Artificial Fantasy

Chapter 72: Motivation

As I step through the circle that the game summoned for Wind's duel, I can't help but feel worried about him. It's not just because I want to fight by his side, but because he's accepted that rude player's challenge without any hesitation. To be honest, I'm a bit jealous. He gets to be a hero and I end up on the sidelines not because I'm a magician. If I can try to get the chance, then I...

"Wait, that's all that crafter do? Man, I was hoping he turn this battle around."

"I thought so, too. I don't care what he said about the [Masteries], that jerk already harassed a lot of players here and he needs some kind of karma coming right at him."

"Still, he's just a crafter. There's no way a low-leveled player would go up against a well-equipped player."

"Well, there goes my [Lapi]... I've been betting on a crafter for nothing!"

Huh?! Wait. What's with the changed attitude with the spectators? As I turn my attention to the battle, I gasp to see that not only has Wind dropped his sword a few feet away from him, but he's surrounded by the rude player about to raise his sword above him

"WIND!" I scream before I start pounding my fist on the barrier. Even so, it remains intact and just gives a small window notice informing me to not punch the barrier. I can't just sit here and do nothing! I need to get in there and...

"Hold it, Kazu!" I hear Star behind me as I find myself being grabbed on my collar and carried up to see her face. "I know you're worried about Windy, but you know this duel is supposed to be 1-on-1. Even if you want to, the game just won't let you."

"Seriously?! That's not fair! Wind is my older brother and partner! I can't just let him leave him like this!" I scream as I continue to try to get into the fight, but Star pulls me up again and frowns.

"Hey! Calm down, Kaz! Geez, I thought you believe that your brother can win this bout."

"I-I know, but..." I sigh in dismay as Star gently put me down. "It's my fault for dragging him into this. I try to protect the stand from them and I just ended up being the load again. I know he's always protecting me from bullies and other dangerous stuff, but the more he steps in, the more I feel useless to him and everyone else."

It's not an exaggeration. Even though I've tried to stand up to myself many times, I've mostly been forced to rely on Hayate to protect when it's too much for me. The more he steps in, the more I doubt my abilities to defend myself. Because of this, I wish that I can find something that I can be useful to him. Yet even in [Isekai Online], I can't even try to stand up or defend myself as his partner and guide. Guess no matter how hard I try to help him, I'm still under my brother's shad-

SMAAACCCKKKK!!!

"Ow! What the heck was that?!" I scream in pain as it runs through my cheek. When I look up, I gasp to see that Annie is the one who slapped me.

"Because you keep telling lies to yourself! You're not useless! You helped me back to my s- I mean, Star, and you finished that very important [Quest]. If you're really useless, then you should have failed them! You just have to believe yourself. At least that's what Star told me."

Believe myself, huh? I didn't consider that until now. Wind always tells me that I can't keep being scared for all of my life. So...

"H-Huh?! Hey, what the hell is happening over there?!"

My eyes widen when I hear another one of the spectators call out. We then turn around and gasp again at what we saw. Rather than seeing the rude player stabbing Wind, he screams in pain as I notice that there's an arrow stuck on his shoulder. Before I can question what happened, I see Wind up in the air holding his bow and arrow before he fires the latter, which stabs through one of his opponent's eyes. I see Star cover Annie's eyes upon seeing this, yet I just keep watching as I see him falling and shooting his arrow. At that point, I quickly cover my eyes just before the player screams in pain and before the weird pixel things cover the whole fight, knowing that Wind doesn't want me to see this anymore. Instead, I just hear the rest of the battle until I hear his sword slash through something. When I open my eyes, I gasp to see the rude player's body disappear into data and after a few seconds, a window appears above the battlefield.