Chapter 16: World Map
As the group was heading into the Guild, Nathan suddenly turned to Zara, his brow furrowed in thought.
"Hey, Zara, I was just thinking," he began. "Why couldn't you just teleport us straight to the library at the The Ancient Order of the Scholars? Wouldn't that have saved us a ton of time?"
Zara chuckled. "Good question, Nathan. The world map doesn't work like that. I can only teleport to places I've been before. The Order's library isn't on my map because I've never visited it."
Nathan looked confused. "So you can't just teleport anywhere?"
"Nope," Zara replied. "The map expands as I explore. Right now, there are huge sections still shaded out, meaning they're undiscovered. Teleportation only works for known locations."
Emily nodded in understanding. "That makes sense. The map reflects what you've experienced, not just what exists."
"Exactly," Zara said. "But with time, you'll fill out your map too."
When they reached Old Man Reggie, the wizened figure was waiting for them in the Guild's common area, sipping tea from a delicate porcelain cup.
"Ah, you're back," he greeted them with a warm smile. "How was your visit to Hilbert's Hotel?"
Nathan and Emily exchanged a glance, their excitement evident. Nathan stepped forward, eager to share what they'd learned.
"We realized that an actual infinite is impossible," Nathan began. "Take counting, for example. Imagine someone trying to count down from infinity to today. If they were at -3, then -2, then -1, and finally zero, why did they only just now reach zero? They've had all of eternity to get here. It doesn't make sense."
Emily chimed in. "It's like trying to finish a race with an infinitely moving starting line. You'd never get to the end."
Reggie's eyes twinkled. "Exactly. That's why the past cannot be infinite. There must have been a beginning. Infinity in the real world leads to absurdities—like what you witnessed at the hotel."
Nathan grinned as a system notification appeared before him and Emily:
Update: Hilbert's Hotel and the absurdities of actual infinity have been added to your library.
After discussing their revelations with Reggie, Nathan turned to Emily. "Let's check out that world map module we talked about."
Emily nodded, opening her system interface. The module was listed for 10 system points.
"That'll leave us with 10 points," Nathan said, hesitating for a moment. "Should we really spend half our points on this?"
"Absolutely," Emily said. "We've been needing this for ages."
They purchased the module, and their interfaces lit up as the world map feature unlocked. A detailed holographic map appeared, marking locations they'd visited: the Guild, the Garden of Timelessness, the Tunnel of Trials, and now Hilbert's Hotel. The Order of the Scholars' library was also highlighted with a prompt:
Ready to transport?
Before they could respond, Reggie interrupted. "Hold on, you two. Before you make any rash decisions, I have another suggestion."
The pair looked at him curiously.
"I know you wanted to get the Tutorial mode module with your remaining 10 system points, however, there's a skill module on offer for 10 system points," Reggie said. "It's called the Inspect Skill. With it, you can analyze items for detailed information. At higher levels, you can even inspect people."
Nathan glanced at Emily. "That sounds useful. What do you think?"
Emily was thoughtful. "It does sound handy"
Mia, who had been listening, chimed in. "Inspect is definitely worth the investment. You'll find it more helpful than you think."
After a brief discussion, Nathan and Emily decided to go for it. They purchased the Inspect Skill instead of the Tutorial module, and their systems updated immediately.
Eager to try out their new ability, Nathan and Emily began inspecting items around the Guild. Their skill was at Level 1, so the information provided was basic but useful.
"This sword is made of something called Dusksteel," Nathan said, examining a blade on display. "Apparently, it's resistant to fire magic."
Emily tried inspecting a shield. "This one enhances its wielder's strength by 5%. That's cool!"
When they attempted to inspect people, however, the system displayed a message:
Skill level too low. Level 3 or higher required to inspect characters.
"Figures," Nathan said, disappointed. "Guess we'll have to level it up."
"One step at a time," Emily replied with a smile.
Finally, they turned their attention back to the world map. The prompt to transport to the Order of the Scholars' library still blinked invitingly. Just as Nathan was about to confirm, Zara stopped them.
"We'll have to part ways here," Zara said. "Mia, Lily, and I need to prepare for a quest back at the Guild. It's been fun traveling with you."
The group exchanged farewells, with promises to meet again.
Notification: Mia, Zara and Lilly are no longer in your current party. 3 slots currently freee/
As Zara, Mia, and Lily walked away, Nathan and Emily faced the glowing portal. With a deep breath, they stepped through, ready for their next adventure.