The Isekai Game

Savory

Roots were protruding from the mountains, leading back into a thick forest of giant trees, where Vanessa first started her journey. She swore the forest was the pain in her butt whereas the theme was the migraine throbbing at her temple. 

This forest was more like a jungle, filled with twists and turns to no end. Monsters blended in whereas many plants were monsters themselves. A puppy ran by, catching Vanessa's attention. It just wanted a sniff of a bush. 

A vine wrapped its paw, flinging it into the air as the puppy cried before another mouth-like plant bit down, trapping the pooch in its sticky goo which oozed from its green teeth. That goo acted as acid, sizzling the poochy's skin slowly for it to flinch in every manner, begging for help. 

Vanessa gripped her katana, wishing she knew where exactly to strike with a flame disc to save it. But the entire area was covered in random plants. And striking these plants could easily anger them into trapping her. 

With that in mind, she stepped away remembering something very important. The crying puppy caught the sympathy of her heart, distracting her from the dangers targeting her.

And just like that, Vanessa was dropped to her face before being dragged into the air by her ankle. A hand was on each of her weapons to ensure they didn't fall. She couldn't think of any action to take while being flung above the enormously large bushes. 

A giant venus fly trap held its mouth open. It was the same kind as the one that ate the pooch. Heat was felt, escaping its mouth like a toxin waste that tore the spirits of anybody to smell its odor.

Thoughts of melting to acid twitched her nerves before being dropped into the creature's mouth. She flailed about without a clue what to do. 

The burning goo trapped her arms and legs to its inner mouth. Wiggling worsened the struggle by causing more goo to stick. The green teeth were closing her in, blocking out the outside world. This darkness was the end of her failure. But not quickly. 

How on earth the studio knew what it felt like to simulate her skin being torn off was beyond her. But struggling against the acid's piercing burn felt just as though her actual skin was being pulled from her flesh. 

She watched as the white connective tissue failed to keep her skin intact as she struggled to free her firing arm. Her fists were clenched, hoping not to get her fingers caught. 

"Aah, ah-ah," she cried with a crackling voice as the plant clenched its mouth tighter, capturing her entire back in an inescapable bind. 

A final lengthy pull, tearing her elbow skin, freed her forearm. There was a gurgle that tightened the mouth as she fought to reach her g*n without catching more acidic goo. 

Humidity was her worst enemy. Sweat dripped the acidic goo over her exposed flesh, sizzling down into her muscles with dark red blood dripping onto the mouth's taste glands. 

It was a juicy taste for the giant flytrap that caused it to twist and shake its head, enjoying the savory taste of a fresh corpse bleeding in its mouth. The drip hitting its taste buds shook the plant of this kawaii delight. 

Somewhere in its dance, its lower jaw was shot. Another fire came from inside its mouth as well, blowing out another chunk of its bottom jaw. It lowered its head, shaking from pain as the firing paused for a moment. 

Vanessa trembled, aiming her shotgun at its teeth before taking her third shot. Its remaining teeth filled in the gap, blocking all light once again. 

There had to be something. This really sucked. She reminded herself that it was only a simulation and that her actual self was wearing a full sleeve suit with armor. If only that's how this worked. She cried, firing again at its lower jaw, feeling her knees and shins digging further into the acid. 

It clicked. Vanessa realized she fell victim to her own mind. Her other hand could barely move. But she was able to place her shotgun in it. She continued trembling as she aimed it back at the flytrap's throat, firing thrice to blow out its throat. 

The plant fell down, crashing into the dirt. It wriggled about, shaking its teeth in before opening up. The goo tore at Vanessa's back, ripping a large portion of her back, down to the tendons on her spine. 

She whaled her pain throughout the forest, ignoring the rattles of oncoming foes who seek weekend prey. Every nerve felt shot, causing her to tremble. Even her g*n rattled as she remained melting in the acid. 

How could there be so much pain from a game? Doves flocked around her, pecking at her wounds. She felt each one, tearing deeper into her rotting flesh. But she couldn't just quit. Regardless if she just died, it was favored poorly for players to quit even when death was certain. It was rumored to be a major factor when determining pro as well as a deduction of points. 

A lizard, as if as an elephant, with wood skin came. It stared at her l*****g its sharp teeth. This was Vanessa's only hope to end the pain.