CH 1

"Trader" was the worst class known to man.

To start off, there were two different types of existences within RL: one was based around combat, and the other around production. For example, an alchemist would fall under the "production" header, but that wasn't to say they couldn't fight as well. They reigned supreme for production-related activities, but could more or less throw some punches as well. They just couldn't compare to combat-specific classes.

Now, a warrior was categorized under the combat specialty. Combat was its end-all-be-all and the warrior was excellent at combat, but couldn't produce anything to save its life.

Either way, that was how the two different roles differentiated themselves.

The trader, however, was a production-based class best with all matters related to gold in any way. Traders received discounts whenever buying from NPCs, would receive more gold than usual from monsters they've defeated, and would receive a higher reward upon a successful quest completion.

When the game came online, they were a handy member to have around as having just one trader around would yield the party a hefty amount of gold more than without. As time went on though, the introduction of rare items and higher quality weapons caused an inflation with gold, the game's currency.

As far as combat was concerned, though, a trader's battle skill proficiency was hardly anything to speak of. Did you want someone that would yield you a bit more gold, or someone who knew how to fight? The answer wasn't exactly rocket science. Taking that into consideration, the need for a trader drops dramatically, and trying to make it through the game solo was asking for trouble.

The reason why was because the trader was neither an alchemist, nor was it a blacksmith -- traders couldn't produce something from nothing on their own; without support from other classes, battle wasn't up for conversation either. As such, traders were considered to pretty much be parasites, and were avoided like the plague.

RL was a character customization game that allowed a selection amongst a high variety of classes based on different choices made along the way. Of course, providing your first choice was not available at the time, you had the option of choosing a class that was fairly similar and, in turn, morphing it into the class you were originally hoping for.

Characters were lifelong though, and couldn't be changed to anything else. I couldn't say whether it was to relieve server load or not, but you couldn't start over with a new character once you'd already made one. I hadn't found any information regarding transferring data to a different class, either. Once you made your choice, you were stuck with it.

There was no point in regret either. After all, there weren't any second chances.

"Guess...it's time to log in again."

After finishing my meal, I put the VR helmet on. I mean, the very idea of going back into that game filled me with dread, but it would've been a complete waste of all the money I'd spent on it if I didn't.

It was a habit at this point, but with the way I was going, I might as well be as good as dead.

[GAME START]

I rode into the game through a sea of electronic waves.

[Welcome to RL, Nishiki!]

I logged into the game, hearing those very same words the AI has said who knows how many times before. I'd used my real name as my login: Nishiki Hanatsuki.

"Good evening, Nishiki~"

I started getting messages from the guild chat after logging in, and this time, it was the guild master, Nine, contacting me. This was the person who'd invited me into the guild "Once in a Lifetime" from the start.

A guild was essentially composed of a guild master who acted as the boss, and then all the members were like a team the guild master had assembled together. I came to the guild in pretty much the same vein.

This was, when I first joined the guild, I was invited for quests or hunts with other members a lot, but as our guild grew bigger, the invitations started dying down. That said, being part of a guild was a huge deal. It made me happy that I could be a part of something, even if only in a game. If a party was short a member, I'd do my best to jump in for the mission.

[BangBangMaru has logged on!]

"Heya, BangBangMaru~"

"Yo!"

"Sup!"

"Hey, BangBang!"

Just as I was about to greet Nine back, another member popped on and the reaction was completely different. It was so striking of a difference that I was beyond feeling sad about it.

[You have a new message from Nine.]

"Huh?"

I hadn't heard that email sound effect for a good minute. I only ever received a message from Nine every once in a blue moon...

[Nishiki, there's something I'd like to discuss. Please meet me at the guild HQ.]

Only two sentences... Huh, I wondered what he wanted to talk about.

[Roger that. On my way.]

After sending the message through, I headed towards our HQ -- a place where all guild members convene for guild-related issues.

"Hey, how's it going?"

"Hey, Nishiki. Sorry for making you come all the way over."

When I walked inside the HQ, a middle-aged man -- Nine's avatar -- was waiting for me. I couldn't see any other members aside from him.

"I'll make this quick: I just wanted to thank you for all of your help up until now, Nishiki."

"Huh?"

I couldn't make sense of what he was saying and then...it clicked.

"We've almost hit our max for our member count, and I've been getting some complaints from other members."

"Complaints?" I asked. "Wait, you mean about me?"

"Yeah."

"Oh... I see..."

I calmed down slightly and let out a sigh. Hah, I should've known. It was because I was a trader, like I was a fucking parasite. It happened every damned time.

"Have a good one," Nine said candidly, and with a vague, but slight smile on his face.

How laughable. I'd bet this guy thought I was a menace to have around, too.

VR was some crazy technology. You'd find out things that you'd never known about before.

He'd more than likely found it difficult to say anything directly since he'd been the one to invite me in the first place. Now that the guild was bigger, he used the guild's member quota and "complaints" against me as an excuse to kick me out today. With me gone, they had an open spot for someone new, and all the complaints were gone. Happy ending for everyone.

What a fucking joke. Why did I have to feel this way even when I was playing a game of all things?!

[Guild Member Nine has removed you from the guild, Once in a Lifetime.]

[Teleporting to Lalocia Ice.]

My background changed effortlessly alongside the chiming announcement, and I opened the menu since there was nothing else for me to do.

"...No one's on."

When I'd opened the friend window after so long, then I came to see that, obviously, no one was online. I mean, it made sense, since most of my friends were traders. And having been ousted from the guild, I really had nothing to my name, now. No one was going to let me join them. Even the newbies and those trying to get a full party wouldn't let me join in, since traders were straight up considered parasites. My only other option was to go solo, but there wasn't much to be gained even if I sat there and threw one punch after another endlessly. Even with how many players there were nowadays, I would bet that I was probably the one and only trader around.

"Open Status... Yeesh."

Name: Nishiki

Class: Trader

Level: 20

STR: 20

INT: 5

DEX: 25

AGI: 15

VIT: 5

MND: 5

Status Points: 0

Skills: Lv5 One-Handed Axe, Lv10 Perception, Lv5 One-Handed Weapon, Lv10 Persuasion, Lv10 Trader Luck

Equipment: Complete Iron Set, Iron Axe

Items: Town of Beginnings, Green Solda, Map, Health Potion (S), Mana Potion (S)

Money: 12,775,640G

Titles: Millionaire, Multimillionaire

Aside from the minimum equipment requirements, I chose dexterous weapons that would increase the chance of drops from quests or monsters and skills that would best suit my party members. And, looking at those skills now, all I could do was let out a sigh. Until now, I'd been working to make up for that five thousand dollars that went into getting the game, all so I could enjoy my time with it.

To be honest though, I didn't even know why I was putting in so much effort. It was entirely unlike me, but I assertively joined different parties and tried to fight battles without hesitation or wavering, and this is where it got me. No friends, and no one who would party up with me.

If there was something I was proud of in this hobby world, it was building and saving up the currency in RL: gold. Whether by remuneration or selling off items, I built up my stash little by little. With my boost from being a trader, I've saved up over ten million gold. On average, those on the richer end might get around a million, but since I've gained so much, that's how I got the "multimillionaire" title. Even if I traded all my gold into real money, I might get, what, a hundred bucks out of it?

"I think...it's about time to call this game quits."

I'd delete my character, and whenever, or if ever they allowed for people to make a new character, that would probably be when I turned this game on again. I might be able to make something of myself at that point.

"Let's just...do one last run."

For my last quest, I'd gather together a party and try to enjoy the very end of my RL days.

"There's no way anyone will join my party..."

I opened up the recruitment menu and narrowed down the class selection to "trader". I already felt like giving up, but just like so many times in the past, I pressed the search button in front of me.

[One quest found for class preference of Trader]:

[Peddling Quest I]

Sell something from Town of Beginnings to a trader who is in Green Solde.

Party Member Reward: 50,000G

Current Members: 1 Trader

Party Leader: Silver

"Are you kidding me?!" I yelled out without thinking when I heard the announcement.

There was someone still out there, and just one...

This had to be the first time in nearly a week since I'd seen anyone with a trader class. And then, there was the name of that quest: Peddling Quest I... That was a quest tailored for traders.

"I can't believe it..."

I couldn't believe I'd meet another trader out there. I didn't even have to think about it -- I pressed the button to join the quest.

Trader Luck: A skill every trader possesses that enables them to acquire gold after defeating monsters.

Persuasion: A skill every trader possesses that will generally allow them to buy items from NPCs at a lower cost.