Chapter 11：A Not-So-Grim” Reaper (1/2)
[Music Recommendation: ”Interweave” by Yu-Peng Chen (Genshin Impact OST)-available in Youtube or Spotify] ~ Please listen to it in a loop while you read this part to experience the utmost beauty of this chapter ~
Chills ran down my spine. I went crazy enough to think that ”death” came looking for me since I'm supposed to be dead. Was this a sign of him fetching me? Even if I was just playing a game like what my mind tried to tell me over and over, I couldn't help but think of it as a warning on my life.
While I was still busy getting nervous and overthinking, a message popped out from the chat window. Yes, Ken mentioned that to me, too. He said we could chat with other players via ”global chat”, ”room chat”, ”private chat”, and others. I wasn't sure how to differentiate them but still, I got a message.
”How did you find this place?” the Grim Reaper asked. He was dressed like an assassin from head to foot, with a black hood covering his head and a mask covering his nose and mouth. Only his dark purple eyes were visible from all the darkness.
'Phew! Okay. So he was a player like me… right?'
I went over the chatbox to reply to him. It took me long to do so though, it was hard trying to type words using a controller instead of a keyboard. I had to hover around the letters of a virtual keyboard on my screen.
”I'm not so sure. I was just exploring and I somehow ended up here,” I typed and sent it.
He was silent for a moment. Then he asked me again.
”Newbie?”
'How did he know?'
”Yes. Does it show that much?”
”You're wearing all the freebies given, even useless ones. Most newbies do that.”
”Right… Sorry for that.”
… And there was silence again. I wanted to quickly leave the place and forget all about him and never meet him again in the future but I didn't want to be rude and just leave like that.
”What is this place, btw?” I typed again.
”It's a secret place with extremely rare treasures. There's 12 of them scattered throughout the whole world. This specifically, is the 'Garden of Sacred Weapons'. You should know since you got your staff from the box.”
”Yes, that's right! And what did you receive?”
”The 'Sacred Katar' since my job is an assassin. The box gives you a weapon depending on your job.”
”Oh, I see. That makes sense. If a mage gets a sword then it's useless for her.” Yes, I found it sensible. ”Whoever made this game put a lot of thought into it, huh?”
”Of course,” he swiftly replied. ”Games don't just get created in an instant. It takes years and tons of efforts and teamwork. Not to mention, money and other resources.”
”Yes, that's true,” I agreed.
”Did you like it? The game?”
I didn't expect him to ask that so I pondered for a moment.
”Hmm… yes, I quite like it. Though I do have a couple of suggestions.”
”Let's hear it.”
”I hope it's a bit new user-friendly, you know? Like maybe an 'easy mode'? Because honestly, I never played games before and my friend just lent it to me so I can have some fun.”
”Fair point. What else?”
'Was it me or he seemed like an interrogator?'