Chapter 3: First Battle

"You can't touch him!"

Maple shouted while wrapping her own body around Hiroto. Protecting her from the large number of monsters that attack him in his sleep. Making them wrap around her body that was already covered with poison from the bee like monster above them.

"..."

Hiroto who woke up seeing this mess, froze as he felt something soft pressing against his chest. Making him look down to see Maple who was hugging his body while they were covered with a large variety of insect like monsters, causing him to blush in shyness.

[Host you're awake. It looks like your tiny mind isn't that strong yet to endure the effects of buying a skill from the shop. Adjustments are being made to the effects of the skill transfer]

[Thank you for your cooperation]

"..."

Hiroto remained silent as he closed his eyes once again. Ignoring the system's remarks as he enjoyed the softness of Maple's breast on his chest as a single tear fell down his cheek.

'... I can now die peacefully...'

[Then please die, but please do it after you paid off your debt. I don't want my next host to pay for the mess you made]

'The fuck!? You were the one who requested that!!! Don't drag me in your shit!'

He thought, causing him to frown in response. Opening his eyes to see Maple staring at her while holding his cheek. Making her show a relieved smile on her face.

"You're awake!"

She said said as she hugged his head, causing his face to get burried between her ample breast. Ignoring the large number of monsters surrounding them.

'... This feels good...'

[Host, please stop molesting her or I'll report you for misconduct to the organisation]

'... Let me enjoy the moment will you?'

He thought as he resisted the exasperated expression that was surfacing on his face. To avoid worrying the girl in front of him.

"Maple... how long was I out?"

He asked, causing Maple who was sitting on his lap while hugging his head, to look at him who was buried between her breast. Making her widen her eyes in realization as her face started to blush profusely, causing her to push him away in a panic.

"AHHH!!!"

She screamed before covering her body with her hands, causing Hiroto to hit his head on the ground. Making him grunt in pain as a notification rang in front of him.

[-250 Hp]

'That took half of my hp!? This is fucking rigged!!!'

He shouted in his mind before he saw a bee like monster charge at his direction. Making him raise his hand in a panic before casting the first spell that came to his mind to protect himself.

"[Blaze]!!"

He casted, causing scroching flames to come out his hand. Burning all of the monsters that was in the path in front of his hand. Killing all of them in an instant due to his high points in intelligence.

[You have acquired [Giant Killing]]

[Your level has increased to 5]

The notification rang as he watched Maple stab a bee monster charging at her with her short sword. Making Hiroto sigh on relief before he pressed his hand on the ground.

"[Earth Spike]!"

He casted, causing dozens of medium-sized spikes to appear on the ground. Stabbing all of the monsters on the ground before a series of notifications appeared in front of them. Making Maple look at the amount of Exp that she recieved in awe.

[Your level has increased to 10]

"... That was easy..."

He muttered in surprise while looking at the number of defeated enemies that all started to turn into pixels. Making Hiroto look at his status with a grin on his face.

"... I guess pouring all my points to INT really paid off"

He said before he glanced at Maple who was reading all of her knew skills with a smile on her face. Making her wave her hand at Hiroto excitedly.

"Look at this Hiroto-san!! I got so many skills from that!"

She said with a bright expression on her face as she arrived in front of Hiroto and showed her status to him. Puffing her chest in pride.

"Oh!"

Hiroto muttered with a light smile on his face. Watching her cute actions before looking at her current skills before sighing in relief. Seeing that everything was the same except for one skill.

"... [Guardian]? What's that?"

He asked in confusion since it was the first time that he ever saw this kind of skill even in the anime.

"Oh? That! It increases my overall VIT everytime I'm protecting or fighting together with someone. If the number of party members we have increases, so does my VIT"

"... How did you get this kind of skill?"

He asked in confusion, causing Maple to slightly blush before answering his question.

"Y-You passed out for 5 hours... and there were a lot of monsters around us so... I stayed by your side to protect you for 5 hours"

She said, causing Hiroto to look at her in astonishment.

"I was out for 5 hours?"

"Mn"

She answered while nodding in front of him. Making Hiroto hold his head before looking at the direction of the system.

"Warn me next time, will you? I would've died if she wasn't here!"

He whispered with a tinge of anger in his voice, causing Maple who was sitting in front of him to look at him with a curious expression on her face. Wondering what he was saying as she couldn't hear his words that well.

[Host, it's your fault for not asking me about its effects]

'You- I could've died!!!'

[You wouldn't die, since your body is part of the game. So no need to worry, host]

'You're so laid back, aren't you!?'

Hiroto thought as he felt a headache assult his mind, causing him to glare at the system in exasperation.

"Hiroto-san, they dropped two rings for us!"

She excitedly shouted as she placed the other [Forest Queen Bee's Ring] on his hand while she wore the other ring on her ring finger. Making Hiroto wear the ring on his pinky, causing Maple to look at him with a pout.

"What?"

"Nothing..."

She said with a displeased expression on her face before looking at the time on the menu. Making her widen her eyes in shock before a look of panic replaced her cheerful one.

"Oh no!! It's already late!!"

Maple loudly exclaimed, remembering her assignments that she hasn't done yet sitting in her room. Making her look at Hiroto with an apologetic expression on her face.

"I'm sorry, but I have to log out for today. I still have assignments to do!!"

She said as she bowed her head in front of him. Making Hiroto raise his hand in front of her with a smile on his face, indicating that it was alright.

"I'm sorry as well for taking so much of your time, and... thanks for protecting me while I was out"

"No need to thank me!! It's a natural thing to help your friend!"

She said before she suddenly held his hand, causing Hiroto to jolt in surprise. Making him look at her hopeful expression.

"... Hiroto-san, can we play again, tomorrow?"

She asked while intently staring at his face in anticipation. Making Hiroto awkwardly smile as he wasn't used in dealing with a person's persistent, causing him to unconsciously agree to her invitation.

"Sure, let's play again tomorrow. I haven't been able to enjoy the game that much because I passed out"

He answered, causing Maple to excitedly smile in response.

"That's a promise! I'll wait for you at the fountain again! I'll introduce you to my friend tomorrow so that the three of us can play together!!"

"I'm looking forward to it"

He said with a friendly smile on his face. Watching as Maple's avatar dissapear in front of him. Leaving him alone in the middle of the forest as a translucent screen appeared in front of him.

[The host cannot log out in this game since you are possessing an avatar]

"... I haven't even said anything yet..."

[Host, it's quiet obvious by the look on your face, but you are stuck here until you finish the quest]

The system said as Hiroto stretched his tense body from sleeping on the cold and hard ground for 5 hours.

"... I want to ask but... Will I starve or get tired in this game?"

He asked as he clenched his staff tightly before several insect like monsters started appearing around him. Surrounding him completely.

[Of course not, your body is that of a virtual one so even if you fought for hours in this game. You wouldn't feel any sense of physical exhaustion, but mental exhaustion is possible]

The system answered, causing Hiroto to grin in response before hitting the butt of his staff on the ground. Creating a large pillar of soil below him that lifted him up the ground.

"Mental Exhaustion through playing games? Did you forget... that I'm a hardcore neet?"

[Host... It's quite pathetic of you to be proud of being like that]

"... Can't even praise me for a bit?"

He said with a helpless smile on his face as he watched the monsters slowly walk towards his direction.

"... Right now I can only use [Fireball], [Blaze], and [Flamethrower] for fire magic. [Earth Wall], [Earth Pillar], [Stone Armor], and [Earth Spike] for earth magic... Out of all of that, only [Blaze], [Earth Spikes], and [Flamethrower] are AOE spells"

He said before he poured mana on his staff and pointed in on the ground.

"[Earth Wall]"

He casted, causing 4 wide walls to block the monsters path of escape along with his. Watching as the centipede and caterpillar like monsters slowly climb up the pillar.

"System... I should have 50 available status points, right? Pour 30 to VIT and 20 to AGI"

[Distribution of status points complete]

"... Thanks..."

He said before unconsciously crouching down, dodging an attack from the bee monster before it spat out poison onto his body. Making him frown before he felt his body ache from the poison.

[-5 Hp]

[-5 Hp]

[-5 Hp]

[Poison Resistance (Small) has been acquired]

The notification rang before he created 3 fireballs around him and threw it towards the charging bee monsters in the air. Blowing them up as they charged at him before he placed his hand on the pillar.

"[Earth Spike]"

He casted as dozens of spikes made from soil suddenly protruded out of the pillar. Stabbing all of the monsters that were trying to climb it.

"[Earth Armor]!"

[Earth Armor has been activated]

[+20 to VIT]

the system said, causing his VIT to rise up to 60 as the pain in his body dissipated. Making him grin before 10 fireballs were created around him. Floating above the air before he dodged a charge of a bee monster aimed at his head, causing him to immediately throw one of the fireballs at it before sending the rest towards the ground. Creating a series of small explosions as he watched them turn into pixels. Making him smile in satisfaction.

[Your level has increased to 13]

[+15 Status Points]

"Pour everything to INT"

[Distribution of status points complete]

The notification rang as Hiroto pointed his staff at the surviving monsters from below.

"[Blaze]"

He casted, causing a torrent of flames to burst out the end of his staff. Engulfing all of the monsters below as the fire spread inside the cage that he created.

[Your level has increased to 14]

[+5 Status Points]

"Place it to INT"

[Distribution of status points complete]

The notification rang, causing him to sigh in relief before the pillar and walls crumbled and came back to the ground.

"... Should I try my luck with the hydra... Nah... I should probably increase the effectiveness of my [Poison Resistance] first"

He muttered before looking at the direction of the forest with an excited grin on his face.

"I never knew... being able to use magic was this fun"