Chapter 5: The Men and the god (1) Agreement (2)
Author's Note:
Character Map:
"X" = Protagonist
"(X)" = Protagonist's strong inner thoughts
'0X0' = Goddess Mnemosyne
'1X1' = Mike
'2X2' = Calvin
'3X3' = John
'4X4' = Norkin
'5X5' = Belkorn
'6X6' = Damian
XXX= Enemy
'X' = Extras
Other Notations:
[X] = What is written on something
--- = POV change
|||| = Time skip
== = Time recap
"""" = Return from recap
(X) = Explanation/author's note
([X]) = Sound effect
{X} = Buttons or actions that may trigger an event
---
With that, doubt lingered as the person or entity that claimed to be a god continued to ask the proceeding players, answering as well.
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(3rd POV, Narration)
"1 So let me get this straight, the game would be surviving the attack of the beast? 1"
"Yes, indeed."
"1 Are you insane?! How could we survive that? That beast will rip us apart the moment we are within its reach! 1"
"That's why you guys will have a trial before facing the real one."
"1 That's the part I don't get the most. 1"
"That's why it's better to show you guys directly."
At that, the strange, fully veiled figure swung its hand, and with that, a change occurred in the beast that was about to attack the people in the carriage.
A growl was heard in this still monochrome world, and then something emerged from the beast's body. Stepping out was a figure identical to the beast—its appearance flickering like a mirage—before it lunged at them with a roar.
X Roar-grrr! X
Some people in the carriage stepped back, while others braced themselves for the attack. But before the beast reached them, chain-like mirages also appeared and restrained the creature.
"Now then, the game is simple—subjugate this beast, and you clear the game. Now, be ready. You may begin discussing how to proceed."
"1-6.....1-6"
Everyone remained silent, but soon they realized what needed to be done. The most decisive among them stepped forward to break the silence.
"1 Ahh, again, I'm Mike, a human. Although there are still many things to discuss, especially regarding the situation, I think the first topic we should discuss is our combat ability. 1"
After Mike's words, the others agreed, and he took the initiative to speak about his capabilities.
"1 Well then, I'm a fighter—a swordsman, in fact. Although I'm an apprentice, I can assure you that my swordsmanship is up to standard. If I were to rank myself, in knight terms, I would be a Two-Star Knight. In adventurer terms, I would be an E-Rank Fighter. 1"
After his introduction, everyone nodded.
Then, as if taking that as his cue, another stood up and shouted at the top of his lungs.
"4 Haha! It's good that we have a fighter among us. Well then, I'm Norkin, a dwarf—a tank! But I wield no shield. Instead, I rely on my warhammer, my trusted guardian in battle. Let's see... I don't know about knight rankings, but in adventurer terms, I'd say I'm on the brink of a D-Rank Tank—a high E-Rank. 4"
Again, everyone nodded.
Then, someone stood up with a calm demeanor and spoke.
"3 If you'll excuse me, may I take my turn? 3"
He asked, and everyone agreed in their own way. With permission granted, he introduced himself.
"3 With my utmost courtesy, I am John, an elf. If I were to describe my capabilities in familiar terms, I believe the most appropriate classification would be a supporter—a druid. Although I belong to a long-lived race, I am still an apprentice and have barely engaged in combat, as I dedicate myself to my mission bestowed upon me by Mother Nature—to tend the forest. If my knowledge does not fail me, then I would classify myself as an E-Rank Supporter in adventurer terms. 3"
Again, everyone nodded.
But then, one of them clapped, as if in appreciation, stealing everyone's attention. And as if taking that moment as his turn, he stood and spoke.
"6 What a wonderful introduction! Well then, as thanks, I shall introduce myself. I am Damian von Dolci Meriam! My capabilities? I am, of course, a mage—an Elementalist, a Conjurer of Elements!, A 2 Circle Mage 6"
He declared dramatically, wearing a proud expression, as if expecting something.
But everyone simply nodded and waited for the next introduction.
Seeing this, Damian fell silent, still clearly expecting some form of acknowledgment.
A silence resumed but was quickly broken by the sharp sound of a slap and a loud voice.
"4 My fellow dwarf, how about you introduce yourself? You have an opportunity to say your name out loud in this silence! 4"
Spoken by Norkin, his words made the other dwarf grumpy, but understanding the meaning behind them, he complied.
"5 I am Belkorn, a dwarf. I would classify myself under the Auxiliary Class—an Artificer, to be precise. 5"
At that, the others tilted their heads, as if to ask what that was.
Belkorn, becoming even more grumpy, spoke again.
"5 Just know that we craft things. If you want to know whether I have use in combat—well, with some preparation, I should be able to help. 5"
And with that, he grumpily sat down.
With Belkorn's introduction finished, everyone looked at the last remaining person who had yet to introduce himself.
Noticing their gazes, I stood up and introduced myself normally.
"I'm Calvin, a Ranger Class—a hunter, I would consider myself. If I were to rank myself in adventurer terms, I would be an E-Rank Ranger."
With that, introductions were completed.
Before any further discussions could begin, the entity's voice echoed once more.
"Ahh, before we begin—yes, the game is indeed about subjugating the beast. However, I must say… with your current abilities, you could never defeat this creature."
"1 Then that's cheating! 1"
"Yes, the beast is at the brink of Mid D-Rank. Because of that, I have added a twist."
With that, balls of light appeared in front of every person in the carriage—even the entity had one.
"Now then, let me explain. This ball of light will be your weapon against the beast. With this assistance, you may be able to subjugate it—but you still may not be able to win."
At this, everyone tilted their heads, silently questioning why—except for one person.
"2 What would that twist be? 2"
"Ohh, quick to catch on, aren't you? Very well, I won't delay further. These balls of light can transform into any weapon you imagine—swords, bows, shields, anything. However, they come with limitations."
Everyone listened intently.
"Ohh, quick to catch on, aren't you? Very well, I won't delay further. This ball of light can transform into any weapon you can imagine—a sword, a bow, a shield—anything can be created. However, it comes with limits."
At that, everyone paid full attention, their ears perked as they listened intently.
"You can unleash a certain amount of power. For example, if you create a wand and use it to cast a fireball, the weapon made of light will gradually darken. Once it turns completely black, that means it has reached its limit. But don't worry—I'm not so heartless as to cut off your power in the middle of battle. You can still continue fighting, but once your weapon is fully darkened, it means you lose."
With that, everyone nodded.
"Now then, here are the mechanics of this game. Each of you has three tries. In short, you can challenge this game again and again. However, in exchange for those tries, if your weapon turns completely black, you must restart the game and will lose one of your tries. I know—it's a simple mechanic. But I tell you all this: sometimes, simplicity makes things even more complex. And just so you know, you can transfer your tries to others. Now then—"
Without warning, one of the chains restraining the beast shattered, and the creature became more aggressive, thrashing violently as it attempted to break free.
"Once all the chains are broken, the game will begin. Now then—good luck."
With that, the entity disappeared—and just moments later, another chain snapped.
Realizing what this meant, Calvin immediately started counting the chains and measuring the time between each break. He quickly calculated an estimate and spoke:
"2 We better hurry and come up with a plan, guys. Based on my count, there are 44 chains left, and each one breaks every 5 seconds. With simple math, that gives us 220 seconds. But while I was talking, two more chains broke off, leaving us with only 210 seconds to figure out how to win this game. 2"
With that—
The game began.