Off Limit System

"Ethan?" Miriam said softly.

The girl burst into tears as Ethan knelt in front of her. Ethan looked at Miriam with concern. He saw the wounds and bruises on the girl's body.

"What happened?" Ethan asked.

"I failed." Miriam hold back her teras.

Chloe and Dane looked at each other in surprise. Since they had failed at the beginning of the level, shouldn't every player return to the real world? Then how could Miriam return directly to The Medieval with wounds all over her body?

"Can you buy a health pack? To treat your wounds," Ethan said.

Miriam shook her head. "I already tried, Ethan. Somehow, in this mission, these wounds have become so real," she answered.

"Then what about the other players who have very serious injuries?" asked Chloe.

"I don't know.Too many, many worse than me. It was horrible, like a massacre." Miriam looked so shocked. 

Miriam sobbed, so Ethan impulsively hugged the girl. There was no conversation between them, only Miriam's crying. Chloe pulled Dane's arm, then pointed to the bar with her chin. As if they understood what Chloe meant, the two rushed into the bar. Leaving Ethan and Miriam behind.

"Calm down, you're still okay," Ethan said.

Miriam backed away, pulling away from Ethan's embrace. "Ethan, what if this game could actually cause someone to lose their lives?" whispered Miriam.

"What do you mean?" Ethan looked confused.

"I'm scared, Ethan. The longer this game goes on, the more dangerous it gets," she said.

"That's probably part of the illusion they created, Miriam."

The girl showed the cuts on her hands. "It didn't go away and it hurts a lot. Do you think it's an illusion?"

Ethan couldn't answer because he hadn't experienced the plane to the extent that Miriam had.

"I'm afraid to go back to our world, I don't want my family to wonder where all these wounds came from," Miriam complained.

"Were the previous levels like this? Maybe someone you know."

Miriam shook her head. "No, no. I've never bonded with a player. Only you and Dane have really talked to me a lot."

"Now clear your head. We'll find out what happened, and of course... treat your wounds first."

The girl just flinched. Ethan got to his feet and held out a hand to Miriam, which was met with another groan. Miriam limped over and followed Ethan, who was about to follow his two friends into the bar.

The two of them entered the dimly lit bar. People were gathered on several wooden stools in front of small round tables. Chloe was talking to the bartender while Dane stood next to her.

Dane hurried over to Miriam and Ethan. "Hey, sit over there. We'll get you a drink," he said.

Ethan nodded quickly. "Thank you."

The two sat side by side and Miriam leaned back against the wooden wall. Ethan waited for Dane as well as Chloe. Soon Chloe and Dane arrived with wooden cups in each hand.

"This is a tonic for you," Chloe offered to Miriam. "It might help ease some of the pain in your body."

"Thank you," Miriam nodded.

"I tried to ask if there was any kind of hospital or clinic here, but the bartender said there wasn't," Chloe said.

"Treating your injuries can probably only be done in real life, Miriam," Dane said.

Miriam sighed softly. "That's okay. What can be done?"

There was silence between them, while the surrounding area buzzed with the chatter of people. The players have successfully completed their respective missions. Apparently, all the players in the bar were the ones who had won.

"We have to be extra careful with the higher levels," Chloe said.

"Gambling," Miriam muttered suddenly.

"What?" Ethan turned to the girl in surprise.

"The level 16 missions, they're almost all about betting. And I failed," Miriam said in a low voice.

"What about the oxygen tank? That's what you needed before," Dane asked.

"We had to swim in a shipwreck. Those without tubes died immediately. Because of the game, right inside the ship," Miriam replied.

Hearing Miriam's explanation, the three gulped.

"I was lucky then, someone gave me an oxygen tank before the game started," Miriam continued.

"Then what?" asked Chloe.

Miriam began to tell them about the game at level 16, which she found increasingly absurd and too stressful. There were always two or more choices where she had to gamble what she had. If she won, she got back what she had. If not, everything will be lost.

"In the last phase, I risked the level. And I failed," Miriam sobbed.

"Your level?" repeated Ethan.

Miriam nodded. "Everything you can bet on, Ethan."

"And gold? Why don't you just use gold?" asked Dane in surprise.

"I already bet it. It's all gone." Miriam took a sip from her drink. "I gambled five levels and failed. Gosh, I'm at level ten now. And every level is so hard to get to," she continued.

"You're not alone," Ethan said.

"Then who will be my teammate? You?" Miriam snorted.

Chloe cleared her throat quietly. "We levelled up to level ten by completing missions on levels three and four."

Miriam's eyes widened in disbelief. "That's impossible."

"But the three of us are now at level ten," Dane said.

Miriam looked at the three of them in turn and shook her head. "There has never been a player who has leveled up significantly. As far as I know, Is this some kind of joke?"

"There's no way this is a joke," Ethan shook his head. "Because me, Dane and Chloe leveled up together. If it was just one of us, it could be a system glitch," he explained.

"Maybe," Miriam nodded weakly.

"So are you ready to join us?" Ethan asked.

Miriam looked at Ethan with a sad look, but she immediately agreed. "I guess I'll be a burden to you in the future, Ethan."

"Don't say that. We're a team, right?" Ethan looked at the others.

In fact, they had never talked about being part of a group before. But if one suddenly formed, and they clicked, why not? Ethan believed that if they worked together, they could overcome difficult and dangerous situations. It was different from playing alone.

Maybe that was why Ulrich always gathered numerous people. Even if he often sacrificed his teammates in the end.

But Ethan wouldn't do that. He would only have a small and solid team, where they would always support each other until the end of the game and emerge victorious together.

"We need another fighter," Chloe said.

Miriam nodded in agreement. "Yes, that's true. We still need a charger. There's always a need for infantry in any battle."

"For now, I'm fine with three shooters," Dane showed his white teeth. "Maybe you'll have to be the front, Ethan, to be our shield."

Ethan chuckled softly. "No problem. Because that's my role, right? A Tank."