Chapter 3: 3, A Fairy's Desperate Plea To Save or Not to Save
Moreover, the cocoon entangling the fairy is twisted in a perplexing way, and using a shovel that isn't really suited for cutting means freeing her without harming her will take time… and if that happens, I'll almost certainly be detected by the spider, leading to a fight.
This is a VR game; it's terrifying, and completing the quest seems nearly impossible. Refusal seems like the only option… but then my sister's words echoed in my mind and I hesitated to refuse.
"NPCs don't come back once they die… it's a terrifying world."
If they die, they're gone forever… unlike players, there's no second chance. Running away means I'd be leaving her to die, which feels incredibly wrong.
Just then, I heard a girl's voice. I turned to look, and of course, it was the fairy.
"Help me… I don't want to die…"
Her voice was strained, filled with desperation. She stretched out her freed hand toward me, her eyes barely open, tears spilling from her light blue eyes… it was a fragile sight that tightened my chest.
I had answered that my favorite fantasy race was fairies during the first question; it was greatly influenced by the fairy tales I read as a child..."
The fairies from fairy tales come to mind—graceful and enchanting yet fleeting, perhaps they were my first love. As those memories flicker like a lantern show, I gently grasp the hand reaching out to me. Maybe, like when I first encountered those tales, I've fallen head over heels for this fairy.
"It's okay, I will definitely help you," I say as I release her hand and firmly grip the shovel with both hands. I'm resolute now, ready to confront the very creature I detest most.
**"First Quest: Accepting the Quest of Despair, Fairies, and Shovels. Quest begins now."**
I've accepted the quest, but I'm just a beginner in this game, with hardly any experience or knowledge. My weapon is a shovel, which looks somewhat military, but feels wholly unreliable as a primary weapon. My armor is basic, just a plain nightgown, offering little to no protection.
My opponent is a spider, larger than me and likely intelligent. It's repulsive, and I don't want to look at it, but I know I must focus if I want to survive. It spins threads that a shovel might be able to cut, but beyond that, I have no idea what abilities it possesses. One thing is certain: it has the strength to drag a person.
The giant spider—its claws or legs are sharp, and a direct hit would probably cost me my life. Right now, it has its back turned, feeding on something, but I don't know when it will look my way.
The area is draped in spider webs, but the ground is visible enough that as long as one moves cautiously, they shouldn't get ensnared. The fairy is weak, and even if the cocoon were torn open and the strands released, she likely wouldn't have the strength to move. If a fight broke out, she would surely perish. Perhaps it would be safer to remain in the cocoon, using it as a shield.
The cocoon is firmly attached to the ground, making it impossible to pull it away without causing a scene. Assessing the situation, I realize there are only two possible actions: I could either slash open the cocoon, rescuing the fairy and making a run for it, or I could attempt a sneak attack on the spider while it's facing away.
Frankly, engaging in combat is out of the question. Given that this is a game, the chances of defeating the spider with a surprise attack are nearly zero. My equipment is lacking, and judging by the spider's appearance and the grim nature of the quest, the disparity in strength is almost hopeless.
So the only option is the former.
"…"
I can't afford to make a sound, so I swing my shovel sideways, attempting to slice through the cocoon. Unlike the thick strands wrapped around my arm, this material doesn't yield easily. I realize I need to put more force behind my strikes, but if I swing the shovel with full power, it will likely create a loud noise and could injure the very fairy I'm trying to save.
What should I do...? No, wait! I've got an idea!
I plunged the shovel sharply into the ground right next to the cocoon and started to dig underneath it. The earth crumbled away, loosening the grip of the cocoon that held the fairy, and even more so, the cocoon began to fall apart, the spider silk that had once clung to the ground now disintegrating... As a result, even though the fairy was still entangled in the web, I could now carry her with one hand!
In that moment, I silently celebrated, but suddenly I heard a shriek, "Kishaaaaaa!!!" The spider had noticed me due to the sounds of digging. It raised two of its legs high into the air, exuding a murderous intent.
"Sorry, this is going to get a bit rough, but just bear with me!" I shouted as I grabbed the fairy's waist with one hand and took off running.
Since this was my first time in the forest, I had no idea where to go, but if I stopped, I'd be waiting for a predator... I had to escape the spider first. I darted through the narrow trees, but it was gaining on me with astonishing speed. The distance between us didn't increase; the trees served as obstacles, barely maintaining a stalemate, but my legs were growing heavier…
Though I was confident in my stamina, the unfamiliar environment of this game and the terror of being attacked by insects drained my energy. Trying to keep my grip steady on the fairy while I ran was also sapping my strength; I didn't want to jolt her awake with any sudden movements as she lay dazed in my hand.
"Lily... help me..."
There's only one way to break this situation—meet up with my high-level sister. If only I could encounter anyone else... why is there no one around!?
At least I wish I could hide the fairy, but in this forest, there's nowhere safe for a weakened fairy to be concealed...
"I just wanted to... make a weapon... how did it come to this..."
Panic and fear clog my mind; I can't think of a way to escape with just a shovel. I just need a moment to catch my breath...
Something feels off; despite my frantic escape, I haven't seen any other wildlife… is it because of that spider behind me!?
In that moment of thought, I stumbled into an open space...
It was the worst possible outcome—a massive, bottomless pit blocked my escape route.
With one hand occupied by the fairy and the other holding the shovel, a leap into that pit would surely consign us both to doom. Trapped with no way out, I turned to see the spider behind me, poised and ready, as if taunting me. Its hesitation could be either confidence or a predatory tactic to instill despair in its prey...
As I steeled myself for the desperate leap into the pit, a voice echoed from the forest on the other side—an unexpected glimmer of hope.
"I found you! Big brother!!"
"This way, Yuna!! The spider is attacking!"
Just as I shouted, the spider swung its leg—or was it an arm?—down toward me. I barely managed to dodge, rolling clumsily to the side. But the ground took its toll; a sharp pain flickered in my side as I noticed part of the green bar in my vision—the indicator of my health—vanish from the corner of my eye.
Even though I'm not much of a gamer, I know that if I lose this, I'm done for. My options are slipping away, and the thought of trying to escape fills me with dread; if I misjudge, I could tumble into an abyss. The bottom of that pit is shrouded in darkness, and I'm certain that if I fall, there will be no coming back.
"Magic Shot!"
My sister's voice reverberates in the air. I recognize it instantly as a call for attack support! I spring to my feet, rolling away from the impending danger, but when I glance at the spider, it seems unscathed—almost too relaxed, as if it knows I have nowhere to run.
Turning back to my sister, I see a blue orb soaring toward us, but it dissipates into particles before reaching me.
"No, no! It's too far! I can't reach it from over twenty meters out!"
Is this a joke, sister…? My last flicker of hope extinguished. I know the hole is over twenty meters wide, and given where I stand, I'm less than thirty meters from where that blue orb vanished.
Even if I realize how vast that pit is, there's no way I could leap over it, especially in my exhausted state. No, wait—there's one potential escape.
"Yuna! How long until you get here?"
I try to ask, but I can't finish. The spider's strike pierces my foot.
"Gah!?"
"Big brother!? I'll try to get here in three minutes… but that might be impossible… I'm so sorry! If you go down, I'll take care of the enemy!"
Unlike earlier, a sharp, intense pain reverberates through my leg. Amidst the agony, I hear my sister's voice, tinged with resignation as if she has given up on my survival. For her, dying in a game means nothing—she expects to respawn—unaware that I hold the fate of the NPC fairy in my hands, which explains her reaction.
The spider had ample opportunity to strike with lethal force, yet it crushes only the tips of my feet, treating me like a mere plaything. Is this the level of cruelty exhibited by enemies in modern games?
The green health bar drops below half, and a mark indicating damage appears on my foot. I instinctively grasp that my mobility has been severely compromised; evading its attacks or escaping has become impossible.
If there's no way to run…!!
"Ughhh!!" I stab the shovel I'm holding lightly into the ground before swinging it upward toward the spider. The ground I've disturbed crumbles as it flies off in that direction, a feeble distraction devoid of real damage. The spider diverts its gaze, easily deflecting the attack.
With its focus momentarily lost, I seize the opportunity. I thrust the shovel back into the ground and let go, using my free hand to grab the upper part of my sleeping outfit—my starting gear. In one swift motion, I yank it up and off!
With deftness, I managed to remove my pajamas without disturbing the fairy in my other hand.
"Brother!?" Yuna exclaimed, surprised by my actions, but there was no time to explain the situation!
Quickly, I used my pajamas as a rope to secure the fairy to the shovel. My hand, sticky with spider silk from carrying the fairy, wiped away the webbing, simultaneously increasing the grip between the fairy, the pajamas, and the shovel.
But the spider wasn't willing to wait; it lunged again, striking down with its limbs. I attempted to deflect the blow with one hand against all odds.
I succeeded in redirecting the attack, but not without a cost—the pain was like touching a spinning piece of sandpaper, and I saw my health bar plummet to a tenth of what it was. A new icon appeared next to my hand: a cross mark. Did this mean I couldn't use the hand that had redirected the attack?
"Kyshaa!"
The spider looked at me, relishing in its twisted superiority. It was so grotesque, it felt like a nightmare come to life. I needed to end this, once and for all.
"Yuna! No matter what, you have to catch this shovel!"
"Okay! Got it!?"
With my unharmed hand, I pulled the shovel from the ground and readied it like a javelin. I kicked off the ground and jumped toward my sister, aiming the shovel with the secured fairy straight at her!
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone