Aileen and I are sitting in chemistry class. The teacher's letting us take a study hall, and he sits behind his desk and occasionally glares at us to confirm we're doing some type of work.

"So let me get this straight," Aileen says. "You agreed to defeat the hog king to get the approval of this random guy?"

"He's not just a random guy," I say, keeping my voice low. "He's the general of Mysteriously. I felt like I was trash when he was looking at me. I need to prove myself."

"The hog king is like... level 35." Aileen takes a breath through her teeth. "How are you going to catch up to that level?"

"I just have to play every day from now," I say. But even as I say these words, I doubt myself. It feels like I've taken up an impossible task. Even Nathan seemed concerned as we sipped our virtual coffee. He tried to talk me out of it, but I remained stubborn.

"I'll help you out," Aileen says. "After classes, we'll head straight to the hogs and get you trained up."

Aileen keeps her promise. After class, we both log into Starlia and head to the same spot where Nathan showed me his ultimate ability. I sing to put the hogs to sleep, and Aileen charges forward to slash them down. I dance to raise her stats. We make a good team. Occasionally, I play my harp to finish off the hogs. I feel like I'm getting stronger. Level 10 reached!

Level 11 reached!

Level 12 reached!

We're kind of on a roll here. "How long did it take for you to reach your level?" I ask Aileen.

Aileen pauses after finishing off two hogs with bonecrush. "Well, I gained two levels when I went training with Mags yesterday. But I'll say, maybe two months of training to get to level 37?"

"That's way more than I anticipated," I groan, leaning against one of the jutting rocks.

"You can do this," Aileen says. "Plus, I think you're strong enough to move to a different training area."

Just when I was getting used to the intensity of these hogs. "Well... if you say so."

Aileen releases Simba, and from there we ride to the town closest to Star Town. Compared to Star Town, the place is a little more than a village. "This place is called Rug's Path. It's kind of an interval between two bigger towns."

I nod, jumping off of Simba. Aileen puts her pet away, and from there we admire the peaceful nature of the town. It's much less populated than Star Town, holding just one basic weaponry and armory, a well and food stand, and one inn available for those who need to rest. There's much more greenery here. The buildings are built from slabs of wood, with no official city square.

"Let's head off to the field," Aileen says. "We'll find some rabbits nearby."

"Rabbits?" I say. "Are you sure they're more dangerous and higher level than the hogs?"

Aileen grimaces. "You'll understand once you see them."

We take off down a hill's decline. We come to a stream and an area with long grass and the occasional fallen log. At first, I experience complete peace. No sign of monsters anywhere. Then... I start to understand why Aileen grimaced.

A rabbit approaches. It locks its red eyes onto me, and foam gathers near its mouth. "You didn't tell me the rabbits were rabid!" I say.

Aileen jumps in front of me, wielding her sword. "Cut!" She brings it down against the monster, and it disappears into the air, like a vapor in the wind.

"I didn't say they were cute," Aileen says. "You can train here until you're level twenty. Then you'll be ready for your first job advancement."

I look at my friend like she's offering me poop on a stick. "Fighting against these things doesn't sound so appealing. What if I get bitten?"

"We'll handle it when it happens." Aileen offers a crooked grin. "Besides, I have some medicine for that."

I roll my eyes. "Good to know that you're prepared for my demise."

Aileen laughs. "I got you, Josiah. You may be my partner in crime in school, but in this game I'm the pro here. You can hide behind me."

Despite myself, I smile. I brandish my harp and turn my attention toward the nearest rabbit, which hops in my direction. "Here goes nothing."

*

A hundred rabbits later, I feel like I'm going to faint.

Level 15 reached!

The only thing keeping me going is seeing my experience bar slowly raise. I gain more mastery over my skills, knowing when to sing, play, dance, or set a trap. I cheer in delight when I successfully trap a rapid rabbit, playing my harp to finish it off while it struggles to get free.

Like I feared, I do get bitten. Twice. Aileen applies some special ointment on my bites, and they heal relatively quickly. I'm surprised at the game's mechanics, how my health slowly diminishes when I'm bitten—like the venom from the monster's saliva is affecting me.

"Let's take a break," I say, halfway to level sixteen.

Aileen, who gained one level since we started, agrees. She wipes sweat from her brow. "I was ready to go for another hour, but since you're tired I guess so."

"Don't be ridiculous," I say. "You look like you're going to faint."

"No I'm... not." Aileen sways slightly. Then she falls against the grass with a thud.

"Aileen!" I run toward her. I didn't know I'd feel this afraid while playing a video game, but my friend looks like she's actually in danger. I rush to her side. Her cheeks are flushed, and she sweats profusely. She looks sick and overheated. Could this game really have that effect on her? She must've been straining herself mentally. Even though her sword and armor aren't real, they must've been weighing her down somehow.

With the rabbits watching me from the long grass, I pick up my friend and lean her against my back. I carry her to Rug's Path, successfully escaping the field of danger and into safety. I set her down on a wooden bench, resting her head against my lap.

"Are you okay?" I ask.

Aileen breathes deeply. "I feel a bit strained, to be honest. I didn't know Starlia could have this effect on me...."

"It's the cursed VRS," I say. "It's like spending too much time in virtual class and almost fainting from all the stimuli."

"I guess I should log off now," Aileen says. "I'll train with you tomorrow. After class. See you then?"

"Get some rest," I say. "See you tomorrow."

Aileen disappears.

Now that she's gone, I have time to analyze my own exhaustion. It feels like I've run two miles. My breath comes out shaky, and I feel the oxygen deprivation coming on. I don't feel like logging off just yet. But I need to find somewhere safe, somewhere I can just relax without having to worry about monsters creeping up from behind me.

I enter the inn. The place looks like a proper tavern from the inside. An NPC serves drinks and food, and booths line the perimeter. A staircase leads up to the rooms. I smell beer and other sweet, sparkling drinks. At the front, I pay the bartender the fee for a soda. I get a place near the window.

Right after my drink is served, I catch the eye of a group drinking beers and eating fried potatoes. "Hey look, it's a Mysteriously minion."

Hi player! Maybe we don't have the VRS yet in this world, but have you ever gone too far while playing a game? I remember when I used to play League, my fingers would ache from clicking so much on my mouse! I was definitely an addict. And then there's the subject of gacha games... they can really take over your time and wallet, but fortunately for me I didn't spend so much money on them.