(Going Back to Okami's previous story (basically, this is his perspective))
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I hung up the call and placed my phone on the bed. Ryoshi's mother, Mrs. Aika, continued crying until the last beeping sounds of our conversation. Her weeping voice told everything I needed to know.
I must save my best friend, Ryoshi, from that ga.
I scurried down the stairs and t with Himari, munching the spare cookies inside her mouth. She was carrying the limited edition cookie box I bought last year ago with her notebooks clipped on the other. My sister planned on studying for the night, hoping she could pass her examinations with flying colours for tomorrow.
"Isn't that the deluxe cookie jar you are eating without daring to call ?" I asked.
Himari gave a nod and nudged her way out of my view. Her hand pushed the container upward on the shelf, hoping I would forgive her if she did. I shook my head and carried on with the primary situation.
"Ryoshi's trapped inside the ga, and I need to go there right now," I announced, and took my spare coat on the rack.
Himari knew the death ga situation. However, she turned a blind eye to the occurrence, since the event did not affect our daily lives, not until now.
I told her about the phone call. Himari beca amazed after hearing Ryoshi's current condition. I told her everything, and about the phone call I received a while ago. Her eyes drooped over on the ground, unable to digest what had happened to our dearest friend.
I asked Himari if I could visit Ryoshi, whom I heard got himself stuck inside the death ga. Himari permitted to go and advised to take care of myself along the way. My sister would tag along after finishing her set of assignnts given to her by the school.
I gave her a nod and went outside of the house, striding the dark road. All the cars careered forward, hoping they could see their loved ones inside their hos, trapped inside the ga.
The world was experiencing chaos enough to cause an uproar in our neighbourhood. Tokyo, Japan, one of the finest countries that I know, was not an exemption.
My eyes greeted the bungalow on the streets. The lights coming from the inside told that there was soone in the house. I continued forward and left my shoes on the rug.
I did not even bother knocking on the wooden gate upon entering Ryoshi's ho. My hands slamd the door open as I rushed over to his room at the far end of the hall. As soon as I approached his bedroom, Mrs. Aika's wails beca louder than before.
Ryoshi's motionless body welcod my eyes, with her parents circling him. He had the holographic set attached to his head, still activated and projecting the ga. According to the news, if soone unfastened the device from soone's head, that person will instantly die from a heart attack or an electric shock from the brain.
Ryoshi was still fortunate enough to remain alive despite his body, laid on the bed like a statue. His parents listened to the news and remained alerted with the announcents.
Mrs. Aika shifted her view and t my eyes, staring blankly at her son. She stood from the settee and offered a chair.
"Would you like to sit down with us?" she asked, and pushed the board to my side.
I nodded and perched my bottom on the flat surface, with my orbs still gawking at Ryoshi. Her husband offered a beverage and so snacks to keep company. Despite their sorrows consuming their brains, the two parents were still kind enough to cater to their guests.
I expressed my gratitude and crunched on the biscuits and onigiri, or Japanese rice balls. I did not concern myself with the additional wet liquid coming from the food as I resud eating my snacks.
It had been two hours since the ti that the ga trapped my friend inside their world and an hour from Code. The actual ti spent here on Earth, the ga halves it. If an hour passes by, the gaplay inside Code would be around thirty minutes long.
Ti passes differently here in Code.
"Do you know if he is still alive?" Mrs. Aika asked.
Her eyes looked on the ground, gawking at her fiddling hands.
"Of course he is. He's Ryoshi, the hunter after all," I answered.
A faint smile erged from his face as she heard my comnt. I looked at Ryoshi, who still refused to open his eyes. He will never wake up unless the ga ends for good. The governnt reported this information to the entire world.
However, there was an astronomical number of players that died and continue dying as we speak. The news stations announced their deaths on their channels and posted them on the internet. Everybody knew what was going on within the insides and out of Code.
"Can you tell what is going on, Okami? I just know that my son is inside that damn ga, but I don't understand why. Can the creators of this ga fix this? They can, right? I hope they can," she mumbled to herself while sparing glances at .
I inhaled deeply and gathered my thoughts before giving her a reply. I did not want to sugarcoat everything that was going on. Since Mrs. Aika did not play gas, she had a strenuous ti comprehending anything about the ga. All Mrs. Aika knew about her son was the death ga. Ryoshi would die if we left him alone inside that world.
I cannot argue with that claim because Ryoshi was not a veteran in the ga. He just started testing out Code and knew nothing about the world while I beca ranked one player.
"Ryoshi is inside Code as a player. He cannot get out no matter how much effort he tries to open his options. Ryoshi cannot get out until the ga developers finish the ga. All we can do is wait here and pray for his safety," I answered.
Sothing was boggling my mind. I wanted to save Ryoshi. There was still a way to protect my best friend if I could just enter the ga. But I cannot just waltz inside the ga. I also needed to look for him once I arrived inside that world, and there was not a single clue about his whereabouts.
My pockets churned and quivered, disrupting my train of thoughts. I reached out inside my patch and took my phone out, gripped it in my hands. I slid the screen open and read the updated news sent by the ga.
"Speak of the devil," I cried, and continued scanning through the texts.
It was a lengthy blog that reached about two pages. The article also had two sets of pictures taken from the ga before it turned dark and grim.
My eyes gawked at the verdant image of a forest filled with creeping plants and trees. The picture focuses on the mountain's bottom, with a player marching inside. If I rember the place correctly, the woodland was a part of the Mainland. It led straight towards the Elven Kingdom after reaching the ruined bridge.
However, most players knew nothing about the elves. Those long-eared creatures hid apart from the world. Players considered these species as rare collectables that all gars wished to have. An elf account can reach the markets for about two million yens in total just by selling the account.
Upon gazing at the adventurer, I recognised the peculiar recurve attached from his behind. I scrolled downwards and continued reading the article, only to find the na "Ryoshi" written in Kanji.
I reached into the lower box and read sothing that made my eyes widen in fright. My body even jerked backwards after deciphering the texts on my screen.
"Elves started the war against players. They killed several elf-players inside their Elven Kingdom. According to our sources, the Elven race killed one hundred players already, both elf adventurers and general players. Fortunately, we tracked down their hideout and sched to put an end to their plots. We hope that the first batch of soldiers will be deployed to the ga by Warner Asimov. He proposed a plan to complete the ga soon. We will interview him again about this matter, so please stay tuned."
"I think your son is still alive but barely living," I announced.
"Did you find him?"
Her husband was the one who reacted and jolted from his seats. He grasped her hands on my shoulder tight and glared into my eyes. After realising his position, Ryoshi's father released from his grip and lowered his head.
"Sorry for my behaviour."
"It's fine," I answered. "And yes, Ryoshi is the one in the picture."
I showed my phone to the two worried parents. However, they cleared their throat and turned sceptical about the photo I had presented on my phone.
"Is this really Ryoshi?" The two of them asked in unison.
I nodded. These two parents knew nothing about the appearance of their son. This situation beca onerous for to handle.
"The article also ntioned that the elves planned on killing every player they see, including Ryoshi.." I pronounced.
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