Chapter 3: Unanswered Questions
Heya everyone, good to see you all again! Lynn here, returning with another chapter of my fanfic!
Enjoy ^^
The sound of gasps could be heard from all over the room, each individual's impatience reflected in the action alone. It didn't take long for the first squeal to erupt from the mass, followed by another and another. Soon the hall was alight with chatter, people forming smaller groups amongst themselves to congratulate one another, interacting as though they had known each other for years.
Yet, standing amongst the sea of smiles and laughter was Satoru, sticking out like a sore thumb. Don't get him wrong, he still offered the occasional friendly nod to those that wondered past. But in reality, he couldn't quite match the level of enthusiasm lingering in the air.
"Excuse me!" For the second time tonight, the young boy decided to step into the spotlight. Naturally, he felt bad for disrupting the mood, but the thing nagging at his mind wasn't going to stop itself. "Again, sorry for the interruption."
"And again, there is no need to apologize my boy." The man offered a smile before gesturing for him to continue.
"Just moments ago when you guaranteed our safe return to Earth, something about a choice was mentioned. Could you please elaborate on that point sir?"
Even before he could finish, a large grin had already adorned the commander's face, impressed at the young boy's attention to detail. Of all the years he had overseen 1F as head commander, not once had a newcomer willingly brought up the topic, most if not all choosing to just go with the flow. And rightfully so, for who in their right mind would want to estrange themselves deeper into some shady business? Might as well just get the heck out of here while you still could right?
"But of course, I had already intended to make this announcement at the very end anyway. Just to confirm, could I get a show of hand on who has already confirmed their paper's contents and IS satisfied with what they see?"
Thankfully Satoru has conveniently positioned himself at the back of the crowd, providing him with both the opportunity to check everyone's responses as well as avoiding what potentially would have been the third awkward moment. Seeing as he hadn't even begun to come to terms with his own abilities, any attempts to raise his hand could be labelled as BS.
"Seeing as you are now aware of the trade-off, allow me to offer everyone a choice, one you will have until tomorrow morning to decide."
Following the commander's lengthy and detailed explanation, the group had departed from the large hall via yet another mysterious teleport-like spell. Led by the 3 officers, they ascended multiple floors, taking various twists and turns along the way, a journey which the boy was quite certain he couldn't have made on his own without getting lose. He could only imagine the horrors that these officers had to experience on their first day of work. Not only was it tedious, but also tiring.
But boy was he glad they did.
To put it simply, the difference in quality between where they were now and before was quite literally day and night. For starters, the young boy could actually see clearly where he was going, with the area boasting enough modern day lighting systems to illuminate every nook and cranny. Sure he had played it cool before, managing to peer over his shoulder every 10 seconds, but Satoru wasn't confident he could have kept the cool disposition throughout the entire night.
Furthermore, everything they had done wrong on the lower floors were replaced with grandiose designs and decorations, providing an atmosphere that not only settled their doubts, but also instilled a sense of welcoming.
Satoru felt as though he had stepped out from dracula's residence before entering a billionaire's residence.
Fortunately such luxury was not limited to the common areas for their guest quarters were just as if not more tremendous than the former. If anything, it was a little extreme...sure, a walk-in wardrobe was nice but hardly necessary for someone who more than likely, only planned to stay a single night. The same could be said for every other element within this room, whether it be the insanely large desk, king-sized bed or the vast assortment of hair-conditioners that rivaled the shelves of a supermarket.
It was simply overkill no matter how you looked at it.
Still none of that remotely stirred a second thought, his mind far too preoccupied with an upcoming design, one that potentially...no...definitely would change his life for better or worse. To what degree he wouldn't know until after the fact. Directing his gaze at a nearby desk, the young boy narrowed his eyes on an envelope that housed a certain piece of magic paper, recalling a memory that had transpired recently.
1 Hour Ago
"Seeing as you are now aware of the trade-off, allow me to offer everyone a choice, one you will have until tomorrow to decide."
Yo didn't need to be a genius to grasp the tension flowing in the air, the commander's authoritative voice more than enough to indicate his seriousness.
"Before we begin thought, let me reiterate that this option is strictly your choice as my guarantee for your safe return to Earth still stands. in fact, most before you have chosen to do so and for good reason too. That means, there is no strings attached should you opt to bail out and leave. Furthermore, we will compensate you with some funds for the time we have taken out of your busy lives. Is that clear?"
"Yes sir!"
"For the sake of adding context, I shall begin by shedding light on the real reason for your invitation tonight for most probably have a misconception on this matter. First off, Yggdrasil is not a game."
Confusion spread from face-to-face amongst the crowd, some adorning an expression that accurately portrayed their disbelief. Satoru had been no different, raising an eyebrow in response. After all, it was like hearing that 1 plus 1 didn't equal 2.
"That's right, Yggdrasil was never designed with the intention of being a game. Under the pretense of a MMO-RPG, it was a convenient and accurate means for us to monitor our players on a fundamental level, allowing us to grasp details we wouldn't normally be able to. Use of abilities, combat knowledge, strategies are just a few of the criterias we based our decision on. Upon close inspection of this data, we were able to compile a list of candidates with the required latent potential, individuals who have the necessary abilities to join our organisation."
That was when it dawned on them...
"Don't tell me we are...?" was the single thought that spread from person to person faster than a rumor in high school. Even without being particular about the details, it was easy enough to link the dots. Although some chose to deny, any chance of denial was ultimately swept away by the commander.
"That's right, standing here in this very room are a small portion of such selected people. Any questions so far?"
Subtly glancing left and right, Satoru confirmed that he wasn't the only one seeking answers, those around him returning equally perplexed looks. At this point, ignorance was no longer bliss. Figuring that he might as well participate in the running for the most questions asked by the same guy in one lecture award, the young boy threw his hand up in the air.
"Yes Satoru-kun, ask away!"
"Thank you sir." Despite having a good idea of the answer, he still decided to phrase his inquiry as broad a fashion as possible, hoping for the commander to elaborate from there. "Regarding the topic at hand, when you called us individuals with the necessary abilities, what exactly did you mean by that?"
"Well to delve into the specifics would take us well past bedtime, so let me tune simplicity up a notch. Everyone present has the potential to wield powers and achieve feats outside the realm of ordinary standards or at least what human beings deem as impossible...in other words...magic."
Not the slightest hint of surprise could be seen, instead a slight twitch was all that occurred on the young boy's otherwise dull complexion for the reply was anticipated.
"Just like in Yggdrasil?"
"Something akin to it, but fundamentally different in more aspects than one. For starters, the exact nature of magical affinity varies from person to person, being something you are born with rather than an option unlike Yggdrasil. Of course, the main body of this story is strictly reserved for interested ears only, but just to present a brief demonstration."
A spiral of mysterious white energy began gathering around the commander, rearranging itself into something Satoru had seen quite a few times already. Then...in the blink of an eye, he was gone.
"So what do you guys think?"
"What!" Every occupant in the hall shifted their gaze 180 degrees with the exception of 2 armored officers at the front.
"How did he get behind us?" A chocked feminine voice could be heard fro the crowd.
"I have no idea..." Another voiced out their confusion.
"Not!"
"Too!"
"Shabby!"
"Right?"
By now the older man had returned to his original position, standing in between both his colleagues, both of whom had remained completely unfazed throughout the entire event.
"Anyone have a clue as to what exactly that was?" Satoru had initially planned to play it off, hoping for the white-hair man to answer his own question. However, the seconds soon turned into several long minutes with only the clock ticking away in the background. By now, it had become increasingly obvious that neither side intended to yield and the thought of spending the night here slowly crept it's way into reality. Letting off a sign of resignation, the young boy decided to offer his own two cents on the matter.
"Would the perhaps be teleportation, sir?"
"Wonderful Satoru-Kun, it is exactly as you say! As i mentioned earlier, although it differs from one to the next, everyone here possesses some form of natural inclination to an affinity. And if you're curious about your own..." Kawakami paused to show everyone the piece of paper from the little activity earlier before continuing. "the answer is literally within you're grasp. Here, we provide everyone with the chance and opportunity to grow, nurture and develop this gift."
"In conclusion, this is the second choice we get?"
"Precisely, choosing to stay here will result in you official signing up as a member of our cause and vice verse. Think carefully, as choosing to stay will cost a bit of freedom that you will otherwise be entitled to in your everyday lives."
"With all due respect sir, there is still something I don't understand."
"Please ask away my boy." Kawakami beckoned him onward with a genuinely friendly smile.
"I'm not quite sure how to phrase it in a way that doesn't make me seem incentive driven, but what possible reason could one have for staying? Don't get me wrong, powers are cool and all, but throwing away our lives ain't an easy choice either."
"All I can say is, here you have the opportunity to make a difference, a chance to use your powers for the greater good. Alternatively, you can choose to think of us as a company offering you all a future job. The exact reason or motivation for staying however? That is something you will have to find out for yourself, and hopefully an answer you can finish searching for before tomorrow morning."
Present
With that last piece of advice said, the long awaited end had arrived.
Those that wanted supper were later led to the mess hall, while the others were permitted free reign of the enormous facility. Feeling neither hungry nor adventurous, Satoru decided to simply take a shower before resigning to his personal quarters.
'Tomorrow huh?'
At this point, he wasn't sure whether or not he wanted to welcome it or not. Normally, he would have jump straight into bed and called it a night. After all, his evening had been much more tiring than what he normally did...aka playing games. But a part of him was reluctant, as though telling him that he needed to get his facts straight, to make a correct decision in the face of a dramatic crossroad.
One way or another, his mind wasn't going to let him sleep right now.
'Killing time it is then.'
Satoru did a quick visual sweep of his surroundings, still just as fascinated by the interior's size as he was when he first entered. It made him painfully aware of just how small his own apartment was, especially when the walk in wardrobe alone nearly matched it.
What caught his attention more however, was a small 2 layered shelf just adjacent to a small work desk towards the far right of the room. The only thing that could settle his doubts or perhaps exhaust his mental reserves was the intake of knowledge, and no better way to do that besides reading. The titles that stacked against one another were indeed a pleasant surprise to the boy.
"Magical creatures...What is mana?...Yggdrasil project..." The young boy mumbled as his finger glossed over the glossed paperbacks before stumbling on one in particular. "A complete guide on magic affinity."
Sliding the giant book out with both hands, Satoru quickly flipped through the contents, stopping to glance here and there at interesting topics.
"Wow...it even has a list of known magic affinities in here."
Pyrokinesis, telekinesis, teleportation, etc...there was simply too many to quote, providing an accurate explanation towards the book's thickness. But the boy had been set towards finding one in particular, for within his pockets still lay a magic paper.
"I need to confirm...if what I think is true."
But there was simply too many pages and too little energy, a fact made clearly with the yawns that the boy elicited more and more frequently.
"I can just wake up a little early in the morning."
Leaning his entire body onto a surprisingly soft recliner, Satoru muttered quietly as he continued to stare at the bland ceiling above. To be completely honest, he was making absolutely zero progress in his final decision, being inclined to neither side. From the perspective of a normal person, taking the compensation funds and legging it was by far the smarter choice, for they basically knew nothing about this place. Sure, commander Kawakami came off as trustworthy guy, but his words had entailed quite the hint of danger. Their attire was further proof of this and the way they addressed one another only reminded Satoru of how an army operated with the only real difference being the addition of magic.
So why was he hesitating when the scales were tipped so heavily in favor of leaving?
Why did he want to stay even in the absence of a single reason?
Calculating, reasonable, clam, all these were traits Satoru had prided himself on in exchange for his poor social and interpersonal skills.
Always being able to pick the best option no matter the situation...
Of course, he wasn't alone in this opinion for his guildies from Yggdrasil were the ones who first mentioned it, greatly praising him as an essential part of Ainz Own Goal.
Yet on a day in which it mattered the most, these traits all left him, leaving behind a mere indecisive shadow.
"No...I've always been like this." The young boy muttered in between yawns, his eyelids growing progressively heavier with each passing word. "That was all behind a screen...the one that everyone truly respected and relied heavily on...was none other than Narberal Gamma..."
Finally succumbing to the day's accumulated fatigue, Satoru decided to rest right where he sat, his body far too exhausted to crawl into bed.
The last thing he heard before darkness took over was several unnaturally quiet knocks on his door followed by the sound of unsheathing metal.
A/N - And here we are again at the end of another chapter! Thank you very much to each of you who took the time to read this, and I sincerely hope you enjoyed it!
Again feel free to leave behind any message as I'd love to hear what you all have to say!
Welp that's all from me, looking forward to seeing you all again in the next chapter :D
-Lynn
Review Responses:
GhostPyro - Haha, the start does seems similar :D Thank you very much for your support! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
sonic - Thank you ! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
B563 - Thank you for your kind words! I genuinely appreciate your message, and I hope that you enjoyed this chapter! While I won't delving too much into the future plot of the story for spoiler reasons :P , you would be correct in saying that Ainz (Satoru) will be very different from the actual source. For better or worse...we shall see :D But again, thank you for your compliment and looking forward to seeing you in the next chapter.
sappy3 - Thank you for your review! As for the commander, there is a chance he does but there will be more on him in the future chapters !
Awareness Bringer - Thanks for your review! Hopefully you found this chapter enjoyable too, looking forward to seeing you in the next.
0November0 - Agreed, the relationship between Satoru and Narberal will deepen in the future chapters! As for the powers he has...we shall find out in the future chapters!
L.B.N - Muwhahahha! Only the author enjoys leaving cliffhangers I think :D Thank you again for your review! Looking forward to seeing you in the next.