Chapter 21: Gamer Soul
Taps rang out continuously followed by the clicking of buttons.
Inside a dark room, the flickering illumination of the television screen continued.
"Backroll! Backroll!"
The voice of a person rang.
"Almost there… firebomb…"
The screams from the television screen continued.
The rhythmic clacks didn't seize.
"Just once more…"
And then—
—Bzzzt.
—The TV went off.
"Ah…."
A soft, high-pitched hum rang.
The room was dark once more, and the controller stopped clacking. The electricity coming in from the backup generator had finally stopped.
"This… this fucking shit!!!"
A thump echoed as the skinny girl got on her feet and slammed the controller.
"Fucking Iudex Gundyr!!"
The skinny girl stomped her foot on the ground and hopped on her spot.
"Almost. I almost killed it fuck!!!"
How many dangers had she taken up? How much had she suffered?
The small mess of blood mixed with the trash in her room was more than evident of it all. From killing animals turned weird to pouring diesel in the building's generators all the while being haunted by zombies out for flesh, she had taken up all kinds of risk.
For just one goal.
To power up her TV enough to finish the game she had been playing.
"JUST WHEN I ALMOST WON!"
"Ludex is literally the very first boss."
An intonation that half ate its last syllables called out to the girl's tantrum. Hopping up on the messy couch that was mixed with wrappers for food and crumbs of its contents, the small black cat cleaned the spot with its tail and coiled up.
"Well, serves you right," the cat continued. "You have been on that boss for two weeks now."
"Oh shut up! I know this game, I would have finished it all in five minutes after fucking Gundyr!"
Hair a dark, almost blackish shade of violet continued to flicker as the girl slammed her foot down again. She heaved a giant sigh, fell on her back, and reached under the pillow for a packet of smoke.
"And now you smoke."
The girl ignored her cat's words and pulled the cigarette out. She lightly lodged it in between her lips and then snapped her fingers.
A very small wisp of black flames formed on her fingertips and set the cigarette ablaze.
"I can't accept this…"
"Can't accept what?"
"You won't get it, cat. This is a matter of my gamer soul."
"And how many games have you completed in your life?"
"Three…"
"You know you can't complete pacuman, right? Right?"
"A gamer's soul doesn't come from the game they have completed—"
"You've literally been stuck on the first boss for two weeks! It took you two whole days to create your character!"
The girl slammed her fist next to her and shook her head.
"Enough."
The girl took in a puff of smoke and stood up. Her blackish violet eyes the same shade as her hair glinted with a fierce glare.
"I am not going to accept this. Fucking zombies or not, I'll be playing this game ahead."
"Break a leg."
The girl put on her leather coat, picked up her bag and a crowbar, and decided to head out, high out of her mind.
Before she left, she didn't forget to take along her cat.
"Central Darma… this rich place should have a lot of fuel."
No matter what.
A gamer's soul couldn't be quelled.
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