SUDDEN QUEST! part 3

Naida's gaze remained fixed on the unforgiving ground, her expression laden with despair. She began to speak, her voice tinged with the frustration and heartache that had welled up within her.

"At first, I thought this game was a scam," she muttered, her voice trembling slightly. She shook her head denying her statement, "Mh. It turns out it's much better than I expected."

Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision as she continued to speak, her voice heavy with emotion.

"I got into an accident in real life that left me unable to walk; that's why I got really excited when I entered this world. I thought I could do anything." The tears spilled down her cheeks, her trembling hands bearing witness to the pain and longing she had carried with her into this virtual realm.

*

Naida's mind drifted back to the day when she first entered the game, a recent memory that now felt like a distant dream.

[successfully logged in]

"Woah, what is this place?" She marveled at her surroundings—a circular floor surrounded with stars in an expanding space expanse of vibrant beauty. Before her stood a vision of loveliness, a guide to her new adventure.

"Welcome, player. I'm here to guide you. Please walk over here and enter your name," the ethereal figure said.

Her face made a puzzled expression as she repeat that seemingly ordinary word: "walk."

Naida glanced down and found herself standing on her own two feet. Realization struck her with a force akin to a lightning bolt.

"!!!"

She couldn't contain her joy. An exuberant smile lit up her face. At first, she took a small step, then began to move sideways. Her heart soared as she started jumping, little by little. Her long hair, as if sharing in her ecstasy, swayed with every jump and bound. It was a dance of pure, unbridled elation.

"For the first time in years, I'm able to walk with my own two legs again," she had thought at the time.

But the memory, once vibrant and colorful, now began to lose its luster. Its brilliance dimmed, fading into a gray hue. Tears welled up in her eyes as she watched that precious moment of newfound mobility shatter like glass.

She placed her hands over her eyes, but her tears found a way to flow, painting her world in anguish. She saw herself in her old wheelchair, the one she had been confined to for far too long. There she sat, a vision of surrender, while her peers reveled in the simple joys of youth, running and going out with friends with boundless energy.

"I already lost my dream once," she whispered, her voice laden with the weight of a heavy heart. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she faced the cruel prospect of losing that dream all over again.

"I can't believe I'm going to lose it again," Naida murmured, her voice breaking with the profound sorrow of that realization.

"NOT YET!"

Kuonh roared, his voice echoing through the forest. Naida opened her eyes and looked to the man who was still standing in front of her.

"Whoever said it's over, we can still win this," said Kuonh, his voice filled with unwavering conviction.

But just as Naida was about to deny his words, to reject the hope he offered, Kuonh cut through her thoughts with a powerful command.

"STAND!"

Her eyes went wide open, the word ringing in her ears. It was a word she hadn't heard for a long time. People who had given up on her had stopped saying those words, and she herself had started pretending not to hear them. She had given up once, and the world had given up on her in return.

"PLEASE STAND ON YOUR FEET! If you do, I promise I'll help you all the way through!" Kuonh's voice was a mixture of determination and desperation as he stood in front of her, facing the encroaching multiple enemies. His hand was slightly shaking, his fear evident. He was scared, yet he still stood his ground.

Courage. Just a little bit of courage. Kuonh's back gives her a little bit of his courage.

"I ..will"

She steeled herself, her body trembling as she slowly, painstakingly rose to stand on her own two feet, even if it was a slow, faltering process.

With a still-shaken body but determined eyes, Naida wipes her tears and strongly holds her staff.

Kuonh's fingers brushed against the mask he wore as he tightened his grip on his sword, his eyes filled with a newfound resolve.

When I first played this game, the thought that immediately crossed my mind was, "Wow, what a realistic world!" In those initial moments, I was utterly captivated by the lifelike world around me. The level of realism had left me in awe. Yet, beneath the surface of my excitement, a lingering doubt had persisted.

I had regarded this new world as a mere game, a digital fantasy where consequences were trivial. But the present moment had forced a profound shift in my perspective. This world was not a playground but a realm of vivid beauty and looming danger. It was a place that could both take our breath away and send chills down our spines.

The stark realization of my own vulnerability gnawed at me. I had failed to protect my teammate, and the weight of that shortcoming hung heavily on my shoulders. However, even in the face of adversity and loss, I understood that our journey was far from over. There were battles to be fought, challenges to be conquered, and, above all, the indomitable human spirit that refused to yield in the face of despair.

*

I glanced behind me and witnessed a girl who, despite her earlier despair, had found a renewed determination. In that moment, I made a silent promise to myself—I would assist her to the best of my ability, just as someone had once saved me.

For the very first time in Kuonh's gaming life, he decided to use his first skill:

"WEAKNESS!"

As those words left my lips, a window materialized before me, bearing the message: [Weakness skill has been activated. You can now see the red string of death. Follow and hit the end of those strings to land a critical].

My eyes took on a crimson hue, and I directed my gaze at the loathsome Arcane before us. Suddenly, a really thin crimson threads appeared, connecting to the creature's body. The threads varied in length, but one thing became instantly clear—they were direct links to its weak points.

"hooo"

I consciously relaxed my body, taking slow, measured breaths. My senses sharpened as I locked onto those crimson threads, ready to exploit the Arcane's weaknesses and strike with precision. It was time to turn the tide of this battle.