14. K: Lost

“I can’t gamble... nor can I bet....”

“for she is my sister....”

“and as her brother, it’s my duty to find her....”

“no matter what, I have to find her...”

Saying such cheesy lines, I smile, but just as I do so, it then suddenly hit me...

But could the reason Himari is so spoiled actually be...

“my fault?...”

NO, NO, NO. It can’t be. Yeah, I am probably just overthinking it, yeah...

“Yeah, it can’t be My fault, totally....”

Saying so, I quickly end the subject, and then with me deeply burying the idea in my head, so I don’t unearth it ever again, I quickly raise my head looking at the cloudy sky, before once again glancing at all of the green plains in front of me, and...

Taking a deep breath.

Inhale.

“HIMARIIIIII... ARE YOU THERE...”

Yelling my sister’s name again in an attempt of finding her, or at least to make sure she is not here...

After all, her not being here is for the best...

Thinking so, I get back to calling for Himari, while also looking around me on any signs of either monsters or humans...

But...

For some reason there was nothing...

No responses.....

No sighting...

Not even tracks, or remains...

There was nothing. It’s as if...

“This place is completely devoid of life...”

And no matter how much I called, yelled, or even shouted, there was no response...

Even though, I am giving it my all...

“it’s really tiring you know... and there not been any sign or clue about what’s happening here is....”

Sigh.

Feeling tired mentally and physically, I sigh, but who can blame me...

Not only did I suddenly get transported to a game’s world, with my sister’s whereabouts unknown, but even my whereabouts are the same...

And honestly...

“it’s tiring...”

“having to walk, and search, and then, not finding a single thing even though it has probably been more than half an hour...”

“it’s really....”

“tiring....”

“haaaa....”

Exhausted sigh.

But seriously...

I have been searching around for a while now, and there’s nothing...

Not the monsters, the players, or even the game’s Menu..... you know...

Well, it’s not like there’s completely nothing though...

Because at least, the status screen...

Is still here...

Thinking so, I look at the blue interface in front of me, and...

-Status :

Kai Lv6

hp : 60

mp: 60

sp : 60

atk : 150

def : 60

agi : 150

Skills:

- Advanced sword mastery Lv1 - Analyse Lv2 - Attack Lv2 - Sword Arts Lv2 - Agility Lv2 - Basic Physical Mastery Lv1 -

And well, at least I still have my skills and stats.

Oh, and there is also my sword, my spear, a small shield, and a dagger too.

“so at least, the basic protection is there....”

“Now, all that’s needed is a plan for action....”

After all, I am already bored of just scouting the same scenery, as I move in circles.

“so now, I will scout the scenery again, but in a STRAIGHT line this time...”

And though, there is really no change to the boring scenery, but hopefully, I will find something...

After all, even if I am worried about Himari, but I really can’t seem to find her, and so...

“I can only hope that I was worrying for nothing, otherwise....”

“.....”

Grit teeth.

.....

Sigh.

I really can’t do anything, ha? How pathetic of an older brother.

Inhale. Exhale.

“fuuu...”

Okay, enough of this. I can’t find Himari, and I don’t really wanna spend the night here, so let’s just stop this useless thinking and get go-

-Announcement: Trial Participation-

Going... or not.

Thinking so, I look at the notification that suddenly appeared in front of me, before it then suddenly disappeared, as instead, a red icon appeared in the corner of my vision this time.

“But what’s was that? Trial?”

“no, wait. Trial? As in that Trial?”

“the one on... what was its name again?”

“Ah, right. Ornus....”

“Trial Boss: Ornus”

So could this trial be related to him? Or is it more like Ornus only being a part of the trial?

Saying so, I feel confused.

Like first, why is there a notification only now? I have been dying of boredom AND confusion here, you know?

And second, what’s going on here? Could it be I am in LSO’s game or what? Because all of this is really confusing me...

I mean, I tried ignoring this question for a while now, but hey...

“where the hell am I?”

Am I in a different world that just looks like LSO? Well, that’s bullshit...

Am I in the game LSO then? Well, that’s also Bullshit.

“no, where I am actually is not what’s important honestly...”

“Instead, what’s important is how do I get OUT of here, and how did I get IN here in the first place....”

And truthfully, I have no idea...

Like what was that light for example? Was is it some accident? A problem with illumination? Or maybe an AR visual effect?

But then that still won’t explain why I lost consciousness, nor will it explain how I woke up in here.

And even if we ignore that, but what about the drive? How was it on my wrist? ‘cause I am pretty sure, I left it home, and even if I had forgotten to do so, I am sure Himari would have pointed that out. After all, a silver metallic bracelet is clearly not something I would usually wear...

And so, the fact that she did not point that out, can only mean one thing...

“that she too did not see it, or that it did not exist there, to begin with...”

So, if that’s the case, then how? And why?

I mean, I am pretty sure that the last time I checked, Horizon Island was still in our world, you know? And so, if the island has at some point crossed to the other side, then I should have at least been informed or something, okay?

So for me to suddenly wake up here is just complete madness, that does not make any sense...

“well, except if I was kidnapped, and then thrown into a place that was artificially made to look like the game, but that.....”

Dead fish eyes.

“does not seem plausible...”

Dead fish eyes.

Yep, I don’t think that’s plausible. Even by this island’s standards, I don’t think it’s possible.

After all, it’s not like there is any real value to kidnapping a person like me, when I am pretty much just an average person, with nothing notable...

“so, yeah... I don’t really get what’s going on, and so....”

“I will just act as if I never had a problem, and advance...”

Broad smile.

Thinking so, as I fake a smile, I quickly glance to the corner of my vision, and then touching the icon there, I watch...

As a red interface appear.

-Announcement: Trial Participation-

Trial: Qualification

Time remaining: 00:59:47

-Do you participate?-

-Yes/No-