HI THERE!

So... The good news is that I haven't dropped writing. I've spent the last four months editing the official release of "My Ex-Girlfriend is the Strongest Guild Master and I'm the weakest!"

The bad news, is that it has been taking me more time than I ever imagined.

So, I will continue this series, hoping to also compile it into a book later this year.

So... Yes.

Participate in this chapter's poll!

[/news]

It seemed that once Charles and I got our orgasm, the aphrodisiac that the succubus named Grace had concocted, quickly lost its effects.

I tried to kiss Charles on the lips, as a sign of gratitude for such a magnificent display of virility--and for making a damn good job fucking my brains out--but once he discharged all of his seed inside me, his gaze looked absent. As if he was saying, ‘what am I doing here?’

And yes, I won’t call him Charlie anymore.

Saying nothing, I remained on the bed, opening my User Interface and slowly equipping back every piece of my battle gear, while he stepped back to put on his pants, too ashamed to even look me in the eye.

“There is a bathroom here,” he said after opening a door. “Those last bosses gave us some rewards, too. You should check them out before we go fight the last boss.”

“Yes, thanks,” I replied to him before the door separated us. “I knew this was too good to be true…”

Whatever.

Let’s see the spoils of war.

 

Professor Spiegel’s Reward You have received: 150 Gold and an artifact Master’s First Magic Tome (A book containing basic spells. Grants you the ability to cast a Shadow spell. 3 uses per day.)

 

Housekeeper Bilmur’s Reward You have received: 150 gold and an artifact Master’s Keepsake (A bracelet. Allows you to survive a fatal wound. 1 use per day.)

 

Butler Marick’s Reward You have received: 150 gold and an artifact Master’s First Ring (A silver ring. Grants you a 100% power boost to a single attack. 1 use per day)

 

Okay, I don’t have the time to learn what those shadow spells do. I will equip the Master’s Keepsake and the Master’s First Ring, since I benefit from them immediately… And… Oh, look, I’m level 7. 

Now, let’s check the most important thing.

I have 588 gold.

I… can’t recall what the reward for clearing this mansion was… Let me check again… 500 gold.

So, if we make it, I’ll finally have 1000 gold to buy the makeup set, and some extra to pay for tonight’s inn and my meals.

Let’s… LET’S FUCKING DO THIS!

“I got some very good gear from those bosses, what about you?” Charles asked, exiting the restroom.

“YES! LET’S KILL THAT LAST BASTARD!”

“Whoah, someone’s in good spirits,” he grinned. “But we can’t do that just yet. We need a plan. This is the final boss we’re talking about. Dylak himself. Let me check if the others have finished yet.”

“I’LL GO!” I jumped out of the bed, kissed Charles on his cheek, and opened the room’s door. “Rest here meanwhile, and you better come up with a good strategy, you hear me?”

Leaving him no time to reply, I crossed the corridor, feeling invigorated. Even if Charles had sex with me only because of the aphrodisiac, I had a good time. Who would have thought that War and Sex could be such a good combination? And best of all, I was closer to my next goal! By judging our last battle’s teamwork, I could confidently say that this Dylak guy was gonna be toast.

With a grin on my face, I opened the kitchen door and joyfully cried: “Are you guys done yet? It’s time we…” But my mouth shut at the sight of Steve, furiously pushing his hips against Grace.

“Oh, Steve! You’re tearing me apart!”

“A-am I hurting you? Do you want me to stop?”

“NO! KEEP GOING! Your cock is the best I’ve had in my entire life! No offense, Dan…”

Besides them was the aforementioned lanky guy, with his flaccid, dripping dick still in plain view, staring at them, mesmerized by the show.

“I’ll come back in another 5 minutes…” I said quietly, although I’m sure nobody heard me. “No, in 20… I’ll be back in 20 minutes. Yes…”

I quietly closed the door, exhaled, walked two, three steps towards the room Charlie was in, before finally stopping. I leaned my back against the wall and slowly sat on the floor. Something was crawling on the back of my neck, and it was not an insect nor a monster. I then felt it on my chest and began to cry. I couldn’t stop the tears from running down my cheeks. I just… couldn’t…

“Steve… you prick… If you’d have only given me a chance back in that inn… A-and what’s with that vague statement about you getting 1000 gold to be with me again? I-I don’t believe you, asshole…”

Weeping as quietly as I could, something else happened to my senses. Frowning, I inspected my hand, but I couldn’t feel it’s movement. It was in front of me, alright, but when had I risen it?

It was the same with my head. Even though I was looking at my surroundings, I couldn’t feel it attached to my neck. Then, something worse... I got frozen in my place, unable to breathe or smell. My whole existence felt as if I was falling into the depths of space… But I wasn’t moving anywhere, I was still there, in that stupid mansion, gaze locked at the wall in front of me.

The tacky wallpaper was adorned with red flowers. I knew them quite well. That flower was my mother’s favorite, even if it was kind of morbid to even like it.

Lycoris, the flower of death.

Unable to move, I had to endure watching them. Dozens, hundreds of them, suddenly dancing, as if they were mocking my mortality.

Wait, were they really dancing? It seemed like it. Until I noticed that the whole wall seemed to get closer. No, it was actually bending towards me!

My heart shrunk. What was happening? Was the final boss, Dylak, attacking us already? Was he a master of illusions, trapping his enemies in a forced slumber, feeding from their nightmares?

But once a red system message appeared in front of me, I felt more terrified than the idea of a dream-sucking demon lord.

 

CONNECTION LOST

 

What are you talking about, Ms. System? Are you playing a prank on me? We can’t get disconnected from The Novus, you silly! It’s… It’s impossible… Right?

Then pitch-black darkness.

Unable to move, nor feel, nor breath, nor nothing.

I suppose this is what dying feels like. While the body slowly decays, the brain stubbornly hangs into the little electricity it can muster. Until it runs out of oxygen because the lungs can’t provide it anymore, and the blood stops pumping it.

Oh, great… I died without being able to know if this spaceship would make it safe. Without being able to reach max level and turn into a beautiful woman. 

Without being able to fall in love again.

Without being able to grow old.

I died alone.

Fading into obscurity.

Trapped in this boy's body forever.

I don’t blame you, mom.

I truly don’t…

 

* * *

 

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CONNECTING . . .

 

“T--lor… ay--or… Tay--r… Taylor. Taylor!”

The sound of a human voice reached me again, and with that, a hundred more sensations.

I could feel my butt against the wooden floor, my skin sticky with sweat, my hands holding the spandex suit covering my chest. “Char--?” I began to speak, but the blurry silhouette in front of me gradually transformed into Steve. Watching his concerned expression filled me with joy. I needed to hug him. “You’re real!”

“Are you okay, Taylor? Are you--?”

I quickly embraced him, and began to cry, all over again. “I’m so sorry, Steve! For getting mad at you! And you were right! I was the one that started this 'give me gold crap'! I just needed validation that I was desirable and…”

“Pretty?” he whispered to me.

“Y-yes…”

I opened my eyes, looking at Grace exiting the kitchen, fully dressed, and something peculiar happened. I thought that her sight would only make me angry. I thought for a moment that in a fraction of a second I would realize that I despised her, that I hated her… But instead, meeting eyes with hers, made me realize how happy I was that everyone was alright.

“Taylor,” she breathed before rushing to embrace me too. I hugged her back and sobbed. “We're alright, T. We’re all fine.”

As she held me in her arms, the rest of the group got closer.

“What the hell happened?” Dan asked faintly.

“It happened to everyone, right? Not just me,” Charles asked. “It was as if…”

“The system failed,” Steve hoarsely said. “For a brief moment, the system froze. We were all witnesses of it.”

“Yes, I suppose there is no other explanation.”

“It freaked the hell out of me!” Dan cried. “We can fight against scary monsters and withstand pain, but as soon as reality gets into play…”

“It reminds us that this is not real… And that it could end at any moment,” Grace added in a soft voice.

Wow, everyone is having such a deep moment.

I wonder if this frightful event will be relevant in the near future…

 

IMPORTANT NOTICE!

 

Probably not…

“Are you guys reading this?!” Charles cried.

Another red system screen popped up in front of me, and after peeking at everyone’s gazes, I could notice that all of us had received it.

 

Due to an unexpected error, Count Dylak’s Manor will be shut down and enter emergency maintenance. Safely exit the dungeon to prevent the loss of any current reward in your account. Apologies for the inconvenience.

 

Then, a grim timer.

 

Dungeon closing in 19:53

 

“Apologies my ass!” Dan shouted at the wind around him. “You should compensate us for this! We worked really hard to get to this point, dammit!” 

“What shall we do, Charles?” Steve asked calmly. “Do we continue?” 

“I don’t think we can kill the last boss in this short amount of time!” Dan replied.

“What are you talking about? Our fights don’t last more than five minutes. We can do this.”

“But if we act rashly, it may be our downfall. We would end up losing half of our gold. We should go out, spend our gold, and come back tomorrow. We already know how to deal with each boss, anyway.”

“I won’t come back to this place ever again!” Grace shouted. “Do you hear me? It’s today or nothing.”

“What’s with that attitude? What’s the hurry? Do you have somewhere else to go, huh?”

“What happened just a moment ago opened my eyes, you idiot! This virtual world could end at any time, so I’d rather spend my time having new experiences every day than grinding and farming this shithole!”

“We should vote, then!” Dan gave everyone a concerned look. “The ones in favor of coming back--”

“Shut your trap,” Charles finally said, turning his back. “As Grace said, it’s today or nothing. We could die and lose our treasures, yes, but if we succeed, we’ll be the first to clear a dungeon in the entire region.” He then peered at us over his shoulder. “Clock is ticking. You can equip yourselves on the road. Let’s go!”

Steve was the first to rush to Charle’s side, while Dan’s mouth trembled, trying to find the words that could deter us from following them.

Grace exhaled and tapped Dan’s shoulder before passing him by. “What’s life without some little risk? Are you coming, T.?”

I wiped my face before standing up. “Yes!”