* * * *

As Shou and Mao come back, the team already prepared for their researches. The barrier that was protecting it also already gone. As nothing he could do to help, Shou just sits down on a chair beside Hart who is monitoring the other. Mao who also don’t understand stuff like this, clings herself onto Shou.

“I always think about this but, seriously the people here is pretty crazy aren’t they? I mean, they have great battle abilities yet they can also do research like a professional researcher.”

“Hahaha! Now that you mention it, I guess we really are crazy.”

Hart replies half-jokingly.

“Seriously, all of your status parameters are just too high spec.”

Shou couldn’t help but to admire in awe. For someone who have great brain and good at combat is pretty much too high spec in Shou's eyes, but probably for the team themselves it's already becoming something normal.

As they chat, time passes and the research had already completed. One of them comes to Hart to reporting their researches. After lending some paper to Hart, the guy who brings it goes back away.

“So how is it?”

“Well, pretty much unknown. The only thing we know is that thing is possibly connected into somewhere or something else.”

“Is that so..?” ‘I wonder if this thing is the thing we need. But what should I do?’

“Well anyway, we need to send this report to the base. I’ll go back to the base, you can wait here. I’ll contact you from the base latter.”

Packing up his belongings, Hart also said to Shou.

“Oh yeah, right, I almost forgot.”

Hart takes something from his bag and hand it over to Shou.

“This, your knife was broken before right? This is... well just think of it as some kind of replacement for it.”

“This is… Blaze’s knife…”

Reluctantly taking the knife that Hart offered, Shou looked into Hart’s sincere eye.

The knife Shou held before was a standard issue knife used by trainee. While the one he got from Hart, Which is Blaze's knife is more durable and embroidered with a red symbol. The red symbol is Blaze's trademark, it was made of vinyl so it gives of a little shine.

“Well yeah, think of it like mission’s award. You did a good job after all. Well then, I’m going now, I’ll contact you latter from the base.”

Handing over the knife to Shou, Hart left the memento of his old friend into Shou’s hand.

Hart walks away from the field, taking some of his men with him and sets up and start up the warp portal to the base. As the portal opens up, Hart and some of his men walk into it and disappear from the field.

Shou, Mao, and the rest of the people stay on the field. Some of them are continuing the researched, while Shou and Mao just watching them or silently because they can’t do a thing for now.

* * * *

As time passes, Hart finally contacted them.

‘Ah, Shou? Can you hear me just fine?’

The voice comes from a communication device that Hart left behind before.

“Yeah, loud and clear.”

‘Good, well then, we’ve done more research here and found something more. How does it goes at your side.’

“Well, the researcher here did find a little bit more but that’s all. Seems like we can’t find anything anymore--”

“So how did it go there? There’s nothing important here.” Mao cuts in.

“Ack! Mao!”

‘Ahaha! Well yeah, don’t worry, we will soon go there. Just wait.’

Disconnecting from the communication device, the warp portal opens and Hart comes out from it.

“Yo. This time I’ve got good news on me.”

Hart approaching Shou and the rest with a bright smile. He begins to explain some theories her learned from the research at base.

“… So you see, it seems like we need some kind of electricity to opens up this connections here.” Concluding his explanation, Hart gives of a smug face.

Shou already guess about what's needed to open up the connection, but he decided to patiently hears Hart explaination.

“Hmm, well, I somehow understand most of it. So, our problem really is we need a very big output of electricity.” Shou is asking for confirmation.

“Yeah, that’s how it is.”

“Then shall I help?” Mao volunteered herself. “It would be pretty easy if I just use magic here wouldn’t it?”

“That would be really easy but… you sure you’re okay doing this?”

“Well yeah, if it’s only this much, I’m okay.” Mao said, bragging full of confidences.

“Thanks, Mao.” Shou smiled in sincerity.

“W-what? I-I didn’t do it for you! I just felt like doing it, and I also want to go back to my own world that’s all! There’s no need to thank me.”

Trying to hide her embarrassment, Mao quickly walks to the icon. As expected from a ‘tsundere’. Despite what she said, a small hint of smile could be seen from her face.

Shou and Mao stand before the floating icon now. Preparing herself, Mao takes a deep breath.

“Then, here I go.” Starting to chant the spell for , Mao’s hand charged with electricity. “!”

An unbelievable lightning struck the floating icon as Mao extends her hand. The icon started to glow brightly when it’s charged with the lightning Mao generates.

‘Now starting, sucking in and returning foreign object.’

As it glow become brighter and brighter, it generates some robotic sounds, and something that looks just like a black hole appeared on top of the floating icon. Weird as it is, none of the people got sucked in by the hole yet the hole looks like sucking on something as hard as it can. As if sucking the air around, a strong wind blows into the directions of the black hole. As the wind become stronger, something could be seen brought by the wind.

Tons of zombies are being brought by the wind into the field. As everyone got surprised by the sight of it, they pull out their weapon. But the zombies that got carried by the wind got sucked into the black hole without any difficulty.

“Wha-what the..?”

“Is this..? This thing sucks in everything that doesn’t belong here and return them?”

Even the formerly NPC in this game who had already becomes a zombie could be seen sucked inside.

”So… you mean this thing will suck away those zombies?!”

“Yeah!”

“This is… Isn’t this a great success?! Hahaha! I’m glad this finally overs.”

Knowing their struggles fighting these zombies are now done, everyone is hyped up and hold their weapons up as a sign of victory.

“Hmm… wait! Doesn’t that mean I would eventually get sucked by this thing?!” Mao suddenly becomes frantic.

“… That’s right! Shouldn’t it?! I mean we aren’t from this world after all!”

Right after he states this, Mao is starting to get sucked.

“WHOA!” Shou quickly catches Mao with his hand. “Mao!”

“Shou… Is this… a farewell? No way! I don’t want that!”

“I also… don’t want that!” holding her hands more tightly Shou shout out at Mao.

“Even though I say that I wanted to go home… parting with you somehow feels sad and I don’t want it. Please don’t let me go…” Mao pledged to Shou.

But it is no use.

Shou also slowly getting lifted away by the wind, yet he strongly struggles to hold his ground.

Finally can’t hold himself anymore, Shou also got sucked into the black hole. As he got sucked inside, he still holds her inside of his arms.

“… Hey, after we got outside, where would I end up to?”

“Why do you ask..?”

“Somehow, I feels like ‘if it is Shou, he would somehow know!’ or something.”

“… maybe, most likely to your own world wouldn’t you? That thing said something about returning after all.”

“I know right. I guess if I got transferred to my own world would makes sense right? And so, what about you? Where will you end up at?”

Silences strikes

“I don’t know. Maybe my own world, or maybe somewhere else.”

“Will we… meet again?”

“I wonder. Will we?”

“I… about Shou… That… Um…”

“Oh right, I guess I have never said it to you huh?” Shou takes a deep breath. “Mao, actually I'm attracted to you.”

“!” surprised, Mao can only hold her breath and blushed.

“To tell you the truth, I've been attracted to you for a while back.”

“… so underhanded…”

“Eh?!”

Shou surprised by Mao’s exclaimation.

“I want to tell it properly to you first you know!”

“… sorry.”

“… Shou… If we got separated, I wouldn’t forget about you. Be it hundreds of years.” Mao whispered inside Shou’s arms

“Glad to know it.”

“Hey Shou…” Mao whispered again.

“What is it? Mao?”

“I don’t want to be separated from you.”

“I also don’t want it.”

“Hey Shou…”

“Yeah?”

“Is this… reality? It’s just like it is a fantasy novel.”

“I do wonder if this is real or not.”

“Hey…”

“What now?”

“I love you, Shou.”

Caught off guard, Shou startled a bit and replied shortly.

“I love you too… So, can we stop this corny drama session now?”

“That’s terrible! Why are you mocking me!”

Shou laughed a bit. And then silence strike again. Not for long, Mao breaks up the silence.

“Our world may be different.”

“We may be separated.” As if knowing what she’s thinking Shou continued her lines.

“We may live different life.”

“And I may only be able to dream of you someday.”

““But I… no, we know.”” Both of them spoke at the same time and the same line. ““The moment I've spend with you is real, and this feelings in my heart is real. That’s why…””

“No matter what separates us.”

“And no matter what will happen here on after.”

““Right now, this is real for me.””

"That's why, I'll certainly find you even if we end up separated be it other world, other dimension, I'll find you."

Mao shows her small yet sincere and charming smile.

"I'll also find you, Shou. Certainly will."

As they finished their lines, both of them starting to feel hazy and lose consciousness.

* * * *

-Shou's Perspective-

“… I’m here again…”

Dark, empty, standing on to nothing, no floor to stand on, no wall surroundings, all around is just darkness.

Despite the darkness, Shou could stand as if there’s a floor under his feet.

Despite the darkness, Shou could see clearly.

Someone is there, in this darkness.

“Hey, you’re here again.”

The one who greeted me is someone. A man who’s probably in his 20s. A young adult yet carries an air of dignified wise man. His face carries gives of as a serious type but his actions sometimes contradict his appearance.

The man who greeted me is always alone in this darkness, except when I come.

Always here, waiting for someone to come.

The man has no name, so I named him .

“Seems like I’m here again, long time no see, .”

“’Long time no see’? Has it been that long?”

“I’m sure it has.”

“Is that so? Well, long time no see then. What’s your business here, Shou?”

“What’s my business? I don’t think I have. Aren’t you the one who called me here?”

“Oi oi, don’t joke around. I’ve told you before, haven’t I? I don’t have that kind of power, you are the one who came, I’ve never called. I’m no God you know.”

“I see. Then can I ask you something.”

smirked. He laughed.

“There’s no need to voice your question. You must be dying to know ‘Why I’m inside a game?’ right?”

“As expected. You know the reason right?”

laughed again. “Oi oi, are you seriously asking if I know the reason or not? Who do you take me for. Of course… I don’t.”

“…What’s with that arrogant attitude if you don’t know?! You are lying right?! I bet you know the answer.”

“Oi kid, I’ll just be straight, I’ve never told you false information.”

“Aren’t you supposed to know everything?”

“I’ve told you before I’m no God. What I have is only information about you. ‘I don’t know everything. I only know what I know.’” replied with a smug face.

“…Damn rip off…”

“I just read that words in some book.”

I sighed. I really never understand him.

"Anyway, this is not a game. This is reality. You can't just load or save your data."

I gulped my own saliva. I've been suspecting about it. I might not be inside a game. The feelings are to real. And there's no reason to suspect VR technologies. As far as I know they still couldn't reproduce such a complex and real sensation.

“I already suspecting about it, so I had always been careful. If just that’s all to it I’ll just go away.”

“Well well, hasty aren’t we. Chill off a bit here. How about doing a little sparring with me again.” takes out a knife. No, rather than taking out, it’s more like creating from nothing. “I won’t hold back though.”

“Again with the magic trick.” Shou doing the same. “Here I go!”

A normal dreams? A lucid dreams? or is it something else?

I don’t know exactly what is it or when it started.

A world with nothing except darkness and .

Sometimes, when I sleep or fell unconscious, I would meet .

The man, , knows what I experienced, felt, and thought. As he is… My , the one who reside inside me.

Untill now, I call this phenomenon, .

This place is where Shou learned his combat technique.

* * * *

Slowly regains his consciousness, Shou wakes up at another familiar place, yet this place still isn’t his own world.

“Damn that , he really didn’t hold back.”

Thinking about Mao, Shou sits up and looked on the ground.

“… I wonder if she got to her own world…” he mumbled.

“Who are you talking about?” Mao appeared just right behind Shou’s back.

Stunned from seeing Mao with him, Shou could only open his mouth, yet no word comes out from it.

“What’s up?” Mao asking Shou easily.

“ARGH~~~” crouching on the ground, Shou holds his head with his face facing the ground. “To think that we didn’t separated after that… Damn… now I’m embarrassed because of how corny our lines before…” if Mao could see his face, she would she how red his face is right now.

“I-is that so? Well, I also felt embarrassed as well but…I guess this is better isn’t it.” Mao turned her face away with her usual ‘Hmph’. “I mean… we didn’t really get separated… after all--” she mumbled with small voice.

“Did you say something?” Shou already lift up his face.

“I-I didn’t!” Mao denies strongly.

“Back to your usual self huh? And I thought you finally become so cute before.”

“Cu-cute?!” This time, Mao blushed. “Wh-who is the cute one?! Well, too bad for you!”

“Well, the you like this is also attractive somehow.” Shou smirked at Mao.

“…” She blushed even more than before. “You… ‘onna-tarashi’(womanizer).”

“Huh? Is that so? But I never got really close to woman before, so I guess it’s not ‘onna-tarashi’ but ‘Mao-tarashi’ wouldn’t it.” Shou clearly trying to tease Mao.

Just while these two care-freely chatting, a building in the distance broke down by explosion.

“!”

“That’s…”

“S-Shou, where is this?”

Inspecting the surroundings Shou realized something.

“This is--”

Thus, Shou’s journey hasn’t ended yet.

* * * *

End of the first Arc

To be continued in next Arc

* * * *

Oh yeah, I hope you guys could help me to improve my writings. Feel free to point about grammatical errors and the like. My friend told me I got a little grammatical error but he won’t just point it out to me.