Game invitation (4)

Thea did say they should catch up with the rest and join them in the cafeteria, but they had little to no time left if they do decide to eat now, so she decided Aksel must buy an ability. He initially declined saying they can just do that later. He tried to convince her otherwise and go eat instead for now, but she did not budge. The gaze in her eyes.

Her lips gradually parted, "If you've got a death wish, you can go ahead and play without an ability.

Or stay back and spectate as we play through the rounds."

He wasn't exactly hurt. He didn't expect this kind of coldnosss from Thea either. It was one of those moments when he feels like Thea also experienced the same as him. Numbness of emotions.

Perhaps she is just worried since time is running low. After all, it is currently 16:49. There's barely one hour left before the game starts.

Not wanting to argue with Thea any longer, he gave in.

Being a newbie, he didn't know what ability to buy, so Thea suggested one to him.

Afterwards they left for the cafeteria.

Luckily, Johannes and Latio who had been waiting since the moment they checked out the ability store, weren't bothered at all.

Aksel went to see what the cafeteria was offering for the afternoon. The food was lavish and piping hot, making Aksel drool.

From the buffet line, a radiant blonde hair shone back at him, blinding his eyes. Though he doesn't know who she is, he recognized that radiant blonde hair. She was the one who treated him when he was unconscious.

He hadn't gotten the chance to greet her or thank her.

He slowly approached her in the line, trying to make small talk before at last speaking his mind.

"I wanted to thank you for earlier," that earlier was 17 hours ago.

The warm smile on her face reassured him, making him feel much more at ease. A smile filled with kindness and compassion, "No need. I simply did what I had to."

In his eyes, she was a kind lady willing to lend a helping hand whenever. He wondered how someone like her could be participating in such a cruel game.

He saw her about to leave the buffet line, and gently held her by the wrist, "Can I get your name?" He treated his hand, "And sorry abou that."

"It's fine. The name's Scarlett," The warm smile from before morphed into a smirk, "I hope we run into each other soon."

The smirk caught him off guard. What a switch.

Time was running while he was busy chatting with her. He realized he had wasted too much time—his watch showed 17:19. He had barely 40 minutes left to eat and prepare for his first ever round in Domain of Greed.

Back at the table, everyone had already eaten. Nearly everyone. In front of Latio was an unhealthy serving platter of strawberries and cream.

Latio who noticed Aksel staring, "You want some?"

Aksel shook his head aggressively in return.

To help time pass but also not make it awkward for everyone, Thea started a topic about what courses each of them took, but it somehow shifted to talking about how male anglerfish fuse with females by biting into their skin and becoming permanent parasites, eventually merging their bodies to the point where they share the same circulatory system. All thanks to Johannes. Thanks to him…

Thea scrapped the whole crap, losing her mood after that topic which Johannes brought up.

She looked at Aksel in the eyes as if to say, "Is this guy your friend?"

Aksel shrugged in return. While Thea lost her mood, he lost his appetite.

Aksel returned his gaze to the unhealthy serving platter of strawberries and cream, "Is the offer still up?"

Latio nodded in which Aksel store a couple strawberries and downed them in one go.

Nothing helped what was going on in the background.

Johannes went on with his weird topics. He didn't even notice everyone else had left him alone at the table. Once he noticed, the other players were already staring at him weirdly. He quickly evaded from the cafeteria, catching up to the rest.

Before Johannes could speak up, Thea shut him up, her fingers pressed agaisnt his lips.

"Keep your lips sealed before I sew 'em tight.

I don't wanna hear another thing about anglerfishes."

Johannes' head nodded in a fearful manner. Who knew she'd be that ruthless.

The expression Aksel saw on her face, made him think whether she was joking or dead serious about sewing Johannes' lips together. He did not remember her being this unhinged.

Thea's expression took a turn when she seemingly remembered something.

"You're a newbie right?"

Those words threw the earlier events back into Johannes' heads. He begged Aksel to for real leave this time's game aside. That he should just observe first and see how it is done.

Midst the frenzy in the group, a static sound once more echoed from the speakers, catching the attention of everyone. The voice belonged to someone who proclaimed herself as the game host of the game of this time. The players were ordered to remain on the ground floor for the remaining time. At 17:45, the players are to gather at the lobby. The game host said no further after that.

Unease filled the atmosphere in their group, the air tense.

Latio claims it must be something important, the game hosts rarely hold announcements where they themselves personally attend.

At Latio's words, Aksel had got a feeling. A gut wrenching feeling.

An important announcement. He began having a hunch, if it could relate to the whispering he heard earlier at his university.

Once the clock striked 17:45, every participant was present at the lobby. The elevator was disabled, in its place is a stage.

Among the many participants, Aksel spotted a familiar face from afar, the opposite side of the stage, recognizing the man as his friend Noe. Finding that the game host hasn't appeared yet, he walked to the other side. He only managed to utter a few word to his friend when something happened.

Several screens similar to theirs popped up, surrounding the stage.

Black fog emerged from thin air, gathering into one piece, resembling that of a human figure. The body seemed solid, but was made up of the black fog which emerged.

In a powerful tone, the figure spoke up, "This will be an official announcement coming from the game creator."

The participants fell into a state of frenzy at the declaration.

"The game… creator…?" Aksel uttered. His hunch was getting him, that gut wrenching feeling catching up.

To his left he hears teeth gritting. It came from Noe. In his eyes flashed what seemed pure hatred to Aksel, but there was also worry.

The screens which popped up around the stage have long begun recording.

The game creator continued, "From this moment onwards, the game rules will officially change.

The wish will be reserved for the winning faction. As for the defeated faction—will be erased from existence. Only the withered players of the winning faction shall be revived."

The game creator smiled wickedly, "As for those who choose to defy playing. You will be automcally placed in the runner faction whether you like if or not. Your life, will depend on those in the runner faction."

The profound decree caused an uproar among the participants. Amidst it all, the game host concluded the announcement, the screens disappearing along with the game host crumbling into black fog.

Those who chose not to play. Those who chose to simply spectate from behind the scenes. Those choices are no longer available.

Time is running low at 17:50. A short ten minutes before the first round starts.

Each player's personal screens emerged at the same time, informing the game field of the first round.

Aksel who was on the opposite side of his previous spot, was joined by Thea the rest.

A reunion was anticipated, but left to be awaited due to an uninvited storm.

Aksel right away spoke up as Thea arrived with the others, "You never told me anything about the rounds having objectives!"

"That's why I told you the damn book was outdated!"

Small bickering broke out between them, though it soon calmed down. After all, they had but a few minutes to prepare themselves for the following round.

The following round's description depicts the game field as a land of dunes filled with lasting sandstorms. Shrines and pyramids scattered across with hidden truths.

However, the description for the objective marked below the map photo was empty.

He needn't move a muscle for Thea to already give him an answer.

"Though the maps repeat, the objectives always change.

We wont know until the round starts."

The corner of Aksel's lips twitched, "Thea… How long do each round last again…?"

"Six hours, why?"

He felt a sudden need to faint. His head twisted to look at Thea and Johannes, "Will you take care of me?"

"Well I don't mind but—" Thea answered before Aksel cut her off, continuing his sentence, "I can't take this anymore."

He threw himself on the floor with a thud, landing in the arms of another.