If their voices had already returned, screams of agony would've probably erupted among the players.
What Luluwa had explained was detrimental to their survival in the Obelisk. Withal, she made it seem as if it was an irrelevant topic.
{ "Above your heads, a panel that displays how many letters there are in your names will appear. We will be following the system of writing that your names were originally written in." }
{ "What's left is for the rest to guess your names by uncovering each and every letter by any means given by the system." }
{ "The reward for guessing another player's name is their full inventory." }
{ "Now that I've completed my job, I will be taking my departure." }
{ "To inaugurate the system, I will be giving the first mission." }
In the blink of an eye, Luluwa was nowhere to be found. In her place was the strained atmosphere that she wished for the players to swallow.
Aectaeon scanned the surroundings to get a glimpse of Luluwa, but to no avail, she had really disappeared.
'After dropping that nuclear bomb of a rule, she decamps without a word? What a psychopath.'
Interrupting Aectaeon's thoughts was the dull light that suddenly appeared in the corner of his eye. He quickly looked at it and saw a small panel. Right then, an ear-piercing sound violated his ears followed by the cantankerous harmony of the players' cries.
Aectaeon hurriedly covered his ears as he reached for the space on his right side. When he determined that the invisible wall was gone, he searched for a spot that could possibly give him the privacy he wanted. Regrettably for him, there were endless swarms of people facing him.
He opted to run northwards, hoping that he would end up somewhere remote. For almost half an hour, he ran and ran -- bumping into other players repeatedly -- without stopping. The cacophony of roars and caterwauling made his head ache, prompting him to think that the scandalous customer back in the hotel would be a better company.
It needed to be said how the ground floor of the Obelisk looked like.
The surroundings were covered in a white light that the players' eyes could tolerate. The ceiling mimicked the skies at the height of summer, yet with no clouds at all. As for the entire flooring, it was a thick sheet of transparent glass, enabling the players to watch what was happening in the basement.
Finally, after half an hour more, Aectaeon found a spot that was to his liking. He made his way there in a haste and let his breathing settle. As he waited for his body to cool down, Aectaeon read what was on the panel.
[[ jus ad bellum ]]
Rather than reading the phrase in his mind, Aectaeon recited it, though as quietly as he could. He remembered what Luluwa had said about the unique phrase for calling out the system.
"Jus ad bellum"
After a second, another panel appeared.
[[ Mission ]]
[[ Assimilate with the system ]]
"That's it? Just assimilate with the system? But h-"
Before he could even finish thinking, Aectaeon's hand moved on its own and tapped on the panel. At that instant, the panel changed.
[[ Initiating Player's Recognition ]]
Out of frustration, Aectaeon clicked his tongue. The system was similar to Luluwa who failed--
"No, not failed. She leaves out the most important details on purpose. This damn system and those damn guides." Aectaeon muttered as began tapping his foot on the ground.
At that point, he noticed something glowing by his feet. He bent down, picked it up, and inspected it.
"A… necklace? There's a pendant too." He looked at the item more closely, placing it at an eye-level, "A watch? How tiny is this? It's nearly the same size as my fingernail."
Aectaeon proceeded to roam his eyes around the floor, trying to see if the other players were given the same item. Once he confirmed that it wasn't only him, he concluded that it was a necklace provided by the system. He then began to think regarding the mission.
"Make the system recognize you, huh. How should I go about that? There is no keypad to input my real name. So, what is unique about me that will be enough as a method of recognition? And what should I do with that necklace?"
Questions after questions flooded his head, but Aectaeon was somehow enjoying it. He was starting to look forward to his future adventures. Since he was already in contemplation, Aectaeon's mind wandered back to an earlier time.
'Anyway, the answer that Luluwa gave was very encouraging. It wasn't only me who issued the challenge. She also did.'
An inconspicuous grin appeared on Aectaeon's face as he thought back on Luluwa's answer. He could see how disrespected she felt, and that was a moment of victory for him. She had been the aggressor from the start, so it was satisfying for Aectaeon to put her in her place.
"As far as I'm aware, I only have my clothes. But that's not what the system wants, is it? I'll bet that it's either my bodily fluids or a piece of my flesh. It's not like I can eat the necklace."
Aectaeon reached for the panel but his hand just went through it.
"Hmm, so I'm not supposed to put it on the panel? Then…"
His gaze immediately landed on the necklace. And that's when Aectaeon had a realization.
"So this is the vessel? Might as well try. I won't lose anything by doing it, right?"
Although uncertain, Aectaeon heeded his decision. He removed the brooch that was pinned on his shirt's pocket and used the needle to prick the tip of his forefinger. Drawing a couple of drops of blood, Aectaeon let one fall on the watch pendant.
He waited for a few seconds for something to happen on the necklace, but there was none. Then, his eyes caught the change on the panel.
[[ Welcome, Player Aectaeon Schever Foester ]]
[[ Set Pseudonym ]]
Right then, a keypad panel appeared. Aectaeon didn't want to deliberate on a pseudonym for a long time. He merely went for the first name he could think of sans any worries. He inputted his pseudonym at that instant.
[[ You cannot change your pseudonym for the duration of your stay in the Obelisk ]]
[[ Do you want to finalize? ]]
[[ Yes ]] [[ No ]]
Without a moment of hesitation, Aectaeon tapped on the yes icon.
[[ Manus Celer Dei recognizes Igor Vali ]]
[[ Timezone set to Earth ]]
[[ Do you wish to see the conversion? ]]
[[ Yes ]] [[ No ]]
Of course, Aectaeon chose No. It would be counterproductive for him to study what he already knew. He could be doing something else, like finding a way to get out of his situation.
Aectaeon exhaled deeply as if he had been holding his breath for hours.
"First mission done. I can only hope that the incoming missions won't deviate in difficulty."
Lamentably for Aectaeon, that was a sentiment that the system didn't share.
All of a sudden, the panel glitched, and when it stabilized, Aectaeon was in for the worst calamity of his life.
[[ Next Transmigration Countdown: 00 D; 00 H; 05 M; 00 S ]]