Dead Monkeys

POV: Blaze

My ears rang painfully from the gunshot. I crouched down reflexively, pulling the kids with me.

"Mommy!"

"Daddy!"

They screamed as another shot echoed through the forest.

Who was firing? I scanned the surroundings, but the thick canopy above blocked my view.

Thud. Thud.

Two dull impacts shook the earth, followed by the sound of water splashing. Something—or rather, two things—had fallen from the trees.

I turned my head sharply, my heart pounding. There, sprawled lifeless, were two creatures. One lay in the dirt, the other partially submerged in the creek.

They looked like monkeys—but far larger, with three glowing eyes and two tails. Their dull brown fur was matted, their bodies riddled with large bullet wounds.

"Bravo! Another headshot!"

An excited voice rang out, cutting through the tense silence. I whipped around in confusion, trying to pinpoint the source.

"Blaze… there! I see them!" Eyes pointed toward something deeper in the woods.

I squinted, but for the life of me, I couldn't see anything.

"Stop it! Stop firing!" I shouted. If they were using a gun, they couldn't be monsters. That meant they were most likely another player—like us.

A pause. Then a voice responded, tinged with curiosity.

"Huh? Someone there?"

The sound of rustling leaves followed. Step. Step.

A figure emerged from the undergrowth.

He was fat, wearing camouflage pants and a faded band T-shirt. His greasy hair clung to his forehead, and his slanted eyes narrowed as he took us in. In his hands, he clutched a gun.

I tensed.

"Stop right there. We don't want any trouble." I stood up slowly but kept the kids crouched behind me.

The guy stopped a few steps away, tilting his head as if sizing me up. His fingers flexed around the gun's grip, but he didn't immediately raise it.

His lips twisted into a smirk. "Well, well. What do we have here?" His voice was casual, but there was an edge to it.

I didn't like it.

"We're just passing through," I said firmly, keeping my stance neutral but ready. "Lower the gun."

He let out a short chuckle. "Relax, lady. I ain't pointing it at you." He glanced at the dead creatures. "Was aiming for them. Those things are worth a ton of points."

I narrowed my eyes. He was a player, that much was clear. But that didn't mean he wasn't dangerous.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"The name's Shoot," he said, slinging the gun over his shoulder. "Hunter class." He grinned, showing slightly yellowed teeth. "And you are?"

I hesitated. Giving my name didn't feel like a risk, but something about him made my instincts buzz with caution.

"Blaze," I said after a beat. I stretched my hand out slightly, palm open. "Fire Caster."

Shoot raised an eyebrow. "Fire Caster, huh?" His gaze flicked past me to where the kids were still crouched low. "What, these brats your teammates?"

Chase bristled at the word, but Eyes grabbed his sleeve, keeping him quiet.

"They're with me," I said simply.

He sniffed, unimpressed. "Huh. You got dead weight, then. Kids ain't gonna survive long in a game like this."

I clenched my fists. "They're surviving just fine."

He shrugged. "If you say so." Then his smirk returned. "Look, Blaze, do you still think this is just a game? Is that why you aren't taking it seriously? I could use someone with a strong class like yours. I'll let you join my squad—if you abandon these brats."

I stiffened. "They are not brats. And I have my own squad."

I wasn't sure if refusing would make me an enemy. But abandoning the kids was a deal-breaker.

"Ah, too bad. Guess I'll have these monkeys for dinner." He smirked, crouching down to pull the monkey out of the creek. However, it seemed too heavy for him, and he struggled with his fat body.

"Like Blaze wants to eat that monkey…" Chase muttered, clutching my hand. Was he afraid I'd abandon them?

"Yeah. Only a monkey would eat a monk—"

I clamped a hand over Eyes' mouth before she could finish. These brats—didn't they see the gun in his hands?

With zero MP, I stood no chance against him. Not after he had one-shotted those creatures I hadn't even noticed lurking above us.

Could his Hunter class give him aim assist or something?

"This damn monkey…" Shoot grumbled, abandoning the one in the creek. Instead, he jumped across and grabbed the other.

"These fuckers are too heavy for me. I'll have to cook and eat them right here. You're a Fire Caster, right? Help me cook them, and I might share."

I gulped. I had to be careful not to reveal I had no MP left.

"How would you prepare them? You got a knife or something?" I asked, trying to buy time.

"Yeah, right. I didn't think about that. I'd have to find something… or someone."

"I bet one of the other players has a suitable class. I saw a girl with a box cutter not long ago. She went toward the clearing with her teammate."

"Hmm. No other choice then. You three will have to help me drag this monkey to the clearing. Then we cook it, and I might share. What do you say?"

Huh? Was he serious? I wasn't planning to eat a monkey. But it was already getting dark. I wouldn't have enough MP to hunt something myself, and the forest was ten times more dangerous at night.

"Fine. I'll do it."

"Huh? Really?" Chase sounded disappointed.

"I don't want to eat a monkey," Eyes complained.

But the situation didn't allow us to be picky.

"Maybe we can trade the meat with other players," I reassured them, unsure if that was even possible. "But for now…"

I walked toward the creek, away from the dead monkey. Cupping my hands together, I scooped up some water.

"Flamethrower."

I activated my skill, having barely recovered a single MP point. Flames blazed from my palms, instantly boiling the water. Thanks to my class, my skin was resistant to heat, so I could hold it for a moment.

"Wow…"

"Is that for us…?"

"Yeah. Wait for a bit. Let it cool, then you can drink it. After that, we leave," I said.

And thanks to this display, the gun guy wouldn't try anything funny.

It was getting dark. We had to hurry.