Chapter 10: Robot Man

Gaus could sense that someone was singing in his ears.

"Wake up, wakeup, waaaakeyup."

He turned around in the direction of the voice. It was a rug. "What are you?"

"What am I? I am a living thing like you," the rug said with an androgynous voice. "Look, you can sleep if you want to be expelled on your first day. You don't want that now, do you?"

A rug just scolded him.

'What is this place?' Gaus shouted internally. He was currently lying on the floor of a giant hall with many other people about his age running around. Nobody spared him a look.

"Wake up, wakeup, waaaakeyup," it continued singing.

"Shut up."

"Eh...?" The rug screeched. "Look, the only reason I'm worried about you is your face is very close to mine, and I thought you wanted to be friends."

Gaus was speechless.

At this point, a voice came from the other side of the hall.

"It's now time for the last badge. Welcome once again to LA, recruits. If you see yourself here then you've been chosen by The Master or his most trusted subordinates. I believe this is all your second day here, so I'll keep the conversation short. I just want to tell you that you are nothing but bloody junior initiates class 1. If you survive these first two weeks, you'll become a junior initiate class 2. If you were to survive the next two months then you would become a senior initiate. Don't even dream of becoming a temporary looper just yet, so get to work and earn yourself some reputation from your betters. If you passed the test, you'll receive a day worth of lifespan, and if you fail you will go back to your previous mundane life."

After the announcement from the voice, people dressed in uniform poured into the hall.

"Form yourselves into three lines," one of the guards ordered.

They formed into three lines. The tester was brought forward. It was a simple punch bag that was connected to a transparent glass by a rod. Another white wall was attached to the back of the glass. The first person was asked to punch the bag and after he did, a tiny spare of green appeared on the white wall behind the glass.

"Ten millimeters thick," the instructor announced. Then he checked the list on his hands. "It's the same reading as your yesterday's, so you're expelled. Go back to your miserable life."

The man begged with his knees on the floor, but the instructor didn't spare him a look. Two guards dragged him out of the hall.

"Hieya, help me, I don't want to go. Hieya, help me," he cried, but whoever Hieya was she didn't respond.

"If you punch the bag, your strength will pass through the glass to appear on the board. The same result will also appear on the board in the teacher's hall. Bear in mind that it's the collective decision of all the teachers to expel any initiate who didn't improve his physique for twenty-four hours straight," the instructor explained before he continued the screening.

It went on just like that. And in just a few minutes, eleven people had been expelled. It was Gaus's turn. The instructor looked at the record but he couldn't find his.

"When did you come in?" The instructor asked.

"I was hoping you could tell me," Gaus said with a frown.

"Come again."

"I was hoping you could tell me," Gaus repeated.

"Junior initiate, you're nothing but a bloody XM0000, all it takes is a little sign from me here," he put his index on a spot in front of Gaus' name, "and you'll be gone. You'll wake up tomorrow as a mere human and continue your useless, ordinary life that'll never progress beyond a single day. So, you don't speak to me like that ever again. Are we clear?"

"Of course." Gaus nodded.

"What? That's not how to say it, boy. You say 'yes, sir', not of course."

"XM0101, that's the recruit brought in by XM9999. He didn't pass through the tutorial that's why he's misbehaving." One instructor came to his rescue.

XM0101 frowned but he nodded and let the other man take Gaus away.

"Sorry about that. He is usually tough on recruits, so don't take it personally," he told Gaus as he led him into a separate room at the end of the hall.

He closed the door behind him to cut off the noise from the hall. "Sit down. I'm gonna have to rush things because we don't have much time. The others complained about you but XM9999 vouched for you."

"Look, man, can you just tell me what is going on here? I was on my way out of the city," Gaus said.

"I understand your confusion, but just sit down and let me explain everything. I'm XM0033." He offered Gaus a seat. Gaus hesitated but at last, he sat. XM0033 went to the board on the wall and started explaining.

"Let's begin with the world as you know it." He drew a picture of the globe and he wrote 'Tuesday' on it. He wrote 'Wednesday' by the right and 'Monday' by the left. "Tell me one thing you did today," he said.

"I performed the pilgrimage," Gaus said.

"Be more specific. Give me one peculiar thing."

"I sold milk, cow milk."

"How much money did you make?"

"About one thousand ayrids."

"What did you do with the money? Is it still with you?"

Gaus nodded. "Yes."

"But I'm sure you have something in mind for it, don't you?"

Gaus nodded.

"Good. The thing is you've been waiting to spend that money for a very long time now."

"WHAT?!" Gaus mustered the best shocking expression he could. He wasn't surprised since he'd already been in the loop for some time now.

XM0033 smiled knowingly. He'd seen that same expression more times than he could remember, but it never got old. "It's difficult to believe but you've been stuck on this very Tuesday for several years now. Everyone you see in this place is aware of the situation, you can ask them if you want. By tomorrow, you'll see the truth of what I speak. Nobody knows how or why, not even The Master, but every Wednesday at 3 am, the world will rewind for twenty-four hours to 3 am Tuesday. The same thing has been going on for a very long, long time."

Gaus raised his hand to ask a question.

"Don't. I know you don't understand, and even if you did, you won't believe it. But let me finish."

The man went on to give Gaus a protracted explanation of the loop, thinking this was the first time Gaus was experiencing it.

"Because you're now blessed by The Master, you'll wake up tomorrow with full knowledge of this conversation and everything that's happened today. This place is called LA, short for Loopers Academy. We teach loopers how to adapt to the current situation and how to make something of themselves. If you work hard, you'll learn mana manipulation to pass your initiate exams and learn mind magic, soul magic, and even time magic. If you are so hardworking and talented, you may even become a temporary looper like me." He was proud of that last statement, Gaus could see it in his eyes. "Your learning will be sponsored by The Master like everyone else and we'll only ask for money in extreme situations. But you've to prove your worth every day. If you miss a single day of training, The Master will automatically erase you from the database and you'll go back to living your mundane life. Even if you come to the training, you have to perform as expected or else you'll be erased. Every day must be earned until you become a temporary looper. Take this," he casually handed over a manual, "class starts at 10 am every day. It's expected that you will be here sooner to collect your daily uniform and sunglasses.

"Sunglasses?"

"Didn't I say you can't interrupt me when I'm speaking?"

"You didn't."

"I just did, idiot. You better learn how to speak to temporary loopers or you'll be in trouble. I don't have a problem but others have. They are the kings around this place. Just stay low and learn to stay alive. By the time the loop is over, you'll be royalty."

Gaus had the urge to sigh but he resisted and nodded.

"You're now a junior initiate," XM0033 said. "We've class 1 and 2 and you're starting from scratch. Follow me."

XM0033 led Gaus out of the hall to a nearby block.

"Am I allowed to ask questions now?" Gaus asked in exasperation.

"No. You're still not fully inaugurated, so just wait until you receive your pack."

Gaus outright rolled his eyes at the man. It was ridiculous. He just wanted to ask why he was there but the man had insisted that he couldn't ask any questions until he was fully 'inaugurated', whatever that meant.

"Good evening, senior," the two men guarding the next entrance welcomed them. "What can we do for you this late?"

"This little fellow here"—he gestured toward Gaus with his elbow—"is here to receive his pack. Don't ask me why he was brought in late. You can ask XM9999 about that."

As soon as he mentioned XM9999, the guards dropped all arguments. They let them into the hall, ushered Gaus into an empty room, and closed the door behind him. Nobody told him what he was supposed to do.

Once he stepped into the room, the world around him disappeared and it was replaced by a plain landscape of endless white. He seemed to be moving and yet he wasn't. As seconds went by, he realized it was the landscape that was moving and not him. Soon he was facing a... robot? No, the being in front of him was flesh and blood but was somehow adulterated by metallic eyes and nose. Just why would someone do that to themselves?

"Sit." It cut him off with a truly robotic voice. Its face was so expressionless it would be nigh impossible to know what it felt. One funny thing was there was no chair but it was asking him to sit.

"Where do you suppose I sit...?"

Okay. A wooden chair had appeared just behind him sometime in the past.

"Do you know why you are here?" The robot man asked.

Gaus shook his head.

"As expected." It sounded like it was shrugging but it wasn't. "XM9999 has recognized your skills in magic and has signed you up for advanced training in this facility. Whether you are ready or not doesn't matter."

Gaus rolled his eyes but the robot man didn't seem to understand the gesture.

"You'll participate to the best of your ability or you'll be expelled," he continued. "Now, I would like you to answer some questions for me before I can grant you the benefits of being a looper. Question number 1: what's a magiwatch?"

"Magiwatch?" Gaus asked in surprise. He didn't expect to be thrown back to basics there.

The man nodded. "Have you ever heard the term being used before?"

Gaus sighed internally. Why was the man asking him that? He would assume the man in front of him didn't know about his ability to remember the loops and he'd to make sure it stayed like that.

"This wristwatch on my hand is the magiwatch," Gaus said, pointing at the golden wristwatch on his right hand. It was an analog watch that had no band, it was just glued to his skin just like that. "Everyone has it. It has information on my physique, biodata, and skills. It also notifies me every time I level up or make some changes to my magic."

The robot man nodded. "Did it come with a skill?"

Gaus held his breathing. His watch came with skill and that was the same skill he used to remember the loops. The man might even ask to see it.

"Why does yours come with a skill and others don't?" He asked again.

Gaus frowned. He never said it had one.

"74.332% of the students in the academy don't have a skill in their watch. Why didn't they have it? And why do you have it?"

"I don't know," Gaus said.

The robot man sighed. "It's fine. I don't know either. I was hoping you can help me solve the thousand-year-old riddle."

What?

"Anyway, having skill in your watch has made you a pacifist. I'm sure you know that already."

Gaus wanted to nod but the man just continued and ignored him.

"Others that don't have it are called blazers. Do not look down on them. Are we clear?"

"I wasn't planning to," Gaus said.

The robot man stared at him for a moment before he scratched his metallic nose and shook his head. "I guess I should go on to the important matter now. By being a pacifist, you'll forever have zero affinity for the four schools of magic. But you know that, don't you? However, we will give you something that will help you learn skills from the four schools of magic. We'll give you money, a map, and a means to talk to your friends. For free, actually."

He paused and stared at Gaus.

"Thank you," Gaus said when the man refused to look away.

"Your gratitude isn't needed," he said. "When you graduate as a temporary looper, you'll pay back all you've received. Anyway, I would like to know the nature and extent of all your skills."

Could he just lie? He obviously couldn't tell the man everything.

"How many skills do you have now?"

"Eight," Gaus said. He couldn't just lie when the man had already demonstrated an ability to see through him.

"Not bad," he said. "Let's start with your magiwatch skill, the so-called primary skill that determines your level. What can you tell me about it?"

"It allows me to copy other people's skills effortlessly," Gaus said. Half-truths were always the best way to lie. "I can copy most skills if they are used on or near me. There are some requirements to copy some skills, of course."

The robot man frowned for the first time. "That's absurd. You are too overpowered."

Gaus's eyes went wide in surprise. He didn't expect such a reaction. What would the man say if he knew the whole truth then?

"Anyway, it's still not enough to get you anywhere without hard work. Others with a better skill have come and gone. I have seen lots of them over the years. Tell me about the other skills."

"I can create blades out of thin air. I can teleport across short distances. I can shape metal into anything with a simple touch. I can become invisible if I want to. I can walk in the air. I can sense mana, not a useful skill, I know, but still. I can also play with swords, something about increased ability with bladed weapons. I'm sure you know what it means. That's all I can do right now, I'm afraid."

"A bit broken," the man murmured to himself. "But we can manage. What levels are your skills?"

"All are at level 1, except the one I used to copy others, which is at level 5."

The robot man remained silent for some time, probably taking notes in his head or something before he made a few gestures with his human hands and pointed at him.

A reddish panel popped up.

<A new guild has recognized you.

Registering...

Done.

You're now part of the LA guild. For registering with an unaffiliated guild you have received a -2 reputation.

LA has deposited 5,400a into your account to be spent as you like. You'll receive the same amount every seven days.>

He made another gesture and pointed at his watch. The watch glowed and heated up. Gaus could swear seeing steam rising from the lens but it could just be his imagination.

Another red popped up.

<You've received the following benefits from your guild:

Loopers Interface: this allows you to add three friends from the guild. You can talk to them and even see them in exchange for MP. Guild can contact you through it.

Map: this is a detailed map of the academy and some parts of its dungeon. Use it to track down the academy every loop. Be careful of the dungeon and do not venture into uncharted territory.

Inventory: a miniature pocket dimension with 15 slots. Anything stored in the inventory will be kept for future use irrespective of the loop.

Loopers book: after countless loop years of studies and experimentations, The Master was able to create something better than what the human mages have created collectively in the last millennium. He created a skill book that can be used to learn skills irrespective of talent or affinity. What's even better is that your skill book is not affected by the loop: you won't lose any levels because of the loop unless you have been erased from the time loop by The Master himself.

Welcome once again, junior initiate.>

"Our meeting is over," the robot man said. "I shall now return you to your world."

One moment he was facing the humorless robot and the other he was standing at the doorstep of the room, facing XM0033.

"I guess it went well," the instructor said.

Gaus nodded. "It did."

"Good. Now that you're inaugurated you can ask your questions."

Gaus started with the first and most disturbing one. "Why did this XM9999 bring me here? Don't get me wrong I'm not being rude or anything, and I appreciate receiving all the money and the expensive packs and the knowledge of the loop, but I was on my way to my uncle's and I didn't want anything to do with any of this."

He'd already lived through several loops before today and his memory was intact except, of course, for the last five hours. The last thing he remembered was fleeing out of the city and then the rug singing in his ears. He couldn't remember the things that happened between 7 pm to midnight.

"Didn't he tell you?" XM0033 sighed. "Well, I won't presume to know what that man is thinking. Of the 24 people he's recruited in his career, only 3 survived. It later became clear that he mostly chooses commoners who have no backing whatsoever. He's a passionate man who values talent over worldly possession. If he brings you here then he must have believed you can make it. But he has been wrong several times, so you're probably just another failure."

"Can I withdraw now?" Gaus asked.

"Of course, you can. Do you think you are helping anyone by staying? We expel people daily. You can wait to be expelled the right way tomorrow evening, or you can just go to the admin and sign out now. Although, you'll lose all your packs and memory of this place as soon as you disappear." He grinned from ear to ear. The worst thing that could happen to any looper was expulsion, so there was just no way for anyone to volunteer for it.

"I... will think about it."

"Sure."

"By the way, sir, can I see the terms of the contract XM9999 signed on my behalf?"

"Yes, you can. The whole thing will be sent to your interface in time. If that's inconvenient for you, you can visit the admin hall and fill out the complaint form."

"I will wait, sir."

The instructor shrugged.

They walked a short distance to the assembly hall.

"This is far enough," the instructor said. "I'll take you to your dorm now."

"Senior, a word please?" A certain timid voice asked from the side.

Gaus jerked his head in the direction of the voice.

"What do you want? I'm busy in case you didn't notice," XM0033 snapped. But when he saw the man and realized the guy was also a 'senior' his gaze softened. "Ah, how are you doing? Which group do you belong to?"

"Group 302," the man answered. "I'm sorry for disturbing you. I just want to know how long this initiate has been in the academy." He pointed at Gaus.

Gaus frowned deeply.

"I'm sorry, brother, but I can't share the students' records with you. It's against the rules," XM0033 said in a low voice.

"Look, I know. All I'm asking is a little professional courtesy. I promise I'll pay you back for all your kindness."

"I'm sorry, I can't."

The man and XM0033 walked out of his earshot and talked in low voices. Occasionally, XM0033 would shake his head and the man would stamp his foot on the ground, insisting. After a minute, the man bolted out in anger.

"The controllers made it clear that no sharing of students particulars is allowed but he still wanted to have yours. I can't believe it. By the way, what's the deal between the two of you? Rarely do I see a temporary looper taking so much interest in a student."

"Nothing. I don't even know him," Gaus said. In a way, that was true. He only knew the man's name to be Tyren Onis and his designation in the academy to be XM0911. And he couldn't just tell anyone that Tyren was chasing him because he was a looper long before joining the academy and that he wanted him to reveal how he did it.

"I'll now take you to your dorm."

With that, Gaus opened his eyes and saw him in front of his new room.