Chapter 40 — When Girls Enter His World
Night had not yet fully taken over the city, but the sky was already deepening into that soft indigo where the first stars timidly appeared.
Inside three very different rooms, three very different women stared at the same thing.
A game title.
World of Ancient Ruins: Path to Heaven
---
Saeko — "If Haru-kun is there, then I'll be there too…"
Saeko lay on her bed, hugging a round pillow to her chest so tightly it was almost being strangled. The dim light of her phone screen lit up her face as she stared at the game icon she'd just finished downloading.
Her heart had been restless all day.
It began when she refreshed the bulletin board and saw that thread again.
[New Viral Clip]
"Haru – Rune Swordsman clears Temple like a pro??"
She'd clicked it without thinking.
And there he was.
Even though it was just an avatar, she recognized him. Not with her eyes, but with some strange instinct that had grown quietly ever since she met him.
His timing, his calm reaction, his voice through the mic when he said:
"Let's do our best."
Her heart had thumped so hard she almost dropped her phone.
"H–Haru-kun… you're even cool in games," she whispered into her pillow, kicking her feet lightly in the air.
She scrolled the comments under the clip.
"He's a girl, 100%. No way a boy plays games."
"LOL 'I'm a boy' suuuure hahaha."
"Even if he's a girl, I'll still marry that avatar."
"If that's a real boy, I'll eat my keyboard."
Saeko puffed her cheeks, frowning.
"Stupid… he's really a boy… you all don't know anything…"
Her thumb hovered over the reply button for a full three seconds before she chickened out and locked her phone.
But the idea didn't leave.
If he was playing this game regularly…
That meant a place existed where he was free.
Where there were no bodyguards, no strict rules, no overprotective stares.
A place where he could just be "Haru."
The thought made her chest tighten with a strange mix of anxiety and excitement.
She unlocked her phone again, opened her chat list, and tapped on the name that always appeared near the top these days.
Reina (Annoying but Useful)
She typed, erased, typed again, and finally sent:
Saeko:
"Reina… did you see the viral game clip of Haru-kun?"
The reply came quickly.
Reina:
"Of course I saw it. My future husband is trending. Why?"
Reina:
"Don't tell me you're just watching without doing anything."
Saeko hesitated.
Then:
Saeko:
"I… downloaded the game."
Saeko:
"World of Ancient Ruins."
Saeko:
"I want to go there too…"
She immediately rolled in her bed after sending that, burying her burning face into the pillow.
What if she laughs at me… what if she says I'm too clingy… aaaa—
Her phone buzzed again.
Reina:
"…I also downloaded it."
Saeko blinked.
Reina:
"We can't let strange women surround him even in games."
Reina:
"If they see him as some 'cute newbie boy,' they'll pounce."
Reina:
"We must secure territory first."
Saeko stared at the messages, half terrified and half impressed.
"…Reina is scary… but reliable…"
Saeko:
"A-Are we… playing together then…?"
Reina:
"Calm down. First we find what server he's on."
Reina sent a screenshot from the clip: a small corner of the UI where the server was faintly visible.
[Server: East Sky – 02]
Reina:
"Here. This is his server."
Reina:
"We log in, learn how not to embarrass ourselves, and once we're strong enough, we find him."
Reina:
"And if anyone flirts too much, we 'accidentally' KS their mobs."
Saeko's lips curled into a shy smile.
Saeko:
"…Okay."
Saeko:
"Let's protect him there too."
Her heart pounded.
Not just from jealousy, but from something sweeter:
The idea of standing beside him, even if only as avatars made of light and pixels.
---
Saeko Creates Her Character
She tapped the game icon.
The screen darkened, then swirled into the familiar fantasy logo.
"Welcome to World of Ancient Ruins: Path to Heaven."
Character creation loaded.
Two silhouettes appeared: Male / Female.
Saeko's finger trembled.
"If I choose male… I'll be just like those weird girls pretending," she muttered.
She picked female.
A model appeared — tall, beautiful, intimidating.
"Ah… no, this feels scary…"
She slid the slider down, making the avatar a bit shorter, soft-faced, with purple eyes and a gentle expression. She tied the character's hair into a simple side ponytail.
"…This is more like it…"
Name field blinked under it.
Enter Character Name:
She typed slowly:
Sae_Rune
"Too obvious?" she whispered. Then shrugged and pressed confirm.
Class selection came up.
Light Oracle (Healer / Support)
Spirit Archer
Rune Swordsman
Mist Dancer
Stone Guardian
Arcane Brawler
Her eyes stopped on Light Oracle.
A healer.
"…If I'm a healer… I can protect Haru-kun from behind…"
She chose it.
The game wrapped her avatar in light and loaded the starting city.
Saeko appeared in the bustling plaza she'd seen in the clip: floating banners, stone paths, dozens of players running around, chatting, riding glowing mounts.
Immediately, world chat exploded.
[World][CuteMage89]: LFG Temple Beginner
[World][SoloQueen]: Any guild recruiting?
[World][NPC_Seeker]: Has anyone seen that Haru guy online today?
[World][Elf_Pain]: Still can't believe he said "I'm a boy" lol
Saeko puffed her cheeks again.
"…They really don't believe him…"
She opened the server info.
Yes. East Sky – 02.
Her heart squeezed a little.
Haru-kun really logs in… from this same screen…
She walked slowly, testing the controls. Her robe swayed. Nearby players passed her without care, some showing off fancy gear, others just standing around jumping for no reason.
She opened the Friend Search bar.
Search ID: Haru
The system replied:
"No user with that exact ID found on your friend list."
"Search across all servers is disabled. Please add from direct contact or party."
"R-Right… he said his in-game name was Haru during the video… but maybe he changed it or… or his privacy settings…"
Her shoulders drooped.
"…I can't find him… yet."
But she straightened a moment later, fingers curling slightly.
"But I can get stronger first… so when I meet him, I won't drag him down…"
She opened the dungeon menu, eyes shining with determination.
For the first time in her life, Saeko Takahashi was ready to grind exp willingly.
---
Reina — "This world is full of beasts. Even in games."
While Saeko nervously adjusted her character's robe, Reina sat cross-legged on her bed, phone in one hand, the other clutching a cushion like a war strategist hugging a battle map.
Her eyes were sharp, brows furrowed, face lit by her screen.
She had watched Haru's viral gameplay clip twelve times.
Not because she didn't understand it.
Because every time she saw him dodge cleanly, land those rune hits, and calmly say "Let's do our best," her heart did a strange, irritated thing.
How can a boy look this adorable and this cool at the same time…?!
She had scrolled the comment section once.
Just once.
It had been enough to make her blood pressure spike.
"If that's a real boy I'll bark."
"He's definitely a girl. No boy plays like that."
"Imagine having a boyfriend who carries you in dungeons ;_;"
"If I find him in-game, I'm kidnapping him to my guild."
"Kidnapping…?" Reina repeated through gritted teeth.
Her grip almost cracked the poor cushion's spine.
"These women have lost their minds."
When Saeko messaged her about downloading the game, Reina had already done it.
She opened the app now, jaw set.
I will not let random strangers hog his attention.
If anyone is allowed to cling to him, it's us.
I saw him first. Saeko can share. The rest can go to hell.
---
Reina's Avatar
Character creation loaded for her too.
Male / Female.
Unlike Saeko, Reina didn't hesitate.
She chose Female, then raised the height, gave her avatar long legs, a confident stance, short wild hair, and sharp red eyes.
"Good," she muttered. "This looks like someone who kills bosses, not picks flowers."
Name field blinked.
Enter Character Name:
She typed:
QueenBlade
Then deleted it.
Too arrogant?
No. She grinned and retyped it.
ReiBlaze
"That's fine."
Class selection popped up.
Stone Guardian (Tank)
Arcane Brawler
Rune Swordsman
Spirit Archer
Light Oracle
Mist Dancer
She hovered on Stone Guardian for a moment.
Tank class. High defense. Shield.
"If I'm a tank, I can stand in front of Haru… block everything… no girl, no monster will touch him."
She chose it.
The avatar appeared in heavy armor with a massive shield and a hammer.
"Yes," she said. "Perfect."
The world loaded, and Reina appeared in the same starting plaza as Saeko — though they didn't see each other yet, lost in different corners of the crowd.
Unlike Saeko, Reina didn't slowly walk.
She marched.
As soon as she spawned, she opened the settings, checked the server (East Sky – 02), checked the latency, checked the controls, then immediately opened system mail.
An event message rewarded new players with starter items.
She equipped everything. Then opened world chat.
[World][ReiBlaze]: Anyone know what time that Haru guy usually logs in? Just asking.
World chat instantly reacted.
[World][GossipGoddess]: Ohh ho ho, another fangirl.
[World][SwordWife]: Stand in line, hun.
[World][SaltMage]: Didn't he say he's just "casually playing"?
[World][HaruIsMine]: If you see him, you must introduce me.
Reina's eyebrow twitched.
[World][ReiBlaze]: Relax. I'm just curious how often a boy plays games.
[World][ReiBlaze]: IF he's even a boy.
[World][KeyboardEater]: If he's real, he's not allowed to exist. It's illegal level.
She quit world chat before her blood pressure exploded and opened a private chat.
Reina → Saeko:
"I'm in."
"Name: ReiBlaze. Class: Stone Guardian."
"Add me later. For now, learn the basics."
Her eyes narrowed as she looked around at the crowded plaza.
All these female avatars. All these potential "Haru fans."
She smirked coldly.
"Enjoy your fantasies while you can," she muttered. "When we find him, we'll build a wall so thick around him even the camera can't peek."
Reina opened the Dungeon menu next, not to run anything yet, but just to read all the descriptions to understand the progression system.
In games or life, Reina was always the same:
If she protected something, she gave everything.
---
— Akari Joins the Game
While Saeko and Reina nervously explored a new world with determination and clumsy optimism, another woman sat in a room that almost felt like a different universe.
Akari Hoshizuki's apartment was mostly dark.
The curtains were drawn.
Only the soft pale glow of a tablet screen lit her face.
On it, the game logo pulsed softly.
World of Ancient Ruins: Path to Heaven
She watched the title for a full minute without pressing anything, her expression unreadable.
Then, slowly, she tapped Start.
---
Akari Logs In
A login name field appeared.
Enter account ID:
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard.
She typed:
Haru
The system responded immediately.
"Username unavailable."
For a moment, Akari was perfectly still.
Then, very slowly… she smiled.
Not wide. Not bright. Just a small, curling smile that looked almost gentle if you weren't paying attention.
"So," she whispered, "he's here… somewhere…"
Her eyes softened in a way that would have seemed sweet if you didn't see the glint underneath.
She didn't try any other name related to him. In her mind, it was enough to know:
He existed in this world.
She calmly typed another ID.
SilentReader
Password. Confirm. Done.
Character selection came up.
Male / Female.
She chose Female without hesitation. She didn't want anyone confusing her with him, even by type. Their existences had to stay separate. He was light. She was shadow.
The avatar appeared. She didn't bother customizing it much.
Short hair. Neutral expression. Plain robe.
A simple, easily forgettable digital shell.
> "This is just a tool," she murmured. "Not me."
She hit confirm.
---
Wrong Server. Wrong Place. Wrong Crowd.
Without really checking anything, she let the game select the "Recommended server."
Which was not East Sky – 02.
It was West Vale – 04.
The loading screen faded.
Akari's avatar spawned in a crowded open area — not the safe starting city, but an outer region with cracked ground and red sky.
System messages popped up:
"Welcome back to West Vale – 04!"
"You are currently in an open PvP zone."
She blinked once.
"…PvP?"
Before she could even look around properly—
[Warning]You are being targeted by [BloodyMoon].
Her avatar jerked backward as another player's greatsword slammed into her.
HP: 100% → 12%
The screen flashed red.
World chat overflowed.
[Local][BloodyMoon]: LOL new spawn?
[Local][GraveCamper]: Another newbie.
[Local][TrashTalker]: Look at that default skin. Tutorial skipped speedrun.
Akari's fingers tightened slightly over the tablet, but she didn't panic.
Her avatar wobbled, trying to step back, but another attack came.
HP: 12% → 0%
"You have been slain."
Her character collapsed.
The respawn window popped up:
"Respawn at nearest obelisk?" [Yes]
She pressed Yes.
Same area, same red sky.
She breathed out. Her voice was calm.
"…So there are beasts here too."
She took one cautious step.
Arrows flew from somewhere off-screen.
HP: 100% → 5%
[Local][ArrowAddict]: NPC teacher??
[Local][GraveCamper]: Why are you playing this if you suck? 💀
[Local][BloodyMoon]: Go back to the tutorial, grandma.
[Local][SaltQueen]: Free kill again lol.
Her avatar died again.
The screen blurred, then respawned.
Her hand shook.
Not from fear.
From anger.
It was a quiet, cold trembling — the kind that starts deep inside and moves outward.
She stared at the red-tinted screen. The chat messages kept scrolling, casually cruel, half joking.
"Grandma"
"NPC teacher"
"Why are you playing"
Her lips parted in a soft, humourless laugh.
"…Grandma?"
Her eyes narrowed just a fraction.
"You shouldn't insult strangers like that," she muttered. "It's dangerous. You don't know who's on the other side of the screen."
For a long moment, she just stood there, letting her avatar be killed again and again. Testing. Observing.
They were strong. They were practiced. They were bored.
She recognized the pattern.
Predators in digital form.
---
The Switch in Her Mind
On the fifth death, she didn't press respawn immediately.
She stared at the "Revive?" window as if it were something much bigger than a game UI.
Her expression smoothed out. Her breathing slowed. That familiar coldness settled behind her eyes — the same that had appeared long ago behind the school gym when three bullies lay bleeding at her feet.
In her mind, images overlapped.
Stone wraiths. Haru's calm voice. Women mocking him in the comments. Women killing her avatar and calling her "grandma."
It blended together into a single, ugly impression:
This world — real or digital — was full of women who didn't deserve him.
Quietly, she whispered,
"These women… touching him… speaking to him… trying to get close…"
Her hand, resting on the tablet, trembled.
"They all need to disappear."
The sentence hung in the air like a knife.
Then she took a long breath and smoothed it over.
Her voice gentled.
"No… not yet," she said. "Not until I find him first."
She clicked Respawn one more time.
Then immediately opened the Server List.
---
Confirming His Existence
She scrolled through the server list until she saw it:
[East Sky – 02]
"High activity. Trend: Temple Dungeon. Featured Player: 'Haru' (Unofficial)."
Her finger hovered over the server.
A quiet thrill ran through her chest, like electricity.
"There you are," she whispered.
The game wouldn't let her transfer this character directly.
"To join another server, please create a new character."
She didn't do that yet.
Instead, she opened a small notebook app in the corner of her tablet and created a new file.
Title:
Operation: Locate Haru — Digital Monitoring Phase
She began typing.
[Entry 01]
– Confirmed: Haru uses ID "Haru" or variant.
– Game: World of Ancient Ruins: Path to Heaven
– Server: East Sky – 02
– Evidence: Viral clip, bulletin screenshots.
New hunting ground acquired.
He cannot hide from me. Not here. Not anywhere.
She tapped the screen lightly, satisfied.
Then added one more line.
"When I find him here, I'll make sure no one in this world — real or virtual — can drag him away."
Her reflection on the screen looked calm.
Sweet, even.
Only the sharp focus in her eyes betrayed what she really meant.
She exited the notebook, looked back at the server name for a few more seconds, then closed the game.
Not because she was giving up.
Because she was planning.
Softly, in the dark of her room, she spoke to no one:
"Wait for me, Haru.
You're always so kind… so gentle… You won't run, right?
You never run."
She smiled faintly.
"And if any girl tries to cling too much…
I'll just… cut their connection."
Her voice was light.
Her meaning wasn't.
---
Three Paths Crossing Soon
That night, three different girls went to sleep with the same game icon on their screens.
Saeko, hugging her pillow, whispering,
"I'll heal you, Haru-kun… even if it's just as a Light Oracle…"
Reina, staring at the ceiling with a determined glare, thinking,
"No matter what, I'll stand in front. No one will touch you."
Akari, lying in the dark, fingers resting on the tablet, silently promising,
"You can't escape me. Not in school. Not in modeling. Not even in games."
They didn't know it yet.
But very soon,
their worlds — school, modeling studio, and now virtual dungeons — would collide in ways none of them were ready for.
---
— To be continued…
+——————+———+——————+
Author Note 📝
Some of you were wondering how the players in-game instantly thought Akari was a "teacher."
It wasn't because they discovered her real identity — not at all.
It's simply because Akari designed her avatar to look exactly like a strict, old-fashioned teacher, so of course the players started calling her that.
Just a coincidence… but a very funny one.
And about Saeko, Reina, and Akari meeting each other in-game —
I know, I know, many of you were waiting for that moment in this chapter.
But I want the story to flow naturally.
If I force them to meet too early, it could break the pacing and disturb the build-up that's forming right now.
So please trust me a little longer.
Their first encounter will happen soon — and when it does, it will be worth the wait.
Thank you for always supporting me, my dear readers. Your patience, comments, and excitement really mean a lot to me.
— king_fuzu