"So you're saying that you yourself have not used your skill properly even once, apart from the time you tested it?" Ethan asked RageHeart, wearing a peculiar expression on his face. Both of them, along with Mia, were making their way towards the distant palace.
Upon hearing Ethan's words, RageHeart flashed a slightly embarrassed smile, then cleared his throat before speaking.
"I have indeed used my skill once, but it was not against an enemy," RageHeart confirmed before adding, "I activated my skill back then to test its power, which was fairly simple, and the damage was also satisfying. However, using my skills against an opponent is a different story."
"Why and how is it difficult?" Ethan asked curiously, while Mia, equally intrigued by the conversation, paid close attention.
"It's difficult because the sensations I get from my body in this world are so real that I instinctively take any action performed here as something my normal body could do. And, as far as I know, I couldn't find any human capable of replicating in the real world the carbon copy of game skills from here," RageHeart explained.
After expressing his thoughts, RageHeart released a sigh before continuing.
"I'm not sure if you understand, but it's like this," he stated, then added, "When we played those other VR games back in the real world, the actions we took in those worlds, while appearing very realistic, still carried a certain sensation whenever we moved that reminded us we were in a game. It's completely different here," RageHeart stated, looking at Ethan, who had a pensive expression as he listened to the words of his fellow top player.
Ethan could already grasp the picture that RageHeart was trying to paint and explain. However, because he remained deeply interested in what RageHeart had to share, he encouraged him to continue.
"Please elaborate more," Ethan requested, making sure to keep his eyes fixed on his surroundings to prevent any unexpected surprises.
RageHeart and Mia followed suit. Being in an unfamiliar environment within an unknown world, it was wise for them to maintain their guard most of the time in a place they knew little to nothing about.
The appearance of the undead knights earlier caught them off guard, leaving them uncertain about the possibility of encountering even stronger foes in the vicinity of the castle.
Rather than recklessly rushing ahead, they preferred to proceed cautiously, even if it meant investing time in scanning for potential threats that might not even exist. Taking it slow was a safer option, given that a hasty decision could easily lead to a perilous situation endangering their lives in this unfamiliar world.
Observing Ethan's continued interest in their conversation, RageHeart resumed speaking, striving to articulate his thoughts more clearly to his companions.
"How does your body feel to you now?" RageHeart opened with a question that took both Ethan and Mia by surprise. Although perplexed by the sudden query, Ethan responded, voicing the first thoughts that crossed his mind.
"My body feels like my body," Ethan answered.
Mia: 'Wow'
RageHeart: '...'
Recognizing the evident nature of his own response, Ethan felt a tinge of embarrassment but pressed on.
"My body aches, and I'm slightly tired," Ethan responded once again. This time, RageHeart nodded in agreement before offering his own input.
"The sensation you're feeling all over your body now, did you feel something so real in the VR games we've played in the past, no matter how much the game developers tried to replicate it to the extent of how it would feel in real life?" RageHeart asked and answered himself before continuing.
"No, you wouldn't," he stated, then added, "the reason I forget to use skills whenever I fight is because I'm not used to the sensation of my real body being capable of casting skills. It's fairly hard to adapt that fast to something that only became possible a few hours ago."
"True," Ethan nodded and added, "It's the same for me too, I think."
After saying this, all three of them—Ethan, Mia, and RageHeart—released quiet sighs. When thought about more, it was true that it had only been a few hours before the sudden change of having to survive began. This was the thought going through the minds of all three of them as they returned their focus back to their surroundings.
In fact, all three of their focus was no longer fully concentrated on their surroundings and they were all just staring at the building in front of them—the castle palace. Whether it was luck or coincidence, Ethan and the others had not come across any undead knights or any other monsters after the last one. While it was a little uncomfortable to be in such a quiet place, they were all still happy that they at least got to have a brief moment of peace without having to worry about the start of their life with a battle ongoing.
However, this was their past thought as they all just focused on the palace in front of them. There was no fence or anything around the palace. The only thing that stood between them and entering the inside of the palace was the palace door itself.
"It's so big," Mia exclaimed.
"It truly is," Ethan spoke after Mia did, and then RageHeart shared a nod.
In the afternoon sun, the majestic palace stood shrouded in an aura of darkness and gloom. Its grandeur, now marred by time's passage, cast long shadows that stretched like skeletal fingers across the courtyard. The sunlight, filtered through heavy clouds, barely managed to pierce the heavy atmosphere, casting a pallid, diluted illumination upon the decaying façade.
The palace's stone walls, once resplendent with intricate carvings and vibrant hues, had faded into a desolate monochrome. Moss and ivy clung to its surface, weaving a network of melancholic greenery that seemed to embrace the building in a sombre embrace.
Turrets and spires, once symbols of regal authority, now loomed like ancient sentinels burdened with the weight of forgotten ages.
"Spooky," Ethan commented, a determined expression slowly taking form on his face.
"Let's head in," he declared, then walked towards the palace door.