Catherine's entire body froze, her eyes slowly widening as her motions paused and she looked at the dark eyes staring right at her.
Her mind blanked under the scrutinizing gaze.
The more she looked at them, the more unbelievable she felt the situation was.
"Wha... what did you just call me?"
Catherine had to do a double-take. Perhaps her hearing was off, and she didn't hear correctly. Right, it had to be that. There's no way—
"Crazy bitch."
Bang!
Her fist smacked against the wall behind her.
Lifting her head to stare at Seth, her expression twisted.
"The fuck did you just call me?"
"Do I have to repeat myself?"
Seth's words remained cold, but beneath that coldness, Catherine felt it. The faint trace of annoyance in the way he looked at her.
"Ha."
Catherine laughed.
It was the only thing she could do under this ridiculous situation.
'He's out of his mind. He's really lost it.'
Was it overconfidence in his abilities, or was he just dumb? Whatever it was, Catherine didn't care as her eyes narrowed.
Composing herself, she crossed her arms and leaned back.
This time, she didn't bother smiling.
She didn't even bother hiding her disgust towards him.
Even her tone was cold.
"Did the success get to your head? Is that why you're speaking the way that you are to me? Or is it because you're no longer alone? Now that everyone from the Main Guild is here, you're no longer afraid of acting out. I bet your personality was shit like this from the start."
"That's funny coming from you."
"Me? Pff."
Catherine laughed.
"...You're funny. I give you that."
It was obvious to her.
The fame had gotten into his mind. Otherwise, why in the fuck would he even talk that way to her?
Clicking her tongue, the smile slipped from her face once more as she leaned against the wall, arms crossed, her finger tapping restlessly against her arm.
"You're starting to overrate yourself and your abilities. I wasn't there, but everyone has heard the truth about what happened back in Malovia. You were just in the right place at the right time. You were aided by that weird anomaly that just so happened to be a creation from a weird cult."
Taking a step forward, Catherine's brows furrowed as she pressed a hand against Seth's chest, the irritation on her face clearer than ever.
"Let me repeat. Stop. Overrating. Yourself. And. Your. Abilities."
Catherine made sure to emphasize each word carefully.
Just one look at him, and she knew that she had to make her point clear. He had to be put in his place before things got annoying.
But—
"Are you done?"
It was obvious that Seth didn't take her words to heart.
In fact, his expression hardly changed as he swatted her finger away from his chest.
"..."
Feeling Catherine's glare, Seth quietly fixed his clothes.
"I am very well aware of my own capabilities. If we're talking about pure skill, then I don't doubt for one second that you would be able to beat me. In fact, I would argue that everyone here is more capable than me."
Smirk.
Catherine smirked.
"What are you trying to get with your point?"
"...My point is that I never asked to be famous. Nor did I ever ask to stumble across a random cult, or for anyone to pay special attention to me. The only thing I want to do is create my games."
"Games? Are you fucking with me?"
"I'm not."
Seth apathetically replied, his tone calm.
"I've always aimed to do my own thing. I never asked to be bothered and do other things. It just so happens that I'm quite unlucky. I also don't care about what you think about me. To be honest, I am not one to care much about what others think about me."
"....."
"But this isn't why I am here to see you."
All of a sudden, Seth's eyes narrowed.
Feeling the weight of his gaze, Catherine tensed involuntarily. It lasted only a moment before she realized what had happened, her teeth clenching tightly.
This bas..
"I don't like to be used."
Seth rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes flickering with a coldness that made the words rising in Catherine's throat stall as he continued to look at her.
"I don't know what's going on between you and Zoey. Nor do I care. However, it was obvious that you were acting the way that you were in order to get a reaction from her. I don't like that. I would kindly wish for you to stop it."
"...And if I don't?"
"If you don't?"
Seth paused, his expression shifting into something faintly odd before he shook his head and turned away.
"I wonder."
"You wonder what?"
Seth shrugged, not bothering anymore.
Catherine's face turned red as she shouted.
"Hey! Answer me! Get back here!"
But...
"Why aren't you talking? Fucking get back here! I'm talking to you!"
Seth never looked back.
"Hey!!"
***
How fast did indigestion pills work? It felt like I needed more than one.
"Maybe I should get an entire box."
Rubbing my stomach, I paused and looked up at the sky. The moon hung in the darkness, lighting up the clouds as the night breeze brushed against my skin, making my grey coat flutter softly.
I didn't really know what came over me.
Thinking back on my interaction with Catherine, it felt out of character for me to have spoken to her so directly. I was usually someone who preferred to avoid trouble and unnecessary interactions. If anything, I would've simply ignored it. While she could be bothersome at times, it wasn't to the point of being truly annoying.
In fact, I would argue that things would probably become more annoying now.
But...
"It just felt like I had to do it."
To some extent, it felt refreshing.
The same was true when I directly targeted the anomaly that had been focusing on me. Even though it turned out to be a trap, if I were placed in a similar situation again, I'd probably make the same choice.
I was changing.
This much had become clear to me.
But what was the reason for my change? Was it due to the knife? The previous experience as the Jester, or something else entirely?
"No..."
I pursed my lips.
I was thinking about things the wrong way. The real question was, 'Is this a good or a bad change?'
Should I have let things play out like I normally did? Should I have just minded my own business and dealt with things when they eventually came to me?
Or....
A mild night breeze drifted through the air, brushing against my skin and hair. My skin prickled under the cool wind, and as I lifted my head to stare at the moon, I questioned myself.
"Should I stop letting myself change? Should I go back to how I was? Or... do I go all the way?"
I mumbled, closing my eyes.
"But, you know..."
I silently smirked while bringing my hands to my pockets.
"I think I've long realized this after entering this industry, even though I never wanted to be a part of it."
I lazily opened one eye and stared at the moon that hung in the sky.
The corners of my lips unconsciously rose.
"I keep thinking that maybe. Just maybe, I quite like this too. That I really want to go all the way in."
-x-X-x-
The next day was a hectic one.
It started with a lecture from a Team Leader I wasn't familiar with.
"There will be a new ranking announced in the next couple of days. What sets us apart from the major guilds is the fact that we don't have any ranked individuals within our Guild. Or to be precise, we don't have any Paragons."
She wore round glasses large enough to cover nearly a quarter of her face as she spoke sternly to everyone from both the Guild and the Branch Guild. We had all gathered early in the morning to talk about the upcoming ranking announcement.
In all honesty, I didn't pay much attention to it.
Why would I?
I was quite certain that I wasn't going to be ranked. Taking away my achievements in Malovia Island, there wasn't anything else that I had done to warrant a ranking. I was also very clearly not as strong as Clara or Kyle, or... anyone else.
'That's unless I use the knife or do some crazy nonsense like last time, but I'm not really keen on doing that again. I also can't allow myself to get exposed. That'll be troublesome.'
In summary, while interesting, there were more pressing matters.
Like...
Getting the update done.
"In the following days, an invitation will be sent to those who will be allowed to participate in the ranking announcement. If you receive an invitation, it'll mean that you will have a chance of making it within the ranking. The Guild will make sure to provide accommodation and means of transportation for when that happens. Just being invited is an honour, and the PR team will spare no effort to push your image up."
The Team Leader continued to ramble on for quite some time. Everyone listened attentively, their expressions serious, though a few faces showed hints of excitement. I could see that there were quite a few that held some sort of expectation.
It looked like this invitation meant quite a lot to them.
Even Kyle, Zoey, Rowan, and a few others I was familiar with showed similar expressions.
They really care about it that much?
"The invitations will be sent to your desk directly when they arrive. The moment you receive it, please report it to the Guild."
Nudging her glasses up, the Team Leader smiled.
"That'll be enough from me. All of you are free to go. I wish the best of luck to all of you."
The moment she announced the end of the lecture, I was among the first to stand and hurry back toward the office. I could feel a sharp glare burning into the back of my head as I walked away, but I ignored it, turning my wrist to check the time.
'They should already be here.'
Turning the corner and finally spotting my office, my pace slowed as I noticed a group waiting outside. As if sensing me at the same time, they stopped as well and turned to look in my direction.
"Boss!"
"...You're here, boss!"
"You're finally here!"
Indeed, it was my three slav-coworkers. Noah, Ryan, and Joseph.
"We got your message recently, and we tried our best to rush here. We were actually in Sainsburg. It took a while for us to reach here. But you really wanted to have an update for the game? I can understand that you're unsatisfied, but why does the deadline need to be so short? Can't we take our time? We also don't have our working space, so..."
"Don't worry about that."
I unlocked my office door and walked in.
At the same time, I took out a certain key and walked toward the far end of the room, inserting it into the nearby wall.
'If not for the fact that the Section Chief told me this is possible, I probably would've never known. I thought it was a one-off thing, but I guess not. The office is no regular office after all.'
".....!!"
"What!?"
The startled shouts behind me drew a faint smile to my lips as a door materialized before the four of us. I nudged Noah to close the one behind us, then pushed open the door ahead, revealing an all too familiar room.
Turning back to face the three of them, I checked the time.
"We've got plenty of time starting now. Let's get started with the update. We've got to make sure to fix all the problems by the deadline."
***
Click! Click! Click!
There existed a gap between people.
Click! Click!
"Over here! Please look over here!"
"An autograph! Please give me an autograph!"
"Look this way!"
There existed normal people, and there existed the Paragons.
"Hey! Hey! I was here first! Don't shove!"
"What are you talking about!? I was here way before you!"
The Paragons weren't just immensely powerful. They were celebrities of a sort. Each one had millions of followers and commanded the attention of the entire world. Be it actors or even sports stars... Nobody commanded as much attention as they did.
"One question! Just one question!"
"Have you received the invitation for the upcoming ranking? Do you think you will be able to rank higher than in the previous years? After the incident in Malovia, do you think that you have a shot at making it in the top hundred?"
"Could you even rank higher? What's your goal?"
"There are rumors that you might even be demoted. What do you think about that possibility?"
"...And what do you think about Seth Thorne? There was a moment when you were with him. While there was no footage of the situation, we do know that you were working with him. What's your opinion about him? Do you think he can—"
Finally, the noise died down.
The woman in question paused as she turned her attention to the reporters, her lips curving into a thin, graceful smile while the sunlight glinted off her luscious blonde hair.
"I'm in a bit of a hurry, so I can't answer all of the questions. Do I believe that I will rank higher? I'm not quite sure myself. Considering my performance in Malovia, I'm more inclined to believe it's the opposite. We'll see in a couple of days."
Having undergone extensive PR training, Geneva answered as smoothly as she could before politely dismissing the reporters and heading towards the entrance of her Guild, where several people were waiting.
"Please wait!"
"Geneva! Geneva!"
"You've yet to answer my question! Geneva!"
The reporters hurried toward the Guild's gates, only to be firmly stopped by the guards at the entrance. They protested loudly, but there was no way through, leaving them to watch as Geneva disappeared from view.
Once inside the Guild building, Geneva's practiced smile crumbled. She quickly reached into her pocket, pulled out a pack of gum, and stuffed a piece of gum in her mouth, chewing slowly.
It tended to calm her.
"You've done well."
Not long after, her manager, a woman with long black hair neatly tied into a bun, dressed in a gray suit and skirt, greeted her. The two then stepped into the elevator under the watchful gazes of those around them.
Being the ace of the Guild, this was only natural.
Clank!
As the elevator doors slid shut, Geneva leaned back against the metal wall, her chewing slowing down. She glanced at her manager just as he reached into his coat and pulled out a black envelope patterned with gold.
"We've received the letter."
Geneva's chewing stopped, her expression relaxing a little.
"...What do you think?"
She suddenly asked, looking away from her manager.
"Do you think I'll be able to rank higher this year? Everyone is saying otherwise."
"I don't think there's much you need to worry about."
Her manager replied, a thin smile forming on her lips as she took out her tablet and began scrolling through several documents.
"Even without factoring in what happened in Malovia, your achievements this year are already quite impressive. That alone should be enough to secure you a spot in the top one hundred. And depending on how they assess your performance in Malovia, there's a good chance you could be ranked even higher."
"Is that so...?"
"Yes, please don't worry."
Her manager reassured her, putting the tablet away.
"The reporters are just speaking nonsense. You'll no doubt rank higher."
"That's a relief."
"But..."
Suddenly, the manager hesitated, prompting Geneva to raise an eyebrow as she turned to look at her.
Seeing the hesitation on her manager's face, Geneva spoke.
"What is it? Is there something that I need to be wary of?"
"No. Nothing particularly."
"Then...?"
"It's... well, it's nothing important," she said quickly. "I was just curious about something, but I don't think it's appropriate."
"What is it? You can ask if you want."
Geneva frowned, finding her manager's behavior odd. Just as irritation began to surface, her manager spoke.
"I know it sounds silly, but I was just wondering..." the manager said hesitantly. "About the guy the reporters kept asking about. That Seth Thorne. What do you think of him? Do you think his results were because—"
She stopped mid-sentence.
Her expression shifted as she noticed Geneva's face tighten ever so slightly, her jaw starting to work as she reached into her pocket and shoved even more gum into her mouth, chewing rapidly.
Ding!
The elevator stopped soon after.
Geneva left without even looking at her manager.
-x-X-x-
With the office back up and running, things began to proceed much more smoothly. Unfortunately, there was still a great deal to be done for the update to be perfect. Even though the numerical gap between 2.75 and 3.00 was only 0.25, it felt insurmountable.
Regardless of all the additions that I added, it still didn't reach the desired score.
'Is this still not enough?'
Rubbing the bottoms of my eyes, I looked away from my laptop.
A voice called out for me after.
"Boss, I've added the things that you've asked me to add," Ryan spoke up, his expression looking a little tired.
Joseph followed right after.
"Same on my end," he said, not looking up. "Though expanding the map is going to take longer than expected. Scaling it outward without breaking continuity isn't exactly light work." He finally glanced up. "Still, since you already rendered the entire hotel, it saves us a ridiculous amount of time."
Noah hesitated, his voice lowering, "...I still find it hard to think that we can finish this on time. Especially since you're leaving soon."
"Hm? I'm leaving?"
I looked at the members in my team curiously.
"What makes you think I'm leaving?"
"Are you not?"
"Why would I be?"
There was nothing scheduled for me over the next few days. The World Congress was the only event I needed to attend, and even that was still quite far off. Well, not exactly, but I definitely had time to finish the game before going.
Noah suddenly pulled his attention away from his laptop.
"Wait, are you not going? Seriously?"
"Going? Where would I be going? There's still time before the World Congress."
Seeing the strange looks that I was receiving, I started to become confused. If not for the World Congress, what? Where would I...
Ah.
Realization struck me.
"You think I'm going to be in the ranking event?"
I almost found it amusing. Did they really think that highly of me?
"Are you not going to be?"
"Of course not."
It wouldn't make sense for me to be invited. While it was true that I'd achieved a few things during the Malovia incident, the fact remained that I was still only a First Order in the eyes of the world. Followed by my report on the incident, I would struggle to believe people actually thought that I was worthy of getting a rank.
This was also why many people believed I'd gotten to where I was purely through luck.
Maybe not the general public, who were largely ignorant of the situation, but most others thought the same. That I'd simply been lucky.
I wouldn't blame them since I made sure to make it look that way during my report.
After all, I was in no position to reveal too much.
Let alone my identity as the "Jester," there was also the simple fact that if anyone ever found out about the system, I would be dead.
The plan was to slowly reveal my abilities with time.
'There's also the fact that I'm not quite in the Fourth Order yet.'
The doppelganger's body had been an exact copy of mine from before I turned, placing it firmly at the Third Order. Thanks to the Emblance Shards, I was able to stabilize my mind and suppress the side effects of everything that had been happening to me. Now, I could safely advance to the Fourth Order.
I was only missing the fragments.
'For that, I can always ask the Guild.'
"Are you really not going?" Joseph interrupted my thoughts, pulling out his phone and scrolling through several reports he'd apparently saved beforehand before showing them to me. "There are a lot of news articles about you. People are calling you one of the up-and-coming stars of the industry. A hidden gem. Some are even saying you might end up on the rankings."
"That's nonsense. I'm still a First Order. This is all just recency bias."
"...Oh."
The three of them exchanged glances, clearly unconvinced by my words. Watching them, I wasn't sure how to react. They were giving me far more credit than I felt I deserved.
"Whatever, we're wasting too much time talking about this nonsense. Let's focus on the upcoming update. Don't worry about the invite. I won't be receiving it."
I urged everyone to continue working after that.
We didn't have much time, so we pushed ourselves until we reached the maximum duration we could remain inside the Gate before finally leaving.
By the time we were done, everyone looked haggard.
I was similarly tired.
Rubbing my tired eyes, I mumbled, "We managed to accomplish quite a lot today. Maybe we can actually get this done in time."
"Mhhh."
"...Huuu."
"Errr."
It felt like I was working with zombies. When I looked back, the three of them could barely meet my gaze, staring at the floor with hunched backs.
Rubbing the bottom of my eyes, I opened the door and went back to the office.
But that was also the moment I paused.
Especially when I took note of the black envelope resting on top of my desk.
My heart tightened.
'Don't tell me its another system item.'
Hesitantly, I moved toward the envelope and examined it carefully. I only relaxed when no strange pop-up appeared, finally reaching for the letter and opening it.
——●
Dear Seth,
We are pleased to invite you to participate in the upcoming World Annual Ranking Update.
This update represents an important milestone, bringing together key contributors and stakeholders to review results, highlight progress, and discuss the outlook for the year ahead. Your involvement and perspective would be a valuable addition to the discussion.
.
.
——●
"....."
"....."
"....."
Before I knew it, three heads had crowded in around me, their gazes shifting back and forth between me and the letter.
Reading the letter again, I closed my eyes and set it down.
'Fuck me.'
***
"Here are the reports for those who were invited to the ranking event."
A report was passed on to the Guild Master.
"The list is within our expectations, with a similar number of entrants as in previous years. But..."
The assistant hesitated, eyes fixed on the report spread across the table. There was a hint of confusion on his face, as though one particular selection didn't sit right with him. As if sensing the assistant's uncertainty, the Guild Master's lips curled into a faint smile.
Although he was usually smiling, this smile...
Even the assistant could tell the Guild Master was pleased.
He pressed his hand over the report.
"Proceed as we originally planned. Set up a PR campaign for each member. While rankings are mostly decided by achievements, there's also a voting aspect to consider. If we can secure the favor of enough voters, it'll work to our advantage."
"Yes, I have already contacted the PR team. We've already talked with several who we were already sure were going to be invited. They are willing to cooperate with us fully."
"Mhm. That's good."
"But..."
The assistant's eyes flicked down the page, stalled, then settled on a single name. He cleared his throat.
"We don't actually know how we can PR him."
Across the table, a smile appeared.
"You don't have to worry about that. I've already got that sorted."
"You have?"
The assistant lifted his head, surprise flickering across his face.
The Guild Master answered with a slow nod, eyes resting on the final name. His smile widened, just a fraction, as he interlocked his fingers before him.
"Yes. You can say... it'll be quite an interesting campaign."
-x-X-x-
Breaking — [Seth Thorne — Severed Stars Guild's undisclosed Ace. Internal records confirm an unprecedented zero-failure clearance rate across classified operations. It's no wonder he has been invited to the ranking announcement. Will he be able to gain a rank? Will he be the first rookie to rise amongst the ranks of Paragons?]
Breaking — [Unranked No More? Rookie Operative Seth Thorne is linked to multiple high-difficulty gate resolutions. He is said to have never failed before, boasting several incredible achievements during his tenure at the Severed Stars Guild. Was Malovia not the first time the rookie performed such a shocking feat?]
Breaking — [Severed Stars' Silent Asset — Analysts question how one recruit has accumulated elite-tier achievements without promotion or public acknowledgment.]
Breaking — [Untouchable! Severed Stars Guid position over a super rookie who has yet to fail once. Value soars to 15 million!]
As if the invitation itself wasn't shocking enough, the articles that followed were enough to give me a heart attack several times over.
"Undisclosed ace? Unprecedented zero-failure clearance? Untouchable? Value soars?"
The more articles I read, the more it felt like my stomach was being twisted and squeezed.
"What in the world are they thinking?"
It was baffling.
Was this the work of the PR team?
'No, I don't think that's the case.'
The PR team wouldn't be bold enough to pull something like this. And even if they were, they wouldn't be pushing this kind of nonsense so aggressively.
There was only one person who could drive a narrative like this and push it this hard.
"The Guild Master."
There was no doubt about it. This was the Guild Master's idea.
But why?
Why was he doing this?
"Is he trying to spread my name or something? But why would he do that? He's already got several people to do that. I don't see why he would want to push me to this extent. Especially when they're hailing me as someone who has never failed before."
But thinking about it...
He wasn't exactly wrong.
I had yet to fail even once. So far, everything I'd done had gone smoothly. I hadn't failed a single dungeon dive, and my clearance record was monstrous. Especially when I took into account that most of it had been achieved by the doppelganger.
"This is bad."
I pressed on to another article.
Breaking — [Seth Thorne's records finally made public! Witness the unprecedented rise of the super rookie. Just where did someone like this come from?]
Sure enough, my records were exposed for the entire world to see.
↳Holy shit, is this true?
↳It has the BUA emblem right here! There's no doubt about the fact that they're real!
↳Wtf?! Why does he have so many S clerance grades? What sort of monster is this? Wait, there are videos too.
↳Holy shit! He's like a machine. He's exactly the same as in the stream.
↳Fucking, repost this to those bastards saying that he's just lucky! I bet they'll be eating their words soon.
↳But holy hell... He actually never failed before? How is that possible? Even Latcher has failed on multiple occasions, let alone being in the top ten in the rankings. What sort of monster is this?
↳ Tbh, I think you guys are overblowing the situation. Yes, it's true that he has never failed before, but it's also true that he's been dealing with low-level Gates. Wait until he goes into higher-ranked ones.
The top quickly started to trend.
At first, not many people paid attention to what was being said, especially with everyone focused on those announced for the upcoming ranking renewal. But as more people began discussing it, the topic gained traction, trending more and more.
Some argued that I'd simply been lucky, repeating all the points I was already familiar with. Others pushed back, countering them with the evidence laid out in the articles.
The topic started to become even more heated, and soon, I received a new nickname.
[Zero]
As in the number of failures I had.
*
"Let me talk to the Guild Master."
"He's busy at the moment. Even I can't get in contact with him."
"It doesn't matter. I can wait."
"As I said, you can't do that. The Guild Master isn't even at the Guild right now. No one knows where he is, since he's handling the situation surrounding the ranking announcement. But setting that aside..."
The Section Chief's eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair.
"Since when were you someone who could speak to the Guild Master at will?" he asked. "Even I don't have that privilege. Yet you talk as if he'd answer you whenever you pleased."
His gaze sharpened.
"Are you truly unaware of the difference in position between the two of you?"
"Well, that's because—"
The words caught in my throat.
It dried all at once, my mouth suddenly empty as I stared at him, my mind scrambling for an answer that wouldn't come. I'd been so focused on understanding why this was happening that I'd completely overlooked something far more obvious.
My own place in all of this.
Indeed, I was merely a regular 'employee' of the Guild.
Even though I was currently being pushed by the Guild, there was a big difference in status between the Guild Master and me. Even Kyle and the others hardly ever saw the Guild Master, and the fact that I could see him as I wished was suspicious in itself.
How could someone of my stature even talk to the Guild Master?
After taking a moment to process the situation, I lifted my head to look at the Section Chief. Then I relaxed my shoulders and leaned back against the chair.
"I just wanted to talk to him about the current situation with the articles."
"And what makes you think that he's responsible for them?"
I just know!
Damn it! I can't even say that!
Rubbing his chin, the Section Chief took out his phone and scrolled through several items, presumably the articles about me.
"Well, I can see why you're concerned. This is the most aggressive push I've seen in a quote some time. They didn't even do this during Clara's first ranking event."
He scrolled down again, his tone lowering.
"As far as I'm aware, this is likely a stunt by the PR team, created to capitalize on your recent fame from the Malovia incident."
Bullshit!
This was obviously the Guild Master's work!
Taking a deep breath to calm myself down, I asked.
"But do they have to be this aggressive about it? They are talking quite a lot of nonsense."
"Are they?"
The Section Chief put the phone down, rubbing the black bags beneath his eyes.
"As far as I'm aware, there isn't a single lie in those statements. You've never failed. And your clearance record is that impressive."
He paused, eyes steady.
"None of what's being said is technically wrong."
"But that's the problem."
I calmly stated, leaning forward a bit while meeting the Section Chief's haggard gaze head-on.
"Even though none of what they're saying is wrong, the real problem is that everything hinges on the idea that I've never failed before."
I paused, lips pressed together as I weighed the thought.
"...What happens if I do fail?"
The question lingered before I finished it, my voice unconsciously lowering.
"What am I supposed to do then?"
"That's obvious."
The Section Chief responded without hesitation, as though the answer should have been self-evident. His eyes never left mine, his finger tapping slowly against the wooden table.
Eventually, his words fell.
And —
"Don't fail."
My breath caught before I realized I was holding it.
"If you think the Guild Master is behind this," he continued calmly, "then that's the message he's sending."
Another tap.
"From this moment on, failure is no longer an option."
The room felt smaller.
A certain weight pressing down on me from all directions.
"...Just don't fail."
***
Author Note: There's been a little mix-up.
The Section Chief of the Hoarding Department for the Branch Guild is called Clement White, not Steve Horne.
I got confused.
-x-X-x-
"This is ridiculous."
Stepping out of the Section Chief's office, it felt as though the weight already on my shoulders had grown even heavier.
Don't fail...?
What sort of ridiculous perquisite was this?
No, thinking about it deeper, I could understand why the Guild Master was trying to push this. Unlike the others, he was aware of my 'true' abilities. At least, he was aware of half of them. He probably even suspected that I was the Butcher.
In his mind, there was no way I could lose.
Not with the power that I held.
...And so, he was now trying to grow me.
He was trying to make me one of the faces of the Guild.
But why was he doing this?
I had previously expected him to treat me as some sort of 'secret' weapon that he could use, but instead, he was now trying to push me up into the spotlight.
My stomach rumbled, the indigestion I'd been dealing with for the past week growing even worse. I didn't like what was happening, but at the same time, I understood that it was now my time to payback for what the Guild Master had done for me.
This was probably his way of telling me, 'It's time for you to pay back on the investment I've made.'
I could only bite the bullet on this one.
No...
'This is fitting as well. I did resolve myself to do this. Maybe a little bit more slowly, but this works out as well. I need a lot of money in order to fuel myself. I should also take some time to ask the Guild Master for some fragments. It's about time that I reach the Fourth Order. I've been waiting for too long.'
***
The aggressive campaign pushed by the Guild didn't go unnoticed by those within it. By now, it had become one of the main talking points throughout the Branch Guild.
"Kyle, are you seeing this?"
Zoey's head popped up from behind Kyle's cubicle.
Her emerald eyes were wide, and judging by her slightly ragged breathing, it was clear she'd sprinted all the way to reach Kyle.
Taking out her phone and flipping it, she pointed at the screen.
"Do you know what the hell is going on? Why is the Guild suddenly pushing Seth this much?"
"I... don't know."
Kyle replied slowly, his eyes drifting to the article displayed on Zoey's phone. Judging by his lack of surprise, it was clear he was already aware of the articles.
"This is crazy."
Zoey mumbled, turning her phone back and reading the article once more. The more she read, the deeper her frown became.
Kyle remained seated in his seat, his expression unchanged.
"Never failed? Zero? ...What sort of cringe-worthy name is this?"
Zoey paused, covering her mouth briefly as she found Seth's nickname a little ridiculous. Her amusement didn't last long, though, as her expression quickly turned serious.
"Have you talked to Seth about the situation? No matter how I see it, this is bad. They're really pushing the narrative that Seth has never failed before. This—"
"But is it wrong?"
Kyle suddenly cut Zoey off, making her pause and look at him. For some reason, ever since she'd shown up, he'd been acting a little strange. His voice sounded hoarser than usual, too.
"Are you feeling well? Now that I look at you, your face is also a little pale."
Looking closely, he was also sweating quite a lot.
"I'm fine."
Kyle replied, brushing her concerns aside.
"...I think I've caught a cold."
"A cold? What? How is that possible?"
"I haven't been wearing my jacket often. I guess I'm getting old."
"...."
Zoey's eyes narrowed as she scanned Kyle from head to toe. After a moment, she looked away and let out a sigh.
"Well, be more careful."
"I will."
Kyle hoarsely replied, taking out a tissue and coughing a couple of times. Seeing him like this, Zoey was about to say something, but was interrupted by Kyle.
"As I was saying, the articles aren't wrong."
"What?"
"Seth has never failed before."
Whatever Zoey had been about to say died in her throat as she realized she had no way to refute him. Indeed, it was true. Seth had never failed before. While it was also true that he had gone through small gates, it was also true that he was instrumental in the Hotel Claire Gate and the Twisted Man situation.
She hadn't realized it, but Seth had quietly built up a resume that put most rookies to shame.
But still...
"Even during the Malovia incident, an incident that had the entire world shaking, he didn't fail. A lot of people attribute his success to luck, and while there may have been some element of it, there's no denying his skill. Deep down, everyone knows it. They'd be naive to think he has no skills. That's why everyone here is talking about him."
Kyle raised his head and looked around.
Zoey did the same.
That was also when she finally took notice of the atmosphere around them. The layout of the common area was similar to the one back in Malovia.
A space filled with cubicles.
Unlike Malovia's, however, the walls here were much lower, with many stations reduced to simple tables with no partitions at all. Massive windows lined the far end of the room, letting bright light flood the space. The place, while smaller, was a lot nicer than what they were used to, and at the moment, a certain tension hung in the air.
The two of them could see many people staring down at their phones, all wearing the same tense expression.
"It wasn't like this before."
Kyle spoke, his voice still hoarse.
"...Everyone's mood was a lot more relaxed before. Everything changed the moment you arrived, which is also the moment you told me about the article."
"Ah."
"They're wary."
Kyle paused, bringing a fist to his mouth as he coughed a few times. He swallowed hard and took a couple of steadying breaths, but before he realized it, even breathing was beginning to feel difficult.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Just... a little tired. I'll probably clock out soon. But that's besides the point."
Brushing his hair back, Kyle pressed his lips together and looked around once more.
"Everyone looks down on Seth. They claim he's gotten to where he is by luck, but look at the faces of everyone around him. Do they look like the faces of people who really think that he got to where he is due to luck? Deep down, they know."
Kyle's voice turned even hoarser.
"Deep down, they know it was more than just luck. They might try to pretend otherwise, but their expressions tell the real story. Their real thoughts."
Biting her lip, Zoey continued to look around. The more she observed, the clearer it became. The tension, the anger, the resentment, the anxiety, and even a subtle hint of fear on some faces as they stared at the articles.
But above all...
The seriousness with which they looked at them.
"Seth isn't a nobody anymore."
Kyle's voice snapped her out of her thoughts, and when Zoey looked at him, she couldn't help but lower her head.
"But the articles... They are doing too much! I know that he's never failed before, but what if he fails now? I am not saying that he will fail soon, but we've all failed. Even the best have failed before. There's never been someone who has never failed before in this industry. What then? Can't you see the amount of backlash he'll receive then? Don't you think that it's too much?"
"....."
Kyle turned quiet for a moment, his head lowering.
Zoey had a hard time reading Kyle's expression, but soon...
"It is too much. I know that. But it's too late. There's no changing it. That's why..."
His voice reached her ears.
"...He can't fail. He isn't allowed to fail."
-x-X-x-
"Hahaha! If it isn't the newest star in the Guild!"
The woman looked to be in her mid-forties. She wore a dark blue cardigan with a red scarf neatly draped over her shoulders. As she turned to greet me, her light-brown hair swayed gently.
She smiled brightly.
"I've been meaning to meet you, but you've been dodging my invitations. I'm glad I finally managed to get you to come here."
I was on the 28th floor of the building.
The marketing department.
I'd always planned to avoid this place, but things changed the moment I received a certain message.
But more importantly...
'The stares feel very burdensome. Feels like I'm in a zoo all over again. Damn articles...'
Massaging my face, I nodded at the woman in front of me.
"Hello."
Judging by the title in the email I'd received, she was Rosa Madalyne, the Head of the Branch Guild's PR department. Because this business didn't just consist of taking care of anomalies and Gates, a PR department was necessary in order to manage the reputation of its members.
Aside from that, they handled another important thing.
"You're here for the sponsorships, right?"
"I am."
"That's good, but before that..."
Department Head Rosa spun around in her chair and pointed towards a certain office.
"Let's go over there. I'm sure the stares around are starting to feel burdensome."
I'm glad you noticed.
"Thank you."
I was the first to enter the office. The Department Head told me she'd join me after gathering a few things, and as I took a seat, I looked around. The room was fairly spacious, with a soft gray carpet, bright overhead lighting, a monitor at the far end, and a large table with eight seats.
A stereotypical meeting room.
Leaning back in the metal chair, I tapped lightly against the armrest. I was curious.
'Just how many sponsorships did I receive, and how much are they offering? Should I receive them? The email also mentioned something about my squad...'
This was the first time something like this had happened to me, and I wasn't quite sure what to think of it.
Thankfully, I didn't have to wait for long.
Clank—!
Shortly after, the door opened, and three people entered the room.
"Ugh, I'm so tired."
"Thomas, did you manage to fill out all the reports?"
"No... I've still got several ones to finish up."
It was the Department Head and two men who seemed to be a little bit older than
me. Perhaps in their mid-thirties. While the two men carried two large boxes in their hands,
the Department Head carried a thin laptop with her.
As if they were already familiar with the room, they each took a seat and calmly sorted
through the boxes.
"Seth."
"Yes?"
I looked up at the Department Head as she sat opposite me.
"Let me introduce myself again. We're part of the PR team in charge of our Section. In short, we're in charge of all the 'image' matters related to the members of the Guild, be it main or branch. Whatever plan you have for the future, it'll have to go through us first. Oh, and if you fuck up, we're the ones who clean up after your mess."
The Department Head seemed satisfied with her introduction as she took out a pair of thin, oval glasses and put them on. A faint smile crossed her lips as she opened her laptop.
Her fingers danced across the keyboard, and after a short while, she paused, her head lifting to stare at me.
"Not bad. I can work with this."
Words of praise suddenly flowed out of the woman's mouth as she looked at me in satisfaction. What's gotten into her all of a sudden?
"I think I mentioned it before, but I've been looking forward to working with you. Our Guild's super rookie."
"Excuse me?"
Super rookie?
"There's no need to be modest. We've all seen your feats in Malovia. We've also studied all of your achievements prior. You sure are something."
One of the assistants beside the Department Head spoke. He had short brown hair and green eyes.
Thomas Chamberlain? That's what the name tag on his shirt said. The other one said, 'James Cole'. He was on the chubbier side and had blonde hair.
"A lot of the people in our team have been talking about it. Some say it was all luck, while others think it's skills. Personally, I think it's a bit of both. There was some luck, but you can definitely see you've got the skills."
Thomas seemed to be rather talkative as he rambled about all sorts of things. I just quietly listened to what he had to say and occasionally nodded.
I had no idea about what he was talking about, but I still occasionally added a few words of my own.
"Ay, stop talking already. We've got work to do."
The Department Head came just in time to save me. Checking her watch, she looked at Thomas.
"Quickly get me a cup of coffee. No, two..."
Thinking for a moment, she lowered her head and mumbled in a tone just enough for me to hear,
'Would two even be enough? I don't think we'll be sleeping tonight...'
My mouth twitched. What's with the 'we'?
Surely not, right?
It turned out to be even worse than I'd expected. It wasn't so much that I was receiving a flood of offers, but that there was simply far too much that needed to be handled. Especially when it came down to the upcoming ranking announcement.
"The chance that you might get ranked is slim to none, but that's not really the point of attending such an event. One of the most important things when attending the event is to push your image out there. It's also a great way to build connections. There are many high-ranking members of other Guilds, including officials that you can get in touch with, and even sellers that can sell you anything you need."
"Does that include fragments?"
"Fragments...? Well, I guess so."
The Department Head gave me a strange look, as if silently asking, 'Why would you need fragments? Can't you just request them from the Guild?'
I coughed, pretending to be oblivious.
Thankfully, the Department Head had something else in store for me.
"Well, everything aside. This is the last thing that I wanted to mention, and probably the thing that you were most looking forward to."
Reaching for one of the boxes on the table, the Department Head pulled out a few files and slid them across the table toward me.
"These are the sponsorships."
My gaze momentarily halted on the files and then the Department Head. Taking note of her expression, I paused. Why did she look so troubled?
"It's my job to look through them and give you a rundown of the offers. I can say that they're all great offers, but..."
But?
"One of them seems too good to be true."
"Pardon?"
"Have a look."
The Department Head slid one of the offers over to me.
Looking at the file, I didn't hesitate and reached out for it. As I began reading, the Department Head's crisp voice echoed in the background.
"I've gone through the terms again and again. I tried to find some kind of loophole or trick, but there isn't one. Everything presented here is legitimate. This offer is several magnitudes higher than anything else you've received so far. But that's not even the strangest part of it."
Pausing, the Department Head's brows creased tightly.
"R.W. Tech."
My hand brows slowly rose as I looked at the numbers and the offer presented to me. This wasn't just good. It was ridiculously good.
Just what sort of...
"In the history of the company, they've never sponsored anyone outside of one Guild. They're known to only pick members from that Guild. And..."
Taking a look at me, the Department Head's brows were even more furrowed.
"...You're the first one they've chosen. The first person they've ever invested in who isn't from Obsidian Bastion. One of the Big Five Guilds."
-x-X-x-
"....."
For a moment, the meeting room was quiet. I felt the eyes of everyone pause on the file in my hand. I was similarly speechless. Not just based on the value of the offer, but the words that came out of the Department Head. Obsidian Bastion. I was well aware of the name. There were only five Guilds that were considered to be a part of the Big Five, and Obsidian Bastion was one of them. It was an extremely powerful Guild with several Paragons in it.
Of course, the main reason why I was aware of them wasn't only because they were the biggest Guilds around. In reality, it mainly had to do with the backlash that they were currently receiving.
'Despite being a world-class emergency, the biggest Guilds didn't provide their full support, keeping their best members with them. They just sent enough where it looks like they helped when in reality they hardly did.' Their excuse ran along the line of, 'They're in the middle of a Gate excursion, and they can't go out. We've already relayed the situation to them.' There was perhaps some truth to it, but everyone knew that if they really wanted to, they could've gone out of the Gate and gone to Malovia. "What do you think?" I put the file down and looked at the Department Head. What was there to think? "It must be a mistake." Even if the company wasn't officially part of the Guild, the fact that they had only ever sponsored members of the Bastion Guild, and never anyone else, meant there had to be some kind of mistake.
I did gain some frame from the Gate, but not to the extent where I'd be more lucrative than those from the big guilds. This had to be a mistake. "I thought the same, too." The Department Head nodded thoughtfully, leaning back while adjusting her oval glasses. As she did, however, she took out another file from the cardboard boxes. "But have a look at this. This is a transcript of the conversation that I had with the company." She slid a paper to me. One look was enough to make my heart pause. "I've contacted the CEO of R.W. Tech, and he personally told me that this is a decision that the company made. That there's no mistake." "But what about Obsidian Bastion? Surely they..." "That's where things get interesting. I've also contacted them." She slid another transcript. "I didn't get in touch with the Guild Master, but their secretary. There isn't much, but basically, they don't really care about what R.W. Tech does. Even if you do accept the sponsorship, they won't be petty enough to cause trouble for you." "...I can see that." The transcript wasn't long. It was rather short, but I could see exactly what the Department Head was talking about. But still... "It seems a little suspicious. The terms are just too good." The offer wasn't just good. It was too darn good. Let alone all the other terms, the sponsorship valued me at around 250,000$ per month. That was around 3,000,000$ per year. And that was just the base offer. The numbers would only get higher the higher my Order became, alongside my fame. It was a ridiculous offer regardless of how I viewed them. "The money isn't the only thing that's good about the offer." The Department Head suddenly spoke up, her eyes gliding across the file in front of me. "I'm sure you're aware of what sort of company R.W. is, right?" "...No, not quite." I scratched the side of my face. There were still a lot of things that I wasn't familiar with in this world. "This is the first time that I've heard about them." "....." "....." The room turned silent for a moment. Looking closely, it almost seemed like they all wanted to smack their own faces. What? I really didn't know. "I should've seen this coming. That guy did tell me that you're quite unique." That guy? Who is that guy? "Anyway, they're one of the biggest companies dealing in Gate-diving equipment. I'm sure you're familiar with anomalous items found inside Gates. Essentially, R.W Tech specializes in developing those kinds of objects, but with little to no side effects."
My brow raised. There was such a good thing? "Their items can be quite pricy, and nobody really knows how they do it, but it seems like they've found a way to convert regular anomalous objects and twist their properties so that the side effects are minimal. In that regard, they're a really good company. The Guild often purchases goods from them." "...And you're telling me that such a company wants me?" "That's why we're all in shock." The Department Head put on a helpless smile. Twirling a pen around her fingers, she stopped and tapped on the table. "There's only one real reason I can think of for why they'd make you an offer like this."
Tapping onto the table once more, the Department Head looked at me straight in the eyes.
For a moment, I felt my breath come to a pause. Until— "...The Obsidian Bastion Guild is interested in you. I don't know why, I don't know how, but the Guild might be interested in you. Perhaps, not far from now, we'll receive an official offer for your title." Now I really felt like I had lost my breath. *
The meeting stretched well into the morning, and before I realized it, I hadn't slept for the past twenty-four hours. Even so, I didn't feel too bad. If anything, it reminded me of the past, when this kind of schedule had been the norm for me.
It was the same for the three people in the room. "Huaaam." Besides the occasional yawns and the glaring black circles in everyone's eyes, everyone looked fine. In fact, it looked like they could still go on for another day. Please, no. Tak—! Settling her pen down, the Department Head finally looked up. "Alright, I think this is enough for now. I can see that you're tired. Should we call it a day?" The eyes of the two next to her lit up as they nearly sprang up from their seats. But their joy was only short-lived. "No, not you two. We still have some work to do. I'm talking about our super rookie. We can't keep him up for long." But you already have. "I'm sure you have other things to do. We've pretty much sorted everything that needs to be sorted. You can leave if you wish." "...I'll do so." As I stood up, I couldn't help but look towards the other two. I pressed my lips together as I did. I honestly felt quite bad for them. Just looking at them, and it almost felt as though their entire world had come crashing down. I really did feel for them. "Hmm, well." As if having second thoughts, the Department Head looked at me. "Actually, there isn't that much more to do. That is, unless you wish for us to review the other offers. What do you think?" Flick! Flick! Suddenly, two heads flicked in my direction. Their eyes were wide, and their faces looked desperate. They didn't speak, but for some reason, I could tell what they were saying. 'Don't accept it!'
'Reject it! Please...! Please reject it!' Pausing right at the door, I couldn't help but take a moment to look at their despairing faces. Yeah, it really looked like they were despairing. If I said no, they could probably go to sleep. Have some rest. "So...?" "Ah, please." I looked at the Department Head, feeling a certain tingle in my chest. "Please review them." "——!!" "!!!" "As you wish."
"Haiii. It's so hot. Someone turn on the AC." "No, please. It's too cold." "And I'm telling you it's hot!" "…No, I will really die if you make it any colder than this. This is just right." A war had broken out in the small office. Despite being smaller than the main guild, the branch guild was still large enough to accommodate everyone. Not only that, but the selected squads for the World Congress each received their own office room. While it was smaller than the one in Malovia, the members of Seth's Squad were still satisfied. That was until a problem arose. "What the fuck do you mean you'll die? Are you that weak?" "I am. I... really am." "Ah, you fucking..." Nora stopped herself, covering her face while mumbling, 'Why am I even wasting my energy and time with her? She's obviously mentally impaired.' "Hey..." Mia frowned, feeling the urge to retort, but held herself back when she noticed Nora's glare. In the end, she could only force out a weak reply. "No, you." "....." For a moment, the office turned silent. Nobody said a word, a series of eyes turning towards the increasingly embarrassed Mia. But that silence lasted until Niel suddenly spoke up, his finger reaching for the bridge of his glasses as he pushed them up. "Actually, I agree with Mia on this one. Joanna, it's really a bit too cold." Mia's eyes lit up. Although she wanted to say something, feeling Nora's gaze, she held herself back. Still, her eyes said it all. Go, go! Let her have a piece of your mind! "You guys are young, I'm old. I'm more sensitive to the temperature than you two." "That's nonsense. You're practically the same age as us." "Mentally, I'm not." "Actually, I agree with Nora on this one." Oh no. Mia looked at Joanna, who had suddenly entered the conversation. Damn it, this traitor! Pinching his sweater and flapping it lightly, she added, "It's kind of hot in here. It wouldn't do any harm to change the temperature to make it a little bit cooler." "Well, there you go." Nora looked at Mia and Niel with a victorious grin. "Since the acting Squad Leader has spoken, you two don't have any objections, right?" "That…" "…Joanna…" The two looked on the verge of breaking down. Desperate, the two looked around before eventually settling their gazes on Min, Sarah, and Ariel. Faced with their pleading gazes, Min and Sarah hesitated. The large boy wasn't one to speak much, and neither was Sarah. With Joanna's and Nora's eyes added to the mix, the weight of it all felt suffocating. Their bodies remained still, their faces tense, while their eyes darted around, unsure where to settle.
They looked pitiful. Only Ariel truly looked indifferent. With her fist propping up her chin, silver hair cascading down her shoulder, she glanced at the group only briefly before looking away. It was a familiar sight, one that didn't bother anyone, and they all quickly averted their eyes.
There was nothing to doubt about her strength. However, even in the months that they had spent together, she never opened up to them. She felt like a robot. "Do you have something to say, Sarah, Min? Do you also have a problem with us turning on the AC?" "....." "....." The two hesitated, turning to look at each other. For a moment, it almost felt as if steam were rising from their heads. Then, just as they opened their mouths to speak, the door burst open.
Clank! A pair of haggard eyes appeared. In that instant, everyone in the room fell silent, turning to look toward Seth as he entered. Feeling everyone's gazes, Seth paused. However, he soon realized something. "It's pretty warm here." ".....!!" "—!!" Mia's and Niel's faces changed drastically while Joanna's and Nora's faces lit up. It almost seemed like the two wanted to laugh out loud. But their joy merely lasted a few seconds. Cra Cra Craaa—! "Nnn!? Hieeek!" "...W-wait, Squad Leader. I think that's a little too much." "Yeah, I think it's a little too much." "Is it?" Seth replied, tilting his head while taking note of everyone's reaction. Even the usually indifferent Ariel was staring at him as though he were some sort of animal. "I... I get that it's warm. I do. I really do, but... isn't this a bit too much? Like, do you have to power it to the maximum?" "T-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-ooo much." Hugging her body, Mia's eyes shook. Seth looked at everyone's reaction and then nodded. "You guys are probably right." "Then...!!" "Then, what?" Seth tilted his head and took his seat. His desk wasn't as big as the one in Malovia, but it was still quite nice as it stood at the end of the room, facing everyone else. Interlocking his hands seriously, he began speaking. "We have more important things to discuss. I'm here to talk about the upcoming Congress. We'll be participating as a team, so we need to start preparing."
*** There was something about the way my squad was looking at me that felt strangely pleasing. Seeing their trembling bodies and resentful expressions, I felt a strange tingle inside my chest. I quietly clenched my shirt. '...It's happening again.' It was becoming increasingly harder for me to hold my urges. Just the thought of seeing people suffer made me feel a certain way. 'I need to stop this. I'm not like this. Yeah, I'm not.' I smacked my lips. That said, I wasn't dense enough to miss why they were glaring at me. It was true. The AC was cranked up to full blast. But it wasn't without reason. The cold helped keep me awake. After not sleeping for the past day, I needed something to stay alert. That, and the fact that my body had become noticeably less susceptible to the cold.
Perhaps due to the knife or the fact that I was still not quite used to this body, I was a lot less sensitive to the heat and cold. Even my sense of smell was not quite there yet. Thankfully, my sense of taste was still fine. Pushing those thoughts aside, I turned my attention back to my squad.
Their glares felt even more piercing. "As I was talking about earlier, the World Congress is coming soon. We'll need to start practicing together soon, and with the ranking announcement coming soon, I'll be busy a bit. Nevertheless, I'll still be able to attend the practices." I hadn't been too keen on attending the World Congress in the past. There just didn't seem to be a lot of tangible benefits. But things were different now. Not just sponsorships, but fame and all other things. I was now prepared to do everything in order to earn more money. The Cognitive Shard, while taken care of for now, still existed. I wasn't allowed to stop growing. I needed to continue to grow. Not just games, but also in individual power and experience. I couldn't stall. I came to this realization not long ago. And staring at my Squad, I made a firm decision in my mind. It was unlikely. The chances were extremely low. But... As unrealistic as it seemed, I wanted to reach the top. I didn't want to settle for the middle packs. Even if it was where we were most likely headed. I suddenly felt the urge to smile. But for some reason, the moment I did, everyone started to flinch. Was my smile that scary? Surely not, right? "I've made some adjustments to my previous game. I've been looking for some people to test it out. It's a lot better than it was before, and—" CLANK! I was abruptly stopped by the sound of a chair falling. When I looked up, several trembling eyes were directed at me. Even their faces were pale. "T-that... can't we just go into Gates?" "Yeah, gates are good." "Right? Gates? Has to be Gates." "Mhm! Yes. I love Gates. Heck, give me a high ranking one too." Opening my mouth, I soon closed it and nodded. "I appreciate the enthusiasm, but for now, Gates are off-limits. That's why we don't have much of a choice. Consider this good practice."
"——!!" "!!" A clear look of despair appeared on the faces of a few before me. Seeing them like that, I really did feel the urge to smile. This job... I was really starting to like it.
There were so many things I wanted to do, yet I ha"d so little time. I was swamped. "Boss, I've completed my part. I think it's ready for testing." "....I'm not done yet. I need more time. Also, it seems like we will need this software, but it's quite pricey. Do you think we can afford it?" "Boss?" The mornings were all about the game. From the moment I was allowed to enter the Gate, my team and I got ready to work. There was so much to do and so little time. 'If not for the fact that I need to do this in order to unlock the new feature of the system...' I could only bite the bullet and continue working. "Do we really have to test out the new game?" "...I think we can wait." "Yeah, I think that's a good idea. What do you say, Squad Leader?" "No." The afternoon was spent on squad building and game testing. I had my squad enter the capsules and run the games over and over again. On a good note, their progress was quite good. They were no longer as scared as they had been and could go through each scenario without issue, but they were still not strong enough. If my goal was to aim for the top, then they were still not good enough for that. They were still lacking compared to the other teams in the Guild. If I had to put a ranking on our team, we were probably the sixth or seventh best of twelve teams. This wasn't bad, but it was far from ideal. 'Thankfully, Ariel is here.'
She was the difference maker. In terms of strength, she wasn't stronger than Kyle or Zoey. She was just a little bit shy of the 'Fifth Order', but it wasn't her Order that set her apart from the others. On paper, she was supposed to be the most useless member on the team, given her Decree, 'Whisperer'. It was a brainwashing type of Decree. One that only worked on humans. Nevertheless, it was that very same 'useless' Decree that made me believe in the idea of reaching the top with this team. If utilized properly, alongside the capabilities of every member, although slim, I was of the belief that we could receive a very high ranking. 'I'm also glad that she's been behaving.' The original Ariel that I knew was a total psychopath. One that was far worse than the rat, or anyone else that I had met. She was crazy enough to make me shiver at the thought. '...I'm happy that she's not like this, but I'm also worried.' I looked at the monitor in front of me, where several windows displayed the situation inside each member's capsule. I could see Joanna, Mia, Nora, Niel, Sarah, Min, and Ariel.
They were all doing well. ...All with the exception of Ariel. She was struggling, but I didn't expect much considering that she thrived in group settings. The reason why I was paying so much attention to her was because of her expression. It was so indifferent. So unlike the Ariel that I knew. 'For her to turn like this, I don't know what the Guild Master did. Did he brainwash her? Threaten her? Just what in the world did he do to her to turn her like that?' Whenever I thought about the Guild Master, I would get a strange feeling. On one hand, I felt a strange sense of admiration for him. He was both incredibly skilled and decisive. On the other hand... I felt wary. I never knew what he was thinking, nor what sort of methods he used. Could he also turn me like that if he wished? 'No, I don't think so. He would've done so by now if he really wanted to.' Pressing my lips together, I sighed and looked away from the monitors. Leaning back on my chair, I looked at Ryan, Noah, and Joseph as they analyzed all of the data and inputted everything on their laptops. "Right." I also got to work. "...Let's just focus on this now. I don't have much time left." *** The days passed like this. Besides, when I needed to go to sleep, I stayed most of the time inside the Gate. I even neglected going to the gym, something that I had been rather consistent with. But it couldn't be helped. I simply had too much work. At the same time, the squad showed up daily, testing the Game daily. I did everything I could to make the game more difficult for them. I wasn't just using them to test the game. I wanted to train them too. The progress was obvious. And soon, the day for the ranking announcement arrived. To Tok—! Hearing the sound of someone knocking, I turned my head. The door opened not long after, Kyle appearing as he looked around before settling his gaze over to me. "Are you ready?" "Almost." I adjusted my tie while looking at myself in the mirror. Honestly, I hated wearing suits. They were incredibly stuffy and just not comfortable. But... "You almost look like a completely different person." "...I guess." The results of my consistent training were starting to show. My shoulders had broadened noticeably, and my chest had grown more defined as well. It fit well with the dark suit that I wore. "Hmm." Standing next to me and staring at the mirror, Kyle pinched his chin. He didn't look too bad himself. Unlike me, however, he wore a gray suit, while his brown hair was neatly parted to the side. He was always one who maintained his image, so there was nothing to say about his looks. "The more I look at you, the more I'm starting to feel like you're not you." "What nonsense are you saying?" "No, really." Kyle continued to look at the mirror. "You were much skinnier before, and while your eyes are still dead, they're much better than before. It finally looks like you're catching up on yourself. There's still some work to do, but you could probably be a model if you tried. Well..." He stopped the moment he noticed the expression on my face. "...I was just saying." "Not interested." Model. Not interested. "Kyle, Seth." Just then, another figure came in. Turning around, a pair of emerald eyes greeted my vision. With her hair cascading down her shoulders, Zoey entered the room. She looked at the two of us before pausing.
She then nodded. "Hmm, not bad." "Right?" "...Not perfect, but it's not bad at all. He has potential." "Right? Right...?" What are you, a dog? Seeing Kyle nod at Zoey's every word, I started to get annoyed. But still, looking at Zoey, I couldn't help but secretly praise her myself. I half-expected her to wear some sort of nice dress, but contrary to my expectations, she wore a blue suit. One specifically designed for women, as it nicely highlighted her curves. A few loose locks framed her blonde hair, and her lips looked rosier than usual, accentuated by the light makeup she'd put on.
Added to her face, and I suddenly realized why she had so many followers. "Hmmmmm." Zoey's eyes narrowed as she looked at me. Her gaze felt rather uncomfortable, and when I was about to say something, she simply shook her head and took out her phone. "Let's go. There's not much time to waste. We'll be late at this rate." I sighed in relief, feeling her gaze a little too burdensome. That heavy gaze lingered even after we left, as she would occasionally glance at me, open her mouth as if to say something, then stop herself.
Damn it! If you want to say something, just say it! The gaze carried until we entered the main area, where several black cars lined up, waiting for us. I paused the moment I took notice of another pair of emeralds, my expression nearly crumbling as our eyes met. "Hi~" I was soon greeted by a bubbly smile as she waved her hand at me. So fake... Thankfully, it looked like she would at least keep her pretense in public. Still, I could tell from her eyes that she disliked me quite a bit. "Hello." I also kept the pretense and entered the car. Fortunately, it looked like we had been divided into different groups. I entered the car alongside Kyle, Zoey, Clara, and even Rowan. I sat next to Rowan and Kyle while Clara and Zoey sat opposite us. "You were invited?" "...Not quite." Rowan shook his head, momentarily looking in Zoey's direction before looking at me. "I wasn't invited to the event like you guys, but I can still attend as a representative of the Guild. In some way, you can think of me as your—" "Okay, I'm sorry. I can't stop myself." Finally unable to hold herself back, Zoey, who sat opposite me, reached forward and reached for my hair. I momentarily froze, a nice scent reaching my nostrils. Shortly after, she took her hands off my hair and sat back in her seat, crossing her arms and nodding in satisfaction.
"Much better. What?" As if finally taking note of the weird stare directed at her, Zoey looked around before looking back at me. Then, as if not satisfied with something, she once again reached forward and grabbed my face, pulling it closer while messing with my hair. "...Now that I look at it again, I think this part can be changed too."
Totally oblivious to the stares she was receiving, Zoey continued to mess with my hair while reassuring me. "Don't worry. I do this for a living." That's not the problem...
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