• “Fricking hell! What the hell is wrong with this thing?!” Kaito kicked his terminal in frustration as it refused to start up regardless of what he did.

    Growling angrily, he gave the overworked terminal of his a hard shake before slapping it to the side, leaving it to topple from its original position. Slamming the door to his room close angrily, Kaito stormed out of his apartment, having already made plans to get yet another new terminal from the nearby electronic store.

    This was the third terminal this week that he has broke ever since his mother practically blackmailed him into playing the newest rpg game. Apparently, the more he used the terminals, the faster they broke.

    Standing just beside his younger brother’s door when it was suddenly slammed open as a dark faced Kaito stormed out of the house, Saito couldn’t help but sigh in exasperation.

    ‘It appears as if my clueless little brother still hasn’t realized why he has been going through computer terminal like tissue boxes…’

    0o0o0o0

    A coin was tossed into the air and systematically caught even while Kaito’s feet lead him to the electronics stall he was oh-so familiar with a few months back. Stopping in front of the entrance to the shop, Kaito grinned slightly as his hand moved to touch the credit card his mother entrusted to him especially for this trip.

    ‘That is the least she could do, after forcing me to play that game even though she knew that this would happen…’ Kaito grouched.

    But at the same time, he also knew that if not for the god-sent card, he would really be feeling the toll this game took on his wallet.

    “Just one day and that stupid terminal already broke…” Kaito ran his hand through his hair in frustration before walking- very reluctantly- into that dreaded shop.

    Feeling the cool breeze of the air conditioner brushing against his face, Kaito gave nothing more than a cursory glance to the different terminals on display and made a bee-line towards the cashier, already having a model in mind.

    “Excuse me, I believe I had reserved a terminal under the name Hiragi?”

    “Confirmation number and model code?” A voice drawled from behind the counter, sounding almost bored.

    “939704C22A. Model code 000A025B.” Kaito recited it off by heart, not even bothering to search through his pocket for that piece of paper in which everything was recorded on.

    The cashier looked up disapprovingly, before bluntly stating, “So you are that weirdo who ordered such an ancient model.”

    Kaito was struck dumb by the bluntness of the woman before him.

    It only took a fraction of a second for that shock to turn into anger at the person before him.

    But the cashier cut his impending tirade off before it even begun. “Do you know who much trouble the higher-ups had to go through in order to get hold of such an antique?”

    Kaito just mumbled something inaudible as his defense.

    Wordlessly handing over the card to the cashier, she scanned it and recorded the transaction before standing and motioning him to follow.

    Weariness filled his entire being the moment he caught a look at the sheer size of his new terminal. It was at least the height of a small toddler, with a size to match. Did he not mention that the entire thing was made from metal?

    Who even uses metal nowadays?

    “Damn…” Kaito hissed.

    “So? We deliver for an extra fee. After all that you have spent on this piece of antique, I doubt that you are unable to afford it.” She looked expectantly at Kaito.

    Sighing in resignation, Kaito handed over the card once again, wincing as she scanned it through the terminal. ‘Well, since mom did say that I am allowed to use this as long as it pertains to the game…’

    ‘Maybe $10,000 is a little too much…’

    0o0o0o0

    “And you wonder why computer terminals keep getting destroyed by you…” Saito sweatdropped as he watched his younger brother dispose the ‘remains’ of his previous terminal.

    That poor terminal was shattered in certain places, cracked in others. But the most obvious damage was the dent shaped exactly like a footprint imprinted on its side.

    “Hmm?” Kaito shot a blank look in his brother’s direction, clueless as to why exactly his brother made that comment.

    Sighing, Saito tried to explain. “Kaito, you really shouldn’t kick the terminal whenever it is a little slow to load.”

    “But the entire screen went dark!” Kaito protested a little. “And that method worked… initially.”

    Saito resisted the urge to face-palm hearing his little brother’s reply. “There was no need to kick it. You just had to give the terminal a little time to start up, that’s all.”

    Saito then pointed in the direction of his old terminal, “Look there. Most of the damage was caused by you, kicking the poor thing.”

    Kaito just continued mumbling inaudibly, frowning a little. “Then what if it doesn’t load, even after I’ve waited?”

    “So you have spent half an hour waiting for a terminal to load before, little bro?” Saito raised an eyebrow in disbelief, “Somehow I find that really hard to believe, especially after getting to know your absolute lack of anything resembling patience.”

    Saito winced mentally recalling that event. It was a really painful memory, for him and everyone else who was not his younger brother.

    “Half an hour?!” Kaito exclaimed in shock. “Why would anyone do such a thing? My way is so much faster.”

    Yet another sigh escaped from Saito’s lips.

    “And it results in more broken terminals.”

    “But—!”

    ‘Oh heavens… I give up….’

    0o0o0o0

    “Sai…”

    “******** s**t.” Sai cursed as he took in the look of cold anger that overtook Merciless face.

    “Please, if you are not interested in being a beta tester for this game, tell me. And stop wasting my freaking time!”

    “Wait, let me explain…” Sai backtracked a little, feeling just a wee bit intimidated at the look of pure glee that suddenly appeared on his tormentor’s face.

    “What is there to explain? Missing for 3 days even before you could attain your first job, if that is not pathetic, I don’t know what is.”

    “Merciless—” Sai stared but was cut off almost immediately.

    “You are currently ranked the last among all other testers still within this game.”

    “But—”

    “Majority of them have already reached the third advancement of their skills.”

    “You—”

    “Stop making those ******** excuses to cover your a**!” Merciless roared, his sword swinging down in a whistling arc to slice off one of Sai’s wings.

    Sai knees buckled as the pain felt from the loss of one of his appendages registered in his brain. Even with his eyes half closed, he could still see the blood pooling around him, all from the wound that was just inflicted onto him by a psychotic Game Master.

    “You didn’t have to take it that far, Merci-chan~” An amused voice sounded from beside him.

    Unsurprisingly, Sai couldn’t muster up the energy to even sit up.

    “Ouch, that looked like it hurt.” Sai felt that that voice sounded much too amused for his peace of mind.

    “Merciless, you…piece of…shi—” Sai’s voice faded as darkness enveloped his vision, the pain finally getting too much for his nerves.

    0o0o0o0o0

    “You sure this isn’t considered to be an abuse of privileges, Merci-chan?” A blond banged demon asked even while his shoe continued to nudge against Sai’s unconscious form.

    “Because I’m sure that ‘cutting off an appendage’ of someone you are supposed to be responsible for is against the rules. Somewhere.”

    “What are you even so worried about Neuro? As you said, it was just ‘an appendage’, it was not as if I cut off both his arms or legs or anything like that. He doesn’t even have any use for his wings at this stage. It’s just a really realistic decorative item.” Merciless snorted nonchalantly, not looking the slightest bit guilty.

    “If he is not even taking this game seriously, I don’t see any use for those items.”

    “True, so true.” Neuro cackled; his eyes taking on an unholy glint even as he glanced at the downed player.

    Merciless raised an eyebrow, “Don’t you get any ideas about touching Sai, Neurotic. This will be the only warning I’m giving you.”

    “Maa, you worry too much Merci-chan. I’ve my own charge to torture. Furthermore, even if I lack victims, I won’t be going after anyone under your protection.” Neurotic’s eyes then took on a dangerous glint. “After all, you are my…friend.”

    Merciless slapped away the hand that was reaching towards his face. “And I would prefer if it stays that way, Neuro.”

    Neurotic’s face then returned to its usual smiling state, “Of course, Merci-chan~ I wouldn’t think about harming your feelings.”

    Neurotic grinned happily.

    Merciless just narrowed his eyes, the grin on Neurotic’s face containing a much darker undertone for someone who has known him for over the span of a few years.

    “Oh my, is your hair getting shorter Merci-chan?” Neurotic questioned his friend, displaying a cat-like curiosity that seemed fitting for his gold silted eyes.

    “You can blame that idiot over there for the impromptu hair-cut.” Merciless deadpanned, still not sparing a glance to his unconscious charge.

    “Don’t you have a charge to look after Neuro?”

    “Ahh… her. I sent that kid into the Swamp of Despair. To add a little spice into her life.” Neuro waved apart his worries, “Don’t worry, she’ll be alright.” ‘If she manages to get through the entire thing alive that is.’

    ‘And that is supposed to be reassuring? If it came from anyone but you, maybe,’ Merciless groused, not that he was in any position to talk with his charge missing one wing and lying on the ground unconscious.

    Neurotic’s eyes then glazed over, a sign that he was reading a message in his inbox, before snapping out and growling. “That useless girl! I tell her to go into the swamp and she is now stuck in a tree?!”

    Without even a word to his now amused companion, Neurotic stalked away in anger, muttering dark curses under his breath even as he made his way to the nearest portal.

    0o0o0o0o0

    “And I still don’t get just exactly why you don’t like playing VR games…” Saito grumbled from his position beside his younger brother as they made their way to the nearest supermarket to pick up some ingredients for their mom.

    “I mean you like movies and those fantasy novels of yours well enough… One would have thought that VR games would be your heaven.”

    Kaito had to resist the urge to knock his brother’s lights out; his fingers were already white due to the lack of blood circulation because of him clenching his fists too hard.

    “With all the excitement, and slashing and hacking, I just don’t see what is there not to like about those games!?”

    ‘Not if the person getting slashed and hacked at is me.’ Kaito still had to suppress the imaginary pain that came from Merciless cutting off one of his wings.