Chapter 1: Time Limit

I have been alone for so long, trying to do things on my own, try to create the future I want to create and fix myself more than anything. Because how can I take care of myself, if I cannot care to be with her?

One Year Later

June 16, 20XX, Monday morning, 6:00am

“I should know than not to finish the event quest literally on the last day, especially if it is specifically for an item that is required for the 1st-anniversary bonus quest.”

As Ace furiously clicks and presses on his keyboard and mouse desperately trying to finish his quest. Anxiously, he looks at the time that it is almost time for his shift to work.

“I only have to deal with the dungeon boss now, then get back to the safe point and I can go to work.”

Knowing full well he has only 30 minutes to clear the boss if he wants to make it to work in time. But soon after, he realized it is not going to be easy because the boss’s health has X50 health bars, but he must check if its defense is weak enough to easily defeat it.

As soon as, Ace did one of his ultimate moves, only clearing X3 health bars, knowing that using regular attacks and skills will do not as significant enough damage.

“Looks like I have no choice.”

So, he made the tough call and used one of three super rare attack boosts.

UR Attack Boost Potion - *Gaining an attack boosts up by 100% for the duration of the battle. *

Recklessly, attacking the boss without his own character’s health bar thinking he can power through the fight. Although the fight was going to end faster, the boss suddenly went into a berserk mode with his last X5 health bars having its attack speed much faster and defense increased.

“Really? I don’t have time for this.”

Resumes his furious clicking and pressing, to try to get to end the fight as soon as possible. Ultimately, taking a glance at his health realizing he is only one hit from death. Ace heart started to race with anxiousness, thinking he might mess it up, die, and not have enough time to retry. For safety, he made his character step back and heal to full health, however, as soon as he did that, he got hit back-to-back reducing his health to half.

All his momentum against the boss was wavering, and his hands started to shake a bit, really thinking he might mess it up. As his mind started to die down, he glances at the live text box chat in-game, seeing the text from Hikari “You got this!!”. With all his might started to evade most of the boss’s attacks with his last of his health dealt the final blow against the boss.

After a minute moment of silence, he yelled, “YES!!!” with a quick look at the time realizing has 15 minutes to get to the safe point and get ready for work.

“And no time at all!” quickly sent a quick message in the live text in-game chat saying “Thank you. GG gtg.” With a quick selection, uses the fast travel point to get to the nearest safe point and disappeared from the dungeon.

Waiting for the game to load, Ace started to get ready for work by changing his home shirt into an anime-themed shirt over a black sweater and pants from comfortable jogging pants to black jeans, as soon as he got to the safe point, made sure the quest was completed, saved, and log out.

As soon as he logged out, he went into the bathroom, taking his glasses off and rinsing his small young yet mature-shaven face making sure his brown eyes will stay awake. Wetting his soft black hair and combing it down so his bedhead does not show then shaking his head vigorously for his hair to curve to the side but covering his forehead with his bangs.

Once he got out of the bathroom whilst applying the deodorant spray, began to gather up all of his things for work, triple checking, he has his keys, wallet, nametag, phone, and earbuds. Turning off his computer, he rushed to the door and make sure everything was off and locked.

As soon as he was done checking, he ran downstairs to the underground garage from his apartment door to his car and drove to work.

Knowing full well, looking at the time having about 5 minutes till his shift starts, he was undoubtedly, absolutely, completely going to be late for work.

The drive from his apartment to his work takes about 10 minutes to get there, so there is no point in thinking about being late and driving too fast now since he is late. As he drives to work taking the shortcut that he always takes, he took glances at the side windows looking at the countryside roads where the blooming flowers and trees are looking like spring.

Considering his workplace is in the next city over traveling from one city to another on the countryside road was all the norm for him but driving on these roads, with your windows open, and feeling that nice breeze outside made Ace smile a bit.

As he exited the countryside roads of Saka and into the city of Oak where more and more cars started to come into view as everyone is heading to work on this Monday morning. Before his last turn into his workplace, glancing at the time seeing that he is 5 minutes late for work. Had him sigh that there is no point pondering it anymore, parking his car a bit further from his store.

Ace turned off his engine and began to fast walk to his work, taking a good look at the sign that says ‘’Starsilver”, rushing to the front door, and opening it.

“Morning, sorry I am late.” As he quickly goes to the back to greet his co-workers on the bar floor and sees his supervisor Jamie using the store’s computer in the back.

“Morning, you’re a bit early.” In his slow-spoken early-morning voice.

“I am, I thought I am late…?” as Ace did a double take before putting on his apron.

“Yeah, you start at 7:30 am right?”

Jamie pulls up the schedule for the day and points at Ace name and the time that he starts.

“Ah.” Seeing this puts Ace a confused laugh and sits down in the empty chair.

“Haha, I guess I am starting at 7:30 am, I thought I start at 7 am, I rush badly with my dungeon run.” Letting out a big sigh of relief not knowing that he is late, realizing that he has 20 minutes to kill before his shift starts.

“Well, might as well grab a coffee before you start, you probably played the whole night, right?”

As Jamie looked right through him, knowing that he played games all night. Ace nodded but asks,

“Can I take a look at the schedule; I would like to see who else is here today?”

Jamie hands him the clipboard and walks back to the bar, waving and greeting his co-workers again, making his drink of a Medium iced white mocha with no whip and caramel on top. As he looks at the schedule, he notices a new person was starting today, named Luna Ito, realizing the meaning of the name made him think that.

Luna means moon and Ito is a Japanese last name meaning the one.

“It is a pretty name.”

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On another side, another story

She stares off into space in front of her computer screen, looking at the chat log.

“Thank you. GG gtg.”

As she was about to reply, AceYuki fast traveled out of the dungeon, leaving her screen left with the in-game message.

The player you are watching has exited the dungeon.

“You’re welcome, AceYuki. Ah, it’s 7 am, I played for too long, I should sleep a bit before my shift today. I wonder what kind of location Starsilver is.”