20th of August, 2023

You don't get dreams in this world, so daydreaming is the closest you get. I remembered what an ordinary day used to be. I'd get up, ignore my annoying brother, have breakfast, then go to school. School used to be the crux of my world. I was almost graduating, so there was a lot of stress in my year about exams. I'd ignore everyone there as well, knowing I'd get pissed off at their immaturity if I hung around them for too long. I didn't really try, but I got decent grades so no one really paid attention. I guess I didn't really care, back then. I wasn't used to being around people and feeling their emotions.

Then I came here and got surrounded by raw emotion and I sort of broke. Man, looking back I don't know how Daniel put up with me. I was scared and paranoid of everyone. Maybe it was because I didn't have any experience with people. Everyone's afraid of what they don't understand, and I sure was afraid of what I didn't understand. When I'm not afraid, though, what am I? I don't even know why I'm climbing up, except that I want to be with the other three. How much better and logical does that make from Masaki, who didn't even think of his reasons and only thought of Tarako's.

And what about now? A normal day for me is getting up, having breakfast with Takuma and the rest, then going out and clearing the dungeon set to us. We rest until it's time for dinner, then eat and fall asleep. Occasionally there are boss fights, but even those aren't as terrifying as they were. We've gotten good at killing bosses, and when Heathcliff's there it almost becomes easy. When he's not there are at least two other generals, almost always Asuna and someone else. Either Heathcliff or Asuna are at a boss fight, and sometimes they're both there. Of course, there are other KoB members, but they are the best by a long shot. The other generals don't match up to Asuna let alone Heathcliff.

Still, we haven't had a single casualty in a long time, and there's a sense of success that's going through the whole guild. It might take a while but we'll definitely be able to get back home.

There have been times where we work together with other members of the guild, and once where I had to go help another group who needed a front liner. There isn't much difference either way, but I'm surprised with how relieved I am to be just with the three of them, and without anyone else. I feel as comfortable around them as I do myself, and I completely let my guard down whenever they're with me. Fighting with the other group of KoB members, I wasn't suspicious and I didn't think they'd pull anything, but I never fully committed myself to the charges, always making sure I was aware of the others. Ambushing others while they're fighting's much easier than on paper. Fighting completely sucks you in and you lose all concentration for anything but the enemy in front of you.

Yeah, you don't get dreams in this world, but you do get daydreams and reflections; both of which are more useful and more pleasant. What do I daydream about? Mostly seeing Daniel again, and clearing the game with Tarako, Masaki and Takuma. Surprisingly little about my family, and when I do it's tinged with nostalgia, not sorrow or bitterness. Time heals I guess.

We're on the 47th floor, and it's almost as if society's rebuilt itself. Going into the towns on the mid-levels, there are every kinds of niches being filled. Scavengers to farm for materials, merchants they sell them to for a discounted price, merchants selling these materials to clearers for an inflated price. Just like the real world.

Unlike the real world, there aren't any slums. For one thing, to build anything you need skill points in carpentry, and if you have skill points to spare, then you aren't in need of slums. Besides, a lot of the third world problems of developing cities are non-existent here. Drugs don't exist, and sanitary problems are already taken care of. Getting sick is a possibility if you stay out in the rain for too long, but diseases like AIDS or dysentery don't exist either.

In some ways, Akihiko's made this world better than the real one. Another reason slums don't exist is because there's just such an easy way to earn money. Aside from that, everyone is generally more friendly than before. There are exceptions like assholes and PK'ers, but your average guy is friendly as says hi on the streets because you know that you won't be seeing much else until this game is cleared.

I find myself cursing and admiring Akihiko at times. Did he know this would happen, or did he hope? Maybe this was why he wanted to do this: to see what would happen. This really is a virtual world, but one I'm glad to be living in.