Soldier Boy and Angel Girls

by Dalubhasa69420

The GSC President wished for a kind dependable and reliable adult to lead the many students of Kivotos as a teacher, who knew what to do at every situation, who had the integrity and responsibility to fulfill their obligations, one who never abandons his students... unfortunately, she has to settle for an ex child soldier with heroin addiction.A03crosspost

18. Chapter 18

Soldier Boy and Angel Girls

Kivotube

The webcam image of HelmetFrappolo94 shows her leaning onwards, focused with eyes visible as her helmets visor is up playing Terror and Starvation Chronicles. The rapid tapping of keys going off as she's trying to avoid and escape combat in the overworld, breathing heavy as her eyes turned left, right, up, down, basically everywhere on the screen to take everything into account.

[Gehennastudent7293: Literally the first survival horror game that's actually about surviving.]

[Trinitystudent0727: So this is how commoners avoid getting robbed...]

[Millenniumstudent5731: I still can't believe a game made by the GDD is being played by a big Kivotuber.]

HelmetFrappolo94 ignored the live comments in favor of focusing on not dying and losing 30 minutes of progress as she has yet to save.

Then finally, the malformed enemy guard she's been avoiding stops for a moment giving her a chance to run away as the enemy chases after her character. Her eyes glimmer in hope as her-

Splat!

[You stepped on a rusty nail.]

[You're now infected.]

Followed by the white flash and sound effect signaling the start of combat.

"No! Goddammni-!"

[RedWinterstudent9692: Hey! It's like the time I got diarrhea because I drank spoiled milk!]

"You! Shut up!"

/

Yuuka P.O.V

So this... this is what the GDD was working on? A game based on the dark ages featuring some stuff from those Skin Bible things and what I assume to be stories from where Levi-Sensei came from.

I brought a SteamDeck just for this, so I'm hoping it was worth it. In the character selection menu, I picked the Knight Lady and the choices to step aside and dodge the attack, abandon my aristocratic family, rear guard, and stock up on food.

The game has starvation in its title so this should be the optimal pick... I hope.

The game starts and I immediately bolt for the main entrance. I've read somethings on the internet, as well as watched a few clips of gameplay showing that staying in here will get me mauled by dogs.

[You feel your sanity declining.]

[You feel an unnatural sense of hunger.]

Reaching the inside, there's a table which I tried interacting with-

[Book of Fears]

The game prompted, followed by the contents of the book containing exactly what it's title said. Hmm, my character has erotophobia so that means that she's weaker against promiscuous enemies or something.

Moving on, I move o the right and through a door seeing... a girl with orange hair in a cage covering her face.

[There's a little girl inside the cage. She's covering her face.]

The game said.

[Talk]

[Leave]

There's no option to free her?! I knew that they took inspiration from Levi-Sensei and Reila-san's stories but there's no need to commit to such a thing!

"Oh my, Yuuka-chan? Hmm, you need either the Lockpicking skill as the Mercenary or a Small Key." I heard Noa behind me saying.

"Right, thanks Noa."

"You're welcome, Yuuka-chan. Well, have fun now." And with that, she left for her duties. Wait a minute, how did she know that? Oh well.

Moving on to the right, I see a grey ogre looking monster with a cleaver. My character and it runs into eachother and the combat starts with a white flash.

People on the forums were all writing down what they learn from each run, almost as if acting as one in deciphering and making this game easier to both play and understand so I'm not as senseless as many others in their first run.

Using the attack option, I target the arm holding a cleaver. Then with a slash animation, that particular limb disappears in a flash of white. That should be it, there's a prompt by the game but I didn't read it in time as I targeted one of the enemy legs.

[The Guard takes a step closer!]

[Heads/Tails]

Ah, the almost universally hated coin flip mechanic I've read about. Many openly despise it for being unfair, some are defending it saying that it's part of what makes the game special. Regardless, I choose heads as I pressed enter.

The coin flips, and drops as it's lifted revealing... tails. Of course.

[Mad Rush]

[The Guard rushes at you in blind rage!]

The game announced, followed by a long and numerous slashing animations on my character. Finally, the damage output comes out and reduces my characters HP to zero.

[The Knight was defeated!]

Then the game fades to black. I sigh with a blink processing what I just witnessed, the victory should've been mine if no- I pause my thoughts as the game faded in again instead of a game over screen.

In the overworld, the ogre enemy is... hacking off my characters legs. A sickening splat followed by pixelated blood gushing filled my ears as my characters pixel legs are thrown away as the game faded to black again.

Seriously, Levi-Sensei and Reila-san... what have they been teaching the GDD? Wait a minute... the way Sensei said he sawed his own arm off back then... he said it like he dropped a fork or something, like it was nothing out of the ordinary... is this kind thing common where he came from?

The game faded in again, my character on the ground missing both legs in a... red squishy place. Ugh, I think those are... pixelated decomposing human remains. Hmm, the game isn't fading to black.

[You're embraced by rotten flesh.]

[Everything feels and stinks repulsively.]

I press a directional button, and I gasped seeing my character just crawl. Oh my... the game will actually let me play like this? I get out of the pit of bodies, a sickening squelch can be heard as my Knight Lady tore herself out of there.

[Level 2: Blood Pit.]

It said in the upper left.

[The stench of gore fills the damp air.]

Ugh, this entire place... the walls, floor, ceiling... everything is a dead body. Hmm, no way this is just a one off thing. Perhaps... there's something in the wall of bodies, that's probably a thought Levi-Sensei would have.

And so, I spammed the interact key as I'm moving- no, crawling with my arms up and the sides interacting with the place as-

[There's something in there.]

[Keep searching?]

Aha! I knew it! Yes! Then, another sequence of squelching ensued as something was pulled out of the flesh wall. Is that... a head?

[???: Who dares interrupt my slumber?!]

That's just a floating head with a spine. My character might have no legs, but I can take him... probably.

[???: You maggot! My body wasn't even complete yet!]

Hmm, I wonder who this guy is.

[???: You face Nash'rah! Terror and doom of modern man!]

Interesting. I thought as the screen flashed white, combat starting as I immediately pressed attack on the floating head.

[The Beheaded Wizard chants a prayer.]

[There's something approaching from the darkness.]

Hmm... I think this run is as good as over. I should restart, but out of curiosity I'm staying to see what happens.

And so, I kept on attacking the head and with each turn a creature from the darkness came closer. Is that... supposed to be a... bull or something? Eh, probably a mythical creature of sort.

Then, it reached its final phase with the screen fading to black.

[The darkness beast crushes you under its enormous weight.]

Enormous... weight? I don't know why, but somehow I feel that it's directed at me.

[Terror and Starvation.]

Is that it? Oh finally, I thought I'd never get a proper game over screen. Heck, I think this is the first game in which I actually wished to give my character a proper game over for actual peace. And... I didn't even get the chance to eat the food I got from the backstory sequence.

I remember reading that each run was it's own learning experience as there are no tutorials.

I have to admit, I'm not too into videogames but even I can tell how original that is compared to what Kivotos game devs come up with yearly.

So... despite how obviously unfair this is, I'm kind of curious for more.

Alright, new game!

/

Kivotube

HelmetFrappolo94, playing as the monster hunter which has higher base attack stat, hums joyfully to herself as she moves through the dungeon prisons avoiding the flying little creatures.

[Millenniumstudent6784: The GDD on their AngelGram said that guy is based on a real life person. Ragnvaldr the Monster Hunter they said!]

[Trinitystudent3196: Well, until the Sensei's arrival we thought that the Sisterhood was just making stuff up about God... then Sensei appeared along with magic. The magic of the God the Sisterhood worships!]

She then moves up, to a new section of the map she has so far not explored and-

She gasps, widening her eyes slightly at the sight. It's an overworld sprite of one of the other playable characters inside a prison cell.

[Gehennastudent9138: Holy s*! They actually appear in game!]

Pressing the interact button on the cell, she picks the option to break the door down.

[I'm Cahara of the South, a mercenary. I was caught by one of those malformed guards.]

[Recruit]

[Leave]

[Attack]

Eagerly, the helmet gangster dressed in purple and a knights helmet pressed on the recruit option. Then, the screen faded in and out in a second as the Mercenary was now following her player character walking.

[Gehennastudent4710: Hey! New homie!]

[Millenniumstudent3197: Oh, thank physics! I thought the game didn't have party members.]

[Trinitystudent8619: There's an easy way to get party members. Play as the dark priest, and interact with the whole skeletons you find.]

[Millenniumstudent3197: Really? Thanks sis!]

She paused, going to the equipment menu and giving the new party member some of the weapons and equipment she has found but could not use as she has found relatively better ones for herself.

After that, she want back to the overworld dodging the flying enemies and into an entrance to another part of the map.

[The Mercenary is gone, your pocket feels lighter.]

"Huh?... it can't be..."

[You're missing a Light Blue Vial and 6 bottles of Ale.]

HelmetFrappolo94 froze, eyes wide looking at the screen as she read the prompt.

[RedWinterstudent6294: Lololol! Literally Red Winter! You're just minding your own business and suddenly, you're missing half your allowance!]

[Gehennastudent1582: What a jerk! We save him and this is the thanks we get?!]

[Trinitystudent7925: The Mercenary has Lockpicking... he probably faked being caught...]

Her player character's mind was at 40, health at 50. She's withheld using such resources as she thought she would need them more later. A mentality she's developed playing Terror and Starvation Chronicles for 12 hours straight.

Throwing her head back, HelmetFrappolo94 loudly groaned out with a cry as she held her head and face with both hands.

/

Hina P.O.V

I used to play some videogames back before I was made the Head Prefect, but the new responsibilities and duties never gave me ample time to enjoy myself in personal things.

But this new game... the developers from Millennium claimed that they got the idea from Levi-Sensei and the supposed assistant Sensei, that woman in a pink dress.

Ugh... just thinking about it and how the general public was gossiping about them being an intimate couple is...

Moving on, I brought the game online and picked the Dark Priest. Picked the choices not to stab my sister from behind and got the Mastery Over Insects skill, which if I remember correctly belonged to the God of Fear and Hunger.

Also, wasn't it Mastery Over Vermin?

Then, I got a choice in which God my character would worship as a Dark Priest.

[Gro-goroth]

The God of Destruction.

[Sylvain]

The Goddess of Love... the same one Chinatsu... moving on.

[Alll-Mer]

The deity that the Trinity Sisterhood worships. I heard Levi-Sensei at one point say that his only blessings are the red sword and the portals. Aside from that, the Inverse Crown of Thorns... is more of a sick prank.

[God of The Depths]

Wait a minute, shouldn't it be the God of Fear and Hunger? Hmm, interesting... Levi-Sensei did say on TV that it was born a few hundred years ago, and the setting of this game seemingly being the mid to medieval times, or perhaps the dark ages...

Truly, interesting.

I then picked the option to stock up on magical goods, giving me one of those stones Levi-Sensei gave me to learn Moth Swarm, but chose not to save my character history. Dying in the first run is said to be inevitable, and each run is it's own tutorial or learning experience regarding the enemies and game mechanics.

And so, the game starts.

Doing as some of the gameplay videos I have seen, I quickly looted the crates before entering through the small entrance in the left. A prompt from the game states that I, or rather my character, feels his sanity declining while feeling an unnatural sense of hunger.

Let's see... pick up those blue and green herbs as well as looting some barrels.

Hmm... that circle... it has half the symbol of the God of Fear and Hunger.

[A ritual circle dedicated to an old forgotten god.]

Interesting... looks like that's the only thing the game is saying about it.

Moving on, I avoid and move past the floating octopus thing as it's been said online that it drops nothing on top of being annoying to fight.

Then my character turns around, screaming as he reaches up his arm and sinks... into the floor followed by a laugh from what could only be a witch as I found myself in a place of darkness.

Huh, I haven't found any footage of this as well as anything written on the forums. So... that means that I am the first one to discover this? I'm not sure if I'm luck or unlucky knowing that.

I start moving along the only available path, the witch that pulled my Dark Priest under the ground spinning around him in the air as she kept on laughing until I reached the exit and found myself where I just was before sinking down the ground.

That was... something.

Moving on to the right, looting whatever crate or barrels available on the way as-

[Head/Tails]

The prompt appeared as I pressed the interact key on a chest. Hmm... holding the shift button, I press enter as two coins were flipped. I feel my lips curling slightly up knowing that reading the Terror and Starvation forums and watching gameplay is making this less of a-

I paused my thoughts utterly flabbergasted at the result of two coins landing tails, that is the symbol of Gro-goroth for some reason, when I pressed the enter on heads.

[The chest had nothing.]

... That has to be intentional.

Moving on, I found myself in a hallway and... a skeleton! I immediately rush to it and interact on it... nothing.

Huh? I could've sworn that the forums said that the Dark Priest can resurrect skeletons as party members! Alt tabbing quickly and opening up the online forums, I scroll down looking for the...

Oh, Dark Priest doesn't get the Necromancy skill unless he kills his sister, or if his backstory is skipped. Hmm, everyone here is trying to figure out how to learn magic or what the soul stones are for.

Wait, wouldn't it be a bit chaotic if the general public knew how to use magic?! Levi-Sensei should know that, so why did he tell the developers about soul stones?! Well, even if they knew what the soul stones are for it's not like they know about that table.

Then, moving on and going through a... isn't this a little too big to be a mere basement? I thought to myself as I moved to the center.

Then footsteps, heavy thumping footsteps rapidly coming towards me from the darkness. A giant in armor with chandelier looking arms chargi-

[The Iron Shakespeare charges you!]

Hmm... I'm... dead, aren't I? The escape skill can't be used on bosses, and I've barely found and equipment or a table to use my one soul stone.

Using the attack option, I pick... lets see... I know about the dismemberment gameplay system... but this boss has heavily armored arms... I don't know if it's intentional, but the armor on the enemies torso looks thin.

And so, I attacked the torso. An animation of the Dark Priest swinging a short sword played, the damage number being shown to be 67... come to think of it, the Dark Priest seems very much physically weak.

The Iron Shakespeare attacks, swinging one arm and dealing 47 out of 100 damage, immediately reducing my Dark Priest's HP to half. Followed by the other arm attacking leaving me at a mere 3 HP.

Hmm... I feel like the game is mocking me with that. Once again, I press attack on the torso as the scrawny dark robed character swung and dealt a pathetic amount of damage and was subsequently slain in the boss' attack.

Sigh, I'm playing as the Knight Lady next.

/

Kivotube

HelmetFrappolo94 was happy, ecstatic even. Rushing out of the prisons after having pulled a lever, she talks about how far she's gone after dying and losing 30 minutes of progress earlier.

She has slain all the guards in this floor, giving her an unlimited amount of safe saves for all the beds in the floor. On top of that, she found an Eclipse Talisman which she used to purify a door leading to a Hexen. Then with a looted a soul stone from a slain dark priest enemy, she cursed her Monster Hunter characters axe which significantly boosted her damage.

Moving through a pathway to another part of the map, she-

[You feel dizzy.]

Her happy excited expression froze for a moment.

[You died from your infection.]

[RedWinterstudent1873: Just when you think you're doing well, you're kicked down and stomped. Truly, this game is peak representation of Red Winter life!]

[Trinitystudent8902: I told you earlier to check the forums!]

[Gehennastudent1283: You can cure infections by green herbs you can pick off the ground and find in barrels or...]

[Millenniumstudent1794: I'm mid playthrough with an infected arm, haven't found any Green Herbs after using what I already found, and I really don't want to lose my progress. Please tell me!]

Pressing the key to move on, HelmetFrappolo94 loaded her last save as she's reading the live comments.

She hadn't bothered with reading the descriptions on the blue or green herbs, and had assumed the status effects from stepping on a rusty nail to be anything important. She thought that her panic earlier was nothing and ignored the next prompt saying she stepped on a rusty nail, now she realizes that ot was an actual appropriate response.

[Gehennastudent1283: Use a bonesaw on the infected limb. I took the "each run and death is a learning experience" and I just started doing dumb stuff. Turns out that removing an infected limb will also remove the infection!XDXDXDXD!]

HelmetFrappolo94's eye twitched reading that comment. She couldn't tell if the commenter meant it or if she's just trolling.

[RedWinterstudent1847: Ah, that's just life. Demanding massive payments or offerings that you cannot afford to ignore.]

"Is it just me, or are Red Winter students being a little too happy with misery?" They've been talking a lot like that in her comment section, it was only a matter of time when she would notice and ask her audience about it.

[Trinitystudent2863: Hmph! Once again, Gehenners are proving why they're all subhuman!]

"Oi! Don't get me demonetized!" HelmetFrappolo94 screamed angrily at the commenter from Trinity, not wanting to lose her revenue as she will be back to being homeless as a delinquent if she did.

[Millenniumstudent1794: I just tested it... it freaking works.]

Reading that someone has confirmed the information from the Gehenna commenter to be true, HelmetFrappolo94 sighs as she massages her temple.

"I know that the devs took inspiration from the Sensei of Schale, but that... feels like he just wants to give us a taste of his pain." Did the Sensei of Schale actually saw his own arm off due to an infection, or did he lose it due to an attack from whoever, whatever, wherever he came from?

HelmetFrappolo94 moves on, not really wanting to know which is true or just mere assumptions.

/

Gematria

"Before the boy fully discovers us, we must attack and annihilate him as soon as possible." The red skinned woman in a white dress spoke in all seriousness, hands on the table as she leaned slightly addressing her partners.

Tap! Tap!

The headless man in a trench coat holding a photo isn't fully listening, absolutely uninterested in what the red woman is saying.

Tap! Tap!

The two headed wooden puppet is, out of decency, listening but not taking in the womans words.

"He's already kicked Black Suit out of his own territory, he's already discovered my existence." The red skinned woman spoke once again, slowly turning her head from one side to another to look at her peers with her numerous eyes. "Frustrating as it is to say, it will not be long before he full uncovers us."

Tap! Tap!

"... That boy has shown what he is capable of, no thanks to our combined surveillance networks." She paused slightly at first, eyeing the man of otherworldly black with his head down staring at something on his hands instead of listening to her. "He will no doubt launch a pre emptive strike, regardless of the political and public repercussions."

Tap! Tap!

"Black Suit, will you stop playing with that thing like a child!" She loudly demanded with a sneer to the man of otherworldly black, who's just about given up on hiding his handheld game console. "We're talking about the survival of our organization here!"

Tap! Tap!

The red skinned woman clicked her tongue in annoyance at the black mans antics.

"Lady Beatrice, why do you keep insisting on treating Levi as an existential threat?" Black Suit said calmly, turning his head up in decency as he spoke to the woman after pausing his game. "Have you forgotten my report from our last meeting? Levi is- would've been willing to join us, had I chosen to comply to his demand."

"Nonsense! You're merely making excuses for your failure!" Beatrice scowled, a smirk out of confidence and a sense of superiority over the black man. "Out of the four of us, I'm the only one here with a solid hold over Kivotos. What the hell have you three been doing?!"

Tap! Tap!

"I assure you, dear madame. Even now, I am studying what information Levi has disclosed to the public." Black Suit said, continuing he's play through of Terror and Starvation.

"By acting like a spoiled child?!" Beatrice, who always gives off the appearance of being call and composed, is not very pleased with the black man.

"Stories and lore about magic and the pantheon of gods where he came from, there are a lot in this game." Black Suit said, his joy playing the game and discovering new information is audible in his voice. "It even holds the ideas to attain affinity with the Gods, at least the ones in Levi's world, as well as the spells."

"Stories... magic? Tsk, and I thought you were a professional all these years."

"Madame, just because you do not understand does not mean it isn't true." Hearing the headless man speaking, the red womans hand twitch and scratched the part of the table she's holding. "The Australian Aboriginals had oral stories of long extinct animals, Troy was thought to be a mere story before the city itself was rediscovered. Stories hold more weight than most would think."

"That's right, bit-" The headless man quickly covered the photo he is holding, stopping it from needlessly provoking the red madame.

"Let's say we end up attaining the same power the boy holds through these stories, how long would it take us?"

"You are much too hasty, madame. Art takes a long time to prepare, even longer to finish." The two headed wooden puppet then spoke up. "The Sensei boy is aware of you, yet he has so far to hunt you. Long preparations are a prerequisite to a quick victory, no?"

"Hmph, don't tell me that when he has you under his boot." Beatrice sneered as she looked away from the wooden man, annoyed at the prospect of being hunted by a mere boy.

"Like I said, Beatrice. Levi would've been willing to join when we spoke, perhaps... we could offer him something." Black Suit spoke once again pausing his game to fully address the madame. "For example, it's not that difficult to predict how a young man would act."

"Black Suit... what exactly are you proposing?" The red woman asked Black Suit, her calm voice laced with malice at what Black Suit was proposing. At least what she thought he was implying.

"You have an entire district of young loyal woman you can throw at Levi." Black Suit said, the scandalous idea immediately catching his comrades full attentions, except Beatrice who is still processing what he said. "Especially your favorite, I believe her name was Joumae Saori. It's a perfect match! Soldier boy and soldier girl!" He cheerfully announced as he giggled, followed by the two other man joining in ok the cheering.

"... Interesting proposition. I will... consider it." Joumae Saori, her most skilled warrior, was the madames favorite. She's not willing, even a little, to give up such an asset when Saori has yet to accomplish what the madame has planned for years at this point.

"Those pauses... don't tell me you were thinking about offering yourself to Levi?" Hearing the man of otherworldly black talking, his sincere tone feels like it's mocking her, Beatrice's many eyes twitched as they moved to look at Black Suit. "I don't think Levi would be interested in... a woman of your age-"

The madame had thrown her fan towards Black Suit in a moment of rage, hearing him talk about her age.

/

Kivotube

Later on the stream, HelmetFrappolo94 navigated hee way through the lower dungeons. Humming happily to herself after all of what she has figured out thus far, and having found and recruited the Moonless Beast, a wolf with six eyes which killed a boss known as the cave mother in one hit.

[Gehennastudent5729: Wooooh! Moonless best doggo!]

[Trinitystudent1778: Pet the doggo! Feed the doggo!]

Feed Moonless, HelmetFrappolo94 certainly did. Feed her the carcass of her enemies that is, in game of course.

Finding herself in a new place in the map, HelmetFrappolo94 pauses in her tracks. In front of her character, a humanoid in yellow clothing is standing still.

Is this an enemy? An NPC that has dialogue? Perhaps... a recruitable party member?! The possibilities are many at this point, yet HelmetFrappolo94 narrows her eyes in caution as she has yet to find a save spot in this new dungeon floor.

[20,000 Credits donated]

Kivotube announced with a jingle.

[Gehennastudent1027: Dew it, charge ahead your progress be damned and I'll donate another 20k]

The Kivotuber in purple gasps, eyes widening as she leaned closer to her monitor reading that live comment. That's a lot, but this being from a Gehenna known for trouble makers and crimes... she's having doubts.

On one hand, it's more disposable money after rent and groceries of course but on the other, more pain and suffering in the dungeons.

[Trinitystudent8264: Of course, a Gehenner would say something like that. But...]

[20,000 Credits donated]

[Trinitystudent8264: I have more money than I know what to do with. So, as the Gehenner said, dew it!]

HelmetFrappolo94 freezes, in shock at the Gehennan and Trinity teaming up to make her suffer for their amusement.

With some whining, coupled with the shaking of her head sideways. She slowly retakes hold of her keyboard and mouse, and moved towards the yellow figure.

Then, it started dancing as a vacuum like sound played and a red and black aura gathered around her player character.

Boom!

A distorted explosion sound, a wet squelch, and an animation of a limb being splattered away played in that exact sequence on her way to the yellow clad figure.

[You lost an arm!]

Followed by another.

[You lost your other arm!]

[You can no longer hold a weapon!]

Reaching the yellow figure as the white flash signaling the start of combat played, HelmetFrappolo94's character the Monster Hunter appeared with no hands and with the bleeding status effect.

The yellow figure is named as the Yellow Mage.

[Get him!]

[Down girl!]

This appears to be for Moonless, the Kivotuber with a knight helmet thought to herself. But really... does that even matter anymore?

She presses on the option to sic her wolf companion at the Yellow Mage who blew her arms off, and the animation and sound effect of Moonless biting played followed by the Yellow Mage losing his head.

The game declares the Monster Hunter to be victorious and it returns to the overworld. But again, it really doesn't matter anymore.

[20,000 Credits donated.]

Somehow, the jingle and the amount donated felt more like an insult than a prize that the Kivotuber won.

[Gehennastudent1027: 20k, just like I promised! XDXDXDXD!]

[40,000 Credits donated.]

[Trinitystudent8264: I'm not letting myself be bested by a lowly demon.]

At the very least, the bright side for HelmetFrappolo94, she has plenty for rent and groceries with all those donations.

[RedWinterstudent1578: The scum upper class using their vast stolen wealth to force the lower class into pain and misery for their own amusement. This game truly is amazing, both showing the truth of suffering that is life and unveiling the true nature of the upper class!]

HelmetFrappolo94's eye twitched out of annoyance reading the comment from Red Winter.

[Millenniumstudent1964: If it makes you feel better, there's an item that prevents limb loss but... I don't know where to find it, I was just snooping around the files.]

That really didn't make the Kivotuber feel better, but she nonetheless loads her last save to keep playing.

/

Hina P.O.V

I can't believe it... I'm probably the first one to reach this point, finding the imprisoned prophesized man that my character, the Knight Lady, came to rescue... or at least his cell.

Avoiding the enemy lurking about, I open up the door to welcome myself inside and... see a long haired man, arms up in chains and head down... blood flowing down his neck.

[He is... dead, for a long time by the state of decay. You have nothing to stay here for, you may now leave the dungeons.]

Hmm, I have a feeling that there's more in the game but nonetheless, I navigate my way back to the top and entrance. Tracing my steps and path as I avoided every enemy that I had no need to face.

Finally, I reached the entrance from the beginning and make my way through the fog.

[Ending E - Escape?]

Of course, that couldn't be the end of it. To have such a simple and anticlimactic end after everything? Even I can see how that is absurd.

[You left the dungeons, yet the horrid images and darkness still haunts you.]

The game said, then a fade to my character in her battle sprite facing towards the foggy dungeons and a guards silhouette.

[Did you really leave the dungeons?]

Hmm, I don't think anyone has gotten any endings so far. So...

[Hard Mode unlocked.]

Huh? That wasn't hard?!

/

Kivotube

[@HeadPrefectHina]

[I simply wanted to share this, seeing as everyone playing has contributed to whatever piece of information they find in the game.]

HelmetFrappolo94 looked on wide eyed in shock, the Gehenna Head Prefect of all people beat her to an ending.

[Gehennastudent1755: Holy crap! Hina plays videogames?!]

Why is that Gehennan so shocked? HelmetFrappolo94 thought but did not bother asking.

[Trinitystudent8027: Yeah, no. I don't think I'll be seeing a Tea Party member playing the game.]

[Millenniumstudemt9752: This will definitely win the Millennium Prize, so I can imagine that President Rio will be checking out Terror and Starvation Chronicles.]

HelmetFrappolo94 raised a single eyebrow reading that comment. She's heard of how strict and serious the President of Seminar, of the Millennium student council is. No way someone like Tsukatsuki Rio would be playing videogames.

/

Rio P.O.V

Interesting... the Sensei of Schale doesn't seem to mind letting information like this into the general public. It would've been better if he wrote down such information, but... I do have to admit, getting information regarding magic and how it can be attained through this medium is interesting.

I'm... not too into videogames, and I certainly do not like uncertainty so... shameful as it is, I scanned the files to see if there's a way to make the game, Terror and Starvation Chronicles, easier for me.

Turns out, there was in fact a way to make the game easier. Some debug spots at the entrance which gave me 2 whole party members, the Knight and the Monster Hunter, and another which gave me equipment and consumables.

It took me a little while to figure out what the soul stones are for, having to use it on a fallen enemy first and then using it at a Hexen table to learn magic or curse an equipment.

Hmm... Yuuka did learn magic, so I should ask if magic is truly attained that way... no, what am I thinking? It's not magic! It's just unexplained phenomena!

Moving on. Playing as the Dark Priest, I picked to study the God of The Depths out of curiosity as it wasn't the God of Fear and Hunger as expected.

Let's see...

[Needle Worm]

[Locust Swarm]

[Mastery Over Insects]

[Flock of Crows]

There's also some skill branches from the other God symbols, as well as... I think those are the skills of the other playable characters. In my characters skill tree, the Counter Magic skill is already learnt while the other named Greater Blood Magic is yet to be activated.

I have no spells at my disposal yet, so I chose the Flock of Crows skill. Why did I first pick this skill? Well... it kind of sounded cool, and crows are really smart so...

Moving on and navigating my way through the games dark environment, the combat, with the magic skill and two party members, were a cakewalk.

The Flock of Crows blinded the enemies, yet the cost of mind, which is the Games Mana so to speak, was sizable. The two party members removing any capabilities of attacks from enemies, via tactical dismemberment, made my life easier compared to everyone else playing the game.

I paused, looking up from my SteamDeck as the door here in my office opened up. That is... the GDD president, looking at me nervously.

"Uhm... president Rio, about the damages yesterday..." Poor girl, she's shivering... filled with fear.

"It's of no consequence, it was merely... a minor club incident." I smiled as I reassured her, to which she gasped as she smiled and thanked me with a bow. "No need to be nervous, you're game will certainly win the Millennium Prize." Even if it's a mere retro game, it's still a revolution, a new invention when it comes to videogames.

"R-really? You m-mean it?" To answer her question, I flipped my SteamDeck and showed her my current run on Terror and Starvation Chronicles. "Ahh... president. I'm g-glad you like it!" Naturally, she has every right to be happy.

She then excused herself out with a smile, and I continued on playing through the game.

It was... certainly captivating. The lore being revealed through books that would be looted in bookshelves and other such things.

Everything in my path was utterly obliterated, my three party members dismembering any enemy we came across before it could even strike back.

I found another playable character, which I rescued from a cell, then he disappeared and took some of the items in my inventory.

Found a bookshelf to put the mockup book item and met... is that my party member? Hmm... I don't think the game puts into consideration wether the player is using the debug spot or not.

[Ragnvaldr: Halt! This dungeons are filled with abominations and great evil. Are you good, or are you evil?]

The other main character asked, bow and arrow aimed and at the ready.

[I'm good]

[I'm evil]

[Attack him]

Naturally, I chose to tell him that I'm good.

[Ragnvaldr: Only time will tell in this dungeon.]

He said as he put his bow down, and I'm out of the dialogue and back in control.

I immediately interacted with the character, and I came to find out that he's here hunting the man who attacked and killed his village, a man who is bow imprisoned in the lower dungeons.

He's also here to find an artifact that was stolen from his village, having found it from an undiscovered continent he and his band of explorers found and immediately fled.

Moving on, I went on the path and found... I think that's a statue of the Trinity Sisterhoods God, but... it looks different from the traditional depictions I've seen. Come to think of it, the Sisterhood records and the Skin Bible had different depictions of the deity.

I press interact with it, to which I was given the option to pray and so I did.

[Your affinity with Alll-Mer has increased]

Moving on, I interact with that... thing on the side.

It's called the butterfly, it claims to want no trouble or any such conflict. It says that it merely wants to grow wings, to be free and beautiful.

So, seeing how the creature doesn't attack or do anything at all, I left and entered... the ominous looking dead tree.

[You feel the floor beneath you cracking]

[Heads/Tails]

The prompt appeared as I was walking around in the inside. I pressed on tails, then the coin was flipped and... heads. The screen fades to black with a cracking and falling sound.

[Your legs hurt]

The game said as I found myself in... I think this is back in the dungeon proper.

Again, the door to my office opens and I look up from my SteamDeck to look.

"Hey, prez! I got the test results you wanted!" Ah yes, the president of C . I asked her to test the magi- unexplained phenomena the Sensei of Schale gave her, to better understand and perhaps combat it once we're on opposing sides. That teacher boy and I.

"Mikamo Neru, I am grateful." I said as she's handing me a USB storage. She then turns around making her way out the door as she bid me farewell.

Hmm I remember reading in the files what that "Book of Enlightenment" was for, looks like now is a good time to use it.

Using the item in my inventory, I pressed through the dialogue and saved my game.

Now... this is more important at the moment. I thought, sticking the USB in my laptop and reviewing what data was available from Neru's testing of that black and red energy.

/

Yuuka P.O.V

Playing as the Mercenary, I freed the imprisoned little girl and had her as a party member. But, having nowhere to take her to I simply moved along with her in tow.

I made my way past the dungeons and avoided the enemies, just as I've seen and read other people online do.

I then found myself and the girl in a mine of some sort, meeting one of the playable characters, the Knight Lady being hammered on the head by a... troglodyte. This deep underground, it has to be a troglodyte.

So, I rescued her and slayed the troglodytes and now she's a party member. D'arce, is the Knight Lady's name.

[A terrifying presence has entered the room!]

The game announced, followed by a soundtrack so ominous that I... felt my spine tingling. Then, a cacophony of caws from a crow and... an enemy with a mauler for a left arm appearing and rushing towards my party. It... it has a crow head.

Not being able to run away, combat started and I got a closer look at the new enemy. It's muscular and menacing... this is a boss. Crow Mauler is it's name.

I attack the mauler arm first with the Mercenary and Knight, while I direct the little girl with only a small knife to attack a leg.

After my party finished their attacks, the boss enemy did not yet lose his mauler arm.

It attacks! Hitting the Mercenary and dealing 38 damage and inflicting an status effect that's obvious in what it means, a broken bone. Then, a cacophony of caws-

[Flock of Crows]

The game announced, the enemy cawed and a murder of crows appeared and attacked the Mercenary dealing 13 damage.

[The Mercenary is blinded! You can't see anything!]

[Peck]

Followed by an attack on the Knight, followed by a sickening squelch... the Knight no longer has a head. Her headless body falls, no longer living for obvious reasons.

My turn again... I've basically lost. I try attacking again with the Mercenary, but he simply misses.

The Crow Mauler attacks again, reducing the Mercenary's HP to 7 and I awaited it's next attack to finish me off until-

[The girl uses her body to shield you!]

Followed by all the animations of attacks landing on the girl, her HP falling gradually until she falls as it was reduced to zero.

That... that's horrible, yet..

it's... hopeful. The girl wouldn't know who my character is, yet she still chose to give her life for him.

That's... the GDD wasn't this good in expression emotions in their last game yet here... Sensei and Reila-san must've taught them a lot regarding the matter.

/

Kivotube

HelmetFrappolo94... has chosen not to think about what she's been discovering and experiencing in the game, simply choosing to play along and pausing in thought trying to resist asking what the absolute heck was happening.

As did the comments, after having witnessed what the Kivotuber clad in purple has been seeing.

[Millenniumstudent1894: I fricking knew it! The GDD would go this path! Even with the Sensei and assistant sensei on their side, it's Tales Saga Chronicles all over again!]

As was the comments of many Millennium students, throwing strong heavily worded criticisms, insults even, at the game developers.

"Hey, you're the ones who said they had interesting ideas with terrible executions." The helmeted Kivotuber said, side eyeing the comments she's reading. She's focused entirely on the golden palace as she's moving through it's entrance. "This game is fun as heck, so they probably nailed it this time."

[Millenniumstudent1824: Yeah, that's what I was thinking until the time travel with the cube thing happened!]

The first time HelmetFrappolo94 discovered one of the capabilities of the cube, she was simply frozen by disbelief at what the dialogue was implying.

[Millenniumstudent0164: What's next? A super machine that turns you to a god?]

Unbeknownst to that one particular Millennium student, along with many others watching the stream, that's exactly what was going to happen.

HelmetFrappolo94 went through the palace interior, avoiding the flaming death traps as she found the past version of that old man in the present day. It's a boss sitting on the throne, clad in conquistador armor.

As HelmetFrappolo94 read and slowly took in the dialogue, so did her audience of subscribers and newcomers.

[RedWinterstudent7926: You pampered outsiders are naive! It's a clear allegory for what power our tyrant leaders- I ugh, mean great leader truly hold!]

Somehow, the Red Winter students were making sense in this context.

[Millenniumstudent0164: I knew it! They were gonna put in some stupid stuff!]

Ignoring that comment as the boss fight started, HelmetFrappolo94 used the talk skill out of curiosity as she's confident that her defense and other party members will hold up.

[You're nothing but a puppet of the Old Gods.]

She picked the dialogue, and the boss known as Francois the Dominating One denied vehemently, yet-

[You have planted doubt and uncertainty in the New Gods mind.]

And with that, the Kivotuber began attacking the boss, slowly whittling down his HP lower by the seconds. For some reason, the boss had stopped attacking entirely after the dialogue. Naturally, she easily won.

This... this would be the true ending, right? HelmetFrappolo94 questioned, pressing the forwards key and slowly her character made his way to the throne.

Then, she pressed the interact key. An animation of the Monster Hunter sitting on the golden throne and a white flash enveloping the screen, then the sound effect for a battle starting. But strangely, a battle is not happening.

In front of her player character, HelmetFrappolo94 stares at... a mirror image of the Monster Hunter Ragnvaldr. But... different, a bear on his back instead of only the fear, eyes blood shot as it's biting his head.

[You face your New God form]

The game stated, the comments going wild, the Kivotuber in a helmet breathing excitedly that she reached such an ending.

Then, the game offers 2 choices for what she would do with her new found power.

[Stay secluded, live in silence.]

[Announce yourself to the world, tell the masses of your achievement .]

She picked the second option, the game telling her of the results of her choice as a New God. That people were inspired by the tales of her character.

Next, war and famine has overtaken the land, hundreds of thousands die at mere weeks. Many are affected, children included.

[Save mankind with your strength.]

[Influence people through religion.]

The helmeted Kivotuber picked the first option, the game stating that she crushed the warring armies by herself, or rather the Monster Hunter's strength.

[Scientific and cultural advancements have been halted as people preferred worship and religion, society has devolved back into the Iron Age.]

"Oh crap, that's bad... I think." The Kivotuber was a dropout, and the way things are going well for her, a former delinquent as she will have enough to enroll to a school again. So, she doesn't know a lot, or anything at all regarding the past eras.

[You watched as other kings, sultans, and even gods fall around you. In the end, you are the only God left. Humankind fears you, as you're the only one with such power even with the limitations.]

[You remain in the void as New God, you never left the dungeons.]

[Ending D - A New God]

Reading that, HelmetFrappolo94 threw her head back and arms up in a loud happy cheer.

[Hard Mode unlocked]

"What do you mean Hard Mode unlocked?!"

[RedWinterstudent1754: Truly, this game goes above and beyond. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, that's what this ending is all about!]

[Millenniumsstudent2729: Huh, that was... a lot more grounded than expected.]

[Trinitystudent3728: This ending is peak, I have no doubts that the other endings will be peak as well.]

[Gehennastudent9154: Breaking news! The Head Prefect is streaming a boss fight! It's freaking Gro-goroth!]

"Huh? Legit?!" Without another second, HelmetFrappolo94 alt tabbed and joined in on the Head Prefects stream.

/

Hina P.O.V

What am I doing? I never even thought about streaming anything online, much less streaming my own playthrough of Terror and Starvation Chronicles here in Kivotube!

But everyone playing the game... they're all contributing to the effort to decipher this puzzle of a game, numerous students from numerous academies all sharing and pooling together whatever they find in their own playthroughs. Even Gehenna and Trinity students are cooperating online!

As the Head Prefect, I must appear disciplined and well groomed in public. Not only appear but also act disciplined... yet, I felt the call to stream myself playing this game. To join in on the effort to figure the mysteries this game hold.

Having started a new game as the Mercenary earlier, I did my best exploring and getting equipment and such. I found some Empty Scrolls and a quill, to which I did as I did in real life. Learn the Black Orb which made 90 percent of the boss fights easier.

In my exploring, I found some huge purple pulsating heart like organs. Still having the mentality of treating every run as a learning experience, I naturally interacted with it and chose to slash it.

I found one in the tree entrance, another on the way to the prophesized man the Mercenary was paid to rescue, who was surprisingly alive when I found him. Le'garde was that characters name, and he was very useful as a party member. Especially with that skill of his, leg sweep.

Then... I found myself in Mahabre, the apparent city of the gods. I found the third purple organ thing in some sort of throne, the game saying something ominous as I slashes that third and last organ.

[Something of significance has just perished.]

Like the levers leading to the elevator, that must mean that something happened elsewhere. And so, I set out to find it.

And find it, I did. That mouth thing in the troglodyte village has opened up. Of course, I entered and... endured absolute hell trying to avoid death.

Poison sprays and spikes on the ground, the even worse guards that were half wolves, that yellow lizard mage abomination, last but not least were the rolling boulders.

After going through all of that, and finding myself in... a mass of decomposing corpses.

[An entire kingdom lays dead here.]

Enough deceased people to replace the very earth in which to stand. It was here that I started streaming, wanting to record and let the joyful and excited players of such a morbid game watch live. I could've simply recorded and published it, but... it simply didn't feel right.

It was mere moments when the live comment section began to go crazy, countless students from all academies filling the entire comments.

Then, I walked further into the mass of corpses. Eventually stopping as a cutscene played, the camera slowly panning into the darkness.

Then... it appeared. A giant mass of flesh that looks to be mish mashed together, teeth where it's neck should be and bird like heads around it as if it were jewelry. Small wings behind it's back, a face with flesh covered eyes and... phallic looking horns.

It's the God of Destruction, and I'm now fighting him.

[A primal sense of terror overwhelms your mind and body!]

In universe, my character the Mercenary... would very well be soiling himself at the sight of a real god in front of him.

An animation plays, a chanting sound effect.

[Whispers of Gro-goroth]

A status effect was placed on my other party member.

[Millenniumstudent2855: Hey, who's that guy? It's not the Knight Lady...]

[Gehennastudent9641: It's the guy we wree sioposee to rwecue!]

Huh? Was the revelation enough to warrant such shock that she would forget how to spell properly?

[Trinitystudent2754: Perhaps she accomplished the conditions to reach him alive!]

[Millenniumstudent4322: I just checked the files! The condition to rescue that guy is to reach him before 30 minutes in real time!]

These Millennium students have an advantage over the rest of us playing, being able to decipher the game without even playing properly.

Moving on, I use a poison item on the Old God as the Mercenary, which now that I think about it wouldn't make a lick of sense. Then, I used my only other party members skill which is Leg Sweep.

The poison dart hits the gods body, applying the poison status. Then my party members skill landed, a white flash and... the two giant claws, the little eyes around the enemy gods body... they've all been destroyed.

[Gehennastudent3965: Damn! This guys got legs!]

[Trinitystudent4826: Well, he's Leg guard after all!]

[Millenniumstudent4826: Ah, good ol ludonarrative dissonance. It's always funny how that works.]

After a few more turns, the god occasionally launching a laser attack from his eyes. Eventually, I attained victory... against such an opponent! Knowing how this game is, it's most likely not the victory I think it is.

The Gods dialogue starts, in all capital letters. He's talking about how the Old Gods have left the world, that the one we're talking to is a mere trace.

He then gives the option to see what a God truly is, and with some hesitation I chose no. I've... grown a little attached to my Mercenary, and he doesn't need to-

The game then fades to black, an ominous sound playing.

[You bear witness to incomprehensible, cosmic, and primal concepts mixed to an unrecognizable chaotic form!]

The game only shows darkness, but the sound effect is sending shivers down my spine.

[Pure unadulterated terror fills you, your body begins shutting down. The only thing your mind could comprehend was the crushing atmosphere before it fully shut down.]

[Ending B - an Older God]

That was... a bit anticlimactic. The comments seem to think so, except-

[RedWinterstudent4221: The upper class finding a way to cheat and beat us down even though we've already won! Truly, this game represents the true suffering in life!]

But another more sensible one catches my eyes, as it did everyone elses in the comments.

[SenseiofSchale: Good job. Now... being the girl down there, for Ending A.]

/

Misaki P.O.V

This is... interesting to say the least, Terror and Starvation Chronicles. I've managed to get ahold of some outside stuff before, but this is new... even for me who, just like everyone here, is isolated.

Usually, these kinds of games, RPG's, have happy and fun atmospheres. But this games world and environment, even the gameplay...

It's unforgiving of mistakes, the dungeon in which the game takes place in is unwelcoming, each and every time I've played and lost my character suffered a terrible fate. The entire game is... suffocating, oppressive, and dark... like my soul. Heehee.

[The pit emits a putrid stench.]

[Jump in?]

Hmm, most of the other RPG's I've played had secrets when prompts like this come out. I just saved, so I pressed on the option to jump in. The screen fading for a moment and an animation of Mercenary falling down played, landing with a wet fleshy squelch.

Hmm... even with the pixelated graphics, it's clear how repulsive the place I jumped into is... like my soul. Heehee.

[It stinks of rotting flesh, feces, and semen.]

Damn, the devs weren't pulling their punches with that last one.

[Why did you jump here?]

Huh? For a moment reading that, it's as if I felt the game itself judging me. Hmm, nothing seems to be happening, I thought as I moved left and right in this pit.

[You feel your sanity declining at an alarming rate.]

It's only natural that people would lose their minds if they found themselves in such a disgusting place... like my soul. Heehee.

[Suicide is always an option.]

... Huh?

[You have learned the Suicide skill.]

Seriously? That boy Sensei... the fake adult leading our enemies, he thought the devs about this. Hell, he must've thought the devs about this entire setting, as well as the combat mechanics!

He... he completely understands! Why keep living when life is worthless, when the only end possible is a terrible one? Why keep struggling when everything is in vain? Why keep struggling when we can have peace? That Sensei... he completely understands... Vanitas Vanitatum, the futility of life.

Going to the menu and to the skill menu, I see it... the skill which will free my character from his suffering. I use the skill.

It cuts to the overworld, Mercenary closing his eyes and taking out a dagger to slash his own-

I pause my thoughts, an arm wrapping itself on my neck as I felt someone leaning on my side. That hair, that hat, that mask... it's our ever so serious squad leader, and the Madame's favorite. Saori.

Humming in thought, she observes my SteamDeck intently as the animation of the Mercenary freeing himself from his own suffering played. Then, a game over screen with the games title.

"Misaki... delete that game or I'll smash that toy of yours."

"Right... leader."

/

Kivotube

HelmetFrappolo94 was huffing and puffing in excitement and anticipation, her streams comment section going crazy at what they are about to witness.

She did as the Head Prefect of Gehenna said in her own stream, how she reached that new part of the dungeon and bringing along the girl as the Sensei instructed on her stream.

Playing as the Mercenary in this new run and playing with all the knowledge she has thus far attained, everything was practically a cakewalk even with the terrible RNG and failed coin flips on books and chests.

But nevermind all of that. After having navigated her way through the gauntlet, avoiding all the enemies within it HelmetFrappolo94 has reached the place containing the kingdom's worth of bodies.

[Trinitystudent3272: You guys think the girl is a chosen one or something?]

[Gehennastudent4322: She's got to be important, she's probably gonna help in the fight with Gro-goroth.]

[RedWinterstudent5322: Of course, it will be the new generation to topple the tyrant regime of the old!]

The Red Winter people's comments and interpretations sounded insane and over the top, so most people reading their comments dismissed it as such.

[Hyakkiyakostudemt4271: Hey! It's like those JRPGs we played way back, chapter one begins with finding a flower while the final chapter is killing god!]

"Yeah, but this game... doesn't pull it's punches. So... here we go." HelmetFrappolo94 said pressing onwards to where Gro-goroth should be, a cutscene starting with the camera panning to the darkness yet...

Gro-goroth doesn't appear, the little girl walks towards the edge and simply... stares.

[The girl stares straight into the darkness.]

[Careful now!]

[Get back here, you'll fall!]

The Kivotuber considering both as the same simply pressed enter.

[The girl smiles softly at you.]

Then, HelmetFrappolo94 gasps as a high pitched scream is heard followed by the girl being pulled down the ground and convulsing. The comments going off as they type asking what the hell is happening.

Then, something no one was expecting happened, a fight started with the girl.

Her combat sprite looks mad and in pain, an extra limb sticking out from somewhere.

"W-what the hell?!" The streamer gangster in a helmet asked aloud, slowly forcing her hands to press attack on the girl.

A fade in the screen, and the girl evolves to a... statue looking thing with it's lower half split open.

The streamer in purple, the audience, could do nothing and watch as the girl transformed with each turn. Each more horrifying than the last until... she reached her final from, a from most would recognize by now.

[The God of Fear and Hunger is born!]

"Really? That's... this is what everything's been leading up to." The helmeted streamer asked herself, the comments all going off about their own disbelief and shock at the reveal.

[The God of Fear and Hunger acknowledges your suffering.]

The game announced as the soundtracks and BGM stopped, dead silence was all that there was.

[The Acknowledgement crushes you.]

Followed by the player character losing his legs.

"W-what? That's it?" HelmetFrappolo94 asked incredulously at the lack of a proper fight, a happy ending that most games would give the players the chance to attain.

[Trinitystudent4826: I think I get it. We... we aren't the protagonist of this worlds lore, so... no happy endings for us.]

[Gehennastudent4826: I guess that's right. JRPGs always has us playing as a chosen hero or blessed one, but here? We're just a dude trying to provide for his family.]

[RedWinterstudent5826: You only realize that now? Outsiders truly are pampered, you Trinitards the most!]

[Millenniumstudent4927: Peak... this game is peak, I take back what I've said about the GDD ruining the latter half.]

[The God of Fear and Hunger drove human advancement forward, gave them strength and meaning in their suffering. The world would never know of your part in the grand scheme of things, your wife and unborn child will never see you again.]

Reading that, HelmetFrappolo94 puts her head down on her hands and simply... breaths.

She loved the game, Terror and Starvation Chronicles, for it's unique world and gameplay. She played for those things, to find whatever secrets and lore it held it.

Now that she's seen it all... she feels like she's a changed person, after having gone real deep into this rabbit hole of a game. Of course, her audience feels the same way as her.

[Millenniumstudent4961: The devs on their AngelGram said that the characters have their own endings, only achievable through the Hard Mode.]

HelmetFrappolo94 sighs, an unseen smile appearing under her helmet.

"I don't need sleep, I need answers!"

/

Levi P.O.V

They, Momoi, Midori, Yuzu, and Aris won the Millennium Prize. Actually, not just the Millennium Prize but a bunch of other special prizes all at once. Terror and Starvation Chronicles, a game telling the tragedies of the dark ages and the hope that was the birth of the God of Fear and Hunger was received... very well by the masses to say the least.

The GDD girls were bummed out, with Momoi shooting the TV as Kotori was announcing the results out of fear, but in the end... they're now joyfully celebrating after Yuuka congratulated them for their victory. They get to keep their clubroom, as well as being funded by Yuuka's group. The ruling government of Millennium.

"I played through it myself and... uhm, it was... interesting to say the least." Yuuka said, probably reeling from what she's witnessed playing the game.

It felt a little awkward sending Hina that message on her stream, that nightmare still lingering in my mind.

Even with how happiness can be felt around... especially with these girls... I feel that somehow, something is going wrong.

/

"Tsurugi! Tsu-rugi! Tsu-ru-gi!" She kept saying her name over and over again, each time pointing aggressively to herself with a shy but excited expression.

"Sensei, what she means is that, her name translates to sword. She wants to learn that magic sword spell, that is if you do not mind." Hasumi explained in a soft voice.

I went back here in Schale after the GDD's celebration, wanting to do work to hopefully forget about the nightmare and... this sense that somehow, something is going wrong.

Usually, the students would be calling for me but Hasumi and Tsurugi both came to Schale. The latter being too shy for her own good, the former coming along to support her comrade.

"Sure. Tsurugi, have you ever done a confessional?" Trinity being an Alll-Mer influenced school, that should be the case.

Tsurugi snaps her body straight, eyes widening and cheeks going red as she twiddled her fingers.

"Yes, Church activities with the Sisterhood were mandatory in our earlier years." Hasumi confirms, eyes closed and smiling softly as if reminiscing.

"S-Sensei, I... I." Tsurugi stuttered out, eyes frantically turning and looking everywhere but me. "I... L-like you! Y-you are... good looking! Also r-reliable!" Huh? I'm... definitely flattered but...

"P-president?! I... never thought you would be so daring!" Hasumi exclaimed in shock, eyes wide as she covers her blushing face with her hands.

"Tsurugi... I meant a confessional of sins." I said, not being sure how to feel about... that.

Tsurugi freezes still at my words.

"Come on, you should still have affinity with Alll-Mer just for being near the church." I quickly said, gesturing for the two to follow after me down the basement before Tsurugi could react. I have a feeling that something bad will happen if I don't, even with Hasumi here to hold her down.

"Of course, Levi-Sensei. Come, president."

"R-right!"

And so, I walked down the stairs and through the hallways to the basement where the soul stones and the Hexen is. The two black winged girls behind me following after me.

Reaching the basement, I grabbed a soul stone handing it over to a trembling and blushing Tsurugi who gratefully accepted it with both hands.

"In the cross symbol, the spells name is Blood Sword."

"T-thank you, S-Sensei!" And with that, she rushed to the Hexen with a... surprisingly cute smile.

Leaning down the Hexen, she happily hums to herself. Hand holding the soul stone going up and slowly inserting it to the table.

"Hasumi, don't you want to learn magic as well?"

"Hmm, I do but I feel that it would be wasted on me." I think she's trying to be humble or something, her expression is saying she absolutely wants a spell. "Sensei, you shouldn't stare at me like that..." Hasumi said with thinned lips, cheeks slightly red as she looked away.

[Mind Read]

I must admit... I do want to have magic at my disposal. The vibrant blue moths the Sisterhood head was playing with, it's just one spell but those stones must he valuable...

"Don't worry about that, Hasumi. Here." I said, handing her a soul stone as she looks at me nervously. "The Sisterhood has plenty more in their basement."

"I see, but still..." She's trying to return the soul stone to me.

[Persuasion]

"Hasumi... Yuuka, Rin, Hina, Chinatsu... and now Tsurugi, there's also the nuns and Neru from Millennium. Think of it as a gift from me."

"Sensei... if you say so then."

We turn to Tsurugi, screaming excitedly with a wild smile as two far eastern looking swords start manifesting from her halo. It looks... like the black sword stuck on Mister August's back, yet straight but still having the cross like hand guard symbolizing it's connection to Alll-Mer.

"Hehe, Tsurugi wielding a pair of tsurugi's." Hasumi softly giggled to herself with a smile at the sight of her club, the JTF's president doing test swings with her Blood Swords.

The joy in Tsurugi's expression, the way she's moving and swinging... it's-

"Almost like she's back to being a child." Hasumi said as she observed Tsurugi.

My pocket starts vibrating. Taking my phone out, I see that it's from Momoka. I let out a small sigh, knowing that she's probably gonna dump her work on me.

/

Momoka said something about a munitions factory AI security system, not the one in the Millennium ruins, went rogue and asked me to deal with it. Well, not ask more like demanded.

Tsurugi seemed eager to test her new magic, as well as Hasumi wanting to try out the Moth Swarm. And so, we went to the place Momoka marked for us.

Now, in this factory where everything looks sleek and clean. Electronics and screens being seen everywhere, the doors fully automated opening up as small square looking machines charged out to meet the president and vice president of the Justice Task Force.

Seriously, Momoka needed me of all people to deal with these little thi-

Boom!

One of them exploded upon getting real close to Tsurugi, the explosion blowing a safe to ignore amount of black smoke as Hasumi blew it all away with her wings.

Tsurugi spawns a pair of Blood Swords from her halo, and charges the swarm of square metal boxes with a furious shriek. Hasumi summons her moths with a wave of her arm from her shadow, the swarm charging past Tsurugi and to the enemies backlines.

Tsurugi starts slashing, cutting one in half with her right as she thrusted and impaled two which she then sliced apart as she slashed with her right again.

Stepping forwards and sideways with each slash and thrust, it's as if Tsurugi is performing a dance with how graceful she is cutting apart the square robots with each slash like meat to a grinder.

In the distance, I see much more of those robots rushing towards Tsurugi. They... look damaged, Hasumi's swarm of moths eating and tearing through them. Stuck in between Tsurugi and the magical death moths, the robots will all be annihilated in no time.

I hear Tsurugi grunting as she jumps back, putting some distance between herself and the robots as she... dissipated her blood swords.

Keeping my eyes on Tsurugi, I await whatever she has planned. Neru had a unique way of using Hurting, and Tsurugi being battle hungry like her... she's bound to ha

"Ban-" Tsurugi shouted, hands moving towards eachother as she straightened her posture. "-Kai!" Hmm, is this from that JJK anime thing Akane was talking about?

"No, Sensei. That is from another anime named... I think it was called Bleach... or was it Peroxide? I'm not sure myself." Is that so? Thanks, Hasumi.

"Scatter! Senbonzakura, Kageyoshi!" Tsurugi shouted at the top of her lungs, small red petals forming around her moving towards the army of small robots.

With an aggressive swing of her arm and a shout, Tsurugi directed the blood red petals through the robots.

And in the next moment, they all began coming apart and dropping to the ground in chopped up pieces. The blue swarm of moths from one side courtesy of Hasumi, the scattering of red petals from Tsurugi completely annihilated the army of rogue robots in mere seconds.

That's... one way of using the Blood Sword spell. Tsurugi turned it from a situational spell to one that would be devastating against any enemy, just as Neru turned Hurting to a close range spell that's effective in her hands.

These girls are awesome.

"Hehe... thanks, Sensei!"

"Naturally! We're the Justice Task Force elites after all!"

/

After dealing with a whole lot of paperwork, I thought I could finally get some rest and sleep...

"Nee-san! Nee-san!" It's another goddamn nightmare where I'm watching from this bastards eyes! "Please... wake up!" Midori... she's on her knees, crying and screaming as she looks on in despair.

I could feel the me here's arm and some parts of his body bleeding and burnt, some pain and numbness here and there.

The skies are cloudy, buildings around us scorched and destroyed. Those scorch marks... it's from Aris' weapon. The same scorch mark lining on the ground ending on... Momoi... eyes open but lifeless and... no halo, head shaking from the neck as Midori desperately tries to shake her awake... or at least what remains of her after that attack from...

The me here is gritting his teeth, gnashing as balls his fists at the sight of Midori and... half of what remains of Momoi.

Then... he turns around facing... Aris? Behind her, a gigantic spherical structure with purple lights is humming loudly as debris and entire buildings are lifted off the ground.

But the most striking thing is... Aris, her eyes, her halo... it's light purple. She's looking down at the me here with malice filled eyes, floating from above as she aims her weapon with one hand.

"Aris... why?" Midori behind us sobbed out, as Aris? Fired her blue light and-

The me here jumped back towards Midori, arms up as if to block the incoming attack of light.

The me here screams, throat shaking from the intensity as-

I feel it! It burns! Skin melting! Eyes melting! The bones and skull feeling the white hot light!

[Loving Whispers] [Loving Whispers] [Loving Whispers] [Loving Whispers]

I felt my mind aching and ringing as if it were about to explode! My skin and flesh being melted off, stitched back, melted off, stitched back together in a cycle of inescapable torment!

The me here... he's actually protecting Midori.

The attack of light from Aris, if that truly is her, eventually let up. The me here dropping to his knees huffing and puffing, glaring towards Aris as he held together his scorched forearms.

"Sensei... this isn't real, right?" Midori behind me- no, us cried out silently. "It's just... a bad dream, right?" She's trying to pretend, her tone full of hopeful denial.

"We'll wake up and... Nee-san... will be alive goofing off... and Aris... will be back to normal, right?" Midori...

Yeah, this is... just a bad dream. Nothing is wrong, you were just celebrating winning the Millennium Prize...

The me here doesn't even acknowledge Midori, instead facing and glaring at Aris as he stood up and started walking towards her.

Aris aims, ready to once again fire a beam of light.

The me here stops and he starts... tapping his feet? A faint rhythm in the pattern he is-

[La Dance Macabre]

This is-

Aris launches her Sword of Light, the attack reaching us in the blink of an eye.

[Black Orb]

Another massive tug in my mind, blood shooting out of his eyes and nose as he threw his arms forward and manifested the orb of death. Filling it with his hatred.

Aris' light and the me here's Black Orb made contact, the two masses of destruction fighting to go through eachother.

Eventually, the Black Orb continued forward as Aris' light dissipated. The Black Orb shoots past Aris, hitting the massive structure behind her followed by a massive explosion as the purple lights turned off and the debris that were floating dropping back down.

Aris then bares her teeth at the me here with a scowl, a wave of her hand and... many floating octopus like machines with purple lights start charging us.

[Longinus]

A lance manifests itself on his hands, it has Alll-Mer's cross where the blade connects with the stick like the Blood Sword. It's color is like that of burnt flesh, like the pitiful torso I saw in the last nightmare. This... is the lance that killed Alll-Mer.

[Adrenaline Rush]

He dashes towards the enemy machines, shooting like a bullet and immediately cutting two in half.

This rotten me... even the Sulfur's blessing is enhanced here in Kivotos.

The me here charges the tentacled machines, slashing and thrusting through several at once with superhuman strength. Two managed to wrap it's tentacles around his left arm, but he somehow pulls those two instead. Using their tentacles to throw them on the ground and crushing both with his feet.

"Aris!" The me here shouted towards her, aggressively walking closer as he looks up at her. "We took you in, welcomed you, clothed you... and this is how you repay us?!"

Aris sneers, lowering herself down to talk back.

"The Princess had no need for such charity, lowly human." That tone of voice... it's the same from when Deca revealed himself. "The Princess strayed from her path because of you undesirables, I am doing her duty for her." Aris... that's not her, stated with absolute disdain towards us.

The me here doesn't speak back, he simply winds up. Preparing to run towards... that thing pretending to be Aris with his lance at the ready.

She aims her weapon... and the beam of light shoots out. The me here starts running faster than a human should be capable of, dodging the light attack and jumping over it while skewering and slashing those tentacled machines on the way.

The me here starts running up the side of a building, towards the thing using Aris' face prepared to skewer her.

The me here jumps towards the false Aris, her face showing a slight surprise as she turns to fully face us. He thrusts his lance, a futile action as even the fake Aris has her halo-

The Longinus lance pierces Aris' skin, time seemed to slow down as the entire blade sunk onto her chest and her expression gradually morphed to that of panic and terror.

The me here pulls down the lance, rending Aris' body along the line revealing... electronics and steel inside of her. They both drop down to the ground, the me here landing on his feet and Aris' looking up in panic with her purple eyes as her body is broken.

"Lowly human. Protocol ATRAHASIS... will not be-"

Not even giving the false Aris time to let out her final words, the me here struck with the lance.

Repeatedly, he drove the blade of the lance down Aris' body and pulled it out with bits of flesh sticking into it and then back again as he kept on screaming and... crying?

"Sensei... please stop." Midori sobbed, her voice being drowned out by the stabbing and rending of Aris' body. "Sensei... Nee-san wouldn't want this... and Aris... that wasn't Aris."

The me here ignored, or didn't hear, Midori and kept on unleashing his fury and frustration at... whatever remained of Aris. Rain starting to pour from the sky.

Then, he finally stops as a pair of arms wrapped around him from behind.

"Please... stop. Sensei... that wasn't Aris... and Momoi... wouldn't want to see you... like this." Midori sobbed out, barely able to keep herself together until...

She just started crying, her hug on the me here tightening as her tears poured down behind him.

/

"Where did we go wrong back then." Where the hell am I now?! That voice? It's... she's here. "Huh? Eh? Levi... kun?" It's the GSC President!

This place is... it's a Kivotan train. Outside... it's all ocean and clear sky, stars and the moon lightening up the night sky.

"Long time no see, I never got your name." I greeted the long missing GSC President, who's still looking at me in shock. Her hands and lips trembling, her eyes... I can finally see her eyes! "You have pretty eyes, you know that right?"

"H-how? How are you here, Levi-kun?!" She shouts at me as she moves further away, she's looking at me in a mix of fear and... shame? "You... you saw all that? My f-failure, what it l-led to." She stuttered out, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"Your failure? The me there was a Sulfurite! Of course everything was going to shit!" I shouldn't be shouting at her about that, she wouldn't have any way of knowing about the Sulfur Cult. "So in a way... it was our failure." I said, in the most reassuring tone I could manage as I approached her.

"Levi-kun... even so, you shouldn't have any memory of the failed timeline." What is that supposed to mean? Oh, right. Back when we first met, when you told me I wouldn't forget our conversation? "Y-yes. You... you would've found a way to solve everything, even without those memories."

"Then why bother trying to erase those memories." Actually, now that I think about it. "That was something that happened in the past, but... it didn't happen to me. What the hell is that about?"

"Uhm... alternate timelines, quantam stuff. You wouldn't get it, Levi-kun." The GSC President said, finally calming down from her initial shock.

She... she looks like Arona but older... or is Arona the GSC President but younger? No matter, she would definitely be prettier if she smiled.

"L-Levi-kun! Don't just monologue about stuff like that!" The GSC President shouted with a hint of anger, her cheeks turning a deep shade of red. "B-besides, now's not... the time for that. It's... inappropriate." I literally can't, I got brain damage and now I can't stop some of my thoughts from leaking.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Probably the same reason your memory erasure thing didn't work on me." I paused, making sure she's listening fully. "The Moon God Rher tried making me brain dead before we met."

"... What?" Huh? So this is also out of what she is aware of.

"Also, I can read minds."

"... What?" It took her a moment to process what I said, then she let out a panicked expression facing towards me in caution as she held her head. "Stop! A fair maidens mind is a sacred sanctuary!" Hehe, she's cute. That's exactly what Rin said.

"Yeah, Rin told me the same. Don't worry, I'm not reading your mind."

"Really now?" Hmm, looks like she isn't believing me.

"Yeah, that's... not really important at the moment. So... about those memories."

The GSC President sighs, looking down in shame.

"I thought I could do everything myself, dealing with all those attacks from within and beyond Kivotos." She explained in a low voice, pain obvious in her tone as she grits her teeth. "Instead, the entirety of Kivotos payed for my carelessness, my ruthlessness."

"Levi-kun, I didn't want you to have those memories because... it was the fear, paranoia, and lack of trust and forgiveness that brought us to that low point." She kept on explaining, looking up at me teary eyed. "Levi-kun... you're taking care of Rinny, right?" Her bringing up Rin with that nickname... made my lips curl up a little.

"Actually, it's like she's the one taking care of me sometimes." The paperwork, my documents, a lot of things she's done for me. "Don't worry, she's doing well. Kivotos is doing well with her at the head."

"I see. Then, Levi-kun... can you promise to pamper Rinny every now and then? Gift her sweets or clothes, maybe a new pair of earrings sometimes. Rinny deserves it." Absolutely! She's a leader to kill for! Pretty and busty too!

"Levi-kun! I know you're a man and all that but... oh well."

"It's time... that I wake you up from this nightmare." Sure, but at least give me your name this time! "Of course, it's-"

When she started mouthing her name, everything just went silent. My head and ears ringing until she finished mouthing off her name.

"Then, see you soon again. Levi-kun."

/

This is awkward, the whole day has been awkward. I spent some time with the GDD girls earlier, doing my best to pretend I didn't see that damn nightmare.

And now... now I'm following Aris on what she calls her heroes adventure. Damn it, that image of her being torn apart in the nightmare...

I followed the ever so cheerful Aris wherever she went. To the outskirts of Millennium, through one of the school buildings where she's well liked by just about everyone, and meeting Neru at a place called an arcade.

Neru was happy to meet Aris again, but Aris herself feared Neru... at first that was until they started playing something called a fighting game on one of the arcade machines.

Neru had her usual battle hungry look while Aris looked scared and whined a lot, now Neru is blushing in embarrassment and Aris' looking on victorious at the last 7 or so time's she's won in a row.

Then Akane came and dragged Neru away, apparently she took off during a mission or something.

"I may only be an apprentice, but I'll work hard and level up to defeat the evil that threatens the world!" Was her last words to me before we parted ways, saying those words with a smile and absolute conviction.

That's right, Aris will be a hero that protects Kivotos from evil. I won't let that nightmare come true.

Hmm, my phone is ringing. It's Veritas, asking me to come and see what they found... in the ruins. They sent... a picture.

A picture of a tentacled machine with some purple parts on it.

...

Goddamnit!

/

A/N: I overcommitted to the epilogue of the streamer and a few students playing the actual game. So, I now have to post this so I can actually start work on Volume 2 chapter 2 proper now.

Bruh, I meant for that to be just a small sequence but I fucking overcommitted

O LORD

PLEASE GIVE

CUNNY WIFE

I NEED IT!

Also, yeah. The GSC President is there, also Gematria. Black Suit do be shipping, Red Whore do be malding.