Entering Consciousness

After getting the reward, Gin and the others are inside the room once again.

Gin told them that the mask was the only thing he would get right now as nothing seems piqued his interest in the remaining rewards.

Coming back into the room, the group decided to do whatever they wanted. Rest, talk to each other, and eat.

Gin was on the rest side as he was still tired from the events. He was about to lie down from his bed to do it but he was stopped when he was called by someone.

"Gin..."

Gin removed the mask on his face before moving his head at Nash, "Need something?"

Nash shakes his head and answered with his usual impassive voice, "I have something to give you. You can say it is a present."

'A present?' Gin mused inwardly before giving him a nod.

After giving a sign to him, the two slowly get out of the room.

The two were finally outside the room as they stood in their places, waiting for one person to speak.

Gin looked at Nash as he waited for him to give the present, but he was currently scanning the surroundings.

Gin was slightly weirded out by it and let him be. It's not bad to be cautious sometimes.

'Hmm, the present better be good, regressor. Well, I'm sure you wouldn't give me something bad, right?' Gin mused inwardly as he faintly tap his foot at the ground while waiting.

After thorough scanning, Nash faced Gin's direction and slips his hand through his pocket, getting something on it.

Nash quickly handed the book to Gin, who accepted the present before taking a closer look at the title.

"You knew?" Gin spoke in a slightly surprised tone as he saw what book was it.

Nash nodded, "Yes. Mana can't do those kinds of things you showed. The only thing I could think of is soul. I'm giving this to you because I thought you could be stronger than ever.

Nash paused, "Erm, although you're already good at using it, I think it's not bad having guidelines or instructions, right?

Hearing his answer, Gin drew a smile on his face, answering, "Thanks for this. I appreciate it."

Nash nodded in agreement.

"..."

"..."

The two remained standing in their place, waiting for someone to leave first. Gin wanted to go first and was about to speak but he instantly stopped, when Nash continued.

"Ah, it's not the only thing I called you here," Nash spoke, looking straight at Gin's eyes as he break the silence between the two.

"Ah, yeah. Sure." Gin replied, eyeing Nash in the eyes. 'Oh, that sure is scary.'

Nash was silent for a moment, thinking about the things he needed to tell and arranging them in his mind.

After a few seconds passed, Nash let out a fake cough and said, "This is about your soul, Gin. Although it is much powerful, there is some drawback to it just like mana, so refrain from using it as much as possible."

Nash paused, "Another thing is, I think a soul user is a rare thing. Many people used mana like us all, I think you're also included but the soul is more dominant is it? Since it was rare, you know the consequences of it, right?"

"But it isn't like there is no method about it," Nash added, "I think you will have to make the others think that what you're using is not soul but mana. I don't know how will you do it but I think you get the gist of what I am saying, right?"

Gin listened carefully and give Nash a nod. '

'I get it, regressor. Alright, I'll follow you,' Gin mused, 'But, I'm not like a guy who likes to show off, regressor. Besides, I think we have the same thoughts.

Gin continued inwardly, 'Make them think I use mana, huh. Well, I think they're not idiots to know that I'm using soul but I think he meant that I have to prolong it than telling them straightforwardly.'

Coming to that kind of conclusion, Gin nodded his head once again before saying, "Sure, Nash. I'll follow you. I think we're having the same thought as well."

Hearing the answer he wanted, Nash nodded back and added, "I see. Well, I think it is needed to prolong the guys outside that you're using your soul instead of mana. I think you're a smart person and would not attract attention from others just because you want fame, so I think it's reassuring."

'What the hell...? That was exactly the words I was currently thinking.' Gin mused 'Wait, don't tell me this guy has powers that my eyes can't see? Can he read others' minds too?'

Step!

Suddenly, the talk between the two has been interrupted by the steps at one of the stairs.

Quite frantic, Gin was about to move to get the bow he left in the room but stop, when he saw Nash's calm face. He didn't touch the hilt o his sword as his face remain composed.

Gin squinted his eyes to see if he is lying again but it was different from the calm he was always showing. The calm he had was serene.

Not because of a danger incoming. He was just unbothered.

Seeing him like that, Gin remained standing but he still asks, "Are those monsters?"

Nash glances half of his head Gin before moving his head back at the stairs, "No, it's not the monsters. I think they already disappeared after the tutorial ends."

Gin looked at the stairs that Nash was looking at and questioned inwardly, 'That... doesn't even make sense. Who would go up here unless it is the monsters?'

Gin paused, 'It's not even the stairs we entered when the trial begins. If it is people, then shouldn't they enter the stairs that we used?'

Suddenly, thoughts began to enter his mind one after another, making him form a hypothesis, 'Stairs, humans, monsters. Holy... if it by chance humans, does that mean we have the same tasks when we transferred here and thanks to Nash, we got to enter a place that will end the tutorial itself?'

'Then, the thing that had happened in the safe zone...' Gin paused as thoughts keep entering, 'Nash isn't wrong and the information outside is true. 'Nobody is really at... fault. It's just that... something had planned these events...?'

'How?' Gin questioned one more time before looking up, 'Is it The S—'

Tap.

"Gin," Nash called as he used his hand to tap Gin's shoulder.

Nash thought he would collapse again as Gin remained still, hence he grabs his attention to see if that is the case.

But thanks to that tap, Gin snap back to reality with his train of thoughts stopping.

'"Are you okay?" Nash asked with a hint of worry.

Gin nodded, "I'm sorry. I was thinking of something. What is it?"

Slowly, Gin moved his head in Nash's direction and forms a frown on his face, seeing his expression turning into something new.

"It is also the p-people, Gin. I-I thought we were… the only o-one left. Ha-haha-ahaha..."

Gin was taken aback for a moment before turning his head at the said stairs. He saw that there are people coming up as he intently looked at them.

'There really is...' Gin mused before glancing half of his head at Nash, 'That is bad acting. You're also bad at this kind o thing, huh. Pft.'

Gin stopped his thinking before he excitedly said, "Woah, it really is! T-that is so wonderful! Wait, let me call the others and tell them the news about it. Oh-!"

All of a sudden, Gin remembered something that he should've done after he woke up.

He said, "Hey, I think I'm going to sleep for a day so don't worry about me ok? If I didn't wake up for a whole day, I'm still fine, ok? Like, really fine. I'm just going to rest and I want no disturbance."

Nash was tempted to ask why he needed to do it but refrain to do so. He give Gin a go sign by nodding before the two departed ways.

Seeing his back running, Nash muttered under his breath, "Kisha is right... he is always like that."

Tak!

As Gin run towards the room, he immediately started to chat O in his mind.

'O, Are you there? Let's start the consciousness thingy. We only have almost a day left.'

'I'm here kiddo. Sure go to the room quickly.' O responded quickly.

Gin started to run faster to reach the room. After a few sweats, Gin was finally in front of it before he enters.

Landing his feet inside, Gin quickly informs the situation outside. People are coming at the other stairs and he wasn't sure how many will come.

The group that heard about it was skeptical and thought Gin is getting revenge on them, telling him it's not funny revenge and joke. The event that had happened on the safe zone is already painful for them.

'Huh?!'

Gin was dumbfounded at first before telling them it wasn't a joke in a serious tone.

Hearing him like that made the group turn surprised and shocked at the same time. They started to prepare and see the situation outside for themselves.

"I think I will not wake up for a day or more. Just informing you all." Gin spoke casually as he properly prepared the bed that he had to lie down on earlier.

The group halts their movement upon hearing it before turning their body around in unison.

The only thing they could see is Gin prepared bed and looking at it would surely make the person glad when he or she is sleeping.

Or is it just sleep?

"Is something wrong, Gin? You should tell us quickly." Jia spoke with a serious tone, mixing it with a slight worry.

Gin faced the group as he formed knitted eyebrows hearing how worried the tone on Jia's voice is. He said, 'I'm fine. Nothing is wrong with me. I already told Nash about this. Don't disturb me as I have something important to do for a day."

'How can you do something 'important' when you're asleep?' The group mused the same question before they continued, 'Seems fishy.'

The group stayed in the room for a moment as they watch Gin in a warm gaze as he is really doing what he was saying.

Sleeping nicely in his bed.

In their eyes, Gin was having a comfortable face as he lies down.

Seeing it, the others smiled warmly and started to say goodbye to him.

One by one, they go out and decide to trust him... only inside the room.

Creak!

After the last person close the door, all their expressions turned serious. Everyone started to find Nash while running silently.

It was then the silence was only broken when somebody speaks.

"We should watch his movements from now on. It's not like watching him every time but just observe when he is doing something weird." Kisha spoke seriously, "I trust Gin but if he does something weird again, it will lead him to faint or worse... A-anyhow anyone agrees with me?"

"I was about to say that too," Jasmin said, instead of answering Kisha, "And, don't think anything like dying, Kisha. But I think I agree with you this time. I can't let Uncle be hurt so much that it would cause him to die. Of course, dying is a no-go."

Jasmin paused as she watches everyone in the eyes, "I think we can all agree with this."

For a moment, the other three were having the thought on their minds. It's just that they don't know where is the right timing to talk about it.

But now that somebody had told it out loud, they are glad.

"Yes."

"Sure is."

"I think it's true."

Grey, Jia, and Laura spoke about what's on their minds and all of them was agreeing on both Kisha and Jasmin's statements.

…

Suddenly, as Gin was lying down from his bed, he felt shivers crawl down to his spine making him doubtful about it.

'What the… who the hell is talking behind my back…?' Gin mused inwardly before shaking his head, 'Well, it's not important.'

Gin shrugged it off instantly, replacing it with excitement as he could finally lock his consciousness, which is the problem for him at the past week.

Calming his excitement down, Gin remembered something more like a painful one when he was receiving an Inheritance from O.

It made him shiver once more before he ask, "O, This better not hurt!"

'Kid, if I said it's not, then it isn't.' O spoke calmly with its usual monotonous voice, 'Well, I did tell you that you will be sleeping for a day but it is not harmful, right? In fact, I think we could agree with each other that it is the best.'

Hearing O saying those words in a serious and calm tone, Gin felt slightly relieved and decide to trust O with an average of one percent.

"What now?" Gin asked.

'Listen up,' O paused, 'To enter your consciousness is to give in yourself on it, like giving up yourself inside. As a result, you'll enter your consciousness. Of course, after you've done certain things inside your consciousness, you can enter it with ease as time goes by.'

'All you have to do is remember the feeling of it as this day you'll be able to learn it.' O ended.

"Uhuh." Gin answered back even though it was slightly confusing, "Hmm, when you said 'to give in', is it like immersing myself in my mind?"

'Similar to that.' O spoke with a hint of surprise as it didn't know that Gin could get the gist of it by just listening,

O continued, 'But we don't have time for that. I have an easy way to do it.'

Hearing the words easy way made Gin's heart skip a beat, making him reply fast, "No... ah, ah. Nope. We are not doing it. W-we are not, O. O! We are not doing it... please... I don't want to go through that pain. So, if you could just—"

"Why are you not trusting me now?' O spoke but a hint o excitement was heard, 'Don't worry, ehehe. It will be fine, hehehe.'

It was then his heart started to beat faster, continuing, "No! O! Who said I was trusting you?! You're the most hated creature I have now, you know?! No, when I meet you, I promise to beat you up! You're a little piece of sh—!"

'Sleep.'

Thud!

As Gin continued to talk and raced his body up, O only told a simple word before Gin falls over his bed, sleeping on it soundly.

The room became quiet and the only thing that could be heard was the snoring sound that Gin was letting out.