Off Limit System

"Well, what should we do now?" Dane inquired.

They sat on the stairs next to the bar for quite some time, simply watching people come and go. The two of them were unable to enter the bar since the level was insufficient. As they tried to enter, the door would not budge. So Ethan and Dane could only be curious about what was inside the bar. Apart from what they knew if it sold liquor in the real world.

"I think there are many places we won’t be able to enter here if we haven’t reached a certain level," Dane added. "Isn’t that right, Ethan?"

Before Ethan could respond, the red-haired lady who had before warned him and Ulrich exited the pub. Ethan rushed over to the woman without hesitating.

"Hello!" greeted Ethan, trying to be nice.

The woman came to a halt and looked intently at Ethan. "Yes?"

"Do you know how we get out of here? I mean, back to the real world.”

Despite the fact that Ethan did not want to do so. He couldn't, however, stay in the gaming world forever. Actually, Ethan did not want to be in either the realm of reality or the world of gaming.

"Ah, you must be the Newbie," the woman pointed and laughed softly.

When he nodded, Ethan looked uneasy. "Oh, I guess I am the Newbie."

"Go to the north of the city. There you can find a gate. Players who enter and exit the lobby always pass through that gate."

"Thank you.”

"You won't be able to miss it. Ah, who are..."

“Ethan.” The young man hurriedly extended his hand. “Ethan Mannon," Ethan introduced himself.

"Miriam Shore.”

She greeted him and they shook hands.

"I won’t bother you again. Thanks for the help, Miriam.”

"Anytime."

Miriam quickly went, leaving Ethan and Dane alone. Ethan's gaze remained fixed on the petite, seductive woman. In Ethan's opinion, she was a wonderful figure in a place where he seldom found such a lovely figure. Ethan felt a soft elbow on his arm and turned his head to see Dane smiling slightly.

"She's stunning," Dane commented.

"She's very nice.”

"And unquestionably a level above both of us."

"I won’t deny that." Ethan gave a nod. He sighed softly. "Come on, Dane. We can return to the real world through a gate. Miriam showed me the way.”

"You want go back to the real world right away?” asked Dane.

“Don’t you?”

Dane took a gulp. "Sure. Well, I think I need to rest. I'm exhausted.”

They decided to go to the gate Miriam had mentioned. They eventually came in less than ten minutes. They couldn't possibly have missed what the gate looked like, as said. It was a twenty-foot-high gate made of gleaming metal, the middle of which resembled the surface of water. A sort of interdimensional portal. Ethan stared in amazement.

"I guess we'll have to part ways here," Dane replied, casting a brief glance at Ethan.

"See you soon, Dane."

"Take care of yourself, Ethan.”

The seventeen-year-old waved goodbye and walked through the gate. His form vanished not long after entering through the gate. As Ethan remained mute, there was a sense of reluctance to return. He had no idea how long he had been trapped in OFF LIMIT. He couldn't possibly stay there much longer.

Ethan had no choice but to follow Dane's steps.

Ethan's heart strained as he returned to reality.

...

As Ethan opened his eyes, they felt heavy. He lay on the bed, supported by two pillows stacked high. His lips were dry, and he felt a throbbing pain all over his body. Yet, he had become used to it over time. The more time passed, the worse the ache got. He was only trying to stay alive.

Ethan spent his days in a peaceful, air-conditioned room. It includes IV bottles, cardiac detectors, and everything else hospital-related. He'd been there for over a year, and no one knew when Ethan would be out, alive or dead.

The OFF LIMIT gaming console was on Ethan's lap. A basic little object that Ethan mistook for a toy back in the nineties. Yet, it was a far worse game than he had expected. He wasn't sure if he still wanted to play it. Goosebumps bristled as his hands hurried to set the game on the nightstand.

A middle-aged woman stumbled into Ethan's room as the door to his room opened. The woman hugged Ethan warmly without saying much.

"I heard Tommy passed away this morning," she said quietly.

"That's the way it is.”

"Are you all right, Sweetheart?"

"I’m fine, Mum.”

To Ethan, death smelled like disinfectant. It was at first claustrophobic and disgusting. Nonetheless, the odor will fade with time. He was used to it; even when death was close by, there was nothing he could do.

Ethan was diagnosed with blood cancer at stage III. After years of ailments and fainting episodes, he received the news from the doctor one year ago. His physique had always been different from other children's. He was frail.

Her mother had always told her that he was a strong child, but the reality was the opposite. Not everyone is as tough as Ethan.

Like Tommy.

The patient who had been sharing Ethan's room for the past three months. Tommy was a charming young man, but when illness struck, he became quite noisy. Even still, it was preferable to Ethan being completely alone every day. Tommy didn't say much in the last week since he was often falling asleep for a long period while playing console games.

After Tommy died, his brother handed Ethan the game for free.

For a brief period, Ethan was pensive. When did Tommy get an OFF LIMITS console game?

"Honey? Are you sure?" His mother fixed her gaze on him. "You don’t look well," she said.

Ethan laughed softly. "I am, Mum.”

"That's not what I meant," his mother said as she moistened her fading red lipstick lips, which were dry. "You’re different. I’m just afraid Tommy’s death has shaken you up," she continued.

When Ethan was aware that receiving the news of death might trigger emotional disturbances in the patient, as a result, the sufferer falls and loses their enthusiasm for life. The effect has an impact on the immunological system. And other things that Ethan was too tired to think about.

"Do you want something? I'll buy it for you,” offered Ethan’s mother.

The young man simply shook his head. "No, Mum. I’m not hungry.”

The console game on the bedside drew his mother's attention. "Oh, whose is that?”

"Tommy's."

Ethan's mother looked concerned. "Did his family give it to you?”

"Yeah," Ethan said, nodding. "Said Tommy was the only one who liked to play games. So his brother gave it to me.”

"OK, fine." The mother let out a quiet sigh. "Remember, you may play games, but you still need plenty of rest," she suggested.

Ethan nodded. He attempted to recall how long he had spent playing the game. Two to three hours. His gaze was drawn to the wall clock; the first time he played, it was four o'clock in the afternoon. Meanwhile, the time on the wall clock read 4:30 p.m. She exclaimed in amazement.

"Is that clockoff?" wondered Ethan.

Ethan's mother glanced at the clock. "No, it's half past five. Is there a problem?”

Ethan quickly shook his head. "I thought I'd slept for a long time, apparently it was just a flash."

"You're acting very strangely, Ethan."

The young man was only attempting to conceal what had been going on for some time, particularly with regard to OFF LIMIT. In case, Ethan's mum was wondering about the console game.

"So, how's work, Mum? All okay?”

"Nothing special." She shrugged. "And you? Sure today was okay?”

Ethan's gaze was drawn to the console game on the nightstand. "I’m fine, Mum.”