Chapter 19: The Greatest Mystery And The Prelude Of The Final Battle 2
2709 Words
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Xenver: damn! .the mystery of this event just keeps on piling up.
Jojo9090: Yeah. Though the Event Quest itself was truly badass, the mystery that got enclosed with it afterwards was far more intriguing.
SixHeroFan: I wonder where Mr. Grimm is now?
Big_Bang_2091: I’m a Level 170 player, staying right now in Komina. The search for him had already involved not just Latona but even the entire Kingdom of Komina. The achievement of the Six Heroes in stopping Amradias was highly acknowledged by the King. He granted the six of them a high rank within his army and even mobilized his people to join them on their search.
Mimi-c***k: Wow!
Inversa: Really!?
KillerKid: really?…
Big_Bang_2091: However, it’s been a week now and a month in the game and all their efforts still fail to give result. Thus, the biggest mysteries of the Kingdom remain unsolved. Where is he? Where is the man hailed as the Seventh Phantom Hero? And what truly happens to the Forest of Illusion after the Amradias Incident?
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Many speculations and theories from people that show great interests regarding the events had then emerged. Since the dawn of the Eternal Empire VR game, such event that’s shrouded with so much mystery had never once transpired until now. So the Search for the Seventh Hero and the Disappearance of the Illusionary Forest had become the hottest topics to every VR players and game lovers in the world. They all wanted to grasp the truth. They have so many questions that they desire to be settled. However, not a single one of them has an answer.
And that’s because, the few people that knew the truth behind it wanted it to be kept it in the dark, forever.
Unknown to Shinwoo, just 10 minutes after he exited his Simulation Capsule, at the other side of the world, a pandemonium is currently going on.
Jenova Corp. HQ
Seattle, Washington
“What the hell is taking you so long!? I want my visuals!”
“We’re trying our best, sir.”
“Well, try harder!” Jenova President, Steven Armstrong exploded to Cedric before he resumes nibbling his fingernails. ‘Geez, what am I paying you guys for?’
He could not recall of how many times he had been pacing back and forth within the confines of the Main Server room since 8 hours ago when he literally dashes to reach the place right after Cedric gave him the news.
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“President Armstrong?”
“Yes?” He replied as he sipped his coffee.
“We’ve found the Trickster.”
Puhak!
The dark liquid spouted like a fountain from his mouth as those words occupied his ears.
“*cough**wipe*…You did?”
“Yes sir, we have the coordinates.”
“Alright, give me a few minutes and I’ll be over there.”
‘Oh my God! Finally, after all these time.’ Steven had a lot of expectations for a worthwhile progress in regards of the Trickster’s case especially that after getting played like a fool for more than a year now, aside from making the entire Game Development Department to focus solely onto that jester, he had also doubled the personnel under that department, and these new people aren’t just anybody. All of them are among of the best minds in the world when it comes to the Engineering and Programming profession and he invested a huge sum just to gather them all around Gaia. And though they can’t still equal Professor Profetana, the creator of Gaia and Eternal Empire, at least he can expect them to outsmart the Trickster.
‘But still, to make such progress in such a short amount of time.’ For President Armstrong that was still quite an unexpectedly fast development especially that what they’re up against is a piece of the unmatched brilliance of the Professor. However, he wagged those thoughts immediately out of his head. He has more important business to attend and he can’t waste time thinking of such unnecessary things. He then began making calls, cancelling all of his meetings and appointments for the day including his dinner with his wife.
Though initially annoyed that he cancelled their weekly dinner, his wife is a user and a huge Eternal Empire fan. So when he mentioned that it’s about the game and the elusive Trickster, she immediately mellowed and even got thrilled about it.
So after settling that, he rushes to the Main Server room where what welcomes him were the members of his Game Development Department as they frantically performs their tasks.
“Update,” he demanded to Cedric in a breathless pant.
Steven received a tablet from him containing all the data he’d gathered so far. “We’d pinpointed the Trickster and also, he’d entered Phase 2.”
“What?” Steven ceased his steps and looked at Cedric with a shock expression. “Phase 2? How did that happened?”
“We don’t know the exact details yet. But it appears that one of the users being preyed by the Trickster was able to defeat his ploy, therefore, triggering the Phase 2 of his program.”
“Any detail about the user and the content of Phase 2?”
“We’re working on it, sir.”
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Steven bit his thumb to the point he’d almost chewed it off. That was what Cedric told him 8 hours ago and now he’s losing patience. Up until now, the details of the actions of the Trickster and the purpose the Phase 2 are still vague and incomprehensible, the user or users involved are still unidentified, and his visuals are even taking damn too long!
‘Damn it! I knew it was too good to be true when Cedric said that they found the Trickster.’ In the end, it wasn’t due to their effort that a progress was achieved. But instead, someone inside the game had accomplished the one thing that he and his people had failed to do this past year.
Outwitting the Trickster.
“What the?” And then he suddenly cried out in surprise when without warning, the monitor of the mainframe that he had been staring at since his arrival while it crazily processes millions of data suddenly turn black.
Cedric and the rest of the Game Development Department also ceased whatever they are doing and locked their attentions on the huge monitor.
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[JOKES] PROGRAM PHASE II HAS BEEN COMPLETED
-The [JOKES] Program has completed the necessary data for Phase 3-
Loading….
SUCCESS
-Initiating Phase 3-
-The [JOKES] Program has entered Phase 3-
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“Eehhhhhhh!!!!!” The notification resulted in a flurry of screams.
“P—p—ppp-phase three!!!!!!” Steven stuttered before grabbing Cedric’s collars and violently shook him. “CEDRIC! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!?”
He screamed loudly on his face as he feels like he’s gonna have a heart attack.
“I-I don’t know, sir,” was the only reply Cedric could give as he too could not comprehend the situation.
“Do something or you’re FIRED!”
He nodded hysterically against his shaking. “Y-y-yes sir!”
But as they were having that commotion, a member of the data retrieval team suddenly announced. “Mr. President, Chief, I got visuals.”
“What?” Steven and Cedric exclaimed in unison.
“I was able to decipher some of the copied data and luckily, one of them is the video recording of what transpired during the end of Phase 2.”
“Then what are you waiting for? Christmas!?” Steven shouted to the young programmer impatiently. “Play the damn video!”
“Yes Mr. President!” He nodded and manipulated his keyboard and a minute later, a video started playing on the 120 inches screen beside the mainframe monitor. And with the state of the art surround sound system installed inside the Main Server room, they’re all drawn into the state of immersion.
KABOOM! KABOOM! SWASH! SWASH!
Steven flinched and stepped back when the first thing that emerged from the screen when the video began playing were series of wild explosions followed by loud sounds of what seems to be a collision of swords.
When the smoke cleared, the images of two people swinging their swords with unearthly expertise become visible.
SWASH! SWASH! KABOOM! KABOOM! SWASH! SWASH!
“Whoa…”
Someone made an almost inaudible gasp before silence completely consumed them. Steven, Cedric, and the members of the department that are facing the screen watches with dropped jaws and widened eyes as the sequence of actions escalates between the two characters.
Sparkling sword and burning blades clashing.
Shockwaves from impacts and sword pressures bringing forth explosions.
And two individuals standing at the pinnacles of sword combat, unleashing swift and deadly attacks at each other where one solid connection would surely inflict a great devastation.
It was truly an amazing scene.
And witnessing it was bringing Steven back during his childhood and teenage years when he was watching Japanese Superhero shows like Kamen Rider and Super Sentai where the action scenes are similar…no, this one is far greater than those.
The best of the best and realistic generation of special effects by Gaia’s system into the world of Avelot cannot be compared to those made by Broadcasting and Movie companies. Therefore, this battle is with no doubt a hundredfold more startling and tantalizing to watch than anything he’d encountered before.
However, they’re getting too carried away for far too much. Nobody is moving anymore. Realizing that, Steven snapped from his trance and began reproaching his people.
“Hey, hey, hey, what’s the big idea just gawking? Get back to work!” He said, booming his palms loudly.
And with that, the time that seemed to cease started to move forward again.
“Hey you,” he called to the same guy who retrieved the video whom he now recognize to be Tyron Claude, one of the recently hired members of the department. “Retrieve any conversation video or audio prior to this fight. Anything is fine.”
“Just give me a few minutes, Sir.”
“Cedric! Analysis!” Steven demanded next to his Department Head. “Which is which? Who are they? Everything.”
“I will check on it right away.”
Cedric took out a tablet, synched with the retrieved video’s data, and read the codes as if possessed. After half a minute, he said, “Sir, the muscular one on the right is the Trickster.”
“And the other?”
Cedric looked again on his tablet. “His data suggest that he’s a user.”
‘So that’s him. The man who outsmarted the Trickster.’
“Collect everything you can retrieve about this user’s avatar, and then do all means necessary to track him down.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Sir, an audio is retrieved and ready to play,” Tyron announced.
“Mute the video and play it.”
Tyron nodded and complied.
Due to that it was a cluster of appended and incomplete data. The quality of the audio was sluggish and unfathomable. But luckily, some parts were able to go unabridged and provide sentences that are uninterrupted.
………….gooouurr……..veeegnnn hiinndddzz bbeeeer…… (Your…game ends here) ‘A voice of a youth. Must be the user.’
…….Heezpeendeed…tuuuleee heezpeendeed… (Splendid, truly splendid) ‘This one is hoarser and more mature. Definitely the Trickster.’
……Haaay…..Doookee…. (I…Doki?) ‘Is that really Doki?’
…………Daangzzz havvv daahhh Naaajgvaaa…….. (Dance of the Naga)
………Gwehhyy havv dah Zuuupemm Bahhngg……. (Way of the Supreme Fang)
Steven could not understand all of the contexts due to the poor quality but it somehow suggests that it’s from the conversation between the Trickster and the user right before the start of their battle. And the [Dance of the Naga] and the [Way of the Supreme Fang] are the skills they are using.
‘That answers now how their swords were able to cause all of those explosions.’
But as he was having those thoughts, the mainframe monitor unexpectedly turns black again while at the same time, the battle of the Trickster and the user playing at the adjacent screen had reached its c****x. Both had unleashes their strongest attacks and lunges at finish off each other. However, that screen too turns black and the video ended before the conclusion could be shown.
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[JOKES] PROGRAM PHASE III HAS BEEN COMPLETED
-The [JOKES] Program has completed all the necessary data-
Loading….
SUCCESS
-Initiating Project Disconnection from the Mainframe-
SUCCESS
-Initiating Data Transfer to the Private SC Database-
SUCCESS
-Initiating Project Termination-
SUCCESS
[JOKES] PROGRAM HAS BEEN COMPLETED
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“They are remarkable children.” Stellio said with a sigh as he watches the young Outlanders emits golden lights and depart their world. “Too bad, they’d still come short.”
He shook his head with a disgruntled expression. It was truly regrettable. They’re the only batch that made it this far but even they could not still reach the final stage. And as expected, seeing through it all was next to impossible.
“I guess the removal of my mask will have to wait for another more year.”
“Why wait that long?”
Stellio flinched and looked around with an anxious face when a masculine voice of a youth suddenly emerged from the darkness. “What? Who’s there?”
“When we can do it now!”
The voice exclaimed before a silhouette of a man clasping a sword in each hand materializes in front of him.
“Magnum Impact!”
Stellio was taken off guard when both blades successively bombarded him with Magnum Impact. Luckily, he reacted fast enough to summon a Greatsword to block both of the attacks. And though the twin Magnum Impact had still blasted and smashes him to the ground like a crashing meteorite, inflicting him with a heavy damage, nevertheless, he survived.
Gritting his teeth, he pushed his body back to his feet and glare towards his incoming attacker who just leisurely approached him.
When his face emerged from the shroud of darkness, Stellio’s eyes immediately widened in shock.
“You…how are you here!?”
The young man just smiled and said, “What’s with that question? Did you actually believe that I’m gonna end my life just like that?”
Stellio burst out with confusion and stepped backwards. How was this possible? Disbelief began to consume him. He’d die. He’d saw him die before his eyes. And yet he’s here.
The Stoic Young Man is here.
The identity of his attacker is…Grimm!
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“What’s with that question?” Grimm said to the bewildered Oldman. “Did you actually believe that I’m gonna end my life just like that?”
“B-but how? How are you alive?”
“I have a few tricks up my sleeves,” he said with a smirk as he recalled what happened before the battle at the swamps.
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After Grimm learned the Life Trace from Deidre, a new notification window suddenly burst in front of him.
Ding!
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[Eyes of Knowing] • [Life Trace] • [Stealth] • [Perfect Feint]
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Congratulation!
You’ve completed the [Truth and Deception] Skill Set and unlocked a New Skill.
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New Skill Acquired
Doppelwalk [Active: Beginner (0.00%)]
Renders you invisible and at the same time, generates a duplicate image to take your place. The image is a clone that possesses 20% of your overall strength and abilities, and will move base on your command. However, control over the clone is only applicable if it’s within your field of vision.
Duration: 15 seconds
Mana Cost: 300
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Of course it had transpired after Deidre used the Truth Talisman on him, so the other disciples are oblivious about the skill despite seeing his avatar window. Therefore, they have no idea that he has it and that he had used it during the incident at the Swamp of Decay in order to escape while his clone grilled the demon like a shish kabob.
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“Anyway, your little game ends here, Oldman.”
“Game? What are you talking about?”
“Drop the act, Stellio. Or do you want me to call you Amradias?” Grimm said and then shook his head. “No, I think it’s more appropriate that I address you with the name you first introduced to us…Bart.”
The Oldman flinched and moved another step backward. He’s beading cold sweats as his face loses colors. However, those expressions didn’t last long. Like what Grimm demanded, drop the act. And dropping it he finally did.
“How did you know?” He stared sharply at him, eyes burning with great interest as he asked.
Grimm pursed his lips and shrugged. “Well, your acting is just as bad as Deidre.” And then he added. “And also, your disguises are pretty shitty too. I mean, three people? Same height? Same eye color? And same mannerism?” Tsk, tsk, tsk! “Piece of advice dude, if you want to pretend to be someone else, change the obvious first.”
“Hahahaha!” He laughed creepily and shouted. “Splendid! Truly splendid.”
His laughter continues and as it does, his face and body then distorted and shifted from the form of an Oldman into a stature of a man in his late thirties. The facial feature is similar to that of Bart but instead of emitting the atmosphere of a savage barbarian, his presence emits opulence and nobility, someone that belongs at the highest hierarchy of the society.
Grimm could tell because in the real world, he’s one.
Bart? raised an eyebrow and made an even more amused expression while locking his gaze at him. Then, his lips twitched into a smirk, “Well done, my disciple. Hahaha! You’ve truly done well!” And in a softer voice, he murmured, “You’ve made it this far…finally.”
He said. Though the last sentence seems to be directed more to himself than to Grimm.
“Now then!” He exclaimed again.
And Grimm gripped his swords tighter. He already knows what’s coming next. All the preludes are leading to it.
Ding!
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The Trickster Knight [Loki] has appeared
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“Show me what you got,” he said, raising his Greatsword. “For I, Loki, will judge you.”
- Writer
