Chapter 9: Breaking Point

As May arrived and we went to face the boss, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over me. I knew that with her help, our chances of defeating the boss were much higher. She quickly went to work with her bow, unleashing a flurry of arrows that dealt significant damage to the boss. I charged in, trying to do as much damage as I could, but I was quickly overwhelmed. The boss was too powerful for me to handle on my own, and I took a lot of damage. I knew that if I took one more hit, I would die.

"May I'm going to let you finish off the boss since I'm lo-"

As I looked at May's face, I saw a blank expression. It was as if she had no emotion at all as she pulled back on her bowstring and released the arrow toward me. There was no hint of sadness, guilt, or regret in her eyes. It was as if she was just going through the motions, following through with a plan that she had set in motion.

I respawned at the entrance to the gate. My armor was gone. My weapon was gone. Everything but my stats and levels was gone. I wondered why I lost my inventory. I was level 30 but when I died to the boss earlier I kept my stuff. I then looked up the level requirement for losing loot. My heart sank as I read the line.

"If a user obtains level 30 they will lose their inventory if they die to a player. The player who attacked can take the victim's loot. If a user dies to a mob or an NPC then they will keep their items.

I tried to message May a message popped up.

"The user you are attempting to message has blocked you."

I then attempted to message Mia.

"The user you are attempting to message has blocked you."

I couldn't believe what was happening. I thought May was my friend, someone I could trust. Possibly even someone I could love. I was wrong. I was alone again. I had no one to talk to. No one I could ask for help. No one I could trust.

I fell to the ground, the dirt and grass beneath me were cold and damp. I couldn't help but let out a sob as I banged my fists against the ground, the pain in my heart and the physical pain from my fists hitting the ground overwhelming me.

But as the tears flowed down my face, I found myself laughing. It was a bitter, broken sound that echoed through the empty battlefield. The pain and betrayal were too much to bear, and all I could do was laugh and cry at the same time.

I logged off the headset and threw it at the wall, I couldn't believe what had just happened.

I grabbed my cigarette and lighter, hoping the familiar routine would calm my nerves. However, the lighter wouldn't spark, causing me to throw it across the room in frustration, watching as it shattered against the wall. It was broad daylight, but I was too consumed by my own turmoil to care. I just wanted to escape the pain of the real world.

Even the virtual world offered no solace after what had just happened. My cigarettes couldn't even provide the comfort they usually did.

Nothing has changed.

Not even a little bit.

It became hard to breathe. I was almost suffocating. I felt my chest being crushed. I couldn't think properly just scattered thoughts.

This wasn't a reaction to just what May did to me. It was a reaction of my life up until now. My feelings could no longer be suppressed. The events caused me to reach my breaking point.

I collapsed onto the floor, my body wracked with sobs as the tears flowed freely down my face. The room around me seemed to spin, and I clutched my stomach, trying to control the waves of nausea that washed over me. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I felt like I couldn't catch my breath. It was as if the weight of the world was on my shoulders, and I couldn't escape the crushing feelings of despair and hopelessness. I felt completely helpless and alone, and all I could do was curl up into a ball and cry but also laugh at the same time.

I remained in this state for hours. Until I fell asleep.

No one messaged me.

No one called me.

The only notifications I got were from social media influencers posting a video.

I lived in a virtual world now rather than reality. That caused me to change. It caused me to revert to my old self. The one who was trusting of others. The one who was kind. I remembered why I had changed. It was to prevent what just happened. I thought it was edgy to have these kinds of thoughts yet it was the only way to make my thinking make sense.

"Why did she betray me?

"Why did she betray me so early?"

"Why didn't she wait until I had better gears and items."

"Was she forced to do this?"

The only way I could cope with how I felt was by binging shows, eating lots of food, and listening to sad music.

I still went into quest every day and sat looking at the landscape so that I would be paid. After 2 more days went by the battle royal had started.

I logged into Quest and looked at who qualified. I looked for Mia and May and I found them on the list. As I watched I spectated May. I was the only one spectating her.

May wore demon armor. The armor was a deep red color and seemed to be made of some kind of hardened, leathery material. It covered her entire body, with intricate designs etched into the surface. On her back was a red bow, which glinted in the light as she turned to look at me. The bow was made of dark, blood-red wood, and had intricate carvings on it.

Normally people spectated people who they were rooting for but I spectated May to see her fail. I saw through her eyes and I felt what she felt.

The sand was soft and white under my feet, and the water was crystal clear, with a bright blue color that seemed to stretch on forever. The sky was a beautiful shade of blue, with a few fluffy white clouds scattered here and there. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore was soothing and peaceful, and the warm sun on my skin felt great.

A man was seen in the distance wearing snake armor. The snake armor was made of shimmering green scales that seemed to shift and move with each step the man took. The helmet was shaped like the head of a snake, with two slits for the eyes and long fangs curving out from the mouth. The chest plate was adorned with intricate engravings of snakes coiling around each other, and the gauntlets and boots had scales that extended down to the wrists and ankles.

May draw her bow and shoot at the man. He easily deflected her shots, causing her to back up. Despite her efforts, the man kept advancing and eventually killed her, eliminating her from the competition with his sword in the form of a snake. I couldn't believe it - May was the first one out. She only had support skills which made her useless in battle.

I cheered and screamed. This was the first time I was happy seeing someone fail. Out of appreciation, I spectated the man. His name tag was, "TreyTheMenance."

I could hear him rap to himself.

"I'm a menace on the mic, I got the flow

I got bars that hit you right in the soul

I spit fire and never back down

I'm the king of the game, I wear the goddamn crown.

Nobodies better than me

After I win Ima be the goddamn nominee."

I couldn't help but cringe at what he was doing. Based off of his outfit I expected him to be more serious or quiet.

A new man had appeared in the distance, and upon closer inspection, it was clear that he is quite unusual in appearance. His face is a deep shade of purple, and his arms and legs are both a bright blue color. He seems to be in good physical condition, with toned muscles and a tall, athletic build. His facial features are strong and defined, with a prominent nose and sharp, angular jawline. His eyes are a piercing blue, and they seem to look right through you as he gazes intently at those around him.

If I learned one thing from video games is that the stupider the avatar the stronger the player. The two readied their swords.