Chapter 2

A gray sword slashed my shoulder.

The thin line on the tip of my eyes decreased slightly. At the same time I felt a cold hand pierce my heart.

The blue line — called "HP Bar [2]" - is a visual marker for the rest of my life. There are still around 80 percent left. No, the statement is incorrect. Now, I'm already 20 percent near death. Well, that's more appropriate.

I immediately jumped back before the enemy's sword began to attack.

"Haaa ..."

I forced myself to take a deep breath to calm myself. The 'body' in this world does not need oxygen, but the body in the real world might be breathing fast. My hands may be sweating and my heart beats fast.

Of course.

Even if all I saw were 3-dimensional virtual reality, and my reduced HP line was just a set of numbers that showed the rest of my cellphone, the truth was that I was fighting risking my life. No more no less.

When you are thinking about it, this ongoing battle is very unfair. That was because the enemy in front of me was a lizard-headed and tailed monster, with a human body with dark green skin. They are not humans, not living beings. They are just a collection of digital data that will continue to appear how many times have been killed.

-Not.

The AI ​​that controls the lizardman [4] is studying my movements and improving its ability to respond as time goes on. However, when he was destroyed, the data about the fight was lost and not revealed to the unit that would reappear in this area.

This makes the lizardman like a living creature. Like creatures who have their own thoughts.

"... Right?"

There was no way he could understand what I was saying, but the lizardman (an 82-level monster called the «Lizardman Lord») hissed while grinning and showing sharp fangs coming out of his jaw.

This is reality. Everything in this world is real. There is no virtual reality or any falsehood in this world.

I changed the position of my one-handed longsword with my right hand parallel to the center of my body while watching the enemy.

The Lizardman moved the [5] buckler in his left hand forward and pulled the scimitar [6] in his right hand backwards.

A cold wind blew into the dark dungeon and shook the torch fire. The wet floor gently reflects the light from the twinkling torch.

"Kraaah !!"

Along with the loud cry the lizardman jumped forward. The Scimitar formed a sharp flash of light towards me. A blinding orange light from the scimitar track. An upper class Sword Skill from the curved sword, «Fell Crescent». The upper class Sword Skill that can travel a distance of 4 meters in 0.4 seconds.

But, I was waiting for the attack.

I have slowly added distance to create a situation so that the AI ​​that moves the lizardman uses that skill. I smelled burning from the scimitar slash which was only a few inches from my nose.

"Ha ... !!"

With a short shout, I swung the sword horizontally. The sword was now covered by the effects of sky blue light, cutting through his stomach which only had a thin protector, but not blood coming out but a red red glow. The monster shouted softly

But my sword doesn't stop. The system guided me to follow programmed movements and proceed to the next slash at a speed that is usually impossible.

This is the most important element in fighting in this world, «Sword Skill».

My sword shot fast and slashed from left to lizardman's chest. From this position, I spin and the third attack is deeper than before.

"Raarrgh!"

Along with the recovery of the lizardman from the stun state, after failing to attack with high-level skills, he shouted angrily or maybe frightened and raised his scimitar high into the air.

But my series of attacks has not been completed. The sword that was swinging to the right suddenly turned around and hit his heart — the Vital Point.

Traces of light in the air in the form of a box of attack marks 4 times in a row from me glowing, then scattered. A 4 horizontal slash technique, «Horizontal Square».

Bright light illuminated the dungeon and then disappeared. At the same time, the HP Bar above the lizardman's head disappeared without leaving a single point.

The large body fell, leaving a long trail, then stopped suddenly.

Just like broken glass, the lizardman broke into countless small pieces and disappeared.

This is «Death» in this world, short and fast. Perfect destruction without leaving a trace.

I see experience points [8] and Drop Item List [9], which appeared with purple writing in the middle of my vision, and swung my sword to the right and left before sheathing my sword in the scabbard that was on my back. I took a few steps back and leaned my back against the wall and slowly sat down.

Then I sighed the breath I held back and closed my eyes. My heart starts to feel dizzy, maybe because of fatigue due to a long fight. I shook my head several times to relieve dizziness and open my eyes.

The glowing clock at the bottom right of my vision shows that it is now past 3pm. I have to get out of this dungeon or I won't reach the city before it's dark.

"... What if I go home now?"

No one here hears, but I keep saying it and slowly wake up.

I have finished the activity today. Somehow I once again avoided the hands of death. But after a short break, tomorrow will come along with even more battles. When in a fight that is not 100 percent likely to win, no matter how many safety nets you prepare, there will come a day when your luck runs out.

If you value your life more than anything, survive in the city and wait for someone to finish this game is the wisest choice. But I still go solo [10] to the front of myself. Am I just a VRMMO addict who continues to improve his status through countless battles, or—

Am I just an idiot who easily thinks that he can bring freedom to everyone in this world with his sword?

As I walked towards the exit of the labyrinth with a thin smile that reviled myself, I remembered that day.

Two years ago.

When everything ends and starts.