The glow of the screen was the only light in the dark room.
Four characters stood at the entrance of a deep dungeon, surrounded by black stone walls and flickering torches that danced like restless flames.
Their names shimmered softly in the corner of the screen:
Soumakey.
Prince John.
Hiro.
Madousaki.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then a message popped up.
Prince John:
"That dragon won't stand a chance now."
At Hina's house, she held her controller with an excited grin.
But another message appeared.
Soumakey:
"Madousaki's level is too low..."
Hina froze.
She stared at the screen.
One second.
Two.
Three.
Then she threw her hands up.
"Ahhh—right!!"
A new message appeared.
Soumakey:
"So what do we do?"
Aoi was sitting on the floor of her room, her back against the bed, controller resting in her hands.
Her eyes were calm as she watched the characters waiting at the dungeon entrance.
She typed.
Hiro:
"There's that orc quest. Let's help her first."
The reply came almost instantly.
Prince John:
"Perfect idea. Shall we, Madousaki?"
At her house, Misaki smiled softly behind her screen.
"...Okay."
Her small mage, dressed in a pale blue robe and holding a polished wooden staff, followed the group.
The scene shifted.
They arrived at an abandoned orc village.
Broken structures made of dark wood and animal bones surrounded them. Fires burned in scattered spots, lighting up dozens of wandering orcs.
Another message appeared.
Prince John:
"I'll use an area fire spell."
Soumakey:
"Got it."
Then silence again.
For a few seconds.
Aoi watched quietly.
Soumakey moved forward at the front, carrying a massive shield that looked heavy enough to break down castle gates.
He walked like a guardian.
Protecting everyone.
Behind him, Prince John raised his staff.
Red runes spun in the air.
The spell was released.
— Ignis Flames.
Fire exploded across the village.
Orcs were thrown back, some disappearing into the flames.
A message appeared.
Prince John:
"Do you have any attack spells, Madousaki?"
Misaki typed carefully.
Madousaki:
"I have one."
Her character raised the staff.
The air around her froze.
Crystals of ice formed midair.
— Sharp Blizzard.
Hundreds of icy shards shot forward like blades.
They pierced through the orcs.
On Misaki's screen, numbers began to rise quickly.
Level 10.
Level 18.
Level 26.
Her eyes widened.
"Wow... I leveled up so fast..."
Prince John:
"Focus on healing skills... and some attacks too."
Hiro:
"That'll make the dragon easier."
Soumakey:
"Let's go."
Silence again.
Only footsteps echoed through the dungeon.
Then:
Prince John:
"Alright... let's face the dragon."
The path to the final chamber was long.
Stone corridors.
Creatures lurking in the shadows.
Draconic soldiers and twisted monsters guarding the way.
They pushed through all of it.
Until they arrived.
The dragon slept at the center of a massive cavern.
Black scales reflected the torchlight.
Golden eyes slowly opened.
The battle began.
Soumakey charged first.
His shield slammed into the dragon's snout.
The impact echoed.
But the dragon reacted instantly.
One violent strike—
Soumakey's body was thrown across half the arena.
Then Hiro moved.
His sword gleamed—a blade made to pierce dragon scales.
The strike landed.
Sparks flew.
The dragon opened its mouth.
Fire gathered in its throat.
A command appeared.
Prince John:
"Madousaki, protect us!"
Misaki took a deep breath.
— Group Protection.
A glowing barrier formed.
— Recovery Health.
At that exact moment—
The dragon unleashed its flames.
A massive wave of fire consumed the arena.
In her room, Aoi closed her eyes for a second.
I don't want to see you burn again... Hiro.
When she opened them—
Something felt off.
She typed quickly.
Hiro:
"We're taking less damage."
Prince John:
"And we're recovering too."
Then:
Soumakey:
"Give your mana potions to Madousaki. She's carrying us."
Three blue potions were passed to her.
When the flames finally faded—
They were still standing.
Soumakey:
"Madousaki's almost out of mana."
Prince John:
"We finish this now."
They all charged.
Strikes.
Spells.
Explosions.
The dragon staggered.
Its HP dropped rapidly.
Aoi tightened her grip.
"...Leave it to me."
Hiro's sword glowed blue.
— Fortification.
He leapt.
The blade pierced the dragon's neck.
The final roar echoed.
The dragon collapsed.
Victory.
At Hina's house—
"WE DID IT!!"
"Quiet, Hina!" her mother shouted.
"Sorry, mom!!"
In her room, Aoi slowly set the controller down.
"...Finally."
She lay back on her bed, staring at the ceiling.
A small smile appeared.
But then—
A thought.
Yamamoto... was acting strange.
Later, after brushing her teeth and changing, she turned off the lights.
But before sleeping, she picked up her phone.
Opened the chat.
Yamamoto Souma.
Her fingers hovered.
Then she typed:
"That was hard today."
Sent.
Then:
"The dragon, I mean."
She waited.
Seconds passed.
Nothing.
She placed the phone beside her pillow and closed her eyes.
Then—
Buzz.
She grabbed it.
Souma:
"Yeah. Good thing we had Madousaki."
Silence again.
Aoi typed:
"I like playing with you guys."
Waited.
Souma:
"Me too. Sorry if I get in the way."
Aoi smiled softly.
"You don't."
Then:
"I feel safe."
She stared at the screen.
Waiting.
No reply came.
After a while, she sighed and set the phone down.
He feels... distant.
In another room, Souma sat on his bed.
The screen light reflected in his eyes.
Her message was still open.
"I feel safe."
He ran a hand over his face.
"...Damn it, Sakamoto..."
He exhaled slowly.
"...Why do you..."
He stopped.
Said nothing more.
He lay down, covering his eyes with his arm.
And stayed there.
In silence.
The next morning—
Aoi arrived at school as usual.
Breakfast.
Uniform.
Routine.
But when she stepped into the classroom—
She saw it.
Souma.
Sitting at the front.
Turned around.
Talking to Misaki.
They were laughing.
Comfortable.
Natural.
Hina smiled.
"I'm gonna thank her! We won because of her yesterday!"
She ran over.
Aoi stayed where she was.
Watching.
Souma and Misaki kept smiling at each other.
Aoi's face remained calm.
Quiet.
But something inside her felt... unsettled.
She placed a hand on her chest.
Why...
The thought formed slowly.
...does this feel strange?