There was a specific order that I needed to follow.
'According to the book, I need to start with the fragments.'
I hovered my hand over the fragments as a notification appeared right after.
[Eighty fragments have been located!]
[You have met the criteria to advance]
[The purity level is 89.4%]
[Do you wish to advance?]
▶ [Yes] ▷ [No]
'I really wanted to reach 90%, but this is good enough. I can't really afford a higher purity.'
My games were no longer in Dock. I was practically making no income from there. There was the RW Tech sponsorship, but I had used most of the money that came from that too. Thankfully, the fragments provided to me by the Guild Master were incredibly pure, helping me save a lot of money.
I pressed [Yes], and the world before me flashed.
Darkness overtook my vision right after as I was brought back to a familiar world.
An enormous lattice appeared before my very eyes, with countless paths connecting to countless nodes. Looking around, I could see an endless network stretching in every direction, each node seemingly leading to another branch.
These all represented the numerous paths that I could've taken.
But when I looked down, I located my own paths. I watched as the first two nodes lit up, the energy from the fragments pushing forward along the paths as it quickly traveled toward the Intermediate Nodes ahead.
The closer they came to the Intermediate Nodes, the weaker the energy became, dwindling with every passing second.
Still, the energy was able to get to them as they simultaneously lit up.
A bright light exploded within the dark place as I looked past the Intermediate Nodes, a dark mist greeting my sight.
As the Intermediate Nodes lit up, several paths became clearer, allowing the remaining energy to push farther ahead. Carefully guiding it along the paths, I looked into the distance, where a faint red ball appeared deep within the surrounding mist of darkness.
I didn't quite know what it was, but something about it told me that was the end.
'The end of the pathways.'
The final node.
It was the Node I was supposed to reach within this maze of endless paths.
But with the appearance of the mist, which covered every path, it became impossible to tell which way I needed to go to reach it. And yet, for some reason, I had a vague feeling of where it was.
'Hmm.'
Taking my eyes away from the final Node, I looked down and took note of the new paths that had appeared thanks to the energy provided by the fragments. But even that had its limits, as I noticed some of the paths eventually came to a stop.
'...Looks like I've run out of energy.'
Without leaving the space, my real hand moved, hovering above where the essence was supposed to be.
A new notification appeared.
[Ten essence has been located!]
[You have met the criteria to advance]
[Purity: High]
[Do you wish to advance?]
▶ [Yes] ▷ [No]
I didn't hesitate to press [Yes]. The paths suddenly lit up with even greater intensity, the mist surrounding them scattering abruptly and revealing several new paths. The paths were numerous, and each one seemed to lead to a different node, but my mind was clear.
I knew exactly where I wanted the paths to connect. The paths branched faster and faster, the energy provided by the essence steadily clearing away the mist as they delved deeper into the lattice. And then, eventually, I was able to sense a large orb in the distance.
It was unlike the Basic and Intermediate Nodes.
It was much larger, at least three times the size, with the energy radiating from it feeling incredibly dense.
The path stopped right before the Node, the large sphere humming within my mind. I wanted to quickly synchronize with it, but the energy provided by the essence simply wasn't enough to break through.
This was where the reagent came in.
Opening the wooden box in front of me, I felt the touch of a thin glass tube. I opened it and popped the contents into my mouth.
The marrow was tasteless.
However, it was also extremely cold. The moment I swallowed the marrow, I felt my entire body begin to cool as my breathing grew heavier. Clenching my teeth, I focused on the Node before my eyes as it suddenly began glowing more fiercely. The pathway connected to it thickened, the cold sensation surging through it and digging deeper into the Node.
I wanted to say that the process was complicated.
However, it really wasn't.
The reagent did its job. Like a drill, it dug into the Node before breaking through and surging inside. The orb glowed fiercely, humming wildly for a moment before eventually settling down.
And then—
"...."
Silence.
There was no fanciful firework or anything of the sort. Instead, it almost felt as though my entire mind had separated from my body, the sensation akin to having a high fever.
When I opened my eyes, the world felt clearer than before.
And that... felt strange to me.
As someone who had been dealing with chronic headaches, this sudden sense of clarity felt strangely unfamiliar.
This clarity was followed by a notification.
Ding—!
[Advancement complete!]
[Fifth Order shop unlocked!]
[Basic Node: Containment Vessel]
[Basic Node: Trait Transfer]
[Intermediate Node: Anamnesis]
[Intermediate Node: Herder]
[Advanced Node: Pasture]
[Fragments: 0/160]
[Essence: 0/20]
[Reagent:???]
Frowning, I looked at the name of the new skill.
"Pasture..."
Now, what the hell did that do?
"Judging from the name, it allows me to control anomalies and make them move as I want?" I thought about it for a moment before shaking my head. I already had a skill like this.
[Herder].
In that case, what did this skill do?
"Since it's an Advanced Node, I'm pretty sure it's nothing to scoff at."
Generally, a pasture was a piece of land covered with grass or other plants where farm animals such as cows, sheep, and horses could graze. Maybe this was a sort of prison that I could create for anomalies?
"Is that what it is?"
My frown deepened as I felt my new node.
"...It seems like it is to some extent, but also not quite."
The moment I activated the Node, I felt a subtle sense of rejection. It wasn't because there was anything wrong with my mind. Rather, the energy coming from the Node seemed to scatter in every direction, as if I were missing something necessary to properly control it.
"This doesn't make sense."
I'd never experienced something like this before. Why was it acting up now?
This felt very strange to me.
It didn't seem like anything had gone wrong. Perhaps Advanced Nodes needed a different requirement in order to be controlled.
"I can always ask the Guild Master or look it up. It shouldn't be a problem."
Shrugging, I stepped out of the cartoonish world and returned to my office. I was greeted by the same mess as before, along with the darkness that still lingered throughout the room.
Suddenly, I felt my headache return.
And this was despite the progress from reaching the next Order.
"Oh, right.
Recalling the most important thing, I immediately opened up the system shop.
"...The medicine. I need the medicine."
─────[Shop]─────
-> [Fifth Order]
[Search █──────────]
Total items: 19
(Recommended) [Prime Lumenol]
: Reverses existing Fractures on the Node over a course of thirty days. Suppresses the growth of Cognitive Shards throughout treatment.
Warning: The Shard adapts over time. Each successive course yields a shorter duration than the last. Discontinuation following prolonged use may result in immediate collapse.
Consumable.
Price: 25,000 SP
[Second Stomach]
Type/Containment Tool
: A soft, warm sac that fits beneath the ribs. Anomalies whose strength exceeds the capacity of the user's Node may be sealed within it instead of the Node.
Warning: The vessel does not digest the anomaly. What is placed inside remains awake and can break out at any given time.
Non-consumable.
Price: 2,400,000 SP
[Closing Gavel]
Type/Vessel
: A short mallet of blackened wood, heavier than its size suggests. One strike passes a single ruling upon any anomaly or person within hearing. The ruling takes effect at once and cannot be appealed.
Warning: A ruling must be true. The gavel will not fall on a sentence the target has not earned.
Warning: A false ruling is served to the one who passed the ruling.
Non-consumable.
Price: 2,750,000 SP
[Blank Vessel] [Restricted]
Type/Tool
: An unoccupied body, grown to the user's exact measurements and held in limbo until claimed. Should the user's mind fail or their body perish, they will awaken within it, retaining every memory up to the moment of transfer.
Warning: The Cognitive Shard transfers with the mind.
Warning: If enough time passes, the vessel may develop a mind of its own.
Price: 52,000,000 SP
[Available Points: 418 SP]
[Conversion rate: 1$ = 0.1 SP]
─────[Shop]─────
"What the fuck?"
The first thing I did upon seeing the new shop was curse. Not once, not twice, but three times.
"The fuck?"
It wasn't even the items that were listed that shook me.
...What truly made me curse was the prices of some of the items.
52,000,000SP?
"That's half a billion!"
What the actual fuck!?
How was I supposed to earn that much money?
Even though the economy in this world was significantly more inflated than in my previous life due to the Gates, this was still a shit ton of money. Just thinking about having to gather all that money just to buy a single item made my heart ache.
"It's a good thing that the medicine isn't that expensive."
250,000$
"I want to puke."
This shop was really trying its best to milk me dry. I really needed to figure out more ways to make money. With the additional expense of creating a new Gate, I honestly felt like puking.
"This is a serious pain."
I rubbed my face, pinching at every part of it as if I could somehow mold it into a different shape. In the end, however, I still decided to buy the pill. Having spent all of my money, it was hard for me to buy it immediately, but thankfully, I had a sponsor.
"Hey, Kyle."
—What?
"Send me a quarter of a mill—"
Du. Du.
"Huh?"
I stared at my spare phone blankly.
"Did he just hang up on me?"
No, probably not.
It might be because this phone is old.
I called again.
[Sorry, the phone that you've dialed cannot be reached.]
(╯°□°）╯
He really did hang up on me!
I stood up abruptly, only to stop the moment I received a notification and saw that it came from my bank account.
[250,000$ has been transferred to your bank account.]
My face relaxed.
"Ah, I see. He was just trying to get me the money. Alright, I guess I can for—"
Ding!
A new message appeared.
Looking down, I pressed my lips into a tight line before putting my phone away. I was better than this. I mean, he did give me the money, so it was fine.
I looked at my phone again.
[(•_•)┌∩┐]
"Ehm."
I scratched the side of my face, my left brow twitching.
'Let's ignore it. You're better than this.'
Yeah, I was.
I—
[┌∩┐(•_•)┌∩┐]
I switched off my phone and transferred the money into the shop before buying the pill.
*Pop*
The pill popped up from above, and as I caught it, I examined the contents of the glass bottle it came in.
"It's white?"
Thinking of something, I reached into my drawer and retrieved a bottle of pills. Comparing the pills I already had with the one I had taken from the drawer, the most noticeable difference was their size. The one from the shop was considerably smaller.
"Besides that, they actually do look quite similar."
These were the pills Liora from the Obsidian Bastion Guild had given me. Looking at them, I couldn't help but feel curious.
'If it's close to the ones from the shop, would this mean that the Guild has someone who also has a system?'
Honestly, this didn't feel that surprising.
All the people who had this strange system were scary. And the more powerful they were, the scarier they were.
I had felt this firsthand.
"Alright, enough wasting time."
Opening the bottle, I tossed the pill in my mouth.
***
"Hoo."
Standing before a metal door, Jordan took a deep breath. Despite his best efforts to remain calm, he couldn't quite settle his nerves as he stood there, staring at the door before him.
The squad selections were done, and he had been assigned to a squad.
He was the only one selected for the squad, and just thinking about the squad he was about to join made him incredibly nervous.
'Min, Sarah, Niel, Mia, Joanna, Nora, and Ariel.'
These were the names of his new squad members.
Thinking about them, Jordan felt even more nervous. Like everyone else in the world, he had gotten to witness them in action during the Congress. From Sarah's ghost-like presence to Ariel's lunatic-like action, each of them had left a lasting impression on him.
But above all...
The Mad Crown.
One of the hottest names within the industry.
He was going to be his new Squad Leader.
Beyond the obvious nervousness, there was a clear sense of excitement in Jordan's eyes. Taking another deep breath, he mustered up the courage and pushed the door open.
"Hello, seniors! I—"
BANG! BANG!
"Hieeek!"
Jordan's words were cut short by several loud bangs, followed shortly after by a startled shriek.
"Y-you bitch! You did that on purpose! You aimed it at me!"
"Ah? What are you talking about?"
Jordan blinked, his attention falling on the two confetti poppers before shifting to the two women standing before him. One of them had short brown hair that reached her shoulders and a well-endowed figure. Jordan immediately recognized her.
She was Mia.
At that moment, her entire body was covered in confetti. Standing beside her was a slightly shorter woman, with freckles scattered across her face and her hair tied into twin tails.
Nora...
"You definitely did it on purpose! How else would you miss this badly!"
"As I said, it wasn't me."
"Bullshit!"
"Ah? What did you say? Did you just swear? Ha... she just swore at me, didn't she?"
"Hieeek! Min, help me!"
Mia dashed toward the hulking figure in the room, his height at least a head taller than everyone else. He didn't react as Mia suddenly slipped behind him, using him as a sort of pillar while she stood on the opposite side, trying to avoid being caught.
"Will the two of you stop?"
Lifting his glasses, Niel stood up whilst looking at the two.
"I'm trying to focus over here, and..."
His attention shifted towards Jordan.
"We've got a new recruit. You're not giving the best first impression."
All heads turned in Jordan's direction.
"Ah..."
Feeling the numerous gazes suddenly directed at him, Niel opened his mouth, but just as he did, a soft voice whispered next to him, startling him.
"Hello."
"———!"
Jordan hastily turned around to see a woman with long, dark hair standing beside him, her face pale as a ghost.
When did she?!
"Sarah, I told you to stop sneaking up behind people like that. Your presence is so faint that you always end up scaring them."
A gentle sigh followed as a woman appeared behind the door. The first thing that caught Jordan's attention was her yellowish-silver hair, followed by her clear blue eyes as they scanned the room. Seeing the chaos, she shook her head before turning her gaze back to him.
She smiled warmly.
"You must be Jordan. I've been told about you."
She extended her hand.
"I'm Joanna. Welcome to the team."
"...Thank you."
Recomposing himself, Jordan reached out and shook her hand. But just as he did, another figure appeared behind Joanna, causing Jordan's heart to skip a beat.
Unlike Joanna, her hair was a much clearer shade of silver. Her expression was cold, and the moment their eyes met, Jordan felt as though his mind had suddenly become sluggish, making it difficult for him to think properly.
That's...!
"Don't worry about her."
Joanna's warm voice carried through the room.
"She's currently sealed."
Huh?
Sealed?
"Well, sort of. We call it sealed, but it's mostly because she's bored. She does act crazy from time to time, but she's not that crazy."
"...O-oh."
"None of us are crazy."
"O-oh."
"At least, not like our Squa—ehm."
Joanna cleared her throat while patting Jordan on the shoulder.
"Anyways, welcome to the team. We're glad to have you here."
Patting him once more, Joanna entered the room. Ariel and Sarah followed right behind her, the door closing on its own.
Opening and closing his mouth, Jordan turned his head to look at the squad members as they all took their seats. He thought things would finally calm down from there, but just as they settled in, they all reached for a pair of sunglasses and put them on.
"....."
In that instant, Jordan found himself questioning himself.
Was joining this Guild really the right decision?
-x-X-x-
"There was a strong storm."
"Pardon?"
"It... was really strong."
"But it has been sunny for the past couple of days? I didn't see any storm."
"It was quick. Super quick. Like a supercell-level strong."
"Par... I see. In that case, we'll get working on fixing everything quickly."
"Thank you."
I wiped my forehead, looking at the workers entering the room to clean up the mess left behind by Sir. Jingle's upgrade.
'Looks like they bought it.'
I smiled in satisfaction. I could see the hesitation in their eyes, but such hesitation quickly vanished the moment they looked at me. Hmm, but for some reason, the way they looked at me felt weird.
'It's like they're looking at someone crazy.'
But I'm not crazy.
Maybe I was in the past, but not anymore.
I was a reborn man.
'These are the best pills yet.'
Whilst reaching the Fifth Order had temporarily stopped the headaches, what truly made me feel refreshed was the addition of the pills. The moment I took one, it was as if the very world around me had changed.
I felt like a new man.
'Right, so in that regard, I'm no longer crazy.'
I was before, but to be honest, it wasn't that exagerrated.
Now, I was perfectly sane.
"Keep up the good work."
I twirled my finger around whilst moving for the door.
"Not everyday that you get an earthquake of 9.1 magnitude."
"Huh? But wasn't it a super cell?"
"Ah?"
I stopped, looking back at the worker.
"Did I really say that?"
"Well, you..."
"A tsunami."
I corrected, reaching for the door.
"That's what it was."
Clank!
I closed the door behind me and moved ahead. Taking out my spare phone, I checked the schedule for today.
'There's not much that I need to do. Things are still a little quiet due to what happened in Malia, but—oh, right! There's the new recruit.'
I was supposed to welcome him to the team, but because of the damn volcanic explosion, I didn't really have time.
'Then again, I think the situation should be alright.'
Even if I wasn't there, the team was quite reliable. Joanna, in particular, was a great substitute leader. In fact, it was because of her that I was able to handle so many of the things I had on my plate. She was a lifesaver.
That aside, there was a lot of work that I needed to get done.
Not only did I need to focus on creating the new Gate, but there was also the issue of money. I was already struggling financially, and creating another Gate was only going to make things worse.
'Should I start taking on more sponsorships?'
I did get a lot offers that I turned down. Most of them required me to go to certain places to promote certain products or even appear on TV. However, I wasn't really keen on doing public work.
Especially if it required me to interact with a lot of people.
Just one person was enough to tire me for the day. More than that...?
Hell no.
"This should be the place, right?"
I stopped before a certain door. Besides the door was a metal plate that said; [507].
Double-checking with my phone, I confirmed that it was indeed the right room. Since the Guild had purchased the entire building and rearranged its operations, I was still unfamiliar with the place.
Reaching out for the handle, I opened the door.
Clank—!
It was strangely quiet.
Going into the room, the usual chaos that greeted me was gone.
Click! Click! Click! Click!
Instead, I heard the rhythmic sound of keys being pressed.
"...Make sure you keep your position, don't stray too far."
"Alright, got it."
"Communicate with me. What's the progress with the old lady?"
"I don't see her. I'm in the second room."
"Good, good."
Eh...?
Going into the room, the sight that greeted me left me stunned.
Everyone...
They were diligently playing the games with extremely serious expressions. It was a sight that completely shook me, and just as I took another step, Joanna's head lifted as she finally caught sight of me.
"Ah, Squad Leader!"
She took out her headsets and placed them down.
With a smile, she walked up to me.
"I was just introducing our new member to the games and getting him familiar with the squad."
"I... see."
I looked around, finally catching a glimpse of the member in question. He was somewhat tall, with a strong bone structure and relatively sharp features. His dark brown hair was cut short, while his narrow eyes gave him the appearance of the kind of bully one might see on TV.
He immediately stood up and greeted me.
"Hello! I'm the new team member, Jordan Krow. I look forward to working with you!"
His voice was loud too.
Still, I could see that he was quite excited.
'Good, good. I like this new recruit.'
I smiled slightly whilst nodding at him.
"I like the enthusiasm. I'm Seth, and I'm this team's Squad Leader." I looked around the room. "Seeing how you were playing games with the others, it looks like you're already quite familiar with each other. That's good."
It really did make me feel happy. That was one problem out of the way.
Looking around, I eventually made my way over to my desk and pulled out my laptop to begin working. As I did, Mia approached me with a coy look on her face.
"Squad Leader~"
"Yes?"
My eyes narrowed.
What's up with her?
"So, like..." She tapped the tips of her index fingers together. "You know... stuff, and all that."
"What is it? Spit it out."
"This is Jordan's first day, so I thought it wouldn't do any good if he played the more intense games. In case you were trying to get us to play the more difficult ones, then..."
"Don't worry about it."
I waved at her dismissively.
"...I've got things to do today. Just do as you were doing. We can do that next time."
"Alright."
Hm? Was it just me or did she almost squeal?
I looked up to see Mia staring back at me with a straight expression. Shifting my attention toward the others, I found them all wearing the same expression. Something was clearly amiss.
Just what in the...
"Oh, by the way. I'm surprised you showed up today. What happened to your office upstairs?"
"A meteorite hit it."
***
Beep! Beep! Beep!
A rhythmic beeping sound echoed through the confines of the small white room, each beep breaking the otherwise oppressive silence. The sterile scent of alcohol lingered in the air, clinging to every corner of the room.
In such a setting, a figure sat on a folded bed, several thin tubes connected to her arm. A large helmet covered her head, with even more tubes extending from it and disappearing into the ceiling above.
The beeping continued.
It pressed onto the silence, until—
"Un-believable."
A shocked voice shattered that very silence.
Staring at the scan displayed on the monitor, alongside the brain scans and close-up images of the Nodes, the man's voice trembled again. He looked at the woman sitting before him as though he were staring at a ghost.
"It... shouldn't be possible. I've heard of fractures recovering, but not to this extent. You previously had over two hundred miniature fractures, and yet, I can only see eighty at the moment. It's... unbelievable. This is shocking."
Hearing the doctor's words, Soran's lips slowly curled into a smile.
"Well, isn't that great?"
-x-X-x-
Tap. Tap.
----
[Set the rules of the Gate]
Rules:
◉
◉
◉
◉
Description: Set the rules of your Gate. You have a maximum of four rules you can set. The rules must align with the selected anomaly's abilities. More rules don't necessarily mean better!
----
Tap. Tap. Tap.
----
[Anomalies]
◉ Twisted Man: 40,000SP
◉ Blood Butcher: 25,000SP
◉ [Slot Open]
◉ [Slot Open]
Description: Available anomalies are judged based on those encountered and analyzed. The maximum available slots are four. Encounter more anomalies to unlock additional ones. Captured or contained anomalies will not be included in the list!
----
I stopped drumming my fingers, my attention shifting between the two settings before pressing the next one. A series of new pop-ups immediately appeared.
—[—[Appearance]—]—
● Face
● Hair
● Nose
● Clothes
● Decree
—[—[Appearance]—]—
Tap. Tap.
My fingers resumed.
—[—[Abilities]—]—
Ability 1: [Please write down the anomaly ability. Cost will be calculated depending on ability.]
Ability 2: [Locked]
Ability 3: [Locked]
—[—[Abilities]—]—
Creating a Gate was a lot more difficult than I had previously anticipated. I had tried it before, and it hadn't been nearly as difficult back then. The issue came from the fact that I needed to make the Gate actually function as a gate.
There were rules that needed to be followed.
That wasn't all.
'Although the system didn't explicitly say it, I'm sure it's going to try to make actual people enter the Gate to solve it.'
This was the problem that I was currently tackling. I didn't mind people entering my Gate, but what was going to happen if they were to somehow clear the Gate? I didn't think it was like the games where everything was all good and dandy.
I had a feeling that it was deeper than that.
'...Maybe not just that, but the Gate at least can't be easy to solve. The harder the Gate, the more points or rewards I get.'
In that regard, I needed to think deeply about the Gate that I wanted to create.
"That's easier said than done."
"Hm? Squad Leader? Did you say something?"
Lifting my head, I shook it quickly.
"Don't mind me. I was talking to myself."
"Oh, alright."
For some reason, it felt as though Mia had jumped from her seat the moment our eyes met. Looking around, everyone seemed to be diligently working.
Hmm, right?
My eyes narrowed as I looked at them, and as I did, I couldn't help but notice something.
'Are they avoiding my gaze?'
None of them was looking at me. It was almost as if—
Ariel?
No, there was one who was looking back at me. She didn't shy away from my gaze, but she didn't show much of a reaction either. Her eyes were rather languid, almost as if she were drunk on something.
'That's likely the Guild Master's seal at work.'
The normal Ariel couldn't be controlled. This much, I was very well aware of. It was thanks to the seal that the Guild Master had placed on her that she didn't go crazy all the time.
In some ways, I felt glad that she was sealed. But at the same time, it made me feel like shit too.
Though I couldn't see it, I could almost picture it.
The leash attached to Ariel's neck.
'I don't know if I can remove it just yet, but I need to be careful.'
I pulled up a certain quest.
——●
[New Quest Activated!]
- Difficulty: N/A
- Reward: 10 Fragments [Purity 50%+]
- Objective: Help break the seal in Ariel's body.
- Location: N/A
- Failure: The user will have their identity exposed.
Description: A certain seal has been placed on Ariel's body. She is now extremely obedient and follows every order of the one who placed it on her. She has been ordered to keep a close eye on you.
Time Limit: N/A
——●
Amongst the quests that I still had active, this one was probably one of the ones that I had for the longest time. I did accept the quest a while ago in hopes of removing the seal from her, but I hesitated when thinking about what failing would do.
In this case, it would have my identity exposed.
'It's basically saying that I'll turn the Guild Master against me.'
I wasn't quite ready to do that just yet, or perhaps ever.
The Guild Master was someone who I couldn't quite get a good read on and someone that I really didn't want to go up against. Not only that, but I also didn't know how to remove the seal.
This was why I pushed it back for so long.
'In fact, there are quite a few things that I've pushed back.'
There was still the promise that I had made to Sir. Jingles. I had been working on a little game here and there, but nothing concrete. Then, there was that kid from the Paragon that I met back in Malovia.
Geneva was her name.
I promised to help her brother out but never really got to it.
'Although I actually did do some research for it.'
I pulled up a certain description.
———●
[VILE - 1048]
Class: Melas (Provisional)
Description: No physical description of VILE - 1048 exists. Sole confirmed effect: any person who sees the entity enters a state of sleep from which they cannot be roused. Onset is immediate. Vitals remain stable. Cortical activity is elevated and continuous, consistent with sustained dreaming. No victim has been woken by any method attempted to date.
Recorded Sightings: ■■. No location, structure, or Gate has been associated with the entity. No pattern has been established between occurrences. Intervals between recorded events range from ■ months to ■■ years.
Classification Note: Provisional. No energy emission has ever been measured. Class was derived from victim count alone.
Recovered Materials: ■ items. All photographic and video material produces the effect in viewers. Sealed, catalogued, and unviewed.
Containment: Not applicable. Nothing has been located to contain.
Warning: Sealed materials are not to be opened under any circumstances. Visual search is not a permitted method. Teams that cease reporting are to be treated as sightings.
———●
Ugh.
I ruffled the back of my head.
To be honest, the main reason I pushed it back was because of this as well. The anomaly that had gotten Geneva's brother was no simple anomaly. Few people had ever managed to catch it, let alone even sniff out its presence.
The entire reason why Geneva joined Royal Chambers was so that she could find the anomaly.
And here I was, saying that I'd help her.
'What the fuck!'
And it wasn't like I was the one who had actually made the promise.
It was the fucking doppelganger!
I only knew of this because the gate they were in was one that I had created in my fit of madness.
Still...!
'Karma. This is karma!'
I continued to ruffle the back of my head in frustration. There were just so many things that I needed to tackle, and this wasn't even the end of it. The main problem, and the one that was annoying me the most, was the'Hand'.
I had bought myself some time, but they were coming.
And the next time they did...
'No.'
I placed my hand over the table and stood up.
'I need to get my shit together.'
I looked around.
'Let's stop procrastinating and get all of this solved right now.'
My mind was made up. Without looking back, I left the room and took several steps toward the Guild's exit. But just as I took another step, something stopped me dead in my tracks. I reached for my phone.
The moment I did, my entire body froze.
Breaking — [Severed Stars Guild Master dead at age 47]
What the fuck?
-x-X-x-
The first thought that ran through my mind was,'What sort of sick joke is this?'
I had to re-read the message several more times in order to make sure I wasn't seeing things. And yet, the message was still there. So, as any sane person would do, I went to the web and looked online.
But⎯
Breaking ⎯ [Severed Stars Guild deceased! Cause unknown!]
Breaking ⎯ [Chaos at the Severed Stars Guild. From sudden rise, to sudden fall? What are their next steps?]
My heart sank at the sight that greeted me.
'There's no way...'
I scrolled through each article, reading through each of them to get a better understanding of the situation. By now, my entire phone was already blowing up with messages. They were constant, and it made it hard for me to read the articles.
I had no choice but to put the phone on silence, but even that didn't work as I soon started getting calls from everyone.
Most of them were from Guilds trying to take advantage of the situation to recruit me.
I didn't reply to any of them and just shut my phone off.
'No, this situation really makes no sense. This must be some sort of trick by the Guild Master. I refuse to believe that it isn't!'
Yes, it had to be.
How could the Guild Master of all people die?
This makes no sense at all.
The most plausible situation was that he did this on purpose.
But why?
Why would he do this?
What was he trying to achieve?
'Ugh!'
Clank!
"Squad Leader!"
Turning back, I could see the startled and shocked expressions on my team members' faces. Looking at them, they seemed to want some sort of explanation from me.
More information.
But I knew just as much as they did.
"I just got the news as well. I don't know much myself, but I'll ask around. For now, just stay put while I get a better understanding of the situation."
I turned, but Mia's voice stopped me in my tracks. I turned my head slightly.
"But..."
Biting her lips, Mia looked hesitant. She didn't really seem to know what she wanted to say. But she really didn't need to tell me since I could more or less guess.
"Is the... Is the news true...? Is the Guild Master really...?"
"Yes."
I didn't sugarcoat things.
Fake or not, the Guild Master was dead.
I didn't know why he was dead or why he would want to fake his death, but to the world, he was dead.
The news confirmed it.
Taking a deep breath, I said the words that they least wanted to hear.
"The Guild Master is dead."
*
The chaos extended throughout the entire Guild. Coming out into the main area, I could hear voices, whispers, and the constant ringing of phones.
It was total mayhem.
I moved past all the chaos, eventually finding myself standing in front of a certain office. Through the transparent windows, I caught a glimpse of the haggard figure standing behind the desk, one hand pushing back his greasy hair as his dark eyes seemed to have grown even darker.
To Tok⎯
I knew that he was busy, but I still decided to knock.
Perhaps he was so overwhelmed by the entire situation that he didn't hear me the second time. Nor the third.
It was only when I knocked for the fourth time that he finally took notice of me.
His expression changed subtly, and after a moment of hesitation, he put the phone down and beckoned me into the room.
"...Ah, Seth. Have a seat. I'm sure you have a lot of questions."
I did expect his voice to be somewhat hoarse, but not to this extent. He sounded like someone who had smoked at least a couple of packs of cigarettes.
'It's possible that he might've really done that.'
Sitting down on the chair opposite him, I carefully studied the Section Chief's expression. The more I looked at him, the more tired he looked to me.
"Right, so the Guild Master has passed away."
The Section Chief broke the silence in the worst way possible. Then again, I could see that he was trying to be efficient with the conversation. No nonsense. No small chatter.
He just wanted to get to the point.
'Alright, fair enough.'
"What happened to him?"
"...Heart attack."
"Heart attack?"
"Yes."
"And the doctors have confirmed this? Do we have a body?"
"Yes, we have a body. We've run DNA tests, and have also checked everything. The Guild Master is truly dead."
"....."
I pressed my lips together. A seed sprouted inside of my mind. Is he really...?
No, it doesn't make sense.
"What are the next steps?"
"The Guild will likely be in a state of turmoil. As of right now, we don't have anyone to fill the role of Guild Master. We'll have to go through an election process. All Section Chief's will be eligible for the role."
"...I see."
In that case, the Section Chief before me was also eligible.
"Ah, wait." Fiddling with his phone, the Section Chief quickly corrected himself. "I do say that, but actually, anyone with enough momentum can probably take the position. If you want to, you could probably try to take that position. Not that your chances are slim to none, but it's possible."
Guild Master, me?
I smirked slightly.
'I'd rather die.'
That was the last thing that I wanted to be. I was already content with what I had. My greed and ambition within the Guild industry only reached this far. Besides the power that would come with the job, there was nothing that truly attracted me to it.
The constant meeting with strangers. The constant traveling. The numerous eyes directed at my every move. The other Section Chiefs, and the soon to be fight for ascension...
'This is a world of snakes, and I don't want any part of it.'
"Of course, I can see that you're not interested in taking the position, Seth. I was just making a casual remark."
"I know."
Offering a smile, I switched the topic.
"What about the other Guilds? I'm sure that they'll be eying the entire situation like hawks."
"They already are."
The Section Chief sighed, taking out several papers and tossing them on the desk. At the same time he did, he mumbled,'I don't even know why I'm showing this to you, but whatever.'
There were several profiles.
"I haven't fully confirmed this, but it seems like Helios Vanguard and Eclipse Sovereign have already made contact with two Section Chiefs. We don't know who yet, but it'll become clearer in the coming days. At least, until after the funeral."
"When will the funeral be?"
"In about three days. The entire world will be paying attention to that matter."
"Alright."
I stood up, pushing the chair back.
"In that case, I take it that this is the calm before the storm."
"Exactly."
"I see."
I turned around to face the door. And just as I did, the Section Chief called out to me.
"But Seth..."
"Hm?"
I caught a glimpse of the Section Chief, his eyes slightly narrowed.
"You seem awfully calm despite what has happened."
Calm?
Right, I was.
I didn't really feel that much. Fake or not, I really didn't feel much. Maybe I did at first, but now I just thought it was troublesome.
"...I guess I am."
Reaching for the door, I left the office.
-x-X-x-
The darkness embraced me.
The bottom half of my face was covered by my hand, elbow propped up on the armrest as I stared into the darkness.
"...."
Within the darkness there was also silence.
A silence I didn't want interrupted.
'Heart attack, huh?'
I found that hard to believe. But it wasn't impossible. Nodes didn't make a person immune to diseases. One could still suffer from simple things like a heart attack.
But just because it was possible, it didn't mean that I believed it.
'He's either faking it, or someone murdered him.'
In that case, who?
My brow twitched.
Could it be then...?
"...."
The darkness around me seemed to deepen. A certain coldness seeped into my skin as I remained within it.
'Is this their way of retaliating against me? A way to tell me that just as much as I could send a message, they could do so as well?'
I closed my eyes.
"Right, if that's the case, this is a pretty good message that they've sent."
But this was only a hypothesis.
Clank!
Light spilled into the room as the door opened, and Kyle's face appeared. He looked around before finally spotting me.
"I didn't take you for the brooding type. Did the Guild Master's death really affect you that much?"
He didn't let me get a word in.
"...The funeral is about to start. I can see that you're all dressed up. Everyone is waiting in the lobby, and we'll be going down soon. The media is already here. When you're ready, join us in the lobby."
He closed the door right after.
From the start, he didn't seem to really want to have a conversation with me.
He just wanted to tell me the situation.
My finger drummed against the table several times.
With the absence of the Guild Master, things had gotten rather complicated for me. To some extent, I no longer felt the leash that was hanging on my neck, but at the same time, I had lost my biggest backer.
Reaching the Sixth Order was going to be much harder now.
"In the end, he was quite useful. It's really a pity."
I stood up from my seat, turning to look at the mirror at the end of the room. It was dark, but I could still see as I donned a certain pair of sunglasses.
The suit on my body was still quite loose, but it was the only dark suit that I had. In fact, all of my suits were rather loose. I simply didn't like tight suits. They made it hard for me to breathe even though I looked less sloppy.
"But since when did I care about such things?"
I smiled to myself whilst heading out of the office and reaching the lobby.
It was as Kyle mentioned.
Everyone was waiting in the lobby, each person dressed in similar dark clothes. From uncertainty regarding the future of the Guild to the sadness of having lost the Guild Leader, the atmosphere was sombre, with hardly anyone saying a word. Leading the group was the Section Chief, and next to him was another person I didn't know very well, but was familiar with.
Containment Department, Branch Guild Section Chief.
This was probably the first time I'd seen him in person. With long, dark hair that fell around his face and extremely pale skin, he stood out even among the others dressed in dark clothes. There was something almost unnatural about his appearance, making him look like some sort of ghost.
'From what I've been told, he's been on some sort of important mission, hence why he was never here. I guess the Guild Master's death finally made him show up here.'
Naturally, even though he was also a Section Chief, being from a branch Guild meant that his position was slightly lower than that of the main Guild's Section Chief.
"A moment of your attention, everyone."
Taking a moment to get everyone's attention, the Section Chief I was used to started giving out instructions.
"All of you should be well aware of the situation around the Guild at the moment. From the uncertainty to the sadness. I'm sure you're also aware of the numerous reporters outside. If they approach you, please remain quiet and simply follow all instructions. Today is a day for us to mourn someone who has been with us since the beginning. The one who made all of this possible."
Turning to face the elevator, he continued.
"We'll be going down in groups. When I call out your name, you are to come forward and head down. The other Section Chiefs and Team Leaders will be waiting down. Like I said, do not talk with the media. Just follow all instructions in silence.
Taking out a clipboard, the Section Chief started calling out names one by one. I thought I'd have to wait a while, but to my surprise, my name was the first one to be called.
"Seth Thorne."
Numerous eyes fell in my direction.
It was enough to make me feel uncomfortable as I stepped forward, only stopping before the elevator as more names were called.
Zoey, Kyle, Rowan, Catherine, Clara...
The first batch became clear almost immediately.
"You will be the first group to go down. Let me stress this again. Please do not engage with the media and simply follow the instructions. We're here to mourn the Guild Master."
He took his gaze away from us, signalling for us to go into the elevator.
The ride down was quiet. Nobody spoke a single word.
Leaning against the back of the elevator, I calmly observed everyone's expressions. To some extent, I could see that a lot of them were sad. In particular, Zoey. She looked the most depressed out of everyone present.
'Makes sense considering that he took her in after the incident with her parents.'
Even Kyle looked quite down.
Was I the only one who was indifferent to all of this?
Perhaps.
Ding!
Arriving on the first floor, the elevator doors slid open, and the moment they did, we were greeted by scenes of total chaos.
Click! Click! Click! Click! Click!
Shutters that blinded one's eyes.
"Hey, over here!"
"Look over here! Over here!"
"Quick question! I'm here with Daily News! Give us a moment of your time!"
Voices competing with one another, each trying to be louder and more obnoxious than the last.
The entire place was a mess.
"God damn it! Why are they here? Shouldn't they be outside?"
Rowan cursed whilst looking at the mess before him.
"It's hard to walk like this!"
He was right. It truly was hard to walk in these conditions, especially with everyone trying to shove their phones and microphones our way.
There were supposed to be bodyguards who prevented all of this, but where were they?
Where⎯!?
My head flicked back the moment I felt someone reach for my elbow.
I immediately pulled away. Or at least, tried as I turned my head to see a reporter staring at me with a wide smile.
It was a wide and unsettling smile hidden amidst the plain features of hers.
"Did you like it?"
Her voice was quiet, but it reached me clearly.
"...We're also capable of sending messages, Mr. Thorne."
Her smile grew more unsettling, her head tilting as her left eye twitched.
"What do you say? Did you like our message?"
Her left eye twitched again. After that, her smile faded into a more natural one as her eyes flickered and her entire demeanour seemed to change.
Then⎯
Her microphone reached for my lips.
"Any comments on that?"
-x-X-x-
"We're here today to mourn an incredible individual. He was a leader, a mentor, and, above all else, someone we could always rely on."
The Section Chief's voice echoed throughout the auditorium, which was filled to the brim with members of the press, representatives from other Guilds, and members of the Severed Stars Guild.
On the outside, it looked like everyone was paying their respects to an individual who had achieved much throughout his career, but those with keen eyes could tell it was anything but that. Beneath all the silence and mourning, there was something else.
Something a lot more sinister.
"He carried this Guild through its darkest days and stood at the front whenever danger came knocking. He never asked us to do anything he wouldn't do himself. His loss leaves behind a silence that will be difficult to fill."
None of the words registered in my mind.
My back was straight.
My arms were on my lap.
And my gaze was directed towards the front.
My posture was perfect, but none of the surroundings registered in my mind. Not the small whispers around me, nor the Section Chief's voice.
All I could hear was a constant ringing sound as everything within my vision appeared hazy.
'A message.'
Flashes of the scene from before repeated inside my mind.
If I had my doubts before, they were now all gone. In the end, it was just as I had assumed.
'It was them.'
They were the ones who had killed the Guild Master.
In some ways, this was their way of warning me. Of letting me know that I was now under their watch and that, just like I could, they could also run rampant. This was merely the start, and I knew it.
As things stood, it was very likely that they misunderstood my true strength.
It was for this reason that they chose to attack the Guild Master.
But also⎯
'They don't want to get rid of me yet. It looks like they want to do it slowly. Perhaps they want to make an example out of me.'
And there was nothing that I could do about it.
Absolutely nothing.
They knew all about me whilst I knew very little about them.
As I was right now, it was impossible for me to fight them. Unless I did something completely outrageous, it was absolutely impossible.
Not the way that I was.
"But we won't remember him for how he died. We'll remember him for how he lived. For the people he protected, the lives he changed, and the Guild he gave everything to."
How?
How could I get out of this situation?
'They were already targeting me before, and thanks to my'message,' I bought myself some time. But it's clear that there's no escaping them. I need to do something. Should I just run?'
What if I went to hell?
If I went there, then maybe...?
'No, if I can go there, I'm sure that they can also go there.'
Scratch. Scratch.
I felt a sudden itch on the side of my neck.
"May we carry his will forward. And may his name never be forgotten."
Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!
'I'm also certain that they've got eyes everywhere. The moment I escape will also be the moment when they know I'm weak. The only way to buy even more time is to stand my ground. I can't show any opening. I can't⎯'
"Hm?"
Lifting my head abruptly, I looked around me.
All eyes were directed at me.
Immediately, my heart skipped a beat as I struggled to understand what was going on. If not for Zoey's whisper next to me, I truly would've been lost.
"What are you doing? It's your turn."
My turn? I wanted to blurt out the words badly. However, feeling the numerous gazes directed at me, I felt compelled to stand up from where I was.
To some extent, I had an inkling of what had happened.
I... had not been paying attention. With my thoughts elsewhere, I probably had been told about what I was supposed to do, but must've absentmindedly agreed.
Step.
'Calm. I need to be calm. I can't show any sign of nervousness.'
My every movement was being watched.
I couldn't show any weakness.
Not now. Not anymore.
The walk to the main stage felt endlessly long. Under the silence, all I could hear was the sound of my own steps. One, two, one, two.
I paid no mind to any of it as I stared ahead. There, I caught a glimpse of the Section Chief waiting for me beneath the wooden stairs that led to the stage. As I walked past him, he whispered, "Sorry to make you do this, but you're no longer a nobody. You're one of the main faces of the Guild."
I gave him a short look before walking up to the stage.
There was only one podium, with a microphone placed on top of it.
The moment I reached the podium, I adjusted the microphone to be a little lower before turning to face the numerous people within the hall. I could see everything from where I stood. The bright lights above. The numerous cameras directed my way. The many eyes watching me, each filled with different emotions.
I caught it all.
That's when my lips parted.
"Rather than making a speech, I'd like to do something different."
I looked around, my hands grasping the side of the wooden podium.
"I'll select individuals at once. You may ask me questions, and I'll try to answer them to the best of my abilities. The moment I select someone, I expect everyone to fall silent. If so much as a person makes a sound or interrupts, I'll be leaving the stage immediately."
There was a shift in the room.
Whispers followed, but I cared nothing for them.
The strange calmness that I had been experiencing lately once again dug itself into me. The more I stood, the less I felt.
I simply stared.
"Raise your hand if you have any questions."
And then⎯
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Hands raised at once.
There were many of them. So many that I struggled to count just how many. Without wasting a single moment, I pointed at a young lady with squared glasses and her hair tied into a ponytail. She looked to be in her mid-thirties, and the moment she stood up, she cleared her throat.
"Ehm, ehm."
She cleared her throat.
"Thank you for the opportunity, Mr. Thorne. My name is Marie Johnson from New Times. Everyone here knows about your recent achievements, and whilst I have many questions for you, what I'm more curious about is something else."
There was a brief pause.
One followed by a question that made the entire room tense.
"With the Guild Master's death, what will your next step be? Will you remain in the Severed Stars guild, or will you migrate to another Guild? Thank you."
She sat down.
"....."
It was a nasty question.
But one that I could feel the entire room was interested in, not one eye looking away from me.
But thankfully, I had an answer.
"I'll be staying here."
There was no other place for me.
I scanned once more and pointed at the next person.
"You."
"Hello, I'm Ryan Mackeline from Seacrest News... I'm surprised by your devotion to the Guild. It makes me see you in a new light. But with the Guild Master now gone, what are your plans? I'm sure there will be an arms race between the Section Chief and the leaders in order to become the next Guild Master. Ah, of course... to be eligible, not everyone needs to be part of the upper management, but I'm sure the serious candidates are. What are your thoughts on that? Who are you going to be supporting in the race for the next Guild Master?"
Ah...
Another nasty question.
Looking around, I could see a noticeable shift amongst several individuals. The way they looked at me shifted, and picking up on each and every one of those looks, I moved my attention back to the audience.
Honestly, I hadn't thought much about this.
But it made sense.
Now that the Guild Master was gone, a new one would have to be elected. The Section Chief had told me something like this before, and several of the top Guilds were already making moves in order to take over the Guild.
If I had to choose someone to support, then the answer was clear to me.
'The Section Chief.'
He was the only one that I thought would be the best fit for Guild Master.
And as my thoughts reached that point, I opened my lips to share my answer.
But⎯
"I..."
The words refused to leave my mouth.
"...I..."
Regardless of how hard I tried, they simply didn't.
Why...?
Why was it so difficult to say something so simple?
"I..."
Did I not want the Section Chief to be the next Guild Master?
Then...? If not him, who?
Who did I want to be the next Guild Master?
There was nobody else who was fit for the role. Nobody besides...
Ah.
Something clicked inside of my mind, my hand reaching for my shirt as I slowly grasped it. I quickly tried to shake the thought away, but it refused to leave. It only grew with each passing second, digging deeper and deeper into my mind as though this was the most obvious answer.
But it wasn't the obvious answer.
I lowered my head slowly, looking down.
It...
'It should be me.'
-x-X-x-
I grasped my shirt tightly, trying my best to keep my breathing in check. I became more self-aware of the stares as I kept my head slightly lowered.
'Guild Master...? Me?'
What sort of ridiculous thought was this?
It made no sense at all.
Not only would such a job require me to take on massive amounts of responsibilities, but above all, it would mean meeting a bunch of strangers to discuss useless things every day. I was content with what I had.
Why would I want something that was so... inconvenient?
'I must be going crazy. There's simply no way.'
And yet⎯
Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!
The moment the thought crossed my mind, it simply refused to leave. My heart seemed to squeeze against my chest as it grew faster and faster with each passing second. It got to the point where it felt uncomfortable, and in such discomfort, a certain voice broke me out of that state.
"Mr. Thorne...? Is something the matter?"
"Ah."
I raised my head back up, looking around the room. The attention fixed on me felt even more scrutinising, with several people eyeing me with certain looks.
I realised quickly just how I must've looked and apologised quickly.
"...I apologise for that. My thoughts at the moment are on the Guild Master and his passing. I haven't had the time to assess all the other things."
"So you're not sure? Or are you not willing to divulge?"
The reporter pressed on.
In return, I smiled at him.
I simply smiled.
"There's some news that states that some Section Chiefs are thinking of using the external power of several other Guilds. What do you think about that? Are you okay with something like this happening?"
He kept going.
He didn't stop.
"In the future, if you don't choose your side carefully, it might be possible that the winner will stop you from advancing further. If that happens, your streak will end there. Not that things are looking good at the moment."
Would you look at this guy?
No, not just this guy.
Would you look at everyone present?
Not a single person was stopping him. He simply said whatever he wanted, and the silence from the rest only meant one thing...
He was asking the things that they all wanted to say but couldn't.
"Let me ask you again, who will you⎯"
"And if I said myself?"
Silence.
The entire venue fell into complete and utter silence, the eyes of many widening, with several shifting in their positions.
Even the atmosphere underwent a complete shift, and as I took in such a sight, I smiled.
"...What about Kyle? He would make a good Guild Master, too, right?"
The room shifted once more, Kyle's expression changing as question marks popped on top of his head.
"Then, what about Cather... hm, on second thought, not her."
I looked at Zoey.
"Ah, you could be a good Guild Master. What do you say?"
Zoey didn't react, but I could see her body tensing at my sudden proposal.
"Then what about the Team Leader over here?"
I looked at Soran.
"Would you mind being Guild Master?"
"Ah?"
Catching on to what I was doing, Soran was quick to speak.
"Dearest..."
She chuckled.
"If I were to be the Guild Master, the entire place would fall within the next week."
"So you won't?"
"The first thing I'd do is wage war against the nearest Guild."
"War?"
"Ye, ye. I'll wage war and take over their stuff. It's like, you know... in those movies or shows. Turf war, they call it? I'll do that."
"Oh, that sounds cool. And what will you do after that?"
"What?"
Soran looked at me as though I was an idiot.
"I'd obviously attack the next Guild!"
She slapped her thigh.
"The goal is world domination. Let me repeat. World. Domination."
I slapped the podium.
"Alright, I'm in!"
After that, I looked back at the cameras and the reporter. I could see a noticeable shift in the expressions of many, with Kyle and Zoey both pressing their hands against their forehead. Only Rowan seemed to applaud with a glint in his eyes.
The hell...?
No, never mind.
"Did you all see that?" I asked aloud. "That's what I call an amazing pitch! I'm hooked. You asked me who I'd vote for? There's my answer. Guild Master Soran!"
Soran looked back and waved her hand.
With the most professional smile she could muster, she finished things off with: "Worry not, fellow Guilds and members. I'll come for your Guild."
*
So, the incident didn't go down well. Most understood that we were messing around, although I had some doubts as to whether Soran did or not. But, well, the higher-ups were certainly not happy.
After all, today was supposed to be a serious day. Today was supposed to be a day to remember the former Guild Master. And yet, on such a day, Soran publicly proclaimed war on all the Guilds whilst I cheered her on.
I didn't get an earful. At least, not yet.
But I was certainly going to get one.
'It's your fault for letting him continue.'
By'him', I meant the reporter. I was certain someone had planted him.
"Ugh, well."
Stretching my body, I shrugged. What was done was already done. There was no use regretting what had happened.
'For now, I'm happy that I can leave.'
Naturally, because of the events that had unfolded, I was kicked out of the venue. This worked out quite well for me since I was already tired of the place.
'...Kind of weird that Soran didn't get kicked out too.'
Was this what they called'sexism?'
'Nah, who am I kidding. They're just afraid that we'd stir some trouble if they let us leave together.'
The joke was on them. The worst that could happen would be her dragging me out to drink again, which I didn't think I'd be able to handle. In that regard, they had actually saved me.
'That said, what should I do now?'
The event was held inside the Guild, in the auditorium on the second floor. Because the Guild expected similar situations to occur, they had a separate route that allowed people to leave without meeting any reporters or those waiting outside.
I took that exact tunnel, and waiting for me at the end were three elevators.
I naturally called for one of them and waited in silence, my thoughts occupied by what I was going to do next. But my thoughts were soon broken by the sound of footsteps, a figure stopping next to me as they stared at the number screen hovering above the elevators.
I kept my distance, not wanting to make any small talk.
But⎯
"It was a nice speech that you gave there."
My body reacted the moment I heard their voice.
It was a familiar voice, albeit more hoarse than I remembered.
And when I turned, my eyes widened slightly.
"...It's good to see you again, Seth."
A pair of dimples greeted me.
-x-X-x-
The coffee at Lou's wasn't that good. It was one of the more famous coffee shops near the Guild, but I guess it was all just hyped-up nonsense. At least it wasn't on the same level as the powdered coffee in the Guild's public kitchen. There was nothing that could beat that coffee.
Ah, I'm really starting to crave it.
I should make myself some when I go back. How many bottles should I add?
"Well, spit it out. What do you have to say?"
I set my cup down, shifting my attention towards the thing sitting opposite me.
He was just as I remembered him. The same bowl cut, the neat clothes, and, above all, those two dimples of his...
Ugh.
I shuddered just thinking about those two dimples. It had been a while since I had last seen them, but thinking back to all those sleepless nights they had caused me, I had the sudden urge to toss the coffee onto his face.
'Let's hold back for now.'
I reached for the cup again and took another sip.
Bitter...
"I didn't take you as someone sentimental. After everything that has happened, I didn't expect you to show up at the Guild Master's funeral."
In fact, his presence was really strange.
He had been kicked out of the Guild by the very same person whose funeral he's attending. Why did he show up?
Was he here to gloat?
"...Wait."
I suddenly thought of something, my eyes narrowing as I brought my cup beneath my chin.
"Don't tell me you're here to recruit me. If that's the case, then⎯"
"You've changed."
The rat cut me off mid-sentence. I paused, staring back at him. His dimples were as clear as day, and as I looked around, he looked no different than any normal bystander that was in the coffee shop.
'He's not budging despite my provocations.'
I had been trying to get a sort of reaction out of him from the start, but I had failed to do so. From start to finish, he felt strangely calm.
'It seems like I'm not the only one who has changed.'
I smiled slightly.
This rat...
He's become an even bigger rat.
"I've seen you show up quite a lot on TV. Malovia, the rankings, Malia... I could go on. Incidents seem to follow wherever you are. I'm actually impressed by how you've managed to resolve all of them as well." The rat paused, his head tilting slightly as his dimples deepened. "Well, most of them."
This larger-than-human-sized rat...
"You're here to mock me, is that what you're here for? If that's the case, then I'd rather just go back to my office and get to work. You may not know, but I'm a very busy man."
I took another sip of the coffee, preparing to leave.
The conversation was over in my mind.
Or at least, that was what I had initially thought.
"He was my father."
"..."
"The Guild Master."
"..."
Drip! Drip! Drip!
"You're spilling everything onto the table."
No, wait.
Wait.
Hold on.
I placed the now-empty teacup back on the table while rubbing the corner of my mouth where the coffee had dripped down. Taking out a few tissues, I rubbed my pants. My legs stung from the heat, but I wasn't in the mood to care about that as I struggled to keep my eyes from being so wide.
I probably looked stupid, but even my mouth was having trouble remaining closed.
What did he just say?
Father...?
"I wanted to do well. I wanted to do well enough to gain his attention. But..." The rat's smile faded along with his dimples as he stared at me. Though he was still smiling, I could sense a subtle bitterness behind it as he continued, "You stood in my way of doing that."
It was all starting to make sense inside of my mind.
The rat's actions. The familiar feeling I'd had whenever I was with the Guild Master...
'No wonder. No wonder.'
I hadn't been dealing with a rat. I had been dealing with a whole fucking family! It was no wonder why I felt so uncomfortable with the Guild Master.
"I have no siblings, and my mother has passed away. In that regard, I am the Guild Master's only heir."
My jaw quietly locked into place.
'Is he planning on vying for the Guild Master position?'
If he was truly the Guild Master's son, then it was possible. But it was also true that he didn't have many achievements under his name. The Severed Stars Guild operated much like a company.
For someone to become the Guild Master, they'd need a majority vote from all the high-level staff, meaning Team Leaders and above. It wasn't something that could simply be handed to someone because of their relationship with the Guild Master.
Still...
It did hold some sway with those that were loyal to the Guild Master.
'Should I hand in my resignation today?'
"I don't care for the position."
"...Oh."
As if I'd believe you!
I didn't trust a single word coming from the rat.
"You don't seem to believe me."
"I believe you."
"You don't."
"I said I do."
"You look like you're about to lunge at me at any moment. You're not exactly very convincing."
"Those are two different things."
"So you were really planning on lunging at me?"
"...I've thought about it."
"And?"
"I'm tempted, yes."
The rat's lips curled into a smirk. Reaching for his cup, he took a sip and closed his eyes, seemingly savouring the taste of the coffee.
My left brow twitched.
"Cut the shit; the coffee is shit. Stop pretending."
The rat's eyes opened.
"Was I that obvious?"
"No, but I refuse to believe that anyone can like this coffee."
"You're right. It's shit. I much prefer the powdered stuff back at the Guild."
I said that, shit.
Fuck, I like him even less now.
The rat chuckled. But it was a very short chuckle.
"You know, had it not been for the fact that I wanted to achieve results, I think the two of us would've gotten along quite well. It's a pity that things turned out the way that they have, and I really do want to be on friendlier terms with you. After all..."
He set the cup down.
"We'll be seeing each other again soon. I hope we get along better this time around."
He stood from his seat and adjusted his blazer, buttoning each button before giving me a slight nod and departing.
I didn't sit up and remained where I was.
I thought I had fixed the headaches, but I felt one coming to me already.
'What sort of shit is he planning on stirring this time?'
On whose side was he?
Thinking about it, the last time we didn't get along because his goals clashed with mine. What if they didn't this time?
Would we get along better?
'It just might be possible.'
Right, it might be...
I pursed my lips and finally decided to leave. But just as I stood up, the waiter arrived and handed me the check.
"Here you go, sir."
"Huh?"
I looked at the check, and then in the direction of where the rat went off to.
That...
I pointed at the check.
"I think there might be something wrong. This shouldn't be here."
"Pardon? The gentleman said that you were together. Could there have been a misunderstanding?"
Ah.
I suddenly felt like smiling.
Right...
Get along my ass!
-x-X-x-
There were many things that I learned over the past year. If there was one thing I'd say was the most important, it was this: "If there's trouble, nip it in the bud so it can never come back to bite you in the ass."
Having only been a terminally ill Game Developer until recently, I hadn't been very well aware of this term. I used to think that if a problem was solved, it wouldn't come back in the future. And even if it did, I'd probably figure it out since I had already gotten rid of it once.
That was my naive way of thinking.
'I should've followed up. I thought that with the existence of the Guild Master, he would've never been able to come back.'
But who would've expected the Guild Master to suddenly'die' like that?
"This is really making my life so much harder than it needs to be."
Walking back into the Guild, I managed to avoid the reporters and even the secret recruits from the other Guilds.
'...Thinking about it, things might not be too bad.'
It was true that the snakes that had hidden themselves well within the Guild were going to come out of their burrows, but it was also true that I was one of the key figures within the Guild. Now that the Guild Master's leash had disappeared, I held considerable power within the Guild.
If I didn't like something, I could simply quit.
In fact, I'd even argue that I was a key piece of the higher management in order to ascend to the Guild Master position.
"Benefits."
I muttered subconsciously, the corner of my lips tugging.
"...How much benefit can I extract from this situation?"
***
Containment, Hoarding, Collection, Adventuring, and Anomalous Department.
These were the five main departments that existed within each Guild. Of all the departments, the richest and most well-funded was the Hoarding Department. Unlike the others, they were responsible for directly dealing with Gates of non-anomalous properties. In that regard, they were also the most elite when it came to combat experience.
Because of all the attention the Containment Department had been getting, they didn't receive as much attention. But one shouldn't mistake their silence for weakness, for they were still the strongest and wealthiest department in the Guild.
"It's unfortunate, really. He was by no means perfect, but he was a very good Guild Master."
The words echoed quietly through the spacious office on the uppermost floor of the Guild.
Carmen's bushy brows furrowed slightly upon scanning the files in his grasp. Taking a moment to stroke his dark beard, he set the files down.
"...In fact, things are already a mess because of his absence. Someone needs to take his role quickly before everything falls apart. Isn't that right, Secretary Kim?"
"That's correct, Section Chief."
Secretary Kim answered, adjusting his square-framed glasses as he lowered his head slightly. Not too much, but not too little either.
Just about the right amount.
Section Chief Johansberg smirked.
"I'm sure this file isn't the only thing that you have prepared. There's more to it, isn't there?"
"...In due time."
The secretary replied calmly, his expression showing no change.
He pointed at the files.
"For now, this is what we deem to be the most important for you to succeed. There's information on all the Section Chiefs in the Guild, including your direct competitor, Clement White from the Branch Guild of the Hoarding Department."
"Mhm, I saw. The information is quite good. In fact, some of it is so good that it almost feels scary."
The Section Chief burst out laughing.
The secretary's expression remained unchanged, and soon the laughter died down as the Section Chief's thick brows furrowed tightly.
"...You guys sure know how to dig well. I don't really mind working with you guys, but is that really what you want from me? Cooperation must come from mutual trust, and unless I know what you want, I don't think I'll be able to work—"
"Please don't worry about us. Our ask is not much. We simply wish for you to succeed. We have no intention of swallowing up the Guild or anything of the sort. All we want is one person. So long as you can help us, we'll grant you our full support."
'Bullshit.'
The Section Chief didn't believe the Secretary's words for even a second. He could see right through them.
'They're probably using it as an excuse to trick me, but I've been in this industry long enough to see through such petty schemes.'
He still pretended to show interest.
"Who do you want?"
"...Just one person."
"Spit it out."
The Section Chief's frown deepened.
"Stop going around in circles."
"Seth Thorne."
"Seth...?"
The Section Chief blinked a couple of times before his lips pulled into a smile, leaning back against his chair.
"I see, so you're still holding a grudge for what he did to your star, right? Leon was it?"
The Secretary didn't reply, but his silence spoke volumes.
The Section Chief's lips pulled further up.
'So that's your scapegoat, huh?'
Severed Stars Guild's hottest commodity.
He wasn't something that even he could easily touch.
"That's quite a big ask. Are you sure you want to pursue this? This seems like a pretty big investment for just one person. Is this really all you want?"
"...Yes."
Ha.
The Section Chief wanted to laugh, but held himself back as he pretended to think deeply about the matter, muttering to himself, "Well, it's not impossible... but it's also not really going to be easy since he's quite popular. I heard that he's also pretty stubborn. Hmm."
He went back and forth like this until he eventually looked back at the Secretary.
"Alright, then."
He drummed his fingers over the table.
"I'll see what I can do."
"...You will not regret the decision."
The Secretary bowed before taking his leave, leaving the Section Chief alone in the room.
Tik Tik⎯
An ember-coloured circle floated in the air as Section Chief Johansberg took a drag from his cigar. Leaning back in his chair, he turned around to stare at the city skyline below, admiring the sight before him.
"A pity, really."
He dabbed the top of the cigar once.
"...I wouldn't have minded having him on my side."
***
"It's as you predicted. He's agreed to the request and will most likely do as we planned. Of course, it's also clear that he doesn't trust us at all and is simply using us. This is exactly as you envisioned, sir."
He didn't make it obvious, but the Secretary could tell. The Section Chief didn't trust them at all. He was simply looking to leech off them until he could stand on his own.
"He thinks that he'll be safe the moment he becomes the next Guild Master."
But...
"...He'll realize soon enough that the moment he took our hand, it became impossible for him to let go. In time, he'll become more obedient."
The Secretary's expression remained unchanged as he listened to the voice on the other end of the phone. At the same time, the elevator chimed, and its doors slowly slid open.
It was just as he was about to step in that he was greeted by another figure inside the elevator. For just half a second, he paused. A crack appeared in his usually composed expression. But he was quick to compose himself as he stepped into the elevator with them.
Stepping in, he lowered his head.
"Hello."
He was greeted with a warm smile in return.
"...Hello."