Chapter 18
Two nurses entered an extremely ordinary hospital room.
They walked on the dark, smooth wood floor towards the bed of a pale, skinny young man.
They moved the brown curtains to let some morning sunlight into the room.
After that, one nurse took off the IV pack, threw it in the trash that was on the cart she rolled around. Then, she took off the player's diaper after she took off his pajamas and threw it away as well. The pajamas went into a plastic bag to be washed later.
It was a sorry sight.
The other nurse placed a new IV pack and a new diaper on the player. Then, she put on new pajamas for the young man.
Max's real life body was lying motionlessly in a hospital bed. He was fed through tubes. A VR helmet was on his head.
Every player's was. Taking it off would spell instant death of the brain. It was known very early on.
By his bed, there were many things.
Letters, drawings, flowers...
But no one was by his bed.
Not for a while now.
His wife had stopped coming. His kids too.
Relatives and friends came on the first few weeks, and then never after that.
A couple months later, even his woman and kids gave up.
They all gave up.
They all knew what the game was about. They all knew that if he died in-game, he'd die in real life.
He was still alive. Very alive.
But...
His hospital room was only visited by nurses.
"To think they are in another world, living, fighting, whatever they're doing..."
"It's still unbelievable. How can he last this long?"
"I wonder how he feels about all of this..."
"Don't think about it, let's go."
The nurses stopped looking at him and turned around to exit the room.
Max's brother's situation was the same.
He was in a different hospital, alive and well.
But people stopped visiting him too.
***
"UGH!" A man decked in metallic knight-like armor cried out when the fur beast he was fighting got on top of him.
His sword fell out of his hands and out of his reach.
The beast was strong. Won't be long at all before it gets through the armor.
"AARGH!" He screamed.
Instinctively, as the beast was looking for weaknesses to dig into, the rookie adventurer put his hands on the sides of the fur monster's face and strongly pushed his thumbs into its eyes.
The beast roared and jerked away.
Now, the man lunged for his sword and swung without thinking.
It was as if he was moved by another living being inside of him. One that slumbered within him and only awoke in combat.
That one swing he performed dug into the monster's neck, destroying the spine.
He then finished it off by piercing its brain.
"Hah. Hah...HAH..."
His pulse could be felt and heard very strongly.
[You have slain a mundane beast!]
[You have leveled up!]
[You are now Level 18!]
The rookie adventurer smiled.
"I love how it feels...Ohhh... I love it. Being brave. Overcoming, defeating." The unremarkable, weak player talked to himself.
He looked around the lively grassland that had some colorful trees of red, blue, green and white, to see if anything else was approaching him.
All he could see were colorful flower, trees and a few friendly monsters in the distance.
He thanked the player that motivated him to do this, to stop being a coward.
The player that he met in a town located in a random valley in a random kingdom.
The player that had slain an Epic boss monster.
His name was Max.
"I'll see you somewhere up there. One day."
***
"Here is you sword. It's definitely one of my better works."
"Thank you."
Max looked at the fine-looking man next to him.
"Choose anything you want." Max said.
"Alright."
"Give me the best armor for those who face monsters head on." Manuel said to the shop owner.
"Then it's this one." The blacksmith pointed to Manuel's right.
It was of a light red color. It didn't look too special or flashy. It was a full set of armor. Chestplate, leggings and helmet.
"Why this one?"
"The ore comes from the End Island in front of Rinea. A recently discovered ore, but it's used by the nobility. It's expensive."
Manuel looked at Max.
"How much?" Max asked.
"4000."
The players' faces seemed to become dark.
There was a silence.
"Can I pay half now and half in three days?" The surprised player asked.
"I'm afraid not."
Max clicked his tongue.
"I'll make more money fast. Let's do the weapon first."
"No."
"What?"
"I'll take the second best, then."
"3000."
"Third, then!"
"That'll be 1500."
Max glanced at Manuel.
"The weapon too."
"Are you sure?" The spear knight asked.
"Yes."
Manuel took out a large talon.
Where did Max remember it from?
"It's the bird's talon." Manuel said to Max.
"Ohh. I didn't know you got that. Even I didn't get it."
"You didn't ask." Manuel responded.
Max became silent
The blacksmith looked at the talon after it was handed to him.
"Make me a quality spear with this."
The shop owner swallowed.
"What kind of monster did you slay boys? I've rarely seen something this monstrous in my life."
"When will it be done?" Manuel ignored the question.
"Tomorrow evening."
"Thanks. We'll come back then for everything and pay." Max said.
"Thank you!" The blacksmith said.
The players walked out the uncomfortably warm shop.
A refreshing breeze hit them in the face and the smell of sea entered their noses.
They both inhaled deeply.
"Let's look for Lovrin then." Max said.
"Alright. I'll go ask around in the Grand Square." The spearknight responded.
"Okay, we'll meet at my hotel when we're done."
"Sure. See ya." The two players seperated.
It was a busy night in Rinea.