January 16th 2022
***
"Report."
"Yes sir. Death rates are stabilizing. I've had 20 percent fewer deaths reported compared to yesterday."
"Good. It seems our predictions were right after all. We made the right decision."
The man leaned back in a leather chair behind his desk. The black room he occupied was lit by a singular cheap lamp in the corner. Shadows hugged his features to conceal the dozen trinkets on his body; rings, amulets, and even a few necklaces stacked on top of his collarbone.
He spoke to a woman in her low thirties adorned in similar garb. The private video call happened daily and would continue for the foreseeable future. This was a part of their responsibility. But soon they'd reap the rewards after years of hard work.
He leaned forward in his chair, noticing the woman's clenched fists and frustration. The argument reared its head once again.
"Are you still upset about that?"
She took a deep breath and looked him in the eye. "Yes, director. You know it was wrong of us to do, regardless of the results."
"Nonsense, the results are all that matter. Look at how well everyone is doing, and think about how much of an advantage it's given us. John made an excellent point and was brave enough to take risks-"
"Selfish risks! With consequences that other people are paying the price for! John didn't have to give up anything. He just put the interests of our team before the world and was praised for it. We should be leading the charge - not plotting and gathering strength in secret."
"Enough, Alecia. We've been through this too many times. We aren't in a 'what if' scenario anymore. It worked out, end-of-discussion."
She grit her teeth, lowering her hands around a staff in her lap. She squeezed it like a stress relief ball as she spoke.
"We used to specialize in 'what if'. You think just because we've moved down the food chain, we should reduce our caution and care proportionally? Absurd. Even bugs still fight for their lives instead of giving into futility."
"ALECIA!"
The man's voice, infused with pure mana, blasted out like a shockwave in his room. Stacks of papers and office supplies flew off his desk and crashed around the floor.
"Don't forget who you're talking to. You're being especially pushy today. Perhaps I should find someone else to take over your duties."
Alecia snorted, "Like who? you've already got everyone tied up with tasks you should have handled yourself."
The man's eyes lit up dark blue, suffused with energy. A vein bulged across his forehead.
"Alecia-"
"Save it Henry. You know you only got the position because I was too wrapped up in more important matters. That's the difference. I'm irreplaceable. You're just a fill-in."
Anger surged through his body. His fist slammed onto the desk, caving it in as the wood split down the center. The air around him started to shimmer and simmer with his rising anger. His thoughts churned at a steady speed as he leaned back. A couple minutes of silence passed between them, causing Alecia to squirm uncomfortably.
She'd never seen him so lost in thought before. But more than that, the anger in his eyes vanished on its own. Usually he stayed angry. And the way he was looking at her. Looking past her... It produced a surge of anxiety.
Her hands tightened around the staff, drawing his gaze to it for the first time.
"Oh? That's a nice staff." The jade-colored staff caught his attention and for a second, he revealed a hint of greed.
"Where'd you get it?"
Alecia stowed the staff behind her back.
"I...I just found it."
He chuckled with a light tone that didn't reach his eyes.
"You mean it was just laying around for anyone to take?"
Alecia shrugged, uncaring about whether he believed her. It was the truth.
"There was a commotion in town a couple days back near Pleasure Inn. When I investigated, I found this staff lying in one of the rooms."
"I didn't realize the illustrious Alecia Lambert would stoop to stealing. Surely that belonged to someone."
"Surely they would have taken it with them if it mattered. The person is probably dead. What's the harm in that?"
The man sneered and rolled his eyes.
"Always the hypocrite. Judging others from your pedestal while being a bitch if there's no evidence. If the person came back would you give it to them?"
"Well..." She bit her tongue, trailing off in silence. The insult barely registered in her mind, as if it meant nothing.
"I hate working with you, Alecia. But at least it won't last forever. Once the Ëinhãŕl arrive we won't have to bother with these meetings. It'll be on them."
"If only everyone knew that."
"Save it Alecia. This concludes the meeting."
She wanted to speak up but the vibrant screen turned black, marking the end of their call. She leaned back and reexamined the staff, taking in every detail. The stats and buffs on it were nothing to scoff at. Who would ever leave this behind? Let alone putting it out of sight.
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[Mage Class Weapon: Jade Staff || No Lvl Requirement]
[Attributes: + 8 Agility || + 10 Mana || + 5 Intelligence]
History Excerpt - One of many Jade Staff replicas mass-produced for the Hectate Empire by a talented blacksmith. The replicas were a popular gift among nobility, often rewarded to their children who awakened the Mage class. The Hectate Empire unfortunately met its downfall after a rebellion, And with the death of the blacksmith, the method of recreating these has been lost to time.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Alecia read the excerpt with a small smile. It was intriguing to see and learn the history of Empires she couldn't fathom. A world of nobility and commoners, how quaint. She wondered if she'd ever get to visit a planet like that.
Regardless, she had work to do. Her day had just begun, albeit late. The sun was starting to set, cresting over the low roofs of buildings in town. She quietly exited her apartment and headed for Pleasure Inn.
Whatever the reason, something strange was always going on in this part of town. Random fights in the street, crazy monsters appearing out of thin air, hell - even most of the Tier 1 dungeons had appeared in this area. She thought they were supposed to be spread across all of Japan. So why concentrate them here of all places? Or were there more dungeons than the System claimed?
Alecia had learned a lot over the last 10 years, and if she knew one thing, it was that the System didn't do coincidences. Maybe it lacked a consciousness, but it certainly had motives.
She was still lost in thought when a sweeping presence washed over her. She quivered slightly, feeling exposed even among the crowds in the street.
'Who was that?'
"I believe you have my staff. Mind handing it over?"
She spun around in surprise, clenching the staff tightly against her chest. Eyes from various onlookers started glancing over, growing intrigued by the scene. Alecia scanned the man up and down with a slight tremor running through her body. She recognized the tanned skin and tall muscular build. He was their number-one candidate on the irregulars list. Richter Maier.
"R...Richter?"
He chuckled softly. "Yup, that's me. Man, that's the second time I've been recognized in one day. Feels like old times."
His relaxed manner disintegrated as he took his hands out of his pockets.
"But really, I need that back. It's mine."
Alecia took an instinctive step back, pouring through a long chain of decisions in her head. She was torn between her greed and desire to make a good first impression. He was on the list for a reason. An Irregular. One of many they'd discovered over time. A human with capabilities or feats that exceeded human limits - even before the System came about. She'd heard rumors of a special Sensory ability but everyone she investigated was tight-lipped. Even his former disciples who cursed his name wouldn't confirm or deny anything.
If she played her cards right, she hoped he could become one of the spears that'd set the stage for Earth to make a strong impression. Because when the portals opened and gates between worlds connected, they couldn't afford to look weak...She knew what fate awaited them if they did.
"Hello? Are you even listening?"
He nonchalantly walked up and snatched the staff from her hands. Her frozen state made him curious.
"What are you thinking so hard about? Trust me, I'm doing you a favor. This staff will get you killed. It's better in my hands."
Richter tilted his head curiously and scanned her up and down with his Sense. A shocking discovery was made as he learned that her aura was greater than his own. Was it her total stats? He briefly gleamed at the interwoven chain-link of an amulet around her neck. An item with an aura. On the contrary, the staff looked plain and lifeless to him. Was it because he wasn't a Mage?
"What's your name?"
This random woman seemed to know more. A lot more. She was the only person from Earth so far whose aura exceeded his own. But her level of danger felt pathetic. She didn't seem like the fighting type.
"I'm Alecia, a researcher. Do you mind if we sit down and talk? There's a few things I'd like to discuss."
A bright smile curved on his lips as he said, "I'd love to. Come on, I know a place."
***