---
Truth be told, he still didn't know who or what he was dealing with so it's best to leave the arrogance aside for now, stay quiet, follow their commands, and think of a way to escape or forge an alliance.
Kaito took a deep breath and raised his hands to the level of his head.
"You don't look like you value your life." After saying these words, Calista walked further inside and disappeared, just like Minyoung.
Thinking it was a chance to survive, Kaito slowly walked backward to the exit, but when he had to only take one last step to freedom, the gates closed aggressively, and Minyoung's voice suddenly echoed in the room
"You don't run away from people who saved your life, jackass."
He looked around to find where the voice had come from, but it was just a gate, and a not-so-completely empty room because there were cameras camouflaged in the corners.
Looking back on how the two had disappeared earlier, he just had to walk further inside, and it didn't involve bumping toward the wall, hopefully.
He closed his eyes and ran in the direction where the two went. He was prepared for pain in case he did hit the wall but right now, he felt completely fine and decided to open his eyes once again.
"What the..."
Compared to the 'jungle' outside, the place he's in right now pretty much gives a scientific facility kind of impression, but in contrast, it also feels comfortable enough to be called a refuge.
"What the hell took you so long." Minyoung tied her long red hair into a ponytail before approaching a metal door. Then, she moved her fingers as if she was typing, and every time her finger moved, a translucent part of a keyboard would appear out of thin air, and disappear right after.
'It feels as though I'm back home.'
It gave him a particular sense of ease being in a place that has advanced mechanisms since he wasn't used to the place outside this building, trees, grass, soil, and of course, murderous Ice witches, and maybe... werewolves.
He wanted to ask a lot of questions, but he still doesn't know if he has the 'right' to speak.
The door opened before Minyoung and she walked inside with Calista following her, so Kaito did the same before the door could shut close.
They were now inside a living room, a messy one at that. Blueprints are scattered on one table, and some are on the ground. The smell of coffee could've been nice but it was mingling with the faint smell of black powder.
'Wait... black powder? Explosives?!'
Kaito tried not to panic and stood still while the two were discussing. After a few minutes, they looked like they had finally come to an agreement and went their own ways.
"Have a seat, Kaito." Calista offered as she herself, sat on a chair, while Minyoung, on the other hand, was picking up all the blueprints in the room.
"Do you remember how much time had passed since you came into this world?" Calista asked a question, but he chose not to answer, he is defenseless and he doesn't know the rules of this world, that sharp distortion of space might appear on his neck again if he tried to.
Minyoung threw him a bottle of water before saying -- "Answer her. You can speak now."
He took a sip of the water, but he ended up finishing the whole bottle, he didn't realize his thirst as he was processing so much information at once.
"I don't know for sure, maybe an hour ago before that Ice Girl, or whatever she is, attacked me," he answered as his senses started to relax. His guard was up this whole time, but for once, he thought maybe he can ease up a bit.
"Do you even know where you are?" Calista was the only one throwing the questions, and he seems to have remembered the reason why Minyoung was only listening after she had finished collecting the blueprints.
He remembered the words she said while they were outside.
---
"You would understand it better when she is the one to explain it to you."
---
"No. All I remember is that I met Minyoung in this building where I was invited to do a test drive for a game-- Wait, are we inside the game right now?!" realizing this, even more thoughts flowed into Kaito's mind. Even more, questions were formed.
"Anyhow, I have confirmed your ignorance." Calista elegantly crossed her legs and took a sip of her cup.
"Ignorance--" It sounds insulting but he can't deny it, he really does know nothing yet.
"Rejoice for I will do the honor of introducing this world to you, and explaining what your current situation is. After that, I must ascertain your worth or benefit to us."
He had no other options, and he was more than ready to get his queries answered.
"I'm listening."
"First of all, I am Calista Maxilliane Reece. You met me in the same building where you encountered and received a warning that sounded like a threat from this woman here, Minyoung Kim. For now, that is all you have to know about us."
"I am Kaito Araki. If I'm not wrong, you're that bronze blonde girl right?"
"Kaito Araki McKinley... Yada yada... You may have fooled the owner to send multiple entries to try the damned game, but not me."
Minyoung muttered as her gaze stayed on Kaito making him chuckle nervously. Calista cleared her throat before talking–
"That is correct. If you do not know, the game is called Malefic Metanoia. It was created purely to entertain people with virtually realistic gameplay. To make them feel like they are 'inside the game'. "
Seeing that Kaito was willing to listen until she had finished talking before throwing any questions, Calista continued with her introduction.
"We are currently in a world called Autre. In a region named Reproun, and a very isolated part of it to be precise. There is a city near us called Houlte, it is pretty much a trading market and residence for NPC's. We usually go there to buy supplies— Wait, Minyoung, aren't we supposed to go there today?"
"Well, yeah, but you can't do that now. We can just go tomorrow."
"Fine. Well, as I was saying, we usually go there to buy supplies like food, materials, and such. It might look a little different than what you see here in our hideout, like maybe, a little more historical than advanced—" Minyoung interrupted Calista but she didn't seem to be irritated by it.
"I'll give you a warning now, you are not to speak of the technology we have in this place to the world outside."
Kaito immediately nodded and looked away.
Calista sighed and continued once again.
"I suppose you remember that you have been prompted to choose a character type... and it seems like you are one of us." Calista tilted her head to the side as if trying to glimpse something behind Kaito.
"Your enthusiasm clearly shows." A little confused about what Calista has been saying, he tried to look where Calista was peeking at.
"Woah, what the fu-- is this a tail?!"
He stood up, wanting to have a better look at the restless wagging of fur. Instinctively, he touched the top of his head, and yes, there were pointy ears that had appeared along with the tail.
"Calm down, and sit." Calista somehow has a way of putting an end to his adrenaline, and so he sat down and tried to act normal again.
"—Like a good dog," Minyoung smirked and went to another room.
Kaito decided to let it go for now because so far, his amazement was piling up upon the negatives.
"We'll talk about being a werewolf some other time. Since this is a fantasy game, obviously, you will have powers. You can naturally have them, learn, discover, or even buy them. Believe me, your powers are crucial for your survival in this world."
"Got it."
"Lastly, this game can be played solo, duo, or multi. It's up to you if you want to be a lone wolf, or you could join a pack. By pack, I meant guilds. I suppose I don't have to explain what a guild is."
Kaito nodded, there are guilds in the other games he played, they are an association, or like, grouped people with similar pursuits.
"Alone or not, you will go on adventures, quests, and domains to either survive, upgrade yourself, or defeat other players. That's basically how the game works. I cannot explain the other features and details simply by words, so you will have to experience or see them yourself."
"I understand, thank you for telling me all this."
"Now, talking is done, you now have a gist of what's happening around you. As you are new, we have concluded that you pose no serious threat to me or Minyoung, and we are willing to offer you an alliance."
"Alliance? But, I don't know how I can be of any use right now, I haven't started yet."
"Exactly, if you were some strong guy wandering around the woods, Minyoung would've tried to capture you and make you test her bombs. Because people who are already familiar with the game can be dangerous, they might know more than we do."
"Because I don't know anything about the game yet, you're trying to recruit me to side with you?"
"I don't know if you get my point, but I am willing to guide you in cultivating your potential powers, so you can be of any 'use' to us. Besides, we need more people. It's hard recruiting when you don't know if they're a spy or not."
"This definitely favors me more than you right now, and I will probably die if I stupidly act brave and went solo playing. So yes, I will have to accept your generous offer, Calista."
"An obvious choice." Calista smiled as if she had everything manipulated in her hands.
"You should rest for now, and try to think of your next move. We are leaving for Houlte tomorrow. You can use the room on your left." She stood up and entered the room Minyoung went into earlier, then a door automatically opened on his left.
Kaito stood up and stretched.
"I guess questions can wait for tomorrow."
---