"Come on, then!" Joe gestured. "You know that?!"

"You don't even know how much money I have!"

Maggie struggled to prove that her words were more than just rhetoric, and she made a series of intricate key and lever movements on the controller in her hand. The characters on the screen respond to these prompts by performing a combination of high and low attacks. However, as impressive as it is, Joe's perfect timing input completely fends off the attack, leaving his character completely unscathed. He then immediately launched a counterattack, which was countered by Maggie, inflicting the last bit of damage she needed to win the round.

"Player 2 wins!" The match commentator announced.

"Oh, don't do that!" Joe screams at the screen. "How can this be fair?!"

"You know you don't deserve me, but you keep challenging me," Maggie said smugly. "It's lovely."

“R

We'll see! I'm going to turn the tide and make you swallow those words!"

Although the score was in his opponent's favor, it was a best-of-five game. So, Joe certainly has a chance to win in theory. However, looking at how badly he was beaten in those two rounds, the actual odds of his claim victory are negligible. Of course, he refused to admit defeat until the bitter end. He's been playing Road Warrior 7 at a competitive level for the past two months, so he can't let this rookie who came out just five days ago beat him. His pride as a player, a man, and a person is on this line.

The start of the third round was no different from the previous rounds. Maggie goes on the offensive, forcing Joe to defend himself while trying to find a breakthrough. When it comes to skill and execution, the girl clearly has the upper hand. It's very easy to press a series of buttons at the right time, and her reflexes are so fast that nothing can surprise her. However, Joe has two things she doesn't have – experience and strategy.

He noticed that Maggie also relied on two quick combos because of their high efficiency. She also seized every opportunity to fight back that came her way. In short, she is predictable. In addition, the girl can't tell if one of Joe's moves is a feint, and she is fascinated by Joe's every move. These flaws provide Joe with a chance to fight back.

He withstands her combo, spurring her to parry an unlikely attack, and then strikes before her character recovers. This happens for the next 90 seconds, as he methodically grinds Maggie's health bar to zero. No matter how good her reaction is and how well the timing is, if she can't do anything after blowing a move, there's no point. Admittedly, she could have rewritten the game's code using the "magic touch" method, but this is cheating. It is impossible for Maggie to violate the rules of the tournament that she voluntarily agreed to participate in.

"Player 1 wins!" Perfect!"

Therefore, the commentator of the match enthusiastically announced that Joe had won without a clean blow.

"Yes, baby! He waved his fists and cheered. "What do you think of me?"

However, when he turned to look at Maggie, there was not a hint of emotional sting on her face. Just pure, undiluted, incredible focus. The man quickly controlled his enthusiasm and threw himself into the game. It's clear that his opponent has had enough of idle days and will do whatever it takes to take on him. Considering what lies beneath the beautiful exterior, this is truly a terrifying prospect.

"Player 1 wins!" Perfect!"

However, nothing has changed. No matter how fast and accurate Maggie is, she is still limited by the medium through which she fights. That said, Joe's ability to adapt and overcome this terrifying mechanical skill is remarkable in itself. Of course, there are many others who can do this. He lives on a planet of 17 billion unemployed people who have nothing to do but in virtual reality. Admittedly, only a small percentage of them spend their time on Road Warriors 7, but on the planetary ranking ladder, there are still 80,000 people above Joe. He's far from the best, but when he announced that he was in the final round, he definitely felt like the best.

"Phew! He finally relaxed. "That's exhausting. You've fought a big battle for a newbie. ”

"I throw in the towel," Maggie sighed heavily. "This medium, known as video games, still holds a lot of secrets."

"So. Want to do it again?"

The girl blinked for a moment before answering.

"Curious. While I'm undoubtedly bothered by my defeat, I find myself enthusiastically looking forward to the rematch. What a strange emotional paradox. ”

It seemed like a small thing, but it was the first time she had felt like this, and the feeling itself had an indescribable freshness.

"That's the magic of a well-designed video game," Joe says with a laugh. "You can lose badly and still have fun."

"I'm starting to understand why you're the way you are, Joe Mulligan."

In fact, many of this man's eccentric behaviors can be attributed to his upbringing. Between the state taking care of all his basic needs and the vast amount of virtual media provided, it's no surprise that Joe's sense of self-preservation is so underdeveloped. He never encountered any major adversity, so he couldn't realize it until it was too late. At least that's what Maggie thinks. She is by no means an expert in human psychology or behavioral patterns, but it is also not for nothing that she is called an "observer."

After Maggie loses the rematch, Joe decides to turn things around before her bad emotions tear a hole in the universe. He has a fairly large library of games with games of all genres. His girlfriend clearly appreciates the variety of mechanics, story, and art styles that the game offers. She'd tried at least once. From the blockbuster Stealy Wheely Automobiley 6 to Huff Huff's Nut-a

D-Speggle puzzle's absolute dustbin fire, each of them has something unique in their own way. The last sentence in particular made Maggie aware of a seemingly inconsequential topic.

"Joe, do you know this thing called Spiegel?"

"Huh? Ah, that thing? I loved it when I was a kid, but I think I didn't like it when I grew up. ”

"What is it made of?"

"I guess there's fruit concentrate in it, right?" Not entirely sure, but I can order some if you want. ”

"Of course I do."

"Okay, give me a minute."

Joe stood up from his favorite bean bag and walked to the fridge. He lit the condiment that Maggie was interested in as he quickly and skillfully operated the touchscreen above. Of course, he doesn't necessarily need to do all of this. It's a virtual world where he can operate several menus from his seat. However, the V-Life platform is more than just a means of entertainment.

Although it started out like this, countless people like Joe actually lived in it. This is the only viable way for them to experience what it's like to have a spacious home with real furnishings. That's why they're cramming their private digital homes with all sorts of technologically unwanted junk, like redundant game consoles and pointless refrigerators. Small things like walking around, pressing buttons, and serving plates are considered mild entertainment, so the inhabitants of the metaverse go out of their way to do them.

"Oh, wow. Hey, Maggie?" Joe shouted from the other end of the room. Obviously, Speggle comes in several flavors. Do you want Nana, a peach sickle, honey, or a starberry?"

“Sta

be

y sounds appealing," she replied, her eyes not taking off the game screen.

The guy knocked on the refrigerator's display a few more times, and a white tube appeared in front of him with "Sta" written in weird pink letters

be

y Speggle”。

"Do you want to put it on a sandwich or something?"

"It's allowed."

Also, don't forget to try extra hard to dodge the boss's curry beam. The animation doesn't match the clickbox!"

"Your suggestion is unnecessary, but I appreciate it."

She continues to challenge herself to the wagon game while Joe assembles the aforementioned sandwiches. Admittedly, calling it that way gives him too much credence in his creations. It's actually just a slice of toast topped with some unrecognizable pink paste topped with a few spoonfuls of baked beans. He made another one for himself, put them on a plate, and walked back to Maggie, just in time to see the cartoon character she controlled transformed into a bowl of curry.

"It's the most unpleasant," she probably pouted. "I would very much like to find the people responsible for this abominable digital product and thoroughly educate them on the importance of quality assurance."

"I know that feeling. The same is true for half of the galaxy. The game was so bad that it even led to the bankruptcy of the company that made Speggle. These things are impossible to find outside of V-Life. ”

"Is this an extinct taste?"

"I think that's a good way to put it," Joe shrugged and took a bite of the sandwich. "Hey. It's also a relief. I've forgotten how cheap this stuff is. ”

Maggie thought it was a little funny, as he clearly didn't like the product, but that didn't stop him from chewing, swallowing, and then taking another bite. Then she glanced at her share, and then she suddenly had a strange realization.

"Joe. I want to experience real food. ”

"Yes, I heard you. This is rubbish. I'd better go for a delicious stew. ”

"You're mistaken. I'm referring to non-virtual food. ”

"Uh...... All right? He raised an eyebrow.

"Did my request confuse you?"

"A little. You know that V-Life's food simulations are 99.6% accurate in real life, right?"

"The difference of 0.4% is very important to me, and equally important are the aspects that the creators of this virtual world have overlooked in the process of eating."

In fact, in Maggie's view, the digital reinvention of food is rather superficial. Its texture, aroma, consistency, and taste are all there, and these are enough to convince the brain that it is eating real food. However, in this cosmic entity in the shape of a girl, this is not enough. She wants to feel the chemicals in her saliva begin the process of digestion, or the sensation of her body extracting trace amounts of energy from biological matter.

"I'm sorry, Maggie, but I really can't afford real food right now," Joe winced. "Spent most of this month's pocket money on matchmaking, remember?" At least in two weeks I'll be out of money. ”

"That's terrible news, isn't it?" She looked at him with an almost worried look.

"Huh? I mean, it's not great, but I'm not going to die because I don't have money. ”

"Does your flesh not need food that you cannot afford to buy?"

"Oh, it matters. It's just that when I'm here, the pods will take care of these things for me. ”

"You did mention this before, but I need to elaborate. What do your pods give you to eat?"

"It's called'

ot - goop’。 I know it sounds silly, but it's basically the main diet of my life. ”

Noot-Goop is a synthetic protein paste that contains all the nutrients, vitamins, and water that the average person needs to survive. Its main drawback is that humans can't agree on how to flavor it, so it's scientifically made as plain as possible. This is not important as it is usually administered through a feeding tube and physical sensation is inhibited by VR pods.

"Don't you have to pay for this kind of thing?" She asked.

"Nope. It's basically free. ”

In fact, V-Life's subscription fee includes a stable supply

OT - Goop, but Joe doesn't see it as an expense, as a portion of his pocket money automatically pays for it.

"Also, how do you know money, but not food?" It was Joe's turn to ask.

"Any sentient civilization will inevitably develop the concept of money as a measure of an individual's contribution to society. On the contrary, not all living things need nutrients like humans. ”

"Yes, yes. Well, I can't really treat you to anything unless you can conjure up a few hundred pounds for us. ”

"It's simple."

"Wait, really?"

"I noticed that your currency is digital. Maybe you didn't notice, but I'm pretty good at manipulating this kind of thing. ”

"Yes, but ...... Isn't that stealing?"

By definition, theft is the illegal acquisition of property. No property in this case, Joe. ”

"Hmm. Never thought about it, but my account balance is just a number somewhere on the server, isn't it?"

"The truth of the matter is much more complicated, but it's basically true."

"Well, I believe," he shrugged. "But let's not go too far, we only need 200 today."

Maggie's eyes twinkle for a few seconds, indicating that she was racking her brains.

"That's it."

Joe checked his balance and saw that it was two hundred pounds taller than it was.

"Alright. Well, let's go! It's time for me to stretch my legs anyway. When it detects muscle atrophy, my pod gets very angry. ”

The proper command is invoked, Joe returns to his pod, and Maggie leans against him, which is his new normal. The girl did not hesitate to crawl out, but the boy stayed so that the pod could change into his somewhat smelly clothes. Wear the Ret he likes

After oStyle™ a white t-shirt and jeans, he went out and did some stretching, making sure to give the mechanical Elizabeth II photo a little wave in the process. Afterward, he talked about a little concern about his companion's appearance.

"Well, well, Maggie. Why are you still wearing that robe?"

"I have no reason to stop using it."

"Well, can you help me change into something else?"

"It's allowed. Do you have any special ideas?"

"Yes, really."

Then, the red and gold fabric twisted, swirled, darkened as it reshaped itself, and Joe thought it would look good. "More specifically, it's a plain gothic dress. Pitch black, with long sleeves and an ankle-length skirt accentuating her bulky leather boots. Aside from the senseless bare shoulders and the high slit on the right thigh, Maggie's smooth, pale skin is barely exposed. He wasn't sure where he'd seen this particular dress before, but it did look familiar. Importantly, it looked much better than that flashy robe, at least in his opinion. Considering that he is Maggie's faithful guide, his opinion is the only thing she cares about.

For the first time since Joe brought Maggie to his apartment, the two of them went to the big city of Dave-156. Because the skyscrapers are so tall and the space between them is filled with countless holographic billboards, it's impossible to know if the sun is out or not. It is common for citizens to never know what a real kiss of the sun feels like. Few of them are particularly concerned. Joe certainly didn't like it, and Maggie didn't like the lights that were too bright, so their attention was entirely focused on the upcoming dining experience.

The first obstacle was that Joe wasn't sure where to find a restaurant or a small restaurant. He only knew about the bar he sometimes went to with his friends, but he felt that it might not be appropriate. Luckily, he got used to scanning the sea of ads around him and soon found a place called Usain Bolt's burger. It's not so much a restaurant as a fully automatic automatic barbecue, but food is food and Maggie wants to eat it. So they bought a hamburger and devoured it.

Their next few stops are a cupcake vendor, a roasted nut stand, and a fresh fruit stand. The latter two are very expensive because they boast that they are organic and not artificially grown. It's okay that they're expensive, though. Joe had a feeling that Maggie would want to try all sorts of things as usual, which is why he wanted two hundred pounds. Considering that he usually only had £50 a month for pocket money after deducting fees and taxes, he thought that should be enough money to satisfy the girl's curiosity for a while.

When Joe paid for Maggie's Starberry Ice Cream, the magic money was spent, and it was the 27th he had bought that day. They had already walked a long way, and his legs were a little tired, so he chose to find a random bench to sit on the side of the road. When he did, he definitely felt something squash under his ass, but he wasn't worried because the pod would take care of him when he returned. As for Maggie, she stood beside him contentedly, gently licking her frozen food.

"So, do you like the food of this dimension?"

"Once again, I am in awe of human creativity. I don't believe I'm capable of making so many pointless pastimes. ”

"Ah, don't say that. I'm sure you'll be creative if you want to. ”

"Your confidence is lovely, but misguided. Since I've been here, I've done nothing but observe, imitate, and manipulate. Creativity requires imagination, and this is one of the least developed methods I have mastered. ”

"Oh. This...... It's kind of sad. Who knows? If you've been around us humans long enough, maybe you'll learn a thing or two. ”

"That's my hope, too."

"Hmm...... Wait, what did we just say?" He looked up at Maggie in confusion.

"That dimension is food."

"Yes, yes. Have you decided on your favorite food combination?"

"Yes. Candy. Especially the Starberry token. ”

"Is there any particular reason?"

"Sugar has a pleasant taste and is high in calories. In addition, Starberry has the word 'star' in its name. ”

"This ...... What does it matter?" He shook his head unnoticed.

"It's fun to pretend they taste like stars."

"Hit the ball. Well. ”

Hearing this unexpectedly cute answer, Joe instinctively held back a laugh, but on second thought, Maggie wasn't the kind of person who would get angry about something so small.

"Are there any other tastes you like?"

"Yes. Meat. Especially organic meat. ”

"Why is that?"

"I can feel the small amount of spiritual energy left in the once living organisms. Pain, mostly. ”

"Ah...... Well, how does that taste?"

“…… It's a little spicy. ”