COI C136
The first survivor from the attack was the new team leader, he can’t believe the old team helped him out from the most devastating assault they have never seen on the internet. Holding their equipment and recordings to the last half hour in their last stand. It wasn’t even standing. It was an execution and they just act their last moment playing adventurers or gamers cherishing the goodbyes to their second accounts. The massacre happened as he was thrown out from the platform. The place he is now secure in is the main servers, contacting the administrator of the social media website.
The videos from the fight in each individual who fought bravely. The search team was able to retrieve the Ahagao’s classified information, the last message where they able to get it, and then went silent. Message from the outside of the server as it was chat from their personal devices. They have the same incident happening to them. The troopers found them and was able to take back their fallen companion’s data. The video had to show both to the main servers and the administrators, leaving a great horror how they able to take advantage of the situation. By abducting the accounts and preserving the heads as their systems, floating unmovable heads.
The users summarize the ending of the event. “The first encounter happened in the captured base they station with. The defense will have our inevitable demise, and nothing else to do but to observe the capabilities they have. Then there was the search team, they successfully taken Ahegao out. Not because how they successfully shoot it down on their own, but the chaos when the enemies returned to rescue it. They were lucky to take it down as one special item activates the friendly fire settings. It was worth it. Lastly, the rescue team had managed to recover only the essential accounts. Then faced the same fate”
They look at the list as they see the accounts will be forever lost. Over 105 from 200 accounts lost, all of them are expendable. The rescue team did their best to resecure them. The administrators had made a call to the main servers as the final sightings of the two last enemies are found.
“Enemies are using a time event for them to act. It is also the one who hold the authority of the administration. Tomorrow will be the its last day to face them. The time has come for everyone who are involved to end this war in this side of the website”
Everyone thought would be suspicious to hear something like that after they desperately wanting more man power to protect their platform. Then they heard the same caller again, as they carefully listening to that voice.
“Tea is not going anywhere and there are these two big guys covering up her thread. So those who are with that perverted freak . . .”
The one who is talking was Miss herself. The administrators were probably following her order. It is quite odd why they let her put into control.
They respond “Since when did the administrators calm down after spamming request in our forums?”
“Don’t try to test me, I have found something that girl told me about. I’m not in part of your little game and neither would be the others if I told them about ‘RED’”
The users never thought they already found out about it. The programmers are checking the virus as it remained in stasis inside the lone server. One of the users feels relief as someone thought is also a bad idea to bring it here. The other users are trying to explain it to her.
“We understand, as long as we contain it. We might able to access the secrets of this old World Wide Web”
“It doesn’t apply that we are the one who is going to take care of it in secrets”
Miss didn’t agree to have this advanced computer virus, she continues “I can do what I can just to get my extra pay before next week. Tea sends her regards though. It will not be long for their maintenance is coming at the end of the week. We will be rest assured to take the first experience having technical difficulty. If this really going to happen, I am not much of a tech support than leading these bitches to manage this platform . . .”
She cuts herself off, leaving the users hanging from the call. The user thought it right, they are facing an enemy who is an actual Horsin virus. They don’t know what are they supposed to do with their software as their main weapon against it. The past activities they have done to access the Horsin servers were out of curiosity then they found really restricted making it way here. Thanks to that, they enter the easiest tools they have gotten than use their usual coding software.
Such great magic they could see the mistakes they make and the functions can be traced through the entire procedure and coordination in each system. Errors detected, commands being traced to everything like it is a node in each in every action it can take, and finally it can be open under inside this digital world. This fantasy world is truly a phenomenon that either improved or disoriented the resources they have brought here. The internet, a digital world coming inside a server or cpu under the interaction with magic, purely on runes.
The users were able to harness this kind of technology putting it into the test. The vast power it can do as a tool to use their own mind to make it work. Yet, there were exceptions they could not ignore. The Dexter Guild’s servers; Where something they want to access. It is the heavy load of coding in their systems where more human like. No AI interacted with it, but years of progress updating the program reaching the limits of the rigs of many high advance computers. They took one of them, and the main servers were made. Not enough for them to start their own beginning, it was the great hacks as the Dexter Guild discovered them.
The user stops what he was thinking as they talk about the virus. “From the start, this virus was the one who slow down their servers in the first place. Why won’t they thank us for the trouble to getting rid of it?”
“I know we are being idiots pulling something they told us before that it is a demon, a computer virus demon, and we managed somehow”
The user didn’t want them to be arrogant about it, but there are concerns needed to be addressed “You should be wary about it, this is not the first demon that our people trying to defeat”
“I agree with you there, and you’re not even a defector too”
It’s lunch time, and the user receives a message from the chat. One of his community members never know about the situation this city is in. The user thought it would be those debt groups. The people who are focusing on surviving from their own society. He never had imagined there are still people don’t know the dark areas in Fuku City. Then it must mean they know about it on the surface but not lies within. Going through to himself the things that the cult leader had gone, or what the former yakuza has to say in this matter.
Inside the city, C is waiting for his order so he could eat it with Junko back at the store. He waits as he sits on the seats with two people who is with him in the rescue team. Scout starts to realize something.
“Wait a minute, what are we going to call us?”
In their doubles, it gets them out of nowhere to recognize them as their second accounts changed their appearance even their voices. The two already know each other, except for C. C eventually finds them where scout has a bag with picture of scout from tf2. It is enough for him to recognized them.
“Same as always, scout”
“Ok, Recon unit”
“Then called me C”
C is sitting on his side of his chair. The restaurant they entered is a special private business that one of the defectors own it. Respectfully, it just a face for the double to be the mascot of the restaurant. The actual owner or double is busy in other stuff than being a public figure. This is also the place they could talk about secretly in every table has a special magic barrier for them to have private conversations. The man activates the barrier as the illusion plays naturally. The dialogue is mix up and the voices fix to a normal conversation, their conversation though, talking about the demon.
Scout sways away the topic how everything is happening in this society. “Just like our doubles, no one knows that we are the people they are trying to find”
“It is impressive how neutral magic can do with the right power needed. The illusion seems to persist any of their magic abilities”
“Because magic has its own tier, we able to control our magic and even manipulate our enemies’. It makes it easier for us to level our strength without overdid it”
“This table is also an example. They can’t get through the barrier. The illusion continues to exist and plays out the act. Even someone breaks the illusion, the information from what happened will be send in our minds to fit the hoax”
C continues to listen about magic. A summary about the higher tier of magic is fine and all. Yet, his abilities are his own and had experience when facing people with their own magic capabilities. Junko knows he can use magic instead of the gears he had, and comparing to both mana and runes, the differences were unimaginable. Hito has electrical skills while other magic is basic and not as much thought put into his effort. Same move sets in martial arts, and all the experience he had so far are against monsters.
Someone entered the barrier as they turn around with surprised while expected. It is the user who is with C during his first time inside the internet. The man and scout are now changing the topic
“Finally, you are here. Now this kid will finally understand what the situation is he going to face”
C greets and the user greets back. The user went back out and brought his meal. “I’m a regular in this restaurant. I get my orders ready when I come here”
The two had their meals on the table. They thought they could give him their sides of the meals, but they guess something off. Scout wasn’t disappointed as he says
“More for us then, laugh*”
C checks on his meal, and his meal were not ready yet for the next half an hour. The user sees him still waiting for his order
“So, what did you order?”
“I was treated a meal by those two. Then I take advantage of it as I order one of the premiums”
The user looks at them as they have no regret, but the guilt hidden back from their heads as their eyes looking at the user. The non-defector is getting involved. The user sees why, and it wasn’t obvious for this man has one of the inconvenient lives. The user nods at them as they take their first bite one of the side dishes.
The man says first “Where to start? I guess let’s go back since the beginning of how we got here”
C wants him skipping to the main point about the demons infiltrating inside the city, the user stops him as he nudges him without the two of them knowing. They look at each other’s eyes as C sees his UI shared. He didn’t know that this man is also a non-defector. A message added
“Listen to them, we are living in the world that will turn into a dystopian mess when the time comes. You already remember the time that we can’t go back home, yet”
If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
C nods and continue to listen the man’s story.
“It was all started when the swarm comes in. When we saw Alga’s light acting up. The swarm that attacks the city. That’s when we heard the news of the city is rebuilding. Many of us wants to go back, and even accept the consequence of our actions. Others we follow went mad and . . . Let’s just say, it was a delusion that brought them to the east coast. The east coast was never a trap for us, and someone had connection with the rebellion on that same day. There is no proof how they contact with them. Their view as faction really made them hard to believe . . .”
“. . . A history that they actually sided with demons, while this part of the continent is sided with heroes. There is some bullshit story coming either side, but they are more convincing from our first encounters. Magic alone was not enough for us to beat them, other magic we didn’t know come out from the open, and lead to the confusion of many others’ dilemma. The forest being blockade by the goblins, the way up north blocked by the dwarves. We seek refuge inside the caves and the rebellion is eyeing all the way . . .”
“. . . It was all because of some idiots are abusing their powers. Too powerful, devastating large lands near the coast, that’s when we have no truce in this matter, and lead to a fight that the Horsin people risk their lives to end us. We still able to beat them, until a few deaths come along. It becomes a handful, and even the best with their cheat skills were easily taken out by the curse of the goblins. It was inevitable as we fight without improvement, slowly figure it out just learning the basics were not enough. The Horsin people didn’t stop there. We are in the brink of failures”
The man points out to Scout, his part of the story has more secret to it. “Oh, me! Right, Ahem* I am just part of the support team. It wasn’t great nor it is death sentence for us. We have conflicted agreement with some people, but those types of people are what you call strong but slowly gone mad. What I am trying to say to you kid, nothing personal, but every time who is in charge are hearing the influence of the ghosts. Annoying voices come across their heads. Now that I am learning about goblin magic in this city. I couldn’t believe the spirits fought us in natural order or some shit . . .”
“. . . Anyway, back to the story. Because of continuous leaders’ madness, we split up. There is no hope using magic as they are forced into hiding in the mountain near east coast. Many weird stuffs happening inside the caves and I am sure people heard something very daunting. There were humans, not from Agatheus City but from Enders Bridge. We are getting overwhelmed and humiliated by their small numbers. They are the turning point to make us all leave that place once and for all. Even the rebellion stopped fighting and start making truces once in a while”
Scout stops and said to the user “Do you remember when the cult leader steps in for office in Fuku City?”
“There were none, the rich people in Fuku City didn’t bother letting themselves to compete against him. There was no internal fighting but there is a commotion of finding new leadership. He steps in provided something for them to take power on. Sigh* It’s just rumors”
The man sees that C is not going through their origin story. He doesn’t want to hear their beginnings and down fall, because of his impatience, he didn’t know how the demons corrupt them.
Scout mentioning the chaos happened in east coast. Mentioning about dwarves, goblins, humans, but there are no elves and demons involve in their struggles. The man can see now how the kid is not connecting the dot and how the demon wants to invade this city in the first place. But this topic is too controversial that they think it was the defectors who brought them here from east coast. No demons were at the east coast neither all of them coming from the entire region. The demons they are trying to warn about are from east mountain, and this is also just claims.
Scout seems can’t go through C’s head and go on the real issue “I see the kid isn’t fond in our story. Ok, let’s go to the demon part”
“Finally!”
C burst out from his mouth and checks around the table if anybody hears him. The barrier seals it off, he sat down feeling relief. Scout quietly nods with worrisome face
“Ok? I am going to the main point. We, the defectors, are not all have the same idea. Because we break ourselves into anarchy back in the east coast, and so, others had different intentions. I don’t break your mood of doing the bad thing. There are consequences, and me and my friend here are going to be concern what will happen next”
C responds “It must be the demon then”
“Worst! than you could even imagined. The cult groups are forming a religion on the damn thing”
“What?!”
“Wait! Let me finish, in other words, they have already forgotten how this world works now. The demons are so powerful that able to breach through the Mihayara district and Taiyou Industries to the ground. It all it takes with a single person to become the demon itself”
“You mean being possessed”
“I said worse kid, but you get the deal. Cult groups are not that reluctant to consumed by them to receive their wishes like any of those good vs evil movies”
The man added “It is a warning to you, kid. We are in business with the devils. If you are cooperating with someone who is side with it, we can’t be sure if any of us would save you or your soul”
“I am not really concern about religious stuff”
“Neither do we, and all we wanted for you to help with people who are closes to you. Even how dire and how easy it is for the defectors to help you like it was a chore”
C is trying to understand what’s going on. The Defectors have their own people’s point of views and leaning on the demons’ influence. Then it must mean they are involved with the siege somehow.
It gets on his head keeping in tract about the situation. The warning is there, he had to be careful with them if they are being influenced. The two sees him is starting to think hard about it. They pointed their gaze on the user, he is already eating as he has nothing to say while scout was the one talking. The man said to him
“Take care of his business, we will give him the chance to do whatever he needs to do. I don’t think this city will ever give others peace”
“What do you mean?”
Scout taps his glass with a spoon. The user thought so, if the kid can do it, then the suspicion will lead to the defectors. There is no easy way out as his community is being surrounded with dangerous people without them knowing.
C still continue contemplating, then his food has arrived.
“Your food is ready”
“Oh?! Thank you”
“Please come again”
C says his goodbyes “Thanks for the warning, I will keep it in mind . . .”
Scout was about to say something, the conversation was hard, and only the warning is clear enough. C left in a hurry as the three are left to finish their own lunches. The three is having trouble to get through to him, because being vague is considerable enough that they thought C as a suspected demon.
Scout burps out from his mouth after a nice meal “Sigh* ‘See no evil, say no evil, and hear no evil’ is the rule in our group. The hell, what I am trying to explain the boy or will he get suspicious of us?”
The man shakes his head then pointed out to the user “We already face those demons before. They can use mental magic. If the boy reminiscence in our own specific words, they will find us eventually. I would not risk him as he has someone dear”
The user sees him giving the sign, as they have failed to explain to him briefly. Then their chance to save the kid from upcoming events. The user had to text her for help. His face hid away as he still can’t believe in his expression that she survived in her travels. The old man keeps posting about her nonstop, as he tries not to be exposed by the public, but in this special private website made by the user. They have a chance to get away from the eyeing public eyes and see their friends and family are ok.
C made into the store, where his double is still not come back yet after the call. He is smiling like he is scheming. As he walks into the store, a stranger walk passes him. The stranger didn’t react, but C turns around as if he recognizes him for some reason. He reaches out to him
“Hey! You!”
The stranger ignores him
“You with the dark colored robe and hoody”
Nothing, he continues to move on.
“Tch, no. I need to bring this lunch to Junko”
Junko sees him entering the store and he said to her “I saw someone that you describe last night”
“You mean him, I saw him moving pass the store. He should’ve done his strange behavior to look up at the ceiling or something and left. Today, he just passed by?”
At back of the counter, they take their lunch as they talk about something strange. The two people he is with is talking about demons. Junko was busy eating her meal fast as it is really good. She coughs
“Junko, what’s wrong?”
“I forgot that you didn’t know. Do you really want to know? Don’t say it in public, I read it from a private website in chat. If anybody says any name or specific words coming from the devil. It will find who heard about them or know the words as they can find you indirectly”
“Do you actually believe in this stuff?”
“The private chat is owned by the community who is against the representative. They leak something dangerous and I hardly believe it is real”
She shows him the website as his account is verified. It was few weeks ago when the website is made and he is already verified without him knowing. He asks “When did you join?”
“I was browsing with my laptop. The bead guides me through here. The one who made it is from the main servers, I think. There are other recognizable people I know are safe but hid in the city. This chat helps me to get contact with them. They are so many of them being under the threat of those gangs and other creeps. Hito take a look at this”
The comment section shows that there is one person who is able to get out of the Fuku City’s lifestyle. Explaining to them that she left before the rebuilding of the community. That time where people are slowly returning to their normal lifestyle. They revert back to their usual closed life. The extravagant life left them dependent as they are trapped. Like Hito is stayed here just for her, but now he is getting hard to find a safer place to live because of the people outside is now treating them as outsiders.
This woman though had gained trust from her work with the Enders Guild, called Raker Mawn Guild, and her details that she lived in Enders Bridge quite a while as she grown into something strong. Rumors of her from the City Guild that she is capable as long as her partner is around. It gets even wilder that the school events shown of her partner is taken the spotlight to deal with the sea monsters and bring something out from one of the students who joined their guild. The sad outcome of it all, the community is treated as entertainment from his performance.
Clips of him inside of the water realm, and it shows his ferocity to the students. Powerful or not, he is daringly getting them into chaos as he doesn’t have enough strength to beat them down. Using the flaws made him able to use the environment against them, no students were left out a chance to take him out. Especially from the students from Sister’s Hope Highschool, they were prioritized the most into the oblivion as if the abyss wants them back to the void. Hito accidentally laughs, with his face embarrassed. She also laughs with him, such contagious laughter in such twisted video.
Hito reaches to where the last comment the girl has. It was an apology letter. Ignoring the long text like she is trying to justify herself, but it was not long but really brief as if someone is helping her write in a few sentences. No dramatic words and other niche sayings.
“Dear everybody, I never thought they are so deep inside Fuku City. I can’t candle this alone with the people who had so much experience from East Coast, there are so many, and their abilities and skills from the types of magic they have brought . . . I needed time, please find the right time for you guys to escape that place. I’m sensing so much and it is not safe anymore. Please plan for it so I can save you guys”
The woman who commented it, never show her identity. However, there is only one people who enter the city with Enders clothes. It was the religious man. He checks on the public social media website and remember to find who is the two people entered here. There is no one in the pictures have that, except for two people they have warned that there is one woman who was a former resident. Junko looks at the couple as she thought
“Ooh, who is this couple? Do you know them?”
Junko jokes around as she eats. Hito replies “Nothing special, let’s just eat”
The two takes their meal as they are doing their job at the store. It was kind of busy after lunch as they only take a few times getting busy while eating. It was bad service, and the regulars who come here is just checking Junko’s well-being. These people are part of the secret community. Surprisingly the user who talked with Hito goes in and take some chips and drinks. The two meets their eyes without saying a word as they move on their way.
Junko acts normal as the business transaction is done. The user left as like any customer would. Hito let it slides as he hears a ring coming from Junko’s device. She reads the chat and she brings Hito with her.
“Let’s take a break, there is a message from the private chat”
They get inside the storage as fast as they could. Junko shows it to him. “Please spread the message to anyone who will be using the internet in the near future. There will be some technical difficulties, and urgent request to not use the internet for what circumstances until one of us in person said to you to use it again”
This is Junko’s way to say to be careful as he is working inside the internet. They quickly left the room as they go back to work, and after the time when business went slow again. They talk about it. She takes the first question
“Have you heard about something like this?”
“I don’t, but I know my job is all not that dangerous at the moment”
Junko held her hands then picks out the bead and starts praying. It didn’t respond and left her to her own devices.
“It didn’t respond either”
“What are you doing?”
“The guy did tell me it does remove curses . . . I was hoping to know about your situation, so I pray what happened to you”
Hito didn’t say anything, he has concern to her and himself, and he also starts praying just to ease her. The bead reacts as the light shines over to him. The magic shows the scene where he and the stranger move pass by. The hidden robe revealed the items, the stranger’s brought items; relics or artifacts. Where the other beads held a strong attachment lying inside the bag, and it speaks out the voices of their own language. The bead shines again as the man where he is now. Junko feels something strange as if she had to do something about it. The place is at ruins in Mihayara District.
Junko asks Hito “Could you go after him?”
“Since when did you want to . . .”
Junko looks at him seriously, this is the stranger who helped her from the curse. It should be good enough to know that person is an Enders and that’s all she needed to know how their reputation is good enough for her. Hito sees the sincerity of her eyes that he must go and help him. Hito goes out from the store as she almost pleaded him. The bead ends the vision as it returned to her inventory. The customers entered the store as she welcomes them.
“Welcome . . .”
The same stranger who she thought to go rescue to has appeared.
The look of her eyes confused from what’s going on as the stranger pulls out his robe and said “I know, remove the covers from my face for any suspicion of me”
Then proceed to buy some snacks. Junko didn’t know what’s going as she caught herself into the confusion. Where did Hito gone to, she left herself in such a confuse situation. Where Hito is headed, already out from Fuku City. Where the border of the barrier is, and the person he tries to find is different from the robe. It was a mask. The stranger turns around as his face lit up with an expression.
“Why do I feel a guild magic on you?”