Chapter 549 - What do you want?

My good mood from enduring it all with just these hundred or so healing marks quickly fades once Lily starts healing me. She points out the damage I still have and the damage that continues to worsen even now.

I think it’s been a long time since I’ve seen her this worried. With a focused expression, she keeps healing me, even damaging some parts of my body to restore them properly where marks failed.

“It’s okay,” I tell her.

“You always say that! How is it okay to damage your own body so much?”

“Lily.”

“What!”

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not…”

“It is. I can handle it.” I reach out and ruffle her hair. “I’m not used to people worrying about me, so tone it down. I feel awkward.”

“I… I wish I could help you more. You and everyone else.”

“Humans are greedy creatures, aren’t they? What you’re doing right now is enough, and you’ll be able to do more in the future, so don’t worry about it.”

After a long while, I feel she deserves it, so I pinch her nose and use it to shake her head.

Just in case, I rely on her healing and don’t check the state of my body again, only focusing on keeping my new heart from burning me and doing some further adjusting. For now, I also separate half of my mind to keep dealing with it.

And damn, that’s with all the restrictions I placed on it.

“Yo, do a check on me,” I turn to Sophie. Unlike Lily, she just shrugs and does exactly that.

As with everything, it also takes a while, and then we do something similar with the twins.

The now-evaporated lake starts slowly filling out, so we move away.

***

I use one of my Beyond-stay tokens to head there and return to the fishing village, ignoring monsters as much as possible.

There, I collect shards Duncan left with one of the city leaders, all from selling fish and my split of it.

A full two hundred and five thousand shards. That gets me to 309,939 shards.

For now, I resist upgrading my healing passive—deciding to wait for the tournament and see if I can use these shards to make more shards instead.

Otherwise, my short Beyond visit is uneventful. I use the time until my Beyond token wears off to stabilize what I did further. I don’t meet anyone I recognize, and no one starts a fight with me.

Even as I’m leaving, my handler just greets me and wishes me luck for the tournament, saying that my performance there can allow me to get better Beyond quests or let me join bigger guilds in Beyond.

***

As the timer ticks down, we all gather in one of the gardens. A few bags sit nearby, packed in case the system allows us to bring them into the tournament. Lissandra and Myrra are there as well.

Everyone, other than Lissandra, is giddy and smiling, excited to meet people from other groups and even from other rounds.

All the training we went through here, all the effort we put in, is about to be tested against the rest of Earth’s first generation. The generation that has Earth’s future Absolute and Champions.

The most powerful people who, after the end of the tutorial, will change the rules of Earth. They might try to keep the current structure, they might try to make their own kingdoms, or they might try to leave the planet for adventure.

It’s an exciting thought.

Sophie is holding Izzy closely, and Noodle is coiled around her arm. The twins and Min-Jae are throwing insults at each other, saying how they’ll beat each other up.

Maya talks with Tess, who is surprisingly holding Biscuit. The now soon-to-be best doggo of the second tournament licks Tess, then looks at me, his expression almost like a gentle smile.

Lily patiently listens to Myrra, who is telling her some story about her childhood in Virelia.

Congratulations on your 2nd year in the tutorial!

The tournament preparations have been concluded.

During the duration of the tournament of Earth’s tutorial, all Floor Quests will be put on hold. The tournament will have a 14-day duration, and you can decide whether to participate or not.

More information will be given after entering the tournament floor.

Would you like to participate in the second tournament of Earth's tutorial?

Yes / No

 Please decide within the next 30 seconds.

Everyone’s hand moves to press the button, and then I don’t even feel the effects of teleportation before finding myself in a different place.

The bright sun makes me squint. Around me, I hear small birds singing. The sky is beautifully blue, and a gentle breeze moves through the leaves of the trees all around. The air smells like summer.

This time, we’re not separated, and everyone is looking around, curious.

Only then do I hear that single sentence from Maya.

“Where is Tess?”

A brief wave of panic washes over me as I expand my senses and scan my surroundings.

Tess isn’t here, and neither is Biscuit, even though I saw her pressing the button on the holographic system window that was visible to her alone.

“Tess!” Lily calls, even though our senses have already scanned the area thoroughly.

The Community is also disabled here, so no one is able to send any message.

"You, what's happening?" Maya steps forward and stops in front of Lissandra. "I talked to her. I saw her press the button. I know you're all smart or something. You must know something!"

For a moment, I think she might grab Lissandra and start shaking her, but thankfully she doesn’t.

“Isn’t that obvious?” Lissandra tilts her head. “The system wouldn’t allow someone with a mimic inside them into the tournament.”

In the silence that follows, Lissandra smiles. It’s the kind of smile you might make when explaining something to a child.

***

POV Earth

“General, I’ve got the breakdown on the power levels the returnees have reported, and we’ve decided to change our system from grades to categories and make further edits. So far, the highest levels are still hypothetical and based on what they’ve told us about their experiences on the tournament floors and encounters with Normal, Hard, and Hell participants. Then there are those who’ve been to what they call ‘Beyond.’ The categories are split into ten levels. These people we talked with are also from the Easiest difficulty, so we increased the scales slightly, as we don’t consider them the most knowledgeable.”

“Understood. Start with the weakest.”

“Category One, sir. These are the baseline enhanced: faster, stronger, but not by much. Think elite athletes or special forces soldiers. Dangerous to civilians but no real threat to us. They might show some weak supernatural abilities like creating fire with their minds only.”

“Manageable. What about Category Two?”

“Augmented tier. They’re capable of being dangerous under the right conditions, and their physical strength is enough to punch through reinforced doors or flip cars. Still manageable with current equipment, but they’ll take out regular squads if we’re not careful.”

“Noted. Category Three?”

“This is where things get serious. We expect them to be able to rip through walls, tank small-arms fire, and engage entire squads without much effort. Still within reason for us to handle, but it’s a stretch.”

“Category Four?”

“Superhuman. Leaping buildings, tearing through vehicles, and taking heavy ordnance like it’s nothing. If one goes rogue, even sending in heavy units might not be enough.”

“We haven’t seen such a returnee as of now, correct?”

“Yes, sir. Everything is based on the returnees’ accounts and our observations. We expect Category Four to start appearing with Normal difficulty or with Hard. We expect Easy difficulty to place around category one to category three at the highest with barely any capable of reaching that status. After that, the categories escalate fast.”

“Then let’s hear it. What’s Category Five?”

“City-level threats. These individuals could heavily damage a small to mid size city—flattening blocks, destroying infrastructure. We expect Hard difficulty returnees to be about that level.”

“Category Six?”

“Regional-level devastation. Entire areas are at risk, with massive destruction spreading for miles. This matches the upper tier of Hell Difficulty elites. We are also thinking of having three subcategories within each category, inspired by the system. For example, low Category Six, mid Category Six, and upper Category Six.”

“And Seven?”

“Nation-level threats, General. These are the strongest Hell and Beyond elites who can topple entire nations. Their abilities and strategies are far beyond anything we’ve encountered so far. We estimate only a few people will reach that category, if any.”

“That’s... concerning. Category Eight?”

“This one is purely theoretical. From what we heard from Easy difficulty returnees, we don’t expect anyone to reach that rank. It would be continental destruction, sir. At this level, they would be operating on a scale that makes our military capability seem irrelevant.”

“I’m almost afraid to ask about Nine.”

“Capable of planetary devastation. Wiping out all life on Earth.”

“Should have known. And Category Ten?”

“Planet-destroying. Not just the life on it—destroying the planet itself. There were legends our sources have heard about such beings, but we don’t consider it reliable information.”

“Understood. So Earth’s still in the lower tiers, but the infection is spreading and It’s only a matter of time before we see what’s next.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Continue collecting the information. Now tell me about Project Moon Spider.”

“Yes! If you look at the document on your table, our army, in cooperation with NASA, has prepared the module, and in a few weeks we should be able to send it to the Moon.”

***

POV Earth

“I’m Colonel Jonathan Kane, and it’s my pleasure to meet you, miss. First, I’d like to ask you to state your full name for the record before we start our conversation.”

“You already know my name. Do you need it again because of the recorder you put on the table?”

“Yes. This is a very important matter, and we’re creating a system to address it. Recording these conversations will allow us to examine them accurately, provide feedback, and adjust our approach.”

“Very well, my name is Thalia Gwyn.”

“Thank you for your understanding. Are you the biological mother of Victoria Gwyn and Nathaniel Gwyn?”

“Yes.”

“Ever since their disappearance two years ago, you haven’t received any information about their whereabouts?”

“None at all. It’s the same thing I told the sergeant you sent before. So I wonder—isn’t colonel one of the highest ranks in our army? Why would someone like you come to talk to me?”

“I’m afraid it’s something I currently cannot disclose. I can only say that we’ve come into contact with someone who met your daughter Victoria around one year ago, and we have strong reason to believe your son, Nathaniel is at the same place she is.”

“I… I thank you for this information.”

“I’m glad I could help at least that much, Mrs. Gwyn. I also have two daughters, and even though I do not fully understand what you’re feeling, I can empathize with you.”

“Yes. So, what do you want from me?”

“We have strong reason to believe your daughter will be a very… important person in the future. Please don’t take it as guaranteed, as even we aren’t sure if she’ll be able to stay alive, but it’s possible she will return in three years at the latest. Once again, I’d love to say everything will be fine, but it’s also possible she won’t—”

“I understand. This is better than nothing.”

“You are surprisingly calm about it.”

“Trust me, over the two years I went through a lot. And you could say I’ve taken after my kids in some ways.”

“I do not understand.”

“That’s fine. So again, what do you want?”

“There are multiple things, but firstly, we’d be thankful for any information you could give us about your daughter and your son: their personalities, how they react to certain situations, their relationships with people, what they like and dislike. We’re building up their psychological profile and—”

“I see. If that’s what you want, you can fuck off right away.”

“I apologize if I’ve offended you, but—”

“Yes, I know you didn’t mean it as an insult. The answer is the same. If you, our country, or our army want to use me against my kids, you. Can. Fuck. Off.”

“That confuses me, Miss Gwyn. From what we’ve gathered, you do not have a good relationship with your children. Your daughter was serving a ten-year sentence for the second-degree murder of your husband, Robert, her father—something she did as a nineteen-year-old. Your then-sixteen-year-old son was also suspected of helping with the murder, but the charges were dropped because of your daughter’s statement. After that, you haven’t visited your daughter even once, and your son moved away.”

“I am well aware. And?”

“Maybe we started on the wrong foot. Let me emphasize, creating psychological profiles of important people is common. I’m sure my higher-ups have one on me that likely includes my entire life. This is a sensitive matter, so we wanted one on your daughter and son as well. But I understand your dislike of that, and we can drop it for now. Instead, I’m authorized to offer you Diplomatic Compensation in the amount of one million dollars.”

“Colonel, I don’t know if you think I’m stupid, but you should stop.”

“Allow me to explain, Miss Gwyn. We’re well aware of your current employment history and the fact that you were forced to move into a smaller apartment just a few weeks ago. The ‘Diplomatic Compensation’ is, plainly said, a bribe. There are no services we expect from you in exchange. It’s all done in the hope that your children will look more favorably upon us once they’re back.”

“You said there’s a chance they won’t come back.”

“Yes. If you’re thinking in that case the money we gave you would be a waste on our part, we’re willing to take that loss.”

“I see. Ten million then.”

“I… what?”

“Look, Mister Colonel Jonas Kane, with your rank, you wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t very important, right? Ten million, or you can leave.”

“It’s Colonel Jonathan Kane, Miss Gwyn. You just confirmed you don’t have a good relationship with your children.”

“That’s true. I guess you can just take the risk and leave. However, I might mention it to them. But our relationship isn't that good so it surely won't come to bite you in the ass.”

“Are you blackmailing me, Miss Gwyn?”

“Yes.”

“That is a first for me. An interesting experience. Understood. I can increase it to ten million. If you’re willing, we can even relocate you to a safer location, as we have reason to suspect it might become slightly more dangerous around here. Of course, you’d be able to come and go as you please.”

“I’ll think about the relocation part. When you send the money, make sure it’s all ten million and not half of it disappearing because of taxes or some ‘processing fee.’”

“I… I understand. We will make sure nothing like that happens.”

“Thank you, Colonel Jonathan Dane. I’ll make sure to remember your name and mention you positively.”

“It’s Colonel Jonathan Kane, Miss Gwyn.”

“Sure.”

***

POV Earth

“The cat-sized ants in Africa ate an entire village. Did you see it?” the friend asks another boy next to him.

“Yes! There are even some leaked videos, but someone keeps taking them down. I also heard about huge wolves, a massive white bear, and sharks as big as ships! Do you think it’s some new species?”

“Probably. Maybe a tunnel to the center of the earth opened, and that’s where all these weird animals are coming from,” he laughs.

“Heh, so Luna is from there as well?”

“Luna?”

“The fucking spider on the moon.”

“Oh, it’s Luna nowadays? Didn’t they call her The Moonster?”

“What the fuck, haha, I hadn’t heard that one.”

***

POV Earth

“Boss, we broke another diamond-coated drill on that damned rock,” the worker with the yellow helmet says as he exits the tunnel.

He and his boss stand near the entrance where the giant machine is digging.

“These things are fucking expensive. Fuck. Did you at least get the results of the tests on the pieces of rock that broke the drill heads?”

“They’ll come in today, but the lab guy told me he’s never seen rock like this in his life,” he whispers. “Don’t tell anyone, but he also said their lab is getting a lot of samples like that—new metals, new rocks, plants, and such. Or old ones that are suddenly more durable. It’s insane.”

The boss takes his helmet off and wipes the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. “I’d give a good amount of money to know what the fuck is happening.”

***

POV Earth

Standing at attention, the soldier in uniform continues giving his report to his leader. Both men are Asian, and the room they are in is small and dark. There are no electronic devices present to make sure nothing is leaked.

“The Americans also got at least one group of Easy Difficulty returnees two months ago. In that time, we’ve found no signs that any other country received additional returnees. According to the returnees we cooperate with, it’s possibly because of the second tournament. After that, we should expect more groups.”

“Do we have any information on higher-tier returnees?”

“So far, only Easy difficulty, but we still expect the earliest Normal difficulty to start appearing in around six months to a year.”

“Good. How about that group of Easy difficulty that tried to take over Cyprus?”

“All eight of them were assassinated. Five of them by poisoning, and the remaining three by anti-materiel sniper rifles. We’ve collected some information, and it seems like all the shots went through the eye—likely worried the skull might deflect the bullet.”

“That poison must have been quite something.” The leader continues to tap on the table with his finger. “Do we know who did it?”

“We suspect China. All the bodies also went missing, and we only have photo documentation. But we think there was a submarine nearby to support the operation.”

“Understood. You can leave.”

“Yes, sir!”

***

POV Nathaniel

“So you knew and didn’t say anything?” Maya continues to shout at Lissandra. After what Lissandra said, I’m sure Maya would charge her if Lily and Sophie weren’t holding her back. Even they seem angry.

While Myrra stands by her side, Lissandra answers, “It would be weird if I didn’t notice it.”

That gets her another round of curses, but she seems to understand the reason and doesn’t retaliate. Instead, she catches my eyes, as if telling me to say something.

I know her well enough to sense there's more to this, but I am in [Focus] now, trying to steady my emotions. Even so, my hand clenches. As insults and questions continue to be hurled at Lissandra, I take a step forward.

“What do you want?” I ask.

All the words cut off, and most of the group four jumps in between me and her.

Lissandra just looks at me, still smiling. “I can help that girl. I’ve been observing her. The mimic hasn’t taken over; it hasn’t even started. There’s a reason for that. As for your bond, I don’t know why he decided to stay with her, but he doesn’t have a mimic.”

“Good. So again. WHAT do you want?”

"It is simple, truly, little pup. If she survives these two weeks on the seventh floor before we return, I will remove that mimic. If necessary, I will even force the Progenitor Mimic to assist me—that much I can promise. I can also promise that if you fail to fulfill what I ask of you, I will let her die. Do not expect otherwise, not even for a moment."

Lissandra steps forward with purpose, her smile giving way to an unshakable calm, "I want you to win every event in this tournament, little pup. No, not just win, but obliterate everyone in your way. Do that, and I will save your friend."

There is only one answer I can give from deep within [Focus].

“Consider it done.”

***

Next Chapter

***
Author Note: 
And with this chapter, Book 6 comes to an end! As I threatened, I will be taking a week-long break. Yay. Imagine being an Amazon reader and waiting three months for Book 7 after this cliffhanger. You guys have it slightly better.

As always, thank you so much for your support, it means a lot! If the timing of my break screwed you up, feel free to send me a message, and I can refund you.

Otherwise, see you in a week!