The Game Before the Fall

Chapter 48: Counter (Part 2)

Time passed and we were back to the literal grind. We were levelling up in Areithia Online to make sure we had the best chances we could for the World Tournament. Vanter and I had already received our invitations, while the others were invited to the exclusive preliminaries. It was shaping up to be a big event and was going to be held in Seoul Korea. In the original timeline, the event had attracted quite the attention but now it was on news and billboards with live tickets already sold out for the stadium and the convention. Despite my real strength I was nervous. We had set a precedence of how strong a top ranked player should be and the meta of the game had changed entirely. People were more creative with their builds, searching high and low for secrets even I didn't know to improve their gameplay. After all, like I had already learnt the first time I entered Areithia Online, it was still a game, and games worked on numbers. If their numbers were too much bigger than mine, I'd be at a certain disadvantage. I was looking forward to the challenge the other players would bring, and it was a battle we couldn't afford to lose.

It was relaxing considering all we had just been through. The ISPA sent us updates as they tried to uncover the organisation we were up against. Our biggest key so far being the Violet Oath's entry key. Slowly but surely they were peeling apart their secrets and for now we waited, researched and lived our lives. Like that, two weeks passed quickly, and I found myself yawning at the local grocery store wondering if the bananas were cheaper here or the next place further down the street.

I picked up the bananas and gave them a sniff, they smelt ripe, and the colour was good. Endi had also asked for some yogurt as well as muesli. Zen wanted to try cooking and consequently we ran out of eggs. Aria asked for gum to chew while she studied for her final exams. Vanter was fine with whatever as long as it tasted good, though for the past few days we had some pretty suspicious meals. The mundane moment was pleasing as memories of eating whatever was given in the dungeon sprang to mind. This was a moment I couldn't take for granted.

It was as I contemplated full cream vs low fat milk that my instincts ticked into gear. Time seemed to slow as I realised something was wrong and I went from unaware to dangerously alert. The click of a trigger falling into place rang ever so lightly behind me, a sound I couldn't mistake. I ducked, turned and sprang at my assailant as he pulled the trigger, the bullet exploding the milk I had just been staring at.

The man coughed, surprised at my speed. My fist came down and cracked into the man's head. He immediately went unconscious. For a moment I was surprised. No Aura and what felt like next to no training. Was it a coincidence? I didn't have time to think about it as someone screamed and drew my attention.

I turned to see the woman who had screamed duck. A man entered the store, his jacket flared open and in his hands a fully automatic rifle. "Shit."

The rifle spray fired and though I was fast, I wasn't that fast. I wasn't Zen. A low calibre pistol was one thing but a full on rifle had to be respected. I dodged, dashing out of sight and taking cover behind the shelves that had been obliterated by bullets. The grocery store was small. There wasn't any place to hide and worse still, just like I had been, others were shopping too. The man turned his rifle, its line of fire reaching towards a young woman cowering in fear. It was clear they were here for me. There was no way they couldn't be and by God, I wouldn't let them hurt anyone else. The bullets launched but my barrier was quicker, halting the bullets in a gel like suspension before they fell harmlessly to the ground.

I coughed as a sudden pain assaulted my chest. My Mana Heart was flaring, and the lack of mana was clear. Without my equipment the blowback was severe but despite it all, I couldn't let the barrier fall and instead widened it, protecting the others nearby. Finally, the assault of bullets ended and without second thought I sprang from behind the shelves, rocketing towards the man faster than he could react and crushing him into the ground. The tiles beneath him shattered, his body covered in a thick protective vest, his head however an easy target and collided with my fist.