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[indent][indent][indent][color=gray][sub][right][color=#98A9B1][b]Location:[/b][/color] Wayfarer’s Retreat -- The City of Thorinn, Aetheria[/right][/sub][/color]
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[color=#98A9B1]Let them fight,”[/color] Benkei muttered, crossing his arms, [color=#98A9B1]“let the wheat sort themselves out from the chaff.”[/color] Of course, it was shut down quick. [i]Luci, the Divine Lady of Swords and Song.[/i] Benkei grinned. [color=#98A9B1]“Now that’s someone to watch,”[/color] he said, tapping his older brother on the shoulder. [color=#98A9B1]“Luci, Enos, Pricilica,”[/color] he knew their names, he’d read about their gameplay, but he’d [i]never[/i] partied with any of them, [color=#98A9B1]“You’re looking at the who’s who for practically every role of play in this game. When we finish the raid I want you to look up Enos’ stats and how he heals.”[/color] 

He then pointed at the blonde knightly looking gentleman with the kind complexion about him. [color=#98A9B1]“And that’s my measuring stick right there.”[/color] Aaginim, if not the best tank in the game at the moment, was damn close to it. He was one of those players that felt more like a celebrity than just a regular guy; he had such a calm countenance and air about him, that even the casually minded who kept up with ranks knew who he was. [color=#98A9B1]“Aaginim, that’s the tank I have to beat to be at the top.”[/color]  

He’d remembered so many of the arguments he’d had with other players. So many scrubs that talked a big game but always came up short. He hated those kinds of players because they weren’t [i]serious[/i] about the game. It was through players like Aaginim and Luci that he saw what true top-level players could be. He didn’t care who was the latest comedian on some stupid NHK variety show, or what new mangas came out every week. Most of them were just rehashes of the isekai formula, and outside of the same jokes circulated online over and over again, nothing was interesting. But these players, [i]they[/i] were interesting. In the real world, they could be any boring schlub. But here, in Pariah? They were just as important as a Hollywood movie star, and their words carried so much more weight. 

And here, watching them shut down arguments and talk to people around them, Benkei felt how huge that gap between them was. What did he have to say for himself after so much time spent in the game? He’d broken the top 100 for the first time ever, but even that was tenuous at [i]best[/i]. Did he have the same staying power as the rest of the people here; everyone who had a sense of personality around their character? What would others see him as? 

[i]DPS, start pumping out more damage or just feed yourself to the monster already. You’re useless! 

Do you call that support? You’re better off casting a low-level attack spell than trying to buff my defense with that crap. 

Kazuki, wake the hell up and start healing the others! You’re going to make us wipe! [/i] 

He could hear his heartbeat thundering in his eardrums. It felt like back then, when mom and dad used to scream at each other, and he’d hide behind Kazuki. Even when they were in middle school, Kazuki had always been taller. Better. And he was simply small and powerless. Helpless. What if he was the one that fell behind in this raid? What if-what if for the first time, he was just like all the scrubs and parasites he looked down upon. What if he couldn’t rise to the level of those just out of reach? 

He looked down to see that his hands were shaking, and Kazuki’s eyes were on him. Not out of anger or confusion, but of concern. [color=#98A9B1][i]I hate that look.[/i][/color] Benkei thought. [color=#98A9B1]”It’s nothing,”[/color] he attempted to reassure his brother, [color=#98A9B1]”I’m just excited to get started.”[/color] 

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