Chapter 13: Second Game
After fifteen minutes of waiting, Felix finally saw Stell return.
"Was the food so bad? Is there a way to report the restaurant?" He asked, half-concerned and half-playful.
Stell didn't even bother with Felix's stupid comment before saying. "Pick up. Let's go and play a game."
"What happened to your cowardice?" Felix mocked as his eyes lit up. Stell only snorted in response before dragging him.
"I heard that the games are real." While they were entering the games door, they heard a conversation in the background.
"Really? That's scary." Another person replied.
Just as Felix wanted to say something to Stell, he got cut off. "It's not possible. Otherwise, you would have a Phoenix for a pet. It's clearly a ruse for some reason."
Although Felix was unwilling to accept that explanation, he could only nod because of the proof presented.
As they entered, the usual greeting appeared.
After they entered the White Room, Felix also deposited five Low-Tier Common Rank achievements.
"System, show us our current division." Stell indifferently ordered.
[ Current Division: Wood III ]
The same message appeared after Felix asked.
"So? What's the amount we will bet?" Felix inquired. He seemed comfortable following Stell's lead.
"A High-Tier Rare Rank Achievement." Stell's smile deepened. His words shocked even Felix.
"A whole Rank? Are you mad?" Felix was unwilling to believe that he was talking with the same cowardly Stell.
"I am not a coward. Never was." Stell guessed what Felix was thinking.
Felix nodded with doubtful eyes. 'This guy never wants to make any risky moves. If it weren't because of the adrenaline rush, I'm sure that he would have first watched a game before playing one. He even wanted to bet a Low-Tier achievement if he could. I don't know what happened with Aaron, though.'
"I want to bet a High-Tier Rare Rank achievement in a game." Ignoring the doubtful fellow, Stell ordered his System. "A team game. Two people. Do a lot of players."
Before Felix could protest about his lack of an agreement, the system asked him whether he wanted to accept. Grumbling, he accepted.
[ Processing. ]
Their systems displayed the same message.
After a few seconds, a new message appeared.
[ Bronze division/Rank III ]
[ Game format: Battle Royale ]
[ Game type: Shooter ]
[ Waiting for players... ]
[ Waiting complete. Game starting... ]
Before Stell and Felix could even blink, they found themselves inside a forest.
[ Welcome to Luminera City. ]
As if they were never there, they appeared on the edge of a forest.
"A forest again." Felix complained. The day seemed to become worse and worse. And yet, no matter how many 'bad' things happened, it couldn't wipe away a smile he had after entering his second game.
Stell nodded, his serious mode activated. He didn't want to become a loser. Damian's attitude made him understand something. He was far from their level.
After seeing Aaron's fast improvement and Felix's incredible luck, Stell knew that if he didn't do something soon, he was bound to get left behind.
Forgotten, as if he was never even there. Not even a side character. That was the last thing that he wanted. He wanted to have fun. He wanted to be with Felix. He wanted to compete with Aaron. He wanted to be the star of the show.
For that reason, he quickly decided to play a game and upgrade his achievement to Epic Rank. Or rather, to gamble it. Games were basically gambling, after all. Even if they were given a different name.
Unknowingly, Stell's inferiority complex that started forming after meeting Felix started to slowly reduce. Although it was far from disappearing, at least he advanced in some way.
Knowing that the forest was the natural barrier of the game, Stell led Felix into the city.
After an embarrassing lack of knowledge last game, Stell and Felix made sure to remember all important games. As Battle Royale was the most popular type, neither Felix nor Stell were unfamiliar with the rules of the game.
Eliminate every other team and be the last team remaining. All while being in a designed zone. It was as simple as that.
"Crap!" Stell facepalmed after calming down slightly.
"What? You didn't expect a shooter?" Felix grinned.
Shooters were the type of games where players were able to pick up weapons hidden in the area and use them to their own advantage. Although firearms were the most popular type of weapons, cold weapons could also be found.
"It's not that. I forgot to make you gain an affinity." Stell shook his head, lamenting at his rash mistake.
"Eh?" Felix wasn't sure what Stell meant. 'Gain an affinity? Does he mean a wish with a Volo?'
"I mean, use one of your Epic Rank achievements. Upgrading them isn't that useful, but gaining an ability will help us in games and the real world."
"Oh! Can I do so now? System?" Felix asked his System, excited about using Volo.
[ Volo cannot be used during matches. ]
"Was what it said." Felix's excitement died down instantly. Stell could only smile wryly.
"I should have thought of it. We aren't really ready for this. Or rather, we are at a slight disadvantage." Then, he remembered who he was talking to. Bursting into a laugh, he continued. "Or maybe not."
After entering the city, they broke into one of the houses and found a pistol and a magazine on the first floor.
The city was empty and resembled a modern twenty-first century. If Stell didn't know better, he might have guessed that he was back on Earth.
"Although it's called a city, I feel like even using the word town is stretching it." Stell said after looking out of the window on the third floor, seeing the other end of the city.
"It is a game map." Felix casually commented after he looted the last magazine.
"Surprisingly, no one could be found. I haven't even heard any shooting." Stell laughed. It seemed like people were clearly more professional and careful in the Bronze.
"If we win, we directly reach Bronze V, right?" Felix already imagined his rise to fame.
"We do." Stell nodded after sneaking out of the house, ready for any potential enemy.
Using walls, they sneaked through the city, approaching the center slowly but carefully.
After some time, they heard a shooting in the distance. The sound wasn't too loud. "So the firing is heard about a hundred meters away." Stell concluded.
Although they didn't find any enemies, the zone had shrunk noticeably, silently telling him that at least half of the people were already eliminated. Stell was sure that they didn't find anyone because of Felix's abnormal luck.
With a strange glint in his eyes, Stell turned towards Felix. "Hey, do you want to meet opponents?"
"Kinda. I don't wish to be found first, though. It's really easy to lose here. One bullet is enough." Felix patiently explained. Stell nodded after receiving verbal confirmation from Felix.
Although he didn't lower his guard, he didn't believe there was a high chance that someone would encounter them first.
Noticing the zone coming, Stell peeked out of the corner of a wall, locking eyes with an enemy player.
"Shit." He cursed as he quickly fired with his gun already pointed in their direction.
With three bullets fired, a person would think that Stell hit at least one. But no, Stell's firing skills were as bad as Aaron's luck in the games.
After missing, Stell quickly hid behind the wall. As the bullets hit his wall, he didn't dare to peek.
Signaling to Felix to sneak around, they circled around the building before appearing on the other side.
The opponents were still in the same place. The only difference was the cans spread around them. Even Stell wasn't sure where they found them.
Hiding behind the cans, they peeked from time to time, searching for Stell and Felix.
"Should we shoot?" Felix asked, eager to use the clock he found inside one of the houses they looted.
"Let's throw a grenade." Stell pointed at one of the grenades in his backpack.
"You are so boring." Felix pouted.
Normally, Stell would have ignored Felix and just threw the grenade, but after remembering his vow to keep up with the protagonists, his heart started racing.
With the adrenaline rushing, he nodded. "Indeed. That's boring. Let's show them who's the boss!" He grinned.
"That's what I like to hear." Felix grinned back.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Lazy_Stellar
Lazy_Stellar Although I said that I wouldn't focus on games too much, the mandatory first games are important. Also, Stell doesn't have any other way of advancing for now.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone