July 2025
It's been three months since I moved from my hometown of Hokkaido to attend a women's university in Tokyo.
At first, I thought things might be different if I came to Tokyo, at least, I hoped they would,
but nothing's changed from when I was in Hokkaido.
Of course, I'm not any shorter.
I haven't made any friends at school and haven't joined any clubs.
My parents said I can't get a part-time job, so that's out, too.
Every day, I just go to the university and then return to my apartment.
Everyone, let's meet at 18:00, okay?
Okay!
How lucky. Cute. Short.
If only I were their size, I bet—
A-Are you okay?
Th-This always happens to me.
August 2025 Obihiro, Hokkaido
I became interested in VR games when I was home for summer vacation.
Seeing it on the news sparked my curiosity.
VRMMO Spotlight
The world's first full-dive VRMMORPG utilizing the next generation VR machine, the NerveGear,
Sword Art Online.
On the day it launched in 2022,
an incident occurred where the 10,000 players who were logged in became trapped in the VR world,
and while it was resolved two years later, 4,000 players lost their lives.
The feeling that VR machines were dangerous is still fresh in many people's minds.
The NerveGear was recalled and destroyed,
but because of the next generation machine, the AmuSphere,
as well as the license-free development support package, "the Seed,"
the situation turned around.
Games using the Seed have been released one after another,
an ever-increasing number that makes it seem as though people have forgotten the SAO Incident.
Games that let people enjoy full use of their five senses
invite players to a different life than their reality...
A different life than reality...
Pelawsom
No, I'm just surprised!
The straightlaced Kohi wants to know about VR games?
Why did you change your mind? Did something happen in Tokyo?
N-Nothing happened!
I just thought I'd try playing one.
Miyu, you're good at those games, right? Will you tell me about them?
Seriously? Sure! I'll tell you!
So, what do you want to know?
They're really not dangerous, right?
Definitely not!
The AmuSphere is designed to automatically log players out if it detects anything unusual,
so there's no need to worry about getting trapped inside the game!
Um, sorry. I didn't get any of that.
Okay.
Anyway, it's not even worth explaining until you buy the hardware!
Surprise Camera
- Um... - Yes?
I'm looking for an AmuSphere.
That and "ALfheim Online."
Are you done installing it?
Yeah. It says I can log in.
You'll become a winged fairy and go on an adventure!
I'm sure you'll enjoy ALO, too!
Just flying around and chatting with everyone in that beautiful world is a blast!
Link start.
Welcome to ALfheim Online.
Please enter your avatar's name
Please enter your avatar's name.
Please select your avatar's race.
You have chosen Sylph, the wind fairies.
Your avatar will now be created.
Wh-Wha...
Why was I so tall?
Sorry! I completely forgot you had a complex about your height!
Hey, Miyu, can't I create my own character?
Avatars are created randomly, so you'll just have to make another one using character creation.
I'm not so sure about ALO.
Were you traumatized?
Then do want to convert your character?
Convert?
Have LLENN, the character you created, move.
You can transfer to a different game using the same ID.
You can't take any items or money with you, but since you just started, that doesn't matter.
Okay. I'll try a different game.
Also, if I can get a ticket to Elsa Kanzaki's next concert, I'll be going to Tokyo,
so let me stay over then! See ya!
Beginning character conversion.
I'm tall again!
Now I'm long horizontally!
That's not even human!
Beginning character conversion.
This is the 37th time!
Please. Please. Please!
I found it!
I found it at last!
Cute!
This is a cute girl!
Wow, so small!
What's that? A girl?
Did you see that? A kid in here...
Hey, she's cute!
Look at how small she is! I didn't know there were avatars like that!
An NPC?
I'm so happy! I'm short and cute!
I'm LLENN!
By the way, what kind of game is this?
Go through the tutorial?
Where am I?
Glad you could make it, maggot!
M-Maggot?
If you're not a maggot, then your parents spawned a dung beetle!
Listen up, dung beetle!
This world is overrun with grotesque monsters, out-of-control machines and homicidal players!
Starting now, I'm going to beat into you the skills you need to live in this harsh environment!
U-Um...
You will answer with, "Yes, ma'am!"
Y-Yes, ma'am!
Why did you come here, dung beetle?
To become a cute girl.
To survive!
This is what you need to do that!
Dung beetle, tell me what this is.
It-It's a gun!
You're pretty sharp for a dung beetle.
There are two basic types of guns. Optical guns and live-ammo guns!
Optical guns are lighter, have a long range and have better precision.
It's also easy to switch out energy packs.
But when it's PvP,
their power can be defended against with an anti-optical protective field.
And then there are live ammunition guns.
You fire bullets that have actual mass.
They're powerful and protective fields can't stop them.
But they're easily affected by the wind, and the magazines are heavy and bulky.
In theory, you'd use optical guns in monster battles, and live-ammo guns in PvP battles.
Got it?
U-Um...
Answer me!
Yes, ma'am!
I will now teach you the basics of gun handling.
Wh-What are you...
It's the Bullet Line.
It appears the moment an enemy puts their finger on the trigger.
A bullet travels down this line.
If you see a Bullet Line, immediately counterattack or evade.
- Answer! - Yes, ma'am!
Keep your arms close, hold the gun steady, and squeeze the trigger.
That's the Bullet Circle. The trajectory prediction circle.
When you pull the trigger, the bullet will hit a random point in that circle.
Try firing!
Wonderful!
Of all the dung beetles in the dung heap, you're at the bottom.
Let me make a prediction.
Once you get out there, you'll die within five seconds!
If you don't wanna die, fire!
Fire! Fire! Keep firing!
Shooting is the only way you'll survive!
Never forget that!
The size of the circle changes, depending on your pulse.
Calm down and fire.
Excellent, dung beetle!
Never pick up a sniper rifle again.
Pretty good snapshots.
A submachine gun suits you.
Looks like even a dung beetle has a redeeming quality.
Next, we'll cover the use of knives!
Yes, ma'am!
First...
This game is a little too intense!
I decided to keep playing Gun Gale Online.
September 2025
Not only did I like walking around as the cute LLENN,
I'd already gone through the hassle of starting the game.
So I tried my best to hunt monsters.
They'd turn into particles of light and disappear when I shot them,
so I didn't feel too guilty about it.
I would take out low-level monsters...
run away from high-level monsters...
and occasionally die.
When there was a monster I couldn't defeat, I'd learn how to beat it from a strategy site.
Slowly but surely, I acquired experience points.
But...
I want something more stylish.
Now that I'm finally cute...
Just as I thought, they don't have anything cute.
We can change your color
This isn't exactly what I had in mind, but pink is pink.
Now it's perfect.
- Look at that cute little player. - Is that a girl?
That's a boy!
All right! I'll do my best to level up!
Alright, then.
With any luck, they'll fall for it.
Tea tastes better when I drink it while listening to Elsa Kanzaki.
GGO is great.
No matter how much I drink or eat here, I'll never get fat.
People are coming this way!
Listen. If you encounter people who aren't your allies, you can be sure a firefight will ensue!
Should I run?
Or log out and return to reality?
What do I do? What should I do?
This hunting ground is too far.
On the bright side, we're not competing with other players.
We can rack up experience points all night.
Th-They're not noticing me? Why?
We finally made—
My trap!
An explosion?
Someone was here before us? Where are they?
Are we being targeted?
If they find me, they'll kill me!
Find them!
They'll kill me!
There's no point in trying to talk to them!
Exchange bullets instead of words!
Advance!
I won. But why couldn't they...?
Could it be?
Very interesting. I might be able to use this.
Have you heard about the Pink Devil?
It's a PKer in the desert field that ambushes other players.
It killed Kenji!
Seriously?
I hear it wears camouflage, so it could be three meters away
and you wouldn't even know.
On top of that, it's small and nimble.
It must have a really high Agility.
What's the pink punk armed with?
Czech submachine gun, vz. 61. Two of them.
Even its guns are small? That's hardcore.
So it's camouflaged in all pink, sneaks up on its opponents, and suddenly...
They're wiped out before they can even see its face.
You're even smaller than the rumors say.
Nice to meet you, Pink Devil.
Did you get too used to the taste of victory using your camouflage strategy?
I get it. It's fun PKing, right? After all, it's a game. It's GGO.
It's fun, so what's wrong with it?
There's nothing wrong with it.
But...
You should be careful.
You're... not going to shoot me?
No, I'm not gonna shoot you.
I was curious about what the Pink Devil was like, so I came to see for myself.
I didn't expect you to be a little girl.
Hey, why not come back to town with me and have some tea?
Let Big Sister here treat you.
There aren't many female players here, so let's be friends!
And that was how I met Pitohui, or Pito.
I see, so that's what you wear in town.
You really are hardcore.
So, let's introduce ourselves.
I'm Pitohui. Or just Pito is fine.
What's your name, shortie?
Hello. My name is LLENN.
LLENN, huh? That's a cute name.
Also, no need to be so polite.
You're curious about the tattoo?
N-No...
Like I said, there aren't many female GGO players, so guys are always hitting on us, right?
But once I added the tattoo, the number plummeted.
Why don't you give it a try, LLENN?
Um, Pitohui, have—
Just Pito is fine.
Okay, Pito. Have you been playing VR games a long time?
Yeah, I'd say so.
I've been playing GGO since it launched.
I like the bloodthirsty worldview you don't find in other VR games.
What about you, LLENN?
GGO is the first game I've played, and I started three months ago.
You're still a newbie!
And yet you PK using that fiendish method. I'm impressed! You're really talented.
Well, I'll try to rein it in a bit.
Hey, why don't we register as Friends?
I think there's a lot I can teach you
and I'm sick of playing with sleazy guys all the time. Well?
Okay.
Accept Friend request?
Done deal. LLENN, I look forward to adventuring with you.
Yeah!
It's already this late? Are you going to log off, LLENN?
I was thinking of looking for a new live-ammo gun today.
Then leave it to me!
Here. This shop specializes in rare items obtained from exploring ruins and defeating tough monsters.
Amazing.
I didn't know a shop like this existed.
LLENN, LLENN!
I recommend this one! It says it just came in yesterday.
Check it out!
What is it?
It's cute.
It's just darlin'!
LLENN, you're from Hokkaido?
I want this. I'll buy it.
I'll definitely buy it!
I get it.
Wanting to hold onto your new gun for a while.
You want to get used to "the feel" of it.
Yeah!
What are you going to name it?
N-Name? For the gun?
Of course!
I-I don't...
I'll do it!
Okay, then. So, what's its name?
P-chan.
That's a nice name.
You have to hand-feed P-chan plenty of enemy blood.
A gun will never betray you.
The more enemies you kill, the bigger it'll grow.
Yeah! I'll do my best to kill!
And so, Pito and I teamed up, forming a two-person squadron.
Whenever we both had time, we'd go hunting together.
Pito is an ultra-rich gun fanatic who changed her weapon every time.
But other than that, she was mostly a mystery to me.
Say, Pito, what's your hobby?
Other than this game?
Nothing.
I like listening to music.
I often listen to classical music and movie soundtracks.
Elsa Kanzaki is my favorite singer right now.
Music, huh?
I hardly listen to it.
Really? Maybe I was just projecting, but I figured you'd be a music fan.
I can't even read sheet music. If you saw me in real life, you'd be shocked.
Oh, sorry. Let's not talk any more about real life.
Well, we're pretty close now,
so if we ever do meet in real life, I'd reveal my true identity.
It'd be a so-called "offline meeting."
How about you, LLENN? Do you have the courage for that?
I think you would be surprised, Pito.
Then, how about this?
One of these days, you and I will fight, and if you win, we'll meet in real life.
If I beat you? Th-That wouldn't happen for...
Okay, I'll make you a promise.
Train hard and then try to defeat me with P-chan one day.
U-Understood!
No, I got it! I swear I'll take you down someday, Pito!
That's a good answer.
Okay, to mark our vow...
Vow?
As proof of our shared vow, we clack metal together.
That was popular in the Edo era.
Don't you remember?
Pito, are you over 170 years old in real life?
That's still a secret.
So, someday we'll seriously go up against each other,
and if I lose, we'll meet in real life.
It's a promise between women!
Yeah!
January 2026
And so...
LLENN, Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, Pito!
Hey, LLENN, do you know about Squad Jam?
What's that?
Squad Jam Coming Soon
...I learned about Squad Jam.
Next time: Fan Letter.