Project Anima : A Virtual Reality / Reincarnated Tale

Chapter 2.2: The Glitcher

The rascal party led them further to the northside of the city, past some delivery service and the City Bank. Players and NPCs started to decline as they entered some narrow smithing lane, and into what seems like an impoverished neighborhood.

Raiden looked around. It seems like they were in the city slums. There're almost no players here, only a handful of NPCs, and clearly no patrols. He better think fast. How is a Lvl 1 supposed to save someone from multiple higher leveled players? He glanced at his companion Henry. The swordsman bot was a Lvl 5. Maybe they stood a chance.

There are several things he was unsure. How would the rascal members plan to damage them? A city was supposed to be a safe-zone. Unless they were being led to the wilds. However, they had already went past a way out of the city earlier. They could've gone outside since there. Just where do these rascals plan to go? A more secluded place?

Jeremy, the rascal leader, still grabbing poor Molsie, began to take a sudden turn. The other members of Clan Quickfingers followed suit. Raiden and Henry could only tail them in anticipation.

Raiden whispered to Henry. "Prepare to fight."

Henry, quite nervous, could only nod.

It looks like they were now in some narrow alley, in the middle of two dilapidated buildings. All of a sudden, they started to receive the following red notification:

Alert: You are now entering a High-risk area.

High risk area? Inside a city? Even if it was the slums, was this effect intended?

No...this wasn't some dungeon. They're not even out in the wilds. This must be some glitch. Which means...these rascal players were exploiting this bug!

In this area, they could kill, and worse...

Raiden tensed. They must get out of this area—fast. But how is he going to free the cleric? Maybe a quick distraction could work. His mind went to his dagger. Henry gave him an uneasy glance.

However, it was as if the rascal players could read their minds. Clan Quickfingers was an underhanded, keen party. Several members had already been sent to guard them, pointing crossbows and knives at him and Henry.

Raiden internally cursed. What was he supposed to do now?

They stopped by the end of the backalley. Upon arrival, the rascal leader Jeremy threw down the healer on a corner. The other members were still guarding Raiden and Henry closely.

"What do...what do you want?" Molsie crept closer to the wall.

Sitting down on a crate, Jeremy sneered. "Dear, there's a lot of things we want." He gestured to her. "We gotta start with something, eh? Now..."

Jeremy's face contorted into a disgusting look of lust. "Remove your clothes."

"What...?" Molsie shook.

"I said, remove your clothes!"

"I can't..."

The rascal leader laughed. "So you're actually stubborn, eh? I'll make things easier." He raised his arm, revealing a mark on his hand. "As party leader, I command you to remove your robes!"

Molsie squirmed. Then, as if her hand was not her own, she began removing her cleric dress, revealing nothing but bare skin and undergarments. Flushing red, the healer immediately clutched herself and closed her eyes, shying away.

The rascal party laughed raucously. Raiden gritted his teeth.

This has to stop.

"Please don't do that to her!" Henry tried to intercede, but a rascal's knife prodded him back.