Pride Online

Clear blue sky, white clouds floating above

Soft breeze touching grass,

And then the scream of terror in the distance,

WAAARRGHH!!

A young man was running at his full speed across the field with a panicked look on his face. Bouncing and chasing after him very close from behind was a strange creature that, regardless of the angle, looked just like a giant green mushroom.

“When will you bastard stop chasing me?”

He looked back and yelled at it. His brown eyes widened, and the black hair that was set in style before got all messy as he stampeded.

U-GEEEZ!

The about equal-sized mushroom responded. It looked kind of cute with that green slicky spore on its head. In fact, this guy thought it was so adorable that he kicked it once out of endearment.

And that was why it was chasing him like crazy now.

“You just can’t let it go, can you? You damn mushroom!” He yelled back. And from the corner of his eye, he saw that mushroom smile so annoyingly wide, and the next second it got in a ready position to high jump at him.

“Sh*t. You can do that?!”

He shouted aloud as he dodged to the other side without even thinking so that the stupid mushroom missed the chance to crush him with all its weight. However, the lucky man had no time to celebrate, he pointed his finger at the mushroom in front of him and snapped.

“Why do you have to hold such grudges? It is me who should be freaking mad! I just kicked you once lightly, and you bit back, almost had me killed!”

It was true that he got attacked by this green mushroom once, and that almost sent him down to greet the underworld fairly easily.

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Character Information

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Player: Wisana

Class: Newbie Adventurer

Level: 1

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Health Point: 10/150

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Attack Point: 20

Armor: 5

Magic Point: 15

Luck: 30

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UGREEEEZ

Shortly afterwards, the green mushroom leaped towards Wisana, aiming to attack him again. And once again, his agility saved his life by a hair's breadth before he realized that,

If he stopped moving, he would definitely meet up with the god of death!

“What on earth? why does my love have to be so difficult?!”

The rambling complaint rang out in frustration as he ran for his life with extreme terror. He got so pissed at how dumb the monster was; it couldn’t even communicate!

Also, with its dumb look, why was it so fast and so tough to beat?!

“Wait until I know how to play this game, stupid fungus. I’ll put you in a chili-lemon sauce, make you into a spicy mushroom salad and eat it to my heart's content,” he mumbled through ground teeth as he looked back at the monster behind him.

“And why are you still chasing me? Got nothing else to do? Just get lost!”

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Around 6 hours earlier

“Na!”

A nickname that was only known in close friends' circles was called out in front of a computer graphics major classroom in the building of the Faculty of Communication Arts, making the tall man in a plain white college shirt and ripped jeans turn his head to the voice in response.

Wisana, known as ‘Na’ among his friends, a 19-year-old man, looked over his shoulder and saw a couple with big, bright smiles on their faces were walking toward him. He sighed in boredom.

“What is it now? Told you I had to hurry home.” He asked with a tired voice.

“Well, when will you join us in the game?”

One of the newcomers asked. She had shoulder-length deep brown hair and a friendly look. Her name was Nuchjaree, and she could be counted as the only Wisana’s closest female friend in the university.

“That’s right. We've been waiting for you for ages. We’re planning to form a guild, but there must be at least four people to form one. That’s why we’re expecting you to help, but you keep ignoring us,” the other guy who came with her quickly added.

“Guild? ...and what is that?” Wisana’s mouth frowned. “Can you speak human? I gotta say that I don’t understand any of your nerd’s language. You silly love birds.”

It seemed like the word ‘love birds’ made these two friends wearifully frown.

“Na, how many times do I have to tell you to not call us like that? The whole faculty already thinks we’re dating.”

“And you guys are not?” Wisana asked, deadpan.

"Of course not!!!"

Well, how could they not be? Even when they denied it, they did it in such harmony that Wisana couldn’t help but laugh.

“I’m telling you, Na,” Nuchjaree poked on his chest harshly. “Even though Tunwa was the last man on earth, I would rather be knocking my head on tofu to death, than be with him.”

“Oh, and you think you’re so good that I want to be with you?” The other protested loudly. “Because I don’t. Even though you were the last woman on earth, I’d rather mate with a dog than be with you.”

“Say that again, you foul-mouthed.”

“You heard me, Gorilla.”

“So, you guys came here just to show me your affection for each other? You two always bicker like an old married couple, that’s why people think you’re so in love.”

Wisana said with an amused smile. He saw these two looking at each other for a moment, before turning their heads in the opposite direction.

The one who was arguing with Nuchjaree was Tunwa, a light brown-haired man with green eyes. It wasn’t like this guy dyed his hair for a gangster look or something like that. It was because he was half American and took the hair and eye colors from his mom and other features from his Thai dad. Tunwa turned out to be a good-looking guy that no girls cared about, because he talked like a jerk. However, he had been a good friend to Wisana since high school.

“So, when are you gonna join us? I’ve been waiting.” Nuchjaree cut them off like she was dying to change the topic.

“Not this again. I told you I didn’t like playing games.”

Wisana said, weary, then he turned away and started walking again. The couple looked at each other with understanding, and they followed him.

“Why does it have to be this guy who has his dad working as a consultant at Pride company?” Tunwa said “People have to save money for ages before they can afford to buy a console and a memory stick to play the game, not like you. You can have it by just asking. With just one call, your dad will probably put them on a golden plate for you. What a waste.”

“This guy’s right,” Nuchjaree added. “I also think that the memory stick from your dad probably has some cool items in it. Well, it is from Pride’s Consultant himself.”

Their words made Wisana sigh. It wasn’t like he didn’t want to play games with his friends. In fact, he wanted to see why people kept talking about this Pride game, too. What made it so popular? How did it break all the charts, and sell more than three million copies in one month?

But one thing that stopped him from joining the game was that,

He sucked at games! Even a two-year-old could beat him without dropping a sweat!

“Guys, believe me, if you don’t want a burden in your team, count me out. I once got defeated by a kindergarten kid in Cracker Run.”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Tunwa said. “We just play it for fun, nothing to be serious about. But wait, did you really lose to a kid in that game, dude?”

“That’s right. Come on. It's not like we’ll lose our houses if we lose in the game.” Nuchjaree changed the topic before she lost it and burst out in laughter. “Also, we just finished our exam today. School breaks start tomorrow, and you’re just gonna do nothing all day, the whole summer. You don’t get bored?”

Wisana let out a long sigh.

“Nuch, look, I'm not joining the game, because I don’t like it, not because I’m busy. Well, I will be busy this summer, though. I have to help Wipa with her work.”

“Ew, you mean teaching art to those kids?” she said, disgusted.

“Well, yes. And they are kids, not some dog poop. You don’t have to be that disgusted. Besides, those kids are adorable.”

Wisana laughed when he was reminded of how much Lady Nuchjaree hated kids.

“Hey,” Tunwa interrupted. “Na, you have to teach your class in the afternoon, right? So, I think you will have some free time at night, won’t you? Or you have a Sexology class to teach, too?”

“I’ll kick your ass, Tunwa,” Wisana said, deadpan.

Tunwa curled his lips up into an annoying smirk, earning a cold glance from Nuchjaree, who was beside him.

“Please, let's play together. Aren't you curious about how realistic this popular game is? Besides, doesn’t your dad always want you to play games from his company? I remember him saying that he’d give you more allowances if you played?”

“I can call my mom in Chiang Mai for more money. No need to ask him”

This was another time that Wisana casually turned them down. Nuchjaree sighed loudly.

“Na, you really just don't socialize with your friends. I don’t know what to do anymore.”

Wisana didn’t say anything to respond. Because in his mind, he was laughing at the persistence of his best friends, who were trying to get him to join the game for months. He always rejected them outright, but they just kept asking. But today, he was pretty sure that these two dorks were about to give up.

“Nuch, there you are! I’ve been looking for you!”

The three hadn’t gone too far yet when a sweet voice sounded behind them. The voice also made Wisana freeze, then quickly pulled Tunwa over in front of him and hid behind his back.

The reason Wisana stopped functioning for a moment was the owner of the voice that was walking toward them. She was a pretty girl with long hair falling to her waist. Some locks of hair fell by her clear cheeks. Her beautiful face was covered with makeup in a natural look. She had long, curled eyelashes that complemented her big, round eyes.

“You just finished your exam?” the newcomer asked with a sweet voice.

“Yup. Just now.”

Nuchjaree nodded, while puzzledly glancing at Wisana, who was hiding behind Tunwa's back. Wisana had always been so cool, but now he was awkwardly hiding behind his best friend like he was a bunker, which caused Tunwa to glance at the tall man behind him, too.

“When will you stop hiding behind me every time Orn shows up?” He said as he chuckled. “But to be honest, your detecting sensor is as good as ever. You hear her, you hide.

“Not your business. Don't look this way! She's gonna notice me.”

Tunwa smiled so widely.

“Not mine? Then, should I tell Orn that you’ve had a crush on her since our first year?”

“Don’t you dare, Tunwa. Are you trying to indirectly kill me?”

“What indirectly killing are you talking about? You like her, so just tell her that, dude. What a waste of your good looks.”

“It’s not that simple!” Wisana continued to murmur as his friend laughed at him. However, it seemed like his bunker wasn’t safe anymore when the said girl named Warunya already noticed them.

“Hi, Tunwa. Hi, Wisana.” She greeted them with a bright and clear voice.

“Hey, Orn.” Tunwa greeted her back.

“H...h... h... he...”

Not like his friend who stuttered that Tunwa had to elbow this guy very hard to knock his consciousness back, so he could function again.

“Uh... hello, Orn. You had an exam today, too?”