[Completion rate of yourself: 8%]
Jay's killer glanced at the bright screen, which was only visible to him until he returned his attention to the girl cowering in fear.
"Can you stand?"
He was still extending his hand to Luna, who was shaking in her boots. Unable to meet his remorseless eyes, she kept staring at his blood-stained chest armor, which was as cheap-looking as hers. Pitifully, she could only attempt crawling backward when she noticed the killer trying to come closer to her.
"S-s-stay away f-from me... P-please...!" she stuttered in fear. Luna tried to catch her breath as her throat began to sting, but it felt like something was stuck in there.
"You do realize that you're just scaring her, do you? You've just killed someone." the other man scolded the killer. He finally came out from hiding, revealing his identity. It was a man the same height as the killer and roughly the same age, too. His blond hair was short and slightly wavy, whereas his blue eyes were rounder than the killer's, seeming kinder and gentler. The man did not wear any armor and instead just wore jeans, paired with white sneakers, and a beige sweater with a white shirt beneath it. In Luna's original world, he looked like an ordinary young man.
"Just look at yourself, dude." he added. The blond man could only sigh at the appearance of his comrade. The killer wore black pants, coupled with black boots, and a white buttoned shirt, which was a little baggy. However, that shirt and his chest plate—his sole piece of armor—had stains of blood on them. Even his face was not spared from the blood spray he caused.
"Well, I guess I did kill someo- Hey! Don't frame me as a murderer! It was me whom I killed!" the white-haired man argued, pointing at the disappointed blond man.
"S-so, yeah... There you have it... I'm not a bad guy, okay? I swear..." he said nervously, forcing a smile for Luna that appeared more awkward than gentle.
Luna was obviously not convinced, nor did she understand anything. Fighting against her fear, she gathered all the courage and strength she had left to get up and run away as fast as possible. And as she began to run, she noticed bright particles floating up into the air. They came from Jay's body, but Luna had no time to look back any longer.
"W-wait!"
"Let's go after her before they learn about this." the blond man stated sternly, standing beside the concerned white-haired guy.
Meanwhile, Luna kept on running until she managed to exit the forest that she and Jay had entered back then. With the sun setting, many people also chose to call it a day and return to the city. Luna wondered why they did not use the crystal to teleport like Jay did, but this situation was more favorable for her because she could now seek help.
"H-help! I-I need help!" she shouted with a quivering voice. Luckily for her, a group consisting of four people was nearby and heard her.
Seeing her state, the group immediately rushed over.
"What happened? Are you alright?" one of them asked.
Luna collapsed as she lost the strength in her legs.
"S-s-someone killed m-my friend...!"
"W-what...?!"
"Hey, inform them about this!"
One of them left the group, seeking out the help of people who were accustomed to handling criminals.
"It's alright now. We've called for help."
While the others consoled her, Luna had the chance to reflect. The world inside the tower may appear like a game at first glance, but it was still reality. As much fun as it looked like living there, one must not be naive. It was a new world. A new world meant new rules—and danger.
What Luna sought could indeed be found inside the tower, and yet, she had to acknowledge that this new life of hers, which she always wanted, was threatened. Encountering the two men made it clear. Losing her first friend made it clear.
She was a fish in a tank full of sharks. However, if this were like a game, then she, too, could evolve into something akin to a shark. She only needed to grind and level up.
"I can't..." she muttered softly under her breath. Luna knew that this was survival of the fittest—but it was also the first time she saw someone get killed right in front of her eyes. Just remembering the sight of a dead body made her sick and scared.
And speaking of the devil, the two men responsible for Luna's current state appeared.
"W-who are you?!" the leader of the group asked, gripping his sword tightly.
"Are they perhaps..." the woman, who kept consoling Luna, murmured sternly. Sensing danger, she readied her bow and arrows.
"You've got it all wrong, guys. We're not who you think we are." the blond man tried to calm the situation down, smiling as innocently as ever. He even put his hands in the air, showing that he was not hostile. Of course, his comrade did the same.
"Cut the bullshit! Do you think we're blind?!" the leader of the group remarked furiously, pointing with his sword at the still blood-stained man.
"And don't even think about deceiving or attacking us! They're on the way!"
"..."
The blond man's smile vanished.
"You've heard him, right? Let's get out of here then. I'm too tired to encounter them today." he told his comrade. But unexpectedly, the white-haired man had something else in mind.
"I want to talk to Luna. I owe her that." he responded determinedly. The man put his hands down and approached the group of people despite them being wary of the two.
"A-are you insane, Jay?! Just forget her!"
Ignoring his comrade's words, he kept going.
"Stay away, you murderer!" the other party member, who wielded two daggers, yelled. Recklessly, he and the leader stormed ahead, attempting to stop him right there.
"Dinner is on you this time."
Before the two party members could launch an attack, the blond man appeared before them in the blink of an eye.
"Gah!" the two men groaned painfully when they both simultaneously received a punch in their abdomens, sending them flying.
The leader, who was lying on the ground, looked at the blond man in shock. While his dagger-wielding comrade was already knocked out, he was barely conscious from one punch.
"T-this is not the strength of a newb-"
And before he could finish his words, he received another attack at the same spot with the same impact, making him finally lose the rest of his consciousness.
"L-leader!" the woman screamed worriedly.
However, worrying about someone else was a privilege she did not have at that moment. Noticing the shadow hovering over her, she slowly looked up, only to see the white-haired man there.
"N-no..." Luna whimpered.
"S-shit!" the woman cursed, hastily shooting her arrows. But because she was too nervous, her aim was terrible. Due to that, the man was able to dodge even more effortlessly.
"1..." the man started to count, after slapping the bow out of the woman's hand. The counting continued as he used his finger to flick the woman.
"You...!"
Naturally, the woman was now more enraged than nervous. After all, she felt like she was being toyed with by him. Instead of dealing a finishing blow or killing her, she constantly received light flicks on her forehead. Thus, she wanted to use the rage as fuel to attack him.
"And 6."
Again, she was hit with a flick. And as if all strength left her body, she collapsed on the ground. Neither could she move her arms or legs—even her head would not listen.
"W-what did you do to me...?"
The white-haired man ignored the woman and faced Luna, who found herself in the same position as a few moments ago when Jay was killed.
"What do you want from me...?" she asked, tears welling in her eyes.
The man squatted down so that he could be on the same eye level.
"Sorry, Luna. I must have confused... No, I must have scared you a lot. I'm really sorry." he began. His tone was sincere and gentle. To her, it really sounded like he was sorry. But then again, she wondered why exactly a killer would go so far as to apologize right after killing her friend.
"But please listen to me. I am Jay. Not the Jay you know, but also the Jay you know."
"What do you mean...?" Luna replied. She was a little less scared, but in return, she was now a lot more confused.
"I'm Jay. I was assigned as your guide to help you start your journey inside the tower."
Luna's eyes widened. She recognized that line.
"Since you're new here, let me help you find the right equipment for you." he continued, staring at the dagger on Luna's hip.
"Impossible..."
Once more, the man extended his hand to Luna, who was shocked that he could repeat the things Jay told her back then.
"Tomorrow's lecture was about stats and skills, right?" he said, smiling gently at her.
"Jay...?" Luna muttered, both happy and uncertain. Slightly wary, she reached out for his hand. The hand of the person who killed her friend but also was like his friend. She did not understand fully what or who that man really was, or what he meant by being Jay while not being Jay at the same time. Still, she wanted to know. Thus, she reached out to him.
"There they are!"
The person who previously left the group to get reinforcements returned. He rushed to Luna and the others with four other people behind him.
Those people wore white haoris with a dark blue police uniform beneath them. The unit was led by a blonde, shoulder-length-haired woman in her thirties. With her fierce red eyes, she got a grasp on the situation and unsheathed her sword, which was mimicked by her subordinates.
"The Kilgen Police Force... What should we do now, Erik?" Jay said, facing his blond comrade.
"Don't ask me, idiot. You were the one who insisted on delaying our escape." he replied, not taking their predicament seriously.
"What about the teleportation crystal my other self used? Did you take it with you?"
"I did, but it seems like only the original owner can use that item."
"I see. Then give it to me. I'll get us away from her."
"Sure."
Neglecting the police, the two casually chatted with each other, with the blond man passing the teleport crystal over to Jay.
However, the crystal was cut cleanly and shattered right before Jay could catch it.
"You bastards. You think you can escape right in front of my eyes? Who do you think I am, huh?" the policewoman stated, clearly furious about their conduct. After cutting down the item, despite standing far away, she pointed the sword at the trio—including Luna.
"W-wait... I-I'm not-"
"Silence!" the woman interrupted Luna's attempt to explain herself. Instead, Luna was now seen as an accomplice.
"I assume that you're the ones from the rumors. The people who killed random people, no matter if it's in public or in dark alleys." she said, furrowing her eyebrows.
"I will give you trash two options! Either come with us silently or get cut down by me silently!"
Jay's hand was on his sword's grip, ready to be sheathed at any time.
"Resistance is futile. I don't mean to brag, but I managed to reach the Theater Section." she stated, having a big smug grin on her face.
Jay looked at his comrade, who, in turn, let out a small chuckle.
"We will come with you."
"Wise decision."
Without showing any signs of resistance, they let themselves get cuffed by the police.
"Hm?"
Unfortunately, Luna was mistaken for their comrade and therefore had handcuffs on her, too.
"T-this is a misunderstanding!"
"By the way, I am Erik Wagner. Sorry for the late introduction." Erik said, smiling without a care in the world as he was escorted by two policemen.
"I'm Luna Park... Nice t- Wait! This is not the time for introductions!"
"Introductions? I'm Jay-"
"Shut up and follow us!" the policewoman yelled, poking Jay's back with her sheathed sword.
Not even a full day had passed, and Luna had to find herself in a police car.
Crying inwardly, she wondered where she had gone wrong before she glanced at Jay, who was sitting beside her.
"Something wr-"
"Shut it."
"..."
Because of the policewoman, nobody—not even her own men—was allowed to say something. It was only when they arrived at the police station that they were allowed to speak again. However, it was because it was time for their interrogation.
"This is a police station? It's smaller than I expected." Erik remarked, acting surprised. They were sitting at a small table across from the policewoman, while her subordinates were outside of the small interrogation room.
"This is just one of many other stations. As if there was a need for you to get sent to this section's headquarters." she responded indifferently, preparing her documents.
"Even though we apparently killed people?"
"No, because I'm enough to handle you lot."
Whereas Erik was talking to her, Luna looked over at Jay, who sat on the other side of her.
"Hey, what will we do now?!" she whispered.
"No need to worry. Erik will handle this." Jay responded, leaning back on his chair. From his demeanor, it was visible that he had complete trust in Erik.
"It seems like you're not aware of your situation."
Luna flinched after she sensed the woman's bloodlust, which was directed at all three of them.
"Oh, really...?" Erik wondered. However, his carefree smile transformed into something more cunning.
"Want to make a bet?" he added.
"Hm?"
"I bet that we will make it out of here within a single minute."