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Volume 5
Chapter 10: Finding Providence
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**Establishing Connection…
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**Connection Established
**Integrity at 89%
**Connecting Call…
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BEEP!
[Carl. Talk. And be quick about it. I’m busy.]
“President, we have a really big problem.”
CRACK!
“P-P-President… please listen to me first.”
[Huff. Huff. Carl, sum it up in ten words or shorter.]
“Eeeek?!”
[…in less than five seconds. Four.]
“Please, be lenient on me, President…”
[…two…]
“Waaaaa!! Alright! Alright! Ah… ah… T-The program similar to Janus is going to destroy Terroa!”
[Huuuuuuhhhhh???!!!]
“A-A-Also, I’ve been quite curious of the reaction of our ‘Dagger’ that’s supposed to be used against Janus so I went and investigated. To all the places I’ve visited that he’s been, these past few weeks, whenever I’m inside Garuda’s interior, I also get the same reaction with the places with Janus’s trails… only… it’s stronger.”
[What do you mean?]
“I designed the virus program to be able to react only with the Source Code of Janus’s main core program. Apparently, in such a hurried manner, I forgot to program it to react specifically only with Janus’s Source Code and its subsequent personality protocol. So now, what happened is… I’ve managed to confirm my initial suspicion that the other two programs that had the same signature codes as him but different personality protocol and world authorities are sharing the same Source Code. They can affect Terroa in a major manner –and I mean really… major... manner, enough to generate quests and missions like the first reports we’ve gathered.”
[You mean not only we have a loose Janus who can create quests and missions and affect the company’s wallets, we actually have three of his kind?]
“Precisely sir.”
[GOD DAMN IT!]
“Waaa…. be careful of that figurine, sir…”
[I DON’T CARE ABOUT A DAMN STATUE! I CARE ABOUT MORE OF MY JOB! If I lose mine, you lose yours too! Do you understand the situation where you at right now, Carl?!]
“Yes! Yes! Yes, I do president!”
[Then why does it seem that you are telling me that you can’t handle three of them together?]
“But I… But I really can’t, President. The source code’s linked programming is already blocked by the External Janus Program and even if I copy-paste this virus program even with a high end console, without the unique link encryption of the Janus Console in headquarters, I can’t reproduce the same virus prog –er, President, isn’t that your favorite… waaaaaa!!!”
BANG! CRACK!
[Do you have any more bad news to tell me?]
“I-I-I-I… I do… actually.”
CRACK!
[Say it now while I’m still not making my way to your apartment.]
“Waaaaa! Please, President, have merc–“
[SAY IT NOW!]
“Alright! Alright! I just confirmed that ‘The Destroyer’ we once had our eyes on have become a suspect as the third program. So far, from the initial reports we’ve had, The Destroyer’s name is actually Siva… this Siva-character is actually one of the Triad of Core Divinities that Doctor Pegasus created as overseer programs to watch over the development of the Terran Universe.”
[I know who Siva is. So what about it? We’ve learned now that there are three rogue programs: one is Janus, one is against Janus… and now you tell me that this is the third one that’s supposed to be bad? Is this bad news to you, Carl? Siva’s main personality is always been this bad… he’s the freaking destroyer for crying out loud!]
“S-S-Sorry sir… I wasn’t finished.”
[Then speak faster, damn it!]
“Yes sir! Right away sir! Err… this is Siva’s face.”
DING!
[This…?! H-How could… this is just… how could he have been… this is just impossible!]
“Sigh. Apparently, sir, the fight between him and a very strong player is even going to be broadcasted in Terroa Day Today today…”
[Sigh. Okay, Come back, I need you in the office today to talk about this. We have to deal with this mess as soon as possible. This is just getting bigger and bigger… argh… how am I going to explain this to the Board of–wait a minute! AG! That miserable, backstabbing, scheming, son of bitch… I know he has his finger on this one! I just know it! With this kind of mess, given that man’s tastes and interests, I just know he’s enjoying this and is watching from the sidelines! He plotted this! I just know it!]
“Err… sir, there is another piece of news that I also want to inform you.”
[What is it?]
“I’m being invited to the Blue Card Legion.”
[Did you just say The Blue Card Legion?]
“Yes, sir.”
[That’s a group with half of their members in our payroll. Why are you being called there?]
“I made it so that I will be invited, sir. You see, in the city of Aarun, back when we were investigating Janus’s traces, there seem to be some sort of pattern to his whereabouts and the kids that he’s using. Of the three Janus-type Rogue Characters that emerged during the external update, we now have 2 confirmed X-Class generated quests. The first is the random ‘bottles-from-the-sky’ and the second, if we are correct with our suspicions, is the so called Grand Quest connected to our Siva-character. If our initial findings of these Rogue Characters exhibiting player-like thought process and habits would be as true as it can, then we are in for a very hard battle for determining if we are indeed going to ‘kill’ a program or a person. So far, we only know that our Janus Character is a mere program. But the other two, including the one I suspect is in the Garuda of the Alcides Guild, if one of them is a real person and is not a mere AI, then I… sir, I will be honest, aside from exterminating the Janus Character, I will not be certain that I will be able to exterminate either of the two I just mentioned.”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
[I understand. So the reason you’re going to the Blue Card Legion is…?]
“Because of the quest they have in possession, sir. It has been confirmed that the ‘bottles-from-the-sky’ is somewhat always aware of Janus’s whereabouts so I am using whatever information I could find to trace these quests and missions. As for Janus’s own quest, I am still not able to confirm anything solid, though, however, in Aarun, I was able to open the book that the five youth under him were all reading.”
[Oh?]
“Yes sir. It’s called ‘Clemente’s Demise’ sir.”
[Hmm… interesting. Why would a God amongst the NPCs of Terroa who should be knowledgeable about everything be reading a book?]
“That’s one of the weirdest things as well, President, since I can’t confirm anything yet, I borrowed the book from the library using some ultra-extraordinary means and was surprised of what I’d found. Look.”
[Are those… numbers?]
“Codes, actually.”
[You can’t bring that back to the real world as file?]
“Unfortunately, sir, I can’t. I already tried. But the good news is I did manage to solve this riddle.”
[Stop with the boasting and tell me already before I run out of patience.]
“‘Find the Providence’ is what it says.”
[The Providence?! That’s… during the beta four-five years ago!]
“Fifty-six years ago, according to Terroa’s timeline.”
[Why the Blue Card Legion? What’s piecing them together with this?]
“From here in Dragona, I received news from the Blue Card Merchant Group that for the past few days, the Legion have been sending official summons to all their Knights because they are about to begin their quest to find Altair.”
[Altair…? Why is that name familiar?]
“It should be, President. Because of the nine grand names that fought in the Great War in Terroa’s time tables, Lunette Astarte… he was her and his son that eventually became the King of the current reigning monarchy in Central Continent, becoming part of the flagship plotline of the current game plot.”
[Oh! Yeah! I remember now. From how we launched the game, I remember writing off that one single spoiler about the missing King of Jeremiah.]
“And the connection between Janus and Altair…”
[Right. They might be after the same item.]
“Precisely, sir. So… err… should I still log out and come to the office or…”
[Carl… if I know better, you’d still make excuses just to stay online.]
“Preci –no, I mean, that’s not true sir! I really want to see you today. I missed you!”
[Spare me your flattery. I’m busy cleaning… argh! I order you, do you must do and finish the job. Damn it!]
BEEP!
**Call Terminated**
*****
“Sigh… glad I was able to manipulate that one.”
After the call, Carl –Olaf, closed his communicator panel and let the flow of time in his room in the Crown Hotel in Dragona stretch again.
It was faint but whenever it happens, you’d always feel that your mind was being expanded with some sort of powerful hands. It was this same sensation you will feel when you are logging in for the very first time.
Olaf walked out of the room elegantly, without the timid and cowardly Carl-ish behavior he shows in front of President Ethan, and then talked to the lady in the lobby.
“Are there any news?” he asked.
The lady in the reception recognized him as the VIP Guest of their Grand Manager se she courteously gave him his reply of a “None, sir”.
Olaf sighed and then was going towards the entrance of the hotel when the same Grand Manager’s voice calls from behind him.
“Master Olaf.”
“Manager Kim.”
He turned and faced her. Kim handed him a blue slip of thin paper with a golden dragon biting its tail emblem, a reminiscent of an auroboros, and then courteously bowed as she silently took her leave.
Olaf was flustered. She didn’t say a thing.
Going towards the resting benches at the side of the hotel lobby, he sat down and unfolded the slip.
“Oh. I see.” Olaf displayed a satisfied smile and then he stood up and walked off the hotel and boarded his bike again.
He went straight at the outskirts of the city where a uniquely tall Pagoda stood almost unhurt despite the devastated state of the downtown.
After that, he stopped at the gates 2km away from the said Pagoda and was confronted by ten guards who wore intimidating faces as they stopped him.
“Who goes there?” Said a tall Gonn Race guard.
Saying nothing, Olaf raised the blue slip of paper that upon seeing the golden dragon seal in it, they scurried with lowered heads to give way for him.
Hands clasped with each other, they all greeted him with their utmost respect.
“Welcome to the Howling King’s Pagoda, Esteemed Noble Guest!”
The unified voice of the Ten Guards at the door rang all throughout the nearest hundred meters and every disciple who heard it all turned their heads at Olaf’s direction. Upon seeing how he’s the only one who entered from the direction of the gate, they all had to stop whatever they were doing, form an orderly line, clasp their hands as they all gave way, and repeat the same words they heard from the men on the gates.
Only, this time, there were hundreds of them and as they cried in the loudest of their abilities the same words that the gate keepers spoke, their unified voices now sounded like a thundering roar that echoed further than just a hundred or so meters.
Eventually, Olaf made his way towards the tall Pagoda accompanied by this thundering roar of a greeting thus not even a single disciple would be unaware of his arrival.
When he reached the base of the Pagoda, he saw a tall bronze door almost twelve meters high.
That door was designed with stages –numbers that signified each level.
All in all, there were ten levels, ten doors increasing in sizes and devouring the lowest and smallest doors!
From the lowest division of a door-shaped supposed opening is the number one. Increasing in height is the increase in level and its eventual number.
After their greeting, the disciples came back to what they were doing before they stopped and Olaf watched with a smile as this scene made a nostalgic atmosphere of an ancient Asian martial temple.
Looking up and then back at the diligently practicing horde of disciples, Olaf couldn’t help but sigh and bid them a smile of understanding.
“This door might be a ‘test’ to test their progress.”
“You are 50% right about that.” From the side of the building on Olaf’s blind side came a husky voice and when Olad turned, he nodded in appreciation. The gruff voice of a man came from none other than Hagrid himself. “Master Olaf.”
“Master Hagrid, please don’t call me a Master. I will become used to it and my head might get bigger than they are now.”
Olaf stretched a hand and Hagrid took it with utmost courtesy. “I’m honored to be your acquaintance and your escort on this particular visit.”
“Straight to the point, are we?”
“Please. With your expertise, I know you’ve already heard of my grand defeat a few days ago. Though I may be smiling right now, I still carry the bitterness of that defeat.”
Hagrid did sighed and shook his head in lamentation.
Olaf sighed as well and stood off from his bike as he flicked his hand to unsummon the hover bike. Seeing this made the disciples and even Hagrid wide eyed.
For normal Hover Bike items, it was just impossible for a used but not yet empty tanked Hover Bike to be turned back into a capsule.
But Olaf did and he quickly stored it away on his inventory.
Hagrid chuckled and spoke in defeat, “It must be nice to have a GM account.”
But Olaf, hearing this, clicked his tongue. “No. You are mistaken. My account is just like your and any other normal account in Terroa. What you’ve seen is an invention. I designed it… just like how players can design Warships.”
“Oh? I never knew that it was possible. So that Hover Bike just now is actually an Invention!”
“Classy, right?”
“Genius! Designing a sword weapon is child’s play; designing guns are moderately challenging; warships, cyclones, sniper guns, really challenging. But Hover Bikes… it’s the first time I’ve heard of it, really.”
“Heh. You flatter me. The secret is just fully immersing yourself in the game.” Olaf punched the thick arm of Hagrid and beamed a grin. “If you know and understand that the ‘freedom’ given in Terroa are more than just the given things during the cinematics and the trailers in Terroa, then you will be able to unlock even more than just mere invention and strong magic spells! Sigh… anyways, I assume you are aware of my coming here?”
Hagrid was actually lost in a daze to the things he had heard from Olaf. In fact, seen in his eyes, he had clearly held this person’s words in high regard.
To him, a pioneer of RPG: Terroa, he had thought himself to be really knowledgeable to some secret and high ranking information about the game and how it operated but hearing these words and seeing with his own eyes the things he didn’t know existed, he actually felt like his horizons were broadened in this very moment itself.
And so, he felt that being the ‘escort’ for this VIP from Panorama Corporation was an extremely high honor and his utmost pleasure. In fact, it benefitted him the most that his insights to the game had been expanded into an unfathomable amount.
He even took note of what Olaf said, “If you know and understand that the ‘freedom’ given in Terroa, then you will be able to unlock even more than just mere inventions and strong magic spells!”
So he respectfully tried to curry favor by being as low-headed as he can to gain this man’s trust. He needs to monopolize any information this man have so he could stand above the rest of the Knights.
–if not higher than their Legion Commander, then higher than Kladis, at least.
“Of course.” Hagrid said flatteringly. “Whenever you are ready, I will be more than happy to escort you right away.”
“Well then, why dally?”
“As you wish.”
Saying this, Hagrid pulled out his T-Device. When he was about to use it, Olaf spoke, “Wait.” then gave him a bigger and heavier-looking T-Device. “That’s not gonna work. With how far we’re going this time, normal T-Devices will not work and we might fall in the sea or some other danger zone. Use this one.”
Just one look was enough to say that it was a rather different-looking teleportation device than normal.
“That is?” Hagrid asked in lust of the time.
“Still a T-Device, only, it’s meant for group travel.”
Hagrid nodded in awe.
It was a very expensive kind of T-Device –different for the fact that it can transport a group of people that’s within the circle of influence of its effect.
While the normal T-Devices sold in a high price in the shops are already expensive to some, this one is sky-high more expensive than that one. Still, as expensive as it may be, it wasn’t a rare item because it was a product of the Naturals… of the Humans!
It was an Invention!
“We’re going.” Hagrid said and the men behind him except for the beautiful woman with a blonde hair all step forth with him in a circle of 10m proximity.
A click came from the button Hagrid pressed on the Greater Teleportation Device and a light the same as the light of summoning items from the Inventory came to enshroud everyone within 15m.
WHOOSH!
In the space where they were in front of the Howling King’s Pagoda, they disappeared with just a light whoosh followed by a loud crashing thunder of like a CHUB sound as the vacuum of space where they were, is forcefully filled with air.