-It is just a game.
That's what I thought when I saw the advertisement, promising a world without limits. For me who already reached the limit, I sought such a world more than anyone.
But it is just an illusion. Such world don't exist. I have seen it too many times.
-Master, master! You must see this, the reproduction of realism is unreal. I couldn't tell the difference between the game and reality!
That was the second time I saw it. When one of my students, the youngest and most curious of them all brought the game to me. He does not have much talent, neither is he very hard working. He is mediocre in all aspects, but his earnest heart is something I am envious of. It is something I do not have anymore.
I do not trust the game, I do not trust the advertisement. But I do trust my student even though he is lacking in all aspects. Having lived a life devoted to the sword, I have no family to speak of. I see my students as children of my own. So I decided to give it a try.
-Racial selection? I think he told me to choose anything but Goblins?
I would have just casually chosen Human if my student did not pester me so much about Goblins. The description says they are classified as monsters, and the weakest humanoid creatures with no particular talents to speak of other than growing more dextrous. In fact, there is a great many things they're bad at.
-It sounds like him.
Feeling a little mischief rising, I chose to be a Goblin.
-Is this really a game?
That was my thought after spending a day acclimating myself to the game. But the result is that I can't find any inconsistencies from my senses. I instead, feel revitalised from my old age, as well as being incredibly weak. For a long time now, I once again felt the sensation of improvement. Even though it's a path I've once already tread, it brough me the joy I had once forgotten.
I suppose that I should praise that useless student of mine.
-Eehhh!? Master you chose goblin?!
But it seems like my student was unappreciative, and instead, had grown the guts to chastise me. Small threats does not work on him anymore, and I cannot beat him up either because it's abuse. Since he plays the game as well, I promised to teach him some decency when we meet in there.
Day by day, after checking on my students, the dojo, and completing my daily routine, I ventured as a goblin within an unknown world. Slaying monsters, helping citizens, meeting and adventuring with random people.
Just a little, I think my days were less dull than before.
Two weeks into the journey, there was still no one who successfully left the starting city.
The west is an endless forest and monsters, the north towers high with never ending ranges of mountain, filled with flying monsters we're unsuited to fight against. The east has a ridge between the forest and mountains but it is a trap, it is an easy hunting ground for the dwellers in the forest and mountain. The south is also a forest, but much thinner than the west. The monsters are also weaker and less numerous, yet still too much for us to handle.
As time went by, stacked with countless unsuccessful expeditions, people became frustrated. The feeling of being left behind by other players never felt good, and they left one by one. After the first event, a Stampede of monsters from the south forest, many thought the south would become easier.
But it didn't. And that pushed the remaining players over the edge, making them leave.
I stayed. The so called progress and game has no meaning to me. What I want is the world, so there is no reason for me to leave. I am reliving my past, training and cutting down one obstacle at a time while bathing in the sensation of improvement.
But my simple days were over quickly. The next day I met an unfathomable existence. He was a Hobgoblin with horns. Wearing pure white robes, he appeared as the teacher of me and other three remaining players. While his face is as young as an 18 years old, his eyes contains an otherworldly depth. The 'age' exuding from his presence is something I cannot grasp, it is amazing that a game can simulate such an aura.
He taught us about goblins' way of survival, information on skills and how to fight some monsters. They aren't something I need, or so I thought.
I have long reached the end of my path. Faced with the limit, I could no longer move forward even if I wanted to, wasting away my days until I gave up looking for a path. But that day I saw that the limit was not a limit, but a wall called 'limit'. This is an obstacle, one that's much studier than any I've ever faced, so strong that I thought it was impenetrable. Yet, I saw someone walking on the other side, which proves that it is possible to cleave this wall apart, just like any other.
-It can't be just a game.
Because the person who taught me that is in this game.
-Clang!
[Skill:
[Condition Realised]
[Acquired Title: 'Sword Master']
[Title: Sword Master
Description: Having cleaved through countless obstacles in the path of your sword, you are met with an impenetrable wall. Yet you have recognised that your sword has yet to reach its limit, and challenged the impossible.
The impenetrable wall shall be the grindstone to sharpen your sword.
Will your sword break?
Or will your sword split apart the wall?
A path lies beyond.]