At the beginning of the story, Yuuichi appears to be a diligent and happy student, who works hard to be able to join his friends on the school field trip. He values his friends heavily throughout the story. He shows kindness and a willingness to self-sacrifice for the sake of his friends, even going so far as to brand himself the traitor in order to prevent further discord. As the story progresses and the games become more and more serious, however, Yuuichi begins to show a much more sinister side. This dark nature is likely the result of his troubled upbringing by an adopted mother who had to sell her body and a con man/swindler who served as a father figure and teacher. He shows little remorse for any of his more devious actions and appears sadistic at points when he takes pleasure in the misfortunes of his enemies.

Shiroe was a graduate student majoring in engineering when he was trapped in the game Elder Tale. Naturally a cautious and thoughtful introvert, he has played the game since middle school and is a veteran with a near-encyclopaedic knowledge of the game, which is known for its depth and complexity. Although Shiroe is socially awkward and tends to be asocial, he does not actually dislike other people. Instead, he is fiercely independent and wary of others who approach him with ulterior motives. He is not above helping people who are really in need, and he appears to have a soft spot for beginners—for example for the twins Tohya and Minori. In addition, he can be quite protective of people he cares for, a trait that Nyanta used to tease him about.