Dragged Into Another World Because of My Otaku Friend Chapter 20: Game Over

I was in the middle of chaos now.

On my right and left, I could see my friends fighting with everything they had. But they were up against the odds, each of them outnumbered three or four to one. Blades clashed, spells lit up the air, and cries of pain and effort echoed through the forest.

We were getting overwheld.

Despite that, none of them backed down.

And ? I was just trying to keep up. My hands were trembling, my heart pounding in my ears. This wasn't so fantasy ga anymore, this was real. One wrong move and I'd be lying on the forest floor, cold and dead.

William swung his axe like a raging beast. Every strike he made was desperate, yet powerful, enough to force his enemies back, but never enough to take them down for good.

He was surrounded by four bandits. One held an axe like his, another a sword, a third had a long spear, and the last danced around with a dagger, waiting for the perfect opening. William's armor was covered in scratches and dents, blood seeping from the wounds on his arms and face. But his eyes...his eyes still burned with unshakable determination.

He would not fall.

Still, in between the clashes, he couldn't help but glance at his party. He saw Evelyn loosing arrows with trembling hands. Maya, pale and breathing hard, was barely holding her ground.Bob scread and slashed his sword wildly at his surroundings like a maniac.

And .... I was trying not to freeze up.

The pressure weighed on him like a mountain.

"Oii oii, you still wanna keep lookin' at your friends?" snarled the biggest of the four, the axe-user. His face twisted into a grin. "What, you think we're so weak you can ignore us?"

With a roar, the brute charged in, swinging his axe in wide arcs, forcing William to brace and parry. Sparks flew. The shock of every blow ran down his arms.

But William didn't answer.

He just gritted his teeth and defended against the blow.

---

Evelyn faced off against three bandits, two female archers and one wielding only a large shield. Her hands trembled from exhaustion, causing her aim to falter. The two female bandits mocked her between giggles.

"Heyyy... where are you aiming? Do you even know how to use that thing? Kikiki!"

Anger flared in Evelyn's eyes. She fired an arrow directly at one of their heads, but before it could land, the shield-wielding bandit stepped in and deflected it. He was clad in black iron mail and matching pants.

The two archers split off, circling her from opposite directions, one clockwise, the other counter-clockwise while firing arrows as they moved. Evelyn managed to dodge a few, but her fatigue slowed her down.

Arrows pierced her right hip, left abdon, and right arm.

"Arghhh!"

She let out a cry of pain, crouching low as sweat dripped from her brow and her breath ca in shallow gasps.

At that mont, she still took a glance at her other friends, hoping they hadn't fallen yet.

---

"Slurp... we'll have a feast tonight," said a bandit with a scar over his blind left eye. He was playing with his sword, tongue slithering out as he eyed Maya from head to toe.

"I'm first! She's really cute," said another man wielding a katar.

"Ewww, what kind of standard do you guys even have? I'm way better looking than her," P-Cock chid in from behind the two bandits, striking a model-like pose with his arms folded.

Maya was running dangerously low on mana. She could feel her consciousness slipping, her wounds exposing patches of skin through her torn robe. But with her last ounce of strength, she closed her eyes and summoned the final firebolt she could cast.

"Oii oii, you can still cast Firebolt?!" the one-eyed bandit shouted in panic.

Maya released the spell. The firebolt arced toward the three bandits.

Shoooow

It exploded in a burst of fla. As the smoke cleared, P-cock stood there, lightly shaking his hand as if he had touched sothing filthy.

"My hand... it's covered in dirt," he said with a bored expression. But then he paused and looked at one of his nails.

"You b***h! You broke my nail!" he scread. In a flash, he dashed toward Maya.

Maya's eyes widened in shock, then everything went blank. A crushing blow slamd into her abdon like a hamr. Her body was sent flying into a tree with a loud crack, and she coughed up blood on impact.

"Hey! P-cock!" the one-eyed bandit shouted, glaring. "Why'd you hit her so hard?! I didn't want her dead yet!"

P-cock stood still, pouting as he inspected his broken nail like it was a national crisis. With a dramatic sigh, he turned his attention back to Maya and began walking toward her.

Maya clutched her abdon, the pain unbearable—as if her insides were being torn apart. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to raise her staff and point it at P-cock.

"F-Fire... b-bolt..." she whispered, but only a weak puff of smoke erged from the tip of her staff.

Her pointed hat slipped from her head as she crouched low, barely able to stay upright.

Crunch.

P-cock stepped on the hat with a smug smirk. Then, without hesitation, he reached her, and kicked her hard across the face.

Maya collapsed to the ground, flat and unmoving.

"Maya!!" I scread. But my leg is still freezing and my hand shaking terribly.

"Arrrrghhhh"

I heard a scream and on other side, i saw Bob.

Bob was screaming, not out of fear, but out of sheer panic-fueled adrenaline. His sword flailed in wild arcs, slicing the air, sotis hitting a target, sotis not. His eyes were wide open, sweat pouring down his face as he spun in place like a broken top.

It looks like his Hero Grace skill is on cooldown. Without that skill, Bob is just a regular, fat person with a sword.

"STAY BACK! I'M WARNING YOU! I WILL SLASH ALL OF YOU ONCE MY HERO GRACE AVAILABLE!" he shouted, swinging at a bandit who narrowly ducked and laughed.

One unlucky bandit got too close and caught a full swing to the shoulder, screaming as he fell back. Bob blinked in shock for a mont, almost surprised at his own success.

Then he scread again and kept slashing.

"I'M NOT DYING IN THIS FOREST! I STILL HAVE MANY DREAMS NOT YET ACHIEVED!

The surrounding bandits looked at one another in confusion. One of them muttered, "What the hell's wrong with this guy?"

But none dared to rush in carelessly.

In his wild state, Bob had sohow made himself look more dangerous than he really was.

"Let handle him," Crow said as he stepped forward, placing a hand on the bandit's shoulder. He grinned. "So, you can't use that special move, huh?"

Crow's smile widened, sharp and mocking. Without that skill, Bob's just a farm animal, struggling before the butcher's blade.

He reached into his pocket and crunched down on sothing, chewing slowly. Then, with unsettling ease, he licked the edge of his dagger, now coated in a green, oozing fluid.

Bob's eyes widened in alarm. From all his experience watching ani and playing gas, he knew, anything green and slimy could only an one thing: poison.

Crow pulled his arm back, dagger poised in a throwing stance, then launched it with force.

Bob stood his ground, unwilling to dodge. He knew his bulky fra would make him an easy target if he moved unpredictably. Instead, he prepared to counter. His right hand hovered near his left hip, body crouched low like a samurai ready to draw.

"Catch this, fatty!" Crow shouted as he hurled the dagger.

Swishhh

The dagger sliced through the air.

Bob's eyes tracked it. In a flash, his blade drew...

Zuppp!

A sharp sound echoed as his sword moved with speed. Silence followed.

I watched, heart pounding. Did he manage to deflect it?

Bob wondered the sa...until a stabbing pain tore through his side.

"Arrrgghhh!" he scread, collapsing to one knee. His sword clattered to the ground as he clutched his left hip, where the dagger had embedded deep.

Bob looked at his wound, he pulled the dagger. And from the wound, a greenish lesion was spread like a spider web from the wound. This is really a poison.

"Hahaha... that's my specialty, Poison Gum. A very potent poison," Crow laughed, placing a hand dramatically on his forehead. "In thirty minutes, you'll die like livestock. Let enjoy your suffering."

Bob writhed in agony. The pain was intense, like the wound itself was alive, gnawing at his flesh. Worse than the ti he was bitten by that rabid dog.

But then, a sudden ding echoed in his head.

[Host has been poisoned.]

[Host is immune to the poison. Removing status effect.]

A system notification.

The greenish hue around the wound began to fade, the infection visibly retreating from the surface inward. But despite the status being removed, the pain remained, raw and sharp, making it hard for Bob to appreciate the good news.

Bob then tried to stand up, gripping his weapon tightly in his right hand and pointing it at Crow.

"You'll face my rage... in three minutes," Bob growled, his voice low and threatening. His glasses fogged up from his heavy breathing, the lenses clouding as he glared at Crow with unwavering resolve.

Three minutes...that's how long it would take before his Grace Hero, his ultimate skill, beca available.

"Do you think I'll wait three minutes just to get my ass kicked?" Crow snarled, stepping toward Bob with eyes burning in malice. "I'll finish you now, even if I wanted to make you suffer first."

"Hey, Crow," one of the bandits grabbed his arm, "Big Sis Phoenix said he needs to stay alive."

Crow yanked his hand away without hesitation. "There's still one more guy," he said coldly, turning his gaze toward . "That one."

His eyes locked on mine, sharp and murderous.

"Just tell Big Sis I got caught up in the mont... and killed this guy by accident."

He's talking about ?

I froze. My hands trembled around the sword's hilt. Sweat poured from my forehead, soaking my shirt like I had just stepped out of a storm. My thoughts scattered. My body wouldn't move.

My friends... they're going to die. And I can't do anything.

I'm useless!

The thought thundered in my heart.

William.

Evelyn.

Maya.

Bob.

Each one of them was still fighting, even if they were bleeding, wounded, overwheld. They were trying. They hadn't given up.

Then why am I just standing here?

My grip tightened on the sword. It trembled in my hands...but not with fear.

With resolve.

I may be nothing. But I can give sothing.

I will protect my friends. Even if I fall here.

I will fight.

I raised my hand high, sword trembling, and turned toward Maya...she was in the worst shape of them all. I had to reach her first.

But as I ran—

Thump!

A brutal impact slamd into my back.

I was sent sprawling forward, my face smashing into the dirt.

Groaning, I tried to lift myself up, only to see a large bald man towering above . Quail. He was grinning, his heavy mace resting in one hand as he tapped it against his palm.

"Where do you think you're going?" he growled. "You're not getting away. Because of you, I've beco so forgetful, I can't even rember my own na sotis."

He stepped closer.

Then swung the mace.

I instinctively raised my sword, gripping it horizontally to block the blow—

PANG!

The sword shattered. Pieces flew past my face like fragnts of a broken dream.

My eyes widened in disbelief.

But Quail wasn't done. He spun the mace like a pro athlete...then slamd it into my face like a ho-run swing.

Everything blurred.

I flew backward, crashing hard near Maya. My head rang. Blood trickled from my eyes. A shrill ringing filled my ears. I couldn't move, every nerve scread in agony.

Then... I saw her.

Maya.

She was still breathing, barely. Lying on her side, blood on her lips, she looked at with weak eyes.

"M-Maya..." I croaked, reaching toward her with trembling fingers.

"R-Run... A-Alan..." she whispered, blood bubbling from her mouth.

Her words stabbed deeper than any blade.

Quail stomped down on my hand with his heavy boot.

CRACK!

A scream ripped from my throat. I felt the bones in my hand shatter like thin twigs under a carriage wheel.

Quail sneered at , then glanced over to Maya, lying helpless nearby.

"This your lover, huh?" he asked with a twisted smile.

Then, he let go of my hand and turned toward her.

My heart dropped.

"Hey... What are you doing?" I croaked, panic setting in.

He raised his mace high...too high...like a butcher preparing to cleave at.

"STOP!!"

I pushed my broken body off the ground. With every ounce of strength left, I threw myself over Maya just before the mace ca down.

BANG!

The impact shattered through my back. Blood exploded from my mouth. Still, I held her close.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Each strike was agony. Bones splintered. My ribs collapsed. I couldn't even scream anymore. I could only shield her. I had to shield her.

Maya stared at , her face pale, her eyes wide with tears.

"A-Alan... What are you doing? Stop... please..." she whispered, choking on her own pain.

P-cock stood off to the side, mockingly wiping his eyes.

"Hmph! What a heroic mont..." he said, feigning a sob.

After what felt like forever, Quail finally stopped, panting, drenched in sweat, mace slick with my blood.

I couldn't move.

I couldn't feel anything.

I couldn't even tell if I was alive anymore. The pain had beco a distant whisper...too imnse, too total.

Maybe my spine was gone. Maybe my body had just... shut down.

I collapsed next to Maya, limp. My vision blurred into static.

Behind her, I saw her.

Phoenix.

Sitting leisurely on a tree trunk, munching on sothing like she was watching a stage play. Smiling. Enjoying it all.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to roar in fury.

But the feeling... was fading.

Then...I heard it.

A voice. Familiar.

"Alan!"

Then another.

"ALAN!!"

Maya... Evelyn... William... Their voices echoed in my ears.

And then...his voice.

"ALAN!!!"

My best friend.

My eyes filled with tears.

Sorry, dude...

Looks like... my journey ends here.

I forgot to save this playthrough.

Make sure you finish the ga for . Make friends. Keep going.

My heart slowed.

Each breath dragged like stone.

The world faded into shadow.

Everything turned to black.

So this is it...

Ga Over.