Wall sconces lit the walls of a big room with a wide counter setting a warm atmosphere. A large shelf stood behind this counter, containing various alcoholic drinks.

Numerous circular tables occupy this humongous room, bustling with people that sat in them while some stick close to the walls. Noises of idle chit-chat and merry conversations cover this place.

It was a tavern. And somewhere in the middle of these numerous, circular tables, sat Arka and Banelfsing.

Banelfsing's donned in new armor... a white, thin, hooded gambeson and a gold circlet— thinner, padded gauntlets and leggings designed in the colors of white and green.

At the moment, Banelfsing's enjoying a certain drink his avatar has been consuming— "Mindstruck Ale" is what it was called. Whenever he drinks from his wooden mug, his vision splits into two... and then four, as he loosely leaned back sloppily on the tavern's wooden chair. He wa having fun with the visual effects the system registers on his avatar.

There are other visual effects that the tavern's wide selection of drinks offers. Banelfsing already emptied twelve of these bottles.

Arka meanwhile, appeared high-strung as she sat on the other side of the table, holding onto a wooden cup.

"—and then he just... spawned some... fleshy arm with countless innards...! It's— It's surprising that I even made out of there alive,” She could barely contain her emotions about what happened as she began to stutter.

"S'that so...?" Banelfsing tilted his head, swaying along with the visuals as he also wobbled on his wooden chair. It was unclear on whether he was attentive to Arka's story, as he made a drifted look on his face.

Still, Arka continued to surmise about the events that happened earlier that day. "—then they just opened portals... and both of them went in there and they got away," She finished her ridiculous-sounding story.

"Uh-huh," Banelfsing said with eyes looking straight through Arka, loosely sitting on the chair.

As she heard Banelfsing's answer, she momentarily fell silent to assess Banelfsing's condition. She glared at him. "Hey, Ban... did you even get what I was saying?"

"Y-yeah... I'm listening! It'z juzz... I think I'm diz...zy...? It's a strange feeling..." He said. "I might throw up," As he said this, the tone of his voice expressed malady.

Arka looked at the drink Banelfsing held onto. She reached for the mug in the flush, in an unfussy manner— thinking that she doesn't want to attract much attention since they are sitting around the center tables of the tavern. As she took the mug, she couldn't help but look side to side at the other players and groups hanging out.

She took the mug away from him and brought it to her side of the table.

"I think y-you've had enough of this stuff..." She said.

Banelfsing leaned closer to the table in a sluggish condition. "Hold on... you... you haven't even... touched your drink yet," He said, looking at her woozily.

"Well..." she paused for a moment, thinking of what to say. ”You see..."

Arka waved a hand in front of her helmet.

"Oh..." Banelfsing tried his best to look at her with the staggering visuals, unimpressed at her reply. "You're still shy from taking off that helmet?" Banelfsing pointed weakly at the helmet she's wearing— understanding her predicament.

"Y-Yeah... sorry. I'm still trying to get used to... all this... you get me...?" She said.

Banelfsing knew about her social anxiety. Through the few days they've played together, it didn't take long until Banelfsing took notice of her irregular speech. It all happened during a field hunt. She happened to tell him the reason for this, as she even ended up mentioning a part of her lifestyle to him.

She felt fearful that he would think of her in a negative light. But instead, all he said was: "Well, we can keep hanging out until you get used to talking again... if you want," and this phrase stuck with her since.

She is thankful as the person she talked to understands her situation and lifestyle without trying to mock her.

Banelfsing's a kind person. And she knows this.

"Oh, but I do get it," Banelfsing said. "The thing is though... you agreed to drink with me," Banelfsing said, asserting his invitation.

"Uhm..." Arka uttered. "Yeah... I guess, I did agree,"

Although, he can be a bit pushy sometimes without letting some things go...

Still, Banelfsing was right. She did agree to drink with him beforehand through their private messages. Arka felt bad about this.

Then again... he already drank various bottles of virtual ale without her before she even arrived at the tavern. Banelfsing was already in a 'drunken' state when she sat on their table. Judging from the multiple bottles under his seat, he has been enjoying the drinking mechanic for hours now since this morning. She doesn't want to force herself to catch up with him on this drinking game of his.

"But you see, when you mentioned drinking— I thought you meant together..." As she said this, she rested both of her elbows on the table, and clasped her hands. "Although, it looks to me you've already downed a lot... It— It wouldn't be fun for your... drinking buddy to make them catch up, right...?" She said, justifying her actions with a gesture of her hand... in a way, she also saw her argument would be a scapegoat to have avoided the trouble of taking off her helmet.

Banelfsing's lips turned down at her reasoning. "I guess you aren't wrong..." He leaned back on the chair slowly, crossed his arms; and bowed his head with his eyes closed— trying his best to tolerate the dizzying sensation. He cleared his throat. "Seriouzly though... I didn't expect... that you're... actually a woman ubder that armor," He said as his voice slurred and peeked at her with one eye.

"You... you still... can't get over that...?" Arka asked Banelfsing.

Banelfsing began gesturing with a hand. "I mean, it's just surprising. It's not obvious under that metal suit of yours if you ask anyone else..." he said as he pointed at her. "Especially the way you move when you fight..." Banelfsing then pumped a fist. "Your moves... are killer..." he commented.

She crossed her arms as well and leaned back. Once again, she felt a shred of doubt plague her at the back of her mind on his comment. Arka wants adjust to taking a compliment for once.

Banelfsing leaned forward on his seat, as he held on the edges of his chair. He could not keep still. "I mean... don't get me wrong. I see you as one of the guys," He said.

"I-I see... Thanks." Arka stuttered.

Banelfsing then exhaled, placed both of his hands on the table and looked up at Arka. His vision began to split into six as he made a sullen look.

"Geez... it's not... going away..." He expressed in a sickened tone. "This is some... strong stuff...!" He exclaimed.

"Hang in there, buddy..." Arka told Banelfsing.

If Mikrim were here, would she have something to treat this kind of sickness...? Arka thought as she looked at Banelfsing, struggling to regain his composure.

Now that she thought of her, she almost forgot to mention her as well to Banelfsing... a player who knows about the magic system of the game world.

I'll tell him later about her... She thought as she watched Banelfsing's eyes squint at her; whilst he breathes through his mouth, gasping for air. The way his arms are struggling to keep his upper-body balanced on the table reveals the strength of his internal conflict.

Are you dizzy or are you having a stroke...? She thought

Suddenly, the double doors of the tavern opened. Because of the strong stage presence of the player who entered, Arka couldn't help but look behind her seat to see. It was a tall player with short blonde hair and blue eyes with a giant object on his back, enough to cover his body. He wears a metal chest plate, leather gloves, metal greaves and leather, boots reaching the bottom of his knees.

It wasn’t just her who looked at the hulking player.

As this player entered, he turned to the counter at the corner and beelined his way towards it among the numerous tables. As the player turned to face the counter, Arka saw the large object strapped on this player's back. It was a giant shield.

"Huge..." Arka uttered.

He sat down on the stool near the counter.

Just then, Arka heard murmurs of the other players seated near her. As they did, she couldn't help but eavesdrop at the players, as she held on the drinkware she held on both hands. It's directed at the hulking player with the giant shield just now.

It was all a mix of reputable deeds he did. He tanked for a full party of players in a dungeon and helped them escape; he was the first player who completed a dungeon with another party in the game, and he only uses the shield as a weapon. Specifically, a Pavise.

Among this mix of rumors also lay spiteful ones, saying that he has attained maximal progression only by being carried by jumping to different parties of other players, and that he had recently had an infighting with another party.

As Arka heard these rumors, only one thing piqued her interest which was how this player uses a shield as a weapon. It was an impressive feat. She has only heard of players using practical weapons themselves like spears, great swords and scimitars... but never, a shield.

However, among the mix of rumors, none of them have any information about the duo she met in the forest. Everybody just talked about the tall man with humongous shield.

She soon lost her interest as she turned back towards Banelfsing.

Sure enough, he was still down and out with the virtual ale he has drunk. Banelfsing laid his head on the circular table with his eyes closed so he wouldn't see the splitting visuals.

"We should probably try to run a dungeon again." Arka told him.

"What...?" Banelfsing said groggily. "You know it's impossible. No one has ever completed one yet..." While his head's rested on the table, he gestured with his hands at her. "Nil... Nada, Zilch." After that, he dropped his raised hands lazily on the table once more. "Just what makes you think we can do that...?" Banelfsing asked with his rested head.

"Well..." As Arka thought of what to say, she already felt exhausted from the thought of what to even explain to Banelfsing. "Look... I'm having... having trouble explaining it... just trust me." Arka said. "Can you stand yet...?"

Banelfsing raised his head once more and then opened his eyes slowly. He saw Arka in splits of three this time. "I think the effect's about to wear off," He said as he began to stand up slowly.

"Good, then..." Arka stood up from her seat. "Let's go," She gestured with a tilt of her head.

Banelfsing followed after that.

As the two left the tavern, the shield player noticed their departure. Just then, the bartender arrived with the drink the shield player's waited as he turned his attention on this instead.

Arka and Ban have just arrived at their location. A dungeon, called Great Atrophy's Barrow. It was distances east from the grand city's walls. It was a large-sized dungeon that was said to go two floors deep with unknown history.

"Here we are again. Will things really be different this time...?" Banelfsing said. "I remember my first time here... I didn't even know it was a dungeon,"

"Yeah... the lack of information this game has is... staggering. Even... Even the website itself doesn't have any guides about these places. But I guess, t-that's what you get for a game still being in its alpha phase," she said.

"So, what do you even plan to—" as Banelfsing looked to Arka, he saw a floating message window hovered in front of her avatar's visuals. She was sending messages to somebody. Banelfsing held back from asking his question for now.

"We're about to run a dungeon~ wanna come~?" Asked Arka to Mikrim through their private messages.

"You mean right now~?" Mikrim quickly replied.

"Yes~ We're waiting for you~ :)"

"Okay~ I got a buncha new magic i want to try~ I'll be there soon~! ┏(＾0＾)┛"

Cute emoji! She thought, as her eyes widened.

"Okay~ we'll be waiting~ ^_^"

"Okay~! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧"

Cute! She smiled. I want to know how to do that...!

She closed her messages.

As her window distorted, Arka saw Banelfsing in front, looking at her.

"W-What...?" She asked, as she felt her confidence was suddenly repressed.

Banelfsing noticed himself staring at her. "Oh, nothing... I just thought— I dunno... you looked happy...?" Banelfsing scratched the back of his head on saying this to her.

"Oh... is that it...?" She asked him, as her shoulders loosened up.

"Yeah, I mean... it's not often I see you like that," He said. "I think it's good," He stopped scratching his head.

"I see..." Arka said as she pondered over her recent actions.

Thirty minutes later, Mikrim finally arrived at the said location. It didn't take her long as she had a teleportation crystal to cut her travel time to head eastwards to the dungeon.

"A-Arakar!" Mikrim called out to Arka timidly, as she noticed another person with her.

"Mikrim! I'm glad you could make it," Arka said to her.

Banelfsing placed a hand on his chin as the two ladies meet, wondering about their relationship.

"This is— this is Ban, he's the talent I've mentioned..." Arka gestured to Banelfsing with a palm of her hand.

"Hi, there," Mikrim smiled and waved at Banelfsing.

"Ban, this is Mikrim. She's our specialist," She said.

"It's nice to meet you," Banelfsing said, as he reached towards Mikrim for a handshake. Mikrim felt hesitant in Banelfsing's gesture. She still ended up reaching for his hand anyway.

And so, they shook. However, Mikrim's rarely had any experiences with giving handshakes. How strong should her grip be...? Which direction should she start...?

She ended up gripping lightly onto Banelfsing's hand, with a feeble arm. As Banelfsing felt the way she gripped his hand, he hesitated at that moment on whether he should have even went for a handshake with Mikrim.

He ended up grasping her palm, also giving a feeble handshake in the same manner as her. They kept at this for seconds... then minutes... then an eternity. Well, at least in their perspective.

"O-Okay, I think that's enough handshaking..." Arka said as she broke it off between the two. She felt the longer they do it, the more their first meeting will grow more awkward. It should just be the right call.