Main Quest, Pay-to-Win Strategy, and the Seized Wallet

The moment they walked out of the gymnasium, the setting sun stretched their shadows long, like a glitching texture from a loading error.

The heavy doors of the volleyball gym closed behind them, shutting out the scent of sweat and Salonpas that mixed with the passionate atmosphere inside. Lu Ren let out a long sigh, as if all the "enigmatic" persona he'd maintained in front of Sawamura Daichi had just been exhaled.

His shoulders instantly slumped, returning him to his usual languid state, as if his spine had been removed.

"You were too reckless."

Kiyosawa Mashiba walked beside him, fiddling with the strap of her school bag, her tone a mix of mild complaint and resignation. "You don't even know the rules of volleyball, yet you dared to accept the captain's challenge. That's a 3-on-3, not a game of make-believe. That Kageyama guy's serves are like cannonballs; and that Hinata kid, while he looks a bit dim, is as fast as if he's using a cheat code. What are you going to do on Saturday? Be a moving target?"

"This is called 'Forced Plot Trigger'."

Lu Ren rested his hands behind his head, his gaze drifting to the distant utility pole dyed orange-red, and said nonchalantly, "Since the system... ah, I mean, since fate slapped a Main Quest right on my face, refusing it would deduct a lot of Reputation Points. Besides..."

He paused, a playful curve forming on his lips.

"That captain, Sawamura, though he looks like a nice guy, that 'I'll crush you if you don't agree' vibe he gives off is standard Gatekeeping BOSS material. If I had backed down then, I probably would have a hard time getting by in this Instance... I mean, this school."

"That's all just twisted logic." Kiyosawa Mashiba rolled her eyes and kicked a pebble with her leather shoe. "So what's your plan? Saturday is only three days away. Your current volleyball skill level is probably just at the 'knows the ball is round' stage."

"Three days is enough to clear a medium-sized DLC." Lu Ren yawned.

They walked down the long slope of Sakashita Shopping Street.

The shops along the road one by one lit up. The aroma of fried croquettes mingled with the clamor of students leaving school, filling the air with the unique, lively atmosphere of this massive online game called 'Reality OL'.

"Lu Ren."

"Yeah?"

"In the future... what do you actually want to do?"

Kiyosawa Mashiba suddenly slowed her pace. She looked at Lu Ren's profile, which was exceptionally handsome in the setting sun but always held a hint of indifference, and her voice softened. "I mean, if you weren't playing games. Is there anything you particularly want to do? Like getting into a good university, finding a good job, or... actually playing volleyball well?"

Lu Ren stopped.

He looked up, his gaze passing through the tangled wires to the sky, which had already turned a deep blue. A few crows cawed as they flew by, heading home.

"I don't know."

Lu Ren answered honestly.

"This game—I mean, life—has too much freedom, which makes it hard to know what to do. There's no clear Main Quest list, no auto-pathfinding, and no clear completion reward." He shrugged. "It's like an unfinished open-world game left behind by a development team that ran off halfway through."

He lowered his head, looking at his palm.

"Just slowly grinding through the progress bar like this, being a background NPC, occasionally giving the protagonist a hint when they pass by, or shouting '666' from the sidelines, that's not too bad either."

Kiyosawa Mashiba watched him quietly.

She knew Lu Ren too well. Even though he claimed he wanted to be a nobody and just coast by, the desire for "difficult challenges" was ingrained in him. He just hadn't found a goal that ignited his "desire to win" yet.

"It's okay."

Kiyosawa Mashiba suddenly smiled. The setting sun cast a warm, golden hue in her eyes.

"Because as long as I'm with you, any kind of life is fine."

She walked with her hands behind her back, leaning slightly forward like a nimble cat. "Even if you're a background NPC, I'll be the one responsible for giving you quests, buying you equipment, and reviving you after you die... Hmm, a Super Support NPC!"

Lu Ren froze for a moment.

He turned his head and looked at the girl in front of him, her smile as radiant as a blooming flower. A breeze rustled her hair, and the tear mole at the corner of her eye seemed particularly vivid in the afterglow.

This scene... the frame rate is a bit too high.

His graphics card is overheating.

Lu Ren averted his gaze, coughed as if to cover his reaction, but the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up, revealing that signature, infuriating smile.

"Oh really?"

He raised an eyebrow, his tone becoming flippant. "Don't speak too soon, Kiyosawa-san. After all, despite my terrible personality, I'm quite popular with certain groups. What if one day a hidden heroine suddenly appears and wants to start a side quest with me..."

Snap.

A crisp sound.

Before Lu Ren could finish his boast, his right ear suffered a devastating blow.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch! It hurts! My ear's durability is going to drop!"

Kiyosawa Mashiba skillfully grabbed his ear and twisted it clockwise, her face still wearing that eerily gentle smile. "You can try. Let's see if your hidden heroine arrives faster, or if my 'Physical Correction Fist' does."