Chapter 174 - A Date With Pandora (III)

A very fine day for everyone to go out. It hasn't been long since I went out of the house but to me, it feels like I was always outside the whole time. With the Alternate World's realistic settings to make the player feel everything like they went outside despite being inside their room the whole time.

However, I thought we would be walking around tourists spots and look around various historical sites while doing some sightseeing and picture taking. Instead of doing those activities, the first thing that Pandora wanted to do was to go to Akiba. 

["What's wrong?"]

"Nope, nothing. I just thought of something. You don't need to worry."

The very first place we went as Pandora's request while we went outside for the first time is to go to a manga cafe in Akiba. And she chooses the one with a private room that has an internet connection, games, and manga available for anyone to use.

"Um, are you sure your brother would not be angry on this one? This is a manga cafe and according to your brother, you will be doing some sightseeing. However, this is not exactly sightseeing but leisure and relaxation in a manga cafe and occupied one of the private rooms!"

["Don't worry about it! Brother permitted me to go wherever I want so you don't need to be so alarmed about going here."]

I am not against her going to a manga cafe. In fact, I am glad she has chosen somewhere where I won't use too much energy to expend just to enjoy the manga and different things available inside the cafe. Not only that but this is a good chance for me to do some meditation or browse on the browser for anything related to the Alternate World.

With Pandora occupied and absorbed in the manga she was reading, it felt like I was alone in the room. I can't expect Pandora to speak especially since she was mute and I don't think she will engage in conversation or anything so I decided to pull out my phone and browse for some things about the Alternate World.

But it ended up as my mistake. Many things found online like some guides about clearing a specific place or guides on finding certain things are all common knowledge for me. The forums are also quite a dumpster fire that I would rather stay away from that forum as much as I can.

In the end, I was left bored as hell. The manga available here are also mangas I already read in the past, heck I even know their time of completion and their endings. Sure, there are some that seem to be in an indefinite hiatus but most of the stories here are all I have read before. 

Since Pandora is busy with the manga, I decided to boot up the game console attached to the television. Then, I spotted the old VR helmet usually used before the development of the Reality Verse. It was one of the gadgets in the past where we can become the character in the game ourselves and move like our characters.

I checked the games available in the console and I found one of those FPS games with zombies as enemies. Since it would take quite some time to finish the main story, I decided to play the endless mode instead.

As someone who is quite proficient in this game, I wanted to check if my proficiency is still quite good. I have skills in Alternate World that can easily kill enemies even if they are not hit in fatal points but this game is quite different as killing the zombies would need you to hit the head of the zombie with any weapon of your choice. However, my expertise in the past timeline is the dual pistols. I quit playing on this in the past timeline but I still remember the fun times I had with it.

When the game begins, I rapidly use the gun and shoot the enemies that appear in my vision. Since walking is automatic, I can just focus on shooting enemies and reloading.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

...

I no longer have any idea how long was I have been playing the game. Since this was endless, the enemies spawning are also endless. All I know right now is I am on wave 2,499 and was about to reach wave 2,500

There is also no miss and my combo isn't broken just yet. I am still in full health and I am quite in the mood. The amount of zombies spawning left and right is also quite a pain to look at since they already crowd the whole screen.

It was quite a feat that I didn't know I had. I just keep on shooting and shooting. There are no zombies spared and every bullet hits an undead. However, the game mode that I thought to be endless was in fact, has an end.

After clearing the 2,499 and 2,500 waves, the game ends and returns to the menu. My high score was also recorded and didn't expect to see it so high. It was the highest score I received in the game and I also managed to beat my last record in the previous timeline.

As for my ability to fight using two guns are still as sharp as ever, in fact, it is already improved. Knowing this, fighting as a gunslinger will not be a problem for me.

Removing the VR helmet, I was met with several stares from an amazed worker wearing a maid outfit and Pandora who was clapping vigorously. I didn't expect that I have audiences in the battle.

"Sir! Are you a player in Alternate World perhaps?!"

I didn't expect the maid to suddenly get excited and asked me a question I didn't expect to be questioned.

"H-huh? What are you talking about?" I asked since he just came in all of a sudden so I was surprised.

"I saw your gameplay earlier and for some reason, I get the vibes on your way to fight in that game to have a similar playstyle as a gunslinger in Alternate World so maybe perhaps you are also a player?"

There is no point for me to deny I am a player of Alternate World. There is no need for me to keep it hidden from anyone. Sooner or later, I will also reveal to my friends I am playing the game too so why would I say that I am not?

"Yes, I play Alternate World. Why are you asking?"

"Uhm... can we play together sometime?! I am a level 45 gunslinger. The skills that you used earlier were quite cool and I wanted to learn how you can fight like that when I fight!"

"Is that so? Then tell me your ID name, I would add you once I get back in the game."

"Okay, I am KaoroKoko! Will you tell me yours?"

"I apologize but it should be a surprise for later. I don' want to blow my cover after all," I smiled.

Then someone shouted on the counter outside. "Hey, Kaoru! What the hell are you doing in there?! Get back to work or I will deduct your salary this month!"

"Ah! I am coming! Hey, don't forget alright? Let's meet up again in the game!"

She left after saying that after leaving our bill. It seems our time is already due than the time that Pandora paid.

"Should I extend the time or should we go somewhere else?"

["No need, I am hungry anyway. Let's go somewhere we can eat food! Do you have any recommendations?"]

Food huh? I looked at the time and it was indeed lunch time already. No wonder I also felt hungry after playing. 

"Alright, I have a good place that I can recommend."

A place I will always recommend and a place I miss in the past timeline. The only place that I can consider as a place where I can be myself and let out all my grief.

...

["An izakaya?"]

"No worries, this might be an izakaya but they serve good food and deserts even in the morning and lunchtime. I am a patron here before so I will recommend this place to anyone who wanted to eat something good.

We entered the establishment and the different aroma of food lingered in the air. I already see Pandora salivating from the smell alone already.

"POPS!"

The middle-aged man at the counter of the izakaya looked in my direction with a stern look at first but when he saw my face, his face lit up and he gives a hearty laugh.

"Manato, my boy! It's been a while since your last visit! How are you now?" He grinned and tap my shoulder.

"I am fine thanks, Pops. I just have no time to visit because of some matters but I already miss your cooking. So I hope you will still welcome me even though I rarely come here now."

"Haha, what are you, a stranger? Don't be, you are practically my son that is not related to me, so how would I not welcome you? Anyway, who is this pretty lass with you? Is she your girl?"

When Pops said that, someone else shouted on the table in the inner room of the Izakaya.

"What?! Manato has a girlfriend already?!"