What..? How are they still alive? I thought we killed them all during our cave raid. I thought. But as if reading my mind, the man standing in the front said: “I’m the leader of the DarkFist Guild. My name is Zac Chung. And we’re here today because one of you clearers managed to ruin my plan and stole my livestock. You’re all going to pay for this, with not just your lives but with your body and soul. Oh and for the ones named “Crimson Vigilante’s”.” After he said that, everyone stared at us. He continued: “You think you’ve stopped us? Think again, that was only a fourth of our true force. There’s 150 of us here at full health. You all maybe much more skilled and higher level than us but you’re mostly yellow and exhausted. We’re definitely going to win, and make you pay.” I looked towards the boss room’s door, as I saw a person with a muscular body, wearing blue armor and flat black hair with two strands of hair falling in front of his face. His ice blue eyes, showed that he had no mercy and would kill us at will. So I shouted towards the others: “We have to fight! If we give up like this then what right do we have to call ourselves the heroes, the clearers. It’s because we never give up, so we’re able to clear the bosses. We may have half their numbers but we should be able to clear them out! These people are monsters, using the simulation to their advantage so they may torture others, we must stop them here and now! So I beg of all of you, stand up and fight with me!” As if ignoring the fatigue that the system put into us they all stood up one by one, wielding their weapons. He clapped as he said: “Well done, you can still fight. But we’ll crush that determination of yours. Kill them all.” After he said that both groups began charging at one and other. It was a bloodbath, as I saw players from both groups disappearing into dust once their health dropped to zero. I was along with Hailey, surrounded by 12 enemies. One of them said: “Hey, if you surrender we might just spare you if you give us some service..” Hailey shouted back: “Don’t think about it! You people disgust me.” After she said that they all charged in, by using Hailey as the decoy I activated my sword skill Infinity Slashes as I slashed 8 of them into pieces. While after that, Hailey activated her skill Heavenly Piercer with a godlike reaction time after being pushed back intentionally to give herself space to activate her sword skill. The last 4 enemies in our sight were demolished, as Hailey set her sights for the two people that were standing at the boss room door.

She charged in using Flash Charge without hesitation, at the man that spoke to us earlier. However, her in game sword skill was blocked by the man beside Zac. He lifted out his short sword and round shield while saying: “You are not worthy of challenging Captain Zac, I will be your opponent and vanquish you.” Hailey replied to him mockingly: “Says you, you’ll be gone in a minute now die!” As they clashed swords, within seconds Hailey managed to get the upper hand slashing him left and right. As she was about to put in the final blow I saw that Zac wasn’t there.. And then I realized, it was a trap. I ran to Hailey’s position while shouting: “Hailey look out!” However it was too late, Zac used his spear to slash Hailey. As he stabbed her fatally, she wasn’t able to move. She cried out in pain, as she suddenly said: “Why am.. I not able to.. Move?” Zac answered: “Young damsel, you should stay still like most girls do during a battle. Stay still and don’t move.” She shouted: “What did you do to me?” Zac then answered: “I have a unique skill called paralysis, and once I slash a target they can’t move their limbs for two minutes, ah and I hoped you could become my personal toy. Oh well, dispose of her.” As the man Hailey was fighting began to lift his sword to slash Hailey, I dashed in as I shouted: “Stop!” As his sword slashed down, Hailey closed her eyes and prepared for the worst. In desperation I used Flash Charge hoping that my body would be able to block the blow. As the sword came down, I felt my body making contact with it. I felt pain, but I felt relief at the same time that it didn’t end Hailey. As the man backed down, he said: “Heh, the next blow’s gonna kill you. Now die!” As he charged towards me, Hailey sobbed out: “Jason.. Qianbei” I said to a sobbing Hailey who was lying on the ground: “Everything’s going to be alright now, just stay here and I’ll make them pay.” After that, I dodged the person’s attack and I activated a in game sword skill Energy Slash. After the slash, the person’s health drained to zero as he begged to Zac to save him. Only for Zac to say: “You’re worthless, you deserve death.” After that, he disappeared. I sternly looked towards Zac and said: “He was your direct subordinate, don’t you feel anger or sorrow that he died?” Zac replied: “Those who are weak die, and the strong survive. There is, no feelings towards your subordinates. Feelings bring weakness.” I shouted at him: “Wrong! Feelings are what gives us strength, they are what helps us to survive this death game.” Zac then replied: “On the contrary, I have no need to survive. After all, if you do survive this I’ll be seeing you soon.” I then inquired in: “What do you mean..?” He replied: “But, you won’t survive this, since people who ruin my livestock, die.” He drew his longsword and began charging at me, I was barely able to dodge his first strike. After that he began charging at me and managed to get a slash in. Pain erupted in me, however I resisted it. I saw that everything was on the line, my life and Hailey’s life depended on this battle. I could not lose. I dodged his third strike and began clashing blades with him, after that I used Flash Charge to try to bait him in my way, instead my plan backfired as my health dropped towards 0. Hailey cried with tears out: “Don’t lose! Jason!” After hearing her plead I yelled out: “HYA!” As I slashed Zac once, and as he was falling backwards and activated my sword skill Infinity slashes However, the man also activated a nine hit sword skill to counter mine. I successfully managed to landed 9 hits, as we were both down to a silver of health The next person to land a hit would’ve won, and with both of our skills on cool down, we charged at each other with all our might. Putting all my feelings into this one strike, I slashed Zac while avoiding his slash. After that, I saw Zac disappear while saying: “Heh, I guess I’ll meet you soon, if you survive this.” Immediately after he said that, I feel unconscious due to the pain.

As I woke up, I thought Who is this person, how can he meet me soon? How can he be not afraid to die? When I woke up, I saw Hailey crying as she hugged me. I embraced her hug, and put my arms around her as well, while I saw everyone else from the Crimson Vigilante’s gathered around me, as Jingxi asked me: “Who was that dude, you both fought on even grounds.. And he was even at the same level as you, and he had absolutely no concern for dying.” I replied: “I just hope that someone as crazy as him doesn’t attack us again.” Leo said: “Well, let’s hope that this case doesn’t happen again. Around 34 clearers were killed during this battle and the rest of us went down to red and nearly died. Not to mention that for some reason we felt pain, shouldn’t there be a pain restricter in here?” I nodded, as I replied: “Yeah, I found that weird. But at least we managed to clear all of em.” Searing then added in: “They all fought to their deaths, it was like they didn’t care for their lives, and just had a endless lust for blood.”

Meanwhile, outside of the simulation a thin man, with the same hair as Zac woke up in a room that was fairly decorated with a wardrobe, a television on the front of the bed and a bathroom at the corridor. As he woke up another man in a suit greeted him. The man said: “So Head Simulation Supervisor Zac how was it like, getting beat in that muscular handsome body of yours?” Zac replied: “Shut up, it appears we have a possible group that could actually beat the simulation.” As Zac put on his glasses the man inquired further: “What? I thought the simulation was hardcore as hell to beat.” Zac replied: “Apparently, judging from the person I fought I think he can. After all, I’ve cleared the simulation before with the one life rule when it was during beta, am I right Nahr?” Nahr replied: Guess you’re right. Still, I’m happy to finally see you got your ass kicked by one of those clearers in this year’s simulation. In all the other years you just simply killed the clearers off here and ensured they never went further. I guess this year’s going to be interesting huh?” Zac said calmly while lifting his glasses: “Prepare to record data, this year’s group may just give us the results we need for Project Bioroid.” Nahr replied: “Yes sir, I’ll get the recording team to start recording for the results. And I’ll get the research team to use the results for Project Bioroid, we might just get the breakthrough we need.” Zac replied: “Good, get to it immediately and get out of my room.” As Nahr bowed, left the room and closed the door. Zac thought These several days, no this year is going to be a hell of fun, if these kids think that they can return home after they complete that death simulation they're wrong. I’m looking forward to see that boy who killed me and his girlfriend’s face when they hear that they won’t be returning home. After Zac thought that, he let out a horrid laugh, a laugh that could let anyone know that this man was insane and was perfectly sadistic.

Inside the simulation

When we returned to the town which we called home in this simulation through the teleporter we all returned home, sad. We had lost many of our comrades during that battle, despite being able to eliminate the boss and the player killer guild, the Darkfist guild. As we were walking back, Luke attempted to lighten my mood by saying: “Wanna grab a bite with me and Peaches?” I nodded, as the three of us left to go to the desert corner in this town. We went to a shop named [Sweet Food] and Luke said to Peaches: “Don’t worry, I’ll pay for yours.” After hearing that Peaches lightened up and ordered a Chocolate Mousse, while Luke ordered a Chocolate Cake. I decided to go cheap, as no one was going to be paying for me. I ordered a Chocolate Molten Lava cake. Immediately after we placed our orders, our money in our inventory got reduced and our food was instantly transported to us. As I was eating Luke asked: “So when are you planning to appeal to her?” I blushed as I asked: “What do you mean?” Peaches chimed in: “You know, Hailey obviously likes you and you obviously like her.” I said: “I don’t know.. Maybe I’ll ask her out after the simulation?” Peaches then said: “Sometimes when I talk to Hailey, she would always go on about how your qualities, she always talks about you like you’re meant for her. Just that she never admits that she fully likes you.” Luke then added in: “Come on dude, the actions you take for her are obvious, the faster you admit that you like her the better you’ll feel.” I nodded while blushing.

As we were walking back to our inn, I couldn’t help but picture Luke and Peaches as me and Hailey if we were a couple. I sighed, I knew I had to focus on the task at hand. Which was, clearing the simulation. After that maybe, we could go out on a date. But for now, I knew that that was a no no. I was the leader of the Guild and clearers after all, I couldn’t let my emotions drive me too wild. As I went into my room, I attempted to sleep. But I couldn’t, and I checked the time. It was 2am, and I couldn’t sleep. So I decided to put on my clothes and go outside to look at the stars. I saw Hailey outside on the grass patch sitting down, so I decided to go over, sit next to her and ask“What’re you doing here?” She replied: “I couldn’t sleep, no not after seeing everyone getting massacred like that.. Not to mention I ended 4 human lives with my own hands” After that she broke down as I put my arm around her and said: “They were trying to hurt you, you had no choice.” She replied: “Still.. I shouldn’t have hurt them maybe I could’ve talked to them.” I said to her while stroking her hair: “It couldn’t be avoided, if you had tried to talk them out of it you would’ve been the one that was killed.” After that, she put her head on my shoulder as she asked me: “Do you think that, we can clear this?” I replied: “We can definitely clear this death game, and I’ll make sure you and all the others escape alive.” She said: “I wish I could see the stars, like this in the real world.” I replied: “Well, when we escape this I’ll take you to the peak to see.” Her face brightened: “Really?” I responded: “Yeah.” Her faced blushed about, I could tell despite the darkness as she said: “Thank you Jason!”