One by one, the major Guilds began to appear. Each time a new one stepped forward, the crowd erupted. Obsidian Bastion was next, their presence just as intimidating as the others. They were soon followed by the Argent Vanguard Guild, and lastly, the Crimson Oath Guild.
By the time the last of the great five Guilds appeared, the atmosphere in the arena had reached an all-time fervor amongst the audience. On the otherhand, the same couldn't be said for the remaining Guilds standing in the arena, the tension almost palpable.
Thankfully, the tension didn't linger for much longer as a voice suddenly cut through the surrounding noise.
"May I have everyone's attention?"
The voice was neither soft nor overbearing.
But the moment it sounded, it pressed down on everyone's minds.
Conversations cut off mid-sentence. The distant cheers stuttered and died. Even the restless energy that had filled the arena moments ago seemed to freeze in place.
A ripple passed through the crowd as heads turned toward the center of the arena.
Space distorted, and a single figure stepped into the middle of the arena. Almost as if he had teleported there.
"What the...?"
"Where did he come from?"
"Who is he?"
Murmurs spread across the surroundings. I was similarly confused, but above all, I could feel my chest growing heavier at the sight of him.
The hair at the back of my neck tingled as a cold chill ran down my spine.
'Just... who in the world is he?'
At first glance, he didn't look particularly imposing. Tall. Broad-shouldered. Dressed in a dark, immaculate coat bearing the insignia of the BUA stitched in silver across the chest. His hair was slicked back neatly, his expression calm, even bored.
But the pressure radiating from him?
That was something else entirely.
My lungs tightened.
"...W-ho is that?" Mia whispered, voice barely audible.
Nobody answered.
But the silence didn't last long as Joanna's lips parted.
"...That's Vice Director Armand Vale."
I tensed subtly.
Vice Director.
One of the highest authorities within the BUA. Although I didn't know much about him, I knew of his importance. I knew just how much power he held.
He stood at the very center of the arena, hands clasped neatly behind his back, posture relaxed, and gaze collected.
He didn't raise his voice.
"May I have everyone's attention?"
He didn't need to.
The second time he spoke, it wasn't louder.
It was clearer.
Every word of his entered the minds of everyone present.
"I trust your travels were... uneventful."
His words earned a few strained chuckles from the crowd and even the Guilds. Some looked more relaxed than others, in particular those from the big five, while others looked incredibly tense.
Thankfully, the Vice Director didn't drag things out.
He went straight to the topic.
"As some of you are aware, I'll be officiating this year's Congress. I've been tasked with ensuring that the trial is both adequate and fair. But let me make one thing clear."
His eyes narrowed, his gaze sweeping all of us.
"My presence does not guarantee your safety. You should all be aware that the Congress is not without casualties. Since you'll be dealing with real situations, deaths will occur. If you're not strong or capable enough, there's a very real chance that you and your team will die. I hope you considered that carefully before joining."
His words only added to the already climbing tension. However, the eyes of many remained resolute. Everyone had been made aware from the start.
The World Congress wasn't simply a 'tournament' for fun and games. It was a real event that fully displayed the abilities of people dealing with real-life anomalies and situations. If one feared death, then they shouldn't have been here in the first place.
So...
Is it too late to leave?
Ehm.
"Since I'm the one in charge of this year's Congress, I made sure to keep things fresh. Both for the audience and all of you."
Murmurs immediately flooded the surroundings. Everyone started to wonder what he meant by his words, and just as everyone's curiosity reached the peak, the Vice Director's next words brought the place to a complete and screeching halt.
"This year's congress will be held inside the mist."
"——!!"
"!!"
"—————!"
Not even the members of the major Guilds were able to keep composed, let alone the members from the regular Guilds, as the place erupted.
"The mist?"
"What the fuck? Is this for real?"
"This isn't a joke, right? The mist...? That's ridiculous!"
"This, this... has he lost his mind?"
Even the people around me were at a loss. Nobody could keep their calm. Perhaps I was the only one. But not for the same reasons as everyone else. It was mainly due to my ignorance regarding the mist. The only thing that I knew was that it was one of the main reasons why floating islands even existed in the first place.
The mist was the main reason why the world had been forced to live high above.
But what did he mean by "it'll take place in the mist?" Is he saying that we're going to the land beneath?
I suddenly felt curious.
"I guess I should've expected this reaction."
The Vice Director smiled upon seeing the reactions he was receiving from the crowd and Guild Members. In fact, he almost seemed to take pleasure in it.
Sadist...
"Well, I can't say that I don't understand everyone's confusion, but I'm doing all of this to change things up. What is even the point of hosting an event where everyone goes into the same gate, and we determine their effort based on how fast they clear it? Where's the fun in that?"
Sighing, the Vice Director's smile widened.
"Why not try something new entirely? The entire reason why we even clear Gates and get rid of anomalies is so that we can get a better understanding of the mist and reclaim the land beneath!"
His words echoed loudly across the surroundings, his fervor rubbing in the minds of the spectators.
The surroundings started to grow louder.
"The mist holds countless secrets and answers that could help us overcome this crisis. If we remain trapped in the status quo, we'll never reclaim the land beneath our feet. That's why I've decided for this year's Congress to take place in the land below, because that is what humanity is fighting for!"
His voice boomed once more, and the crowd stood up, their voices growing louder.
"Yeah!"
"You're right!"
"This is going to be exciting!"
The way he effortlessly swayed the crowd into accepting the changes to the Congress was impressive. Yet the mood within the arena was nothing like that of the audience; the tension among the participants was thick enough to be felt.
I exchanged glances with Kyle, his expression extremely tense.
And just as he seemed to be about to say something, the Vice Director spoke once more.
"Let's not drag things any longer. Let the first phase of the Congress begin!"
Snap—!
With a single snap of his fingers, the surroundings froze.
'What's going on?!'
All of a sudden, it was as if time had been frozen. No..
I could still see the audience moving. It was just me and everyone in the arena who had frozen.
Then—
The space around me began to stretch; everyone's appearance distorting and stretching as though I was being pulled into time and space itself.
Their outlines softened first, shoulders blurring, faces losing definition. Eyes and mouths flattened into pale smudges. It almost felt like they were being erased, as though someone were carefully rubbing them out, starting at the edges and working inward.
All forms of noise ceased, and everything around me continued to stretch.
The seats tore away after, dissolving into thin strands that unraveled into nothing. The lights followed, snapping out one by one without flicker. The figures around me thinned and flattened, peeling back like paper burned at the edges.
In seconds, the arena was stripped down to a blank expanse that had no color and no depth.
Rattle! Rattle—!
The ground beneath me shuddered hard enough to jolt my teeth together. A vibration rolled up through the soles of my shoes, climbed my legs, and settled deep in my chest where it continued to buzz.
A low hum followed.
Flick! Flick!
"——!"
Light burst above without warning, the harsh fluorescent strips snapping alive above me. The sudden brightness stung my eyes. What the...! My right hand lifted on instinct and closed around something cold and smooth.
A vertical pole?
Rattle!
The space rattled sideways. My foot slid back to keep balance, rubber scraping against textured flooring that hadn't existed a moment ago.
Without thinking, I reached for the pole, stabilizing my footing.
"Kh!"
I blinked, then looked in front of me.
Blue seats lined the walls now. They were made of hard plastic, scuffed. A narrow aisle stretched in both directions. Advertisements above the windows, their colors faded and peeling at the corners.
"Huh?"
Looking around me, I blinked once more.
This place...
Rattle! Rattle!
Wasn't this a subway?
-x-X-x-
Rattle! Rattle—!
The carriage rattled as a low, dying hum crawled through the metal walls, vibrating beneath the seats like something breathing under the floor. The lights flickered once... twice... then steadied into a sickly yellow glow that made every face look hollow.
I held onto the metal pole next to me, taking in my surroundings cautiously.
'This is a subway, right?'
No matter how I looked at it, this was a subway. From the moving darkness behind the windows to the advertisements plastered along the curved walls, there was no doubt about it in my mind.
But how was this possible?
I was just standing in the middle of the arena. How did I suddenly get transported into this subway?
'...Is this part of the trial?'
This felt like the most likely explanation. It was also for this reason that my mind sharpened as I continued to observe my surroundings. I took a look at the advertisements, the station map above the door, and the seats.
Details.
Trials always had rules. Rules meant patterns. Patterns meant a way out.
The advertisements were the first thing that I paid attention to.
At a glance, they were ordinary: whitening toothpaste, luxury watches, a hedge fund promising 'worthwhile investments'. But the longer I looked, the more I felt that I was wasting my time.
There didn't seem to be anything particularly 'eye-catching', but perhaps it was meant to be like that. Trials and scenarios were never easy to clear.
'Still, this does feel a little eerie.'
I was the only one in the subway.
There was no one else but me, and it was perhaps because of this reason that everything felt heightened to me. The soft hum of the subway, the faint flicker of the lights above, the restless rattling of the train, and the stale, metallic smell of the place.
Every sound. Every smell.
I could feel it.
Rattle—!
The carriage rattled violently.
I stumbled at the sudden jolt, my hand slipping from the pole as I dropped into the nearest seat. The plastic felt cold, much colder than I expected it to be.
The lights above burst into erratic spasms.
In that split second of light, the aisle looked longer. Or did it? I couldn't quite make sense of what was happening around me. I took deep and steady breaths, my vision going dark with each flicker of the lights.
With each flicker, it felt as though something changed about the place. But when I looked, nothing seemed different than before. It all looked the same.
It all—
Flick!
Rattle. Rattle.
"....."
The carriage stopped rattling, the motion smoothing out as though nothing had happened. The steady rhythm of the tracks returned, almost comforting. But unlike before, a deep, unnatural cold seeped into my body.
But most importantly...
I wasn't alone anymore. Figures appeared all over me, doing their own thing as though they had been in the subway the entire time.
A man stood by the pole near the doors, one hand gripping it loosely while the other held an open book. His eyes moved across the page, reading each word with such extreme concentration that it felt abnormal.
A woman beside him scrolled on her phone, her thumb dragging down the screen in a slow, repetitive motion. The glow from the device illuminated her face from below, highlighting the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes.
Further down, someone adjusted their tie. Another leaned back with their eyes closed, earphones plugged in.
But weirdest of them all was the woman sitting directly in front of me, two people next to her, her naturally sagging face giving away her age alongside the deep wrinkles etched into her skin.
Gray hair coiled tightly around her head in brittle, uneven curls, her thin lips nearly colorless, and her pale, papery skin stretched so tightly over her cheekbones that it looked less like skin and more like the last layer before her skull.
She stared at me.
She was the only one staring at me.
Her eyes were wide. So wide that I could see the whites showed all around her irises, red vessels branching outward like the limbs of a dying tree.
I swallowed nervously.
"Hello?"
I received no response. Instead, she continued to stare at me. I scratched the top of my hand, my tongue pressing against my bottom lip to wet it.
The more I looked at her, the more unsettled her gaze felt. Instead, I looked elsewhere. The two men seated on either side of her sat rigidly upright, shoulders squared, hands resting neatly on their thighs. They weren't looking at her.
They were looking past me.
At the window behind me
"Hello?"
I tried to make small talk again. I wanted to see if I could interact with the people in the scenario, but once again, I was met with silence.
This time, the silence felt even more strained.
Shifting along my seat, I took notice of the woman's eyes. They seemed to be following me. I stopped and stared back, feeling her stare to be more and more uncomfortable. The longer I held her gaze, the heavier it felt, like something pressing down on my chest. There was no expression in her face, no change in posture.
Just those wide, fixed eyes locked onto mine.
I knew that I had to do something, and right as I was about to stand up, the lights turned off.
Flick!
Darkness once again took over the space.
But in the darkness, I heard it. The slow, steady breath from somewhere in front of me, close enough that I could make out the faint rasp in each breath, and strong enough to rise over the hum of the train and the dull rattle of the tracks.
"Haaa... Haaa..."
My heart skipped a beat, my head slowly turning in the direction of where the breathing was coming from.
Right... in front of me.
The old woman?
Flick!
The lights flicked back on.
The woman's face was closer now.
Close enough that I hadn't seen her move.
The wrinkles along her cheeks sagged deeper than before, folding into one another like soft, collapsing fabric. The skin beneath her eyes hung loose, trembling slightly, as though it couldn't quite hold its shape.
Her eyes were still locked onto me.
But her pupils had changed. What remained looked faded, washed out beneath a thin, milky haze. That was when I finally noticed the other details I'd missed before. From the gray tint of her skin to the faint blue of her lips.
And...
The fact that she wasn't breathing.
Thud—!
Her head fell over, landing right in front of my legs as I froze.
Flick!
Once more, darkness took over the surroundings. As it did, the weight on my legs had faded. Almost as if the only lady had magically disappeared. But what hadn't faded was the soft breathing sound that rose over the hum and rattling of the carriage.
"Haa... Haa... Haa..."
It was louder now.
Warmer.
...Closer.
But when the lights turned on, the scene that greeted my sight left me stunned. The old lady from before had returned to where she was, her eyes wide while she still looked at me.
'What the hell is going on?'
-x-X-x-
The cheers of the spectators had long since faded. After the initial confusion, all eyes turned to the screens above the arena, which displayed the many figures inside the subway.
Everyone seemed to be facing the same scenario, and the spectators watched the unfolding scenes in rapt attention.
In a different section.
"Looks like you've gone all out."
"...Hmm, you can say that."
Vice Director Vale replied with a faint half-smile, his eyes fixed on the many screens displaying the participants inside.
"I thought that this was the best method to test if they were truly ready for what is ahead of them. This scenario should be a good test for them."
"Good test?"
An amused chuckle followed. Standing beside the Vice Director inside a lustrous VIP box was a woman wearing a mask that covered the top half of her face, quietly fanning herself with a large black fan.
"How can you call this a good test? Isn't this scenario a replica of the Ranked 'Subway Murder' Gate that killed thousands years ago?"
"You're not wrong."
"Then are you seriously planning on letting nobody pass? This isn't a scenario that many can clear. In fact, I'd say that besides the top Guilds, I don't expect anyone to be able to clear the scenario."
"Oh, no. Don't worry about that."
The Vice-Director laughed, waving his hands dismissively.
"I've made some changes to the scenario. It's no longer as brutal as the one from before. I've also changed it enough so that those who are aware of the scenario won't have too much of an advantage."
"I can tell," the woman softly waved her hand. "But it'll still be quite difficult for many of them. Many won't be able to clear the scenario simply because their Decree isn't good for the situation, and they're more there as a support."
"I am aware."
The Vice-Director replied, swiping his hand to change the scenes.
As his gaze focused on one window in particular, he continued, "It's for this reason that even if a person fails, they won't necessarily be eliminated. They'll only be eliminated if everyone within the group fails. So long as one person passes, they'll all pass."
"So this is a test for the leaders?"
"You can say that."
The Vice-Director smiled.
"But then again, if everyone in the team fails, then it'll mean that they aren't good enough to participate in the first place. I'm just saving their life before it's too late."
"You make some sense."
The woman continued to fan herself, her gaze similarly falling on the screens in front of her. The more she looked, the more impressed she felt with the Vice-Director's ability to replicate such a Gate.
It was almost an uncanny copy of the one that she remembered, but there did seem to be some changes. It didn't feel as terrifying as the one she had witnessed.
But it also didn't feel easy at all.
'This will no doubt stump quite a few. I wonder just how many groups will be eliminated.'
One of the things that made this Gate so difficult was the lack of information. While the information was present, it was all hidden. One had to truly look for it to learn about the objective of the scenario.
But most of the time, by the time someone found out, it'd be too late.
After all...
'...It isn't easy to spot the 'murderer' when you don't even know what is happening.'
Slowing down her movements with her fan, the woman's eyes locked on several of the more renowned figures as she mumbled, "I'm curious as to who will be the first to clear the scenario. Certainly, it'll be someone from the top Guilds."
"Perhaps..."
The Vice-Director replied, his hand swiping at the screen of his tablet. As he did, he seemed to have thought of something as he chuckled.
"But it'll be interesting to see if there will be someone else to do it. It'll certainly give those from the big Guilds quite the scare."
***
'What the hell is going on?'
I looked at the old woman in front of me. Just a moment ago, she had been resting on my legs, and in the next instant, she was back where she had been before. The two people next to her continued to look at the window behind me while the people around... hm?
Frowning, I looked at the people around me.
A tall man stood by the pole near the doors, one hand gripping it loosely while the other held a leaflet. A woman beside read a book, her hand slowly moving each page in a repetitive motion. Further down, someone adjusted the buttons of their bowtie.
Everything felt both familiar and unfamiliar.
'I could've sworn the man by the door was reading a book instead of a leaflet.'
That woman too...
No, was she?
I started to second-guess myself.
Just what in the world was going on?
Rattle! Rattle—!
Despite my confusion, the carriage continued to move, the soft hum of the surroundings echoing loudly in my ears as I continued to scan my surroundings. I tried to push down my discomfort and tried to analyze everything.
But just as I started to think, something unexpected occurred.
[Scenario Spotted!]
[Operation: Subway Murder]
Class : ■■■
An unidentified murderer has infiltrated the subway carriage. The train will remain in continuous transit until the scenario concludes. With the passage of time, the murderer will eliminate passengers one by one. Victims will not resist, and their deaths may not be immediately noticeable.
The murderer conceals themselves among the candidates and exhibits no obvious external abnormalities. They behave as an ordinary passenger and will avoid drawing suspicion.
Participants must identify the murderer before the number of remaining passengers falls below the failure threshold. The more passengers fall, the stronger the anomaly becomes. Eliminate it before it becomes too strong.
[Scenario candidates will be joining shortly. Do you wish to use any item?]
[You have ten seconds]
I stared blankly at the sudden pop-up before me.
This...
'Right, why didn't I think this wouldn't happen?'
Staring at the scenario, I read it carefully. The more I went over it, the stranger my expression became. The ten seconds soon passed, and as they did, the surroundings plunged into darkness.
A breath echoed across the surroundings.
This time, heavier than before.
"Haa... Haa..."
Closer, and warmer too.
The lights flicked back on, and I glanced around. Everyone looked the same as before, but it didn't really matter to me anymore. Because...
'If all I really have to do is find the murderer, then it shouldn't be hard, right?'
Reaching for my pocket, I activated my node, and a knife appeared in my grasp. Holding onto the knife, my expression turned even stranger as I activated one of its abilities.
———
[Bloodthirsty Butcher's Knife]
Fourth Order:
: Through repeated killings, the knife has absorbed vast amounts of blood essence, awakening into a bloodthirsty butcher's knife. The blade now exhibits autonomous predatory traits, granting it several abilities.
Ability 1: Butcher's Instinct.
: While wielding the knife, the user gains heightened perception of vital points of anomalies.
Ability 2: Meat Sense
: Passively detects living creatures within a short radius, revealing heartbeat intensity, injury severity, and what type of living being they are.
———
Surely not, right...?
But—
"....."
Looking around the room, one glaring red dot appeared.
I opened my mouth, but soon closed it as I finally stood up.
Rattle! Rattle—!
The carriage shook, and the moment I stood up, it felt as though every eye had turned toward me. Unease settled in, yet I ignored it and continued walking in silence, drawing closer and closer to the red dot before finally stopping right in front of it.
I stood in front of the little boy.
He was playing with his Game Boy, seemingly oblivious to me.
I didn't hesitate. Activating my first node and coating the knife in black, I pulled it from my pocket and stabbed downward.
SPURT!
Blood spurted in all directions.
Everything seemed to freeze in that moment, the figures around me all turning to look in my direction.
Then—
SCREEEEEEEK!
The harsh screech of metal echoed through the carriage as the subway abruptly started to slow down before finally coming to a stop.
Not long after, the doors opened.
Clank!
I stood in silence, not moving a single inch as I stared at the notification before me.
[Scenario Cleared!]
This...
Did this count as cheating?
I was still confused.
No, I wasn't really confused. I knew exactly what happened. But...
'Err, this is fine, right? I won't be suspected of cheating, will I?'
It hadn't been more than a couple of minutes since the scenario had started, and I had somehow cleared it. With the system telling me exactly what was happening, and using the knife's skills, I had no difficulty clearing the scenario.
I did it quite fast.
Or maybe, not?
Thinking about everyone who had joined, it was likely that I wasn't the fastest.
'Considering just how strong some of the people here are, I am probably nowhere near the first place.'
The goal of the scenario was to find the 'murderer' and kill him.
But what if someone simply killed everyone in the subway? Would they pass them?
'...Well, the hardest thing is probably figuring out what is going on.'
Ah, whatever.
I looked at the doors of the subway and proceeded to walk out. Since I had cleared the scenario, there was no need for me to think about it further. One could argue that I had cheated, but so what?
What could they do? Sue me?
Pfft.
As if.
Stepping through the doors, I was greeted by a vast room. So large it made me feel small, my footsteps echoing against the walls. Rows of chairs were lined neatly down the center, and large screens hung along both sides of the room.
They were all turned off.
As I scanned my surroundings, I couldn't help but notice the strange numbers imprinted on each of the chairs. They went from [1] to [1500].
"What's this supposed to be?"
But most importantly...
Another trial?
My stomach churned at the thought. The idea of facing another trial made it twist painfully, but before those thoughts could fully settle, the television at the end of the room flickered to life.
Flick—!
An image appeared.
"Hm?"
It was an image of me. Next to it were words that said, [Seth Thorne — Seat 1].
After the initial confusion, I understood. Do I need to sit in the first seat? Was this the next trial?
I didn't hesitate.
Since these were the instructions, I had to follow them. Either way, I was mainly waiting for the next scenario window to appear. Taking a seat in the first seat, I continued to scan the surroundings.
The room had one large door on each side.
'Is something supposed to come from there?'
I adjusted my seating. Despite the hints, my mind still refused to process the situation. It was impossible. It couldn't be that way, right? Surely...
Clank—
Right then, another door opened.
Step. Step—!
A series of footsteps echoed through the room. They echoed loudly across the large room, each one drawing closer as a long shadow cast over the floor. As they drew closer, a figure stepped into view, wearing a simple smile, his bright appearance immediately catching my attention.
"Hmm~ Hmm~"
He seemed to be humming to himself, only pausing when he noticed me, a flicker of surprise crossing his face.
"Hm?"
Flick!
The TV flickered right after.
A new image appeared. One that said, [Leon Draven — Seat 2].
"..."
If my mind couldn't process it before, it could process it now.
I...
I had ranked first in the first trial.
Out of all the people who had participated in the event. Comprised of the best Guilds in the world, and members who had been at it for years, I... had ranked first.
I...
I simply closed my eyes and pretended like I was sleeping.
'Don't talk to me. Don't interact with me. I am air.'
Unfortunately, it was wishful thinking from me.
"I'm surprised. You came before me."
His voice was as warm as his disposition. Opening my eyes, I saw his hand outstretched in my direction as he smiled.
"It's nice to meet you, my name is Leon."
"..."
I looked at his hand, and then at him. I really wanted to ignore him, but since it was already too late, I could only shake it back.
"I know."
He let go after a small shake.
After that, he proceeded to sit down, facing one of the monitors. I thought he'd stop speaking from that moment, but...
"My trial involved a strange subway. What about you?"
Fucking, why can't people mind their own business?
"...Same."
"Oh? Really?" He turned to look in my direction. "Did you have to find the murderer, too?"
"Yes."
"That's surprising."
He muttered, his arms crossing.
"And here I thought I was fast, but you were even faster than me. Honestly, I'm surprised considering that you're only in the Second Order, but then again, you are indeed the guy who cleared the Gate in Malovia. You sure are lucky."
My ears pricked up at the end of his sentence.
This guy...
I sighed to myself. The implications behind his words were clear. He was trying to rile me up. Get some sort of reaction from me. Whether he truly meant his words or not, I wasn't sure. Perhaps he did, but I had grown used to them by now. Was this simply arrogance? But then again, it was true that I was only at the 'Second Order' in his eyes.
It'd be hard for anyone of his stature to believe that I had somehow outclassed him in the first trial.
"Thanks."
Not getting the reaction that he desired, Leon blinked a couple of times and suddenly covered his mouth as if he had realized what he had said.
"Please don't take it the wrong way. I'm not saying you managed to succeed this trial by luck. There's a limit to how lucky a person can be. And who is to say Order makes a difference? I know plenty who are much weaker than I who can clear Gates of high rank."
He pointed at his temple.
"You must be one of those smart ones."
Listening to him, I felt like sighing again. Now I really didn't know where he was going with his words. I even started to doubt his previous words. Was this guy two-faced? An idiot? Or... a rat?
I opened my mouth to reply, but right as I did, another door opened.
Clank!
A new figure emerged.
The moment she appeared, Leon's smile faded slightly as he turned his attention away from me. As if also noticing our presence, she paused and looked in our direction, her eyes first falling on Leon before falling on me.
But the moment they crossed mine, I saw the noticeable look of confusion and surprise on her face as the TV flickered once more.
[Liora Halecrest — Seat 3]
The moment the screen flickered, her eyes fell on it, her steps coming to a complete halt.
Then, as if finally taking in the situation, she began to walk in our direction. Most burdensome of all? The fact that her gaze seemed to remain glued on me the entire time as I looked away from her and closed my eyes.
'No, not another one. Just let me sit in silence. Mysterious image. Just like the PR team said, I need to keep a mysterious image. Yes, that's what I need to do.'
I relaxed my face completely, pretending to be indifferent to everything.
Thankfully, that seemed to do the trick as the steps paused next to me as she took her seat.
After which, the door opened once more as a new figure emerged.
This time, I didn't bother looking. In order to keep my image, I had no choice but to keep my eyes closed.
And so, the once quiet room began to fill one by one.
The back of my head burned with each new entrant.
'Mysterious. Mysterious. Mysterious.'
-x-X-x-
Rattle! Rattle—!
The carriage rattled, the soft hum spreading through every corner of the surroundings as Kyle quietly observed his surroundings, his heart slowly quickening as he took in everything that was around him.
'How many times has the light turned off?'
Kyle thought to himself, observing the surroundings quietly. He had initially been confused at first, but the more time passed, the clearer the situation became to him. Something was happening to each passenger in the train, and whenever the light turned off, one would die, and everything would reset.
But with each 'reset', there would be changes to the surroundings.
'...The breath that I'm hearing is most likely from the one responsible for all of this.'
His goal was to eliminate the threat.
'Twenty-three. Twenty-four. Twenty-five.'
Kyle quietly counted the seconds. His heart pressed tightly against his throat as he leaned his body forward, sweat dripping out from the side of his face.
'...Twenty-eight. Twenty-nine. Thirt—'
The light above began to flicker, and darkness engulfed the surroundings.
Kyle's eyes narrowed as his node churned.
Then—
[Time Freeze]
Everything froze at once. Right as the light was about to fully turn off.
Kyle didn't waste a second.
Standing from his seat, he quietly scanned the room, his gaze eventually settling on an elderly woman seated nearby, her hand resting on an open book. Kyle stared at her, in particular her eyes, which were staring away from the book, before smiling to himself.
'Found you.'
He didn't hesitate.
The moment he found her, he pressed his hand against the old woman's heart and activated [Time Freeze] once more. At the same time, the surrounding time resumed. The only thing that didn't was the woman's heart, as it remained frozen.
Kyle watched as the woman's face gradually grew paler until she eventually collapsed lifelessly onto the floor.
Thump!
Kyle de-activated his node shortly after.
'That was harder than I previously anticipated.'
In reality, the hardest aspect of the trial was finding what he needed to do. He came into the trial with no instructions and needed to figure out the entire situation by observing what was around him.
He could see how a lot of people would struggle in this trial.
SCREEEEECH—!
All of a sudden, a loud screen echoed across the surroundings as the subway began to rattle even more than before. Kyle's feet remained glued to the floor as the subway began to slow down, and as he turned to face the direction of the door, Kyle's attention fell on the reflection staring back at him.
Is that...?
Massaging his face, Kyle frowned slightly.
'Is that me?'
For some reason, his face was quite pale. He looked almost sick.
Kyle blinked a couple of times, and the subway came to a complete stop, the doors opening for him.
"....."
Kyle stood in silence for a few short seconds before eventually moving out.
Strange...
So strange.
He didn't feel bad at all. In fact, he felt great. Was he seeing things?
Maybe.
But most importantly...
'This should be the end of the trial, right? I wonder if Seth is done. Even though he's barely at the Second Order, for some reason, I don't see him failing this. It's so strange...'
The Seth he was used to and knew was extremely cowardly. There were times when he'd get so scared he'd start puking. It had happened once when a small child walked behind him in the middle of the night.
He had changed so much compared to the Seth he knew in the past. From that point forward, he had given him quite a lot of surprises.
Perhaps, he was going to surprise him once more.
'Or maybe not, I know he doesn't like attention.'
Kyle smiled to himself as he walked past a certain door.
Light blinded him a moment after, as a large room greeted him.
'The place looks quite noisy.'
There were quite a lot of people already. Looking around, Kyle's attention soon fell on the TV on top as his name and image appeared alongside a number (Seat — 207).
'207? Is that my ranking?'
Kyle looked around, spotting many famous faces he had only ever seen on TV, and felt a surge of satisfaction. This score... not bad. He had performed much better than he had expected.
'...I wonder who the top scorers are.'
Kyle looked at the TV's. The rankings of each person were present, and as his eyes moved up, a certain name stood out to him.
The moment he spotted the name, his face froze.
But then—
He burst out laughing.
"Right, of course. Why am I not even surprised?"
Kyle continued to laugh, moving towards his seat as he shook his head.
"...What a show off."
***
I felt so damn uncomfortable. The more time passed, the more uncomfortable I felt. It felt as though I was being stared at by practically the entire room. The back of my head stung more and more.
But more than anything, I was worried.
I may have passed this trial, but I could feel that it wasn't an easy one. I was worried about my team. Could they pass? Surely they could, right...?
I had trained with them quite a bit.
I knew of their skills. However, that was the issue.
They were all great as a team, but not individually. The same was for Ariel. No, specifically Ariel, who couldn't function by herself.
As more time passed and their name still didn't appear, I grew increasingly worried.
Surely...
My heart sank as more and more seats began to be filled.
I could no longer keep my eyes closed, my entire attention fixed on the rankings. The first one I saw that I was familiar with was Clara. She ranked quite well. Kyle surprisingly came not long after, with Zoey following him a bit later.
I saw a lot of familiar names, but not the ones that I wanted to see.
I started to grow restless.
I—
—I would like to extend a warm welcome to all those who have managed to pass this first trial. This was far from easy, and for all of you to pass this trial, I would like to say, congratulations!
A voice echoed from the speakers, my heart sinking deeply as I sat up straight.
No, don't tell me...
—For those worried about their teammates, there's no need to panic. This trial wasn't designed to eliminate a large number of participants at once. We understand that not everyone specializes in solo clearances; some of you excel in support roles.
My eyes lit up.
Then...!
—That's why we set a single condition for this trial: as long as one member passes, the entire team passes. So for those of you here... Congratulations. You and your team have passed!
It was as if a massive weight had been lifted off my shoulders. The moment I heard the last words, my body slacked back onto the chair.
...Thank god.
If they had been eliminated like this, then it would've meant the Guild Master had been right, and I...
—Please don't get too excited. This was merely the preliminary stage of the Congress. There's still much more to come. Your ranks will, of course, play an important role in the upcoming trials, with points assigned to each Guild based on the rank each member has achieved. A tally will soon be displayed for everyone to see, but before that, let all teams reunite.
Snap—!
A loud snap reverberated through the surroundings, and the world around me began to shift. I barely had time to react before the faces of those around me stretched and warped, a low, muffled sound ringing in my ears.
One that sounded almost like a roar.
A roar?
The sound grew louder and louder as my surroundings shifted, until the roar became deafening.
BOOOOOOM—!
The surroundings shifted, and before I knew it, I found myself standing back in the middle of the arena, the crowd around on their feet, their cheers so loud they almost felt like an explosion.
"Waaaaaaah!"
"Insane! That was insane!"
"How is it possible!? How did he do it?!"
"Monster! He's a monster!"
What the...
-x-X-x-
"Waaaah—!"
The noise was deafening. I could barely hear over the noise filling the arena as I felt countless eyes turn toward me. But unlike before, there was more than just jeers and hatred in their gazes. There were quite a lot of cheers.
"That was incredible!"
"...How is it possible!? How the fuck did he do it?"
"That's insane! He was even faster than Leon! What the hell is going on with this guy?!"
The shock was palpable.
Standing at the center of everyone's attention, I lowered my head. My stomach churned more than ever before, the feeling of wanting to leave stronger than ever. There were just... too many people.
Ah, I hate people.
But more than anything...
'Mysterious. Mysterious. Mysterious.'
I had to keep up with my facade.
'I'm sure those from the PR team will be satisfied with my acting.'
They were the ones to tell me to act like this.
"Not bad."
Kyle arrived next to me before I knew it. He was smiling. Judging from his expression, it seemed like he had given up on the idea of being shocked by anything that I did.
"Err, about your face though..."
"What about my face?"
My acting was flawless.
"Ah, nevermind. Honestly, I thought you'd rank high, but not this high."
"...I got lucky."
"Sure. Sure."
No, I really did.
"How often can someone be lucky? From Malovia to everything else that I've seen you do. At some point, you've just got to admit that you're incredibly talented at this."
"....."
"Still, it's a good thing that we passed. It means that our teams will now be able to pass for the next round. It would've been bad otherwise. The more teams we have on our side, the more points we can accumulate. I'm sure they'll announce the Guild Rankings soon. Given that you've reached the top spot, we should be able to get a decent ranking."
"I guess."
The reason why we were all in different groups and not in just one single group formed of the most elite members of the Guild was specifically because of this. The final ranking was based on the cumulative points earned by each representative team of a Guild.
If there existed only one good team, then the chance of the Guild ranking high would be minimal. More points would be earned by multiple good teams instead of one elite team.
This was the usual strategy that most Guilds followed.
It was essentially a 'star' driven strategy. One 'star' and members built around that 'star'.
"S-squad Leader."
A hesitant voice suddenly grabbed my attention. Turning my head, Mia stood not far from me, her eyes swimming in all directions as she bit her lips, alternating her gaze between Kyle and me.
Seeing her act like this, I became curious.
"What's going on?"
"That... Ehm."
Mia clenched her teeth before speaking.
"...There's a bit of an issue with Joanna. Can you help out a little?"
"Joanna?"
I looked around. What sort of issue could there be? If there was anyone that I trusted the most in my squad, it'd be Joanna. She was extremely reliable and was able to lead the team when I wasn't there.
Looking around, I eventually spotted her. She appeared to be talking with another group. From the way they were smiling at each other, it seemed like it was a good conversation, too.
Well, at least that was how it seemed from the outside.
"Those are the members from her ex-team."
"Ah."
Realization dawned on me.
"They... apparently joined another Guild. A pretty big one. They're doing quite well, and while I don't know what they're saying, Joanna looks quite uncomfortable. Can you..."
"Alright."
I still couldn't see how she was uncomfortable, but seeing the worry on Mia's face, I decided to check things out. This was my duty as the Squad Leader.
Giving Kyle a look, he merely patted my shoulder and muttered, 'Well, good luck with your thing. I know how things can be.' He then went ahead and joined his group.
Seeing him off, I headed towards Joanna.
Mia didn't join. She didn't want to make it seem like she was worried.
Despite not wanting to, my every action appeared to attract eyes and murmurs. I felt uncomfortable as I walked, but I had no choice but to ignore the noise around me as I drew closer and closer to Joanna.
It didn't seem like her or the people she was talking to noticed me, and as I drew closer, I finally started making out their conversation.
"It was quite disappointing to see you leave our group like that. However, in the end, we all managed to make a name for ourselves after you left. Do you think it's a coincidence?"
"...Probably not."
"Had you stayed with us, you probably would've gotten scouted with us, but then again, there's also a chance that the scouting offer wouldn't have come. You can say that we both benefited from your departure. I'm really glad you're doing fine."
"I'm also happy where I am."
"Oh, but I heard you failed your first trial. The same for your team. Are you guys not holding your Squad Leader back? We all somehow passed, haha."
The more I listened to their conversation, the more I felt like I was being shoved shit into my mouth. What sort of ridiculous nonsense were they spouting...?
"Well, the Squad Leader is quite capable. He's—"
"I hope that he does well with you. But then again, our fortunes did get better after you left, so maybe you bring bad luck. Haha. Joking. Joking. I—"
"If there's anyone that brings back luck, it's probably me."
I suddenly interrupted the conversation, causing the five figures standing in front of Joanna to abruptly turn in my direction, their expressions quickly shifting at the sight of me.
Then—
"Hello! We're Crimson Vow from the Arithmus Guild!"
"Hello! We're Crimson Vow from the Arithmus Guild!"
"Hello! We're Crimson Vow from the Arithmus Guild!"
In a rehearsed manner, they all bowed down to me and greeted me. Their voices were neither loud nor small, but I immediately felt stumped.
"It's a great honor to meet you! You must be Joanna's Squad Leader! We're very glad that someone like you is looking out for her. Although our paths have diverged, we still care deeply for her."
They were all pretty, with the one speaking being a woman with long brown hair and matching eyes. Her skin was pale-white... pale to the point where it felt unnatural. Perhaps, a lot of make-up.
No, it certainly was a lot of make-up.
"Actually, it's not like we can say that we don't have any connections with each other. Our senior, Hermes, comes from the same Guild as us. We really look forward to the upcoming trials!"
The more they spoke, the more I felt like puking...
So forced.
I kept my expression even as I thought about their words. Hermes... I do remember him, but also don't. Who was he again?
For some reason, they mistook my confusion for some sort of glare as they all started to tense up. But I really was just thinking though... With forced smiles, the group looked at each other, and then the leader, who lowered her head to bid me farewell.
"We wish you the best of luck!"
The others followed her lead.
"...We'll see you later!"
"Good luck!"
Staring at their departing backs, I quietly massaged my stomach. Lately, it felt as though I felt like puking for completely different reasons than in the past.
"Thank you."
A small whisper brought me out of my thoughts. When I turned my head, Joanna was staring in the direction of Crimson Vow with a complicated smile.
"They were the first team that I joined."
She started to explain, her voice low.
"We used to get along in the past, but as our performances started to become worse and worse, they decided to kick me out because they thought I was holding them back. Given how much they've grown, maybe they weren't wrong."
"....."
"Even now, I failed. Maybe..."
"If you suck, I'll carry you."
"Huh?"
Joanna abruptly turned her head in my direction as I looked away from her, and onto the other members of my squad. They were standing not far from us, all pretending not to look in our direction, but from their expressions, I could tell that they cared.
The corner of my lips curled.
"If you're worried about doing back, don't worry. I'll carry you and everyone else. So don't care about making mistakes. So long as I'm here, make as many mistakes as you want. Don't care about anything else."
Because...
"I'm your Squad Leader."
-x-X-x-
"Oh, you guys are back."
The others pretended as if nothing had happened as Joanna and I returned to the group.
"Yes, nothing wrong. I was just talking with my old squad."
"Oh, that's nice!"
Mia's eyes lit up, looking very interested in the topic. She suddenly started to move around, Joanna, like a sort of octopus, constantly questioning her. "So? What did you talk about? How is your old team? They all looked quite pretty. Are they better than us? They can't be..."
At first, Joanna looked patient. But the more Mia talked, the more her face twitched.
"Hehe. They looked prettier than you. Were you the ugly duckling? Is that why you left?"
Eventually—
TONK!
"Nnnn!?"
She hit Mia on top of her head, prompting her to squeal as tears formed in the corner of her eyes.
"What was that for?!"
Mia protested immediately, holding onto her head while looking at Joanna. Not far from her, Nora laughed, looking extremely amused.
"You got what you deserved."
"What are you butting in for?"
"What?"
"Hiick!"
Mia hid behind me, holding onto my hips while looking up at me.
"Squad Leader... Save me."
I closed my eyes and pretended not to see anything. I could feel the numerous stares directed in my direction. Plus... looking at my squad, I sighed.
Nora and Mia were bickering. Joanna was mumbling to herself, while Niel, Min, Sarah, and Ariel were lost in their own thoughts.
'I'm the only normal person in this squad.'
I sighed once again while keeping my eyes closed.
'Mysterious. Mysterious. Mysterious.'
"Hm, Squad Leader."
I opened my eyes, feeling a tug on the corner of my sleeves. As I did, I couldn't help but notice the multiple stares directed my way. Why was everyone looking at me?
"Are you okay?"
"...Yes, why?"
"Ehm... that..." Mia pressed the tips of her index fingers together as she hesitated. Then she finally muttered, "...I don't know why, but ever since the event started, you've been making a face like you're constipated. Are you constipated?"
"...."
"Hieeeeck!"
Mia suddenly jumped behind Joanna, who instinctively stepped forward, extending an arm as if to shield her, her face tense.
She wasn't the only one. Everyone around me looked tense.
What sort of...
"Squad Leader. You need to calm down."
Joanna's voice echoed a moment later, her expression turning even tenser.
"I know that Mia can be a little bit too much, but she doesn't come from a place of harm. So..."
Joanna took a deep breath, trying her best to keep herself calm.
"...Stop smiling. Please."
I blinked.
Then, bringing my hand to my lips, I was shocked to see that she was right. Indeed, I was smiling.
But why...
"Goosebumps. I'm getting goosebumps."
Nora suddenly muttered, holding onto both of her arms as she took a step back. The others followed her example. What are they doing? I suddenly started regretting the previous words that I had told Joanna. Carry? They could go by themselves!
It was a good thing that the Vice-Director's Voice echoed a moment later, otherwise...
"It looks like everyone has finally reunited with their group. That's good. That's very good. Since that's the case, we can proceed with the announcement of the Guild Rankings based on the accumulated points from the First Trial."
The atmosphere suddenly changed.
Suddenly, all attention shifted to the large screens at the end of the arena. The noise that had once filled the space gradually died down, and a heavy tension settled over the crowd.
"As most of you are aware, the World Congress rankings will be determined by the accumulated points of each Guild's representatives. With that in mind, let's take a look at the current world rankings, shall we?"
The screens flashed, and a long table appeared.
All noise ceased, every single eye falling on the leaderboard.
——[Guild Ranking]——
⌈1⌉ — Helios Vanguard [Points: 75]
⌈2⌉ — Obsidian Bastion [Points: 73]
⌈3⌉ — Eclipse Sovereign [Points: 71]
⌈4⌉ — Crimson Oath [Points: 68]
⌈5⌉ — Argent Vangard [Points: 62]
⌈6⌉ — Melson Sanders [Points: 62]
⌈7⌉ — Arithmus [Points: 61]
⌈8⌉ — Evening Sun [Points: 60]
⌈9⌉ — Severed Stars [Points: 60]
.
.
——[Guild Ranking]——
The silence merely lasted a couple of seconds. But the moment everyone processed the information, the entire arena erupted.
BOOOOM—!
"Helios! Helios! Helios!"
"Leon!"
"Liora! Liora!"
The crowd's frenzy was greater than ever before as members of several Guilds smiled, while others frowned. Above all, I could feel the weight of everyone's attention, both from the audience and those around me, pressing down harder than ever before.
I knew why.
Of course, I knew.
For the first time in a very long while, a Guild outside the Big Five, and outside Oak Circle, which represented the top twenty Guilds, had broken into the top ten rankings.
This was the kind of news I could already imagine dominating the headlines.
"What incredible surprise."
Even the Vice-Leader appeared to think the same, his voice echoing across the surroundings as the noise once again began to die down.
"This score is honestly beyond my expectations. I didn't expect a dark horse like this to appear out of nowhere. But I'm curious whether they can maintain this momentum until the end. This is only the beginning of the trial, an appetizer, some might say."
With a grin on his face, he clapped his hands.
"The Congress is far from over. There's still so much that can happen. In the meantime, may the teams rest. The real Congress will begin soon."
Pausing, the Vice-Director's gaze swept every contender.
"...And trust me when I say you'll need rest. From the moment you enter the mist, you'll wish to get even an hour of sleep."
His words were enough to bring back the tension to the event. Even the crowd felt the weight of his words as they started to murmur with each other.
"Well, let's not dwell on the situation for too long. Everyone should get some good rest and prepare themselves for the mist. All your Squad Leaders should have been made aware of the things that you need to bring. In case anyone wants to back out now, you are free to do so. Nobody is forcing you to stay. I wish all of you the best of luck!"
Without further ado, all teams retreated back inside the arena. From what I understood, we had one day of rest before the next part began.
I planned on taking advantage of the rest as much as possible.
But most importantly, I needed to prepare myself.
[New Quest Activated!]
• Difficulty: N/A
• Reward: 10 Essence Shards [Attribute of choice] | 300,000 SP
• Objective: Enter the Mist and find out its secrets.
• Location: N/A
• Failure: Death
Description: The mist carries unspeakable secrets and horrors. It is the reason humanity chose to tear chunks from the earth and build floating islands above it. What is behind the mist? What could've caused it to develop?
Time Limit: 2 weeks.
[Will you accept the quest?]
▶ [Yes] ▷ [No]
Looking at the new notification that had popped up, I took a deep breath. There was no need to think too much. I already knew what I needed to choose.
My goal was simple.
Find a definitive cure for the Cognitive Shard in my mind. Not something to manage, but a cure. In order to do so, I needed to get a deeper understanding of the secrets of this world.
Therefore—
[Yes]
I accepted the quest.
-x-X-x-
"That marks the end of the First Trial. Honestly, the results were more or less in line with our initial predictions, but there's been one variable. In fact, I'd say that variable has been more than significant."
The broadcast was in full swing.
Adam Porier, one of the two commentators, cleared his throat while looking to his partner.
"What do you think, Merylin?"
"What do I think?"
Merilyn paused, her expression turning complicated as she looked at the camera.
"In all honesty, I don't know what to think. I think the same should go for practically everyone who is watching, right? This result is way beyond anything that any of us expected. We all knew that he was special, but we didn't know he was that special. How did he even do it?"
The broadcast feed changed. Appearing next to Merylin was a small window in which a replay appeared, displaying a certain figure calmly observing his surroundings before suddenly standing up and arriving before a boy.
He then took out a knife and ended the trial cleanly.
"It didn't take him more than a couple of minutes. Not even Leon, one of the most powerful and well-known figures within the Congress, was able to clear it so fast. How was Seth able to clear it so quickly?"
"That's what I'm asking myself."
Adam chimed in, his arms folding as he leaned back against his chair.
"The more I look at the replay, the more shocked I am. I've never witnessed something like this in the past. Do you think it might have something to do with his Decree?"
Adam asked Merylin who was the more analytical one between the two.
Merylin looked back at Adam before sighing.
"Honestly, it's possible. These trials do favor those with the 'Hunter' Decree, but at the same time, nobody actually knows what Seth's Decree is. I've tried looking at any relevant information, but I wasn't able to find anything. It seems like the Severed Stars Guild is trying to keep it a secret."
"Well, that's understandable. He's their current secret weapon. With his achievement, he was able to break past the unbreakable wall of the five bigs and Oak Circle. I'm sure everyone is reeling at the sight of a new emerging superpower."
"...That's for certain."
Merylin added, touching her ear as she continued, "From what I've managed to gather, a lot of those Guilds have started to ask more information regarding Seth. A lot of them are trying to understand how something like this is even possible. Thinking about the rumors about him never failing, and I'm starting to get shivers."
"Same. I thought it was just a marketing ploy, but... he has not only not failed, but somehow succeeded spectacularly."
"Wait, hold on a second."
Merylin paused for a brief second.
Then, as a smile formed on her face, she looked at the camera.
"We just received news that we have an interview ready. A respectable figure. Please welcome Guild Master Sanders from the Melson Sanders Guild."
The screens at the side of the studio lit up, revealing a round figure with thinning hair. Despite his appearance, he exuded a sharp sense of authority as he faced the camera with a composed smile.
"Guild Master Sanders. Can you hear us?"
—Haha, yes, I can hear you, Merilyn. I can hear you. How have the two of you been doing?
"Good. We've been doing rather well."
The three exchanged a few pleasantries before Adam eventually took over.
"First, congratulations on ranking sixth. This is a rather big achievement. Never before has the Sanders Guild ranked so high in the past. Do you think that you can keep this rank until the very end? Or... do you think that you can crack the top five?"
—Let's not go too far, Adam.
The Guild Master laughed, keeping his expression at ease.
—I am just happy that we've managed to rank so high. The Congress is far from over, and there's still so much that we need to do. Can we crack the top five? Honestly, I don't know, but we'll take it one step at a time.
"Very humble of you, Guild Master." Adam praised, although internally he wasn't all too pleased. He would've much rather the Guild Master had said yes to start some sort of war. It would've been good for the ratings.
"On another note, do you have any thoughts about the results of the First Trial? In particular, the recent dark horse."
—Him?
The Guild Master blinked, but then smiled.
—If you're asking me about his abilities, then we've both seen it. Be it in Malovia, and here. You can say he was lucky once, but twice? He's skilled. There's no doubt. Severed Stars Guild has found a gem. But...
The Guild Master paused and then closed his mouth. He then shook his head, seemingly not wanting to say anymore. This didn't go unnoticed by Adam, who immediately started pushing. He could smell something.
"But what Guild Master? There's no need to be hesitant. Just let your thoughts roam. This is a safe space."
—Hahahaha.
The Guild Master burst out laughing as he took out his earpiece.
—Don't think I don't know what you're trying to do.
"No, come on!"
Handing it back to one of the staff, the Guild Master paused as he thought about it for a moment before shrugging.
—Well, I would say that I'd normally be worried about him, but after seeing his team's performance with my team, we've concluded that he won't be a threat for the upcoming trials. I believe that the other Guilds have come to the same conclusion.
The Guild Master didn't elaborate any further. Following his words, he left directly. But he didn't need to say anymore.
Everyone watching got the message.
Seth was good.
But his team wasn't.
Thus—
He wasn't a threat.
Click!
The program cut off, and silence fell over the room. A series of eyes remained fixed on the darkened screen, the quiet feeling far louder than it should have been.
"...."
The silence persisted for an unknown period of time.
It continued until, eventually, one of the people in the room stood up and left.
Clank—!
Nora's disappearance was followed by another.
Clank!
And then another.
Clank! Clank!
One by one, everyone began to leave the room until eventually, there were only two people left.
Joanna smiled bitterly as her head slowly lowered to look at the floor, where she saw a pair of shoes waiting opposite her.
Her lips parted.
"You know what he said?"
"....."
Her words were met with silence. But the silence spoke volumes.
"He said he'll carry us. That we can make as many mistakes as possible since he'll carry us."
"....."
"But I don't want to be carried."
Joanna's hands clenched tightly.
"I don't want to be the useless teammate that he has to carry because we were just not good enough. What's the point then? What's the use of us?"
Joanna's shoulders trembled, and as she eventually looked up, locking eyes with Mia, Joann's expression crumbled.
"...S-o what am I supposed to do? What are we supposed to do?"
***
↪ He's gotten arrogant lol. I think he thinks that he can win even if his team is shit. Success probably got into his head.
↪ Yeah, lol. What an arrogant prick.
↪ But maybe there's a reason he chose his team? It's way too early to tell.
↪ Early my ass. Just look at their performances. They're all fucking ass. Just give up. He's going to fail.
↪ Why didn't he listen to his Guild and just pick a good team? Fucking hell.
"So much nonsense."
I looked at my phone and tossed it aside. Honestly, the amount of nonsense that was being said online at the moment was ridiculous. It all started with one single interview. It came from a rather important Guild Master, and the moment the interview was aired, things spiraled out of control.
The amount of hate that everyone in my team was receiving was ridiculous.
For just a moment, I hesitated. I thought about going to them to calm them down, but after a while, I stopped myself.
There was no need for me to do anything.
'I'll take this as some good motivation for them. And if they crumble under the pressure, then...'
I paused, leaning back on the bed while looking at the window in front of me.
"I'll be disappointed."
I mumbled, my eyes closing.
"...I'll be disappointed."
-x-X-x-
Broken glass and furniture littered the room.
What had once been a finely decorated room in a luxury hotel was now a broken, scattered mess. Standing in the middle of it all was a figure with emerald-green eyes, her gaze absentmindedly scrolling through her phone.
She sat in silence, her thumb gliding across her phone screen as the articles reflected in her pupils.
To Tok—!
A knock shattered the silence.
After which, a figure walked in.
"I'm coming in."
Adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses, Section Chief White stepped into the room, his gaze sweeping over the wreckage before settling on the figure seated at its center. From his expression, he didn't seem shocked by the sight. If anything, it was as though he had grown accustomed to it.
Moving closer to Catherine, he tried to soften his expression. Everything he had to deal with Catherine, it felt as though he was walking on eggshells.
Catherine was the ace of the Branch Guild. Her talent and skill were no less inferior than Zoey's, Kyle's, and all the top members of the Main Guild.
Things were a little bit different in the past. He had more control over her.
But with her contract soon to be expiring, the Section Chief had lost most of his leverage. Now, in order to make sure she signed the new contract, he had to make sure to appease her and keep her satisfied.
"...Catherine."
"....."
He didn't get a reply, as Catherine continued to scroll through her phone.
He called out again.
"Catheri—"
"I am better than them."
His words were suddenly cut-off mid-sentence.
"There's no doubt about it. In terms of skills, I should be better than them. But I wasn't lucky like them. I didn't get to go to Malovia. I wasn't there to gain points and jump into the rankings as they have. And so now... they have the world's attention."
"That's true, but you don't have to worry about that. You can show them your true skills in the Congress. This is why we're here. In fact, if you look at the rankings, you actually didn't do too badly for the first round. You placed just a bit behind Clara and Leon. You still surpassed your sister. That's—"
"But what about that bastard?"
"That bastard?"
"That lucky fucker."
Catherine's expression turned rather ferocious at the thought of that bastard. The more she thought about it, the more she felt like she was being shoved shit in her mouth. Thinking about how he had confronted her a while back, she really wanted to cut him into pieces and toss him in some random river.
But who would've thought he'd suddenly become a Paragon? An extremely high-ranked one at that?
Just when she thought the surprises were over, he suddenly ranked first in the First Trial.
"There has to be a limit to someone's luck."
Catherine clenched her teeth. She didn't believe for one second that this was all attributed to his skills. Even if Kyle or Zoey did the same thing, she'd also believe it was luck. In her mind, she was the best one in the Guild.
"...Oh, him."
As if suddenly realizing who she was referring to, Section Chief White's expression darkened as well. Ever since he appeared, Catherine had become even more unhinged. Not only did he take the spotlight away from her, but he somehow made her even more volatile and harder to handle than in the past.
As a result, things became much harder for the Section Chief.
That's why he didn't like him.
'From the moment he appeared, my life became much harder. I really should've done something about him before.'
But it was too late now.
That figure had grown a little too big.
Still—
"There's no need to concern yourself too much about him."
The Section Chief quietly reassured Catherine.
"He's not going to be a threat to you. I'm sure you're already aware, but because of his arrogance, he's decided to stick with a team that's simply not on the level of the Congress. He won't be much of a threat going forward. You don't have to worry too much about him."
"....."
Rather than showing any sign of joy or excitement, Catherine's expression remained indifferent. She was aware of the news. Of course, she was aware. Who didn't know about Seth's decision to stick with such a shit team?
"Compared to your team, he's nothing. If you're unsatisfied, we can still make some changes. I can—"
"I've been thinking."
Once again, Catherine cut the Section Chief off.
With her fingers drumming against the armrest of the chair, her next words caused the Section Chief's face to change drastically, "If I ask to be on his team, will they accept?"
***
The next day.
With one day of rest, I was feeling quite refreshed. All teams gathered at the bottom of the hotel we were staying in, as we boarded the buses not long after, and we were escorted to a different building.
Throughout the entire bus ride, nobody made a single noise.
It was eerily quiet.
'Seems like the rumors going around have affected them a little.'
I looked at my team and then looked away. Either way, I wasn't too worried. They did seem even more focused than before. This wasn't a bad change.
Thankfully, the bus ride wasn't a long one.
It took even less time than the trip to the arena before we were escorted to a massive building. Rectangular in shape, its metallic frame reflected the sun from every angle as the buses pulled into the parking lot and we made our way inside.
Taking the elevators up, we were greeted by a massive hall where a series of screens appeared at the end of each wall. The layout wasn't much different from the hall at the end of the First Trial.
Soon, the other teams arrived.
The tensions rose to an all-time high as everyone cautiously stared at one another.
'But it's strange.'
I looked ahead of me. Not towards the other teams, but towards Section Chief White. For some reason, he was glancing at me quite a lot. He also appeared to turn to look at Catherine, but she didn't even spare him a glance.
'What's going on?'
I was curious, but didn't have the time to figure it out.
"Looks like everyone is here."
The Vice-Director arrived, his figure appearing in the middle of the large hall as he smiled at everyone.
"Now that everyone here has managed to rest a bit, it's time for the next part of the Congress to begin." His expression suddenly turned serious, "and also the most difficult part of the Congress. I'd like to express this once again. From this moment forward, things will not be the same as they were during the First Trial. Death is a very real possibility. Therefore, if anybody here doesn't want to participate, raise your hands, and you can leave."
Silence.
The Vice-Director's words were met with heavy silence. Nobody raised their hands, or looked like they wanted to raise their hands.
'Understandable considering how everyone here is the elite of the elite in this world. If they were scared of death, they wouldn't be doing this.'
"Good."
The Vice-Director smiled, his hands interlocking behind him.
"In that case, let's proceed with the next part of the trial."
The large monitors at the end of the room lit up one by one, displaying enormous titles on each one.
"Here's the Second Trial."
Vice-Director Vale spoke, his voice booming across the surroundings.
"Mist Point — Z"
-x-X-x-
All attention was fixed on the large screens as the images flashed, displaying a large map.
The map was very detailed, with it being divided into six different areas.
"Point Z spans several hundred kilometers. It was once a rather famous area, but with the appearance of the Mist, the area has been abandoned. This is where you will be sent. The goal of the mission is rather simple. I need you all to rescue several teams that have been stranded there."
The Vice-Director stepped forward, the smile fading from his face as several red dots began to appear on the screen.
"These points presented on the screens are the locations where the teams have last been found. This happened not too long ago, and unfortunately, we weren't able to receive any more information from them. All signal has been lost."
The mood in the venue turned heavy.
"Based on logic, the chances of the group surviving this are relatively low. However, until we've confirmed that they're dead, we will not stop our rescue mission. This isn't just about rescuing them, but also collecting all the research samples that they've managed to find."
The Vice-Director's expression was incomparably serious.
"A lot of the data collected will be useful in the advancement of humanity and figuring out the truth behind this mist. It's for this reason that we've decided to integrate this into the World Congress. Your goal will be to find any clues and bring them back to us. Points will be rewarded based on what you find and if you can rescue anyone."
Murmurs immediately filled the space, everyone whispering to one another about the sudden task. Even I found myself frowning, finding this task a lot more troublesome than I originally anticipated.
"All relevant information has already been sent over to your phones. Although the signal in the land below is almost non-existent, you all should be equipped with items that should be able to communicate with us. In case that doesn't work, you may use your flares to signal us or any other nearby team."
Clearing his throat, the Vice-Director continued.
"Keep in mind that rescuing a team that has used a flare will also count for points, as that will also be a 'rescue' in some regard. However, also keep in mind that the team that does use their flare will be automatically eliminated from the competition."
The noise stalled as all eyes were fixed on the Vice-Director as he continued to brief us on the situation. I paid close attention to every single word he said, knowing just how dangerous the next step of the Congress was going to be.
"All information on Point Z has also been sent over to your phones. I suggest all of you give it a good read. From the history of the place to the anomalies that have been found. It'll give you a good idea of the surroundings and where you are. That will always be a good idea regardless of the situation."
Taking out his phone, the Vice-Director waved it as he scrolled with his other hand.
"Okay, that's enough from me. I think I've said everything that I needed to say. For now, everyone, get ready to enter the world beneath. Please come in your designated teams. Say your goodbyes, now, as all of you, besides your teams, will be separated from one another."
Having said everything that he wanted to say, the Vice-Director nodded in satisfaction and proceeded to move towards the main door of the room. Everyone's eyes followed his every movement, and it was only a couple of minutes after he left that noise filled the surroundings.
"A rescue mission? This is going to be tough."
Kyle was the first one to approach me, his brows furrowed as he looked at his phone. Behind him, Rowan and several others followed.
"Honestly, I've been to the mist a couple of times in the past, and each time, I almost felt like dying. Can't say that I am looking forward to this."
Though he said everything in a joking manner, from how serious his eyes were, I knew that he wasn't joking.
Zoey joined a moment later.
"Ugh."
She looked just as troubled.
"I said it yesterday, but they're really fucked up in the head for choosing this place for the Congress Trial." Pausing, she looked around as her expression tensed, "I wonder just how many will actually survive? I seriously can't understand why they're doing this."
"It's probably because of the Malovia incident."
Clara joined in, appearing a little calmer than the others as she nodded at me and just me. Ehm... Feeling the weird stares directed at me, I looked away. Only for my mouth to twitch as Zoey whispered, 'Fucking cult...'
Again with this nonsense?
With the same expression, Clara continued.
"Given everything that happened in Malovia, the BUA is scrambling to find a way to clear the Mist. It's clear that anomalies are growing stronger over time; Kermite-class ones rarely appeared in the past, yet they've become increasingly common. And now that another has surfaced, one that could arguably be the strongest yet, they've all started to worry. At the rate that we're progressing, we're all going to go extinct."
In other words...
This was all my fault?
"Cough! Cough—!"
"Seth?"
"You good?"
"Ah, no... I am fine."
I held my hand, stopping Kyle and Zoey from approaching me as I rubbed my stomach.
"Just feeling a little stomachache."
"Now of all times?"
Kyle asked, his face clearly showing surprise.
"Maybe I'm nervous."
"Why does your face say otherwise?"
"You're imagining things."
Clearing my throat, I took a couple of breaths while turning my attention towards the entrance of the hall. The other teams were already moving past, with us being one of the last groups.
Without further ado, I bid them farewell and headed towards my group.
"Let's not waste any time."
The mood was still rather tense, but I didn't say anything and just led them towards the main door, walking past it and arriving in another room.
It was wider than the previous room, but something about the place felt a lot more congested than the previous room. Perhaps it was the bare walls and a low ceiling that made the space feel tighter than it should have.
Elevator doors lined the walls on all sides, their brushed metal surfaces catching the dull overhead light, reflecting it back in faint, distorted shapes.
"This is...?"
I stopped, looking around.
Why are there so many elevators?
The sight of so many elevators left me at a complete loss.
What left me at an even greater loss was how every group stood behind one of the doors, 'Ding!', entering after each chime as the lines shortened every minute. In spite of my confusion, I still followed the other groups as we lined up behind one of the elevators.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
Chimes were all that I could hear as the atmosphere appeared incredibly tense. None of the teams were talking, besides those from the big Guilds, but even they were relatively tense as they entered the elevators.
The Vice-Director stood in the middle of the room, overlooking the entire thing with a simple smile on his face as he watched us enter one by one.
And eventually—
Ding!
Our turn arrived.
With the door opening, we all stepped in.
"There are no buttons?"
"The elevator will go down by itself."
Niel answered as she stepped into the elevator with the others. With me, Joanna, Mia, Nora, Niel, Min, Ariel, and Sarah, we were able to fit in without any problems. It was spacious to accommodate all of us.
Soon, the doors began to close as silence descended over the elevator.
I leaned my head back against the metal frame of the elevator, not knowing what was going to happen next.
But soon, a low whistle rang in the air as the elevator began to move down.
I opened my mouth, but soon closed it.
And just as the silence persisted, a voice whispered in the elevator.
"We... will be okay, right?"
To that, I simply answered.
"Yeah. We will."