The forest floor crunched under heavy boots as the masked woman's hunting party closed in.
Four figures—two armored guards, a wiry scout with a crossbow, and their leader—paused where Aiko's tent had stood moments before.
"What in the hells…?"
The scout kicked at the flattened grass. No tent. No footprints. Just a faint shimmer in the air, like heat haze.
The masked woman knelt, gloved fingers brushing the soil. Cold seeped through her demon mask as she spoke.
"Sorcery. "
"But the sanctuary was here," the scout insisted. "I saw it through my spyglass! A blue tent, glowing like—"
"You saw illusions." The masked woman straightened, dusting dirt from her knees. "If her protector were truly powerful, she'd be surrounded by armies. Not cowering in woods."
One guard shifted uneasily. "But the earthquake… The trees that moved—"
"Coincidence." The mask turned toward him. "You let a half-starved slave outsmart you. Now you jump at shadows to save face."
The men fell silent.
Meanwhile, Michael's remaining handscrolled the in-game store.
[Divine Intervention Package]
Instantly teleport Companion to safety!
~~
[$9999.99]
[Limited Offer: $5999.99!]
[Heavenly Armor Set]
Negates all physical damage for 24 hours!
$5999.99
[Decoy Scroll]
Summons a phantom clone to distract enemies for 1 hour.
$4.99
[Basic Healing Potion]
Restores minor wounds. Tastes like bubblegum!
$0.99
He couldn't afford the big-ticket items. Even if he drained his entire savings, it is doutful that stuff like Heavenly Armor Set would totally fend off Tatsuya.
Think. What's cheap but useful?
Aiko's survival window was shrinking.
On the Environmental Scan, the four red dots—the Teahouse hunters—had split up. Two veered left, lured by the tent's sudden disappearance. The other two continued toward Aiko's new location.
Time until enemy contact: 8 minutes.
"Decoy Scroll," Michael muttered, tapping the $4.99 option.
If he could trick the hunters into chasing a fake Aiko, it might buy time.
[Purchase confirmed! Decoy Scroll added to Inventory.]
[Remaining Balance: $1,078.09]
He opened his Inventory and dragged the scroll's icon onto the forest map. A glowing X appeared over a cluster of trees half a mile from Aiko's position.
Deploy here. Make it loud.
The scroll activated with a pixelated poof. On Aiko's side of the screen, a ghostly version of herself materialized in the distance, sprinting through the woods.
Meanwhile, the real Aiko crouched behind a mossy boulder, the borrowed knife clutched in her sweating palm.
She'd followed Kami-sama's signs—a deer's sudden flight, the lantern's warning flare—but now…
Crash.
A twig snapped to her left. She froze.
Crunch. Crunch.
Boots. Heavy, methodical. Hunters.
Aiko pressed herself flat against the boulder. Her cursed body trembled—not with fear, but weakness. Strength: 1. Agility: 1. Even a child could overpower her now.
Kami-sama… she prayed silently. If this is my end, let me die with honor.
Then—
"THERE SHE IS!"
A man's shout echoed from the east. Aiko peeked around the boulder. Two hunters in leather armor sprinted past her hiding spot, chasing a pale figure darting between trees.
Her own face stared back—a translucent copy of herself, glowing faintly.
"A trick…?" Aiko whispered.
The decoy zigzagged, leading the hunters deeper into the woods. Their leader—a woman in a horned demon mask—snarled, "Don't lose her!"
Aiko didn't hesitate. She bolted in the opposite direction, her bare feet slipping on wet leaves. Every step felt like running through mud. Endurance: 1. Her lungs burned.
Inside the hospital.
"Work, work, work," Michael chanted, watching the Decoy Scroll's timer tick down.
00:59… 00:58…
The two hunters were gaining on the decoy. The other two had doubled back, suspicious.
Think. Another distraction.
He scrolled the store again.
[Smoke Bomb]
Creates a 30-foot cloud of obscuring smoke.
$1.99
[Animal Bait]
Attracts aggressive wildlife to target area.
$2.99
Michael bought both.
[Remaining Balance: $1,073.11]
He dropped the Animal Bait near the hunters' path. Instantly, the bushes rustled. A wild boar charged out, tusks gleaming. The hunters skidded to a halt, dodging as the enraged beast rammed a tree.
"Now the smoke!" Michael deployed the Smoke Bomb at their feet.
Poof.
A thick gray cloud swallowed the hunters. Coughing and cursing erupted.
Yes!
Michael's hospital monitor beeped erratically as he stared at the Environmental Scan.
The four red dots representing the hunters had scattered—two still chasing the decoy, one trapped by the boar, and the leader in the demon mask circling back.
Her dot pulsed angrily, zigzagging toward Aiko's position with terrifying speed.
Think. Cheap solutions.
He swiped sweat from his brow with his remaining hand.
Aiko stumbled over a root, barely catching herself on a tree. Her stamina bar flashed red—[Endurance: 1/100]. Each gasping breath sounded through the phone's speaker.
"Kami-sama… I can't…" she whispered, leaning against the trunk.
Yes, you can. Because I'm gonna bankrupt myself keeping you alive. Michael frantically scrolled the store.
[Caltrops Bundle - $1.99]
Scatter spiked traps to slow pursuers.
[Fog Generator - $2.99]
Creates dense fog in a 50-foot radius for 10 minutes.
[Distraction Whistle - $0.99]
Emits a loud noise to draw enemies away.
He bought all three.
Remaining Balance: $1,067.14
"C'mon, c'mon…" He dragged the caltrops icon onto the path behind Aiko. Pixelated spikes materialized in the dirt.
The masked hunter leader sprinted around a bend—and cursed as her boot slammed into the caltrops. She crashed into a bush, swearing violently.
Yes! Michael fist-pumped, then immediately deployed the fog. Thick mist swallowed the forest, reducing visibility to zero.
Aiko spun, bewildered. "A… protective veil?"
"Just RUN!" Michael shouted uselessly at his screen. He tapped the [Tree] symbol repeatedly, creating a glowing path toward a rocky outcrop.
Aiko lurched forward, clutching her side. Every movement was agony with [Strength: 1], but she followed the ethereal lights only she could see.
The hunter leader emerged from the fog limping, her mask askew to reveal a scarred lip. "Witchcraft won't save you, traitor!"
Michael hit the [Distraction Whistle].
HOOOOONK!
The shrill blast echoed through the woods, sounding from three different directions. The hunter froze, crossbow raised.
"Which way?!" she snarled.
Aiko reached the rocks, collapsing into a narrow crevice.
Michael checked the Scan. The fog was lifting. The hunters were regrouping.
Need a bigger distraction.
[Summon Forest Guardian - $14.99]
Calls a friendly spirit beast for 5 minutes.
He hesitated. $14.99 was steep, but…
Purchase confirmed!
Remaining Balance: $1,052.15
The ground rumbled. A massive badger spirit erupted near the hunters, glowing with ethereal fire. It roared, swiping claws the size of swords.
"Demon!" a hunter screamed as the beast charged.
Aiko peeked from her hiding spot, eyes wide. "A… divine protector?"
Five minutes. Michael watched the timer. Make them count.