Chapter 4: The Freeloading Network Administrator

"Don't lose heart. It's tough to counter with a weapon. Just stick to learning shield parrying conservatively."

"Me? Can I do it?"

There was a hint of insecurity in Natsuki Subaru's tone. He thought he was good at gaming, but when faced with reality, he lacked that confidence.

"Remember, you can respawn, you can try again. Even in a Realism Mode, it's just a game. Games are meant for enjoyment. You'll do fine. You can parry his attack the moment he strikes you. You can do it."

"Thank you!"

Natsuki Subaru's confidence surged, only to be pierced through the heart by the Soldier of Godrick's sword, making him wait ten seconds to respawn.

Can I do it?

He thought of Liu Yuan's smooth maneuvers.

Clearly just a stick, yet he could 'parry'. But with his shield, he couldn't successfully parry. Could such a thing be possible?

"Game, it's just a game! Yes, it's just a game."

Taking a deep breath, Natsuki Subaru stood up again as the respawn time ended, holding his shield, and entered the boss room.

Once, twice, thrice.

Blind defense led to being outmaneuvered and stabbed to death, late defense resulted in being hit directly. Until now...

Natsuki Subaru stood once again in front of the Soldier of Godrick. In the moment before he attacked, almost instinctively, he used his shield to parry the attack.

"Kneel!"

The sword pierced through the Soldier of Godrick's body. He had succeeded.

Watching the two newcomers through the newbie tutorial and start exploring the world, Liu Yuan silently returned to his place.

"We need to speed up tonight, or else we'll lose face if the newcomers catch up."

But catching up to Liu Yuan's progress might take some time for them, as they couldn't play every day, but he could.

Looking at the task list, the customer's task was completed, but not the network administrator's. Now he could expedite the hiring process and quickly find a network administrator to help him manage the shop. This way, he could enjoy playing games during the day when the shop was open.

"System, if this door is a portal, can you help me recruit a network administrator?"

"Yes, host, please state your requirements."

"Let me think..."

Gender, definitely female. Liu Yuan didn't have any particular fetishes, so the better looking, the better.

The network administrator must be competent, capable, and to some extent, able to manage customers.

Must be cheap! The cheaper, the better. At the same time, this person must be an adult, with a physique that bans all legal loli figures, otherwise, explaining to customers would be troublesome.

"The recruitment has been sent out. Suitable candidates are expected to apply within three working days."

Time flew by, and it was time to close the shop. Fujimaru Kaede, with her impoverished account, inexplicably walked out of the newbie room and poked the Tree Sentinel.

"Damn! This mini-boss is too strong."

"Can this...huh, it definitely can. I've already taken off ten percent of his health. If I can keep this up without interruption ten more times, I'll make it."

Natsuki Subaru's situation was even worse. As soon as he left the house, he encountered a person wearing a white robe. Following the principle that everyone he encountered was an enemy, he squatted and sneaked up behind to stab the guy's ass.

And then? Then he was crazily attacked by this NPC, three hours had passed, and Natsuki Subaru had lost count of how many times he died.

"Dear guests, it's almost closing time. Remember to save your progress if you're playing offline."

Liu Yuan's voice instantly calmed the two excited individuals who had been playing for over ten hours.

"Yeah, this game is great. I'll come back tomorrow. Oh right, boss, how do we get in?"

Liu Yuan pointed to the door. "There will be a notice when we open for business, and then you'll know how to get in."

"Oh, I see. See you tomorrow."

"I'm leaving too."

...

Back in the dorm room, Fujimaru Kaede looked around in confusion.

"Um, shouldn't this be... a dream?"

Fujimaru Kaede pinched her face in disbelief.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch. Could it be... it's not a dream?"

The sound of her phone interrupted her thoughts, and she looked down.

"Four-Dimensional Cybercafe, expenditure 100,000 yuan. Congratulations on becoming the first customer of Four-Dimensional Net Card, enjoy advanced membership privileges, privileges..."

The information on the screen made Fujimaru Kaede's pupils contract, and the excitement in her eyes disappeared completely.

"This...isn't a dream..."

"Senpai!"

The door to the room opened, and a girl named Matthew, or called Mash entered.

"Senpai? What's wrong? Senpai!"

"Mashu...my money, my money, my money!!"

Thinking it was just a dream, she spent 100,000 yuan in one go.

This 100,000 yuan was her entire savings!

As a result, she spent it all at once, and not only on herself, but she also generously treated strangers.

What a disaster she had brought upon herself.

"Senpai?"

Mashu couldn't understand Kaede's thoughts, but when it came to money...

"Senpai, do you need money? I have..."

"No need!"

Fujimaru Kaede firmly refused. "It's fine, just a little heartache. I'll be more frugal from now on."

"Senpai? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Hey, Mashu, do you want to sleep with me tonight?"

Girls sleeping together was already normal. But Fujimaru Kaede wanted to hide her second shock through this incident.

She found herself with an extra 'backpack' containing a stick.

This stick was none other than the one she used to fight the Tree Sentinel in the Lands Between.

In another world, Natsuki Subaru also looked around in confusion.

"A dream?"

Natsuki Subaru's mood sank, but when he saw the shield, sword, and spear in his 'backpack', he realized that none of this was a dream. His experience at the internet cafe was real.

He ran to an alley nearby and took out the shield and sword from inside. The familiar feel, the familiar strength, and...

"Hey hey hey..."

Three ruffians appeared, interrupting Natsuki Subaru's thoughts.

Regardless of whether it was real or not, he would only know if he tried.

Shield, sword, enemies.

A thousand-hammer-forged battle-will burst forth from Natsuki Subaru's eyes.

The Soldier of Godrick in the Lands Between was just a minor enemy. But he was still a qualified soldier.

With his newfound ability to defeat soldiers, Natsuki Subaru was confident he could defeat these few ruffians.

Whether this was reality or a game? It didn't matter anymore. He wanted revenge. He wanted to defeat the woman who killed him.

In the Four-Dimensional Cybercafe, Liu Yuan, prepared to close, was interrupted by a girl who entered.

"Hello, is this place hiring network administrators?"

The person who came was a girl with pink hair.

She wasn't actually human, but a demon.

Sealed away, she received a notification from a cybercafe recruiting network administrators, and with a mindset of giving it a try, she agreed. Then she broke free from her seal and came to this world.

As a demon, her capabilities far exceeded those of ordinary people, but precisely because of this, she felt wary of this mysterious cybercafe and its owner.

But compared to the darkness of eternal seals, she chose here because she could move freely.

"Hello~ My name is Kisara, I'm an adult this year, I hope you can take me in. I~don't~need~money~oh~"

Kisara quickly fabricated a name. She didn't want to be sealed again. She wanted freedom!

"..."

Beautiful, It's really beautiful. Liu Yuan's blood raced, and his body became a little excited.

A network administrator who didn't want money? How could there be such a good thing fall into his lap?