Chapter 59 – Blood

Looking at the exhausted players as they walked past, Ringo didn't really feel like asking them about directions. It's so hot here! Ringo went along the dirt road to look at the name of the city.

"Ri-kyo." Ringo pronounced the name slowly. Two players ran by her while she was thinking.

"Erika just told me that Blood Skeleton is trying to massacre a town. She's already been killed once and she lost her ring. Let's get revenge for her! We'd be rich if we can get one of Blood Skeleton's equipments in the process.

"Someone told me that not only is he number one out of the players, he has a few dark gold equipments, I think its called soul blade. He loves to kill and his equipment is always red. Where did he find the time to train when he's always killing?"

"I still don't get what's so great about him, so what if he has great equipment? He'd be nothing without his equipments. It's impossible to log on to someone else's account on this game because the game identifies players by their brain waves, how am I supposed to know how he levels up?"

Massacre? Ringo stuck out her tongue. She almost died when facing 2 players, this person can fight hundreds of players at the same time? She's seen his name on the bulletins before, the 2nd place player is 15 or 16 levels behind him. As a player becomes stronger, it becomes harder to level up. Sometimes, the amount of experience needed to gain one level is enough for a newbie to gain 10 levels. But, that doesn't mean he'll be invincible! There's a time limit for drinking potions in the game.

Ringo became curious and followed the 2 players, while also hoping to pick up a few equipments.

From very far away, she saw a player that was wearing dark red equipments being attack by a giant group of players. Any that dared to get near him were killed instantly. The groups of short distance fighters were too scared to get near him, but the long distance fighters all launched their attacks.

The magic spells that looked kind of fireworks flew at Blood Skeleton, but they didn't really seem to be having an effect. He looked excited, and whenever ten minutes passed and the restriction time for drinking potions in the game was over, he'd pull out a HP potion and drink it slowly. He spent the rest of his time killing; screams followed him as he walked.

Ringo touched her forehead, it burns for some reason, is the weather too hot today?

The ground is covered with assorted equipments of different colors. Luckily, there were no dead bodies since players are sent directly back to towns. But even though there were no bodies, the blood and Blood Skeleton's shining blade explained everything. How many players have he killed?

There were other players that came for the same purpose as Ringo, but right as their hands touched the equipment, they were killed. No one dared to reach out for the equipments on the ground. The sun that reflected off of the fallen equipments blinded some players.

"Kill the red player! His equipments are priceless!" Someone in the crowd yelled and the players that were about to give up suddenly because restless again, they attacked without hesitation. Blood Skeleton's worst equipment is orange equipment, but all players lusted for his soul blade.

"Kill the red player!" Other voices sounded.

"We outnumber him by hundreds! We will succeed!"

There were a few people that objected in the crowd "Why aren't the city guards attacking? Aren't NPCs supposed to automatically attack red players? Someone go find some guards!" Sadly, there was no room for players to move around. The voices of the few smart people in the group were soon drowned out by other voices.

Ringo almost tripped in the crowd, the burning feeling on her forehead grew stronger. She didn't know why the players suddenly grew crazy.

The situation became out of control, it didn't matter if someone's a short range fighter or a long range fighter, it's impossible to back up with the other players trying to push forward. So, all players took up their equipments and aimed at their target.

"Kill!" This is the only word that was filled in the minds of these players. They flew towards the red spot in the middle of the crowd. They're positive that they can kill this player, even though the letters that appeared above his head were MISS or –1.

They're insane! Ringo didn't understand how the want for better equipments could lead to this. She wanted to get equipments, but she didn't want to attack an innocent player.

If wouldn't be weird if only 10 or 20 players hated Blood Skeleton, how did he get hundreds of players to hate him?

Because of the chaotic event, there are some that have stared to take equipments off the ground, and some have even started to attack players other than Blood Skeleton. A mocking expression appeared on Blood Skeleton's face while he watched some players get trampled to death in the crowd.

The noises made Ringo dizzier than she already felt from the heat.

"There are too many people! Let me out!" She shouted, but it was useless. No one heard her, and no one responded. Ringo felt herself pushed closer and closer to Blood Skeleton……when she looked up once more; she felt her eyes meet the eyes of Blood Skeleton. Ringo gave him an awkward smile, but she knew that she would die along with those around her.

I don't want to die! Ringo closed her eyes, but she suddenly felt a searing pain run down from her forehead, a flash of red light came towards her, but stopped.

Blood Skeleton held his soul blade before Ringo and smileda smile that couldn't really be called a smile. Ringo saw his face for the first time, he isn't cute, but his face is strangely……there isn't really a word for how he looked.

He gave her a carefree feeling, as if nothing mattered. This is a slightly ironic feeling, since she was certain that he's going to kill her.

Ringo stood there while her mind went off into its own little world.

I'll be going to China on Tuesday and I'll be there for the next 2 month. Because of this, I won't be able to update on a regualr basis. I promise to at least put up 4 chapters a month, but I might put up 3 or 4 chapters at one time instead of 1 chapter at a time. This is because I'll have access to my laptop, but I might not have access to the internet.

-Taka-