Sora was sitting in a chair while reading a book, inside a library.
'A month has passed since the day we've passed through that door and came to this dimension. Lately, though, the team started breaking apart. Airi is usually in the main hospital of the town, and she cures citizens that are in a bad potion. Ken and Riku are going on different adventures, exploring many dangerous dungeons and fighting lots of strong monsters. Izanami is in her room most of the day and she goes out at night. Finally, I am sitting all day in this library trying to find more information about the grimoire I was given by his majesty'
Sora closed the book, that he was reading, and sighed disappointedly.
"Ah, another failure"
Sora stood up and went on a bookshelf to leave the book that he read.
'I waste too much time in here, I should go outside a bit'
Sora put the book on the bookshelf and left for outside. He was walking in the main street and it was bustling. Sora sighed.
'It's crowded again, I think I'm going to head back'
"I'm home"
Sora suddenly heard a male voice coming from one side of the street, he turned his look to the place where the voice came from. He saw a man in front of a door and a woman with two kids, a boy and a girl, in front of her.
"Daddy, you're home!"
Both of the kids said and hugged the man.
"Yes, a kind young lady helped me recover back in the hospital and I feel good as new"
'Young lady? He must be talking about Airi'
Sora continued walking in the main street.
'She must be working hard in the hospital. I know'
Sora seemed enthusiastic.
'I will buy her a gift for her hard work'
Sora went into a jewelry shop that was nearby and went inside. He saw a big variety of jewelry around the place inside glass protection. An old man was at the reception.
"Welcome, how can I help you today?"
Sora walked closer to the reception.
"I am looking for a gift"
"Is your friend male or female?"
"Female"
"I see, this way please"
The old man and Sora walked in a near glass with many types of rings. Sora seemed confused.
'Is rings the only gift you can do for a female or—'
Sora blushed.
"S-She is just a friend!"
Sora's face turned red out of embarrassment.
"Don't worry young man, rings are the best gift you can do to a woman these days"
Sora calmed down.
"I see"
Sora looked on the rings. They were all beautiful, made out of gold or silver, and with many colorful stones on them.
"I think I'll take this one"
Sora aimed at a silver ring with a red stone on it. The old man took it out and gave it to Sora.
"It is five gold coins"
Sora gave the old man five gold coins and left the store. The same night he was lying on his bed while holding the ring he bought above his head. Its red crystal shined with the room's lighting.
'Hm, is this a ruby?'
Someone knocked on the door.
"Yes?"
"It's me, Airi"
"Oh, come on in"
Sora hid the ring inside his pocket. Airi opened the door and walked inside the room.
"A guard told me that you wanted to talk with me"
"Oh yeah, please take a seat"
Sora was sitting on his bed and Airi sat in a chair.
"I've heard that you are working hard on the hospital, so I decided to give you a gift"
Airi got excited.
"A gift? Where? What?"
"Calm down, here"
Sora took out of his pocket the ring and handed over to Airi.
"Sorry it isn't glorious or fancy, but I couldn't afford something more...''
Airi was speechless.
"I love it"
"Huh?"
Sora sounded confused.
"I love it"
Airi wore it in her left ring finger. Her face was filled with happiness. Airi saw Sora and grabbed his hands.
"Thanks, thanks, thanks"
Sora blushed a bit and look another way.
"It-It was nothing…"
After some time of chatting Airi was standing in Sora's door ready to leave.
"Goodnight Sor- I mean Tadashi"
Airi was smiling warmly.
"Night"
Sora closed the door and sighed.
'That was hard though…'
Airi was walking happily in the hallway while mumbling. She was passing in front of Ken's door when she found it half-open. Airi took a look through the space between the door and the wall. She saw Ken, Riku and Izanami around a table standing still. The phone, that Fujimura gave Ken, was in the middle of the table.
'Hm? They call Fujimura all together?'
"I am calling all of you three here for a certain accident that happened. It seems and imposter has passed through the door"
'An imposter? Don't tell me…'
"His name is Murakami Sora. He pretends to be the fifth-best player of LRO, Nagai Tadashi. Last month, Nagai Tadashi has been logging in normally, which is impossible since he is supposed to be with us in the other dimension"
"Now that you mention it"
Ken and Riku turned their look to Izanami.
"I've heard Airi mentioning Sora a while back. It was weird since she was calling him by his name "Tadashi" all this time and suddenly she used his nickname"
'Were she spying on us?'
"Your job is to eliminate the imposter, since making him come back to this world is impossible"
"Sir"
Ken sounded confused.
"Why didn't we call Airi in here, I think she might understand the situation and try to help us"
"We can't risk to tell her"
"I see"
"In any chase, I have to go. Ken, we will talk again next month same hour. Also, those are orders"
"We understand"
Fujimura hanged up the call on them. Riku turned his look to Ken.
"Are we really going to eliminate him?"
"We have no other choice, he told us to"
"Yes"
Riku looked at Izanami.
"And we owe him our life since he brought us to this world"
"So that's how both of you think, well I can't really say that I disagree with both of your statements, but we are supposed to be heroes"
Izanami walked towards Riku and punched him slightly in his shoulder.
"Try to think that's for our humanity's shake"
"But how—"
Dark dust surrounded Izanami and soon after she vanished.
"I suggest you go to your bed; we are executing Fujimura's orders by tomorrow midnight"
Ken turned his look to Riku and he seemed called.
"Understand?"
Riku sighed.
"As long as I get to be in this place, I'll do whatever"
Riku walked towards the door. He opened the door and got out. Airi was hiding behind a wall in the hallway. She seemed shocked.
'They want to eliminate Sora?'
The next day Airi was bowing in front of the king in his throne room.
"Your majesty, I need to have a private talk with you"
"What is the matter, young hero?"
"I can't discuss the specifics in here, but we have a problem"
The king thought about Airi's request. After some time, the king and Airi were sitting in a table inside a small room with one door. Two guards were standing outside of the door.
"Yesterday I was heading to my room when I heard Ken, Riku and Izanami contacting the person that sent us in here. He ordered us to eliminate the fifth hero since he actually came in his friend's place"
"I don't understand why you aren't going to tell them that"
"Whoever comes to this world, can't go back to ours. Eliminating him is their only option since he tricked them, but it wasn't his fault. Either way, they are not going to hear him or me, so I came here to ask if your majesty can do something to prevent this"
"Hearing you makes me want to lend a hand in that young man, but the situation is out of my hands. I can't take part in your inside disagreements"
"B-But"
"I am unable to take part in your inside disagreements because my position in this world is rather high and might inspire more people on taking place, and see it as a battle between heroes. It's better to let you solve your problems by yourself"
"I see"
"All I can do is offer him a little amount of gold so he can survive in the chase he manages to escape"
'Hm, escaping isn't a bad idea, it might work out'
The king took out a bag with a few gold coins inside it.
"Give this to Sora, if it's needed"
"I understand"
Airi took the bag and put it in her pocket. Airi was outside of the room with the king and bowed.
"Thanks for the kindness you showed us"
It was nighttime and Sora was lying on his bed. Someone hit the door and walked inside without waiting for an answer. It was Airi and rushed next to Sora.
"Wow Airi, what's up?"
Sora stood up.
"There is no time to explain, but you have to come with me"
"Why, what's the matter and you are rushing so much?"
"I'll tell you outside, but for now let's go"
Airi grabbed his hand and they left the room and they were in the main street. They were running between the crowd.
'Wow, it's crowded even at night'
Ken and Riku went inside Sora's room. They walked next to the bed and stabbed it with a knife. Then they uncovered the bed and they saw many pillows together and got astonished.
"What? They knew we were going to come"
'Don't worry I'm on my way'
Ken heard Izanami's voice inside his head.
'Wow telepathy is awesome; we should have learned it sooner'
'There is no time to chat, the target is running in the main street'
Izanami was at the top of a building looking at Sora and Airi while they were running.
"Damn it"
Ken seemed pissed.
"What did Izanami tell you?"
"They are in the main street; we have to get them"
Izanami started running at the top of the buildings, following Sora and Airi. After some time, Sora and Airi were in the middle of a forest resting for a bit.
"So, what's up?"
"They learned you aren't the real Nagai Tadashi and they are after you"
Sora seemed shocked.
"What? Why?"
"I didn't understand either, but for now you have to escape the kingdom and hide till things are going to get better"
An arrow made of ice passed between their heads.
"Oops, I missed"
Sora and Airi looked to Riku and continued running.
'Dammit, they caught up to us'
"Where are we heading to Airi?"
"Nowhere specifically, just trying to get away"
"I got that much"
After some running, they found themselves at the end of a hill. They looked down.
"I don't think we are going to survive this fall Airi"
"I am well aware of it, but they caught up to us"
Airi turned her look to Sora. She seemed serious.
"Hear me out, I have enough energy to help you get out of here alive. You will jump and I will use an ability called light fallings, it will feel like you are falling from the first floor of a building"
"You can't be serious, and what will happen to you?"
"They are after your life, not mine"
"There is no telling what they will do to you"
Ken, Riku and Izanami appeared and surround them on the hill.
"Quit running and surrender, I'll make your death fast"
"No"
Airi shouted to Ken while denying his offer.
"You traitor, it seems I have no choice"
Ken raised his mace facing the sky. A red circle appeared at the top of his mace.
"No Ken don't, Airi is in the middle"
Riku yelled but Ken didn't stop.
"Fire magic, Blazing wave"
'Blazing wave? I've read it is a pretty powerful spell'
Ken aimed with his mace Sora and Airi. A big wave of fire appeared in front of him and went towards them. Airi turned around and saw Sora. She was tearing up.
"It was good while it lasted Sora"
Airi touched him gently in his chest and pushed him back. Sora's body got surrounded by an orange liquid and he fell from that hill. He saw a wave made out of fire coming out of that hill. Sora started remembering the times he was with Airi. He remembered her answer to the teacher, her introduction in the real world, her face full of joy while they were in the blacksmith shop searching for an armor. He recalled when he woke up after that puking blood thing and saw Airi in his room. Sora remembered yesterday night her excitement when he gave her the ring he bought, and last he remembered the promise he made.
'I'm sorry Airi, I couldn't keep my promise'
Sora's eyes started tearing. On the second page of his grimoire, a page was filled with letters. Sora fell on the ground and passed out.