No Gear, No Problem

“That’s easy,” Lumière said softly. “Just close your eyes, and I’ll handle the rest.” Her smile was calm and warm, like asking for trust one more time.

Elizabeth gave a small nod. “Okay.”

She took one last glance at the forest below. Then, closed her eyes.

[Initiating Soul Vessel Reconstruction]

A flash of light swallowed her vision.

...

Back in Mad Forest Village.

Rianne sat cross-legged in the middle of the village.

She was idly drawing circles in the dirt with a stick. Looking like a bored little kid rather than someone who had just died in battle. Her eyes drifted to the usual respawn spot, waiting for Liz to come back.

Liz should be reviving any moment now.

Because she didn't revive right after dying. So she was able to watch Liz fight alone, struggle, and fall against the goblin.

Though Liz had lost, Rianne still felt proud. A little disappointed, sure... losing to a single goblin when it was two against one wasn’t exactly something to celebrate. It was frustrating, no doubt.

But what stuck with her more wasn’t the loss.

It was seeing the lazy, unmotivated Liz, who always says, "this is boring," gave her all in that fight.

That alone brought a small smile to Rianne’s face.

A small flicker of light appeared beside her, like a soap bubble forming from thin air. Slowly, Liz's figure emerged, forming piece by piece as the glow faded. It wasn’t anything like the dramatic, towering pillar of light they had seen when first entering the game.

Rianne looked up, and their eyes met.

Elizabeth saw the cute pout forming on her friend’s lips and couldn’t help herself.

“We suck…”

"......"

Rianne blinked.

Then both of them burst out laughing.

“HAHHAHA!!”

“HAHHAHA!!”

Their laughter echoed through the village like nothing had happened.

"So," once their laughter calmed down, Rianne brushed off her clothes, and stood up, “how is it?” she asked.

"Hmm?"

"The game."

Elizabeth looked around the village, then stretched her arms. “I think it’s good. I haven’t moved this much in years. And this world... I think it has secrets... Lots and lots of secrets."

Rianne’s lips curled into a satisfied grin. “Interested?”

Elizabeth simply nodded.

“Good.” Rianne felt a small sense of victory. Liz only ever gave her best when something truly caught her interest. And when that happened, she would not hold back.

If everyone could see Liz like this, really trying... they would probably like her too.

“You worry about me too much," Elizabeth said, glancing her way.

“Hehe,” Rianne giggled, caught red-handed.

“So what’s the plan this time?” Elizabeth asked, glancing down at her empty hands. “We don’t have any weapons. They’re still out there in the forest.”

“Don’t worry. I asked around in the group chat,” Rianne replied. “Liv said she’s nearby and can help us out. But it'll take her around thirty minutes to get here.”

“Liv Rue? That smart girl is playing this too?” Elizabeth blinked in surprise.

She remembered Liv Rue well... top of the class, always quiet, never one to cause a scene. That is, until the day they got paired for a group project.

Liv had snapped. In front of everyone, no less.

“If you can’t give your best, then why bother? You’re just wasting your time—and everyone else’s.”

It was the first time Elizabeth had seen her speak that much, let alone raise her voice. The whole class had gone silent. And honestly? Liv Rue was right. Elizabeth had slacked off, doing the bare minimum just to pass.

She hated wasting time—hers or anyone else's—but school just never held her interest. It felt dull, draining. But Liv… Liv was interesting.

Why did she study so hard, anyway?

Elizabeth had wondered that more than once. It's like Liv was chasing something that Elizabeth couldn't see.

So, for once, Elizabeth actually tried. She worked hard on that project.

Maybe, just maybe, she could understand.

Her drive to care about something enough to give it her all.

She quite liked Liv after that.

Too bad they never crossed paths again. Elizabeth wasn’t the type to reach out—if someone didn’t approach her first, she rarely made the effort.

So, she slipped right back into her usual role: the laziest student in class.

“I told you—everyone’s in the game now. You’ll probably bump into a lot of familiar faces.”” Rianne said. “But get this—she uses it to study while she sleeps.”

Elizabeth let out a small chuckle. “That’s… weirdly impressive.”

“Right?”

“So, do you want to walk around the village while we wait?”

Elizabeth glanced at the roads, then shook her head. “Nah. Let’s try fighting that goblin again.”

“You sure?” Rianne blinked. “Eh? But we don’t have anything.” Rianne said, raising her empty hands. “If I die again, I’m blaming you.”

Elizabeth gestured. “We sneak in, grab our weapons, and try again. If we die, we just respawn. No big deal. Besides, I have a plan. I think we can win this time.”

Rianne grinned, recognizing that gleam in Liz’s eyes.

"You sure?" Rianne asked with a smile, seeing Liz filled with excitement. "If I die again I will really blame you this time."

“You won’t. I got you this time.”

Elizabeth reached out and took Rianne’s hand.

“We’re getting our revenge. No way that goblin gets away with hurting the Rosegold family’s princess.”

...

They headed toward the forest. Elizabeth took the lead, retracing their steps. They have learned their lessons from the goblin's ambush. This time, they traveled carefully. each movement was cautious, measured

She scanned the trees, remembering where the goblin had struck from. Rianne followed close behind, silent and focused.

Eventually, they reached the outskirts of the battle site. The hammer and tome still lay untouched in the grass.

“Liz,” Rianne whispered, pointing at a patch of underbrush.

There it was—crouched in the underbrush, dagger in hand, eyes locked on the spot where their weapons lay. Was it waiting? Guarding? Either way, it hadn’t noticed them yet.

There she saw the goblin crouching with a dagger in its hand. Its eyes glued in front of their weapon lying on the ground. It was as if its waiting for its next victim again, or was it waiting for them?

“Shhh…” Elizabeth placed a finger over Rianne’s lips, then pointed to a bush behind the goblin.

Rianne nodded.

They crept through the underbrush, moving low and slow until they were directly behind it.

Once settled, Elizabeth leaned in. “Here’s the plan. I distract it. You grab your tome and get ready to heal.”

Rianne frowned. “But you don’t have a weapon. Can you really hold it off?”

“I can still hit it with my fists. And I’m faster without that heavy hammer. Remember how we all ran at the same pace earlier? If I fight it barehanded, I can probably wrestle it down.”

“But...”

“It’ll be like playing with my little brothers. The goblin’s fast, but I’ve got the reach advantage.”

"So if I fought the goblin without my hammer then I can probably wrestle with it."

"But..." Rianne

"Don't worry, it will just like playing with my little brother. Although the goblin is fast I still have the advantage when it comes to size."

“Okay,” Rianne whispered. “I’ll be quick. Just hang in there.”

“Ready?”

“Yeah.”

"On three."

"One"

They both tensed, bracing their feet.

“Two...”

Rianne looked scared, but Elizabeth noticed her strong determination beneath it.

Elizabeth smiled.

“Three.”

If you see any mistakes in the chapters you can point it out in the comments and I will fix it AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Thanks for Reading.