Chapter 3: Therapy in Chaos
The ominous 24-hour countdown from the system hung heavy in the air, a digital guillotine steadily descending. But for now, amidst the guild's main hall, Livia had a different kind of challenge. The Bloodbath & Beyond guild hall was a strange mix of high-tech game interface and lived-in chaos. Data-crates served as impromptu chairs, flickering light projections mimicked windows, and the lingering scent of burnt ozone mixed with something vaguely like stale pizza. After the intense skirmish with the Cleaners, the mood was a peculiar blend of exhaustion and nervous energy.
StormReaver had gathered everyone. "Alright, everyone! Huddle up!" His voice echoed slightly in the cavernous digital space. He gestured to a large, battered table covered in junk food and neon-colored energy drinks. "Buffer's holding a… session."
Livia bristled, pushing her glasses up her nose. Her exasperation was palpable, even in this virtual space. "It's a Mental Support session, StormReaver! Not some group therapy circle! And I am not a Buffer. What am I, a vending machine for EXP?!"
As if on cue, a +50 EXP notification flickered in her vision. Livia groaned internally. The universe, or perhaps the game's system, had a twisted sense of humor.
[THERAPY INITIATED! +50 EXP.]
Sari, MoonlightRogue, slumped onto a data-crate, fiddling with the hilt of her twin daggers. Her usually sharp eyes, quick to spot a weakness in an enemy, now looked distant, clouded with worry. "My parents want me to get into UI, (University of Indonesia) Buffer," she mumbled, referring to a prestigious university. "They want me to get into UI, Buffer, help me chill! I often panic during exams in the real world!" Her voice held a note of genuine distress.
Livia's focus sharpened. Here it was. The real meat of her abilities. This wasn't about numbers or stats; it was about emotional resonance. She extended her hand, a faint, silvery Empathy Spark beginning to glow. "Alright, Sari. Close your eyes. Picture that pressure... now, imagine it as a heavy cloak. Can you feel it?"
As Livia channeled her skill, she felt Sari's anxiety, a dense, suffocating cloud. Livia focused, her energy pushing against it, dissolving the feeling of inadequacy. Sari gasped, her shoulders relaxing. A visible wave of relief washed over her, and her eyes, when she opened them, were clearer, lighter. She instinctively gripped her daggers tighter, a new resolve in her posture.
MoonlightRogue then gave a confident swing, a perfect Night Slash slicing through the air, faster and more precise than before. "Whoa! That... that actually worked! The weight's gone!"
Livia felt a subtle drain, a faint tremor running through her digital form. It was a fleeting coldness, a familiar metallic taste in her mouth. She clutched her head for a second, a phantom ache echoing from her real-world body. It's like something is being siphoned away from me. My own energy, maybe? Or… something else.
Bima, ThunderStrategist, a burly tank from Surabaya, chuckled. "Huh, that's like a class nerf in patch 3.2, debuff removed. Mental debuff removed, guys! New meta!"
"Or an anime slice-of-life episode in an isekai game," SakuraSorceress, Mei, chimed in, braiding her long, pink hair, a rare moment of introspection. She sighed. "I'm just a freelance designer, you know? Sometimes I feel like a bug no one sees, stuck in the background." Her voice held a hint of genuine loneliness.
Rian, PsychoBlaze, who'd recovered his usual boisterous energy, nudged Alex. "Yeah, Livia's like the anime heroine who forgot the plot, too innocent for this chaotic game!"
Livia glared at them, but a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She tried to maintain her stern "therapist" facade, but it was hard when they were so endearingly oblivious. She then turned to Dimas, IronVanguard, who sat quietly, polishing his shield, his brow furrowed.
"Dimas, what's troubling you?" Livia asked, softening her tone, sensing his underlying dejection.
IronVanguard sighed, a heavy sound even in this digital realm. "I'm just a part-time ojek driver in Jakarta. Always felt... undervalued. Like, my defense skills are solid, but everyone expects me to be a DPS too. I often hesitate to use my Iron Bastion fully, afraid I'll mess up, you know?" His voice was low, laced with self-doubt.
Livia nodded, understanding. "You're afraid of letting others down, even if it means risking yourself," she said gently, her voice firm. "But your role is vital, Dimas. Your defense is our shield. Without it, we crumble." She channeled Empathy Spark again, focusing on the core of his insecurity, pushing waves of self-acceptance into him.
As the silvery energy washed over IronVanguard, Dimas straightened up. His shoulders, usually hunched, now looked broad and strong. His eyes, previously downcast, sparkled with renewed confidence. His Iron Bastion skill, which he now activated, flared brighter, more stable and imposing than before. "Wow... I feel like I can block a continent now! Bring on the raid bosses!"
"See?" Livia beamed, a genuine smile replacing her feigned annoyance. "I told you, Mental Supporter, not some cheap soul charger!"
StormReaver, Ethan, watched from the far end of the table, a faint, amused smile playing on his lips as Livia got exasperatedly called "Buffer" yet again. His gaze lingered on her, a warmth in his eyes she hadn't seen before. When the others weren't looking, he quietly murmured, "You're good at this, Livia." The use of her real name, so soft, so deliberate, made her heart skip a beat, sending a strange, warm flutter through her chest.
Later, as the guild members dispersed to their various in-game chores, Livia found herself alone. She leaned against a data-crate, the cool, pixilated surface a strange comfort. She closed her eyes, trying to piece together the fragments of her dreams. The hospital room. The beeping. Her mother's voice. Was I really an NPC? Or am I just trapped here, with my body lying unresponsive in a sterile room somewhere far away? The thought sent a shiver down her spine. The connection felt stronger, more tangible each time. A profound sense of longing for her real life mixed with a growing attachment to this one.
Suddenly, a strange, guttural noise broke the silence. Livia's eyes snapped open. An NPC Merchant, usually a silent, static entity behind a virtual counter, stood frozen mid-gesture. Its eyes, normally blank, were now wide, filled with a horrifying mix of confusion and dawning awareness. Its mouth moved, attempting to form words.
"I... I'm alive?" the NPC Merchant croaked, its voice a garbled mess of broken code and raw terror. "Who... who am I?!" Its voice was digital, yet laced with raw, human-like fear.
Other NPCs in the base began to show similar erratic behavior. A guard NPC walked straight into a wall, its programmed path completely broken, repeating a nonsensical loop. A delivery NPC dropped its virtual package and stared blankly at its hands, its avatar shuddering as if fighting an internal error. Chaos brewed. Livia heard a whisper in her mind, not the system's cold voice, but something else, something ancient and digital, yet strangely resonant: "YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS IS NOT OF THIS WORLD. YOU ARE A CODE-BREAKER."
A fleeting, ethereal symbol, bluish-white and jagged, flickered in the corner of Livia's vision for a split second, then vanished. It looked eerily like a fragmented piece of the DEVS ORIGINALS logo, but warped, almost alive, like a broken promise.
Livia's heart pounded, a frantic rhythm against her ribs. The NPCs were gaining sentience. Because of her? Because of her anomaly status? The thought sent a jolt of both fear and awe through her. This wasn't just about survival anymore. This was about changing the very fabric of the game itself. What have I done? Or, what am I capable of? The terrifying possibility that she wasn't just a player, but a catalyst, settled deep in her core.