Naturally, I mouth back, "How do you know that?"

"How I know isn't important." He sighs and closes his eyes, when he opens them again, they are icy and his expression is uncaring.

I decide to leave it at that. Now isn't the right time to have a full on conversation with Mr. I'm Mysterious and like to not explain stuff. "What are you doing here anyways?"

"I'm making sure my future partner doesn't die."

Ironic, his tone indicates otherwise.

"Why would you care if I died or not?"

He shakes his head. "You would serve no purpose to me if you died."

"Right, just latch onto me for as long as you want... like a leech." His glares at me and I view my screen, ready for the consequence of the decision I'm about to take. "I don't even know what you want with me anyway, I can't promise to be of use to you."

"Indeed?" Without a pinch of amusement in his voice. "Just stay there and be oblivious then, what you don't know can't kill you."

Stop speaking in parables, I want to say.

You have 60 phases more to carry out your task.

It's been two cycles already?

30.

20.

10.

1.

I take in a deep breath, wondering if this would hurt. Fortunately, it doesn't. But the feel of having lost my left arm is rather familiar.

Ha... I'd lost the same arm in the Dungeon.

Aki looks at me in horror, almost the same look Black Hood has on, except perfectly masked with indifference. "What happened?"

"I didn't carry out my task."

A: I really wouldn't have blamed you if you killed the psychopath.

C: I couldn't.

C: I don't have barely enough strength to kick him.

I bet Aki's calculation would have gone perfectly smooth if Keanu didn't intervene. That said, Keanu is the only casualty he didn't consider. I hope it doesn't change our survival rate in the quest.

"Was it to eliminate me?" A level one shock evident on his face.

"Yes," I quickly glance at him, "and we both know that's impossible so I didn't try."

"You should have-" He stops talking halfway and groans.

I don't need to listen completely before knowing he was definitely going to say something offensive.

Luckily, I disappear and reappear five boxes to the left of my current location. Lucky because I didn't hear the words that came out of Keanu's mouth. Not so lucky because the boxes between Aki and I are so far apart that I can't help but think: Oh fuck.

We're exactly seven boxes apart.

As for Keanu, we're four boxes apart.

Keanu stares icily at Aki then at me. I suppose he's trying to communicate but I can't really make sense of his words. He shakes his head in irritation after I don't guess correctly the words he's saying.

Then the unexpected happens, his gaze penetrates through me as his right arm disappears.

This time I guess what he's saying correctly: Damn it, that's the one I use to aim.

He lost his arm not doing a task: That wouldn't be eliminating me, would it?

"Wow, I never thought I'd see this but two people just refused to carry out their tasks without even trying." A masculine voice booms through the speaker. "How very ignoble."

Shut up.

Shut up, Keanu mouths irritatedly.

What do you know, we think alike sometimes.

A: Uh... I don't think psychopath is happy to see me again.

What if he gets a task to eliminate Aki?

C: Remain calm, I don't think he would touch - any of my friends.

A: I don't think he cares about any of us, besides you.

R-ridiculous, he doesn't care... He just wants to use me.

C: Can you hold your ground against him?

A: I can try. My calculations can only help me avoid some of his attacks. Not so much for his icy glares.

Been there, trust me.

Suddenly a player appears - two players appear, one three boxes to my right, the other two boxes to my left.

The one on my left stares at me then smirks.

That nasty smirk reminds me of the man I met at the Rock-paper-scissors with bad aim. Chased me around while I was standing right in front of him. I hope he doesn't think he'll be successful this time.

His nasty smile turns into a sad look and morphs into a smile again before he dismisses me and looks four boxes to my right. I suppose I'm not his target then, that would be-

Suddenly an arrow stabs his left eye and he holds it in pain before falling down.

It came from Keanu.

His left arm is holding the bow, I wonder how he has a perfect aim with just one arm.

A cold, icy expression on his face.

He doesn't look like he considered not carrying out his task the moment he got it. He acted like a robot. Like he received an order - not that he didn't but - an order he had to execute.

Even Aki does that thing with the paper and slingshot. He takes out the guy three boxes to my right and both he and Keanu disappear from this row. They must be one row ahead of me now.

A: I think I understand now.

C: Understand what?

A: We're going to get six tasks in total. We have to carry them out, but if you can eliminate a person that isn't your task but you are their target that could mark up as one point.

C: ...

A: Do you understand what that means?

C: That I won't get another chance to refuse a task or I'll leave the game with some body parts missing and without my full six points, that means - game over.

A: ... exactly.

A: I think it would be better if you stayed away from both of us, you could only possibly be given tasks to people on the same row with you.

C: Are you sure?

A: What do you mean?

C: You said I wouldn't get a task like - that, but I did.

A: I don't know why that happened, but I'd say it's a 40% chance that they would pull a stunt like that again.

C: Okay then.

It shouldn't be too hard afterall it's just six more kills.

My heart tightens as if a hand is wrapped around it and slowly folding its fingers.

What does six more kills mean to me?

Six lives.

I couldn't just take them like they were nothing.

That would be cruel, too inhuman even for an irregular.

Even for me.

°°°°

"Enough!" Mrs. Gibberson yelled across the room, running to my aid.

I had bruises on my face, arms, legs and stomach. "You children should be ashamed of yourselves!" She tried to scold them. "I didn't teach you to play dodgeball like this!"

"We were just teaching her a lesson," One of the girls scoffed.

"Really?" She questioned, a stern look on her face. "You'll be having enough of those from the principal when you get to his office."

"We're not getting det-" Another girl started but Mrs. Gibberson shut her up.

"Detention." A disgusted look flashed on her face. "All of you."

They were six in number, Monica of course being the one I despised the most was among them, the leader was some blonde girl named Britney.

The PE teacher had left us alone for a phone call which I suppose turned into an emergency. Peyton and I were on the bench arguing about who the better one was at dodging and throwing balls when a girl walked up to us. "A game of dodgeball, do you want to join?"

I would have said no if I knew what she meant by that. "Of course!"

Grinning widely, I grabbed Peyton and headed over to the divided blue court.

I became so confused when everybody rushed to the other side and left only Peyton and I on this side. "Why is everybody way over there?"

The girl who had approached me earlier hollered, "Who wants to join the freak's side?"

Silence.

"I suppose nobody wants to be on your side." She concluded in a mocking tone.

That wasn't new.

Peyton clutched the back of my shirt, giving me her 'I don't like where this is heading' face.

"At least where are the balls-"

I had barely finished my sentence when a brown harsh ball slammed right in the middle of my face and maybe broke my nose and teeth.

I heard a scream, thinking they had hit Peyton, I rose back up only to see one of the girls yanking her hair and pulling her away from me. "Stop-"

The second ball flew into the left side of my stomach cause me to spit water and a slimy substance. That was all it took to knock me out cold, but when I heard Peyton's scream for the second time I managed to stand up, holding my side.

The third ball was aimed at my face but I blocked it with my arms, the impact still hurt my bones.

They didn't stop there.

The balls kept coming at me.

Fifteen, sixteen.

I thought I could take it all, if it was just to get to Peyton and stop her from screaming. She was making my ears bleed, whoever was pulling her hair was doing it on purpose.

When I looked up, I saw Monica staring down at me. Her feet ready to step all over my face when I heard that voice.

"Are you okay, kid?" She breathed in sharply, as if the thoughts of what those girls had done was irreverent. "Of course you're not. You just got ganged up on by seven children."

"Six-" I pointed at Peyton. "She wasn't part of them."

"Did you get balled in the face too?"

"No, I'm okay." She smiled a little then pointed at me. "She however got balled in the stomach and face."

"My goodness!" The woman exclaimed. "I leave for a few minutes and this - this is what happens?"

I felt bad having to worry her like this.

I tried to apologize but blood spilled out of my mouth.

"Goodness!" She pulled me up and held my waist before helping me walk to a corner. "You can go," She told Peyton. "Here sit." She placed me on a bench close to the one we had been sitting before.

She entered the store and brought out a first aid box. Then instructed me to tell her where it hurt. She proceeded to press all sides of my stomach, I kept a straight face but when she pressed my left side with a little more pressure, I yelled excruciatingly.

"They may have broken some of your ribs." She tried to apply an ointment on it even though it makes me wince. "You need to see a doctor."

I nodded understandingly.

She wrapped a bandage around my arms and forehead. A side of my forehead had been bleeding profusely that it took lots of cotton wool to soak up the blood. "This is unforgivable!" The PE teacher suddenly yelled. "This is too brutal for a bunch of ten year old kids, their parents should be sued or something."

Hmm... indeed.

How much would I make off of them?

The images of Kyle smiling at Monica flashed in my mind.

"Mrs. Gibberson," I pulled the sleeve of her sweatshirt. "I don't want to press charges."

Her brows knitted and she looked at me dejectedly. Then she pressed the side of my stomach that hurt, I winced and she apologized immediately. "Sorry, I was trying to prove a point. Anytime you want to go easy on those who have wronged you, just remember the pain they've caused you, then it wouldn't be so difficult to punish them for it."

I nodded and smiled. "I have my reason."

She agreed reluctantly. "Okay kid. Go to the infirmary from here." She packed up the medical box and locked it in the store. "I've maintained standard first aid procedure, all you need to do - essentially - is rest."

"Thank you." Was all I said as I stepped into the hallway.

I chuckled inwardly.

It was just six girls afterall.

Six people.

If I had the opportunity again and they didn't have any of my friends as advantage over me,

I'd squash them.

°°°°

I'd squash them.

What had changed?

Six innocent people - that's the difference.

But if I don't kill them, they'll kill me - that's what I can't risk.

I duck the spear of some weird looking guy, five boxes from me, whose eye twitches when I dodge his attack. My new development makes me see things in slow motion. I can predict the direction before the hit has even landed.

He throws knifes this time but I dodge it.

"Nunchucks!"

Only one flies into my right hand and even though I don't know exactly how to swing it, I let my hand control the movement. One swing and the kontei hits the middle of his forehead. He drops the knives in his hands and his knees drop first before his head falls to the ground.

I knocked him out!

I retrieve my nunchuk and proceed by five boxes.

My left arm reappears.

Five more people.

°°°°

The Knight announces the fifteen of us left at the starting point, Aki, Keanu, I and some other people I don't care about.

There has to be some sort of mistake.

Kyle and Peyton aren't here yet.

Not to mention, how are we fifteen?

What of the people who got killed?

"They didn't actually die." Aki answers, looking forward continuously. "I wasn't sure before but this confirms it. They returned to the starting point, but with their points reduced, that means they lost a body part as they moved along."

The discomfort in his voice increased. "The only people who actually died were the ones who finished the quest with all body parts missing. The message of the Knight at the beginning was to scare us into giving up. Only three people died."

"Three? Then what about Pey-"

"Have faith in them." He sounded like he wanted to have faith. "They should be here, soon."

"Now since you all are here! I guess it's time to conclude the game." The Knight yells.

My friends aren't here yet! I want to shout.

But Kyle and Peyton arrive at the last cycle. "We made it!" She shouts enthusiastically while hugging Kye.

Kyle just smiles goofily and waves in our direction. Aki and I wave back. "Told you." He says in my ear.

I jump back, caught off guard, making him chuckle.

He sounds like a fortune teller sometimes, like he can clearly see how the future plays out.

"We need to talk after this." Keanu says. His whole body is stiff and tense as he talks, making we wonder what bug crawled up his ass.

I nod anyway, meeting up with Kyle and Peyton, they are overly excited as they explain how they wouldn't have made it in time, but my attention is somewhere else.

All through, Keanu stood nearby, watching me intensely.

My eyes would drift to his sometimes just to see him staring at me already.

Creep.

I finally meet up with him and he drags my wrist, not explaining anything as looks down at me and smirks.

I feel my body turn into particles as we disappear and reappear in the forest. The thick trees surround us. I would say we aren't too far from the stream with the water I can hear running in the background.

We were in the Village Square not long ago, what type of sorcery is this?

"How did you do that?" I ask him suspiciously.

"My pocket watch."

"Oh wow, really?" My voice not sounding amused one bit. Pocket watch, like that explains how we teleported.

"You might want to put off your location."

Hell no. "Why should I?"

"You'd be surprised how easily bandits can hack your stats and steal your information. They're called bandits for a reason, irregular."

"Is that how you knew I accepted Aki's partner request?"

His eyes become narrowed. "Maybe."

I think about his words then I grudgingly put it off.

He glances around, his serene eyes locate a tree trunk which he sits on. Then he looks at me, expectingly. Does he want me to sit besi-

"Yes. Sit." He bites his words out, then maybe wondering if that was not the nicest choice of words, he adds. "Please,"

I was going to anyway.

I sit stiffly at the edge of the tree trunk. "May I know why you have kidnapped me and brought me into the forest without my permission?"

"To accept my partner request."

"You brought me here for that?" My disbelief in my voice, ever-evident.

"Yes."

"It's not been up to 12 hourglass-"

He glares at me. "You said you'll think about it."

"And I did."

He raises a brow. "So?'

"I'll agree only on two terms." I hold out two fingers in his face.

"Name it."

"You can't go against your promises," the second term I reconsider saying out loud. "Also could you avoid fighting with my friends or trying to kill them?"

He looks at me, the same way he did when he saw I had accepted Aki's request. "Okay."

No emotions.

Nothing.

Just plain okay.

I open my screen and see his request.

Weird.

Most people would have their surnames by their first names. But I overlook it and choose accept.

Immediately, I see his stats:

Health: 100.
Level: 98.
Experience points: 2000.
Manpower: hundred.
Survival rate: fifty.
Status: Bandit.
Inventory: infinity.
Food: none.
Quests: none.
Status in the system: Unregistered.

"Infinity???" I gawk at Black Hood who has a tiny smile on his face but quickly fades away.

"That's the only thing you noticed?"

I stare again, unable to make my eyes move past Infinity but when it finally does, I feel like I took a hit to the head. "You're unregisted. Just like me." My brain is melting, faster than I ever thought it could. "An irregular."

That would explain so much.

Why he is so skilled.

I'm just a disgrace to irregulars.

But then why would he hate his own kind so much?

"Correction unregistered," His face turns sour. "Not irregular, I would never be an irregular."

Ha... to think he'd ever change. In some sick, warped manner this warms my heart.

"What does that mean?"

"It means they didn't chip me into the system." His mood turns sour too. He looks like he has said too much. "They don't have information on me, or of my activities in the game. That applies to you too."

I see.

"That's all the questions I'm answering for now. You can leave." Then he stands up but I block him before he can move, he seems startled by my speed.

"Who said you could leave?" I huff, feeling annoyed. "You kidnapped me, courtesy demands you drop me back where you stole me from."

"Be glad I'm letting you leave, most kidnappers don't consider their victim's feelings."

"You know as your partner, you should start treating me better."

"I prefer the term 'acquaintance'." He is indifferent to my offended expression. "Being partners doesn't change the state of unfamiliarity between us, am I wrong?"

He's taking the fact that I called him a stranger seriously. "Still treat me how you would treat your partner."

"No rule obligates me to do so." He voice as cold as ice and his expression, stony. "I would appreciate it if you move out of my way."

"Not until you take me back."

"Irregular, I strongly suggest that you move out of my way."

"No."

He appears behind me at - if I moved at 2x my normal speed now - twice of that. "You're not the only one who moves at an extremely fast rate."

Then he's gone.

Asshat.

Why do I feel like I've been scammed into being partners with this douchebag?

He said he would answer most of the questions I had for him.

His answers are mostly vague to the point that I feel like I would be better off listening to Aki ramble about numbers.

Accepting my sad fate of being stuck with the piece of wood for a partner, I walk back to the Village.

I make arrive there after fifteen cycles.

Opening the door of the Motel, Peyton is standing by the door. "Welcome! I was so worried, why did you disappear like that?"

"I got kidnapped."

Peyton stares at me in shock.

"It's nothing serious. Where's Kyle and Aki?" I glance around the room.

"You might want to sit down for this."

I sit down at a table by the door. She drops the dustpan in her hand and sits down opposite me. "Okay?" She bites her lips, searching for the right words. "Say it already!"

"Fine, fine." She sighs. "They decided to part ways. They want to focus on improving themselves before the next quest. Kyle went back to the Castle and Aki went into the city too I think."

"What city? There's a city in the Village?"

"I thought you knew-" Peytin stops halfway. She looks at me questioningly. "There are two parts of the Matrix. The outer realm, Labryinth and the inner realm, the noble world. That's where Kyle comes from everyday. The game didn't mention anything about this to you?"

"No." I answer overwhelmed.

"Wow," She frowned.

"I've been wondering though, what century are we in?"

"The 19th century." She answers casually then grimaces when she sees my expression. "You didn't know that either."

There are a lot of things I don't know about this world, or never paused to ask.

Ask.

I know who to ask.

Why didn't I ever?

"If Kyle and Aki are improving, then we should give it our best too. We would have gotten better in our skills before they're back for the next quest."

"Hell yeah!" We high five and I grin as I wave her bye. Not before I see her flip the closed sign to opened and squeal enthusiastically as her first costumer enters.

As for me, the only improvement I needed was informing myself more of this world, who knows maybe I'll learn something about myself.

I lay on my bed, exhausted. The backlash from the nunchuks seems to have started having its effect on me.

"Serena?"

Yes, young warrior.

"What do you know of this world that I don't know about currently?"

A lot.

"Well then, you better get started."

If Serena was human, I could have reasoned with my hearing sense telling me that slight happy squeal had been a human sound.

But she wasn't.

It could only have been a system malfunction.

Very well then, young warrior. Once upon a time, in the year 1801...

A/N:
What secrets do you think Carmine will find out?
Heads up too... the next chapter is in Kyle's POV.
What happens in our main characters' daily lives? We'll get to know 🙂🙂🖤