Chapter 9: Game Shop

"Game Shop isn't far from here, you can get there by walking without getting tired" that's what Sasser told us, However, it had already been 1 day since we started walking and yet we haven't found this place called Game Shop and I'm starting to get pissy. Her0, who had reverted back to their Yellow and Orange sweater, told me not to mind the distance so long as the trip was worth it but I shrug it off by explaining that this trip might not even BE worth it, after all we are only going there to buy Dice Monsters and nothing else heck it's not even like I even want to play Dice Dungeons but to advance to the next city from Neonyan we have to.

I opened up my UI to check the map to look for the possible location of the still elusive Game Shop because I am getting so tired of walking without knowing but as I looked and looked I had starred to lose hope of ever finding the store then Jaden, out of nowhere, slapped my back and told me not to be too concerned and that we'll get there when we get there; I turned my back towards Übel who still looks uncomfortable with being around Jaden, well why wouldn't she? She'd basically killed her best friend off because she was scared for what might happen. She looked sad overall and refuses to converse with the three of us out of what I can only assume is shame.

•

We climbed the next hill over with hopes to find the store... There was nothing there.

"AAAAGGGHHHH!!! I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE! WHERE THE HELL IS THAT GAME SHOP!" I yelled out loud in frustration

"Hey hey heyyy Marla let's rela~x okay? We'll find it" Jaden comforted me who is now basically lying on the ground in exhaustion and she continued "Hey I know how about we eat lunch right about now?! What do you say Übel?

"Ah.... mmm" Übel stayed silent instead of answering

We started preparing the food we prepared and I called out to Her0 yelling out that I'd eat their Garlic bread, usually this would have them coming right away dashing against the wind but for some reason they're not coming over. Übel looked around all confused and I decided to spy on her, she was far enough that I couldn't hear what she's doing but I can still see her; she was looking around in the bushes for something until suddenly-

SWOOP!!- She fell through the ground

I was so in shock that I reflexively screamed causing Jaden to ask what's wrong so I told her what had happened and yet even she couldn't believe it until I took her to where Übel fell through. There, faintly we heard the voices of Her0 and Übel calling out to us from the ground, we immediately began to search for ways to get them out, Jaden looked through her inventory while I looked at mine only to be reminded that I have yet to purchase anything but the good news is that I have a sh*t ton of gold to spend now because of Sasser's prize money.

FWOOO~~ Suddenly out of nowhere this Giant, Familiar, hand came out of the ground and scared both of us that we ran away as fast as possible but not before it caught us and dragged us down the hole. The place was deep, dark and so large that our screams echoed throughout the place, Jaden was just as terrified as me when it came to the speed at which the hand was moving until we reached a sudden stop. We opened our eyes to a brightly lit room with monster figures all over and the faces of Her0 and Übel up in our faces, Übel especially was hugging Jaden so much that she had trouble breathing for a bit.

Then an old man came out from the back and introduced himself as Pazul Mugen, and claimed he was the owner of the shop. Apparently this shop was a secret for those who are willing to go the extra mile to get better at Dice Dungeon and so he showed us around the place introducing us to all types of figures that looked cool like the Viewper, Cycolt, and Dragonborne. None of it intrigued me though and I was already tempted to tell the owner to pick whatever for us before Jaden pushed me aside to look at what apparently was the figure she had been searching for.

"ÜBEL LOOK AT THIS!!! IT'S DRACHENKO!!!" She yelled out to her friend

From the side Her0 looked at it "That thing? It looks eh..."

Her0 paused to which I continued with a dissatisfied face "Grotesque."

The mouth was open with animated drool running all over the dragonic body, the eyes were bulging like a pug's and it's legs were stumpy with it's wings being the only part I liked. Übel walked over slowly to look at the figurine, dissatisfied and disgusted Übel whispered under her breath to which none of us could hear. Jaden seemingly had had enough of Übel and stood up to confront her asking what her deal was and why she won't talk to us in the slightest but still Übel won't talk. Pazul came over asking the two of them what the problem was to which Her0 and I explained to the old man what had recently transpired.

"Hmmm... I don't know if this exactly could help but why not play a game and talk it out?"

"A game?" The two said in unison

Soon the old man had me and Her0 set up the board and watch the two friends play the game.

DICE DUNGEONS RULES:

1. The goal of the game is to reach you opponent's side of the board and attack their Heart Points thrice.

2. At the start of each round the turn player rolls a die to determine what they can do for the round

3. Each player can choose one level 3 or lower monster at the start of the game to spawn and move around the board

4. The amount of moves they do is determined by the rolls they get

5. A player can summon one other monster when they've rolled 2 of the same number, at which point the turn player's turn is skipped.

6. When a monster is killed it cannot be summoned again.

7. Battles are initiated by getting 1 space closer to an opponent's monster to which both players rolla dice to see which monster lives or dies.

The battle began with Jaden going first, for her first monster she summoned a Baby Chicky, a level 2 monster, and she rolled a 5 allowing her monster to advance 5 spaces forward. Übel responds to this move after rolling a 9 and moving her level 3 Battle Flower further.

As the game continued I noticed Jaden's monster were a bit underwhelming, almost all of them level 3 and below with her highest being a Level 4 Burstgirl, meanwhile Übel has a balanced amount of monsters and yet somehow their playstyles aren't as I'd expected. Übel tried to dodge Jaden's monsters while Jaden kept on chasing Übel's to the point in which Jaden almost lost a heart point had Übel not dodged Jaden's space. Jaden kept on chasing Übel's monsters which she tried to keep away but to no avail and soon multiple battles initiated and Übel lost all of them.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!" Jaden yelled, startling all of us watching

"I don't-..." Übel uttered before cutting herself off

Jaden retaliated "You're intentionally losing aren't you? Running away with stronger monsters, you should know that your monsters won't lose to mine and you're not usig your skills"

Übel was clearly uncomfortable to hear such words from Jaden and Mr. Pazul told her to calm down

"No! Mr. Pazul I appreciate your efforts but stay out of this" Jaden yelled back "You haven't talked to me properly ever since we left that damn mansion Übel and evwn now as we play you're silent! You weren't like this last time, what? Are you just gonna let me win? That's bullsh*t, fight me seriously!" Jaden yelled to Übel which still didn't answer

"Hrrrrngg!! TALK TO ME DAMN IT-" Jaden yelled before getting cut off

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT ME TO SAY!?! How-... How should I... Talk to you, you've realized that I'm the one who killed you right? How exactly do I talk to my dearest friend after an incident like that?! Should I apologize? Would that be enough? Should I offer you my head or Sasser's?! Do you..." Übel paused before muttering beneath her breath "Do you even want me to be by your side still..."

All of us are speechless as Übel cried silently, Her tears flowing down her reddened cheeks. I'd wanted to stand up and comfort her but not before Jaden quickly walked up right beside her.

"Look up Übel" she said coldly

Übel raised her head and out of nowhere-

- - - SLAP! - - -

Jaden had slapped Übel so hard that the poor girl's body slid on the floor. She then grabbed Übel's shoulder and said

"Now we're even. Stand up and play"

I helped the shaking and teary eyed Übel stand up and got her sat down on the table and as Jaden finished her turn she said "Your move." The tension in the air had become thicker, even I had trouble breathing with how heavy the feeling these two were having. Jaden's and Übel's plan seemingly had changed, both of them playing aggressively without uttering a single word until Übel broke the silence.

"Why?"

"What?"

"You just slapped me, harder than my parents had ever slapped me, and now you're just going to sit there silently without telling me why?"

"Yeah"

"Jaden, why are you doing this?"

"Because you were" Jaden said while looking directly at Übel's face before continuing "I harmed you and now I refuse to speak... How does it feel? Übel, to travel with an old friend and barely talk to them."

Übel sat down and contemplated as she won another monster battle, Jaden was now on the defensive because she had been running out of monsters on the board freeing up her base for a direct attack. Übel had become more offensive until finally Jaden rolled which allowed her to summon a monster. This single monster sweeped most of Übel's monsters which were close to each other within a single turn.

"ACK- Hey what the heck! Not again"

"Oh! You still remember that move?"

"Of course! It's your signature turnabout move"

"Hehe" Jaden chuckled "So you do still remember it now how about I win this game now!" Übel's face had now formed into a pout as she screamed how unfair Jaden was being with Jaden retaliating with teases and chuckles.

Both girls played for minutes on end filling the room with laughs and teasing and releasing the thinck tension that was once there. Her0, Mr. Pazul, and I even started laughing at some unfortunate moments Übel had as she tried and tried to stop Jaden's advances to her base to no avail. Finally, Jaden had reached Übel's base and successfully attacked her 3 times in 3 turns without being interrupted. Jaden stood up on the board and laughed heartily at her victory while arguing with Übel.

•

They've just about played as many games as they wanted before we could leave for Neonyan, Mr. Pazul offered to give me and Her0 Dice Monsters of our own but while strategy games were some of my favorite games, I'm afraid that Dice Dungeons were probably not for me and Her0 isn't as interested in it as the two behind us so we kindly declined but still he insisted it as a sort of Token of his friendship. He gave me a level 5 monster called Black Mage and Her0 got a level 6 monster called Code Breaker this made me realize how weird this game is like seriously these two don't even fit the same genre what is up with this game?

Before we left, Mr. Pazul pointed us at the nearest port to get to Neonyan City. Apparently the city itself is on an island far away from the mainland but in it we'll find easy access to a lot of locations that can get us to wherever we wanted to go. Jaden and Übel cheerfully said that they plan to stay at Neonyan for the Dice Dungeon tournament set up by Seth Khyber called "Dungeon City" which is set to take place in 5 days from now, all they need to do is sign up.

And while all that is happening, Her0 and I will be on our way to the next city that is as close as possible to the V-01D. As I blurt those words out Pazul seems to have changed his tone, he expressed his condolences to my parents to me and I told him not to bother; it's not like they'd care anyway but I kept that to myself. It seems the OldGen players still feel saddened when hearing NeoGens wanting to hop into the V-01D despite how long it's been going, true I haven't told a lot of people I'll be heading for the V-01D but even these three didn't seem to want to stop me and why would they, they're going to go there eventually so I might as well go there first.

This got me curious though, what was up with Her0's "Blue Form" as I've called it, They've certainly never done it before nor have achieved so recently. And by it's name, is that virus connected to the V-01D somehow, well I'm not getting any answers anytime soon nor do I want one and I definitely don't ever want to return to that place again especially since... Nevermind.

•

BEEP* (Robotic voice)

NeoGen database entry:

Username: Marla

Distance: 3595Km

Virus assignation: ILY

Expected time of arrival: 5 weeks, 6 days