Choco-Rabbit Daily Log: Do We Level Up Outside the Game Too?!
Kinoshita Akane, twenty, has a problem: her ex-boyfriend dumped her with the words "you're too heavy," and the only place she's felt safe since is *Arcadia Chronicle*—specifically, her guild Chocolate Rabbit, where six players log in twice a week to raid, fish, farm, and never pressure each other. But when the guild announces its first real-life meetup at a strawberry farm in Aoba City, Akane has to do something terrifying: step outside the game.
Worse? The guild's resident high school pro game
Choco-Rabbit Daily Log: Do We Level Up Outside the Game Too?! - In-Game Duel! ~Logout of Defeat and Tears~
The computer screen glowed pale blue.
Akane sat on her chair, knees hugged to her chest. It was past ten at night. She'd come home from her part-time job, taken a shower, and plopped down in front of the PC without even drying her hair—two hours ago now.
"...Haaah."
Her sigh dissolved into the dark room.
On-screen, her cat-eared avatar, Akane, stood frozen in front of a practice dummy.
*Arcadia Chronicle*. The sword-and-sorcery online game Akane and her friends played. 980 yen a month. About 1.2 million registered players in Japan. A slightly nostalgic MMO with a big casual crowd and plenty of life-sim content.
Within it, the guild "Chocolate Rabbit." Fourth year since founding, six members. Their motto: "No pressure, no rushing—but we help when you're stuck." Two regular raids a week, plus casual chat and crafting sessions. A laid-back guild.
And Akane, one of its members, was currently in a place about as far from laid-back as you could get.
The arena's practice mode. The mode where you just endlessly cut down an infinite stream of training enemies.
"Eei—!"
Akane gripped her mouse tighter and mashed the skill buttons.
Akane's avatar swung her sword.
*Clank*—a light, hollow sound.
Damage numbers popped up, one after another.
"...Weak."
Akane wanted to cry at how little damage her character did.
*(Why am I so weak?)*
Her class was Paladin. A shield-bearer meant to protect her allies. Her attack power was, frankly, low.
But even so.
*(I have to win.)*
Akane bit her lip.
That message kept surfacing in her mind, over and over.
*"Akane-san, you like Yamada-kun, don't you? I like him too. So—want to settle who's more worthy?"*
Washida's declaration of war.
And then the match date Washida had gone and posted on the guild board without asking.
*"Next Saturday, I'll face Akane-san in a raid battle. Whoever wins earns the right to confess to Yamada-kun. Everyone in the guild, come cheer us on☆"*
That feeling of her mind going blank when she saw the post.
*(She decided for me.)*
*(But I couldn't refuse.)*
*(Because if I refused, it'd be like admitting I don't care about Yamada-kun at all, wouldn't it?)*
Akane pretended not to see the dark, muddy feeling pooled at the bottom of her heart.
*(I don't want to lose Yamada-kun to someone else.)*
*(Is this... love?)*
*(I don't know. But I hate it.)*
*(I hate the idea of Washida-san taking Yamada-kun away.)*
Akane tightened her grip on the mouse.
"...One more time!"
The dummy respawned.
Akane's avatar charged.
Sword swing.
Dodge.
Counter.
Swing again.
"...Ngh."
She took a hit, and her HP dropped sharply.
"Not good..."
Her heal didn't make it in time.
Akane's avatar collapsed to the ground.
*YOU DIED*
The cold, mechanical text appeared on-screen.
"...Haaah."
Akane slumped face-down on her desk.
*(No matter how many times I try, it's no good.)*
*(My hands can't keep up.)*
*(I don't even know how to use my skills properly.)*
*(At this rate, there's no way I beat Washida-san.)*
Tears welled up in Akane's eyes.
*(But this isn't the time to cry.)*
*(I have to practice.)*
*(There's no choice but to do it.)*
Akane lifted her head and grabbed the mouse again.
Just then, a notification blinked in the corner of the screen.
**[Item received from Runa]**
"...Huh?"
Akane clicked the notification.
** I sent you some healing items. Idiot.**
"...Runa-chan."
Warmth spread gently through Akane's chest.
** Thank you...! But why?**
** Why?! Because if you lose, I'll feel awful! That's all!**
** ...Runa-chan, you're actually really kind.**
** Shut up! Hurry up and practice!**
Akane smiled faintly.
*(Runa-chan, you're so bad at being honest.)*
*(But I'm really, really happy.)*
Akane stashed the healing items in her inventory.
There were a whole bunch of high-grade potions in there.
*(These are pretty expensive...)*
*(Did Runa-chan spend her part-time wages on this?)*
Akane's chest filled with emotion at Runa's clumsy kindness.
*(All right.)*
*(I'm definitely going to win.)*
*(For Runa-chan's sake too, I can't lose.)*
Akane started practicing again.
Cut down the dummy.
Cut it down.
Dodge.
Counter.
Heal.
Cut it down again.
"...Oh, that one felt good."
She was starting to get the hang of the controls, bit by bit.
*(This is it!)*
*(Keep it up, more and more!)*
As Akane practiced feverishly, another notification blinked.
**[Trade request from Yamada]**
"...Huh?"
Akane felt her heart leap.
*(From Yamada-kun?)*
With trembling fingers, she accepted the trade request.
The trade window opened.
Inside it sat a single shield.
** That one you've got has low durability.**
"...Eh?"
Akane looked at her equipment.
Sure enough, the shield she was using was a cheap beginner's model.
** Oh, yeah... but it's all I have.**
** Use this one.**
** What?! But this is a really good one...!**
** Whatever. I just had leftover materials.**
** But...**
** Don't care. Use it or don't. Pick one.**
"...Ngh."
Akane's chest tightened at that hopelessly clumsy kindness.
*(Yamada-kun, you made this for me.)*
*("Just had leftover materials"—that's definitely a lie.)*
*(Because this shield is just a little weaker than the one Yamada-kun normally uses, but it's exactly right for me—that's the kind of shield it is.)*
Akane accepted the trade.
** ...Thank you. I'll take good care of it.**
** Sure.**
And with that, Yamada left.
Akane equipped the new shield.
On-screen, her avatar raised a silver shield.
*(The shield Yamada-kun made for me.)*
*(I'm going to fight with this.)*
*(I absolutely can't lose.)*
Akane felt something burn deep in her chest.
*(I'm definitely going to win.)*
*(I'm going to tell Yamada-kun how I feel.)*
*(...Wait, what am I even thinking?!)*
Akane realized her cheeks were burning and shook her head in a panic.
*(A-anyway, practice!)*
*(Practice is all there is!)*
Akane kept practicing late into the night.
Outside the window, the insects sang quietly.
Saturday.
The day of the showdown.
Akane had been restless since morning.
*(It's today.)*
*(Today's the real thing.)*
Akane checked the game's strategy guides over and over.
How to play a Paladin.
Things to watch for in raid battles.
Tips for PvP.
*(I understand it in my head.)*
*(But can I actually do it when it counts?)*
Akane took a deep breath.
*(It's fine.)*
*(I practiced.)*
*(I have Runa-chan's items.)*
*(I have Yamada-kun's shield.)*
*(I can do this.)*
She told herself so.
Nine PM.
The promised hour.
Akane logged in.
Her avatar appeared in the arena.
It was already packed with players, swarming everywhere.
"...No way."
Akane froze in front of the screen.
*(What is this?)*
*(So many people...)*
The arena's spectator seats were lined with rows and rows of players.
Not just guild members.
A huge crowd of random onlookers had gathered.
"Oh, here she comes, here she comes." "Is that Akane?" "Cat ears, cute." "Where's her opponent WASHIDA?" "Over there."
The chat log scrolled by at incredible speed.
Akane was overwhelmed by the sight.
*(I'm fighting in front of this many people?)*
*(Nobody told me about this.)*
Akane's heart pounded violently.
Her hands shook.
"Wait a second! Why are there so many people here?!"
The words came out of her mouth before she could stop them.
"Oh, Akane! You came!"
From the other side of the screen, Runa's avatar came running over.
"Runa-chan! What is all this?!"
"I don't know! It was already like this when I got here!"
"You've gotta be kidding me..."
"That woman definitely spread it around on purpose! To turn it into a spectacle!"
A chill ran down Akane's spine at Runa's words.
*(A spectacle.)*
*(She's trying to make a fool of me?)*
"...But I have no choice. I have to do it."
Akane clenched her fist tight.
"I'm not running. I decided I'd do this."
"Akane..."
"It's okay. I practiced. And I have the items you gave me, Runa-chan."
"...Fine. But don't push yourself too hard!"
"Yeah. Thanks, Runa-chan."
Akane walked her avatar to the center of the arena.
Murmurs rose from the spectator seats.
"Oh, it's starting." "Who do you think'll win?" "WASHIDA, obviously. I heard she's strong." "Akane's a beginner, right?"
Akane pretended not to hear.
*(It's fine.)*
*(I can do this.)*
She told herself so.
From the opposite side of the arena, a single avatar walked toward her.
WASHIDA.
Washida's avatar.
Refined mage equipment.
An elegant stance.
"Oh my, Akane-san. You actually came. I thought you might run away."
Washida's words appeared in the chat.
"I'm not running. I decided I'd do this."
Akane replied with trembling fingers.
"Fufu, what a good attitude. Then let's begin, shall we?"
A system message appeared on-screen.
**[Raid battle commencing]**
**[Akane VS WASHIDA]**
The countdown began.
Three.
Two.
One.
"—Begin!"
Akane gripped her mouse.
Her avatar charged.
"Eei—!"
She swung her sword.
But it didn't connect.
Washida's avatar fluttered away, light as a butterfly, dodging every strike.
"Oh my, oh my, what's wrong? You won't hit anything with swings that wild."
"Kuh..."
Akane gave chase.
But the distance never closed.
Washida always kept exactly out of Akane's reach.
"You're a Paladin, but all you can do is melee? If you're a shield-bearer, shouldn't you be thinking more about protecting your allies?"
Akane had no comeback.
*(I know.)*
*(I know that already.)*
*(But this is all I can do.)*
Akane kept swinging her sword desperately.
But not a single hit landed.
Meanwhile, Washida's magic slowly cornered her.
"Hey, Akane-san. Do you really like Yamada-kun?"
"...Huh?"
Akane's movement stopped for an instant.
Washida didn't miss the opening.
"See? Wide open!"
A powerful spell struck home.
Her HP dropped below half in an instant.
"Not good...!"
Akane hurriedly used a healing item.
But Washida's assault didn't stop.
"You see, I've known Yamada-kun for a long time. I've seen him at game tournaments, over and over. The way his eyes get so serious when he's playing. It's wonderful."
"...Ngh."
"And you? What do you know about Yamada-kun? You only know his mask-and-afro look in-game, don't you?"
Akane had no words to answer with.
*(I know what Yamada-kun looks like in real life.)*
*(We met at the station.)*
*(He carried my bags.)*
*(But that's all.)*
*(I don't know the serious look in his eyes when he's playing.)*
Akane's heart was about to break.
"Yamada-kun is wasted on you."
Washida's words stabbed into Akane's chest.
"...Ngh!"
Akane gritted her teeth.
*(I won't lose.)*
*(I don't want to lose.)*
*(Yamada-kun gave me a shield.)*
*(Runa-chan gave me items.)*
*(I don't want to waste everyone's feelings.)*
Akane made her avatar run again.
"I don't know much about Yamada-kun yet! But I want to get to know him from now on! So I'm not losing!"
Akane swung her sword with everything she had.
This time, it grazed Washida's shoulder.
"Oh my."
*(It hit!)*
*(That's it!)*
Akane pressed the attack.
But Washida recovered her stance immediately.
"Hmm. So you're not completely hopeless. But still not enough."
Washida's counterattack began.
An onslaught incomparable to anything before.
"Wait! That's too fast!"
Akane could barely dodge.
Her heals couldn't keep up.
Her HP drained steadily.
"This is reality. The gap between your ability and mine."
"...Ngh."
The mouse nearly slipped from Akane's sweat-slicked grip.
*(This is bad.)*
*(At this rate, I'll lose.)*
*(I have to do something.)*
But her body wouldn't move.
Her hands couldn't keep up.
"I'll put you out of your misery."
Just as Washida was about to unleash her final spell—
An avatar burst out from the spectator seats.
The mask and afro.
Yamada's avatar.
"Wait."
Yamada's words appeared in the chat.
Akane's heart leaped.
*(Yamada-kun...!)*
Yamada tried to step between Akane and Washida.
But before he could, Washida spoke.
"Yamada-kun, stay out of this. This is a match betwee
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