Adrien Agreste pulled out his rapier, grinning wickedly, "I look forward to collecting your treasure."
His opponent scoffed, "I'd like to see you try, Chat Noir."
"Gladly." Blocking a swipe from his left, Adrien leapt forward with all the grace of a cat. He slid beneath the man's arm and knocked him in the back of the head with the blunt end of his sword, watching as the man crumpled to the ground.
And then slit his throat.
Adrien's figure glowed brightly, and suddenly he felt lighter on his feet. He'd accumulated the man's measly two remaining lives and six manas.
But now at least, Adrien had a total of nine lives.
He marched off with a small smile, riding the high of having grown more powerful. Also, the fact that the man had known his player name? No small ego boost.
Pulling out a map of the neighboring villages from his worn pack, he set route for Helmfirth. It was the closest town, prospering due it's vigorous trade market and clan of merchants.
Opening his digital options menu with a single thought, Adrien checked his inventory. He still had his beloved rapier, several throwing knives, potions for healing, and his enchanted ring. It seemed everything was in order.
Perhaps it was time he upgraded his weaponry. Chat Noir was fearsome, but a cat was meant to be lethal.
Marinette Dupain-Cheng swept through the boss's castle with a death defying vengeance.
With a sum of exactly twenty lives, she had little to fear from a mere mountain troll. He was no challenge.
Latching her whip on a sturdy rafter, she swinged over yet another pile of precious gems.
The troll swung his mace, but Marinette easily avoided it, using her whip to swing once more to the next room- a lavish dining hall with high ceilings and a long table, laid with a feast fit for royalty.
Marinette would know about royalty. She was considering joining the Akuma guild, the leader of which had recently become a King. The first player to ever be crowned in Miraculeux. And he had only started playing months ago.
The king's player name was a mystery, so everyone had taken to calling him The Monarch. He was the ruler of the butterflies after all.
And perhaps, one day, Marinette would become an akuma as well.
Marinette sighed as she once again dodged the troll's mace, a girl can dream.
But she could only be considered to join the Akuma guild if she faced one of The Monarch's knights in combat.
This mountain troll hardly seemed suitable for practice.
With a sharp inhale, Marinette leaped over the troll, using his broad shoulders as leverage for her hands and backflipping to land a ways behind him.
When the troll turned to face her once more, he stumbled over his own treasure. Marinette took advantage of his poor balance, wrapping her bullwhip around his ankles so he came crashing down upon one of the magnificent tables.
She stood over the troll's form where he lay shocked.
Panting slightly at the effort, she selected a gleaming blade from her inventory and it appeared in her gloved hand.
Her expression grim, Marinette pierced the monster's heart with cold steel.
The troll's eyes widened, and Marinette winced as he flickered out of existence.
Marinette's skin shone a lovely pink as her mana increased once again.
Marinette reprimanded herself for being weak, her fingers shaking around the knife's hilt. The boss wasn't real after all, just a digital projection.
Opening up her inventory with mind power alone, Marinette put her murderous blade away for another day.
Then she opened her settings menu once more, shooting one last glance around at the beautiful animation. Her voice was strained as she cried, Miraculeux, spots off!
The logout information flashed before her eyes, and then she was just a girl wearing a headset in a pink bedroom.