The sun shone brightly overhead a leveled greenfield. Hordes of players were fending off the ferocious monsters that inhabited the area. Some more successful than others. Screams of terror and agony and pitiful cries for help and hope filled the area. Blood spilled from the bodies of said players. Their family and friends ran over to mourn over the sudden deaths only to be murdered themselves.

Shou wiped the sweat from his forehead as he walked beside Kazumi. He shielded his eyes from the bright relentless sun, "I think I see a village up ahead." Shou eagerly chuckled to himself while putting his hands behind his head.

"Good." Kazumi sighed in relief as she waved her hand in front of her face like a fan. "I hope they have air conditioning."

"You can't actually go inside the houses, you know," Shou informed her.

"What?!" Kazumi shouted. The orange-haired Cleric's eyebrow twitched, "Why not?"

Shou shrugged, "I don't know. That's just the way it is in these games."

"Great," Kazumi moaned. She really wasn't feeling up to staying out in the heat all day long. And the fact that she didn't have a choice about it only ticked her off even more. "So where are we supposed to sleep then? And please don't say on the ground."

"Okay, I won't," Shou replied plainly.

"Well? Where are we gonna sleep?"

"You sure you wanna know?" Shou said with a warning voice and questioning eyes.

Kazumi nodded, "Yes, now just tell me already."

"On the ground."

"Damn it, Shou!" Kazumi's yell reached into the sky causing all of the birds to fly away.

Once the two finally made it up to the village after many more arguments and yelling, they got a quest from a middle aged man. Shou pulled up the quest log and examined it.

QUEST Extract the Venom Excuse me, if you'd be so kind, I'd like for you to collect five venom sacks for me. I believe you can get them from Raging Scorpions. Huh? What do I need venom for? Uh...no reason! What are you waiting for?! Get going already! Accept Quest Reject Quest

"Let's see. We have to get five venom sacks from the Raging Scorpions." Shou clicked the accept quest button as he informed Kazumi of it.

"Scorpions?!" Kazumi shrieked as she hid behind Shou's back. "Where?!"

"Just outside this village. On Eerie Marsh." Shou cocked his head back towards Kazumi, "Wait, are you still afraid of scorpions?"

"No, I just screamed and hid behind your back because I felt like it," Kazumi growled.

"Oh, well that's good. Because it'd be hard to do the quest if you were still afraid of them," Shou said, missing Kazumi's sarcasm as usual."

Shou and Kazumi continued to walk until they made it to Eerie Marsh. A Raging Scorpion ran towards the partners and entered battle mode. Shou grinned, "So it's a hostile one, huh?" He dodged the insect's attack with a sidestep before slashing it with his sword a couple times.

The Raging Scorpion lashed out its tail at Shou, striking his cheek and lowering the teen's health.

Shou's HP: 45/50

Shou swung his sword down on the scorpion one final time and it vanished leaving behind a small bag. As a result of attacking so many times, Shou's Attack Stat was raised.

ATK +5

Shou picked up the bag and it started to glow a radiant white light.

Raging Scorpion dropped Venom Sack!

"Yes! It's a venom sack! One down four to go." The black-haired warrior put the item in his inventory and smirked confidently, "But this time, I'll be making the first move."

Shou ran up to a Raging Scorpion and entered battle mode. He swung his sword down on the scorpion. He managed to get in a second hit as well before the insect whipped Shou's face with its tail. Shou noticed his health bar was steadily decreasing.

Shou's HP 30/50

After taking a closer look he realized something deadly.

HP: 30/50 (POISONED) SP: 25/25

"I'm poisoned! Kazumi, heal me!"

"How?" Kazumi asked unsure of what to do in a situation like this.

"Use your skill!" Shou shouted impatiently as he continued to ward off the scorpion with his blade.

"Which one?" Kazumi was frantically searching through her menu and anything else she could pull up.

"It's the only one you have!"

"You don't have to yell!" Kazumi shouted furiously at Shou as she activated her skill. "Heal!"

[window] HP +10

HP: 40/50

Shou finished off the scorpion with a stab to the head. It vanished leaving behind a treasure chest.

ATK +5

"Why is there a treasure chest there?" Kazumi asked, confusedly staring at the object. "What happened to the bags?"

"Bags mean there's an item inside. Treasure chests mean there's weapons or armor instead." Shou explained to Kazumi as he opened up the lid of the chest and it vanished in response.

You've obtained Bronze Arrows (x15)!

"Arrows?"

"What?" Kazumi raised her eyebrows in puzzlement. "I thought we were supposed to get venom sacks?"

"We are."

"Then why did it drop arrows instead?"

"Not all of them are going to drop venom sacks, Kazumi. We'll have to keep fighting until we get one that has it."

Kazumi sighed as her shoulders slumped down, "You've gotta be kidding me. So then we could be out here all day?"

"And night," Shou said with a grin.

"I freakin' hate this game." Kazumi watched as Shou stuffed the arrows into his bag, "So can we use those?"

"No, only Archer classes can."

"So then why are you keeping them?"

"For trading. One man's trash is another man's cash."

"Shou, you're saying it wrong," Kazumi informed him. "It's one man's trash is another man's treasure."

Shou stared at Kazumi dumbfounded, "Really? Are you sure?"

"Yes, Shou."

"Eh, whatever. I like mine better, it rhymes." Shou gasped as he pointed his finger out, "Kazumi, there's a Raging Scorpion behind you!"

"Where?!" Kazumi screamed as she warily turned around. Her face was red as a fire truck when she saw nothing there. "Shou…!"

Shou started laughing so hard he doubled over, "Oh man, you should've seen your face. You were really freaked out there. "Haha."

Shou's laughing was put to a halt when a black boot collided with his face. A bright red boot print was now painted over his features. Kazumi, who had only a sock on one foot shouted at Shou, "Damn it, Shou, I hate when you do that!"

"Like I don't hate it when you throw stuff at me!" Shou countered while rubbing his face.

Kazumi, as long as it helps you to forget that you're in a death game, I'll always mess around with you. As long as I'm here, I'll make sure to distract you, so I can keep your sanity intact.

"I only throw stuff at you 'cause you're always getting on my nerves!" Kazumi crossed her arms and huffed, "Remind me why I ever agreed to go out with you?"

And I'm only getting on your nerves because I care about you. I care about you too much to watch the horrors of this game consume you.

"Cause I'm a hunk!" Shou nodded profoundly.

Because I know if I let up for even one minute. You'll be one of those people who ends up breaking down.

"As if."

A boot to the face is less than nothing compared to watching you that happen to you. So I'll never let that happen.

After many more arguments and bickering, it was now night time. The two rainbow-colored full moons shone brightly overhead Oflilia. Shou and Kazumi having finally finished their quest returned to the NPC and collected their reward, five copper.

Kazumi walked close behind Shou, her eyes darted from left to right still wary of any scorpions. "Shou, we're not always gonna have to sleep on the ground, are we?"

Shou shook his head, "No of course not. We can buy a house once we have enough money."

"Really?" Kazumi's eyes sparkled as she clasped her hands together. "How much does that cost?"

"About a thousand gold," Shou said while trying to keep a straight face. He wasn't doing a very good job.

Eventually, the two came to another village. "Nyramrock Village." Shou read the name of the village off of the minimap he had just pulled up. "Okay, let's see if we can find another quest."

Shou spotted a brown-haired woman and ran up to her. She started talking on cue, "Please help me, brave hero. My son is lost somewhere in Lunar Cave. Please bring him back safely to me." The woman wiped a tear from her eye before continuing, "Oh but you can't go alone. No, Lunar cave is far too dangerous, you'll need a party with at least one Warrior, Cleric, Mage, and Archer. Oh but please do hurry. I fear for my son's safety."

QUEST The Missing Son Please, save my son. I'm worried he's in grave danger. You can find him in Lunar Cave, but you won't be able to go alone. I hear you need at least one of each class to tag along with you. Find him as soon as you can though! Accept Quest Reject Quest

Shou clicked the accept quest popup and made his way back over to Kazumi. The orange-haired Cleric stared at him, "So, what did she say."

"She wants us to save her son in Lunar Cave," Shou explained. "But we're going to need a Mage and an Archer in our party for it."

"Okay so how do we find them?"

"We just go around and ask anyone we can find," Shou said simply. "It shouldn't be too hard."

Shou and Kazumi went around the whole area asking nearly every player. Those who they didn't ask were moving too fast in the first place. Everyone rejected their request either already having their own team or simply not wanting to be a part of one.

Kazumi plopped down onto the ground and let out an exasperated sigh, "Everyone's already in a freakin' party."

"Not everyone, just most of them."

"Yeah, and the rest just outright refused for no good reason! So no matter what, we're screwed!" Kazumi threw her hands up in the air before falling down on her back.

"Calm down Kazumi." Shou placed his hands on the grass and looked up at the brilliant purple stars in the night sky. "I'm sure we'll find some partners once we get to one of the main cities."

"Which one?" Kazumi said this in a rather uninterested tone.

Shou scrolled through the map glancing at all of its locations, "How about Kenion?"

"Why there?"

"Because it's the city for Warriors!" Shou held his fists in front of his chest and beamed.

"Whatever, fine with me."

"Alright, Kenion it is then." Shou scrolled through the map again, "Okay the dock should be just beyond Nightmare Plains."

Kazumi's whole body shivered, "Nightmare Plains? I don't like that name."

"Relax Kazumi, it's just a name." A mischievous grin crossed against Shou's face, "Of course it got its name from all the thousands of zombies and skeletons that live there."

"Zombies?! Skeletons?!" Kazumi began biting her nails at an unbelievable pace.

"Just kidding!" Shou yelled before he let out a burst of laughter. His laughter was quickly cut off by a boot to the face.

Why does he always do this to me? I love Shou and all but sometimes he just raises my stress levels to the peak.

Kazumi flared her nostrils as she walked slowly over to Shou. She then yelled into his ear, "Damn it, Shou! I told you to stop scaring me like that!"

"I don't know why you even believed me. I know about VRMMOs but this particular game is still just as new to me as it is to you. But just so you know, according to the map, there actually are zombies and skeletons up ahead.

He's not making it any better. He's only making me angrier and angrier, damn it! Doesn't he understand how annoying he's being? He's not making my life any damn easier!