["It was. You were just too absentminded to notice."]
"Yeah, right," I replied sarcastically.
Something's definatly wrong with me.
No matter how much I think about it, this isn't normal.
Wait… could this be a side effect of my memory being wiped? I keep losing focus.
[...]
'What's wrong? Cat got your tongue, you bastard?'
However, there was no response.
"Wait... really?"
I knew it. This has to be a side effect of whatever they did to me.
Anyway… The "Graphto Watch" wasn't all that impressive at first glance. At least, superficially.
It's just a watch.
Kind of.
*["It's more than a watch. It helps the collar transmit signals, tracks your location, contains your profile, power levels, personal data... and much more."]*
'WHAT?!'
This small thing does all of that?
*["Yes. That's why you can't take it off."]*
I turned it over, looking for some way to remove it, but there was nothing. It was sealed tight.
"That's all for now! Oh, wait, there's one more thing," the voice boomed before bursting into manic laughter for a full ten minutes. Then, in a crazed tone, he added, "EVERYONE! EXCEPT YOUR FELLOW TEAMMATES, IS FAIR GAME!"
The massive doors swung open, and no one needed further explanation. We all understood perfectly—no one was safe.
... And some people smiled at that.
Now, inside the building, I took a deep breath.
Damn, I wasn't expecting this.
Fluorescent lights were arranged strategically on the ceiling, bathing the place in a dazzling brilliance. But that was just the beginning. Rows upon rows of what I assumed to be VR pods filled every inch of the room. This was only the first floor, yet there were enough pods for the ridiculous number of students gathered here.
Impressive.
"Form your teams now. We won't interfere with the process," Wilston announced with a grin that gave me a bad feeling. "Afterward, register your team and proceed to your assigned pods, which will be linked to your ID number on the Graphto Watch. Now, begin."
Chaos erupted. People scrambled to form alliances, desperate to team up with someone strong enough to save their sorry asses.
I, on the other hand, froze in place.
Two figures—people I never expected—were walking straight toward me.
"Jayden…?" I raised an eyebrow.
"So… want to team up?" he asked with a grin.
But I wasn't focused on him. No, it was the girl behind him that caught my attention. And then, it hit me.
'OH MY FREAKING GOD!'
I can't believe it.
I can't freaking believe it!
The answer had been staring me in the face all along, and I never saw it.
Anna Renay Crimson.
This psychotic bitch was the reason for my repeated deaths.
Pink, lustrous, neck-length hair and blue eyes—she fit the description perfectly. Though, she was a bit lacking in the, well, "boobs" department, she more than made up for it with the 'rest'.
But none of that mattered.
This was the girl responsible for all my suffering. All those times I died in the game, it was because of her. Why? I think it's just because I accidentally kept brushing hands with the protagonist a few times.
How foolish I've been.
Anna was Jayden's childhood friend. They'd known each other since their very first day at Terium Nexus.
But that's not the problem. The problem is she's completely mental. She has this unhinged tendency to snap whenever anything involves Jayden.
Hm.
In the game, she was behind several mysterious deaths, but she only targeted the weak.
ME!
I AM THE WEAK!
I SCREAM 'WEAK!'
Tsk. No wonder she kept coming after me. I was probably an easy kill in her eyes.
Haah.
I still can't believe it. I died just because I accidentally brushed hands with that idiot Jayden.
I'm not letting this slide. I'll definitely get my revenge for all the trauma she's put me through.
But…
First things first…
"Sorry, I've already made plans with someone," I replied, flashing a polite smile as I dodged the bastard before he could react.
But I felt it.
That piercing gaze, drilling holes into my back.
Damn.
Which one of them is it now?