The year is 202X. The setting is the world of GunS Guilds Online, a VRMMO inexplicably brought to Earth by a mysterious extraterrestrial lifeform. The game is notoriously broken from the outset, characterized by player characters being too weak and enemy monsters far too strong. Despite these glaring flaws, people continue to challenge the game, especially since the beta testers have returned. The central conflict of the narrative arises from this intensely realistic virtual world, where the pressures of survival lead to constant friction, causing human relationships to deteriorate into a state of perpetual tension and awkwardness, perfectly captured in the Japanese word "gisu gisu".

Driving the story forward is the main protagonist, a player known by the blacksmith name Kotatama. He has a reputation as a "cliff-edge" player with a slight tendency toward griefing or causing trouble for others. His primary motivation is a deeply personal one not born of simple competition, but of devotion: he aims to become a "warrior of light" for the sake of his respected teacher, a figure who holds great significance for him. The narrative covers his struggles and interactions within this unforgiving digital landscape.

The cast is populated by a variety of other players who shape Kotatama's journey. Early on, the story reveals a hidden, unknown episode involving Kotatama and another key player named Suzuki. As the plot progresses, Kotatama finds himself in an ambiguous relationship with a group of hardcore players led by a user named Satu, a faction known as the "Defeated Soldiers" or "Leftover Soldiers". Simultaneously, the mysterious relationships involving characters like Pocho from the "Fureai Bokujo" (Friendly Ranch) guild, Suzuki, and Atmu continue to develop.

The manga's notable narrative arcs begin to take shape as Kotatama becomes more entangled with these different player factions. A major recurring event is the raid boss battle, which is portrayed as a significant challenge that the players must unite to face. A key early arc focuses on the game's more mundane but no less treacherous social aspects, such as an open-air bazaar where players try to sell dreams and gear to each other, an event that quickly devolves into conflict over a case of durability fraud and culminates in a brawl involving a recurring female character named Richet. This arc also introduces the full seven-member mascot suit unit, who make a dramatic appearance. The tension between different player mindsets the casuals, the hardcore raiders, and the independent craftsmen forms the core of the narrative as Kotatama navigates his commitment to his teacher with the harsh realities of the game world.