Miko woke up inside the game capsule, after being killed in his fight with Ace. This was his second death since joining the game, and it was by the same person. However, the situation leading to it was different this time.

“I died again, but I’m certain that I took Ace with me.”

It was a tie, but did that satisfy Miko?

“If it was real life, I would’ve meaninglessly wasted my life just to take down an enemy.”

The answer was no.

Miko could only do what he did because it was a game. If he was in a similar situation in real life, there was no coming back. So it wouldn’t matter that he killed his opponent, because he wouldn’t be able to celebrate his victory. This was an unacceptable result by any means.

“I still can grow further, I can still improve.”

He mumbled to himself with an intense glint in his eyes.

Unknown to him, his hair started to darken from the roots as well as his eyes and skin. However, this only lasted for a short moment before everything turned back to normal.

*Knock!*

“Miko!”

At that moment, he heard Momo knocking on his capsule door.

“Miko, lets go. Tia says she’s bored of the game now.”

Momo said.

“Coming.”

Miko took a deep breath to calm himself, and exited the game capsule.

He saw Tia with a satisfied expression, and Momo who looked like she was spent.

“Let’s go.”

At that same time, in Hina’s apartment in Gael. In the room on the far right on the top floor, a golden game pod opened its door and Ace stepped out of it.

He had a strange expression, as if he couldn’t fully understand what he just experienced.

“So, how did it go?”

He turned to see that Hina was sitting on his bed reading his game magazine. She smiled and looked at him.

“From your expression, it looks like Miko really surprised you.”

She said.

“…..He really was something.”

Ace replied. His reply seemed to have satisfied Hina, because she quickly sat up with a wider smile than before.

“I told you didn’t I? Miko is really interesting.”

She said.

Ace nodded in agreement.

“I have to admit that this is the first time I’ve been interested in a guy in forever.”

He said.

“I kinda wanna meet him again.”

“You sound like a maiden in love.”

Hina said with a laugh.

“Don’t be stupid. I’m a pure ladies man. Women are the only things I find beautiful in this world. I live for the heroines and have no interest in any hero other than myself.”

Ace retorted.

“It’s just that my player instincts is telling me that I’ve found a strong player, someone who would make the game called Life, even more interesting than it already is.”

“I see.”

Hina nodded as if she could relate to what Ace said.

“For me, he’s like a wildcard character whose appearance saves a dying series. He makes me excited to see how this story will unfold again.”

She said.

She then clapped her hands together with an excited smile.

“I have a great idea.”

The next day.

After deciding to leave the game permanently, Miko started practicing what he learnt from countless battles with weapons.

He was currently fighting against two human sized golems that were created by Momo.

“Ah!”

*Bam!*

He slammed a club on the side of a golem and forced it a few meters to the side. He was then attacked by the other golem from behind, which he dodged by jumping over the attack.

Miko spun around and slammed the club on top of the golems head.

*Bam!*

He then leaped back and observed the damage he dealt to the golems.

“Looks like blunt weapons aren’t his cup of tea.”

Momo said while watching him.

She looked to her side and saw several golems with damages of all kinds on them. These were golems Miko fought against using different weapons.

“It’s like he said. Swords and guns are the weapons he’s most lethal with.”

She said after comparing the various golems.

“But it’s not like he can’t use other weapons.”

Tia said, while sitting on one of the broken golems.

“He’s pretty good with almost every weapon available in the game. So he should be able to use most weapons, but with different levels of mastery.”

She said while rubbing a slash mark on one of the golem’s head.

“Miko realizes this, and will most likely focus on mastering a few weapons while keeping the others as back ups to get himself out of a pinch.”

She said.

“However, I should warn you. Miko might try to master everything in a hurry if he encounters a set back.”

She looked at Momo will a smile.

“It will be your job then to set him straight and don’t allow him to become impatient and rush things.”

Momo nodded.

“I know. Gramps already told me.”

“Then that’s good.”

Tia smiled and looked Miko who had finally destroyed the golems with the club.

“Hm?”

That’s when something caught her eye. She focused on her connection to him and dwelled deeper inside him to take a look.

“RAWR!”

“?!”

She almost fell off the golem she was sitting on, after suddenly getting startled.

“Is something wrong?”

Momo asked after seeing her shocked expression.

“No, it’s nothing.”

Tia answered back.

“Is that so?”

Momo turned her attention back to Miko after seeing Tia smiled at her. When Momo did that, the smile dropped from Tia’s face.

“I was forced out of his soul? By what exactly?”

She mumbled to herself after recalling encountering something extremely terrifying and satanic. She couldn’t see it clearly, but she looked like a black beast wrapped with rusty chains.

“Just what is his Irregularity? I’ve never seen an Irregular like this before.”

She mumbled to herself. She started to wonder if making Miko stronger would eventually lead to a catastrophic disaster. Yet, she couldn’t stop herself from smiling.

“This might be more worthwhile than I thought.”

She said.

“Miko!”

That’s when she heard a familiar voice. She looked and saw Hina making her way towards them.

“Hina?”

Miko also noticed her and turned his attention towards her.

“What’s up? Did you have another writers block or something?”

He asked.

“No, I suddenly felt the urge to meet you.”

Hina walked up to Miko and said.

“Is that so?”

Miko gave a casual replay.

“You know, in situations like this you either blush and act embarrassed, or say that you missed me too.”

Hina spoke with a displeased tone.

“Sounds like a waste of time to me. After all, why would I be embarrassed? As for missing you…..Well, I’ll be lying if I said I didn’t think of you every now and then.”

Miko replied.

“You’re pretty tactless, you know that. What if I was coming on to you?”

Hina said.

“But you aren’t, I can tell that much. You’re just messing around.”

Miko replied.

He then grabbed her arm and drag her closer to him and placed his hand on her hip. This action came as a shock to everyone there.

“If you want I can humor you and play along.”

“A-Ah…Um…”

Hina became immediately flustered.

“What do you say? Wanna see which one of us is better at playing around?”

Miko started moving his face closer to hers.

“I’m willing to entertain you all day.”

He whispered.

Hina suddenly pushed him away and stepped back with an embarrassed face.

“Oh, so that’s how you wanted me to react.”

Miko said referring to her embarrassed expression.

“This is educational. I’ll remember it so I can use it as reference for further use in the future. Although I don’t know if I can’t make a face like yours.”

Miko took out a notepad and started writing something down.

“Hahahaha!”

Tia and Momo burst out laughing after seeing what Miko did.

“I guess Miko finally figured out how to handle her.”

Tia said while wiping the tears from her eyes.

“Grr!”

Hina became angry at them teasing her and started at Miko, who didn’t seem faze by her gaze.

“So, what did you come here for today?”

Miko said while putting away his notepad.

Hina cleared her throat to chase away her embarrassment.

“I came here to apologize about something.”

She said.

“You mean the fact that you knew Ace personally yet didn’t say? If so, I don’t really mind.”

Miko said.

“So you already knew?”

“Well, yeah. It was really confirmed when Ace came seeking us out. He knew our identities prior to meeting us and still came. So someone must’ve told him about us.”

“I see. I guess I should’ve put more effort into hiding it.”

“You didn’t really try, so what you’re talking about?”

He said.

“I guess you’re right.”

Hina smiled.

“Then you shouldn’t mind me bringing him along.”

“Wha-”

Before Miko could reply, he sensed something dangerous around him. Before he could look around, he felt something cold pressed onto his throat.

“Looks like I have the opportunity to return the favor from the game.”

He heard a familiar voice reached his ear. Miko couldn’t turn around, but he already knew who it was.

“Return the favor? Do you really think you can do that?”

If you were to look between Miko and the one who held the knife to his throat, you’d see that Miko was pointing a gun behind him; and that gun was aimed right at his attacker’s heart.

“Whew~. This is the first that someone was able to detect me approaching them, and even prepared a counter.”

The blade moved from Miko’s neck, allowing to finally turn around. As he expected, he saw Ace behind him. Although this was the fist time he saw what he looked like.

“So you’re Ace?”

Miko said.

“Hm? Huh?”

When Ace saw Miko he looked confused.

“I never knew that Miko was a girl. Damn, you’re beautiful too.”

He said.

“Huh?”

His words confused Miko and Momo. While it wasn’t strange to mistake Miko for a beautiful girl, it was strange for a citizen of this empire to do so.

“Ace, he’s a guy.”

Hina corrected.

“Eh? Really?!”

Ace screamed in shock. He then pointed at Miko with a doubtful expression.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Hina confirmed with a nod.

“Damn. Sorry man, my bad.”

Ace immediately apologized with a weird smile. Miko wasn’t sure, but Ace looked a bit disappointed as well.

“What is this all about Hina? Has he never seen a picture of Miko before?”

Momo asked.

“I’m sorry. He didn’t really care about the rumors surrounding Miko because he was male. Or rather, he wasn’t interested in him at all.”

“I live for heroines and heroines only.”

Ace declared boldly.

“Heroines?”

“Ah, don’t mind that. The world looks like a game through his eyes. To him everyone are game characters following their own narrative.”

Hina explained.

“Sounds like a serious mental disorder.”

Said Momo.

“Sounds interesting to me.”

She said.

“Oh!”

Ace finally looked towards her and made an excited.

“Midnight Witch, you’re as cute as I heard. I’m not into that kind of thing, but I gotta admit that you make a great mascot.”

Ace gave a thumbs up. Momo returned the thumbs up.

“At least he has good taste.”

She said.

“Wait, then what about the Emperor? Other than the hair, Miko and gramps are basically identical.”

Momo asked.

“They are?”

Ace looked surprised to hear that. This came as a big shock to Momo.

“Not even someone as infamous as gramps entered your eye?”

Ace shook his head.

“No. The thing is, I recognize Demon God Nero as a supreme player in this game, or should I say a boss level character? Anyway, I’m not from this empire. I only came here a few years ago, and since then I spent most of my time in VRMMORPG, so I’ve never actually paid much attention to stuff like what the higher ups of this country looks like.”

He said.

“Besides, I prefer when I see high level characters for the first time, it’s in the flesh. Pictures lack impact, so I don’t go out of my way to search for them. Well, unless they’re a famous beauty.”

He explained.

“This guy’s strange…..”

Said Momo.

“Right? But it’s because he’s like this why his skill is perfect for him.”

Hina said.

“Skill?”

Hina nodded.

“Ace is what you would call a real life game character.”