Valerius breathed harshly but regulated his breathing like Nine had taught him (or rather, beat into him). Even though this was just a game, it just felt so real to him. The people, the sceneries, even the horrors that he was facing now. Somehow, the people in this game had slipped into the cracks of his heart.
Just casually strolling the streets, someone would call out to him, and he to them. In his previous life, he had been living the game like it was his job, but this time around, he felt like he truly understood what the game developers meant when they said that this was another world.
For the first time, he felt like he had judged the people in his previous life too harshly. Someone saying that 'Pride and Honour' felt more like another life to them than just a game. He had always derided them, feeling that they were talking out of their asses. The reality of his mother's hospital bills kept him chained to reality, he knew that now.
But now, with the money that he was making, his mother was on the mend. When she was fully healed, Valerius would love to introduce this world to her. And it truly was that. Not a game, not just another way to make money. Another world. The people here reflected those in real life, but they also saw so much more.
Even the weakest person could become a hero here. Lucien, Nine, Deltan… there were so many people that had left their marks on his heart. Slowly but surely, Valerius felt like his previous shell of a heart was cracking and melting away, as if it had never existed in the first place.
Valerius had even picked up a hobby whilst he was here. Painting. Somehow, he had come into something that filled him with satisfaction and pleasure each time he put the brush to canvas. Although he didn't know what everyone was seeing in his works, it felt great when he gave his paintings to someone else.
Soft. That's what he was now. Compared to himself in his past life, he felt infinitely softer here. Though not too long ago, he would have taken that as a great insult, Valerius now felt like it wasn't too bad to be 'soft' as people said. The kindness he received, he wanted to return.
Everything felt so real to him. Which was exactly why, when he the 'Darkness Uprising' from his previous life hit, it hit him so much harder. How could he have forgotten that this was coming? In the early days of Darkness Uprising, Valerius had beat himself up over it, over and over again.
It wasn't until he tackled another guard out of death's way that he suddenly understood that he was wasting time on things that couldn't have been prevented in the first place. Even if he had future knowledge (did it still even count now?), he was only a single man. No money, no resources. Not to mention, the previous him would have done anything to make a bit of money from the chaos incoming. No. He wouldn't have tried to stop Darkness Uprising.
Silently, Valerius was thankful that he had changed beyond recognition. The people he associated with in his previous life would have pointed at him and said, 'Who's this?', and just that thought alone gave him strength. He was different now.
He had people he cared about now. His Teacher, Lucien, was just one of many. 'Pride and Honour' contained so many amazing characters that it almost ached they didn't exist on Earth. It ached to think that one day, should the game company ever run out of money, this world would be shut down. Everyone within it would be lost. No one would mourn them. No one would remember them.
Valerius pushed the morbid thoughts out of the way, and reaffirmed his decision, keeping it close in his heart.
Even as he was deep into his thoughts, he instantly struck down another undead soldier, turning the skeleton warrior into dust. Then, he dodged to the side nimbly, his reflexes taking over. He returned a strike at the undead corpse, splitting it into two pieces.
He had the briefest moment to appreciate his blade work before he hastily dodged the incoming projectile from his blind spot. Shocked, Valerius jumped and turned around to strike down whoever threw that at him but was only met with Gladys' dry look.
Beside her, Glenn glared, baffling him.
"What was that for!"
Gladys Six and Glenn Seven rolled their eyes in sync. Truly. If he couldn't dodge that, then he deserved to have some 'special training' with their Master one on one.
"Seriously. Are you just planning on using your sword? Have you learnt nothing as a magician?" Glenn asked, raising a brow. Whilst doing this, he sent another rock Valerius' way.
Valerius batted the rock out of the way, feeling sheepish. He had slid back into old habits, relying on his sword and dagger to take care of the enemy. They were right but having to be scolded by two teenagers really rankled somehow.
"Why are you here?" Valerius questioned, turning his attention back on the approaching undead. Using Tier One spells, he took care of them quickly and efficiently, saving both time and magic.
Glenn scoffed, crossing his arms. "What do you think. We're here to make sure you're not disgracing Lucien's teachings of course! And you were! Wait until I report back to Master."
Valerius instantly paled. "Woah, wait, what? How was I disgracing Teacher?! I was just practicing a bit of my sword work to make sure I'm not rusty, okay!"
Glenn just rolled his eyes again, and Valerius really felt like shaking him. Why was Glenn such a bratty teen! Glenn moved a bit away as he wielded both dagger and magic, taking care of the undead even quicker and more efficiently than Valerius.
Gladys laughed softly, leaning in to whisper to Valerius, as if telling a secret. "Relax. He's just grumpy that he hasn't been able to battle to his heart's content lately. Plus, he was pretty worried just now when the undead almost got you."
Valerius scoffed, subconsciously imitating Glenn from earlier. Though he hated to admit it, his heart did feel… slightly warm. Not that he was ever going to tell Glenn that. He got little respect as it was!
"Psh. As if I would die from something like that!"
Gladys hid her laugh, hovering behind the two. She used buffs and debuffs aptly, supporting both Glenn and Valerius easily. It was almost repetitive, with how the undead never stopped coming.
The more they fought, the deeper into their subconscious they sunk, unknowingly accumulating experience and knowledge. Their skills improved exponentially and explosively in the midst of real-life battles.
By the time dawn hit, the undead all around receded like a tide, going to some location they couldn't see right now. As the last undead left, Glenn, Gladys and Valerius picked themselves up.
Gladys and Glenn jumped up the wall of the city with an ease that showed their familiarity with it.
Similarly, Valerius jumped up, and was about to come down from the ledge, when he tumbled backwards as a pigeon that had been resting there became spooked and took flight.
Stunned, Gladys and Glenn stared at the spot where he should have landed smoothly before rushing to the edge of the wall and looking down.
The unspoken worry bled out when they saw Valerius sheepishly scratching the back of his head.
"IDIOT!" Glenn shouted; his worry gone. With that said, he huffily left to go back to sleep. He then tripped over a rock. He silently picked himself up and continued walking like nothing happened. Gladys spotted his red ears.
Gladys snorted. Glenn was most likely thanking his stars that Valerius hadn't promptly come back up to see him do that.
Then, they heard Valerius laugh, slapping his knee. "Haha! Don't think I didn't see that!"
Glenn whirled back around, throwing a dagger at Valerius viciously, only for the Undying to dodge smoothly. The dagger fell down, below the wall.
"Well," Valerius said, shrugging. "Looks like you'll have to pick that up, huh?"
Glenn crossed his arms, seemingly waiting for something.
Valerius reflexively dodged the incoming danger rather than sensing it, the dagger coming back from below.
"What the hell!"
Gladys pinched Glenn's cheek in silent reprimand, causing him to huff, but silently restrain himself for his girlfriend.