most ground and sea vehicles the answer would be easy. If someone tried to attack them, they could just run away.

    The same could be said for magic spells. Unlike modern weapons, magic spells¡¯ limited range made them easy to dodge. The game had vehicles that were designed to fight against air targets, but such vehicles would typically operate in a group. They were easier to spot and dodge. The main threat would be other aerial vehicles and beasts. Things like other attack helicopters, jet fighters, or even beasts like dragons posed a much greater threat. Not many people own such weapons, but that meant those who did own them would use them to their fullest potential.

    ¡°Which do you prefer, Kayla?¡± Anton asked. He sent a screenshot of his virtual screen to Kayla. Kayla slowed the vehicle down and opened it on her own virtual screen. She turned from and to it a couple of times, checking the specifications while still keeping some of her attention on the road.

    ¡°... Is it distracting?¡± Anton asked after seeing her repeated glances toward her opened virtual screen.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she answered.

    ¡°Should we just get a jet?¡±

    ¡°... Eh?¡±

    ¡°You know. Whalesark had jet fighters as well, right?¡± Kayla kept her left hand on the steering wheel.

    She then opened a separate screen and navigated through it using her right hand. She then sent an in-game link through the chat. Anton opened it, founding an in-game page for Whalesark that showed the company¡¯s jet fighters. They consisted mostly of light fighters. These smaller jets were modified from their civilian training jets. In general, they had upgraded specifications and could carry weapons.

    One of them caught Anton¡¯s intention.

    A Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) jet fighter. It had two versions, a single-seater fighter variant, and a two-seater training variant. For the training variant, it had the co-pilot¡¯s placed higher, above the main fuselage, making it look like a plane with a tumor. Most of the fuselage itself housed the engine, with the wings facing downward from the top of the fuselage.

    The twin-seater variant had limited combat capabilities when compared to the single-seat variant. Another issue would be the range. The aircraft in question could travel a whopping five hundred kilometers¡­ which wasn¡¯t enough. The distance from the eastmost point to the westmost point was two thousand kilometers, while the distance between the north to the south was one thousand kilometers. Even if Anton wanted to go from north to south, he would need to find a stopover, as midair refueling wasn¡¯t in the game. That was under the assumption that he managed to find an airport at the midpoint, and without any issues during their flight.

    Anton checked the external fuel tanks that should be able to extend the range to one thousand kilometers, but for some reason, it completely prevented the player from loading weapons onto their plane, defeating the purpose of a jet fighter in the first place. Anton assumed that this wasn¡¯t how a real-world jet fighter operated, but considering the maximum speed of one thousand kilometers per hour, the developers probably didn¡¯t want players to zoom across the map within an hour.

    Anton thought for a moment. The limited range may not be that bad, now that he thought about it. It would mean more destinations. He didn¡¯t have any ideas on where to go after Marrow Peaks anyway.

    ¡°What do you think about this, then?¡± Anton asked, sending a picture of the jet fighter to Kayla. Kayla took a look at it.

    ¡°The Whalesark T-7 Shwarier¡­ A trainer VTOL aircraft with fighting capabilities¡­ Looks weird, to be honest. Its cockpit is huge, and the way it rose up from the main body¡­¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s a no?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, appearance doesn¡¯t matter. Let¡¯s see¡­¡± Kayla squinted her eyes, before immediately looking back toward the road.

    ¡°I think we should just stop¡­¡± Anton said. Kayla nodded and brought the LAV to the side of the road. Once the LAV stopped, Kayla brought her attention to the screen Anton showed. She then switched screens and started looking for more information regarding the aircraft.

    ¡°Good maneuverability, decent loadout assuming we¡¯re not carrying extra fuel, slow when compared to other fighter jets, but could outrun dragons and most flying beasts easily¡­ Well, let¡¯s be honest here. If someone owned a fighter jet, they probably won¡¯t have time to deal with us.¡±

    ¡°But what if they bought it through real-life money? Or what if they¡¯re trying to increase their flying skills?¡±

    ¡°Then taking them on would be easy.¡±

    ¡°What if the one that bought it is a real fighter jet pilot?¡±

    Kayla remained silent for a moment, thinking about her response.

    ¡°... Anton, if we¡¯re up against a real fighter jet pilot, whatever hardware we have won¡¯t help us.¡±

    ¡°You got a point, let¡¯s go with this one, then.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kayla pressed on the gas and resumed the trip to Whalesark.

 Chapter 22

    ¡°You sure you can fly, right?¡±

    Anton asked as he hopped into the aircraft¡¯s rear seat. The cockpit had been simplified for gamers. Many of the little switches and knobs couldn¡¯t be operated, only there for decoration and in case the pilot got bored.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Kayla answered.

    ¡°Battery on¡­ avionics¡­ fuel pumps ready¡­¡± Kayla went through the pre-flight checklist. Anton opened the virtual screen and looked through the in-game manual provided with the purchase. He flicked through the pages, reading the paragraphs of information written there.

    ¡°Engines start,¡± Kayla flicked a switch. Anton could hear the engine slowly turning to life. Anton looked to their left, finding the salesperson standing there, waiting for them to depart.

    ¡°If we decided to stay here all day long, do you think he¡¯ll be there as well?¡± Anton asked.

    ¡°No¡­ Aren¡¯t you the developer? How am I supposed to answer this?¡±

    ¡°Just some random thought. Just because I¡¯m part of the programming team doesn¡¯t mean I make everything,¡± Anton answered, returning his attention to the instrument panel before him.

    He checked the manual again, comparing them with the instruments before him. Each instrument had its own unique function. He searched for the ones that showed airspeed, altitude, and heading.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯re ready to go. You buckled up?¡± Kayla asked. Anton couldn¡¯t see her expression, as the large instrument panel divided the two seats into two separate compartments.

    ¡°Ready,¡± he answered. Anton noticed the salesman saluting toward the aircraft as the jet slowly floated into the sky.

    The plane gained altitude, the four nozzles on the fuselage, two on each side, began to rotate backward, pushing the plane into the sky. It didn¡¯t take long for it to fully face backward. The altitude and airspeed needles spun to the right, signaling the increase in speed and altitude.

    Anton checked his map.

    ¡°Where should we go?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Wait, we¡¯re not heading for Marrow Peak?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but we won¡¯t have enough range.¡±

    ¡°Ah, right. Should we just find a city on the way?¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kayla pulled the stick to the right and the two headed west.

    <ul>

    <li>??</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°So¡­ what should I do?¡± Anton asked. Unlike the LAV, this particular jet fighter, modeled after an older one, required the plane to be pointed toward the target when it first fired the missile. Anton glanced at the sun behind them. Due to the design of this world, the farther they went from the center of the map, the darker it would be. Their current position made it look like morning, with the sun not far above the horizon in the east.

    Some missile variants, such as the type Anton chose, could track the enemy on their own. Some other missiles required the plane to keep its nose at the enemy for the missile to continue its lock. Those were cheaper, faster, and more maneuverable, capable of tracking agile enemies. Dogfights would be a lot longer, however, had he used them.

    The fire-and-forget missiles, as their name suggested, allowed Anton to immediately turn after firing them. Since his goal was to get away from fights as much as possible, such things fit his needs perfectly.

    The aircraft, however, left little things for him to do. Most of the systems would be operated from the front seat, thus the co-pilot, Anton in this case, didn¡¯t have much to do. Considering that both the real-world jet and the in-game version were technically training aircraft, as the one sitting in the rear seat, he was supposed to be the instructor, a role that should have been Kayla¡¯s.

    ¡°Wanna trade?¡± Kayla asked. Anton thought about it for a moment, but an alarm blared up in their cockpit. Kayla slammed the control stick left and pulled it up, making a sharp turn to the left.

    Anton felt his entire body being thrown as the aircraft made a sharp turn. He tried to open the map, checking his position. The small town of Rurack stood below them, with massive rice fields stretching throughout the land, certainly not a place where they expected to be attacked. Anton lifted his face up, seeing a missile heading for them.

    Kayla pointed the aircraft¡¯s vectoring nozzle downward, causing a sudden boost that threw the jet off the missile¡¯s path while firing flares. A trail of light came out from the jet, confusing the missile, causing it to get lost and explode not far from them. Kayla resets the nozzle to their original position, making it pointed backward. Kayla leveled the wings, a dot flying on their right.

    ¡°Urgh, why now!?¡± Anton complained.

    ¡°You wanted something to do, right?¡± Kayla answered calmly.

    ¡°Well, this certainly isn¡¯t something I meant,¡± Anton answered, looking as the enemy fighter went past them. It turned to the right, before blasting away. Kayla brought the Shwarier¡¯s nose toward the fleeing enemy and fired a missile. The missile traveled through the sky, leaving a trail of white smoke as it went through the air, quickly catching up with the enemy jet.

    The enemy jet made a left turn in an attempt to dodge it, glowing yellowish dots falling off the jet. The flares distracted the missile, making it swerve off course and exploding away from the jet. The jet turned again, trying to get its nose back on Anton and Kayla¡¯s Shwarier. Kayla adjusted the aim, noticing the jet quickly closing the distance. It fired a missile toward them. Kayla waited, staring down at the incoming missile. She then pulled the lever, causing the harrier to jump, before setting off their own set of flares. The missile missed, and Kayla pointed the nose downward, toward the incoming jet fighter.

    The enemy noticed and swerved to Anton¡¯s right. Kayla slammed the rudder and swung the control stick, keeping the nose in front of the jet as it made its past. She pushed the trigger, sending 30mm rounds into the passing enemy jet. The jet made its past, visible smoke coming out from its wings.

    ¡°Nice hit,¡± Anton said while looking as the jet fled the scene, or so he thought.

    As if unsatisfied, after flying a distance away from the Shwarier, the enemy pilot made a turn. Kayla pushed the Shwarier forward, chasing after the enemy. The enemy¡¯s maneuverability had been harmed by that engagement. Anton, being in the rear cockpit, had a limited view of what was going on. He could probably tell if he looked at the green screen in the bottom center of his instrument panel, functioning as the radar, but he had no idea what it meant.

    ¡°Is it still after us?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yep, don¡¯t worry, I think it no longer has missiles. Saw its wing when it fired at us.¡±

    If that was true, then Kayla and Anton held the advantage. He only saw Kayla firing one of the four missiles that he bought with the jet.

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Kayla kept the nose on the enemy while flying closer. She then fired a missile, the white tube flying toward the enemy. It left a trail as it zipped past the morning sky. The enemy attempted to dodge, swerving away while firing flares. It pulled itself into a sharp climb, but the missile tracked its target. The missile exploded, ripping the enemy aircraft into two large chunks of metal. Anton and Kayla watched as the jet¡¯s fuselage crumbled and fell to the ground, leaving a long trail of smoke behind.

    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that fun?¡± Kayla asked after her victory.

    ¡°I guess¡­ still, that¡¯s some impressive flying.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. So, should we go to Rurack?¡±

    Anton thought about it. First, he made sure that Rurack had an airport where they could land. After confirming it, he checked the distance between Rurack and Marrow Peak. There were roughly five hundred kilometers from their position to Marrow Peak, just barely enough if they refueled here.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do a quick stop. See if there¡¯s something to do,¡± Anton replied.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kayla then adjusted the control stick and descended to Rurack.

    <ul>

    <li>??</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°Welcome to Rurack,¡± Kayla said as they touched down. Since the Shwarier was a VTOL aircraft, Kayla could skip the runway and touch down directly on the ramp. NPCs then brought a staircase and attached it to the side of the aircraft.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Kayla said as they got out of the cockpit.

    Anton navigated through the menu and stored the Shwarier in the airport. Anton then ordered the LAV. They went from the ramp through the hangar, where various other airplanes were parked, out to the parking lot beyond the airport. There, their trusty Five-Seven waited. Kayla went for the driver¡¯s seat, while Anton sat on the turret¡¯s operator seat. They then went toward the Rurack Adventure Terminal.

    ¡°Half an hour to refuel and rearm?¡± Anton muttered. It took longer than he had initially expected.

    ¡°Yeah. Maybe we can grab a quick quest?¡±

    ¡°Sure. I wonder which to choose¡­¡±

    The game offered several types of quick quests. Some require the player to deliver an item to an NPC in the game, some require them to kill a monster and bring its loot back. Most of them lack any real story, inserted into the game just for killing time.

    ¡°Ah, want to grab a snack?¡± Anton asked, noticing a restaurant on the right side of the road.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Kayla then pulled into an open parking spot five shophouses away from the restaurant, right next to the intersection. Kayla parked the LAV in an empty space away from other cars and the two left the vehicle. Concrete shophouses filled the side of the road, selling various items from food, stationery, and even toys. They function little more than decoration, although the sight of them did catch Anton¡¯s attention. Some of them had their metal roller shutters covering the entrance, while others had their front open for the public, showcasing the items they sold. Some of the shutters looked new, while others had slight rust.

    Eventually, they arrived in front of the Chinese restaurant that Anton saw and entered. Anton took a seat on a table on the left side of the entrance and sat facing into the shophouse. He took the menu kept on the left side of the table and looked through it. The printed piece of laminated paper showcased the complete offering of the restaurant. Anton looked through it, picking one that stood out to him.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Anton asked.

    ¡°How about you?¡± Kayla asked back.

    ¡°Seafood tofu claypot.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kayla took another look at the menu.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll go with that as well.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Drinks?¡±

    ¡°Lemon tea will be fine.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Anton then raised his hand. A waiter with a notepad and a pen rushed to their table.

    ¡°Two seafood tofu claypot with two warm lemon teas,¡± Anton said.

    ¡°Two seafood tofu claypot and two warm lemon teas¡­¡± the waiter opened his notepad and wrote the order down.

    ¡°Correct.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your order, please give us a moment,¡± the waiter then walked away, heading for the kitchen at the end of the shop. Two other people occupied the restaurant, both of them NPCs.

    Kayla then looked around the building, the curiosity showing through her eyes. The shophouse itself looked to be quite old. It had a white wall with white ceramic floors. The design, or rather lack of it, made the building feel old to him, even if the walls were kept sparkling clean. It felt like this building had been standing for years, and no one bothered to decorate it.

    A mixture of photographs of the in-game menu and various in-game buildings became the only decorations on the walls, displayed with their names written under them.

    ¡°Should we visit that place?¡± Anton asked after seeing Kayla¡¯s eyes traveling through the various buildings featured in those paintings.

    ¡°Eh, but Marrow Peaks?¡±

    ¡°If you want to, then the Peaks can wait.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t mind,¡± Kayla smiled.

    ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t mind.¡±

    All of this is for you, after all.

    He would do whatever he could if that meant preserving her memory, her personality. Besides, the point of heading all around the game was to create memories, so as long as they didn¡¯t spend the time sleeping or doing something useless, they would still be creating memories. At the end of the day, despite his mission, this was still a game, a game he had taken part in. He wanted to enjoy it.

    He then heard the footsteps of a person entering the shophouse. Anton assumed it was another NPC, until the person crossed his view and headed for a table deeper inside. He noticed the lack of the yellow armband. Other than that, this girl also traveled alone. Only AI companions could go around without wearing the yellow armbands, and that assuming the player bothered to style their companion.

    Nothing stopped players from asking an AI companion to go buy food for them. If they wanted to, they could even ask their companion to eat in their place. Sometimes, players use this technique for businesses, making it look crowdier than reality. The girl pulled a chair facing outward and sat down. For a moment, the two crossed eyes.

    Anton thought of it as an accident and redirected his attention toward Kayla, not paying the person any more attention. He, however, felt the girl¡¯s stare. He thought he was feeling things and glanced toward her, before realizing that yes, she was staring at him. A waiter approached her, carrying the menu, but she got up and made her way toward Anton.

    ¡°Anton?¡± the girl asked after getting close to him.

    ¡°... Who are you?¡±

    ¡°... Umm¡­ the girl that trained¡­ no, wait, that¡¯ll just bring back bad memories,¡± the girl muttered.

    ¡°Oh, Rebecca!¡± only now that Anton recognized her. To be fair, her avatar changed quite considerably. She wore a hoodie with jeans, her long black hair turned into short green hair tied in a double ponytail. She didn¡¯t have glasses on, and her dark brown eyes turned to yellow.

    ¡°Yep¡­ Oh, wait,¡± her expression changed. Anton became more confused seeing her actions.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Umm¡­ sorry for that-¡±

    ¡°That? You mean the thing at work? I¡¯m the one who¡¯s supposed to apologize for that. I¡¯m just in a bad mood, that¡¯s all. Want to eat with us?¡±

    ¡°Ah, are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Rebecca then pulled the chair beside Kayla and sat down.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m Rebecca, Anton¡¯s colleague,¡± she said, extending her hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m Kayla, Anton¡¯s AI companion. Nice to meet you,¡± Kayla shook her hand with a smile.

    ¡°AI Companion? Oh, I¡¯m surprised you use it,¡± Rebecca said.

    ¡°It? Don¡¯t call her it,¡± Anton complained.

    ¡°Ah, yeah, sorry. I don¡¯t use mine so I¡¯m not used to it,¡± Rebecca apologized, prompting a giggle from Kayla.

    ¡°Oh, Anton¡­¡± Kayla rested her head on her hand and smiled.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Anton asked.

    ¡°Usually, I¡¯m the one complaining about you going around calling NPCs as NPCs, yet you get angry when I¡¯m the one called a program, even though I¡¯m self-aware.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s different¡­¡±

    Rebecca looked at both of them.

    ¡°Ah, food, I almost forgot,¡± Rebecca reminded herself. She borrowed Anton¡¯s menu before deciding. She then called the waiter over and ordered a portion of fried rice.

    ¡°What brings you here?¡± Rebecca asked after the waiter left.

    ¡°We were en route to Marrow Peaks when we were attacked,¡± Kayla explained.

    ¡°By?¡±

    ¡°Someone flying an R-94 Lunk.¡±

    ¡°Erp,¡± Rebecca tensed up the second she heard that name. Anton realized that and decided to push on.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t happen to be flying a Shwarier, do you? I mean, surely not, right?¡± she asked with nervous laughter.

    ¡°Sigh¡­ Rebecca.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡±

 Chapter 23

    ¡°I see¡­¡± Rebecca said with a nod.

    Anton had told her his plans. Well, Rebecca being an active member within the company, and Kayla being a part of the game itself, so he told them that after being fired, he decided to relax a while before searching for work.

    ¡°How about you?¡± he asked back.

    ¡°Umm¡­¡± a virtual screen appeared in front of Rebecca, its white back facing Anton.

    ¡°I knew I should have turned the notifications off,¡± she muttered before tapping something and closing the screen.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°Just the office kids¡­¡± Rebecca eyed Anton, as if asking whether he mind her telling it or not.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really care about it, so don¡¯t worry about me,¡± Anton answered.

    ¡°Well, the new guys were arguing about which wine is the best,¡± Rebecca said with a shrug.

    ¡°Ah, that sure is unimportant,¡± Kayla agreed, Anton nodding to her.

    ¡°So, how about you?¡± Anton asked again. Rebecca looked around, before giving a code. Anton and Kayla pulled their heads closer to the table.

    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to meet someone. Rumors had it that we will be bought¡­ Well, some say we¡¯re already bought, the situation¡¯s really weird right now. Basically, If the deal fails, and no one invests in us, we¡¯ll stop operating by the end of April,¡± Rebecca explained. It was the first of April, and ending the game within a month seemed extremely sudden.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit sudden?¡± Anton voiced his thoughts. Kayla shook her head.

    ¡°There¡¯s still the deal, right?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ the issue is, rumors had it that the buyer will close the game regardless. As I said, everything really is weird,¡± Rebecca¡¯s explanation caused the two to be speechless.

    ¡°Wait, why buy the game in the first place?¡±

    ¡°Simple, the AI technology,¡± Rebecca answered.

    Even now, three years after its release, P4ngea remained a unique game with its state-of-the-art AI technology. Their competitors did have AI programs of their own, but they had some limitations when compared to Aripi¡¯s AI technology. P4ngea had run into several issues in its three years of operation. Aripi had also been involved in several controversies, even outside P4ngea. A company wanting to buy Aripi just for the AI shouldn¡¯t be all that surprising.

    Anton glanced at Kayla. Kayla wasn¡¯t human, so of course she wouldn¡¯t mind being treated as a product, but that wasn¡¯t the case for Anton. While he had enough resources to rebuild her, he really didn¡¯t want it to end, not this early at least.

    ¡°So¡­ what does this deal have to do with you attacking us?¡±

    ¡°Ah, about that¡­ I don¡¯t know if it''s you. But anyway, the reason I¡¯m here is because I was tasked with meeting this investor,¡± Rebecca answered with a hint of pride.

    Anton checked her CV before. She did have a history in running events and meeting with people, but her of all people? She¡¯s a programmer, just like him. Just how bad had the situation become if they needed someone from the programming team to meet up with the investor?

    A month¡­

    But at the end of the day, he was no longer an employee. He could be considered a rogue ex-employee that decided to do some illegal things, but even then, whatever happened to the company mattered little to him. A month would probably be more than enough to rescue Kayla as well¡­

    But something about her programming being treated like a product didn¡¯t sit right with him. He didn¡¯t try to deny the truth. He knew that, at the end of the day, Kayla consisted of nothing more than zeroes and ones, a long line of code that ran through a computer. But she felt like a human, a truly kindhearted human in this sea of coldness and selflessness. He dragged him to help people and NPC alike. He showed a level of kindness that many real humans didn¡¯t have.

    A level of kindness that he himself didn¡¯t have.

    Kayla encouraged him to be kind to others, Kayla forced him to change, even though she was just an AI. Anton didn¡¯t really understand why he felt this anguish in the first place. He had saved Kayla on his computer and could operate her without needing the game. After all of this ended, he could just boot up the local version of her and explain everything.

    Yet¡­

    The smell of their food broke his line of thought. The waiter set down three meals on the table.

    ¡°Oh yeah, I forgot to order a drink,¡± Rebecca said after seeing Anton¡¯s and Kayla¡¯s lemon tea.

    ¡°Here, you can share with me,¡± Kayla kindly offered her drink. The food and drink in-game didn¡¯t really do anything other than stimulate the player¡¯s taste buds, but they tasted delicious. Seeing Kayla so willingly share her drink put a smile on Anton¡¯s face.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat,¡± Anton said, taking the spoon and fork into his hands.

    <ul>

    <li>??</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°Ah that was great,¡± Rebecca said as they left the restaurant.

    ¡°Thanks for the treat, Anton,¡± she added.

    ¡°Sure. By the way, should we accompany you to this investor?¡± Anton asked, wanting to get some extra information. Rebecca considered the offer before nodding.

    ¡°Sure. Having someone with experience will surely be helpful.¡±

    ¡°Alright, guide the way,¡± Kayla said. They all entered the LAV. Anton added Rebecca to his friends list, before creating a party. Kayla, being Anton¡¯s companion, automatically entered the group.

    Rebecca then marked the Rurack Adventure Terminal on the map. The car went out of the parking lot and made its way toward the terminal. Anton leaned back on his chair, feeling the bumps and shakes as the LAV made its way across the road. The engine whined as Kayla pushed it. Rebecca played around with her virtual screen, the white background stopping Anton from seeing anything.

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°By the way, Rebecca,¡± Anton called out all of a sudden. Rebecca, who sat on the chair left of the turret operator seat, raised her head.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t answered us on why you attacked us in the first place.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ you see¡­ Had I known it¡¯s you-¡±

    ¡°So you don¡¯t mind attacking other players?¡±

    ¡°Well, to be fair, this is a PvP game.¡±

    ¡°Sigh¡­ Why did they remove the pacifist option.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me,¡± Rebecca shrugged. The vehicle stopped at a red light, made a turn to the right, and traveled another few hundred meters before arriving in front of the Rurack Adventure Terminal.

    ¡°Ah, let me borrow this,¡± Rebecca said, moving toward the gunner¡¯s position.

    ¡°Kayla, stop here,¡± she ordered.

    ¡°Okay¡­?¡± Kayla did as told, bringing the LAV to a halt.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Rebecca swapped the cameras, looking at a dark blue hatchback parked in front of them. A person came out from the vehicle, looking surprised at the large LAV that just stopped behind him.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s him,¡± Rebecca said before heading to the rear of the vehicle.

    Kayla opened the rear hatch, and Rebecca stepped out, approaching the vehicle and its occupant. Kayla turned the steering wheel and moved the LAV away from the terminal¡¯s entrance. She parked the LAV in front of the hatchback, the rear hatch remained open as she moved around. The hatchback looked tiny when compared to the gigantic Tarup 57 parked in front of it.

    Rebecca brought the person into the vehicle, the hatchback disappearing from behind them. To Anton¡¯s eyes, it felt like they were knights tasked with escorting the king or something. Anton¡¯s eyes went to the man¡¯s face, who ducked down so he could enter.

    ¡°Ah,¡± he muttered in surprise. He recognized the man¡¯s features. His short white hair, his black eyes covered by his rounded glasses, and his large body.

    ¡°Anton, isn¡¯t it?¡± Barnum asked. Anton didn¡¯t expect to meet him again so quickly.

    ¡°Rebecca just told me about having someone bring us around, but I was not expecting to see you again.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it was you, either,¡± Anton replied.

    Anton went blank for a moment. He didn¡¯t know how to react. He wanted to convince him that the game was good, one worth fighting for, but he didn¡¯t know how. If P4ngea could be taken over by better management, and its bugs and various problems fixed, P4ngea could return to the popularity of its early days, but that meant putting a lot of resources into this dying game, resources that could be allocated to other projects.

    After some careful thought, Anton decided that if tried to push it too much, it would become obvious. Aripi¡¯s current security may be terrible enough to the point that he could plant such a code, but that may not be the case after the company got taken over. If anything, he needed to act normal.

    ¡°I want to thank you for your help the other day.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yeah, no problem. So¡­ how did the basketball match go?¡±

    ¡°You remember?¡± Barnum asked curiously.

    ¡°It¡¯s like, two days ago.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, yes. I¡¯m getting old. They won fifty-four to forty-two.¡±

    ¡°Congrats.¡±

    ¡°Really? Congratulations!¡± Kayla said excitedly from the driver¡¯s seat.

    ¡°You¡¯re Kayla, right? Thank you. I will convey this to Ronald,¡± Barnum answered with a smile.

    ¡°Huh, so you know each other?¡± Rebecca asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Barnum replied. Anton then explained the tank battle they had before. Rebecca¡¯s eyes locked on to.

    ¡°... You said you¡¯re not into PvP?¡±

    ¡°I got dragged into it,¡± he answered honestly.

    ¡°Besides, getting into a PvP battle by choice and getting attacked are two different things.¡±

    Rebecca averted her gaze.

    Looking back at it, even if it was just two days ago, his perspective on the event had changed. Maybe his renewed perspective on Kayla and the game in general made him enjoy things more.

    ¡°So, where do you want to go, Mr. Barnum?¡± Rebecca asked, sitting beside him on the vehicle¡¯s left seat.

    ¡°Have you not played this game before?¡± Anton asked to make sure.

    ¡°Not much. Unfortunately, I¡¯m quite busy. Ronald played more,¡± Barnum explained.

    ¡°Not just him, but Louis as well.¡±

    ¡°... Louis?¡±

    The mention of that name caused Anton to tense up. He had nothing but bad memories with the owner of that name. Of course, Louis wasn¡¯t a rare name, so it wasn¡¯t like he was the only one named that.

    ¡°Oh, my apologies. You probably don¡¯t know him,¡± Barnum waved his hands.

    ¡°A lot of people I know played the game. Well, most had left it, but some still played,¡± Barnum explained.

    Anton thought about asking why he wanted to close the game if that was the case, but remembered that that particular information would probably be a secret. It would be weird if him, an ex-employee, knew about it. He decided to go with the flow. The longer Anton was with him, the higher the chance of Barnum spitting something by accident. If Anton managed to make him spill things naturally, then he could devise a plan to counter Barnum¡¯s plans. He doubted it would be that easy, however.

    Just then, Rebecca noticed something appearing in her vision.

    ¡°Uhh¡­¡±

    She then started typing on her virtual screen.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Anton asked, while secretly typing a message of his own. He used the gunner¡¯s seat to try and cover his virtual screen, his right hand typing through the air.

    Anton occasionally tapped on the seat, to make it seem that he was just bored. What he was actually doing was typing a message to Kayla.

    ¡®Keep silent. Can you find us a world quest? A long one,¡± Anton used the fact that Barnum hadn¡¯t answered where he wanted to go to pull him along with them. He sent the message, hoping Barnum didn¡¯t notice. His question for Rebecca seemed to have succeeded in getting his mind off him.

    ¡°Just the boss asking how things are going,¡± Rebecca answered after replying. Dual Reality allowed the player to read real-world notifications and reply to them through the game.

    Many turned them off, however, including Anton. Rebecca then turned off the screen, before looking back toward Barnum. Anton noticed Kayla¡¯s reply, saying to leave things to her.

    ¡°So, Mr. Barnum, where do you-¡± Rebecca didn¡¯t finish the sentence when they felt a harsh force pulling them to the rear. They held in place, only to feel an equally harsh force coming from in front, throwing them around.

    ¡°Whoops,¡± Kayla muttered. Anton quickly returned his attention to the screen.

    ¡°... Huh?¡± Anton zoomed out, finding the red-blue lights of the police flashing in front of them, the police car stopped facing toward them. The NPC eventually reversed away from the LAV, but Kayla pressed the gas, crashing into it. She reversed again, turned right, and passed the left side of the police car, escaping.

    ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve triggered a quest.¡±

    A quest!?

    ¡°Woah!¡±

    ¡°AH!¡±

    Rebecca and Barnum held onto their seats, while Kayla used the turret to check their surroundings. A flash of red and blue lights followed behind them, joined by a second vehicle. Anton gripped the control stick and pulled the trigger, sending projectiles into the ground in front of the police cars. The explosion threw the vehicles into the air, although he could see no major damage. It should help them stop the police without raising their own wanted level.

    ¡°Sorry, I slipped,¡± Kayla said rather casually after driving away from the wreck. Anton knew that she did that on purpose.

    ¡°WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU SLIPPED?¡± Rebecca yelled, her body on the floor from all the turning they just did. Barnum extended his hand and pulled her back up.

    ¡°You¡¯re alright?¡± Anton asked. She patted her body.

    ¡°Well, you can¡¯t really feel pain so¡­¡± she shrugged and sat back down.

    ¡°What now?¡± she asked. The in-game police NPC may be useless, but that didn¡¯t mean they were going to let them go just like that. An in-game notification warned Anton, telling him that he was now a fugitive, being hunted by the Rurack police.

    ¡°Great, now we¡¯re the one being chased by a bounty,¡± Anton said, gripping the control stick.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get to business.¡±

 Chapter 24

    Twenty minutes later, they managed to escape the clutches of the Rurack police and escaped from the city. A bounty had been issued for their capture, both dead or alive, so returning to the city would be a no-go, at least not until the quest ended. To think someone out there would start searching for him, maybe receiving a quest similar to when he searched for the tank.

    ¡°You complained, yet you¡¯re the one that overdid it,¡± Kayla muttered.

    ¡°Well¡­ I have no answer to that,¡± Anton shook his head.

    The peace zone covered most of Rurack, so the NPCs couldn¡¯t kill him, nor could he kill them. Kayla¡¯s speed left them in the dust, her dangerous maneuvers allowing them to escape from the police. But, despite being so close to just escaping from them, Anton opened fire.

    He couldn¡¯t kill them, since he was in a peace zone, but he could destroy their vehicles, and he did exactly that. He had zero reason to fire his weapons, especially since they were about to escape, yet he chose otherwise. Now they needed to lay low for a while, until the heat died off and the mission canceled, but it would still take a couple of hours before that could happen.

    Which gave them the perfect chance to take a long world quest. Rebecca didn¡¯t understand their plans, and could only shake her head. Anton saw her facepalming, probably thinking that she had made a mistake by taking him and Kayla.

    It was too late now, however. Kayla then went off the road and drove across a dirt road. The vehicle slowed down as it made its way South. The uneven road shook its occupants, making the trip uncomfortable, to say the least. They traveled through the center of massive rice fields. The road became thinner the further away they went from the city, making driving a LAV without falling into them hard. Kayla opened the driver¡¯s hatch in hopes of getting a better view, while Anton used the turret to guard the LAV from any attackers.

    They saw two buildings standing above a rather large plot of empty land. The LAV approached it and stopped.

    ¡°We should be safe around here,¡± Kayla said, parking the LAV under the cover of a tarp that hung between the two buildings.

    In this world, this was probably used for displaying food or storing items, covering them from the heat. The black tarp covered the LAV like a blanket, making it harder for others to see it with the naked eye. A paved road ran right beside them, Anton not knowing where it came from and went to. He opened his map, checking the location. Deciding that the paved road, that headed for Rurack, was far enough off the main road, Anton concluded that the LAV was safe. Anton leaned back on his chair, thinking that they stopped to talk about their plans, but Kayla turned the LAV¡¯s engine off.

    Seeing her, the rest of the vehicle got out.

    ¡°Where are we?¡± Anton asked. Kayla opened the screen.

    ¡°Since we¡¯re out of Rurack, we¡¯ll need to wait for at least three hours before we can lose our heat,¡± Kayla said.

    ¡°So while we wait, how about we take a quest?¡± she suggested.

    Anton then checked his quest screen. Of course, he hadn¡¯t received any other quest outside the PvP quest. The PvP quest was simple. As the attacker, he needed to stay outside the city before he could return without consequences. The timer would be reset when the vehicle first attacked an NPC. Interestingly, the system wouldn¡¯t be triggered if a player attacked an NPC, but it would trigger a separate bounty hunting quest, where the player in question needed to survive attacks from hunters. They wouldn¡¯t be safe in a peace zone, making it incredibly hard. Anton shook his head, shaking the thoughts off. They stood far south from where they attacked the police, so he had no reason to worry.

    ¡°How about we try there?¡± Kayla asked, pointing her index finger toward a single wooden building standing in front of a hill. Rice fields separated the parked LAV from that building. Not having anything else to do, they went over to the building. Before entering, they noticed a small marking above the door, written in a weird-looking, gothic-style font.

    ¡°Urbsomvit?¡± Anton read the text.

    ¡°Is it the name of this location?¡± he asked Kayla. Kayla looked at the building, then looked down at the window below the writing, and waltzed straight for the window carved out beside the door.

    ¡°Hello?¡± she asked, peeking inside, but as Anton and the rest approached, they couldn¡¯t see anyone inside.

    Anton opened his virtual screen and found that a quest had been triggered.

    ¡°Lands of the Lost?¡± Anton said the name out loud, the second quest on his list. The PvP quest occupied the first slot, telling him to survive the bounty hunt. Now that he stepped outside the region, the clock ticked down, showing two and a half hours remaining before the game removed the bounty from on top of their heads.

    Kayla looked toward him, before looking back at the empty house. Kayla then moved toward the door and knocked three times on it.

    She received no reply.

    She looked behind toward Anton, as if asking what to do next. Anton stepped forward, put his hand on the handle, and pushed the door open. Inside the small house, no more than twenty-five square meters in size and didn¡¯t even have a floor, stood nothing but a radio on top of a wooden table.

    ¡°Excuse us,¡± Kayla said before venturing deeper. Anton checked his quest log, but this one didn¡¯t have any clues on how they should proceed.

    The empty room gave him a haunting feeling. It looked unnatural, especially with the large room yet tiny radio.

    ¡°We should probably ignore this and get going,¡± Rebecca said, but to everyone¡¯s surprise, Barnum shook his head.

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    ¡°I¡¯m curious. Let¡¯s play along for a while,¡± he said.

    Anton looked around. Since nothing else occupied the room besides the table and the radio, he decided to focus his attention on those two. He noticed that the table looked as if it had been just used. A small circle of water pooled on top of it, similar to how cold glasses left marks on a table. Anton touched the surface, noticing the wet feeling on the tip of his index finger.

    This table had just been used recently. Anton then looked toward the radio. The radio looked to be an older one, its design based on an older model. It had an antenna on its rear, with a rectangular stereo on top. Several knobs occupied the bottom section of the radio, along with two larger knobs on the left and right sides. The knobs had been used many times, evident from their faded silver color.

    Anton moved his hand. He approached the handle on the radio¡¯s top and touched it. He noticed that nothing changed and gripped the handle, before pulling the radio upward. It refused to move, so Anton pulled harder. All of a sudden, the radio disconnected from the table and was lifted up into the air, nearly thrown away. Anton felt his body moving backward, Kayla moving in time. She held him upright, preventing him from falling onto the dirt floor.

    ¡°You alright?¡± she asked, but Anton didn¡¯t get a chance to answer, as the house shook harshly, throwing everyone down.

    It shook for ten whole seconds. It felt like an earthquake, the force throwing all four down. As Anton fell, he felt his body hitting the ground. He didn¡¯t feel any pain, other than the cold sensation of the dirt below him, but the shaking continued, throwing him toward the wooden table. The wooden table collapsed after being hit, two of its legs breaking apart. The water droplets above it rolled down, dripping on Anton, making his head slightly wet.

    Once the shaking stopped the four got up. Anton used his left sleeve to wipe himself clean.

    ¡°What just happened!?¡± Rebecca asked, a hint of panic in her voice.

    ¡°You never played this quest before?¡± Barnum asked.

    ¡°No. Should we go back?¡± Rebecca replied, wanting to confirm. Barnum shook his head. He lifted his face, his eyes landing at a point away from the door. Anton looked toward the spot he looked at and noticed something that wasn¡¯t there when they first entered.

    A single torch placed on the wall, its flames lit up like a dance. The flames swung left and right, lighting up that side of the room. Anton and the rest approached it. They looked at it with great interest. Anton then extended his hand, about to touch it, but this time, he looked back. He waited for the approval of all three party members. Kayla nodded, Barnum gave him a thumbs up, while Rebecca looked at him full of doubt. She then shrugged, leaving their fate in Anton¡¯s hand. Anton pressed the torch, and the next second, the entire floor disappeared.

    The wooden walls were quickly replaced by stone rocks, their bodies falling freely through the air.

    ¡°WOAH!¡± Antons screamed. He looked down, finding nothing but darkness below them. Things became darker and darker as they continued falling into what seemed to be a never-ending shaft. It was different from the Sumbar hole, that one short enough that he easily survived the fall.

    This one, meanwhile, had been continuing for five entire seconds, and the end was still not visible. Anton continued falling for another five seconds. By this point, the darkness prevented him from seeing anything in front of him. He then felt his front side hitting something. He didn¡¯t feel any pain, but he did feel something touching his skin. It felt sticky like glue, thin like rope, and soft like fabric. He continued falling, however, with the feeling getting more intense with each passing second. He felt his body slowing down, held back by those things. He then felt the sensation disappearing, and the next thing he felt was freezing waters. He heard the sound of water splashing, muffled immediately as his entire body went under.

    ¡°SEA TORCH!¡± he screamed, water rushing into his mouth. A faint yellowish glow appeared around his body. He swam to the surface. The second he reached the water¡¯s surface, he spit all the water inside him out. He took a breather as he floated, before looking around him. The darkness that surrounded him prevented him from seeing anything, his glow not bright enough.

    ¡°Campfire!¡± He yelled his trusty spell. He lifted his right hand up as high as he could inside the water, painting what seemed to be a cave with a yellowish glow. He then saw Kayla appearing from the water, followed by Rebecca not long after. The two girls looked at each other before both diving back down to the depths. Not long after, they went back out, Barnum on Kayla¡¯s back. They then swam to shore with Anton leading the way.

    ¡°Phew¡­ What the heck?¡± Anton asked after getting back on solid ground. He kept his hand up, lighting up their surroundings. He turned and rested on the wall. Kayla brought Barnum to his right and put him down, before moving to Anton¡¯s left.

    ¡°Sorry, that was pathetic,¡± Barnum said with a chuckle.

    ¡°I can¡¯t swim,¡± he continued.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you use system assist?¡± Rebecca asked, sitting beside him.

    ¡°I didn''t know it existed,¡± Barnum explained.

    Streams, lakes, rivers, and even seas and oceans existed in the game, but most of them were concentrated in the southern areas of the map, with some being in the north. Exploring them required expensive equipment, so most players wouldn¡¯t have the money to explore them. It felt like a waste to Anton, so much effort spent on areas that people couldn¡¯t visit.

    Anton then looked around the room. He couldn¡¯t see a single thing, not even the hole they just went through. Anton turned off the campfire momentarily, wanting to get a breather. Once they returned to the dark, they noticed something glowing under the water. A silhouette made of green lights formed the outline of a door on the other end of the rock walls, covered by water. They decided to rest before continuing their journey. Depending on the setting, the player could set it so that the water dried quickly or naturally. If they set it to quick, then the water that soaked their clothes would be gone just a few seconds after they left the water, but if they set it to natural, then it would take a few minutes or even hours.

    Anton realized that out of four of them, only Barnum was soaking wet. Anton then approached him.

    ¡°Open your virtual screen.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Barnum lifted his left eyebrow, but he did as told.

    ¡°Go to settings, then game settings.¡±

    Barnum followed Anton¡¯s instructions.

    ¡°Set drying mode to quick,¡± Anton said before pulling himself away. Barnum clicked on the screen, and after a few more seconds, he dried off. It only worked once they left the water, of course. When inside, swimsuits would be preferable, but they had no way of getting them now.

    ¡°Campfire!¡± Anton shouted. A ball of flames lit up in his hand. Kayla stood up and followed him as he circled the cave. Rock occupied all sides of this cave. Anton assumed that they needed to go through the underwater door underwater, thus he turned off the flames and jumped into the water. Rebecca followed after him, while Kayla stopped and assisted Barnum down to the depths.

    Anton arrived in front of the rock door and pushed it open. It budged with little resistance. Anton swam through it, before realizing that almost no water leaked through. Once half of his body crossed the door, he felt a sudden imbalance to him and tumbled down, his head hitting cold hard rock. Rebecca failed to learn from his mistakes and landed on top of him. The two moved away, allowing Kayla to come with a perfect landing, all while carrying Barnum on her back.

    Once she crossed, she pushed the door shut.

    ¡°Must be magic,¡± Kayla said after turning around and addressing the group. Anton lit up his campfire spell once more, founding a long tunnel hiding in the darkness. They waited for their clothes to dry before moving forward into the depths.

 Chapter 25

    Anton and the rest walked for an entire minute, with the texture on both sides of the tunnel not changing the slightest. He held his hand up high, using his campfire skill to light up the way. Nothing but rocks filled all four sides of the tunnel. The group made their way forward. Their footsteps echoed throughout the tunnel, repeating an endless rhythm.

    ¡°Where are we¡­¡± Rebecca muttered. Anton glanced back at her. She looked like she could freak out at any moment. Well, to be fair, they were supposed to be escorting a very important person, one that can decide the future of the company, showing him around the game. She probably didn¡¯t expect them to drag him into the depths like this. As an active employee, whose future may be decided by this one event, Rebecca would naturally be worried, a little upset, even.

    Anton didn¡¯t comment, though. He didn¡¯t want to let out anything unnecessary. He gave Rebecca a reassuring smile, nothing else. Rebecca looked at him, before letting out a sigh, smiling and nodding, looking much more relaxed compared to before. Anton then glanced at Barnum.

    Despite being the oldest in the group, or well, most likely the oldest because he didn¡¯t actually know his true age, he looked forward with a slight glimmer in his eyes. Kayla, meanwhile, moved forward without the slightest hint of fear. She probably thought of this as another adventure.

    ¡°Do you know anything about this place?¡± Anton asked. Kayla, who had gotten quite far from the rest of them, stopped and waited.

    ¡°Nothing. Nothing in the database,¡± she said before continuing her steps beside Anton.

    ¡°It¡¯s one of those secret quests, I think,¡± she said before opening her virtual screen. Anton saw as she navigated to her quest menu. Anton got curious and did the same thing.

    ¡°Yeah, nothing in here,¡± he said. The quest¡¯s title, Lands of the Lost, still occupied the second slot. The game didn¡¯t provide an updated objective, though. It didn¡¯t show a single word about this quest. Anton then saw a line of lights in the distance. As they approached, it soon became apparent that those lights were torches. Anton approached it, confirming that the torches¡¯ design matched the one they saw in the house. Torches lined up on the right side of the tunnel, making the tunnel slightly narrower. Anton turned off the campfire skill he had been using and they continued following the lights.

    The torches were distanced three meters from each other, all with the same distance between them. After another few seconds, they finally saw what seemed to be the exit. A rectangular opening at the end of their path, light pouring in from whatever sat on the other side. They quickened their pace. They arrived at the edge, looking at the point beyond the exit. A fake sky stretched above them. Large LED screens covered the rocky roof, spanning throughout the entire roof. More than half of its panels were damaged, while the rest lit up, painting a bright blue image. It made it look like the city was under cloudy skies, with certain parts being brighter than others.

    They stood on top of a large half-pyramid-like building. Nothing but rock walls stood behind them, while a large concrete city stood before them. Concrete buildings filled the city, with towers as high as seven to eight floors dotting the landscape. Most of the buildings looked to be around the same height, not many shorter than five floors. A large circular building that spanned from the floor to the roof stood beyond all those buildings, away at the other end of the city.

    Anton and the rest descended the pyramid using stairs placed right in front of the exit.

    They made it to the pyramid¡¯s foot, before taking a cobblestone path down into the city. Whoever made this, placed the pyramid in an area above the city, with trees and bushes growing on both sides of the path. Most of the trees here looked similar to maple trees. The foliage covering wasn¡¯t dense, thus there were many empty plots of land in between the trees.

    ¡°Is this a world quest?¡± Rebecca asked.

    ¡°Probably,¡± Anton answered. This looked to be an entirely different thing compared to the Sumbar quest. As they descended, the desolate city felt more and more like a wasteland. They couldn¡¯t find a single NPC.

    They had no idea what they were supposed to do, they didn¡¯t even know if they were on the right track. The eerie feeling only increased after they entered the city itself. Empty streets filled with nothing but trash and dust, cars parked at various positions scattered on the streets with not a single one moving, several knocked down street lamps and damaged pavements. Who knows when someone last lived here.

    ¡°... What now?¡± Anton asked. They couldn¡¯t see a single person from their position.

    ¡°Are we supposed to escape from this place?¡± Rebecca asked. Anton shook his head.

    ¡°If all we need to do is escape, we can just reset and go back to the Rurack,¡± Anton answered.

    ¡°Except we can¡¯t, thanks to that little stunt you do,¡± Kayla retorted.

    ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t kill anyone!¡±

    ¡°You sure angered a lot of people, though,¡± Kayla folded her hands and looked away. Anton let out a sigh.

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    Anton¡¯s original plan involved him escaping the cops to spend as much time as possible with Barnum, hoping to understand his plans. He did not expect them to be stuck in an underground city.

    Kayla¡¯s words attracted Rebecca¡¯s attention, who looked at her with great interest.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you Anton¡¯s AI companion?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yes, yes I am,¡± Kayla said. Rebecca walked up to her, examined her from multiple angles, before shrugging. Kayla only looked at her, confused, before walking toward a car.

    She opened the front right door and entered the driver¡¯s seat. She sat down.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Anton asked, peeking through the opened door.

    Kayla searched for the key. She found them already dangling in the ignition and turned the car on. Anton leaned to the dashboard, finding the car to still have half of its tank left.

    ¡°Come on in.¡±

    The three then entered the passenger seats. Kayla pushed the gas and drove away. As they drove down the empty streets, Rebecca pulled herself in between the two front streets.

    ¡°...¡± she stared at Kayla, Kayla glancing back at her.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Anton asked.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­ she has¡­ how do I say this¡­ freedom?¡±

    ¡°Freedom?¡± Barnum asked, seemingly interested in the conversation. Kayla turned the steering wheel and changed course, heading away from the pyramid.

    ¡°I told him to delete me, but he refused,¡± Kayla stated flatly.

    ¡°Please forget about it,¡± Anton pleaded. Kayla smirked.

    ¡°Delete that part of me, then,¡± she answered. Anton fell silent from her words.

    ¡°What? You asking me to forget about things is the same as deleting my memories, isn¡¯t it?¡± Kayla teased him further, but Anton shook his head.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡±

    ¡°How-¡± Kayla didn¡¯t complete her question when he pushed the brakes. The other three looked through the front window, finding a single NPC, evident by her yellow armband, standing behind a hotdog stand.

    ¡°-Come¡­¡±

    ¡°Kayla, can you ask her about this?¡± Anton asked.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Kayla brought the car closer and left the car. Once she left, Anton let out another heavy sigh.

    ¡°She¡¯s quite an interesting AI, isn¡¯t she?¡± Rebecca commented.

    ¡°Why are you so against deleting her? Wait, why did she even ask you to delete her in the first place?¡±

    ¡°Long story short¡­ she disagrees with something I did two years ago, and asked me to delete her, as in all of her. Her memories and her personality,¡± he felt uncomfortable needing to explain that, but he felt if he didn¡¯t say anything, it wouldn¡¯t help his case with Barnum, nor would it make Rebecca any less interested.

    ¡°That¡¯s the personality the program decided for her. I feel if I forced her to do anything, even the smallest thing like deleting those painful memories, then she wouldn¡¯t be the same.¡±

    Rebecca nodded as she paid attention to Anton¡¯s explanation. The moment Anton finished explaining, Kayla turned around and headed back toward the car. As she headed back, the painful expression of her in that forest two years ago came back to his mind. If he could, he wanted to be the one to forget it. That memory was just a small portion of his life, only a small part of the experience he gathered in his years of living, so losing that particular part wouldn¡¯t change him.

    Or would it? He didn¡¯t know. Unlike Kayla, he couldn¡¯t delete a part of his memory just because he wanted to. But if he could, and if he did delete it, would he still be the same? Besides, that particular event changed his perception of Kayla drastically, making her more than just an AI companion in his eyes. Deleting that part from him would make him less of Anton, just like how it would make her less of Kayla. He wanted to preserve her memories intact. Whatever her programming decided to keep, he wanted to keep it.

    Kayla then returned to the car and opened the door.

    ¡°She has a story to tell, you want to hear it?¡± she asked. The rest of the car got off and made their way toward the NPC.

    ¡°This is my friends, Ma¡¯am, and they¡¯ll be helping us,¡± Kayla explained. She then introduced them one by one. The lady smiled, although, to Anton, her smile felt lonely somehow.

    ¡°Thank you very much for your help. Should I explain what happened here?¡±

    Anton and the rest nodded.

    ¡°This story started a few years ago,¡± the lady looked up to the LED sky with its flickering panels.

    ¡°Back then, I, my husband, and our daughter lived happily on the surface. Then a large calamity struck, and we were forced to evacuate¡­¡± she said, closing her eyes.

    ¡°We all evacuated to this underground city. Life became difficult after that. The city was a thriving place before the calamity, with its own population that lived separately from the dwellers from above. When the calamity happened, at first, they rejected us surface dwellers. A war then broke out between us and the local population. The fighting lasted an entire year. Many of those who survived the calamity died from the war. After a year, after countless sacrifices, there was finally space for us¡­ Thousands of lives were lost from both sides, my husband included,¡± the lady then looked toward the large circular building in the distance.

    ¡°My daughter died last year from a disease. As she let out her last breath in my arms, she said to me that she wanted to visit several places for the last time,¡± the lady said. She then reached under the hotdog stand. She brought out two bags of ashes.

    ¡°If you travelers are willing, can you spread her ashes in these two locations? The first would be her school, the second one is her best friend¡¯s old apartment. Once you finish the task, then I can truly move on,¡± the lady said. Kayla took the two bags into her hands.

    ¡°Consider it done,¡± she said. The lady nodded.

    ¡°Once you¡¯re done, please come see me again for one last bag. I will tell you the details later. The locations of both buildings should be on the bag.¡±

    Kayla then brought the bag up to her eyes, Anton and Rebecca peeking from beside her. Anton checked the map, finding a new map on his virtual screen. He then marked the streets for both buildings. Kayla gave him the bag. The four waved toward the lady and returned to the vehicle.

    ¡°Where to first?¡± Rebecca asked.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the apartment. It¡¯s closer.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kayla turned the wheel and drove off.

 Chapter 26

    Kayla parked the car in front of the empty apartment¡¯s lobby. It looked relatively clean for an abandoned building, its gray exterior looked untouched. Anton and the rest of the group entered the lobby. The empty lobby had been colored in a bright brown color, with tidy ceramic floor tilings forming the floor. They took a quick look around. Kayla got curious and approached a lounge area across from the receptionist''s desk. Several sofas with varying colors occupied the space, all looking clean as if some had just cleaned it yesterday.

    ¡°Did they just leave the place?¡± Anton asked as he approached Kayla.

    ¡°Maybe?¡± Rebecca muttered, standing behind him. He looked around, his eyes went for Rebecca. Rebecca shrugged. She approached a magazine rack and took a magazine from it.

    ¡°I think I heard of this before¡­ Missions relating to the third Pangea.¡±

    ¡°Third, what?¡± Anton asked. Rebecca then returned the magazine to the rack and motioned the rest of them to follow her. They headed for the elevator, walking past sparkling, clean floors.

    ¡°The in-game lore states that P4ngea is the fourth iteration of Pangea. I think that is mentioned in the game¡¯s promotion?¡±

    ¡°¡®Explore the fourth Pangea¡­ or something like that?¡± Anton asked.

    He remembered it being mentioned somewhere, but he couldn¡¯t remember. The game¡¯s promotion methods had changed substantially since its launch. He couldn¡¯t and had no reason to remember every one of those marketing campaigns. Despite that, he remembered the fourth Pangea mentioned somewhere, he just couldn¡¯t remember where. He may be entirely wrong and heard of that term from a quest or maybe one of his colleagues.

    Did Mana mention it? No¡­ I don¡¯t think so¡­

    ¡°Kinda? Well, from what I know, there are three other versions of Pangea before this one.¡±

    Rebecca then stopped in front of the elevator and pressed the button. To their surprise, the large metal doors opened, revealing the elevator inside.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we just use the stairs?¡± Anton asked. Barnum was the first one to enter, however, heading for the glass wall on the other side of the entrance.

    He grabbed the metal handles that circled the elevator and leaned in, his face just a few millimeters away from the glass. He could see a portion of the city outside the glass, most of it blocked by another building standing behind the apartment. Kayla checked the bag and pressed the number five. The elevator¡¯s doors closed and it moved upward. It didn¡¯t take them long to reach floor five. This apartment was taller than the building behind it, so once they reached floor five, they got a clearer view of the city, despite a portion of their view still being blocked by the tower¡¯s rooftops.

    In the distance, the pyramid basked in the sea of artificial sunlight. Anton and Barnum stood and watched at the landscape, while Kayla and Rebecca waited for them in front of the elevators. Once they were satisfied, the two turned and headed for the floor. The elevator¡¯s doors closed behind them, but the elevator itself stayed in its position.

    A typical intersection sat in front of the elevator, with lower numbers on the left and higher numbers on the right. Kayla read the numbers on those signs and turned left, arriving in front of a door.

    505

    Kayla knocked on the door, but no response came.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s unlocked?¡± Rebecca said, before reaching for the handle and pushing it down. The door moved, before getting itself stuck, refusing to budge. It let out a squeak as Rebecca put her weight into it.

    Anton then moved beside her and started pushing as well. Together, their strength managed to force the door open. The door slammed into the wall under their weight, letting out a loud sound as it hit the walls.

    ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± Kayla said. No one replied. They stepped into the apartment, heading into what looked to be its living room. The apartment had wooden floor tilings with white walls and ceilings. An opened sliding glass door stood on the other side of the living room, heading out toward the balcony. Not many things occupied the place, with the only interesting item being the old radio on the floor. It looked exactly like the one that they found on the surface.

    Anton and Rebecca looked at each other before looking back at the radio.

    ¡°It¡¯s important, isn¡¯t it?¡± Anton asked.

    ¡°It probably is,¡± Rebecca replied. She reached out her hand and grabbed the radio, but unlike before, nothing happened. She then stored the radio in her inventory. After that, they inspected the rest of the rooms. The kitchen had the kitchen set, dining table, and chairs intact, with no cooking utensils whatsoever. They were all empty, making it look like a new, pre-furnished apartment.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    They then checked the bathroom beside the kitchen. Like the kitchen, it had many of the fixtures like the toilet, bath, and sink. All of them were installed, without a speck of dust. There was nothing on them, though, nothing that indicated a human might have lived here. They then went to inspect the two bedrooms the apartment had. The first bedroom had a queen size bed in it. It had the mattress and the bed frame, but no pillows. Light shone into the room through the opened windows. The room also had an empty wardrobe, devoid of any clothing.

    They then moved back out and into the slightly smaller second room. This one had a single bed in it, while the walls had been colored pink, making it the only room in the apartment that didn¡¯t have white walls and ceilings. Like before, however, other than the heavy furniture that occupied the room, there was nothing else.

    ¡°What is this, a new apartment up for sale?¡± Rebecca commented. Anton couldn¡¯t agree more. It felt more like a show unit than a place where someone lived.

    ¡°Maybe they abandoned it once they returned to the surface?¡± Barnum commented. The three looked at him.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. It will explain why this city looks abandoned, but without much damage. Everyone went back to the surface,¡± Anton said.

    ¡°So that¡¯s what the lady meant by moving on¡­¡± Kayla put her fingers on her chin and nodded.

    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case, all we need to do is spread the ash and go back,¡± Rebecca said.

    ¡°Is there a specific place where we should spread them?¡± she asked. Kayla checked the bags and shook her head. She then moved toward the living room. She clenched the bag to her chest and kneeled down, facing the balcony.

    ¡°May your soul find peace,¡± she muttered, before opening the bag and gently scattering the ash to the floor. She clasped her hands together in front of the mountain of ash. They then felt a soft wind coming from the kitchen. It blew past them, a cool sensation tickling their skin.

    The wind picked up the ash and it floated around, before heading past the balcony and into the underground sky. The three humans looked at the ash as it flew away, while Kayla stood back up and turned around, as if the entire wind thing never happened.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said with a smile.

    The four returned back down to the ground floor, before heading out for the school. The school sat two blocks away from the apartment, going further to the left, away from the city¡¯s center. Kayla got in the car and drove toward it. Anton noticed how calm she acted, despite what they had just witnessed. Was it because Kayla was an AI, so she could understand what the rest of them didn¡¯t? Or was it because of the opposite, did she not feel the chill Anton felt?

    ¡°Oh, yeah, Rebecca, you didn¡¯t continue your story,¡± Barnum asked, intrigued.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. To put it simply, all three versions had been destroyed by something. The first one, named Pangea, had been destroyed by a large earthquake. The surviving members escaped to an island in the south. They rebuilt civilization there, and after a few years, returned to Pangea and started the second version, which was known as Pangea2.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    ¡°After a few hundred years of peace, there¡¯s a large war between kingdoms and nations. Pangea2 fell into chaos, and the land was destroyed. Nothing but destruction littered this land. Eventually, peace came, and they decided to make the third version of Pangea, in hopes of eternal peace. This third one is called Pang3a, that¡¯s P-A-N-G-Three-A.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting way to name this land,¡± Barnum commented.

    ¡°Where do you even get this info?¡± Anton asked.

    ¡°Quests, mostly. Anyway, this city is most likely a remnant of the third version, built at the end of the third era. Pang3a went a few centuries before large storms destroyed the surface, forcing everyone underground. After a while, they went back to the surface and rebuilt. Hence, the current Pangea, or P4ngea,¡± Rebecca concluded her explanation just as they arrived in front of the school.

    Kayla parked the car in front of the gate and the four stepped outside.

    ¡°This is a school?¡± Rebecca muttered. To Anton, it looked more like a university than a school. The school lacked the bright, cheerful colors often associated with schools, but instead, had a boring gray exterior. The large box-shaped buildings had six floors.

    ¡°Should we spread it here or¡­?¡± Rebecca asked. Kayla shook her head.

    ¡°We need to spread it in her class,¡± Kayla showed the class¡¯ code to the rest of them.

    ¡°Nine E?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± she then led the group into the school building. Like before, none of the doors had been locked. They waltzed right through the gate, heading deeper into the abandoned empty school.

    Again, it looked like a brand-new building. Nothing but the heavy furniture and fixtures was left behind. They didn¡¯t notice anything out of the ordinary for this particular setting and navigated to the class. The class nestled on the third floor, on the section farthest away from the gate, so it did take them a while before they reached the location. Anton noticed the similarities in the building¡¯s interior, with both the school and apartment having white walls and ceilings. The main difference came from the floor, with the school having white ceramic floor tiles.

    Once they arrived at the front of the classroom, Kayla went to the door and peeked through a thin, long rectangular window that ran vertically through the right part of the door. They entered the room, finding a clean classroom. Wooden chairs and tables colored in almond brown color filled the area.

    They then approached the center of the room, noticing one different table from the rest of them. Anton touched it, but for some reason, this one refused to budge. He couldn¡¯t get it into his inventory, either. Kayla looked toward the outer side of the walls, toward the line of glass windows that allowed light into the room. Anton looked toward it, realizing that one of the windows, the one in the center, straight across from the table, was opened. He moved away, allowing Kayla to move in.

    Kayla sat down in the chair behind the table and clenched the last bag near her chest, before spreading the ash onto the table. This time, a gust of wind came from the window, blew through the ash, and lifted them up. The ash floated near the ceiling for a moment, before moving back outside and into the sky.

    Kayla stood back up and looked toward them.

    ¡°Should we head back?¡±

 Chapter 27

    To Anton and the rest, what just happened felt like a weird horror story. Right after Kayla stood up, Anton touched the table again, and as if a seal had been lifted, the table now could move. He then stored it in his inventory.

    The ash, the wind, and even the recurring radio, and table all felt weird. He glanced at Kayla, who didn¡¯t seem to be bothered in the slightest. They arrived in front of the hotdog stand, the lady still standing there.

    At least she hadn¡¯t disappeared, yet.

    He thought as they approached her.

    ¡°Welcome back.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re back, and we¡¯ve done all the tasks, Ma¡¯am,¡± Kayla reported. The lady then smiled.

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Here are your rewards,¡± the lady said, handing Kayla two bags.

    ¡°On the surface, there¡¯s a small wooden house. Please spread this last one there,¡± she pointed toward the bag on the left. While it looked similar to the bags they received before, this one looked slightly larger.

    ¡°And these are the rewards. Please take it as my thanks,¡± she said while pointing to the one on the right.

    ¡°Ah, thank you so much.¡±

    ¡°By the way, if you don¡¯t mind me asking, how do we leave?¡± Rebecca asked. The lady turned and pointed toward the large circular building in the distance.

    ¡°That¡¯s the elevator. Inside you will find a way to return to the surface.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Thank you very much.¡±

    They bid their goodbyes to the lady and headed for the elevator. Silence filled the ride there. Before driving, Kayla handed the rewards to Anton. Anton opened it, finding some money inside, which was automatically added to his in-game account.

    That¡¯s weird.

    He opened the trade screen and transferred some of the money to Rebecca and Barnum.

    ¡°... Are these the rewards?¡±

    ¡°I divided it between the three of us.¡±

    ¡°Not in a quest complete screen or something?¡±

    ¡°Well, we still need to spread that last bag.¡±

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re right.¡±

    As they continued their trip, Anton reflected on what had happened so far. He knew of ancient cities, cities from the previous versions of Pangea. While he hadn¡¯t visited many of those cities, most of the places that he did visit were destroyed, with barely anything left.

    This was the first time he had visited a place that should count as an ancient city, yet looked perfectly fine. He also found it weird how Kayla, despite the weird things they saw, seemed unaffected by it. He made a mental note, making sure he remembered to ask her about it. After a few more minutes down the empty streets, they arrived at the circular building. The building had a much larger size compared to any other building in the city, not even the pyramid could defeat it. Anton predicted that the building¡¯s size was around two soccer fields in length.

    They found a large entrance that faced the pyramid, the pyramid¡¯s figure hidden behind the tall towers that stretched up to the LED sky. Black paint coated the building¡¯s exterior, with horizontal red lines dividing the building into several sections. They entered into what looked like the building¡¯s lobby. A table occupied both sides of the entrance, while a line of elevators occupied the space across the entrance, each elevator around the side of two buses placed side-by-side. Like all other buildings, this one had nothing else inside.

    The clean, sapphire blue walls along with the black floor tilings didn¡¯t do anything to alleviate the weirdness of this quest. Anton and the group chose the elevator in the center. All of the elevators had their metal doors opened, so Anton could go right in. The panel only had two buttons, SU and UG. The screen on top of the panel showed the letters UG, which probably meant Underground. Anton pressed the SU, assuming it meant Surface, button and the metal doors closed shut.

    The elevator started moving upward, their bodies being pressed down to the floor. Anton looked around the elevator. The elevator had metal walls on all sides, preventing them from seeing anything. He couldn¡¯t tell how long before they reached the surface, nor could he tell how fast he was going, so he decided to just sit down.

    Even if the game couldn¡¯t simulate fatigue, he felt tired, far more tired when compared to his adventures in the Sumbar quest or the PvP quest against that tank. He checked the quest menu. The PvP quest¡¯s clock continued ticking, before eventually landing on the number zero and disappearing from the quest screen. They received a little reward for surviving.

    The second quest, Lands of the Lost, still had nothing. It now moved up, occupying the first slot of the quest screen. Secret quests were weird ones, he thought. If Kayla didn¡¯t come with him, and he didn¡¯t pay attention to the dialogue, then he wouldn¡¯t be able to complete it. To be fair, the quest didn¡¯t have that much dialogue in the first place. If he forgot, he could probably talk to the NPC again.

    The others continued standing in the elevator, Rebecca looking down on Anton. Her eyes stared at him blankly, her hands limp, her back on the elevator¡¯s walls. She continued eyeing Anton as she stood, while Barnum looked at the panel as arrows pointing upward went by and go. Other than that little arrow animation, nothing else changed.

    Anton didn¡¯t say a word. He pulled himself to the corner of the elevator, A bit far from where he previously sat, and leaned back on the wall. Seeing him, Kayla went beside him and sat down. Finally, Barnum and Rebecca sat down as well.

    ¡°Quite the journey, eh?¡± Rebecca said with a chuckle.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°What do you think, Mr. Barnum?¡± Anton asked. Barnum shook his head.

    ¡°It truly is something,¡± he said with a slight smile.

    ¡°I wonder how things would be if the kids were the ones to take it,¡± he continued.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ truly one weird experience.¡±

    ¡°But to think the past developers really modeled an entire city for that one quest¡­¡± Rebecca muttered.

    ¡°That¡¯s probably not the case. Some events may take place there, and I saw some of the assets at other places. Crafting an entire city like that for just one quest is excessive,¡± Anton explained.

    ¡°Ah, yes, that makes sense,¡± Rebecca nodded. Eventually, they felt the elevator slowing down. Anton and the rest stood up, ready to greet sunlight. The two metal doors opened, and as they stepped out, they found themselves back in the wooden house that first started their journey. They looked back, finding the elevator no longer existing.

    Kayla stepped forward, standing in the now empty spot where the table and the radio once stood. Anton exchanged looks with Rebecca. Anton then pulled the table out from his inventory and put it where the original table was, while Rebecca put the radio on top of the table, trying to be as accurate in placement as possible.

    Finally, Kayla took the bag out. She clenched it close to her chest, similar to how she did it on the two previous occasions. She then gently poured the ash above the table right beside the radio.

    ¡°May your soul, too, rest peacefully,¡± she muttered. The four looked at the table, did little prayers, before leaving the house. Once they left the house, they looked back. An empty plot of land lay behind them.

    ¡°Maybe we should have exited while looking back?¡± Rebecca asked.

    ¡°Or maybe we should have walked backward?¡± Anton said. Kayla shook her head.

    ¡°No, let¡¯s leave them to rest,¡± she said, much to everyone¡¯s confusion, and went back to the LAV.

    By the time they arrived back at Rurack Adventure Terminal, the police no longer cared about them.

    ¡°So, this is where the tour ends, eh?¡±

    ¡°As weird as that is, I had a wonderful experience. I am looking forward to playing with you again,¡± Barnum said. He added Rebecca and Anton as friends before leaving the terminal.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be going as well, then,¡± Anton said, about to head back to the LAV when Rebecca reached out and held her. He looked at her, confused, then noticed the arrival of a friend request.

    ¡°See you around,¡± she said as she hopped into her own car and drove off. Anton then looked at his AI companion, Kayla. Kayla nodded and the two entered the LAV.

    ¡°Take us to the most expensive hotel in the city,¡± Anton said, leaning back in his seat.

    ¡°Eh? You sure?¡±

    ¡°After that, I¡¯m in the mood for some luxury.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Kayla set the location on her map and drove off.

    Someone decided to place a five-star luxury airport near the hotel. When Anton arrived, an airplane came in to land not far above them. He watched as it disappeared behind the lines of buildings.

    Is it five-star when it¡¯s this loud?

    The sound could be turned down, but he thought five stars should be farther away from a busy airport. It did meant that after a nice rest, they could quickly continue their journey.

    Anton checked in with Kayla. He went to bed right after he entered the room, while Kayla opened some of the welcome snacks the hotel provided.

    ¡°Want some?¡± she stood up and walked toward Anton, a piece of white chocolate in her hand. Anton opened his mouth and Kayla dropped the chocolate into it.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°No problem.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to log out real quick. I¡¯ll return later.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kayla replied. She took a bite from the chocolate and sat down on a chair.

    <ul>

    <li>??</li>

    </ul>

    Kayla looked at Anton¡¯s body. She turned and sat down on the bed beside him. Anton was logged out, not asleep. He hadn¡¯t told her to do anything, so she could do whatever she wanted. Whatever she did wouldn¡¯t wake him up. He lived in an entirely different world from her.

    She lay down on the bed beside him and turned around, her face facing his back. She reached out for his left hand and hugged it.

    ¡°You¡¯re not logged out,¡± she muttered, her mouth close enough to his ears. She was sure that he didn¡¯t log out. She was an AI companion, after all.

    ¡°... You¡­ got me,¡± she heard Anton¡¯s voice. He turned around, now facing her. The two looked into each other¡¯s eyes. The boy that lay right in front of her, the heat coming from his body¡­

    A real-life human, one with flesh and blood, one requiring food and sleep, something entirely different from her cold self, something no more than a line of code.

    ¡°Anton,¡± yet she called his name, her voice faint and weak, her grip on his hand tightening.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Anton asked with a soft tone, a soothing voice that in this world only she could hear. She had accompanied his side ever since she was made, and in all of her time, he never heard him uttering words with that kind of tone to anyone else. She understood that she was special to him, her programming allowed her to think so.

    ¡°I¡¯m scared¡­¡± she muttered, her virtual throat hoarse. She could feel a code in there somewhere generating pain in her virtual body, one that the game shouldn¡¯t be able to do. Her heart hurt so much that she felt like she could explode at any moment, despite knowing that as an AI companion, she should be incapable of feeling that way.

    ¡°It will be alright,¡± Anton reached out his right hand and patted his head, his virtual hand stroking her virtual hair. She let out a faint smile.

    ¡°Can¡­ I-¡± she didn¡¯t complete her sentence when she saw Anton pulling himself closer, pulling her into his embrace. She knew that she was just an AI companion, that the heat that was generated from his body was nothing but virtual parameters being changed. Yet, she felt her personality, her programming telling her that it all would be alright. As long as he was here with her, she would be just fine.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Anton finally asked, his faint voice only barely visible in her ears.

    ¡°That quest¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s sad, isn¡¯t it?¡± he said. Kayla looked up at him, his gaze meeting hers. His virtual eyes, despite technically just a virtual representation of the real him, felt as genuine as he himself.

    ¡°The mother¡­¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s¡­ dead. What we saw was an illusion, right?¡±

    Kayla nodded.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ An illusion created by the strong will of her to bring her daughter back to the surface.¡±

    ¡°And that last bag is a mix of both of their ashes.¡±

    ¡°... You know?¡±

    ¡°Just a guess. I mean, the last bag did look different from the two earlier ones. It got more ash in it.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and she said that now she can pass on.¡±

    ¡°We helped her fulfill their final wishes.¡±

    ¡°To once again see the surface,¡± Kayla then pulled herself closer, their body touching at this point.

    ¡°I¡¯m scared. I don¡¯t want to disappear¡­¡±

    Not wanting to be reduced to just an NPC.

    ¡°I won¡¯t let that happen to you.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m just a program.¡±

    ¡°Not to me, you¡¯re not. I¡¯m going to make sure that you stay this way.¡±

    Hearing his words, his warm breath blowing through her ears, she let out a smile.

    ¡°Thank you, Anton.¡±

 Chapter 28

    ¡°Alright, Marrow Peaks, here we come,¡± Kayla said as she pushed the throttle. Rurack airport had a long runway, and Anton felt curious about how it felt like if they took off normally, like a normal airplane. He flew with planes before, but never a fighter jet.

    Back when they took off from Murkmar, Kayla did a vertical take-off. Once they were airborne, Kayla rotated the nozzle backward, pushing the plane forward, but the rotation was slow to allow the plane to maintain its altitude while increasing its speed. The acceleration from a normal take-off felt far stronger.

    ¡°Will we even be able to reach it?¡±

    ¡°As long as we didn¡¯t fight anyone, although by then our fuel would be thin,¡± Kayla replied. Anton leaned back, resting his body on his seat as the jet increased in speed and altitude. He looked out of the cockpit, which gave him a good view of his surroundings. The landscape extended to the distance, the sun going farther behind them.

    As they flew farther away from the center of the map, the sky started to darken, replaced by tiny lights twinkling in the distance. He looked to his right, to the north, and found a starship traveling in the opposite direction to them, flying a few thousand meters higher than their current altitude. The sight of it reminded him of the abandoned city, the one located deep underground.

    He couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that this was just another version of that world. Those stars that twinkle in the afternoon sky, as the eternal darkness slowly replaced the light of the sun, were nothing more than LED screens feeding light into this world. He knew everything was just a simulation, a game, a world a computer fed to his brain. It was fake, everything here wasn¡¯t real, it wasn¡¯t supposed to be. Nothing more than code, he thought, code that he participated in developing. Yet, seeing the sights filled him with various feelings that he couldn¡¯t describe.

    He was just a little cog in the massive program, a single variable.

    This world continued to tick, whether he was here or not. It could only move forward, and never backward. The time he spent here, the time he spent with Kayla. The encounters he met, the friends he made, all part of this journey of his. A world that felt as real as the real world.

    ¡°Anton.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Just curious, why Marrow Peaks?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°Camping.¡±

    ¡°Camping?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°I see. It has been a while, hasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°A long while.¡±

    It was his hometown, in a way. Marrow City, located at the foot of Marrow Peaks, the place where he first spawned into this world, the place where he met Kayla and started his adventure. As his journey progressed, he went farther east, going into the eternal day from the eternal night. He managed to reach the center of the world, and bought a home in Alvandor.

    With the end of the game looming in front of him, its future uncertain, he wanted to visit his hometown one last time, and spend some time there. He had no idea when the game would officially end, and he didn¡¯t want to ask Rebecca for updates on the case either, but he may never have the chance to explore the game¡¯s eastern map. It was unfortunate, but he couldn¡¯t do anything about it.

    He wanted to prioritize ending it where it all began.

    ¡°Anything you wanted to do once we arrived there?¡± Anton asked.

    ¡°Actually, I do¡­ but it¡¯s a weird one,¡± Kayla replied, her voice weakening as the sentence went on.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to buy an apartment.¡±

    Anton remained silent, surprised. Buying a house or apartment wasn¡¯t something unnatural, per se. Some players, although not many, wanted to have a house. A house didn¡¯t really have much use in the game. The game didn¡¯t allow teleport, so having multiple houses didn¡¯t really benefit the player in any particular way. But sometimes, even without real benefit, some still saw it as a cozy place to return to after a day of adventuring.

    He was more shocked of Kayla being the one making that request. AI companions do have things they want, and would sometimes make requests, but not much nor often. When they did say they wanted something, it often had something to do with the players themselves. An AI companion could ask the player to upgrade their weapons so they could better protect them, for example. As an AI companion, Kayla should know that a house didn¡¯t serve any unique function, yet she made that request anyway.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Anton replied instantly.

    ¡°You sure?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll do anything for you.¡±

    ¡°Aww, thanks a lot,¡± Kayla replied, returning to controlling the plane. As Anton looked at the instruments, looking at the small numbers spread across the instrument panel, he wondered why Kayla asked him that. What did she want with an apartment?

    Well, Anton would still buy it, even if she had zero reason for asking that. Kayla rarely asked something from him. He had the money, and Marrow City was a special place for him. They would also be staying there for a while, maybe until the game ended. If the game ended tomorrow or the day after, then the stacks of cash in Anton¡¯s account would all be gone anyway.

    He wanted to create memories with her, and if fulfilling that request could help him, then he didn¡¯t mind spending some money. As the sky darkened, the little twinkles grew brighter. Patches of light started spreading, marking active cities and villages, decorating various spots on the ground. As the plane descended, the lights became clearer, with buildings of various kinds sprouting from the ground.

    Streetlights mingled together creating one large string of lights traveling across the map.

    ¡°Dear passengers, this is your captain speaking, please prepare for landing,¡± Kayla said cheerfully. She turned the plane and aligned it with the airport¡¯s runway. Anton received the notification, telling him that he entered a peace zone. He couldn¡¯t see the airport¡¯s runway, the front panel blocking him, so he trusted Kayla on it and enjoyed their approach.

    The buildings grew larger and larger. Cars made their way through the streets, with several NPCs enjoying a casual walk in the night. The field below Anton soon transitioned into a little river. Anton and Kayla flew above the waters. Anton watched the world from both the left and right of his canopy, enjoying the view as they got closer and closer to the ground. The river soon changed into solid land, the green grass changing to black asphalt.

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    The jet touched down, shaking as its landing gear rested down on the surface. Kayla pushed the brakes, causing the jet to reduce speed. She then turned around at an exit, and taxied to a hangar. From outside the hangar, a twin-engined propeller plane came out. The plane carried bombs underneath its wings, its cockpit in a unique bubble-like shape.

    Anton watched as it taxied away to the end of the runway. Kayla, meanwhile, brought the plane into the hangar. Like before, ground crews came and attached ladders to the jet. The two got off the jet and headed for the exit.

    The cold night air blew on them as they left the hangar and walked to the empty street in front of them. The sounds of engines filled the air, coming from the airport, with the voice growing louder every time a plane took off. In the midst of all the noise, he could hear the voice of crickets hidden behind all the sound.

    He then navigated the virtual screen and ordered the LAV from the vehicle menu. The Tarup 57 spawned not far from them, and they made their way to their vehicle. As usual, Kayla got in the driver¡¯s seat while Anton climbed in the rear.

    ¡°Where should we go?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Let¡¯s find an apartment, first,¡± Anton said.

    ¡°Okay. Should we go to the agency, then?¡± Kayla opened her screen and scrolled through the map.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Kayla set a marker on the map and drove that way. The vehicle¡¯s thick armor prevented the installation of any windows, as those windows would serve as weak spots. Anton watched as the view went by from the cameras attached to the vehicle. Anton enjoyed cold nights, feeling that the air felt a lot more fresh when compared to the day. He could feel that freshness in the air of this city, even if Marrow, being a city engulfed in eternal night, would always be busy regardless of the hour, that being the truth for almost all locations in this world. The program had NPCs set to different things at different times, maintaining a little crowdedness in the game¡¯s world. The game¡¯s randomizer gave them random tasks at different times, so there would always be people regardless of time. Like Oakport, Marrow too suffered the reduction of player count, Anton not seeing as many players as before.

    Despite that, Marrow still had its own charm, maybe the lack of players helped with it. Anton wanted to enjoy the night air, so he moved forward and kneeled behind Kayla''s seat, his hands gripping the seat¡¯s rest. Kayla glanced back at him before opening the driver¡¯s hatch. The fresh night air blew into the armored vehicle.

    ¡°It sure feels nice,¡± Kayla commented.

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Anton nodded. Just then, they felt the wind picking up all of a sudden. A helicopter passed by them, flying just a few meters above them, blowing wind all around the place.

    ¡°... I don¡¯t know that thing can fit here,¡± Anton said, only to see the helicopter¡¯s blade hit the side of an office building. With them being inside a peace zone, the helicopter couldn¡¯t damage the building, but the same couldn¡¯t be said for itself. Its rotor broke apart, and the entire thing crashed onto the road.

    It flew low enough that it didn¡¯t explode after impact. The twisted metal settled on the road, blocking access, the pilot coming out from the helicopter¡¯s wreckage. Kayla turned around, taking an alternative route.

    Anton sighed at the sudden change of events. They took one of the smaller streets, careful to not hit anything themselves, and went to the agency.

    ¡°Which one?¡± Kayla asked, her hand on the tablet. Using her finger, she slid through the various selections.

    Many of these apartments were made using copy-pasted assets, with differences in style, color, and layout, but in general, they look similar enough. Apartments, acting like houses, could be bought empty as well, leaving the player the freedom to customize their homes. Thus, the two things that made apartments and houses important weren''t their looks, which could be customized, nor their usefulness, as they serve no special purpose.

    Location and price became a much more important deciding factor when it came to real estate. Players who bought the apartments tend to set it as their home in this world, meaning a place to wake up from and return to. While in theory logging out outside in the wilderness would be optimal, minimizing the time required to get from one spot to the other, it made the game feel less immersive. Less like real life. He couldn¡¯t deny the cozy feeling of having a home to come back to. Thus, apartments located close to the Adventure Terminals cost more thanks to their locations. Vacation homes, meanwhile, were expensive because of the place they were placed in, Anton¡¯s own house in Alvandor being one example.

    Anton decided to check the apartment closest to the Marrow Adventure Terminal. He stood left of Kayla, looking at the tablet. He brought his hand above the screen, prompting Kayla to pull her hand back. He then chose the location and looked through its offering.

    It offered several different units, with the larger and more expensive ones occupying the top floors. Those offered a great view of the concrete jungle, and even a view toward the airport. The building sat just a few hundred meters from the Adventure Terminal, making it the perfect spot. Anton selected a unit, revealing several different customization options.

    ¡°Should we choose a style or¡­?¡±

    The screen showed various different pre-furnished options.

    ¡°You won¡¯t decorate it, though.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true.¡±

    There were the classic white and wooden brown. The elegant black and red. A vibrant yellow, gray, and light green. A colorful red, blue, and green, along with various other styles. Anton decided to go with the classic luxury colors of white, gray, and wooden brown. He didn¡¯t choose it yet, however. Instead, he moved away from the tablet.

    ¡°Which one do you like the most?¡± he asked.

    Kayla, being the AI companion, would be the one stuck in this world. He wanted her to at least enjoy being there. Kayla moved forward once again, checking through the list. Surprisingly, she decided to go with the same style as Anton.

    ¡°How about this one?¡± she asked while pointing to the style. Anton nodded and looked toward the lady that sat behind the receptionist''s table.

    ¡°Very well, would you like to check the apartment?¡± she asked. Anton and Kayla nodded. A new marking appeared on Anton¡¯s map, a new quest in his quest list. Of course, this quest wouldn¡¯t reward him, functioning as a guide for the player.

    The lady stood up and followed Anton and Kayla back to their LAV. She was forced to sit in the cramped rear as they headed off to the apartment, which luckily wasn¡¯t located far from the agency. Being a game, once Anton entered, he found the apartment already in the style he requested. Immediately after entering, he was greeted with the wooden panels that formed the floor. A separate bathroom occupied the space left of the entrance. Moving deeper, they found the kitchen on the left side with a bedroom on the right. Anton realized that this apartment in particular felt quite similar in layout to the one in the underground city, just much larger and fancier. The apartment had clean white walls with a light gray ceiling.

    Various different furniture filled the kitchen, made with a mix of wood and granite. It also came with a dining table and seats for six people. The apartment¡¯s living room occupied the space beyond the kitchen and dining room. It had a sofa, a glass coffee table, and a large TV. A large ceiling-to-wall window sat beyond the living room, giving a magnificent view of Marrow City. The apartment lacked a balcony, however, different from the one in the ancient city. On the right side were two large, separate bedrooms, both with king-size beds.

    A screen asking for confirmation appeared in front of Anton. It listed the property¡¯s price. The price was quite steep, but not too expensive, pretty decent for an apartment of this size. He looked at the amount left in the account before making the decision to press the button. The system processed the transaction before showing confirmation that it had succeeded. The screen closed, and the apartment officially became theirs.

    ¡°Thank you very much for your purchase,¡± the agent said before giving him his physical set of keys. The game didn¡¯t use normal locks, unless the player chose to, but it was a nice item to have. With her job done, the NPC turned around and left the apartment. Anton looked around before sitting down on the sofa.

    He didn¡¯t turn on the TV, but instead turned his head toward the beautiful lights that shone outside his apartment windows.

    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± Kayla asked, sitting down next to him. The game didn¡¯t simulate interior light reflecting off the windows, making the view outside clear as if all the lights were turned off.

    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll log out for a bit, for dinner,¡± Anton said, bringing his attention back toward Kayla. Kayla¡¯s lips twirled upward and nodded.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡±

    Anton turned his head back forward and rested his body on his brand-new sofa. He closed his eyes and left the game.

 Chapter 29

    Once Anton returned, he realized that he had received a message from a friend. He looked around, finding Kayla not beside him. He put the message on hold and got up to search for her. He first checked the kitchen, before knocking on the bathroom. Not finding her, he went to the bedroom.

    In the bedroom farthest away from the exit, he found her on top of the bed, cuddling a body pillow in her embrace. Her eyes closed, her breathing calm. Anton didn¡¯t want to mess with her, so he sat down next to her and observed her sleeping face. AI companions didn¡¯t need sleep, of course, but her programming probably registered her as being tired after the long trip she went to get here, thus sending her to sleep.

    Her beautiful sleeping face captivated him, making him forget that she was an AI for a moment. She then turned to face Anton, still asleep. Thanks to her movement, a string of hair fell into the front of her mouth, accidentally slipping into it. Anton slowly reached for it and moved it away. He then leaned back on the chair beside her.

    He remembered the message and opened it. It was from Ronald.

    ¡®Hey, how are you?¡¯ the message said. Anton typed in a reply.

    ¡®I¡¯m good. What¡¯s up? Oh, congrats on the victory.¡¯ Anton sent the message and closed the screen.

    He wondered if he could get close to him and asked Ronald to negotiate with his father. It would be nice if he could use him that way, but he doubted it would work. In the end, Barnum was a businessman. If P4ngea didn¡¯t make enough money to support itself, then there would be no reason to keep it up just for AI companions.

    But¡­ If the game closed¡­

    It wouldn¡¯t be just Kayla that would disappear. Kayla was the lucky one, in a way, as she had a backup of herself in Anton¡¯s local computer. That in of itself was weird, primarily because that meant what Anton kept was a version of her, as in a second iteration of Kayla, and not this Kayla. They have the same personalities, same memories, and the same programming, but they live in entirely different worlds, with one created on top of the other. It didn¡¯t feel right.

    But for Kayla, she still had that at the very least. How about Cecily, Mia, and Lily? If Ronald asked his father to save them, will Barnum agree? And how about the AIs disconnected from the entire ordeal?

    How about Mana¡¯s Jerrico? Did Mana have her own way of saving him? How about Daisy¡¯s Lucy and Michal¡¯s Lea, would they feel sad losing them? How about Charlotte¡¯s Sophie, who provided Charlotte with actual support?

    How about Rito and his brother, the AI that turned from an NPC into a companion? How about them?

    How about the countless other AI companions who acted as friends, as partners to players who were unfortunate enough to not have real-life friends? How would those players feel once they knew that everything ended? Would they be able to move on?

    Anton looked back down at Kayla. If she was awake and could read his mind, he knew that Kayla would ask him to rescue them all. Copy all their data and save it to his own personal computer before uploading it online, so one way or the other, people could be reconnected with their AI companion.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Anton doubted that his computer would be able to handle the weight of them all, however. Saving just the program was one thing, but the memories and personalities as well? These were complex AI companions, with much data that supported them. If he were to save all that data, he probably wouldn¡¯t have enough free space to rescue them.

    Delete me¡­

    Kayla¡¯s painful words echoed in his head. He clenched his fist and gritted his teeth. If Kayla knew about this, then she would surely choose that route. If that meant rescuing everyone¡­

    ¡°Never say that again¡­¡± Anton whispered, feeling an ache in his heart, something that the game shouldn¡¯t be able to do. He let out a heavy sigh, holding his breath so that it didn¡¯t become too loud.

    He continued watching his AI companion as she rested. Her AI program probably knew about Anton¡¯s return, but decided not to wake up. She probably waited for him to wake her up, but Anton already decided not to.

    Anton then found a reply from Ronald. He opened the message and read through it.

    ¡®Thanks. You must have heard that from my dad. I heard you got stuck underground or something?¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, it¡¯s a long story¡­¡¯

    ¡®I wish I could go with you. By the way, where are you now?¡¯ the message said. Anton typed in his reply and sent it. It didn¡¯t take long for this one to be replied.

    ¡®Cool. Me and my sibling would be there for a quest. Want to join us?¡¯

    Sibling? Does it mean¡­

    ¡®You mean Caleb and Luke?¡¯ Anton asked. He knew that it wasn¡¯t them. He remembered Barnum telling him that Caleb and Luke came from the same basketball team.

    ¡®No, they¡¯re my school friends. This one is someone different.¡¯ the reply came. Anton had a feeling, remembering a certain someone mentioned somewhere.

    ¡®Oh, can you tell me who it is? I¡¯m curious.¡¯

    ¡®Well, he used a different name in-game. SkeletonLayer97. We didn¡¯t call him that in-game, though, it¡¯s weird. We called him Louis.¡¯

    Louis.

    Anton tensed up after hearing that name. He gulped, thinking for a moment. He reminded himself that there existed multiple Louis in this world, and decided to confirm it.

    ¡®Louis? Is it Louis Harrison by any chance?¡¯

    ¡®Wow, you know him? I didn¡¯t expect you two to know each other. That¡¯s really cool.¡¯

    ¡®Haha, yeah. But can you not tell him? It¡¯s for a surprise.¡¯

    ¡®Okay, then. My lips are shut!¡¯

    ¡®For the surprise, do you mind calling me something else?¡¯

    ¡®What should I call you? Anton is your in-game username, right?¡¯

    Anton then looked toward the sleeping Kayla, before looking back at the virtual screen.

    ¡®Lykon, and don¡¯t say anything about me or my real name. Keep me a secret until I say so.¡¯

    ¡®Your wish is my command.¡¯

    ¡®Great, where do we meet up?¡¯

    ¡®How about at the Adventure Terminal, fifteen hours from?¡¯

    Anton counted the time. He wondered why Ronald didn¡¯t just specify a time from the in-game clock, or trade timezone information, but he didn¡¯t ask about it.

    Nine in the morning¡­

    ¡®Alright.¡¯

    ¡®Okay, See you tomorrow.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, see you,¡¯ Anton then closed the screen and brought her sights on the sleeping Kayla, who moved slightly. He let out a thin smile and continued watching her.

 Chapter 30

    That night, after finally waking Kayla up, they went to visit a restaurant before taking a drive around the city. Anton then returned to the real world for a good night''s sleep, before returning to P4ngea the following morning.

    ¡°Change your clothes, and I mean everything,¡± Anton said as he opened his avatar screen.

    He decided to change his face, adding a beard to his face and changing his hairstyle. He chose a slightly longer hairstyle with dark red color and made his face slightly rounder. He also added a bit of height to his virtual avatar. For clothing, he switched into a dark red sweater and blue jeans, with a red hat on top. Browsing through the amount of clothing he had made him realize the sheer size of his wardrobe, one that he never bothered with before.

    He glanced at Kayla, who looked back at him.

    Maybe I should dress her up once in a while?

    He thought, before realizing the confused look on her face.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to choose something for me?¡± she asked after watching him change, her virtual screen hovering in front of her.

    ¡°Whatever will be alright. Just make sure to use something that covers your face,¡± Anton replied. Kayla¡¯s face was randomly generated for him, but he found her looks to be perfect and cute the way she was.

    ¡°Okay, but what for?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re playing undercover for a bit,¡± Anton said while swapping his voice. He chose a slightly heavier-sounding voice.

    Kayla nodded and used her virtual screen to swap clothing. She changed into a simple jacket and long jeans, similar to Anton¡¯s style. She brought the hood up to her hair and used a dark red mask combined with black glasses to cover her face. With that done, the two left their apartment and set off for the Adventure Terminal. Even though hours had passed since they last set foot in this city, the time hadn¡¯t changed one bit. The stars continued twinkling in the sky, decorating the dark world beyond the horizon.

    Streetlights painted the streets and surroundings with their warm glow, with several tall towers having their interior lights turned on. Cars and people made their way across the city.

    The drive didn¡¯t take long, and they soon found themselves in front of the Marrow Adventure Terminal. They entered the building, identical in design to the ones in Mitte, Norbva, and Rurack, but this one was colored light blue. Anton checked the time, finding it to be twelve minutes before the appointed time. He looked around his surroundings, before motioning Kayla to come near.

    ¡°Watch out for Ronald and Rito. If you see them, tell me, but don¡¯t come near them,¡± he whispered into her ear.

    ¡°Roger,¡± she said while nodding, her eyes scanned the area, searching for the two people Anton mentioned.

    They then went inside and walked toward the stairs located at the sides of the terminal. The Adventure Terminal was divided into two floors. The quest-related areas occupied the first floor, with the second floor being used for other services. Anton never needed any of these services, causing him to be unfamiliar with the second floor.

    The second floor had a balcony that overlooked the lobby, right above the receptionist section. Anton and Kayla went up there and leaned on the balcony¡¯s railing, observing the entrance. They didn¡¯t look out of place here, as while the NPCs tend to use normal-looking clothing that people use in the real world, players tend to have a lot more variation. Some wore casual-style clothing, while others showed off their armor. Some wore the same clothes every single day, while others switched them constantly.

    Avatar customization was similar to that. Some players would use their own faces out of laziness, maybe with a bit of modification to their hair or eye color, while others would spend hours crafting the perfect avatar. Some even tried to impersonate real people, which became quite a security headache at some point.

    ¡°So¡­ why are we going undercover again?¡± Kayla asked, leaning in a bit closer to him. Anton could just barely make out her eyes under the dark lenses of the glasses she wore.

    ¡°I never told you about it, huh?¡±

    Kayla shook her head.

    ¡°If you¡¯re uncomfortable-¡±

    ¡°It was in the fifth grade. You remember the bullying story I told you back on the moon?¡±

    Kayla nodded to his question.

    ¡°Ronald¡¯s sibling, Louis, is the one that bullied me. I feel like I¡¯m over it, but¡­¡± Anton looked down at the people underneath him, the other players and NPCs going through this world. He felt small in comparison, his past felt like it was nothing when compared to the hardships other people went through.

    Anton then felt a light tug on his arms. He looked to the left, where Kayla stood. She hugged his left arm tightly, Anton feeling the virtual heat from her body. He looked toward her, looking into her dark blue eyes behind her sunglasses. It was barely visible, yet he felt her gaze looking up at him.

    ¡°I can¡¯t help you with the other side. I don¡¯t know your past. But always remember that I¡¯m here for you. Every time you need me, I¡¯ll be waiting for you in this world.¡±

    Her words filled him with a sense of warmth, but he could feel his heartache as well, especially in the last sentence.

    Will that ever happen? Will that end ever come?

    He found himself asking those questions. How would things be after it was over? Would that Kayla truly be the same as this one? Anton looked around the second floor, and after making sure that no other player was around, he took Kayla into his embrace and hugged her tightly. Kayla didn¡¯t resist but instead rested her head on his chest.

    A few seconds passed, and with great reluctance, Anton pulled himself away, directing his attention back to the space beneath him. The glass doors opened, and from inside, came a group of four.

    ¡°There they are,¡± Kayla said.

    Anton went back to the stairs, and headed for the first floor. Ronald looked toward the stairs and saw them descending, but he didn¡¯t react. Instead, he typed in something into his virtual screen, and a message popped up on Anton¡¯s.

    ¡°Ronald,¡± Anton called out after reading the message.

    ¡°Oh, hey. Sorry, I didn¡¯t notice you¡­¡± Ronald then took a look at Anton¡¯s new avatar, scanning him from foot to head. He opened his mouth but then shut it before nodding with a smile.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    ¡°Anyway, Louis, Rito, this is Lykon and¡­¡±

    ¡°Layka,¡± Anton answered for Kayla. Kayla didn¡¯t dispute it. Louis extended a hand. Anton looked at it and stared for a split second, before reminding himself and shaking his hand. Ronald then turned around.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, everyone,¡± Ronald said, walking toward the exit. Ronald, Cecily, Louis, and Rito all headed to Ronald¡¯s IFV-01, while Anton and Kayla boarded their Tarup 57.

    ¡°What is the quest?¡± Kayla asked through voice chat.

    ¡®It¡¯s called¡­ Wing of the West World?¡¯

    Hearing that name, Kayla turned toward Anton. Anton thought about it for a moment. He went through many quests in the past, and he felt like he heard this one somewhere, but he couldn''t remember much about it.

    Then again, back in the Sumbar quest, he didn''t remember anything at first, so maybe his memories would be triggered as they went through it.

    A party invitation came along with the quest confirmation screen, and Anton accepted both. The location of the quest then appeared on his virtual map, with the objectives listed in the quest log. Anton then checked the party chat, finding Louis, Rito, Ronald, Cecily, Kayla, and him in it. There was one other name there, one that he didn¡¯t recognize.

    "Louis, where''s your AI companion?" Anton asked. Rito wasn''t supposed to be an AI companion, meaning that he replaced someone else, either that or Louis didn''t take his AI companion with him, but there was this one name among them.

    ¡®I sent my AI companion training a while back, she''s going to be joining us later.¡¯

    ¡°I see.¡±

    In front of them, the IFV started moving forward, heading back to the streets. Kayla followed behind them.

    Anton sat down in the gunner turret position like usual, using the cameras to check their surroundings. It didn¡¯t take them long before they left the peace zone. Upon leaving, Anton changed the turret camera to night vision, a green glow coming out of the screen. He toned down the brightness, before using the control stick to swing the turret around. There weren¡¯t many people around here. In general, not many NPCs occupied the areas outside the peace zone. Those who did live there tend to have some defensive weapons on hand.

    "How long are we from the target?" Anton asked.

    "Around fifteen minutes," Kayla answered. It would definitely take a while. Anton relaxed himself, his hand playing with the control stick.

    Most games had fairly packed maps, with travel times between one location to the other lasting no more than five to ten minutes. But dual reality, being the immersive technology as it is, offered a lot of larger maps to give a better sense of traveling and immersion.

    A lot of them had teleportation or fast travel, P4ngea not one of them.

    Well, it encouraged purchasing vehicles, so Anton couldn''t really blame them. People spending real money in this game was the reason he can live this long.

    Bored, Anton grabbed the stick. He turned the turret to the left and pointed it upward, away from any NPCs. He found an empty field right next to the highway.

    "Kayla, can you go to the left lane?"

    "What for?" Without waiting for an answer, Kayla did as told and momentarily moved away from the IFV. With their speed, the Tarup 57 can easily catch up.

    Anton then waited for a wide patch of grass before pulling the trigger.

    The cannon spits out bullets into the patch, red tracer rounds creating a long line of light as it flew through the air, causing its surroundings to light up.

    "For that. You can go back now," he said, and Kayla drove back to the rear of the IFV. They continued driving down the highway, accompanied by the shine of the stars above them and the lights of cars around them.

    Anton then looked to his right, founding a needle-like building stabbing into the skies. A space station, similar to the one back in Oakport. There were no starships parked when they went past it. Anton then used his turret to look up, finding the moon right above them.

    The moon in this game had a weird position. For the areas that had an eternal night, the moon would be above the center, westmost or eastmost point of the map. But, if they were in the area in the daylight zone, then the moon would be at the center of the world, only visible after they went out of the atmosphere. When players from night areas wanted to visit the moon, they too needed to head toward the center of the map.

    It was a weird way of placing the moon, but they had underground cities as well, so Anton couldn¡¯t complain too much.

    The IFV then slowed down, took an exit road, and followed a smaller road away from the highway, heading to the east. Their destination soon came into view.

    A large castle surrounded by a moat and guarded by tall walls. Its lights shine in the darkness, painting its presence in the middle of a lake. Anton checked his virtual map, finding the lack of a name for the place he was headed for.

    "You know that place?" he asked Kayla. The outline of the building itself was already enough to paint the castle''s imposing appearance. Thin mist surrounded the castle, seemingly made with magic of some sort.

    "We''re about to," Kayla answered. Her answer made him feel unsettled.

    "You''re not hiding anything like back in the Sumbar quest, are you?"

    "Nope. This time, I really do not know a thing," she said, turning the LAV behind the IFV as the latter turned into the castle.

    The castle''s drawbridge lowered for them. The IFV first went through. Once it crossed, Kayla drove the Five-Seven across safely. The two entered the castle''s courtyard. Three groups of knights stood in front and on both sides of the two armored vehicles, numerous torches emit a warm yellowish glow that reflected on their shiny metal armor.

    "If we fired on them, would we be able to kill them all?" Anton muttered.

    "Depends. I think they''ll surround us easily, but they won''t be able to enter," Kayla answered. In front of them, Ronald and Louis left their vehicle, Cecily and Rito following behind them. Ronald looked at the LAV and motioned Anton and Kayla to join them.

    The two got off the LAV and joined the other four. They then went to the group of knights in front of the IFV. The knight saluted them.

    "This way," one of the knights said, prompting them to follow him deeper inside. The knight led the group down a long path covered by a dark red carpet. The path extended all the way from the courtyard through the main hall, way to the rear of the castle, into the throne room.

    Stone walls formed both sides of the castle, with brightly lit torches distanced every four meters from one another standing on both sides of the wide path.

    The group walked with Ronald and Louis in the front, Cecily and Rito in the middle, and Anton with Kayla in the rear. A formation of three soldiers guarded on both sides, with three more in the front and another three in the back, making a box-like formation covering the group from all sides.

    They then arrived before the throne, where an old man with a long white beard in an expensive-looking purple robe sat, his gaze code and his face stern. He looked at the group and stood up.

    Ronald and Louis looked at each other before kneeling before the throne. The AI followed suit, with Anton kneeling the last.

    "I do not like this¡­" Anton muttered. Kayla looked at him and put her index finger in front of her mouth.

    "Lift your face up, adventurers, as ashamed as I am, I must admit that I need your help," the king said, his heavy voice echoing throughout the large empty chamber.

    The lead knight, standing in front of the three knights that formed a line in front of the group, turned around to address the group.

    "You may stand up," he said, prompting everyone to do as told.

    "First, let me thank you for honoring our customs, as we do not expect adventurers from a distant land to know about it. You have no obligation to do it, but you did so anyway. I would also like to thank you for your offer to aid us in our plight," the king then closed his eyes, took a breath, and continued speaking.

    "We have recently received reports of bandits attacking our villages and destroying our crops. Their heavy, metal machines gave us a lot of trouble, thus we set out to seek salvation from powerful adventurers from a distant land. Our scouts had provided the location where the bandit currently dwells. Please, go to that location and wipe out the bandits for us. We will reward you handsomely for your efforts," the king ended his speech.

    Anton opened his virtual screen, finding an update to the quest and a new location set in his virtual map.

    "We shall depart immediately," Ronald said.

    "Once again, thank you. May the blessings of Lord Latamor be upon you," the king said, sitting back on his throne. The group bowed, turned around, and returned to their vehicles.

 Chapter 31

    "Should be an easy one," Anton said after he returned to his seat.

    Reversing out of the courtyard was a challenge, due to the limited visibility, thus Ronald''s IFV made a turn in front of them, maneuvering so that its nose faced toward the exit. Anton and Kayla waited inside the Five-Seven for Ronald to drive out.

    "Better stay vigilant," Kayla replied. She then pushed the gas, and slowly followed behind Ronald as they set off on their quest.

    "Should be a similar task to the PvP quest we had back then, but this time against NPCs," Anton then checked the voice chat. He made sure that it was muted.

    "You think that''s why he wanted us to come with him?"

    "Not necessarily," Kayla stated.

    "Maybe he just wanted to play with friends?"

    "..." Anton didn''t even consider that option, but he couldn¡¯t exactly dispute it.

    As they continued on, Anton checked his virtual map, noticing the lack of any names around them. P4ngea had what could be described as NPC nations, nations or areas that didn''t have anything to do with players outside of quests. These areas lacked adventure terminals and had very limited services, with inns and shops only available once a player accepted a quest in the region.

    Depending on the era it was based in, some vehicles and weapons may not be available, either.

    "Just out of curiosity, but if we decided to betray them, kinda like back in the Sumbar quest, what would happen?" Anton asked while turning the turret around, looking at the scenery.

    "... Do you really want to try that?"

    "No, no, just curious."

    "Well¡­ they may be using physical weapons, but they could probably overwhelm us."

    "I guess¡­"

    Anton continued looking around the road. While the Tarup 57 had the option to switch the turret camera to other cameras, allowing him to see beside where the turret faced, Anton found actually moving the turret more fun. There were hardly any cars on the road, though. The asphalt roads soon turn into dirt roads. Both the IFV and LAV had off-road capabilities, so it acted more as a slight annoyance than anything.

    They arrived at the point noted in the quest. An empty village sat in front of them, filled with stone houses of varying shapes and sizes, a large body of water sat beyond the village. Anton switched on the night vision, causing the screen to display green footage. The two armored vehicles moved slowly across the now cobblestone roads, roads so narrow that the vehicle¡¯s sides stood no more than a few centimeters away from the stone walls.

    Anton tried to turn the turret to the left, then to the right, but both sides were so close that the cannon''s tip would hit the wall if it went past the end of the LAV¡¯s body.

    They arrived at a four-way intersection. Ronald''s IFV continued forward in their path, continuing heading south, going past the intersection.

    "Kayla, stop," Anton called, and Kayla did as told.

    They stopped in the center of the intersection, exposing themselves to three angles. Anton quickly rotated the turret, bringing the cannon''s tip to the rear of the LAV.

    "Ah, right," Kayla said. After the turret finished rotating, Kayla put her foot on the gas and caught up with the IFV.

    They hadn''t met a single person so far, nor did the village have any signs of life. Anton checked the quest screen, which showed the unhelpful message of ''find the bandits''.

    The two found another intersection, with the one in front of them going down, heading deeper into the village.

    ''Where should we go?'' Ronald asked from the IFV.

    The map didn¡¯t have the village¡¯s layout, it didn¡¯t even show a name. From what they could see, they could only assume the basic shape of the village. The northern sides occupied some kind of highlands, with the path before them connecting it with a section going further south. Based on what they could see, there seemed to be a waterline beyond the village. Anton checked his virtual map, finding a large river marked on it.

    They knew that they were in the correct spot, evident by the large red circle that showed them the quest area. It spanned the entire village, from the north point near the road all the way south to the river.

    Anton then rechecked the quest log, making sure that they didn¡¯t accidentally take another PvP quest.

    "We should continue ahead."

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ''Roger.''

    The IFV then moved forward, past the intersection, the LAV following behind it. Kayla kept a safe distance from the vehicle in front of it in case someone attacked, leaving some room to maneuver. The two followed the cobblestone road down into a valley.

    Kayla drove with care, making sure to not slip off the left side of the road, which had a long fall behind it. A single wrong mistake could send them tumbling down the cliff and into someone''s home, assuming those stone houses down there were, at some point, owned by someone.

    ''The devs really love making empty spaces, huh?'' Louis muttered with a curious tone. Anton turned on the voice chat, only to mute himself quickly afterward without saying a single word.

    They eventually reached the end of the road and entered the lowlands. The roads were only slightly wider here, which meant Anton still needed to keep his cannon facing backward. They explored the village, occupied by countless buildings but not a single soul. They went from one end to the other, not finding the bandits they were looking for, even at some point passing a small dirt road that connected the village with the waterfront.

    "Maybe we should return?" Anton asked through the voice chat.

    ''Good-'' Ronald didn''t get to finish his sentence when Anton heard the sound of an explosion coming from in front of him.

    The Five-Seven came to a complete stop and quickly reversed.

    "What''s going on?" Anton tried to turn the turret.

    The narrow roads prevented him from turning the cannon, so he went to his screen and switched cameras.

    Ronald¡¯s IFV backed away while firing its 25mm cannon at a target up on the hill.

    "So that''s¡­" Anton zoomed in on his target. On top of the hill, standing on the road they just went through, was a tank.

    "Are we the tank attractors, or is it them?" Anton asked, intending to ask Kayla, but this time, he forgot to mute the voice chat.

    ''... Maybe both?''

    The two moved back, hiding behind a building just as the tank opened fire, sending another round into the building. It exploded, destroying the stone house and blocking the path. The two managed to reverse away from it just in time, minimizing the damage.

    Kayla then reached an intersection. She reversed to the left before going straight. Anton turned the turret forward, and they sped away, with Ronald and the rest following behind them. Anton switched the camera again and watched as the tank fired another round, just narrowly missing Ronald, before reversing back to the top side of the village.

    Anton and Ronald raced through the lowlands, looking for a spot that would cover them from the tank. They decided that their best bet was to go through the dirt road that linked the village to the waterfront, probably the farthest point from the tank. The riverside was also outside the red area.

    Kayla found another intersection and was about to turn right when she pulled the Five-Seven to a stop. A shell weighing roughly one thousand kilograms tore right through the sky, narrowly missing the LAV and slamming into a building right next to it, causing it to crumble, dividing them from the IFV following behind them. Kayla tried to crawl on top of the rubble, but the vehicle suddenly became stuck, and another shell crashed into the LAV''s front armor.

    It came at a shallow angle, the shell bouncing off the tank''s sloped front, sending it on a crash course into the rubble beside them, but it dealt quite a large amount of damage as it did that. The shockwave of its blast shook the LAV, but at the same time freeing it from the rubble blocking its path. Kayla looked through her screens for a moment before stepping on the gas. Anton felt a force pulling him into his seat as the LAV jumped forward, speeding through the intersection, and heading east. They were just barely fast enough to dodge a third shell coming their way.

    "What should we do?" Kayla asked, a tone of concern leaking from her voice.

    The enemy surrounded them, their cannons aimed toward them. More enemy tanks of various sizes must be hiding somewhere else. They weren''t safe as long as they stayed in this red circle. Anton thought about possible solutions to the problem, but he came out empty. He didn¡¯t expect these bandits to actually have multiple tanks. It was far different from the PvP quest, with this one harder than he expected.

    Anton tried to recall the second tank that shot at them. Depending on the type, they may be able to win against it, as long as it didn''t have thick armor.

    But the Five-Seven''s 25mm cannon wasn''t designed to take on medium and heavy tanks. Even if they could take this one on, Anton felt unsure about the one lurking on the north side of the village. Based on its design, that one looked to be a formidable opponent, one even better compared to the one they faced back in their PvP quest. To make matters worse, they were on their own, without support, in an area unsuited for tank-to-tank combat.

    After all that consideration, he still didn''t have an answer for Kayla.

    ¡®An- Lykon, Layka, how is it on your end?'' Ronald asked through the radio.

    "Anton?" Kayla called again from the driver''s seat. Anton was at an utter loss for what to do, his mind incapable of thinking about anything. He looked through his cameras, searching for other tanks.

    Then it appeared.

    Another tank, but this time a light tank, appeared from their left, from the north. An older model, one they could handle with their 25mm cannon. Anton didn''t waste a single moment and sent a barrage of shots into the tank, resulting in it exploding into a ball of flames. Kayla turned to the right, taking the south exit.

    "We''re heading for the waterfront," Kayla declared, taking action. Anton didn''t debate her choice, instead, focused on watching their surroundings.

    How do these bandits have tanks in the first place!?

    This was a world quest. It probably had a reason for happening¡­ probably. Getting to the bottom of it may give them a solution to solving the quest without violence, although there was no guarantee.

    ''Roger. We''re- watch out! Ahh! Back back back! ¡­ We''ll be there,'' Ronald said through the voice chat.

    "Roger!" Kayla answered. Kayla drove past the burning wreckage. Anton noticed two NPCs jumping from the burning wreckage, running away from the tank. He turned the turret toward them, his hand hovering on the trigger.

    He didn¡¯t fire. He simply watched as they disappeared behind the houses. Kayla continued on forward. Another light tank appeared to block their way. Anton fired at it, hitting the front side of its turret, damaging its main cannon. With it disabled, they went past it and turned at a three-way intersection, turning south. They headed for the waterfront, weaving in between cannon roars. They narrowly avoided two other tanks before finally arriving at their destination.

 Chapter 32

    After going past the dirt road that connected the village and the river, Anton let out a relieved sigh. He checked his map. They now parked outside the zone. The quest didn¡¯t guarantee that their enemies wouldn¡¯t chase them here, but not many roads connected the waterfront to the village, so they wouldn¡¯t need to watch as many angles.

    Kayla drove the LAV across the sand. She then turned the vehicle so that the heavily armored front side faced the village. After that, she, too, let out a relieved sigh.

    ¡°Is this a beach?¡± Anton asked, looking through his cameras. Anton then stood up. Kayla glanced at him and opened the rear hatch. He headed for the rear of the vehicle before jumping off, landing on the soft sand near him.

    Just then, droplets of water started falling from the sky. He couldn¡¯t get sick, so the unwanted shower acted as no more than a slight annoyance for him. The LAV could also probably handle some wet terrain, although they would need to be more careful. Anton heard the sound of footsteps approaching him, walking above the sand.

    ¡°You think this will extinguish that burning tank?¡±

    ¡°I hope no one¡¯s inside when it burns,¡± Kayla said.

    ¡°Sometimes you¡¯re too nice, Kayla,¡± Anton said, shaking his head.

    ¡°But I guess that¡¯s also a charming part of you,¡± he continued, looking at the moon and stars that decorate the night sky, some covered by the large clouds that floated freely.

    ¡°...¡±

    Kayla remained silent, however, prompting him to turn to her. She stood near the LAV¡¯s exit, standing in the rain, holding her hand behind her, her face facing toward Anton. So little of her was visible underneath all those clothing items, but even so, he couldn¡¯t help but feel her gaze.

    It felt sad, somehow. Worried, concerned. He couldn¡¯t tell why she felt that way, especially with what little expression visible on her face. She stepped forward, bringing herself right next to him. She then opened her arms and hugged him.

    ¡°Kayla¡­?¡± he asked as she buried her head in his chest, similar to how she did it back in the Adventure Terminal. He could hear her breath coming from behind her mask.

    ¡°Nothing¡­¡± she whispered, her voice muffled by the cloth in front of her mouth.

    ¡°...¡± Anton just stood there, silent. Eventually, Kayla let go and pulled herself away. They stood there amid the rain, not exchanging a word. Some time passed. Anton noticed the lack of a response from Ronald. He turned on his voice chat before he spoke.

    ¡°Ronald?¡±

    ¡®We got lost.¡¯ Louis replied.

    ¡®We¡¯ll arrive there, eventually. Argh, this rain, man!¡¯ he said. Anton then turned off his voice chat.

    ¡°So he too can feel annoyed, huh?¡± he mumbled, his words attracting Kayla¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Want to know?¡±

    Kayla nodded. Anton then turned around and sat down on the LAV¡¯s opened rear door, which acted as a ramp. Kayla came and sat down right of him. He made sure one more time that the voice chat had indeed been turned off.

    ¡°I was a weak boy back then, weaker than the average. So, I would become the victim of his bullying. I¡¯ve moved on, so it¡¯s not like I actively think about it, but when the memory did return, I felt¡­ like something¡¯s not complete.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re scared?¡±

    ¡°No, actually, I¡¯m not scared.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­ you¡¯re not the one running away when you meet him.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m curious about that as well¡­ but, to put it simply, it felt like I completed the main quest, but was one side quest away from getting one hundred percent. I don¡¯t necessarily need it, but I think it feels nice to get it. One last fight, close the chapter, then move on, for real this time.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do everything I can to help you with that.¡±

    ¡°I trust you will.¡±

    ¡°So, what do you want me to do?¡±

    Anton thought about it. He hadn¡¯t thought about anything yet. The last time he met Louis, Louis ran at the sight of him. The last time he met him before that was during the school¡¯s graduation ceremony, where Louis refused to even look at Anton.

    Now, they played on the same team, trying to achieve the same goal. Anton thought about how to hide his identity from him, but other than that, nothing.

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    Should he confront him? Should he talk to him? Should he even do anything? Would just letting him go be the best possible solution?

    ¡°How about somehow getting it just us two? Wait, no, that wouldn¡¯t be good.¡±

    Louis didn¡¯t know anything about Lykon, Anton¡¯s current avatar, nor did Lykon have anything to do with Louis. It would be awkward leaving just the two of them together. They then heard the sound of a vehicle coming into the beach and promptly stood up, finding Ronald¡¯s IFV approaching them. The vehicle came to a stop next to the LAV. The crew of four then got out.

    ¡°So, what should we do?¡± Ronald asked immediately after leaving.

    Kayla went up to him, pulled him slightly away from the rest, whispered something to his ears, then typed in a message using her virtual screen. Ronald looked at the message, the text itself not visible, before typing something himself.

    ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re going to do some scouting. I¡¯ll take Cecily and Rito with me,¡± Kayla said, heading into Ronald¡¯s IFV with the other AI companions with her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll call my father, ask him if he can provide support,¡± Ronald said, jumping into the IFV behind the AIs. The IFV closed its rear door and drove off, leaving Anton and Louis standing there behind the LAV, the red lights from the LAV¡¯s rear faintly shining on their surroundings.

    ¡°What the¡­¡± Louis muttered, bewildered. He folded his hands and looked toward Anton, who was as equally baffled as him. Louis let out a wry smile and scratched his cheeks.

    ¡°Lykon, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Anton replied awkwardly. He then checked the voice chat, again making sure it was muted.

    The past was long behind him. If he could build a new relationship with Louis, one that didn¡¯t involve him being the victim, would it all be alright? He hadn¡¯t forgiven the man in front of him, per se, but he didn¡¯t really have that want for revenge anymore.

    Well, it sure would be nice if he could get that revenge, but he no longer chased after it like police chasing a criminal. Should he do that now? But he didn¡¯t even know Louis¡¯ strengths, it would be embarrassing if he tried and failed.

    The two fell silent again, not knowing what to talk about. At that moment, Anton¡¯s thoughts instead hovered toward Kayla, the AI girl that accompanied him all this way, to this very moment of his life. He found himself wanting her back, wanting her to be here, to guide him. That couldn¡¯t be the case forever. Eventually, he would need to find a new job, continue his life as usual, working from morning to late at night.

    He couldn¡¯t always rely on her, he knew that much, but that didn¡¯t make him want her any less.

    ¡°So¡­ what kind of player are you?¡±

    To Anton¡¯s surprise, Louis was the one who started first.

    ¡°A hybrid between a mage and a physical wielder.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t tell which style he fell into, especially since he wasn¡¯t using an actual weapon. Was he a swordsman? Or maybe a spearman? Or maybe a mage, since the staff counts as a magic weapon?

    ¡°I see¡­ I¡¯m a dedicated swordsman, but I do know some spells.¡±

    ¡°Like?¡±

    ¡°Campfire, Gust, Mud, those kinds of spells.¡±

    All of them were weak spells that dedicated mages and magicians would rarely use during combat, but they did fit into Louis¡¯ role as a swordsman. Campfire would be used to distract opponents, especially since it had the look of a dangerous fire, Gust could create a soft wind that distracted the enemy, while Mud could hinder their movements and even cause someone to slip if they¡¯re not careful.

    ¡°Any higher-level spells?¡±

    ¡°No, not really. I use a sword, so even if I can use them, it''s not like they will be very effective.¡±

    ¡°What sword are you using?¡±

    ¡°This one,¡± Louis pulled the sword out of his inventory, materializing it in his hands. He then showed it to Anton. It was a very simple sword, with a sharp blade and a dark green hilt. Anton checked its properties, noticing a lack of any considerable stats. A weak sword, one so weak that it had comparable stats to the physical properties of his Priest¡¯s Staff but without Steel Strike.

    If he used Steel Strike, then his staff would absolutely destroy this joke of a sword.

    Is he not high-level?

    Anton wondered as he returned the weapon to Louis¡¯ hands. He met Louis in the space station, but starship tickets weren¡¯t that expensive, and some quests provided transport costs as well.

    ¡°You¡¯re new?¡±

    ¡°Kind of. Old account, but I rarely play.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Eh¡­ real life things¡­¡± he said, shrugging. Looking at him only made Anton more curious. Talking with him here filled him with mixed feelings. The way he talked, the way he acted, all felt different from the old him. He no longer feared him, nor did he feel particularly angry.

    Maybe he changed as well.

    Living a new life, far disconnected from the old him.

    Maybe Anton just didn¡¯t realize it, but he himself had truly moved on from his past, or maybe it was just him changing his avatar. As they stood there, under the pour of rain, Anton mumbled some words.

    ¡°... Hey Louis.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Do you remember Anton?¡±

    Anton glanced toward Louis, noticing his virtual avatar tensing up. Louis glanced at him. Anton could see what looked like virtual sweat going down his head, mixed with the droplets coming from the rain. It looked similar, but it was different. Maybe it came from the game¡¯s inability to render rain and water exactly the same as the real world, or maybe the game detected some strong emotions coming from him, or maybe something entirely different.

    Maybe the game didn¡¯t even do anything, maybe it was just Anton feeling like he noticed something. Louis looked around, his eyes darting all over the place. He started kicking the sand, his hands behind his back.

    ¡°Umm¡­ Which Anton, exactly?¡± Louis asked.

    ¡°Anton Frido.¡±

    Louis took a step back after hearing that name.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked with a slight shiver.

    ¡°Seemed like you have quite the history with him,¡± Anton said, materializing his magic staff from his inventory.

    ¡°Lykon¡­? Do you know him?¡± Louis asked after taking another step back.

    ¡°I am him.¡±

 Chapter 33

    Clang

    Shriek

    The sound of two metal surfaces clashing against each other echoed through the sky. Anton took a wide step forward. He stabbed his staff straight toward Louis¡¯ chest. Louis blocked it but failed to keep himself from being pushed back. Louis almost tumbled down from the surprise attack, the sand not making it any easier.

    Anton continued on, stabbing in the rain. He stepped nimbly above the sand, every move calculated. The sand did little to stop him, the same couldn¡¯t be said for Louis. Louis continued moving back, doing nothing but defending. It went well, far better than he had expected. It didn¡¯t even feel like a fight.

    He gave Louis no chance to counterattack. He stabbed his staff, then stabbed again. He didn¡¯t use Steel Strike, now realizing that he didn¡¯t need it in the first place. Louis lost footing and stumbled down, crashing into the sand. His sword flew five meters away from Louis, leaving him weaponless. Anton aimed the sharp tip of the staff at his face. Under the gushing rain, Louis could only stare back.

    ¡°... Anton¡­¡±

    It was the same position Anton was in, but reversed. Louis called out his name, which sounded entirely different from the way he called him years ago. No mockery. No Anger. Nothing.

    This was a game, Anton couldn¡¯t harm him if he wanted to. But even so, it looked as if genuine fear flickered in his virtual eyes. He stood there, not knowing what to say.

    Sorry, Kayla.

    He couldn¡¯t help but feel he wasted the chance that Kayla gave him, but what did she expect anyway? What did he expect? To forgive him? To forget what he did? No, Anton never expected any of those things to happen.

    Anton retreated from his body, taking five steps backward. Louis saw him and lifted his body up, seated on the sand.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said with a genuine tone, repeating the words that he said back on the space station.

    ¡°...¡±

    Realizing that Anton didn¡¯t say anything, Louis continued.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t run from it anymore¡­¡± Louis slowly stood up, his body swaying under the intense rain. He walked toward his sword and picked it up. He then faced Anton, gripping the sword in his hand.

    ¡°... I know apologizing now wouldn¡¯t be enough. Nothing will¡­¡± he muttered, before turning toward Anton.

    ¡°Tell me what you want. As long as I can do it, I will¡­¡±

    Anton thought about it. He would never forgive what Louis did. But, at the same time, it was all in the past. So long forgotten that even he himself couldn¡¯t remember the details. He had received the blessing of forgetting about it. It still hurts sometimes, but only sometimes, only when that something triggered that memory Outside that specific scenario, he had forgotten.

    But that didn¡¯t mean he wanted to forgive him, far from it. He didn¡¯t have a reason to do that, either.

    ¡°... Fight me,¡± he said. One last dance. One last fight. The fight to end all fights. One last stroke of ink on the white crumpled paper.

    ¡°... Alright,¡± Louis nodded, and the next thing he saw was the reflection of the shining silver blade heading straight toward him.

    Clang

    The two weapons met. Anton felt the full brunt force of the attack pushing him down, but he resisted. He pushed his staff forward, throwing Louis off-balance. Louis jumped away, regaining control over his body. Louis leaped forward again. This time, Anton was ready. He blocked the slash, before swinging his staff in a wide arc. It threw Louis off. Anton stepped forward, stabbing straight into his chest.

    ¡°Urk!¡± Louis yelled and pulled himself back away.

    ¡°Gust!¡±

    Anton felt a light gust of wind pushing at him, but not even as powerful as the rain.

    ¡°Dirt Sword!¡±

    Anton fired a strike, his left hand pointing down toward the ground right below Louis. Louis jumped up to the sky, dodging the sharp dirt that appeared from below him. He pulled his sword on top of Anton. Anton slid to the side, the sword passing by his left shoulder. He turned his body to face Louis who landed left of him, before stabbing the staff straight into him. The black prism stabbed through Louis¡¯ stomach, prompting him to pull back again.

    Louis stepped forward, still determined to strike. He slashed his sword horizontally. Anton pulled his chest back, the tip of the sharp sword just a few millimeters away from his skin. He swung his sword in another wide arc, this time coming from Anton¡¯s right.

    Anton lifted his staff upward, its handle stopping the sword in its place. Using the opening, Anton pulled himself back and away from Louis. He moved backward, his steps slow and careful. He watched for Louis¡¯ movements, the darkness surrounding him didn¡¯t help. He watched for the sword¡¯s reflection, bouncing light off the LAV. He noticed an incoming strike and leaped out of the way, stepping backward as sand flew into the sky.

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    The stars in the night sky watched as he took a breather. Louis approached him with careful steps, his sword pointing straight at Anton. Anton watched his face, noticing his rugged breathing and the slight shaking of his body. For Anton, it was clear that he had the advantage. He fought a dedicated physical weapon with a magic weapon, and he managed to register multiple strikes.

    He thought about possible magic to use, his eyes continued observing Louis¡¯ movements. He saw Louis'' feet tensed up as he prepared for a leap. He jumped backward, just at the right time. Using the split of a second when Louis was exposed, he jumped forward.

    ¡°Steel Strike!¡± he yelled before sending the sword straight for Louis¡¯ chest. With one quick strike, he stabbed the weapon through his armor. His strike stunned Louis.

    ¡°Ark! ARGH!¡± Louis yelled in desperation. Anton pulled the staff away, causing Louis to collapse to the ground. He coughed several times before jumping back, away from Anton. He disappeared behind the darkness, stepping away from the LAV¡¯s light. Before he disappeared, Anton saw him drinking a potion.

    He¡¯s that serious? What¡¯s he trying to prove?

    ¡°Potion, really?¡±

    ¡°You asked for a fight, I¡¯ll give you one.¡±

    Anton heard his voice, sounding clear even underneath the rain. There was a sense of melancholy to it, a hint of pain and regret.

    The voice disappeared. Anton heard something kicking up sand on his left. Anton quickly stepped toward the LAV, then leaned back to the LAV¡¯s left side.

    Anton noticed a faint breeze and slid to the right, Louis'' sword scratching the LAV¡¯s side, stopping not far from his head. Anton slid downward, going under the sword, and stabbed upward at Louis.

    ¡°URK!¡± Louis groaned. Anton pushed with his power, throwing Louis to the ground. Louis tried standing up again, but Anton¡¯s tip was now on his neck.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re willing to go this far for a fight.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to. But it¡¯s unfair, is it?¡± he said in between his rugged breath.

    ¡°I can¡¯t just go easy after everything I did to you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a weird way to put it,¡± Anton sighed. He then stored his staff and extended his hand. Louis looked at it for a few seconds before grabbing it. He pulled himself up.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care anymore,¡± Anton said, heading toward the rear of the LAV.

    ¡°Again, I¡¯m sorry. I know it will never be enough-¡±

    ¡°No, it won¡¯t,¡± Anton shook his head.

    ¡°So stop apologizing,¡± he walked away, heading into the LAV. He sat down in the rear. Louis looked at him from outside. He sighed and moved deeper.

    ¡°I¡¯m not that evil.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Louis got onboard and sat next to him. Using his virtual screen, he swapped his avatar back to the previous one. He then sent a message to Kayla, telling her that she can swap back to her original clothes.

    ¡°So¡­ How have things been?¡± Louis asked. He stole glances at Anton.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Got nothing to do with you.¡±

    ¡°Gotcha.¡±

    All the things that happened recently, from getting fired, all the way to this very moment, couldn¡¯t be described in one word. He couldn¡¯t really say that it had all been terrible, nor could he say that it was all sunshine, either. Anton then received a notification from Kayla.

    ¡®We¡¯re dead.¡¯

    ¡°... Huh?¡±

    Anton switched on the voice chat.

    ¡°Where are you guys?¡± he asked.

    ¡®We¡¯re dead,¡¯ Kayla replied with a flat tone.

    ¡®Accidentally met a tank. Well, you can tell how it ended,¡¯ Ronald added. Anton looked at Louis, Louis replied with a shrug.

    ¡°Should we cancel?¡± Louis asked. It would take them a while before they could get back to this village, and even if they returned, they had no guarantee that they could win. Anton and the rest were already struggling to fight against the tanks, their return wouldn¡¯t change much.

    Anton opened his contact list, looking for anyone that could be asked for help, only to close it immediately after.

    ¡®Should we bring the Shwarier?¡¯

    ¡°Does it have any anti-tank weapons?¡±

    ¡®... No, but we can manually aim the air-to-air missiles.¡¯

    The Shwarier had four of them. There was no telling how many tanks were left.

    ¡°How about Cecily¡¯s Light Pierce?¡± Anton asked.

    ¡®We tried it when we engaged that last tank. It backed away when we got close,¡¯ Cecily replied.

    Somehow these NPCs are smarter than the humans.

    ¡°We¡¯ll go with the Shwarier, then.¡±

    Anton didn¡¯t have anything to lose other than a few missiles. They cost quite a lot, but Anton could still buy them.

    ¡®Alright. Cecily, come with me. Maybe we can get you a parachute or something.¡¯

    ¡®I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡¯

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry about us. I¡¯ll come with the IFV with Rito. You just go with Kayla.¡¯

    ¡®Okay.¡¯

    The voice chat then went silent again. Anton went to the front of the LAV, taking the driver¡¯s seat.

    ¡°You take the turret.¡±

    ¡°Roger,¡± Louis crawled to position. Anton checked the information screen. He saw the turret moving left and right. He then drove off the beach, heading back toward the village.

    ¡°We¡¯ll try to pick out the light tanks,¡± Anton announced his intentions.

    ¡®Roger. We¡¯ll head there as fast as possible.¡¯

    It didn¡¯t take long for them to arrive back on the village roads. Anton tried turning off the LAV¡¯s front headlights. He looked through the periscope, struggling to see anything. All the houses were closely packed together and the narrow streets made it hard to differentiate a tank from the surroundings. Those tanks need to either be in an intersection close to them, or in a large open space away from any obstacles like the first that struck them.

    Anton checked his inventory, looking if he had any night vision goggles. He looked back toward the LAV¡¯s cabin.

    ¡°You have any night vision?¡±

    ¡°Goggles? Pretty sure I got one¡­¡± Louis looked through his inventory, before pulling out a set of goggles and handing them over to Anton. He wore them before opening the front hatch, the rain still pouring down, droplets of water dripping into the LAV. This gave him a much more unrestricted view of their surroundings. Anton carefully moved forward, knowing that with the hatch open, he couldn¡¯t let them be hit.

    He drove slowly above the cobblestone roads, ready to reverse the second he noticed something off.

    ¡°There it is,¡± Louis muttered. Anton looked toward a space in front of them, toward the west.

    ¡°Oh dear¡­¡±

    It stood there, the heavy tank.

 Chapter 34

    This tank looked somewhat similar to the one they faced back during their PvP quest, although with some notable differences. It had a more sloped front, its large circular turrets replaced with sloped armor. Its large single cannon faced southeast, away from the Five-Seven.

    In front of it was the twisted wreckage of an IFV, Ronald¡¯s IFV. Its remains hadn¡¯t despawned yet. Anton wished this tank was their only threat, as if that was the case, defeating it wouldn¡¯t be hard. Kayla could fire at it with the Shwarier¡¯s missiles. If that didn¡¯t work, then Cecily can jump from the jet and use Light Pierce from above. That may work once, but multiple times against different enemies?

    ¡°You think we can negotiate with them?¡± Louis suggested.

    ¡°... Which quest are you referring to?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s this quest where some pirates kidnapped a prince. You¡¯re asked to defeat the pirates and rescue the prince, but I and my AI companion tried negotiating. Turned out the pirate captain had a painting stolen by the kingdom, and after some negotiations, he returned the prince and retrieved the painting back.¡±

    ¡°Your AI companion¡­ where is she now?¡±

    ¡°Ah, right,¡± Louis started typing through his virtual screen. Anton, meanwhile, adjusted the hatch¡¯s angle to limit the amount of water coming into the vehicle.

    ¡°She¡¯s heading here with my starship.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Anton decided that waiting for the others before taking action would be the best.

    ¡°... Wait, STARSHIP?¡± he jerked his head, half-yelling.

    ¡°Umm¡­ yeah?¡± Louis scratched his head.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so? We can easily take them out with it.¡±

    ¡°Ah, it doesn¡¯t have any weapons. It¡¯s one of the smaller ones.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the point of them if you don¡¯t have any!?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I just enjoy flying, and it can carry some cargo. Plus weapons are expensive.¡±

    Anton sighed and opened his trade screen.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±

    ¡°Tell your companion to equip weapons. Anti-tank missiles if available, but anything with large firepower should do.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°The faster you do it, the quicker we¡¯ll finish this.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Louis accepted the trade offer and started typing. Anton moved the LAV backward, slowly distancing himself from the tank. The tank stood there imposingly, not moving the slightest.

    Crrk

    ¡°What¡¯s that sound?¡± Louis asked as the Five-Seven came to a halt.

    The turret rotated backward. Anton changed the screen, changing between cameras. He arrived at the one facing backward, finding a light tank blocking their way. The turrets moved toward each other, the barrels hitting each other down the middle. Louis fired first, drilling rounds into the light tank¡¯s turret. The tank soon fell silent, consumed by flames. Anton looked back forward, the heavy tank¡¯s turret turning toward him.

    He pushed the gas and slammed the wheel to the right, getting out of the way. The enemy¡¯s shell cut through the rain and slammed into the unfortunate light tank, causing it to explode. Flames rose to the sky, the rain struggling to extinguish it. The shockwave shook Anton¡¯s Five-Seven, momentarily stunning him from the shaking. He pushed the gas, taking a smaller road and heading northwest.

    The narrow roads weren¡¯t designed to support a tank, the barrel crashed into some stone houses on the right side of the road. It pulled the Five-Seven into the side, crashing into a house. Louis quickly readjusted the barrel to aim at the LAV¡¯s rear. Anton reversed and drove away, fleeing the enemy tank.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    ¡°Just how many are there!?¡±

    ¡®Everything alright over there?¡¯ Kayla, who remained silent so far, asked through the voice chat.

    ¡°How long before you get here?¡±

    ¡®ETA a minute. I¡¯m flying as fast as I can.¡¯

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Anton arrived at another intersection, but if his experiences taught him anything, another tank must be lurking somewhere, ready to shoot him the second he passed. He pushed the gas harder, as if it helped him gain speed. The Tarup 57 sped through the intersection, blasting through like a hungry cheetah. As expected, something exploded behind them.

    ¡°Anna-¡±

    ¡®Two minutes fifteen seconds,¡¯ the person called Anna finally answered. She had a soft voice, but the way she answered curtly made her feel cold.

    ¡°She¡¯s shy, so I hope you excuse her,¡± Louis said, presumably to Anton. The girl didn¡¯t say anything else. Anton returned his concentration to the streets, weaving through the narrow roadways. He searched for more intersections and roads that would lead back south.

    The darkness and the rain did nothing to help them. Anton took a branch on the road, heading north. They met another medium tank. It opened fire, narrowly missing Anton¡¯s Five-Seven. Louis aimed and fired, the 25mm cannon doing a limited amount of damage. Anton managed to escape and headed east, before following another road traveling southeast. The two navigated the maze, dodging and weaving through enemy fire. They met some medium tanks, occasionally damaging them. They even crashed into a light tank that attempted to cut their path.

    It just so happens that there was a small stream right next to that light tank. Anton¡¯s Five-Seven slammed to the light tank¡¯s side, sending it into the river, while sending Anton¡¯s head to the front console. He was lucky the game didn¡¯t simulate pain. They turned and followed the river heading southwest.

    The cat-and-mouse continued for another few seconds, a few seconds that felt like a few hours, before the Shwarier finally arrived above them. Anton marked the heavy tank¡¯s last location, all while dodging fire himself. The Shwarier used its VTOL capabilities to its advantage, and Anton watched from the driver¡¯s seat as it hovered above the tank. It fired a missile straight to the top of the heavy tank, followed by another missile not long after. The remaining two missiles were fired at the very same tank.

    It moved away, only to be greeted by anti-air fire. Tracers flew into the sky, forcing the Shwarier to weave through the air.

    ¡°Did you destroy it?¡±

    ¡®Umm¡­ No.¡¯

    Anton couldn¡¯t tell the exact amount of damage they did. He decided that their best course of action would be to retreat. As he was about to turn into the road that linked the village and the beach, he saw a flash coming from the west. The next thing he felt was a large explosion.

    <ul>

    <li>??</li>

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    ¡°Anton, wake up,¡± he heard Louis¡¯ voice. He opened his eyes, founding himself on the beach. Louis kneeled in front of him, with Kayla and Cecily standing behind Louis. Behind them was the Shwarier. He pulled himself up, taking a look at his surroundings. The rain had stopped, the skies now clear of any clouds. The moon shone brightly in the night sky, painting the landscape with its cold glow.

    ¡°What happened?¡± he asked. He checked his HP, only a pixel away from him dying. Louis handed him a potion. He took it and drank it.

    ¡°We were destroyed.¡±

    ¡°That much I know,¡± Anton then stood up. A small starship, similar in shape to the one they used to return from the moon, landed behind the group. The pilot, a girl with a flight suit, took her helmet off as the cockpit opened, revealing a cute rounded face with short pink hair underneath. She approached Louis, standing behind him next to Kayla and Cecily.

    ¡°So, what now?¡±

    ¡®We¡¯re still a few minutes away,¡± Ronald replied through the radio.

    ¡®Brother, wait for me.¡¯

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Rito,¡± Louis replied calmly. Anton went forward, toward the AI companions, and stood there. He crossed his arms and let out a sigh.

    ¡°Now what? Canceling is always an option.¡±

    Get back to Marrow and pretend none of this ever happened. The rewards weren¡¯t that good, anyway. The medium tanks could be taken care of with the Shwarier¡¯s missiles and the starship¡¯s laser cannon. The light tanks could be handled with the Shwarier¡¯s machine guns and the LAV and IFV¡¯s cannons. The heavy tank was the issue, and they didn¡¯t even know how many of them occupied the village. There could be only one, with the heavy tank that occupied the northern portion of the village moving south, or there could be two, or there could be more.

    Or they could go all in and grab themselves a tank. They could also upgrade their existing vehicles with TOW missiles, but the mere idea of it exhausted Anton. Going all the way back to Marrow, picking their vehicle up, upgrading it, then returning here. That would give him a limited amount of missiles. If it turned out to be more than two, maybe four, five, or more hidden in this large village, then they would need to return back to Marrow to resupply.

    If they get their own tanks, then the most advanced ones could go up to seventy kilometers per hour, slower when compared to Ronald¡¯s IFV. It all felt like one big waste to Anton. If they spent this much money on battles, they wouldn¡¯t break even with the rewards.

    ¡®... I really want to continue, though,¡¯ Ronald replied.

    ¡®But if you wanted to cancel then I can¡¯t stop you. Not like we¡¯re getting anything from this,¡¯ he added, but the solemn way he said that didn¡¯t sit right with Anton. Anton let out another sigh.

    ¡°We¡¯ll finish it, then,¡± he said, looking at the people standing beyond them.

    ¡°We¡¯ll finish what we start.¡±

 Chapter 35

    They waited for Ronald and Rito to return to the beach. The IFV¡¯s right side had bullet marks all over it, but the other sides remained largely untouched. The IFV turned on its headlights, and all seven people sat down in a circle in front of it. Kayla and Cecily made a drawing on top of the sand which featured a rough estimate of the village¡¯s layout. They divided the village into two sections, the north and the south.

    A long, thin road on the west side of the village connected the north section up on the highlands and the south near the beach. Two dots marked the locations where the tanks were last spotted. There was nothing else worth noting.

    ¡°Considering their locations, there is a high probability that these two heavy tanks are the same, but there¡¯s also a chance that one is simply hiding somewhere.¡±

    The darkness didn¡¯t do much to help them. The Shwarier didn¡¯t have a dedicated night vision system, forcing Kayla to hover above a target for an extended amount of time before being able to fire, while the starship did have night vision.

    ¡°Anna, what type of lasers did you attach?¡± Louis asked.

    ¡°Ours could only be equipped with the class ones.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    The class ones were the equivalent of a thirty to forty-millimeter cannon on the tank. They had lower fire rates but could deal more damage. They were good enough against medium tanks, but did questionable damage toward heavier ones. Anton was disappointed hearing that, as he expected something more powerful.

    ¡°... What if we use the area to our advantage?¡± Anton muttered. His words caught the attention of the rest, who looked toward him.

    ¡°Kayla, when you said you ¡®tried¡¯ to engage with Cecily¡¯s Light Pierce, how did you do it, exactly?¡±

    ¡°Well, it blocked our path, then fired at us. Its shell hit our tracks, and we couldn''t move.¡±

    So it was an act of desperation.

    Anton understood now. What they really needed wasn¡¯t more firepower, but more night vision goggles.

    And a lot of stamina. Luckily for them, the game didn¡¯t have a stamina system.

    He turned toward Kayla.

    ¡°Kayla, can you go fetch us some night vision goggles? We need six, one for everyone.¡±

    ¡°Roger,¡± Kayla ran back to the Shwarier. The engines roared to life. It kicked up some sand as it went airborne and flew above the village. A concentrated fire of anti-air cannons came from below. The sudden attack caused Kayla to pull upward, the Shwarier traveling upward at a steep angle while weaving in between ground fire. It managed to fly away safely.

    ¡°Is that there before?¡± Anton asked. Louis turned toward Anna who shook her head.

    ¡°I saw some anti-air vehicles, took out three, but apparently they¡¯re now grouped together.¡±

    Anton checked his quest log. The quest had been updated.

    ¡®Defeat all bandits.¡¯

    But it didn¡¯t say anything about the amount, nor the type of equipment they operated. The existence of anti-air units among the enemy came as a surprise. It made aerial attacks much harder, especially since they didn¡¯t have a dedicated ground attack unit. Anton looked back at the large body of water that sat behind them. Had anyone had ships, or bombers, for that matter, they could have just flattened the village.

    ¡°Louis, can you tell Anna to survey the village and record the location of each house?¡±

    ¡°An aerial mapping?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Louis turned his head toward Anna, who stood up without saying anything and headed for her ship. She boarded the starship and took off, once again kicking sand in everyone¡¯s face.

    ¡°... Maybe placing a bunch of planes on the beach isn¡¯t a good idea,¡± Anton muttered as the starship flew over him. It gained a significant amount of altitude before crossing the border that separated the village and the beach.

    Once it crossed, a huge amount of gunfire saturated the sky, their tracers lighting up the night sky. Flying so high made it hard for them to hit the starship. The starship circled a few times above the village, occasionally firing its own shots toward the ground. After a few minutes, it returned back to the beach. Anna got out of it and uploaded a picture to the group chat.

    She had sent a detailed picture of the village in a light green color. Everyone opened the picture on their own virtual screens.

    If we can use this, why bother with the sand map?

    Anton glanced down at the sand map, deciding that it wasn¡¯t any better, and looked back to the picture. Using the edit feature, he started by marking a direct route from the beach to the road north of the village. He then marked the spots where the anti-air fire came from, evident by the intense light that surrounded the spots, and marked the houses that surrounded it. Finally, he zoomed in on where the heavy tanks should be. The one in the southwest, the one that destroyed both his LAV and Ronald¡¯s IFV, was surrounded by intense light. The glow was so intense that the tank itself could hardly be seen through the glow.

    ¡®By the way, should I rearm on my way back?¡¯

    ¡°No, thirty minutes is way too long.¡±

    ¡®Okay.¡¯

    Anton zoomed in on the picture. He continued analyzing every single detail he could squeeze out of the picture. The details were a bit blurry, but it still gave him a lot to work with.

    ¡°Got it¡­¡± he whispered with great satisfaction.

    He sent the edited image to the group. Not long after, the Shwarier returned. Kayla got off and started handing the fresh night vision goggles around. Anton returned the one he borrowed from Louis and received a new one.

    ¡°So this is the plan. Tanks don¡¯t normally operate without infantry or soldier support. These NPCs operate them without anyone on the ground to watch for their sides. We also have a lot of houses to go through. We¡¯ll sneak in through the empty houses and get Cecily as close as possible to the target.¡±

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    The same as how they did it back then.

    ¡°The NPCs here can react to our action, so we¡¯ll attack the vehicles that surround it first.¡±

    Anton tapped on the tanks that surround the south and southeast of the tank. The plan was to push it back to a road running north from the tank. Once the tank started moving backward, Cecily, hidden in one of the houses, would jump out and hit it from the rear. Kayla and Anna would pick off the other targets one by one, focusing on the anti-air units first before switching to light tanks for the Shwarier and medium tanks for the starship.

    The line-up would be Kayla flying the Shwarier, Anna flying the starship, Ronald and Rito in the IFV, ready to move out once the heavy tank was destroyed, Cecily as their main firepower, and Louis with Anton himself acting as bait.

    ¡°... Why us?¡±

    ¡°Because I want you dead.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough.¡±

    The others looked at the two, not understanding their banter, except for Anna who didn¡¯t seem to care the slightest. With the plans set in stone, they moved out.

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    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of anti-air¡­¡±

    Louis muttered as they hid behind a stone house. Five self-propelled anti-air guns surrounded the heavy tank. These vehicles had the capability of moving around like the tank. They had a smaller body, two-thirds the size of the heavy tank, and a cylindrical turret with four smaller caliber cannons on it. The anti-air weapon had an open top to allow for the cannons to fire upward, but at the same time giving little protection against aerial strikes.

    ¡°... Are you sure we¡¯re supposed to come rushing in?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on rushing in the first place.¡±

    Anton used his goggles to zoom. The anti-air weapon the bandits used had an extremely high fire rate, much higher compared to the 25mm cannon on the Five-Seven. Despite being used for anti-air, they could easily tear through the LAV and IFV¡¯s armor.

    The two sneaked closer, using the narrow gaps between the houses, sometimes going through the buildings themselves. They arrived in a two-story house just across the street from where the tanks were stationed. Anton and Louis hid underneath the window, peeking through.

    Not a single soldier could be seen outside the tanks. Anton paid attention to the vehicles, looking for the viewpoint.

    ¡°If we can hijack one of them¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be dead.¡±

    ¡°Not before we kill half of them.¡±

    Anton then glanced toward Louis.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll follow you.¡±

    ¡°Man, you¡¯re annoying.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    Anton and Louis retreated back to the first floor. They went to a small street on the other side of the tanks, where the main entrance to this house was located. They walked further north along the small street for several more meters before going through the gaps and appearing behind the group. In a house not far north from them, Cecily took position.

    ¡°You ready?¡±

    ¡°Ready.¡±

    They both materialized their weapons. Using his hand, Anton gave the signal. Three, two, one.

    They sprinted as fast as they could to the eastmost tank of the group. Anton was faster.

    ¡°Dirt Step!¡± Anton pointed his left hand to the ground, forming steps similar to ladders on the ground. He used it as a stepping point, jumping up and into the anti-air unit¡¯s turret. He met several surprised bandits inside and finished them swiftly. After removing the turret of its occupants, he took the gunner¡¯s position and turned the turret toward the tank beside it.

    He pulled the trigger. All four machine guns lit up in unison, destroying the unexpecting anti-air unit in an instant. The tank then jumped backward. Anton checked the space underneath him. A thick metal plate blocked the access between him and the driver. The driver cleared the anti-air of the destroyed unit, exposing it to the tank that, as expected, moved backward.

    ¡°Hey, what are you doing!?¡± he yelled, but the driver did not respond. He adjusted the turret so that it aimed at another anti-air unit, leaving the heavy tank in Cecily¡¯s hands. He pulled the trigger. The burst took out another anti-air gun, but the heavy tank itself had its barrel lined up on me. The anti-air driver, meanwhile, continued reversing, aligning the anti-air¡¯s turret with the tank.

    ¡°MUD!¡± A loud yell came from the outside, drowned in the sound of engines, followed by a large boom.

    He stood up and peeked from above the open turret, finding thin white smoke coming out from the heavy tank¡¯s barrel.

    Behind him was a house collapsing after receiving the full brunt of the attack. The anti-tank was sideways, slipping on something. Anton sat back down in his position and adjusted the turret. He pulled the trigger on a reversing anti-tank furthest away from him, the one on the westmost. The intense fire tore through that anti-tank gun¡¯s turret, obliterating it. By that point, the anti-tank that occupied the center of the formation had reversed far enough, its cannons aimed squarely at him. The last thing he saw was the muzzle flash from its four cannons.

    <ul>

    <li>??</li>

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    Anton sat in a cafe not far from the Marrow Adventure Terminal, sipping a drink of hot coffee. Parked in front of the cafe was the Tarup 57, his trusted armored vehicle. This time, he made sure to finally arm it with TOW missiles. He didn¡¯t want to get into trouble for not having them for the third time. As he enjoyed the blend of coffee and milk, he saw another armored vehicle coming into the parking lot.

    The shoebox-shaped vehicle came into the parking lot with six people inside. They got off, a cheerful smile on their faces. He could only hear what happened after he died through the voice chat. After he died, Cecily went as planned and took out the heavy tank. The tables turned and they turned into the hunters. They captured tanks and used them to hunt down more tanks. Eventually, they defeated two other heavy tanks, successfully completing the mission. They returned to the castle, only to hear a long speech about how arms trafficking is destroying the kingdom.

    Yada yada yada, they got their rewards, and here they are. Kayla returned to the airport first to store and rearm the Shwarier, then she was picked up, and now everyone was here. They entered the cafe, finding Anton who had just finished his cup of coffee. They sat at a table, prompting Anton to move to them.

    ¡°Anyway, we completed it.¡±

    ¡°Hooray¡­¡± Anton said flatly, before letting out a chuckle.

    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t get to see it.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, but it¡¯s thanks to your sacrifice that we were able to complete it.¡±

    Anton shrugged. If he didn¡¯t die, Louis would. It didn¡¯t feel like something completely necessary for him.

    ¡°So¡­ what now?¡± Louis asked. They had completed the mission, but it was also getting late, so Anton stood up.

    ¡°I and Kayla would be heading back for today.¡±

    ¡°Okay, thank you so much for your help.¡±

    ¡°Thank you!¡±

    ¡°Thanks, that was great.¡±

    The appreciation ended with Anna¡¯s nod. Kayla smiled and bowed her head.

    ¡°See you later,¡± she beamed. Her smile made Anton smile as well.

    ¡°See you guys,¡± he waved before turning around and leaving.

    Anton and Kayla went toward their Five-Seven. Anton took up the driver¡¯s seat. Kayla looked at him for a moment before sitting down on the turret¡¯s operator seat.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said in a quieter voice.

    ¡°No problem,¡± Anton opened the hatch, waved toward the five people in the cafe, and reversed out of the parking lot. With the hatch opened, he drove the Five-Seven through the silent streets of the night, occasionally passing pedestrians and other cars.

    ¡°So¡­ how did it go?¡± Kayla asked. She moved from the turret seat and sat down behind Anton¡¯s driver seat, leaning back to the rear of his seat.

    ¡°Well, as good as you would expect it to.¡±

    He no longer has anything to do with his past. The fact that he could work together with Louis, even though reluctantly, proved that he had truly moved on. He was no longer stuck. He didn¡¯t search for revenge. He didn¡¯t forgive him, he felt sure he didn¡¯t, but the mere sight of him was no longer enough to hurt him.

    He had grown in these few years, not least thanks to the AI companion- the girl sitting behind him.

    It didn¡¯t take long for them to arrive back in their apartment.

    ¡°Home sweet home,¡± Kayla threw herself onto the bed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be logging off.¡±

    ¡°Alright. See you tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, see you tomorrow.¡±

    Anton lay on the bed and closed his eyes.

 Chapter 36

    ¡°The transaction went through.¡±

    ¡°... What?¡±

    ¡°Ah, sorry, you¡¯re not supposed to hear that,¡± Anton said, heading further away from Kayla. He typed in a reply, asking Rebecca what she meant.

    ¡®Apparently, there¡¯s already some dealings behind the scenes. I disregard them as rumors, but they turned out to be true,¡¯ the message came.

    ¡®When would the game be closed, then?¡¯ Anton replied. He glanced at Kayla, who watched her surroundings from the window.

    ¡®No news about that. I started paying attention to the rumors after that¡­ but everyone¡¯s talking about their own fate, no one has enough time to care about the game itself.¡¯

    ¡®Keep me updated,¡¯ Anton then closed his virtual screen and went back to Kayla. Kayla turned around and stepped closer to him. Realizing that he had far less time than he expected he had, he decided to push his plans forward. No more side quests.

    ¡°We¡¯re camping at Marrow Peaks,¡± Anton said.

    ¡°Hooray!¡± Kayla chirped. They went down to the ground floor and into the Five-Seven. Kayla took the driver¡¯s seat while Anton took the gunner¡¯s turret. He touched the turret¡¯s control stick.

    ¡°...¡±

    The LAV then moved forward. They traveled through the streets of Marrow City, still as dark as when they first arrived here. Anton got up from his chair and sat down behind the driver¡¯s seat. Kayla then opened the driver¡¯s hatch, allowing cold air to blow into the LAV.

    ¡°It sure feels nice.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate pacifist mode is no longer here.¡±

    ¡°You dislike fighting that much?¡±

    Anton shook his head, despite knowing that Kayla couldn¡¯t see him.

    ¡°Everyone plays games for different reasons.¡±

    For some, it was for the thrill. Others for the challenge, while some played so they can play with their friends. Every single player in this world had their own reason for being here. For Anton, it was her. A world without her was a world not worth playing. As he sat there, behind Kayla, feeling the bumps on the road, he thought about their past together.

    The quest they went through, the fights they won, the arguments they had between themselves. In the midst of his thoughts, it appeared. That one painful past, and those two painful words that probably haunt him now more than Louis¡¯ bullying ever did.

    Delete me¡­

    He didn¡¯t want to remember, he wanted to delete his own memories, but he couldn¡¯t. He couldn¡¯t delete hers, either. No, it wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t, rather, he refused to. He refused to treat Kayla as an AI program, no more than lines of code. She was more than that. He let out a sigh, unsure of what to do. He couldn¡¯t do anything. This version of Kayla would soon be deleted. He would only be able to speak with her shell, a shell without a home, a shell that floated in his endless wave of data without being able to do anything.

    The thought hurt him.

    Here, he could still send her out on quests and missions when he went offline. He could even give her allowance and told her to spend it however she wished. He was a programmer. What he could do alone was no match for this project, for this game. Whatever he made for her would never be enough.

    He received a notification, coming from Mana.

    ¡®Where are you working now?¡¯ she asked through the chat.

    ¡®I¡¯m jobless.¡¯

    ¡®Would you like to join me, then? It will be just like the old times.¡¯

    Anton didn¡¯t spend that long under Mana¡¯s wing, but he did have some memories with her.

    ¡®Sorry, I can¡¯t. Not now, at least.¡¯

    He still has some funds to keep himself alive for the next few months. He didn¡¯t know when this journey with Kayla would reach its end. He didn¡¯t want to waste his time chasing after something that meant nothing to him.

    ¡®Why? Oh, if you¡¯re worried about the boss, then I can give you his contact information. I was told you met him before.¡¯

    ¡®Who¡¯s him?¡¯

    ¡®Barnum,¡¯ Anton closed his virtual screen and looked up at the LAV¡¯s ceiling. He rested his head on the back of the driver¡¯s seat and let out a sigh, before opening his virtual screen again. The name written there didn¡¯t change.

    ¡®Actually, he wants to meet you, just the two of you.¡¯

    Anton remembered that the transaction had gone through, meaning that Barnum may be able to access the game¡¯s files. He did his best to hide his code underneath the game¡¯s code, and Kayla¡¯s data transfer went without a hitch. He even checked it earlier this morning before he logged on, and everything went as usual.

    ¡®I¡¯ll tell you when we can talk.¡¯

    ¡®Okie dokie.¡¯

    Anton let out another sigh.

    ¡°Is everything alright?¡±

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°I really wish I can tell you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here for you, regardless of whether you can tell me or not.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, I mean it.¡±

    The drive up to Marrow Peaks took them on a long winding road. The peaks were located north of the city, their destination being the campsite located on the foot of one of the mountains. It took them fifteen minutes to reach the spot. What was great about this spot in particular was that despite being that far out, it was still in the peace zone, allowing Anton to relax a bit. No one attacked them on their way, and they soon arrived at the camping spot.

    A flat patch of land surrounded by pine trees with a cliff to its south, the city on one side, the magnificent mountains on the other.

    ¡°Brrr¡­¡± Anton shivered as he got off the armored vehicle. It wasn¡¯t freezing cold, but cold enough to give him chills. Kayla, meanwhile, started setting up their camp. Campsites register as buildings in the peace zone. This meant that while their vehicle could be destroyed, their tents and outdoor furniture couldn¡¯t. Anton didn¡¯t understand the logic behind it, but he decided against questioning it.

    ¡°Where should I place the tent¡­ no, where should I place everything?¡± Kayla asked, despite already starting on her own. The LAV parked parallel to a cliff. Kayla set up their tent right beside the LAV, facing toward the cliff.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go get some firewood, then.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Anton stepped toward a small house near the entrance. On the side of the house that faced the entrance was a garage-like room. Display cabinets filled the room, showcasing various different items. Firewood, ax, tents, even some instant noodles, all things that could be used for camping.

    ¡°Whatcha need, boy?¡± the clerk asked. Anton strolled up to her.

    ¡°Firewood.¡±

    ¡°How many?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Anton looked back at the bundle on display. They didn¡¯t have any need for them outside camping, but considering the price, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to get extras.

    ¡°Three.¡±

    ¡°Gotcha,¡± the clerk went through a door at the rear of the shop. After a while, she brought back three bundles of firewood. Anton opened his virtual screen to pay, then stored the three bundles in his inventory.

    ¡°Come again,¡± Anton left the store and headed back to Kayla.

    Back in their camping spot, Kayla had set up everything. The tent, two sets of folding chairs and a folding table in front of it, even two cups of hot chocolate.

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re back. Want some?¡± she took one of the cups and handed it over to him.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± he took a quick sip before returning it back to the folding table.

    ¡°It¡¯s great.¡±

    The words put a gentle smile on Kayla¡¯s lips. Anton then sat down on the chair and materialized the bundle of firewood he just bought. Kayla sat down on the chair right of him.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s better if we make the fire here,¡± Anton pointed toward his left, left of the folding table.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Kayla stood up and moved her chair. Anton then handed the first bundle to her. She pulled out her dagger and started cutting it into smaller pieces. A calm breeze went past the campsite, the grass swaying in unison. Kayla started stacking the wood she just cut.

    ¡°Is it enough?¡±

    ¡°I think one more bundle would be good.¡±

    Anton materialized another bundle and handed it over. As Kayla continued working, Anton took the hot chocolate and took another sip. Kayla then stood up, picked up some pinecones scattered not far from them, and returned with some on hand. She materialized a fire ring in front of them and started arranging the materials, starting from the pinecone.

    ¡°Phew. That should do it,¡± Kayla said. Anton pulled out his staff.

    ¡°Fire Tip!¡± the staff¡¯s tip lit up, a method he preferred over one named after campfires itself. That one appeared on top of his palm, so it would be hard for him if he needed to let the flames lick the wood. Anton handed the staff over to Kayla, who used it to light up the firewood. It didn¡¯t take long for the fire to spread and consume the wood.

    Anton and Kayla moved further to the left, getting themselves closer to the heat of the fire. Anton then pulled lightly on the table and took the full cup of chocolate, handing it over to Kayla. Kayla took it into her hands and drank it.

    ¡°Phew, this is great,¡± she smiled. Beyond them stood the city that never sleeps, all in its glory. Cars paint the streets in a red-white light, buildings tower into the sky, streetlights forming wide lines interconnected to each other like cobwebs. The flames that danced before him, the girl that sat next to him, the cool and freshness of the air that he smelled, the sight of magnificent mountains reaching to the skies behind him.

    A beautiful painting, its elements weaved together to make one single picture.

    This couldn¡¯t last forever, he didn¡¯t even want to think about what waited for him. Like a car coming up to the intersection, he wouldn¡¯t be able to see unless he turned, and he didn¡¯t want to. He wished this could last for an eternity.

    ¡°Kayla, thank you,¡± he whispered. Kayla turned her head toward him.

    ¡°As your AI companion¡­ is what I like to say¡­¡± she stopped then turned toward the view before them.

    ¡°But¡­ I don¡¯t know. It doesn¡¯t feel that way anymore,¡± she said with a chuckle.

    ¡°Like, you just decided to let my programming do whatever it wants.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    She felt far too human for him to do anything to her. She was as precious as the people he knew in his life. One that supported him, willing to stand by his side in the toughest of times. His companion, his other side.

    The idea felt weird, sometimes. He found himself constantly reminding himself that she was just lines of codes, a bunch of ones and zeroes. Yet she felt more human. She was willing to stand by his side when no other will. When people left him, she was there, ready to bring him into her embrace. Ready to protect him from the real world. To him, she was someone worth fighting for.

    He opened his virtual screen and opened Mana¡¯s chat.

    ¡®Can Barnum meet me tomorrow?¡¯

    The reply didn¡¯t take long.

    ¡®What hour?¡¯

    ¡®9 AM.¡¯

    This one took a bit longer to reply, but still relatively quick.

    ¡®He can. Where?¡¯

    Anton typed in an address to a cafe on the outskirts of Marrow City.

    ¡®I¡¯ll ask him real quick.¡¯

    He then closed his virtual screen. Kayla kneeled in front of the table, pouring hot water into a pair of cup noodles.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t those go before the chocolate?¡±

    ¡°Huh? They should?¡±

    ¡°Well, not really.¡±

    Kayla took a cup and handed it over to Anton.

    ¡°Should we make some more hot chocolate after this? Or coffee, maybe?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll make whatever you want.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in the mood for some coffee.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Anton then took a bite from the instant noodles. It tasted great, rivaling the ones in the real world. Anton saw a notification come in from Mana.

    ¡®See you tomorrow, he said.¡¯

    ¡®Alright, thanks.¡¯

    ¡®No problem. Hope it goes well.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah,¡¯ Anton closed his virtual screen again.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kayla asked, leaning a bit toward him.

    ¡°Mana says Barnum wanted to meet me. Some real-world business, I think.¡±

    Had I been caught?

    That question filled his head. He didn¡¯t want to think about it, though, so he looked for other topics. Hearing him, Kayla pulled closer and put her hand on his shoulder.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine,¡± she said with a reassuring smile.

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

 Chapter 37

    The next morning, Anton did several checks on the downloaded data. He made sure that the computer had saved every single piece of data, no, memories he had created the night before.

    With every single data verified and safe, Anton took his Dual Reality headset and logged into the game.

    He woke up on the bed in his apartment with Kayla nowhere to be seen. He knew that he couldn¡¯t play with her in the morning, thus he sent her on some training after returning to Marrow the night before. He felt some emptiness in his heart after waking up. He shook his head, even went to the bathroom to freshen his virtual self up. He had some serious issues to deal with, he couldn¡¯t be distracted by something so simple. He noticed a notification on his virtual screen.

    ¡®You¡¯re up? Good luck for today!¡¯ Kayla¡¯s message said, followed by a message from Mana.

    ¡®Good luck!¡¯

    ¡®Thanks,¡¯ he replied to both of them. He then changed his in-game clothes to a long sleeve dress shirt and a pair of trousers. He took one look in the mirror before leaving his apartment. He went down to the ground floor and took a taxi to the cafe. He checked the time. Based on the estimated arrival time, he should be able to arrive three minutes before the agreed time. The taxi ride took no more than five minutes. He stood in front of the cafe, steeled his nerves, and went inside.

    Once inside, he looked through the cafe for Barnum¡¯s avatar. Not finding him, he went on to the second floor. Barnum sat on the table furthest away from the stairs, close to the balcony that overlooked the street. He noticed his arrival and looked toward him.

    ¡°Good morning,¡± he said, despite the skies outside the window being the same darkness Anton always saw.

    ¡°Morning,¡± Anton said. He stopped, took a breather, then approached him. Like him, Barnum wore a more formal style of clothing, sporting a tuxedo suit.

    ¡°Would you like to order something?¡± Barnum asked after shaking Anton¡¯s hand and sitting back down.

    ¡°Thanks for the offer.¡±

    Anton looked through the menu. He didn¡¯t find anything interesting, shook his head, and returned the menu to the table. An NPC waiter brought out mango juice and set it down in front of Barnum.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Barnum said to the NPC before taking a sip. Anton watched him, not saying anything.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get straight to the point. I know about the things you did.¡±

    Anton gulped. He knew what he was talking about. Not his achievements, not his accomplishments, not those.

    ¡°Well, I heard about the other¡­ things¡­ as well, but I¡¯m not here to discuss that with you.¡±

    The other things? What other things?

    ¡°I would like to offer you a position as the lead programmer for Aripi Studios¡¯ AI program going forward.¡±

    ¡°... Huh?¡±

    Anton could only stare at the person before him.

    ¡°I heard of your capabilities. Mana recommended you to me,¡± Barnum explained calmly.

    ¡°I¡­ see¡­¡±

    ¡°Mana said you have concerns about your higher-ups. There would be a large restructuring, so you don¡¯t need to worry.¡±

    Anton nodded. He could only nod.

    ¡°Any questions?¡±

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    ¡°What about P4ngea?¡± he steeled himself to ask.

    ¡°P4ngea still has great potential. A lot of it needs to be updated and changed, but in general, it can still be developed. But, that¡¯s not what you¡¯re truly concerned about, is it?¡±

    Barnum¡¯s struck where it hurts. Anton didn¡¯t care about this game, about this world. Many better games can replace it. No, what he truly cared about was the AI companions, the people that ¡®lived¡¯ in this world. Kayla, Jerrico, Rito, Cecily, Mia, Lily, Sophie, Lucy, Lea, and even Anna. The long list of names that had appeared in his mind, what would happen to them? What would happen to the humans that play with them? What would they feel if they knew they needed to part ways with their companions forever, even if they were only AI?

    Maybe it was because they were AI, chained into this virtual world with no way of escaping. Maintaining a relationship in real life is hard, but with effort, it could be maintained. But here, where the AIs were at the mercy of the company that operated them, what would happen to them, where the game closing down would mean death to them.

    ¡°About the AIs¡­¡± Anton paused, considering his words.

    ¡°My current plan is to make it so that the same AI system can work with all games, with the AI retaining its memory in between the games. That¡¯s what I wanted your help with. You have a good understanding of them and worked on them in the past. I wanted to make it so that all LumnX and Aripi games share the same AI system that could be transferred between games.¡±

    Multiple new worlds to explore. Relationship with the AI didn¡¯t have to end. People would be more connected than ever, both with their AI companions and their real-life ones.

    ¡°So what do you say? Care to join me?¡±

    Anton finally nodded.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The two stood up and shook hands.

    <ul>

    <li>??</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°How¡¯s the meeting?¡± Kayla asked, pouring hot water into a cup of tea.

    ¡°Good, I guess,¡± Anton still had some trust issues.

    He actually tried squeezing more information out of Barnum after that. He tried to test whether he actually knew about what he did or not, only for Barnum to say it out loud. Barnum promised that he wouldn¡¯t apprehend him for it, and even allowed him to continue extracting Kayla¡¯s data, although due to privacy concerns Anton would need to modify the program. Barnum granted him access to Kayla¡¯s data, her and her data only.

    Whether Barnum was trustworthy or not, he didn¡¯t know. When the meeting ended, Barnum dropped another bombshell on him. He apologized for what Louis did in the past, and the scars inflicted on him. He didn¡¯t understand how Barnum knew, but he did look like he regretted it. He could only hope that the next day, when he came to Barnum¡¯s office to meet him in person, the police wouldn¡¯t be there as well.

    Kayla brought a cup of tea to him.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Anton said as he took a sip.

    ¡°The sweetness is perfect.¡±

    ¡°Glad you enjoyed it,¡± Kayla said with a warm smile. Kayla sat down next to him, taking a sip of her tea as well. Once he returned to work, he wouldn¡¯t be able to communicate with her as often, unless¡­

    ¡°What are your thoughts about exploring the real world?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Anton then recalled a story Barnum told him. A story of a lonely boy, bullied and traumatized in school like him. The boy had trouble socializing, even after moving to a different high school. One of the friend groups in the class played P4ngea. His teacher urged him to try it, so he logged in. An AI companion accompanied him when he met up with the friend group. A year later, he could interact normally with others, both AI and humans alike.

    ¡°If you can operate outside this game, a lot of people out there would be helped,¡± as Anton told the story, he couldn¡¯t help but remember his own school story. Had someone been there to help him in his darkest times, how different would his life be now? He made it out just fine, but not everyone was as lucky as him.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying if us AI companion can accompany you outside the game¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s still a lot of issues on hand, of course.¡±

    For one, the general perception of AI posed a threat. Even as integrated as AI with daily life, some people still found it weird to use AI as more of a tool. The girl beside him taught him a lot about life and accompanied him during his darkest times, things that other people didn¡¯t do back then. He wanted for her, for her kind, to reach out to others with the same fate as him.

    A soul in a soulless machine, kindness in a heartless being. More than just a tool, as a companion.

    Lead the way for change, like a beacon shining in the darkness. A way to push kindness into this cruel world.

    ¡°But if you can come to the other side, I¡¯m sure a lot of people would be helped.¡±

    Being the source of kindness that changed a person, then that person changed a group of people, who in turn changed a larger group of people. Maybe this world didn¡¯t need to be so cruel after all. Maybe, if they could convince others to change, one by one, like flowers blooming in the morning sun, painting the garden in beautiful colors.

    ¡°I would be happy to,¡± Kayla said.

    ¡°As your companion, I would do my best to help your vision come true.¡±

 Epilogue

    ¡°Come on Anton. What are you waiting for!?¡± Mana¡¯s scream echoed through the cold morning skies.

    ¡°You¡¯re way too active!¡± Anton said, crawling out of his tent. Mana stood in front of it, just fresh out from her own.

    ¡°You sleepyhead,¡± Mana stated flatly. Mana heard the sound of a zipper. She turned toward a tent, finding Rebecca crawling from inside it.

    ¡°Look, even Rebecca¡¯s already up. You really want to lose to your own junior?¡±

    Mana pointed toward the approaching Rebecca. She rubbed her eyes, still looking tired. She stopped beside Mana, looking into Anton¡¯s tent.

    ¡°Whoaam¡­ morning¡­¡± she let out a yawn.

    ¡°Morning everyone!¡± a voice came out from Anton¡¯s tent.

    ¡°Morning,¡± Anton finally replied. He went back to his tent and took the camera speaker device he made and strapped it to his right shoulder. The device was relatively light compared to other things of its size.

    ¡°Morning, Kayla,¡± Mana replied. Anton went out of his tent and stretched his limbs.

    ¡°Woah!¡± Kayla gasped as Anton shook the device around.

    ¡°Any more movements and Kayla will go tumbling down,¡± Rebecca commented.

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    ¡°I made this, I know its limits,¡± Anton said while shaking his shoulder around.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    As he said, the device stayed put on his shoulder.

    ¡°Kayla, are you not dizzy being shaken around like that?¡± Mana asked.

    ¡°Not really, but it¡¯s still surprising when he did it so suddenly.¡±

    ¡°You heard the girl.¡±

    Anton shrugged.

    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s start preparing for our return,¡± Anton said, only to go back to his tent and cuddle up in his sleeping bag, again.

    ¡°What would we do with you¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s his suggestion to go camping,¡± Rebecca and Mana looked at each other, let out a sigh, and returned to their tents.

    <ul>

    <li>??</li>

    </ul>

    Ten minutes later, Anton was finally wide awake. He got up, made sure that the device was properly strapped to his shoulder, and went out of his tent. He walked out to find Rebecca and Mana occupying a wooden table not far from their tents, a hot, small cup of instant noodles in hand.

    They pushed one toward him.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± he said as he opened the lid. He took the fork and started chomping down.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to spawn an instant noodle to go with the mood¡­ Hmm, this is great!¡±

    Kayla¡¯s words prompted a chuckle from the two girls.

    ¡°Anyway, should we take a light walk before we pack up?¡± Mana suggested, her cup half empty. Rebecca nodded.

    ¡°Sure, no running, though.¡±

    ¡°Fine, fine.¡±

    Anton looked up at the surrounding mountains before them.

    ¡°Sure is beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± Kayla¡¯s voice came from the speaker.

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    They finished their breakfast and then collected the trash in a plastic bag. Anton tied the plastic bag up and put it in the rear of their pickup truck.

    ¡°Alright, should we go?¡± Anton turned back toward the two girls. They nodded, and the three- four set off on their morning walk.

    <h2>END</h2>