Chapter 62

To enter the virtual world, you need an access device.

When using the access device, most sensations from your original body are blocked. However, pain is still felt.

The reason is simple.

It’s to prevent people from forcing themselves to use the access device despite being in pain and to allow them to sense sudden abnormalities in their body.

However, there is an access device that can block even that pain.

It’s the [MDB] that Arang is using.

Designed for terminally ill patients in pain, the [MDB] blocks all physical sensations 24/7.

This allows them to die without feeling any pain until their final moments.

But the situation is different for Arang, who is using the [MDB].

While the [MDB] might seem like a universal access device, it also has side effects.

If all physical sensations are blocked for 24 hours, even the most remarkable human brain will inevitably lose touch with the body.

When Arang regained consciousness, for some reason, she decided to turn off all the blocking functions of the [MDB] and only allow pain to be felt.

This was to reduce the side effects of the [MDB] and facilitate rehabilitation training for her prosthetic arm and leg.

With all the blocking functions turned off, Arang experienced pain she had never felt before and slid to the floor, collapsing.

Pinkubelly, panicking at Arang’s sudden collapse, used a rescue skill to pull her to safety.

The axe of the [Controlled Orc] slammed into the ground.

“Arang?”

Pinkubelly sensed something was wrong when Arang didn’t respond.

Arang, while playing Leore, naturally made mistakes. But even when she did, she quickly assessed the situation and got back up.

But now, Arang lay limp in her arms like a lifeless doll.

*Clatter.*

The two daggers Arang was holding fell to the ground.

“Arang!”

Pinkubelly frantically turned Arang over to check her condition.

“Arang…!?”

Empty eyes. No trace of life, just a hollow gaze that felt like it could drag you into an abyss.

This was Arang in reality.

In Leore, Arang was brighter and more cheerful than anyone else, enjoying the game to the fullest. But now, she looked exactly like her real-world self.

Pinkubelly, who knew everything about Arang’s situation, realized this was more serious than she thought.

[Uwooooh!!!]

‘Oh no…!’

Pinkubelly had forgotten they were still in combat with the [Controlled Orc].

The orc had reached Pinkubelly and was swinging its axe down.

==

Living as Arang, I had never felt like I was going to die.

Pain? Just a slight headache when using my abilities. I had never truly felt pain before.

But now, a sudden, intense stomachache made me lose control of my body.

The problem was what came next.

Falling to the ground was something I could recover from. But the unexpected pain made it hard to move.

Having lived without knowing pain for so long, suddenly feeling it made it hard to regain my composure.

What’s the difference between me and Arang?

It’s pain.

Arang suffered from a rare disease, enduring excruciating pain and even losing limbs. She gave up on life, her mind, and her emotions to escape that pain.

Then I entered Arang’s body after she died.

My original mind and Arang’s merged, and with the warmth and love from those around me, I was recovering.

But now, the sudden, intense pain brought out Arang’s emotions.

Pinkubelly pulled me with her skill, calling my name.

I saw Pinkubelly’s face. And behind her, the orc’s axe.

The [Controlled Orc] was a field monster, but it was being controlled by the final raid boss, making it stronger than other monsters.

Even with the latest equipment, Pinkubelly was a healer. She couldn’t withstand the orc’s attack.

I grabbed the daggers from the ground and stood up from Pinkubelly’s arms.

The parry I failed earlier.

This time, I used both daggers to strike the least lethal part of the axe’s handle in a cross motion.

*Clang!!!*

A clean, crisp sound.

A perfect parry.

The orc was stunned, but I wasn’t.

With attack speed twice that of a [Soma], and multitasking with both daggers, it felt easy now.

Even though I already had overwhelming physical performance, now my abilities were at their peak.

It felt like I was using only 10% of my mental capacity, with all unnecessary emotions erased, making everything feel light.

I could see every movement of the orc. The muscle movements, where it was aiming.

And I could feel everything about my body.

How to reduce skill delays, which skill to use, how to attack—everything flowed smoothly.

There was no hesitation or waste, even when switching between normal and reverse grips.

Before the orc’s stun wore off, I relentlessly slashed at its body.

==

Arang suddenly stood up from my arms and took down the [Controlled Orc] in an instant.

I thought she was back, but after killing the orc, Arang turned around, still with that empty gaze.

Her hollow eyes stared at me like a corpse.

“Arang, are you okay…!?”

I quickly approached her.

“Are you okay, unnie?”

“Huh…!”

Arang’s voice sent chills down my spine.

It was her voice, but it wasn’t. The cheerful, lively voice was gone, replaced by a gloomy, dark tone.

“I’m fine! It’s you I’m worried about! Are you okay? Does it hurt anywhere? I’m worried about your condition…!”

If it were anyone else, I’d think they were just acting. But Arang was different.

She had a rare disease. Though she had improved, it could relapse at any moment. The thought of her condition worsening scared me.

‘Should I contact Anna unnie now…!?’

“It hurts.”

“It hurts…!? Where does it hurt!? A lot!?”

“Yes. It hurts a lot…”

“Log out right now! I’ll contact Anna unnie and the doctor!”

“Something feels like it’s flowing out…”

I immediately sent an emergency message to Anna unnie and Hyeseon unnie, Arang’s doctor, and prepared to log out and head to the hospital where Arang was.

But something about Arang’s words felt familiar.

“Flowing out…?”

“Yes… It feels like my stomach is being stabbed… It hurts…”

“Ah…”

In that moment, I realized what was causing Arang’s pain.

“Arang, log out right now. Anna unnie and the doctor will be there soon, okay? Just wait in your room for a bit. Got it?”

“Okay…”

As soon as I saw Arang log out, I logged out too.

I turned off the access device and got up from the bed, immediately calling Anna unnie.

==

Hyeseon, Arang’s doctor, was resting at home after handing over her duties to a junior.

Arang spent most of her time in Leore, with the rest dedicated to sleep, an hour of rehabilitation training, and bathing. Being at the hospital 24/7 was exhausting.

So, Hyeseon took one day off a week, leaving Arang in the care of a trusted junior.

But then, her phone alarm went off.

It wasn’t a regular alarm—it was a warning alarm. And it was only for Arang.

Hyeseon quickly checked her phone.

There was an emergency call from Pinkubelly Hayaan, who spent most of her time in Leore with Arang, monitoring her condition.

Emergency Call 1.

It meant Arang was in pain.

Since all the blocking functions of the [MDB] were turned off for rehabilitation training, Hyeseon had asked Hayaan to take care of Arang, just in case.

But now, Hayaan had pressed the emergency call button.

Hyeseon immediately called her junior at Arang’s building.

[Yes, senior.]

“Is there any signal from the [MDB]!?”

[Huh? No. Just the usual levels when she’s in combat in Leore.]

The junior was startled by Hyeseon’s shout but quickly checked the signals from the medical devices connected to the [MDB].

“Go check on Arang’s condition right now!”

[Yes!]

As soon as she hung up, Hyeseon finished getting ready and got into her car, calling Hayaan to find out what was happening with Arang.