~(I/g/n)'s POV~

"What? What do you mean they weren't hacking? Didn't you say that suddenly became weak?" Efari asked

"Yeah, I did become weak, but that doesn't mean they were hacking."

"Well, I actually saw their leader, Asen, muttering something. I told Kortana about it." Astaroth said

"Yeah, it's true. I thought it was kind of weird." Kortana said

We all sat there for a few seconds.

"Alright, well it's getting kind of late. I'm gonna sign off." Ivory said

"Yeah, same." Lelani said

"Me too. We have school tomorrow." Efari said

"Yeah, see you later guys." Kortana said

They all logged off, leaving Astaroth and I alone.

"Hey, are you okay?" Astaroth asked me

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm fully healed now s-"

"That's not what I meant. Are you okay? You're not upset are you?"

"Maybe a little. I just don't get it. Why did I get weak all of a sudden. I mean, sure, it could be a side effect of the slash I did earlier, but it isn't listed in the swords description."

"Maybe it was some otherworldly force or something."

"Otherworldly force..." I muttered "Wait, that's it! Astaroth, you're a genius!"

"What? No, I was just kidding. There's no wa-"

"No, hear me out. Kingdom of Krados is still a relatively new game, right?"

"Yeah, it was only released a few months ago, why?"

"So there's obviously gonna be some bugs. I know it's a long shot, but what if they abused a bug that allowed an outside force to interfere with the match, like a spell?"

"I think I get it. You're saying that Asen used a spell to weaken you in the middle of your fight? Thus, making you lose?"

"Not Asen, that spell seems way to advanced for someone who isn't a mage. But didn't you say you saw Asen mutter something?" I asked

"Yeah, why?"

"What if he was telling their mage to use the spell?"

"(I/g/n), you're a genius!" Astaroth said, smiling at me.

"We'll tell everyone tomorrow about this and see what they think about it."

"But wait, how could we even beat that? It drained you of all your power."

"There's only two ways I can think of. You're not gonna like one, but I don't think we have any choice."

~Time Skip~

~(Y/n)'s POV~

"Hey Lily." I said, sitting down at a table for lunch.

"Hey."

"So I think I figured out why I got so weak suddenl-"

"Oh, you guys go to this school too?" A familiar voice asked. I looked over and see Nora coming towards us to sit down.

"Yeah, but didn't you say you live in a neighboring town?"

"Yeah, but they don't have a high school. So we had two choices. Come to either this school or go to the school in the other direction. I chose this one." She said, sitting down with us.

"Really? Well, I was about to tell Lily that I think I figured out why I got so weak suddenly."

"Wait, really? Well, how did it ha-"

"P-Please stop..." I heard another familiar voice say. I turn around and see Jacklyn being harassed by some assholes a few tables behind me.

"Aw, come on. I just want your number, is that so much to ask?" One of the guys said

"Please...l-leave me alone..."

The guy visibly got mad and stood up. He grabbed her by her hair and lifted her up.

"Listen to me. You will give me your number and we will go on a date, or..." He snapped his fingers and one of his friends handed him Jacklyn's tray. "I can pour this all over you."

"Please...I just want to b-"

"Hey!" I yelled

"Huh? And who the hell are y-"

"Let her go." I said

"Huh? Why should I?"

"(Y-Y/n)?"

"I said let her go."

"Oh, we got a little hero here." Him and his friends laughed. "Okay, but you'll have to take her place."

I stay silent and he lets her go. He dropped the tray on the ground and started walking towards me, grabbed the collar of my shirt and pulled me up.

"How about you get on your way and leave us be, okay?"

I grabbed his wrist and squeezed it as hard as I could before prying his hand off me.

"Oh so you have some fight in you huh? How cute. It's gonna be the last thing you ever d-"

I let go of his wrist and punched him in his jaw. He immediately fell to the ground.

"Do either of you want to try anything, or are we done here?"

They looked at each other before grabbing their friends arms and dragging him away.

"That's what I thought." I said before looking towards Jacklyn, who looked like she was about to cry. "Hey, it's okay, they're gone now."

She hugged me and buried her head into my chest. "T-Thank you..."

"It's no problem, really. Do you want to go to the roof and get some air?"

She just nodded as a reply. We walk over to where I was sitting and I grabbed my tray. "Hey, I'm gonna bring her to the roof, okay? I'll tell you what I think happened later."

We walked up the stairs, with Jacklyn clinging to my right arm. I opened the door to the roof, feeling a cool breeze blow against my face. We go toward the fence and sit down.

"Here, you can have my lunch. You know, since you lost yours and all." I offered

"T-Thank you." She said, sitting next to me, still hugging my arm.

"Are you okay? How's your head?"

"I-I'm fine..." She said "My head is starting to feel better."

I start rubbing wear her hair was pulled. Her face became red almost immediately.

"Um...t-thank you..." Jacklyn said. She took some of the food and held it up to me. "H-Here..."

"Oh, uh, t-thanks." I said, as she fed me some of the food. She smiled at me before resting her head on my shoulder. "Listen, if that guy ever bothers you again, just tell me."

"O-Okay."

"I'll give him one thing, he has a hard face. Kind of hurt when I punched him."

"I-It did? I'm sorry..." Jacklyn said "Y-You had to do that to p-protect me..."

"Nah, it's fine. I'll get over it." I said

She took my hand and started softly massaging it.

After a few more minutes, she fell asleep on my shoulder, my hand still between hers. I started rubbing her head softly again. When I started, she smiled to herself in her sleep.

~Time Skip~

When lunch ended, I woke Jacklyn up and walked her to her next class.

"T-Thank you...(Y/n)..." She said "I-It's nice to see that you're the same in real life as y-you are in game."

"I don't know about that."

"Well...I know. I-It makes me happy." She smiled up at me.

I blushed and look away, scratching my cheek. "Heh, if you say so."

She just kept smiling at me. I looked behind her and saw people staring at us and the teacher waiting for us to be done. Then I look behind me and see people waiting to get into the class.

"Alright, well, I should go." I said

"O-Oh...right." She said. She then opened her arms with a blush covering her face. "I-If you don't mind..."

How could I say no to that? Especially with everyone staring us. I opened my arms and she practically fell into me. After a few seconds she pulled away and smiled at me.

"I-I wish...that you d-didn't have to go..." She said

"U-Um, well...how about we go somewhere after school? Like the cafe?" I ask

Her face lit up and she just nodded.

"Okay, I'll meet you in front of the school." I said

"O-Okay! Bye!" She exclaimed happily, walking to her seat.

When I was walking to class, hands popped out of the bathroom and grabbed me.

"What the fuck? WHAT THE FUCK?!" I yelled

I grabbed the door and closed the door on the set of hands.

"Ow! What the hell is your problem man?!" Adam yelled

"My problem? MY problem?! You're the one who just grabbed me out of nowhere and tried dragging me into the bathroom, and you're asking what my problem is?!" I asked, rather irritated.

"...Yeah, okay that's fair."

"You don't say? What do you want anyways?"

"Your-"

"Absolutely not."

"Aw, come on, I didn't even get to finish what I was gonna say." Adam said

"Yeah, but it's gonna be something stupid that'll only end up pissing me off even more."

"I was just gonna ask about how you get someone like Jacklyn to fall for you..."

"So something stupid."

"Aw, come on just tell me!"

"I'm just being nice to her." I said "Why am I telling you this?"

"That's....it? You're just being nice to her?"

"Yep."

"What about the rumors about you?"

"What rumors?"

"The ones about you knocking some kid out at lunch."

"That? Yeah that happened." I said

"Really? Why'd you do it?"

"Why am I being interrogated?" I asked myself "He was bothering Jacklyn. Demanded for her number and when she said she wanted to be left alone, he lifted her up by her hair. Then when I tried to stop it, he lifted me up by my shirt. That's why. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to be late to class."

"Wait, I have more questions!"

"No."

~Time Skip~

"Hey Jacklyn." I said, walking up to her waiting for me. She looked up from her phone at the sound of my voice.

"H-Hey (Y/n)!"

"You ready?"

She nodded with a smile plastered across her face. "Yep!"

We walked to the cafe. She had her arms wrapped around my right arm and was practically hiding behind me.

"How are you able to go out in public?" I asked

"I don't really go out except for school..." Jacklyn said "E-Except for food...or something with my mom..."

"Do you want me to order for you?"

She just nodded.

"Okay, well, we're here." I said, looking up at a sign that read 'Cafe Blue Moon'.

We walked in and went up to the counter.

"Do you want any food?" I asked

"Um...just a cookie is fine..." Jacklyn said

"What about for a drink?"

"Um...just a strawberry smoothie...please."

"Then I'll get the same."

We walked up to the counter, and to my surprise, Stephanie works here.

"Welcome to Cafe Blue Moon, what ca-" Stephanie started "(Y/n)?"

"Hey Stephanie, I didn't know you worked here." I said

"I gotta make money somehow."

"H-Hi Stephanie..." Jacklyn said

"Jacklyn? I didn't notice you there, why are you hiding behind (Y/n)?"

"She doesn't come out in public a lot."

"Ohhh. Well, what can I get you?" Stephanie asked us

"Can we have two strawberry smoothies and two chocolate chip cookies?"

"Okay, you can sit anywhere. I'll bring it out to you guys in a few minutes so just sit anywhere."

We go over to a table near the window and wait for our order.

"You want me to walk you home after? Or is your mom coming to pick you up?" I asked Jacklyn who was sitting across from me, looking down at her lap.

"My mom isn't busy, b-but...um...c-could you walk me b-back...?" Jacklyn asked

"Sure, I don't have anything I need to do."

Jacklyn smiled at me. Stephanie came over to our table and put down the smoothies and cookies.

"Thanks Stephanie." I said

"T-Thank you."

"I hope you enjoy." Stephanie said

"Oh, by the way. I have something big to tell the guild tonight." I said

"What's it about?"

"I think Jacklyn and I found out why I became so weak in the fight with Asen's guild."

"I'll be there." Stephanie said "Well, the next customers are coming in, so I have to go. See you guys online."

"So, what part of town do you live in?" I asked

"Um...I live a few blocks away from here..." Jacklyn said before picking up her cookie with both hand and taking a small bite. After she took a bite, her eyes lit up. "S-So good..."

I chuckled and she looked at me, before blushing and taking a drink of her smoothie.

"B-Brain freeze..." She groaned, putting her smoothie on the table, then both hands on her head. This time I laughed. She looked up at me again with a bigger blush on her face.

~Time Skip~

We were walking to Jacklyn's house, her arms were wrapped around mine again. I had both of our smoothies in my hands. We were walking past the store that Jacklyn mentioned the other day. I saw some kids from our school smoking in front of the store, then they looked towards us. Jacklyn noticed and got closer to me while I glared at the kids staring at us. When they noticed, they looked away. Eventually, we got back to Jacklyn's house and she finally let go of my arm.

"T-Thank you for walking me back to my house..."

"It's no problem really. I mean, I'm the one who asked you to come to the cafe." I said

"Y-Yeah..." Jacklyn said "C-Can I have a hug?"

"Uh, sure." I said, feeling a blush across my face.

She hugged me and I hugged her back. Then the door behind her opened, revealing a woman.

"Oh! You mus-" She started, before noticing I was hugging Jacklyn. "Oh, I'm sorry. You can finish your hug, I'll just be here. Take as long as you need.

Jacklyn blushed and pulled away from me.

"S-Sorry." I said

"It's quite alright. But you must be (Y/n)! It's nice to meet you! I'm Jacklyn's mom, Heather Rain, you can call me Heather."

"It's nice to meet you Heather." I said

"It's nice to meet you too! Jacklyn never stops talking about you. Mostly I hear about your character from that game you guys play, but recently she started to talk about the real you!" Heather said, while Jacklyn blushed a very deep shade of red. "I hear you're her in game husband! And she texted me earlier telling me that you saved her from some bullies at your school! Then she said you were taking her to a cafe after school too!"

"Uh, yeah I did. They were harassing her for her number and then pulled her to her feet by her hair, so I stepped in." I said, getting slightly embarrassed.

"That's sweet of you! I could never thank you enough."

"Heh, it's nothing really." I said

"W-Well, mom, I think it's time w-we go inside now..." Jacklyn said

"Oh, okay. Well, you seem like a very nice kid (Y/n)!" Heather said, waving.

"B-Bye (Y/n)." Jacklyn said

"Bye Jacklyn. Bye Heather." I said, waving.

~Time Skip~

~(I/g/n)'s POV~

"So, what did you figure out?" Lelani asked

"Okay, so you know how Kingdom of Krados is a relatively new game, right?"

"Yeah, so?" Efari asked

"So there are gonna be bugs that they missed. What if one of the bugs has to do with the battle system?"

"What do you mean? Whoever isn't in a battle can't affect people who are in a battle." Kortana said

"Sure, but what about spells?" I asked

"Spells?" Ivory asked

"Yeah, what if spells are able to bypass that rule because of a bug? Now let's say that Asen and his guild found this bug and are abusing it? That could also explain Asen muttering. Maybe he was telling their mage to cast a spell that drains people's stats."

"That...actually makes sense. How did you figure this out?" Kortana asked me

"It was all thanks to Astaroth."

"Huh? Astaroth? Really?" Ivory asked "That's a surprise."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Astaroth yelled

"Well...you know..." Ivory said, trying to find a way around this.

"You jerk!" Astaroth yelled

"How did Astaroth help you figure it out?" Lelani asked

"After all of you signed off last night, I was still thinking about how I felt so weak suddenly. Then Astaroth said something about an otherworldly force. That's when I figured it out. That could also be why Halmar got up like nothing happened after each of my attacks." I explained

"Oh, so she wasn't the one who figured it out. That makes more se-" Ivory started, getting cut off by Astaroth smacking her.

"...Anyways, what can we do to beat them?" Kortana Lelani asked

"Well, I can only think of two things. None of you are going to like the first." I said

"What is it?" Lelani asked

"We team up with our rival guild, the Fresh Water Serpents."

A/n: This chapter is almost 3000 words. I hope you guys enjoyed. Tell me what you thought in the comments.