Chereads / Just another dungeon explorer. / Chapter 5 - The VR pods.

Chapter 5 - The VR pods.

'This is amazing, it's almost as if it's real life, the graphics are beautiful. Actually I'm not so sure if I should call an orc beautiful, it kinda looks like a pig.'

"Oliver and Callum you two can select a weapon from the weapon selection screen, I have created two arenas for today. Callum you go in the one on the left, Oliver you go in the one on the right. Once you enter the arena the Orcs will start to attack you."

Oliver looked at the orcs fearfully, he'd been through some shit but willingly stepping an arena knowing he could to be torn apart? He'd never done that one before and it terrified him.

Simply the idea of dying was horrific, he'd been around plenty of death within the slums, but experiencing it for yourself? Even in a virtual setting was something out of his worst nightmares.

"Weapon selection screen," A bright light appeared in front of Olivers face, causing him to jump back and Callum to chuckle.

"Oliver if you want to scroll down the weapons list all you have to do is imagine it going downwards in your mind."

"Thanks man," He scrolled through the weapons, there was hundreds of them everything from a kitchen knife to a katana and a crossbow. He knew orcs were slow moving, and with them being level 1 orcs they didn't use any weapons.

'Maybe long range weapons would be best? But the arenas too small to stay out of range, besides even if orcs are slow, my body's speed right now is incredibly slow.

Maybe a long range weapon like a polearm? That would allow me to stay out of range but once again with my strength I doubt I'd be able to hold them back, once they're in my guard I'm finished.

With how small I am, I reckon I should use a small weapon, maybe a short sword or knife, I could use my body and dodge the attacks striking in the mean time?

That sounds good enough for now, I need to stay light, so no armor, even with it I'd be crushed by them, lets go for twin knives right now.'

"Twin knives, huh, Oliver, I see using your agility and small body to try and evade the orcs attacks? It's a solid pick," Lucy looked happy seeing his pick, turning to Callum he started to scowl again, "Sheesh boy, even in the face of death you proceed to clown about? A katana? Really? Kid you're not a goddamn anime protagonist."

"Haha this is the closest sword to Ichigos bankaii, I shall slaughter all the fools in my way," holding the katana up between his eyes closing his eyes, "It's meaningless to just live, it's meaningless to just fight. I want to win!"

Oliver bent over laughing, even in the slums they'd heard most of the quotes from popular shows, whilst Lucy just looked on in disgust, 'Great I'm teaching a moron.'

"Well kid, get your goddamn ass into that arena and we'll see just how much of a shit show your combat ability is, Oliver wipe that smirk off of your face too, it'll be time for you to fight soon too."

Lucy looked at the two of them gravely, he knew just how terrifying it was to face off against an opponent clearly superior to yourself, unfortunately the tower isn't based off of your strengths.

'If the two of them fail to overcome the challenges I've set today I don't know if they'll be able to pass the mental block when they encounter stronger opponents in the future.'

Oliver took a deep breath, grabbed his twin knives hard and walked towards the arena where the two orcs were waiting. Callum on the other hand proceeded to scream and charge straight at the 3 orcs.

"Hard work is useless for those who don't believe in themselves!" Screaming he charged into the 3 orcs, instantly slitting on of their throats, jumping backwards holding the katana upwards he allowed the two remaining orcs to close in on him. The one on the right tried to use his mace to smash Callums skull in but Callum deftly dodged to the right passing the katana by slitting its stomach, creating a shield between him and the other orc.

The orc howled in pain as it was gutted alive, trying to kill Callum with one last smash it raised it's mace. The orcs face turned into one of shock as it realized Callum had already impaled its chest, causing it to fall to the floor limp.

Callum turned to face the last orc, grinning, "Ha you thought this was going to be an easy fight? I've been raised to kill since I was a baby, I'll take your head today beast."

The orc raised it's shield and sword in retaliation howling for its fallen comrades, smashing the sword on the shield it charged towards Callum. Callum stood back into a stance, ready to parry the sword.

The orc slashed down at Callums neck, he jumped back using the katana to push the orcs sword further into the ground. He had knocked the orc off balance, not wanting to let this chance go to waste he lifted the katana high and jumped forwards, slitting his throat.

Unknowingly Oliver had stood still entranced by the battle, the same with Lucy, 'well I guess we know one of the top 5 this year.'

"Life is not a game of luck. If you wanna win, work hard," Callum turned to Lucy bowing.

"Callum I'm getting second hand embarrassment here," Oliver was laughing, bright red, "Stop with the dang anime quotes."

Lucy just sighed, "Kid... You know what never mind, you can go if you want, Oliver though, get into that damned arena and fight already."

"Aha no thank you sir, something tells me Oliver's fight will be worth watching."

With reluctance Oliver finally stepped into the arena, he didn't have the confidence of Callum but he was still prepared to take down these damn orcs.

'Callum wiped them out without dying once, he will without a doubt be in the T1 class, if I want to compete with the other nobles then I'll have to at least be able to kill these two level 1 orcs, otherwise I'm not worthy of their attention.'

He held the two knives in a reverse grip hold, as the orcs charged at him he dashed forwards, he'd been around plenty of bar brawls in the slums so his dodging was as refined as could be for a peasant. He dodged under one arm of the orc on the right swerving around to his back, jumping into a grapple position he jabbed the right knife into his neck over and over while the orc roared trying to hit him off of his back.

He couldn't hold on anymore, having to let go he pounced off, the blood was still spraying out of the orcs neck, the orc fell to the ground out of blood loss. 'One down, one to go, I don't have any fancy martial arts but I know how we fought in the slums, it doesn't matter how you win, a win is a win.'

Dropping the knife in his left hand he grabbed a handful of the blood. The other orc took one look at his companion on the ground, roaring it charged towards Oliver, the orc punched towards his face, fast. Oliver just managed to swerve around his fist before throwing a handful of its companions blood into it's eyes.

Charging straight into his guard he jammed his knife into the orcs throat. The orc scrambled at its throat with its hands, staring Oliver in the eyes as blood gushed from the hole.

'I'm sorry orc, if I didn't kill you, you'd kill me, fuck you aren't even real why am I getting emotional, ahh maybe its cause it's the first monster I've killed?'

"Good work Oliver, Callum take a lesson from this, if you can't kill your opponent with your strength, use tricks and get dirty, do anything to kill it. Because at the end of the day, whoever's still alive is the victor." Lucy looked solemnly at the two kids as he said this, he'd seen too many good people die out in the field, he refused to let two kids go off unprepared to squander their lives.

"Alright, I think that's enough for one day, you two can go home and rest, tomorrow we'll increase the difficulty of your opponents, you two better get 1st and 2nd spot in the rankings battle in two weeks understood?" Lucy glared at them, his heart was starting to warm up to the two little brats though.

"Yes, sir," They both responded before heading back to their dorms.

"Callum just where did you learn your martial arts? That sword skill was amazing today, even if you are a weeb," Oliver just laughed at him, having lived in the slums he'd never been able to watch a show.

"My family was our own branch of dojos, I picked up a few bits during the time they trained me, god that was hell, and oi who are you calling a weeb, don't think I didn't see you getting emotional over that orc aha," Callum just patted him on the shoulder, "Hey, want to binge a show together?"

"Sounds good to me man, tomorrow we're learning about our systems right?", Oliver was deep in thought, wondering about how he could accomplished his goals as they moved to the couch..