Log Horizon: Trickster Fae

Ch.1

MMORPGs are massive games designed to allow people far away to play together as if right next to each other. Players fight each other, they help each other, they hate each other, and some find love with each other. It is something Uzumaki Naruto found he understood quite well, to the point he guarded as a close secret… Well, until now.

“Ah, crap, crap, crap! Heal! I need healing! I’m dying.”

“Calm down. I am healing you.” Naruto sighed, busy clicking away with a  mouse in each hand. “We are almost done. Only ten percent health left on the area boss.” Naruto focused on the large boar creature on the computer screen they were fighting.

“Are we going to defeat it?” The person next to him said with excitement.

“Yep. In fact… Just defeated your first level 20 area boss for an open zone.” Naruto said, hearing a chime from the computer next to him. “And you just got to level up. Congrats, that’s an impressive feat, considering we’ve been at this off and on for only a week.” Naruto said while stretching. And I really need to invest in a computer desk and chair. I done this on the floor for too long. Naruto moved his neck back and forth to get a kink out.

“Yes! We did it!” Naruto sweated as his sensei, Umino Iruka, stood up in joy and instantly flinch in pain with lifting his arms in the air. “Ow…”

“You’re still recovering from that shuriken to your back, sensei… Also, I might need to invest in sound proofing. My neighbor must still be out since he hasn’t started banging yet.” Naruto said, looking down at the floor. He’s been oddly quiet this whole week. Maybe he’s on a mission? Naruto tapped the floor cautiously, expecting the sound of a broom sooner or later.

“S-Sorry.” Iruka said, sheepishly sitting back down. “However, where the heck did you even get this contraption. No wonder your cooperation grades quite high compared to others. This simulation is amazing!” Iruka said, pointing at the game playing on the multiple computer screens. There were four screens going, each showing a different character as the focus. One looked like a younger Iruka and was on the screen before Iruka. The three other screens were before Naruto and arranged in a curve, allowing Naruto sight of all three screens as he played three different characters: a small, cute cat person wearing a gothic lolita dress, a tall, red hair kitsune woman in a maid outfit, and a man in full armor with a helm hiding his head.

“I just found it when I fixed up an old computer and found an email for the game,” Naruto said, looking away in embarrassment. “Since then, I been playing... I think it’s been 6, maybe 8 years? Don’t remember. It’s kind of my escape from real life that gives me a chance to breathe.”

Iruka gave Naruto an understanding smile. “I understand. I should be thankful you are even sharing this with me… But, seriously, with how much even I’ve gotten into this, it makes me wonder how much money you could make selling it to others.” Iruka said, giving the screens a skeptic look.

“Elder Tales is a subscription based MMORPG. Only ryou isn’t one of the currencies it uses for some reason. So, I pay off mine through making new programs to use within the game like the mutli-box system and even helping with testing bugs to pay for my accounts.” Iruka sweated at the sheepish blond. “But, I am quite thankful for it. I have friends on here. I might not be right next to them in person, but I feel I am when I’m playing with them.” Naruto said, a small smile forming on his lips. I learned teamwork and how to understand others through Elder Tales. That you can’t rely on just yourself. Though, I’m still figuring out my place in the real world. I just wished it was easier like Elder Tales. Naruto thought as Iruka took back his mouse.

“Oh, I got a lot of items dropped. Are they good for crafting?” Iruka asked while pointing at the screen.

“Not at this moment with your level. We focused all on your combat, so might as well figure out a subclass. Crafting is good in this game, but there is a lot of others outside crafting. Just depends on how you want to play.”