6 ⌜Chapter 5⌟

The huge robe rose soundlessly and started sinking, hood first, into the system message that covered the sky as if melting.

Its shoulders, then its chest, then its two arms and legs merged into in the red surface, and then a final red stain spread briefly. Right afterward the system message that had covered the sky disappeared as suddenly as it appeared.

The sound of the wind blowing above the plaza and the BGM that the NPC orchestra was playing came softly to our ears.

The game had returned to its normal state, apart from the fact that a couple of rules had been changed.

Then—at last.

The crowd of ten thousand players gave a proper reaction.

In other words, countless voices started to resound loudly through the plaza.

"It's a joke right…? The hell is this? It's a joke right!?"

"Stop kidding around! Let me out! Let me out of here!"

"No! You can't! I've got to meet someone soon!"

"I don't like this! I'm gonna go home! I want to go home!!!!!!"

Yells. Clamors. Shouts. Curses. Begging. And screaming.

The people that had changed from game players to prisoners in a matter of minutes crouched clutching their heads, waved their arms about, grasped each other, or started to swear loudly.

Taking a deep breath, I immediately ran away from this place, I don't really like crowded places and the clamor of voices kind shook my mind, running as fast as I could not looking back, I don't know why but I felt like as long as I run away from this place, everything will be okay.

I refused to accept that this is not a dream.

I kept running and running even when I'm out of breath, running far away from that place, somehow, I remembered my past where I used to do the same, run away.

Run, run, run, run, I kept repeating these words in my head not even noticing my surroundings where monsters started to spawn.

"I want to ru-"

A wolf monster easily caught up to me and bit my neck, its jaws were big enough to fit my whole head in it, an unbearable pain assaulted me that woke me up from my thoughts.

"Ahhh!"

I struggled to want to escape from its clutches but it did not want to let me go and even bit me harder, then my eyes moved towards the bar on the left top of my vision, I can see that it was slowly decreasing.

I want to live!

I cried out, my body instinctively moved my hands grabbed the sword that was hanging on my waist, and slashed and stabbed the sword on its eye, it roared from pain and immediately let go of me.

I stood up while grabbing my neck that was bitten by it, it was very painful, but I did not let go of the sword in my hands, I did not care looking at my hp bar anymore, my eyes are full of fear and anger, staring at the wolf that was in front of me.

"I will kill you and leave this place, I'm not going to run anymore!"

I roared loudly, the calmness I had earlier was nothing but a facade, this is the real me, this is the start of my story.

"Die!"

*Swooosh! *Roar!

*Bam!

Just as I was about to rush towards the wolf, another one sprung up from behind me and swiped its claws towards my back, I lost control of my whole body and I started falling to the ground, I finally saw my HP bottoming out.

'Such a short story I have'

[You Died]

I saw those words as my eyes started to dim out.

"..."

Ding, ding, a chiming noise like a bell, or perhaps a warning bell, sounded loud, I abruptly opened my eyes.

"I... I'm back?"

I exclaimed as I looked at my surroundings, I remember this place, but just as I was about to be happy, I suddenly felt I want to vomit, the pain those wolves inflicted on me is still aching badly, my body could not help but shake.

"W-what the hell?"

I clenched my body wanting the pain to disappear.

"Hey, are you okay?" Cline who was beside me asked.

"Did something happen when he was teleported?" Kirito also came and looked over.

"No, I'm fine" I shook my head and forced myself to stand up.

"O-okay" they looked at me with doubt but they really can't force it because they don't know me.

Even though it still hurts, I tried to not act too much, after making sure that everything in front of me was real, I was dumbfounded, I died, yes, I'm sure I died, but here I am, back at the start again.

I took a deep breath and started speculating, something crazy came to my mind, it's very crazy that it made me start to rapidly breathe, I became very nervous, but I gritted my teeth and pulled out my sword and stabbed it towards my heart.

My HP didn't bottom out immediately but it became half immediately, pain assaulted my body once again and shocked the people around me, I grit my teeth and grabbed the hilt of my sword, and turned it.

"Hey bro stop!" Cline who was near me tried to stop me immediately but I ignored him and looking at my last remaining hp, I plunged the sword deeper into my chest.

[You Died]

Those words appeared in front of my eyes once again, and the next thing I knew, the sound of bells rang inside my ears once again, I'm back at the start once again.

I don't know if this is a curse or a blessing, but I will definitely escape from this place and know the reason why I was brought here, the pain I felt when I die was as good as new, the pain never left me.

Strangely my mind became calm it was as if I found the right path, no, I was forced into this path.

-=-=-=-=-=-=

Quotes:

Real Pain is losing someone you care about.