Letheon: Lethe Online

What doesn't kill me, Might make me kill you .5

Aiken raced through the forest, his breaths heavy as he moved. "Hey, calm down or we'll end up lost again," warned Althea, her voice a mix of concern and annoyance. Aiken leaped and landed on a log, frustration evident on his face. "This map is driving me crazy," he muttered, his anger simmering beneath the surface. Suddenly, Aiken's frustration transformed into manic laughter. "Finally," he exclaimed, staring at his hand. "I'll find you, and I'm going to defeat you!" His smile grew wider, giving him an almost eerie appearance. Althea couldn't help but inquire, "Why are you so determined to defeat Ram?" Aiken's smile faded, and he snapped back, "It's none of your business." Ignoring Althea's question, he continued running, his focus unwavering.

Amidst the chaos caused by Ram's disappearance, a dense black smoke engulfed the entire arena. The only one missing was 'Ram,' the strongest player of Lethe Online. As a result, players began logging out en masse. Suspicion fell upon Ram's guild, as questions arose about their leader's sudden appearance and disappearance.

After two days of navigating the game world, Aiken finally arrived in the next town. He was abruptly accosted by a stranger – the chatty guy from the inn. "Hey, aren't you the guy I saw the other day at the inn?" The chatty guy was relentless, trying to engage Aiken in conversation. "Haha, I knew you were an adventurer too! Want to team up? The monsters ahead are pretty aggressive," he offered. Aiken averted his gaze, unwilling to reveal his identity to this talkative stranger. He knew that once this guy recognized him, his secret would be out, and everyone would know who he really was.

"Hey, are you okay?" The chatty guy's voice persisted, irritating both Aiken and Althea. "I need to go to Orion," Aiken stated, his gaze fixed ahead as he walked away from the chatty intruder. Confusion painted the chatty guy's face as he continued, "Wait, you mean you've been traveling since the live broadcast? I've been traveling too, and I got here right after it ended. You've been on the road for two days just to reach this town?" He couldn't help but find Aiken's situation amusing, a beginner struggling with the game's challenges.

"Tsk," Aiken muttered in annoyance as the chatterbox guy lectured him about the hardships of Letheon. He tapped his wrist to check his status and consulted the map. There were still four more towns to pass before he could reach Orion. His rumbling stomach reminded him of his hunger as he passed by an inn. Tempted by the idea of food, he entered the pub, only to be caught by surprise when he spotted a familiar figure. Slowly retreating, he hoped to escape notice, but the chatterbox guy intercepted him, pulling him to a table. Aiken's inner voice sighed in frustration at the near escape.

As the chatterbox introduced him to the waitress, a girl in a maid outfit with bunny ears, Aiken's attention was captured by the sight of the food she placed on the table. His hunger was overwhelming after two days without a proper meal. The chatterbox continued with his theatrics, mentioning Aiken's two-day journey. "Thank you for the food!" Aiken exclaimed with energy, diving into the food and paying no mind to the chatterbox's antics.

"Oh yeah," the chatterbox exclaimed, inadvertently tugging on Aiken's hood. Aiken's face was revealed to everyone in the inn, drawing their attention. "Ah..." The chatterbox pointed at Aiken with wide eyes. "Ah... so cute!!!" He suddenly embraced Aiken tightly, seemingly oblivious to the curious gazes of the other patrons. Aiken's inner voice groaned in annoyance. "Does he look familiar to you?" the maid serving them asked the chatterbox. The bystanders began to murmur among themselves, some even standing up to get a better view. Aiken felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him. Seriously, am I some kind of spectacle or amusement for these people?

"Eh, he looks like Cziell!" The words slipped out of the chatterbox's mouth, and Aiken's heart sank. Oh no, this is the last thing I need right now!

"Of course not, haha!" The chatterbox adeptly defused the potentially awkward situation, causing everyone to turn their attention away and go back to their own affairs. Aiken sighed in relief as the commotion subsided. Seriously, how can someone mistake me for Cziell right now just based on hair color and eyes? It's ridiculous.