Off Limit System

[Yes, you. The chosen player. You will only have many opportunities if you can accomplish our tasks. If you agree, press 'yes']

 

Ethan pointed his finger at the empty air, where he pressed the 'Yes' button.

 

[Your first mission is HONESTY]

[You will be rewarded when pure honesty has been carried out]

 

Ethan's forehead wrinkled. “Is this a joke?” He thought to himself.

He immediately pressed his temple. The hologram screen disappeared. He glanced at the other three figures, still standing in place, looking hesitant to take a step.

"Did anyone get an additional mission?" asked Ethan.

Ethan was unsure if he should ask others, but it would not hurt. Maybe his friends knew more about the additional game that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

They all looked at Ethan in confusion, and shook their head in unison.

"What mission?" Dane asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"About honesty?" replied Ethan hesitantly. He was doubtful whether it was about literal honesty, or was it some kind of analogy?

"No," the others replied, shook their heads again.

“That’s weird,” Ethan muttered.

"What do you mean by honesty, Ethan? Are you trying to make a joke?" Dane chuckled instead.

“Nevermind.” Ethan just smiled faintly.

"Well, in these tense times, we need to loosen the tension,” snapped Percy.

Ethan didn't want to talk about it anymore. In the beginning, it was said that it was for selected players. But the mission had to say honesty. Was Ethan being dishonest now? For not telling about the 'strange offer' he got.

However, Ethan put the strange mission aside. There might be a glitch in the game. Wasn't he supposed to get his console when he started playing OFF LIMIT? But in fact, Ethan received the OFF-LIMIT game for free from someone.

He would ask the Mayor if the mission on level four had been successfully completed, about that additional mission.

"We have to find Ulrich," Ethan said, changing the subject.

"I don't want to. Who knows if he's been captured by the wizard? Or even eliminated," Dane refused bluntly.

"Maybe we should split up; this castle is huge," Percy suggested.

The others stared at Percy without saying anything. The OFF-LIMIT game allowed players to eliminate each other, but not directly. What if, after dispersing, they ended up stabbing each other in the back? That was what Chloe thought.

"No!" This time it was Chloe who refused. "I don't want to be like in the horror movies, split up, and everyone dies,” she continued.

"That's a movie." Percy tried to hold back a laugh.

Chloe shook her head firmly. "Yeah, the answer is still no. As Ethan said, experience teaches you many things. And movies are one of them."

"Let's check the right wing," Ethan interrupted.

The others followed Ethan from behind, where the young man had set up a shield. Chloe and Dane walked side by side, Percy behind them.

The castle walls looked fragile, even the torch holders were broken or lying on the ground. Along the right wing was only a straight path with no doors or windows. In the end, they found a circular staircase.

And it was pretty dark.

No one dared to go up the stairs, which looked so ominous. Whatever awaited them up there was uncertain, but to proceed blindly in the dark, unable to see anything, seemed foolish.

"We need some light," Chloe said.

Percy picked up a dead torch hanging not far from where they stood. His hand went to the torch handle and picked up two stones from the ground. He crouched down with his back to the others.

"What are you doing?" asked Dane.

"Making a fire," Percy replied.

"With two stones?" Dane was skeptical.

Percy nodded briefly. "There are still fibers that can be burned in the torch. It will take time, but we can make a fire."

“Seriously? How?” Dane seemed in disbelief.

Percy didn't continue his explanation as he was busy rubbing the two stones together. It went tick, tick, tick, several times. Until Percy stood up and carefully blew out a small flame on the torch in his hand.

"Find another torch, so there's more light," Percy ordered.

"That's so cool!" Ethan was fascinated.

"For a ranch boy like me, this is normal." Percy showed off his white teeth.

Chloe and Dane hurriedly searched the entire hallway for a working flashlight.

Meanwhile, Ethan just watched Percy. There was something that made Ethan feel that Percy was too perfect.

“I feel nervous right now,” said Percy.

“Why?” Ethan just took a glance at Percy.

“I’m scared of failing again. At this level.”

Suddenly, Ethan had a strange feeling. For someone like Percy, he should be much more confident than Ulrich. But Percy seemed to be holding back, and Ethan wondered what the young man was hiding.

“You can do it,” answered Ethan.

“Well, you have never failed before, aren’t you?” Percy chuckled.

Ethan began to analyze. It feels too reckless for a character who can make fire and knows the blood trails to repeat the game level three, two times. Ethan is sure that Percy is hiding the truth, whether it is intuition or logical thinking.

"Where do you live? In the real world, I mean," Ethan asked suddenly.

Percy turned to Ethan and visibly flinched. "Why do you ask that?"

"Maybe one day I can visit you and see you in action as a cowboy or something."

"Ah, yes, I…"

Before Percy answered, the both young man heard Chloe shouting.

"The torch!" Chloe stumbled on, waving a torch stick at Percy. Behind her, Dane was carrying two more torches.

The conversation between the two simply evaporated, and Percy was indeed avoiding Ethan's questions. But Ethan didn't push. It was just that he sensed tension between him and Percy.

"I hope we find Ulrich safely," Chloe murmured.

"Are you worried? Didn't you say this game has no heart feeling?" Dane asked again, sounding cynical.

"If he's still here and survived, maybe we'll get a clue as to what kind of enemy we're up against." Chloe gave Dane a quick look. "Can you shoot someone that controls the magic with your gun, Dane?" she continued.