Chapter 102

Somehow, our party and guild ended up being entirely composed of women, including me.

Of course, being women doesn’t mean we’re any less skilled in Leore—we’re all top-tier players, so no issues there.

From the Mea’d party, Reina, Emma, and two guys joined us.

To bond and sync up, we decided to revisit the Abyss Raid where our party had achieved the World First Kill (WFK).

As we all chatted, time flew by, and naturally, the two guys stepped back from the girls’ conversation. I quietly approached them.

“What are you all doing here?”

“Huh? Oh, hi.”

“We were just talking.”

Being British, they were both well-built and handsome.

One had a one-handed sword at his waist, and the other carried a large shield and a one-handed sword.

“Let’s do our best this time.”

“If it’s not too rude, can I ask you a question?”

The guy with the Soma class, who seemed awkward like when we first met, knelt down to match my eye level and spoke.

*Damn, he’s really good-looking.*

“Sure, what do you want to ask?”

“I was wondering if we could talk about the Soma class in detail.”

“Oh, if that’s the case, you’re more than welcome!”

Even now, in this Abyss Raid, I’m ranked first in the Soma DPS charts on the Leore log site.

And right behind me in second place is the guy in front of me, ECHO.

Before the Soma class was balanced, there was a huge gap between us, but after the adjustments, he’s been closing in on me. Now, if I slip up, he’s the top Soma player.

I switched back to the Soma class after a long time.

Clad in dark armor, I wield my beloved sword, the Judgment Blade. Its weight and cool sensation make me feel secure just holding it.

“I’ve watched a lot of Arang’s videos. I understand everything else, but the skill delay and canceling part is something I just can’t replicate. Do you have any tips?”

“Skill delay and canceling, huh…”

In Leore, there are specific movements required when casting skills.

Since it’s a virtual world game, these movements aren’t rigid but rather flexible.

If you turn on combat assistance, your body automatically performs the skill from start to finish, but that makes canceling with skill delays impossible.

So, the top 5% of players probably all play with combat assistance turned off.

“There’s no real tip, but it’s like this, this, and this.”

I demonstrated my favorite skill stances in front of ECHO. First, my go-to 5-hit combo, Pentagon, followed by the 4-hit Square Quadler, and finally, the Annihilation Strike combo. I showed it slowly so ECHO could see clearly.

“Here, during the delay, tilt your body slightly forward.”

“I see. Like this?”

As expected of the world’s top Soma player, even with my terrible explanation, he understood perfectly and mirrored my movements like a reflection.

Despite the nearly double difference in our physical builds, he replicated it just by watching.

“To refine and perfect this, try staying alone during the final 1v1 mechanic in this raid and practice with the boss.”

“Wait, that 1v1 mechanic? That seems too difficult.”

“Huh? You’re an uncle, so I’m sure you can handle it.”

“Uncle? Never mind. At your age, it’s understandable. But still, clearing it as a Soma is something special, Arang.”

“That’s true. While some players have cleared it as DPS, no melee DPS has done it yet. You’re really amazing, Arang.”

ECHO and Vision shook their heads in disbelief.

The boss mechanic is indeed tough, controlled by a high-performance AI capable of running a virtual world.

But.

“All the boss’s actions, movements, skill delays, and calculations are the best possible actions a human can perform. You just have to replicate them.”

In other words, it’s like following a textbook.

“But replicating that is impossible…”

“Huh? You just copied my movements.”

“That’s because I was relaxed and focused. In a tense, constantly moving combat situation, it’s nearly impossible.”

“Eh.”

I warmed up my Soma skills, which I hadn’t used in a while, by practicing on a dummy.

“Hmm?”

ECHO and Vision were watching me.

“Did you fall for me?”

“Cough! Are you crazy!?”

“N-no!”

“It’s okay if you did. I’m worth it.”

Lately, I’ve been gaining weight and getting healthier, and my appearance has been shining more. While my body is still childlike, my face is becoming as pretty as Anna’s.

Of course, I’m not planning to date or fall for anyone, but I won’t stop others from falling for me.

“I’m not a trash who likes little kids.”

“You… dislike me?”

“That’s not what I meant!”

“Just kidding. Kidding.”

“Are you really 15? Honestly, are you 30?”

“Have you seen a 30-year-old who looks like me?”

“Ugh… You’re so different from what I expected.”

ECHO had a good sense of humor. I should get closer to him.

==

Starting today, I decided to undergo treatment with a new doctor for my PTSD and mental health.

To eliminate the uncertainty of when I might log out and enjoy Leore more, I’m actively participating.

My assigned doctor, Hyeseon, introduced me to another doctor who will help with my mental treatment.

No matter how much counseling I receive, Arang and I are different.

Even if my mind has merged with Arang’s, her emotions sometimes surface separately.

In reality, my body remembers Arang’s memories.

Her emotions burst out during menstruation and seizures.

Even if Arang’s remnants emerge, ultimately, all decisions are mine. Of course, emotions like crying or happiness can sway me, but in the end, it’s still me.

The seizures are caused by Arang’s sealed memories. Is it okay for me to receive counseling for this?

Thinking about it, from an outsider’s perspective, I probably don’t seem mentally stable.

I might come off as having a split personality. Even I can see that my Leore persona and real-life self are too different, and with the occasional seizures, I’m the epitome of a frail, beautiful girl.

From what I know, in such counseling, you need to be honest and accurate so the doctors can diagnose and advise properly.

But if I say I was originally a 30-year-old man who woke up in Arang’s dead body, I’d probably be sent straight to a mental hospital.

How should I phrase this…

What I can say is that I’ve definitely become Arang.

It’s just that her traces remain deep in my body and mind.

Right now, I feel like a fusion of myself and Arang.

“Arang. I’ve brought the doctor, but it’s possible you might not click with her. So, be honest, okay?”

“Okay…”

With Hyeseon’s help, I moved to the room where the new doctor was waiting.

“Hello.”

A kind and soothing voice.

I nodded and greeted the new psychiatrist.

Her warm appearance and tidy style gave off a motherly vibe, bringing peace to anyone who saw her.

Just looking at her inspired trust.

“Hello…”

“Nice to meet you, Arang.”

==

The conversation with the psychiatrist was much more comfortable than I expected, feeling more like a casual chat than a counseling session.

We talked about what I ate for breakfast, what I did afterward, and so on. Is this really counseling? I wondered.

When the psychiatrist asked about my hobbies and what I liked, I proudly said Leore.

“Is Leore really fun?”

I couldn’t help myself.

How could she not know about Leore, the world’s top VR MMORPG?

I explained everything about Leore to her, and today’s counseling ended with me boasting about the game.

Is this really okay…?

==

“How is Arang doing?”

Hyeseon and Anna were waiting to hear the results of Arang’s one-hour counseling session with the psychiatrist.

“Hmm… I’m not sure if I should say she’s doing well or just okay…”

“Is there something wrong with Arang…?”

“She seems too okay, which worries me.”

“Worried because she’s okay?”

“Given Arang’s situation, the seizure videos, and the fact that she can’t remember some past memories, her current state of mind is surprising.”

“…”

“It feels like another self has emerged to protect her from despair.”

As she said, Hyeseon and Anna had some inkling of this.

Arang suddenly regained her composure and has been living like a bright, cheerful 10-year-old.

But hearing it directly from the psychiatrist was a whole different story.

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