Episode 2 – A Nightmarish World (5)

Crimson. That was the first thing I saw when I woke up from my slumber. The sky floating above was painted crimson as fresh blood.

"A... dream?"

I muttered softly but no one was around to hear it. Then my head trembled as the distant memories started flooding back.

Death, Destruction, Monsters. This was not a dream. It was a nightmare. A nightmare that has become reality.

I stood up from the ground and began to stretch my body. The healing effect seems to have taken place when I was asleep since all the stretches and my torn stomach were closed.

Honestly, I didn't think I would survive but it seems my luck wasn't completely non-existent.

[A few constellations wonder how you were able to survive.]

[A few constellations are amused your will to survive.]

[500 coins have been sponsored.]

[The constellation '??? ???' looks at you with interest.]

[100 coins have been sponsored.]

[The constellation 'Owl Judge of Wisdom' admires your spirit.]

[100 coins have been sponsored.]

[The constellation 'Chaos Architect' admires your tenacity.]

[100 coins have been sponsored.]

The multiple system messages popped up infront of me. Some were the shock message of the constellations while some were the sponsorship of a few interested constellations.

A foreign feeling formed inside my chest. If I had chosen any of this constellations, then I wouldn't have needed to go through all that suffering.

But there was no feel of regret.

After this near-death encounter, I was certain. There were ways to survive the nightmare without becoming the puppet of the constellations.

If I wanted to reach the end of the narrative, then I would need more than the support of the constellations. I would need to become the most powerful walker.

"I wonder how many night crawlers I killed."

I remembered I killed alot of night crawlers before the end of the scenario but I was not sure how many I managed to kill.

[Rewards for defeating enemies are being distributed.]

[Enemies defeated: 1517]

[151,700 coins has been given as compensation.]

[You have achieved an unbelievable feat.]

[500 coins will be given as additional compensation.]

[The achievement 'Undead Slayer' has been achieved.]

[The Third Scenario will start soon.]

A stream of notifications.

"I sure killed alot."

After seeing the number of defeated enemies, I slightly smiled. Everything went according to plan.

If I had fought the night crawlers in an head-on confrontation, it would have been impossible to survive so an alternative plan was needed. Although I almost died back there, the rewards was definitely worth the risk.

[Coins possessed: 153,500]

A ridiculous amount of coins.

For each individual night crawler I killed, 100 coins was gainedbas compensation. 500 coins for an unbelievable feat and the coins gained from the sponsorship of the constellations.

Everything in total sums up to 153,500 coins. That was an amount that should be impossible for a Walker to obtain in there beginning scenarios.

In fact, it was impossible to kill that many even with a good skill. The only reason I won was because I was prepared and knew their weakness beforehand.

'I should have enough coins.'

If I wanted to become the strongest walkers without a support constellation then preparations have to be made.

I looked into the empty air and called out the fairy from before.

"Aurora."

There was silence. I cocked my head to the side in confusion.

Did she not hear me? Wasn't that fairy supposed to hear everything or was I being ignored?

[Damnit, who is calling me now? How annoying.]

Despite complaining, Aurora still appeared infront of me.

[Huh?]

She tilted her head and looked at me with a strange look.

[You, aren't you supposed to be died? How did you survive?]

I shrugged my shoulders and replied.

"I was just lucky."

[Anyways, what do you want?]

What's with that arrogant way of speaking? Forget about it.

"I want to use my coins."

[You want to use the shop?]

"Yes. But first, I want to pay for the VIP membership."

[... What?!!]

Aurora's eyes opened wide to a dangerous degree as if it would pop out of her eye sockets.

[You, you, you... How did you know about the VIP membership?]

It was because I was the solo reader. But I couldn't tell her that.

"Oh, so there was something like that?"

[Huh? So you mean you did not know?]

"I mean this world is now similar to a video game, right? So I just thought there will be something like a VIP membership."

[Bullshit! That's... Wait, now that I think about it, it makes sense.]

Aurora stopped speaking and fall into deep thought while floating in mid-air.

[A few constellations are intrigued by the term video game.]

[The constellation 'Witch of Foreshadowing' smiles slyly at you.]

There was no way the constellations from the old era would know about video games. So it was the perfect excuse.

[Is that why you chose to hunt the night crawlers?]

"Yes. That is right."

[You... you are suicidal! You could have died. Not even the strongest walker in the second round will do something like that.]

She didn't lie. The overall stats of all walkers were stuck at 40 so it was completely unreasonable to fight against an entire horde of zombies that can respawn infinitely.

"Maybe so. Anyways, let's proceed with the payment."

However, Aurora just shook her head and replied with a 'No'.

"Huh? Why?"

[You can't become a VIP.]

"I heard you the first time, I'm asking why I can't I become a VIP?"

[Hey now, don't raise your voice. If you want to become a VIP, then you would need to become a constellation first. Now are you a constellation?]

It was true. Originally, the VIP membership was made for the Constellations and the Great Lords.

[Do you now see why you can't become a VIP? I will be breaking the laws if I allowed it.]

The cheeky fairy spoke as though she haven't broken the laws multiple times already.

"You're wrong. You won't be breaking any laws."

[Huh?]

"It is true that VIP membership was meant for the Constellations. However, there is no rule that states that a Walker can't become a VIP."

[What are you trying to say?]

"Why are you asking me? You should already know. Check the manuel."

[How did you... You know what, nevermind.]

Aurora gave off a resigned look and bought out a manuel. After confirming it, she spoke.

[You... Are you sure you're human?]

"Do I look like a penguin to you?"

[Fine. But you will need to pay coins though.]

"How much?"

[Pay 150,000 coins.]

I looked at the coins I currently possessed.

[Coins Possessed: 153,500 C]

I couldn't help but smile. This stupid fairy was messing with me.

To gain the VIP membership, you will need to pay 100,000 coins. But this fairy was telling me to pay that amount with 50,000 coins extra.

As if it was not enough, she wore this mischievous smirk that ticked me off.

"That amount is very reasonable."

[Not my problem. If you can't pay then that's your problem.]

"I see. Very well then."

I summoned the system window and starting scrolling through it. It was here that Aurora began looking at me with her brows raised.

[Hey, what are you doing?]

"Requesting a meeting with the administrator."

Despite saying it nonchalantly enough, the body of the fairy besides me trembled. It was because of the word 'Administrator' that came out of my mouth.

[W-Why are you s-summoning the Administrator?]

"I just want to ask him a question. What's wrong? Why do you look so scared? If you haven't done anything wrong then there's no need to be be afraid, right?"

I looked at the fairy with the same cheeky smirk that she has used all this while.

There were two beings that overlooked the scenarios in Nightmare. One were the Lackeys and the other were the Twelve Zodiacs or the Bureau.

The Lackeys were the servants of the Twelve Zodiacs. Lackeys contained of multiple creatures like this fairy infront of me.

[W-Wait! Please w-wait. There is no need to call the Bureau here. Is it the price that's upsetting you! I will reduce it to 100,000. What do you say?!]

"50,000."

[Eh?]

"50,000 coins or I will call the Bureau."

[You... Are you threatening me?]

Now Aurora looked very anger. Her cheeky grin was nowhere to be seen. Even the atmosphere seems to be getting hotter in response to that anger.

"Will you look at this? You are more smarter than you look."

[Why you...]

In the next instant, multiple bursts of destructive power exploded from Aurora's little fists. It was the result of her punching the air beyond the speed of sound.

However, none of those punches landed on me. Those explosive fists stopped several inches from my face.

I laughed at Aurora's pathetic attempts.

"You can't kill me, can you now? If you did, you will be breaking the absolute code. I'm sure you are still under its effects. The penalty that is."

Aurora shifted away from me in fright.

There are certain laws that govern the worlds. Higher beings cannot interfere with lesser beings and those who disobey those laws will be punished by the System.

These absolute laws were called the 'Laws of Probability'.

This fairy before me has broken that absolute law by killing several people before the start of the scenarios and she's currently facing the penalty.

[You... What in the great heavens are you?]

Aurora trembled in fear as she spoke those words.

Yes. An unbelievable scene was occurring. In the scenarios, a lackey had absolute power and authority. Now that very lackey was shaking in fear before a novice walker.

"Well, as you can see. I'm just a normal human."

That a strange thing to say. As the solo reader of the narrative, I was close to a true Omniscient being. But even if I was the reader, I was still human. And humans were very greedy creatures.

"Now then. Reduce the price of the VIP membership to 50... No, 20,000 coins or else I will report you to the Bureau."

A very wicked smile was beginning to spread on my lips without my knowledge. Indeed, I was human without a doubt.