《The Last Loop》 Prologue. Death is the End? Mesoamerican Long Count Calendar, developed by Ancient Mayans. When anyone hears about it, they immediately think about the End of the World - Apocalypse. But it didn''t happen. It is already 21 March 2013, and the World is well and sound. Or not? It is said that the end of the 5,126-year-long Mayan Calendar marked the end of civilization how we knew it. That it isn''t only the end of some random calendar created by ignorant ancient people, but some kind of awe-inspiring prophecy. Well, this date passed three months ago, and nothing special happened to the World... Or not? For most of humanity, indeed, nothing changed. But for others... for some people, it wasn''t just three months that passed after 21 December 2012. But more. Much more. Alexey Johnovich Grand. Or, Alex Grand how he is called by most people. He is one of those rare existences who experienced a certain phenomenon. Time Leaping. He isn''t unique in that experience like some kind of novel protagonist would be. He is just one out of many others in the World. The World indeed changed after the end of the Mayan Calendar. And there is only one year more before Apocalypsis. The responsibility to prevent it put on the shoulders of Chosen people. Those who are given unique powers by the Higher Existence. They fight monsters and put their lives on the line to keep humanity from extinction. The best out of Chosen are given a chance to retain their memories when the World is reset. Heroes who fight to protect the World - Loopers. They are the pride of humanity and the last chance to save everyone. "Oh, my god! Esaka, my bro, no!!!" Alex Grand is silent, but he is screaming in his mind. There are tears in his eyes, and his facial expression is full of sadness and unwillingness. "My friend, my comrade! Why? Why should we fight? Why should you die?!" The pain of losing someone important. It isn''t a new experience for Alex Grand. But it doesn''t make it less painful. Especially if you are the one who is forced to end their life... "This game...this game is truly a masterpiece, as expected from Kei studio!" Actually...Alex is just reading a visual novel. Yep. While other chosen give their all to save the World, Alex Grand is just spending time at his home playing video games, reading novels, watching anime and TV-series. He isn''t some sort of superhero, just a selfish guy enjoying his life. Saving the World? There are many other people out there, I''m a weakling anyway. Ting...ting, ting, ting. The strange annoying sound stopped Alex''s immersion in a game world. "Oh no, this shit again."
The Call of the Law Will. Oh, Chosen - accept your Fate. Fight, become stronger, survive, die, and then fight again. Defeat the Chaos. Answer to my Summon! Complete the Test prepared for you!
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
Accept
Reject
Alex is too busy for that! Of course, he chooses theRefuseoption... even though he knew that it is for naught.
Refusal is impossible. Initiate the Summon.
And so his surroundings changed from his small but comfortable room to something completely different. Strange jungles with gigantic plants that, obviously, don''t exist on Earth. Though, how much Alex actually know about Earth''s plants? Not much. But something tells him that there are no gigantic carnivore plants even in the most dangerous jungles, right? Anyway, it isn''t the first time he sees this scenario. It is somewhat familiar. It makes sense. Another rather familiar thing is the imaginary message he has seen as soon as he appeared here.
Welcome to the Test of Purgatory.
Rather ominous, right? Not really, in fact, it is one of the easiest Dungeons available to the Chosen. Something like a Starting Zone in RPG-games. Even ordinary Chosen can survive it, let alone those OP Loopers. Fully completing it is somewhat harder, but, obviously, it isn''t something that a person does alone. There are other 99 people who are summoned in the Dungeon alongside with him, it is only a matter of time before he meets another 9 of them to form the Party. Then, everything is a breeze; after all, he was, most likely, summoned alongside the other Loopers. "Oh, it seems I was rather lucky to be teleported here!" While checking around his surroundings, Alex found out something interesting - a pleasant surprise. Most Chosen would be happy to find another human being like them in the Dungeon when they are teleported randomly. After all, it is always safer to be with someone else. Even if you are very confident in your ability - you can never be careless when your life is at stake. But what Alex found out wasn''t another fellow human. In fact, it was a monster. About two meters in height, as big as an SUV car. Something between a crab and a spider. Both creatures aren''t even insects, but this thing certainly looks like an insectoid thanks to its green, ugly, and totally insect-like exoskeleton. Ordinary unexperienced humans would be totally terrified after seeing this atrocious thing. But not Alex. He is different. He is glad to meet this new friend! "Hey, big guy! Come here!" He is yelling in the direction of this monstrosity while vigorously waving his hands as if afraid of being missed by it. They were not so far away from each other in the first place, so he was noticed almost immediately. The distance between them was shortened at a frightening pace. "C''mon! Let''s fight, you cute little bug! I''ll kick your ass." There is no trace of fear at Alex''s face. Only unwavering determination. He is a Looper! A Chosen warrior who fights to save the World! "Ugh!" And so, he was killed. One-shotted by a level 3(Elite) Cute Little Bug. Like this, useless Looper who didn''t even have a level because he skipped the Tutorial stage, concluded his 22nd loop. Chapter 1. What kind of Tutorial is this?! Alex found himself in a small, entirely white, cubic room. It kind of reminded him about the white room from the Matricks; in that film, the reality was simulated by robots who used humans as batteries. "Maybe everything from that film is actually real? It would explain the time loop. Somehow. Nah, nevermind, wouldn''t happen." After spending years in his room, killing time mindlessly, he is, at last, here. At the Tutorial. What changes would it bring him? In the middle of a room, right before Alex, was a pedestal with a big red button above it. Above the button was a holographic message.
You have ten seconds to read that message. After that, you will be given thirty-three seconds to make a choice. You can press the button to kill the other nine people. Or you can do nothing. But each person among ten of you was given the same choice. If no one presses the button within the time limit, then...
6... 5... 4... 3... "What the hell? What kind of Tutorial is this?" Alex didn''t know much about the Tutorial other than the fact that the memories of it erased from every first-timer and that people awaken their true capabilities after it. Loopers can keep their memories of the Tutorial, though. Still, he wasn''t sure if it was related to the fact that they are Loopers, or was it because it wasn''t their first time. Maybe those Tutorials were utterly different in the first place. He was unique as someone who already experienced multiple loops while also being a first-timer. After thinking things through in just three seconds, he decided to ignore the red button. Words on the hologram changed.
Press the button to survive.
33... 32... 31... "I see, so that is how it is." Just the fact that he hasn''t died immediately after the count started made him realize the truth behind this stupid test. "If the Tutorial alone left only one Chosen out of ten, then there is no way I didn''t know about it already. In fact, this system would be just way too silly. Also, there is no way that out of ten people, no one pressed the button in the first second or two, unless all of us are Loopers. But this test would be even more meaningless then, so it seems I was put in one group with ordinary Chosen. Anyway, it seems that even if you press the button - no one dies. But the question is - does this test exist to make sure we are ready to kill and so press the button even if we realize the truth, or it exists to make sure that we don''t press it at all?" Who are the Chosen? They are protectors of humanity. They are also soldiers. Warriors. It means they should kill. But they also should be united and be able to cooperate with each other. Most Chosen act in parties. And the max number of people in one party is exactly the ten. If everyone in a party is ready to sacrifice the rest just to save their own ass, wouldn''t it be perilous? "I shouldn''t press it. Anyway, in the off-chance that I''m wrong in my guess - I would "kill" nine strangers for no reason. Even if I die, I''m pretty much sure that Jane would be fine; after all, it is her second loop. I''m not confident that I would be of much help to her as I''m right now. I need to get stronger, but if the first thing I do to protect her is killing random strangers even when I''m sure in my safety, then I wouldn''t be able to look her in the eyes." He used those excuses while ignoring the real reason behind his inability to sacrifice some random strangers for his own sake. The real reason he isn''t ready to face, not yet. Actually, the second loop was the safest one out of all, from those small bits of info Alex was able to get. As long as they didn''t die in an unforeseen incident, 99 Loopers out of 100 are able to complete their second loop successfully. They aren''t overconfident but still experienced enough. The requirement for the mind retain is relatively low as well. It becomes higher and higher with each following loop, though - making it harder. Overconfidence and tendency to risk for the sake of getting more Contribution Points are the main reasons why Loopers die in the first place. The first loop usually is one of the hardest. If you survived it successfully, then you will have an excellent chance to experience at least 4-5 other loops. 3... 2... 1... 0... You survived. You didn''t press the Red Button of Betrayal. Congratulations, Chosen one! You were evaluated highly. In this way, thirty-three seconds passed safely and relaxingly. At least, for Alexey. It couldn''t be said about other people, though. A corridor leading to a bigger white room appeared simultaneously with that message. While Alex slowly strolled to his new destination, a shrill female scream resounded through the hall. "W-why you people all alive? Aren''t everyone should be killed?! I pressed the button!"This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Alex almost fell down after hearing it. "It seems in this group of people there is someone dull..." Even if you pressed the button - why would you tell everyone that you tried to kill them? Isn''t it asking for a beating? "What have you said just now, bitch? You tried to fucking kill me?" And sure enough, someone short-tempered already answered her. Not everyone was as leisurely as Alex, so when he arrived at the spacious white room, the other nine people were already inside. Most of them surrounded a rather bland woman in her late twenties or early thirties and looked coldly at her. The one who spoke just now was a twenty-something young man who was, based on his overly muscular body, into bodybuilding and steroids. Alex decided to nickname him Bull. "How can you do something like this? Do you think you are the only one who wants to live? I have a wife and two kids; still, I waited patiently and never even thought about pressing the button!" The scrawny middle-aged man added fuel to the fire by talking some nonsense. Nickname Monkey would be fit for him, right? "Right! You never thought that we have people who love us and would be sad if we die? It is just cruel. I would never do something like this. What a bitch. " Gaudy woman in her late twenties with a strange fashion style didn''t want to let go as well. Calling her Parrot is fine? "Bull, Monkey, and Parrot - let''s name them Tasteless Trio." So Alex thought rather rudely, without believing even one word those people said. Another three people - an overweight middle-aged woman and two guys of similar age to Alex said something similar to Tasteless Trio''s words as well. Blaming and insulting the "poor" woman while glorifying themselves. "Those would be Nameless Trio then." The only ones not participating in the "fun" were Alex, a teenage girl a few years younger than him who wept silently in the corner of the room and a smart-looking bespectacled man in his early twenties who watched the show with derision. "A bunch of fools." Before things escalate into physical violence, a cold voice saved that frightened low IQ woman. The handsome, bespectacled man played the role of a white knight and saved the unfortunate princess. Of course, it wasn''t his intention at all. "What the hell you said?" Already angry, Bull turned his gaze to Alex. He and the cold young man were in the same direction, while Alexey was closer to a group of people, so it wasn''t strange to misunderstand the voice''s owner. But before Alex could say anything, the glassed guy intervened. "You are a bunch of hypocritical fools. I pressed the button as well, so what? Do you really believe that this idiot woman and I were the only ones? You should be either a saint or an idiot to sacrifice your life for the sake of some strangers you never have seen. If it was that crying brat in the corner, then I still could believe that she did nothing. But all of you are so full of shit that it makes me puke." The Bull looked as if unable to believe that he just heard. He was a mountain of muscles, 6''3 feet (190 cm) tall. In comparison, the young man was 5''8 feet (173 cm) and didn''t look strong at all. To Bull, it was no different from seeing a chihuahua barking on a wolf. And him being the wolf, he felt insulted. "Are you looking for a fight? You should prepare yourself for that is coming." Bull said in a threatening, but coldly calm tone. "Trying to scare me? You aren''t qualified, dog." A man in glasses showed no trace of fear. "You asked for it, Glassy." Why did he call him Glassy? Probably because of the glasses and the fact that he looked somewhat fragile. In any case, things, at last, escalated to the actual violence. "Actually, this spectacled guy looks Asian. Maybe he knows kung-fu or something?" A little bit of racistic thought comes to Alex''s mind. Oh, could it be that it is this cliche situation of a small guy beating the big muscular guy with martial arts? He will use his family''s secret technique to defeat a much stronger opponent, effortlessly and elegantly! Actually, no. "Ugh!" The delicate man coughed up some blood after being punched hard right below his solar plexus. He became unable to breathe and fell on his knees. People think that muscles make you slow, but it isn''t exactly the truth. In fact, muscles make you stronger without losing too much of your speed if you train right. In other words, mass behind your hits raises while the speed stays roughly the same. It is very hard to beat a bigger opponent without a significant difference in skill. This is why weight divisions exist in all fight related sports. "You are only bark and no bite. Out of us two, who is the dog? Listen, everyone. This woman and Glassy right here are bastards who pressed the red button and wanted us dead! We should form a group and isolate them from us." The Bull wasn''t a musclebrain nor stupid. In fact, he was smart and made the right decisions very fast. He quickly realized that he could gain leadership and unite everyone under him by targeting a woman who blurted something idiotic. Then he used a demonstration of his physical superiority to establish his position. In this short time, six people out of ten were already on his side while the frightened woman and beaten bespectacled buy weren''t qualified to go against him. The only two people remained - crying girl, who is no worth of attention and another young guy who did nothing so far and just watched from the sides, don''t matter much. He took control over this place. At least this is what he thought. "Hehe...ahahahaha. A rabid dog is still a rabid dog, after all. Yeah, you hit me. Good job. Now I can do whatever to you and consider it legitimate self-defense. " Before Bull could understand what happened, a spectacled guy already recovered from his miserable state and stood straight. In his hand, something metallic glinted. It was a weapon. A gun. Pointed right at the muscular man''s head. "H-hey, friend! Calm down, calm down! We can talk things trough, like civilized people, right? Don''t be rash, put the gun down... The Murder is a serious crime, you know? Even if I hurt you first, it is still wouldn''t be legitimate self-defense!" There wasn''t a hint of the previous bravado on the Bull''s face. Only anxiety, fear, and submission. No matter how strong you are, you are still just a human. You can''t win against the gun. Even with proper training, you will have a high chance of being shot dead, nonetheless. All his plans were ruined by a small shining item in his opponent''s hand. "You sure know how to bark well. But, look around. Where are we? Do you think it is the place where the law created by a government holds any power? I talked about self-defense not because I''m afraid of the police, you dimwit. " Listening to this speech, the Bull was angry and unwilling inside, but that he could do? Other people become nervous as well. Even if there is only one gun with a limited number of bullets, but who would want to be sacrificed first? No one wants to risk their lives unnecessarily. Even those who previously sided with the Bull now reconsidered their choice. But the tension was broken by the one who was the source of it in the first place. "Hehe, relax. It is a replica gun. I''m just a University student, how can I own the firearm? Aren''t this baby looks just like the real deal, though? Seeing like you almost shit your pants was really worth it, doggy. " Realizing that he was played for a fool, the Bull was both ashamed and furious. He wanted to really beat the shit out of this arrogant prick, without holding back at all - even if it means killing him in the process. "Are you fucking dead, man!'' This bellow full of emotions made some of the weaker-willed people at the scene shake. But the one at whom it was directed didn''t even flinch. "No, but you would be. If I wish so. You haven''t realized it yet? Your life is already in my hands, doggy. " After saying it, he made a grasping motion with his hand. "Argh!" And so, the giant fell on his knees. Chapter 2. Free nicknames for everyone! When the Bull fell on his knees while looking extremely weak and sweating profusely, Alexey Johnovich Grand realized something essential to the situation. "Aren''t there are still three people without a proper nickname? " One of his bad habits... "Want to know why I talked about self-defense, doggy? The answer is easy. Anyone who dares to hurt me becomes cursed by my Gift. Now, you are at my mercy. " "This girl, crying in a corner... Oh, it seems she isn''t crying anymore and just staring at us from a distance. Anyway, she would be a Crybaby. Perfect. " "Why I revealed that my gun is a replica even though I have no real reasons to do it? Obviously, because I have no need for the weapon in the first place. " "That shrill woman? Well then... how about Harpy? Stop, aren''t she then would be a level above the Parrot? Ah, nevermind then. Let''s stop on the Shrill Woman then. " "I''m the only one who can remove the curse from you, doggy. And I''m not a monster. If you apologize properly and ask for forgiveness... Then I will allow you to become my minion until the end of the Tutorial. After you serve me well, I will remove the curse. Sound like a sweet deal, right? " "So, the last who remains is that talkative spectacled guy? I bet he has Japanese roots based on his looks. So, how about Megane (glasses)? Megane-kun, what a fitting nickname. I bet if he was a side character from some anime, he would be rather popular. Stop, wouldn''t he be a rather interesting protagonist as well? Cool anti-hero. Much better than me, at least. " "With how you are now, even that little girl who watches us from the sides would be able to do whatever she wants with you. As long as I desire for the curse to be active, you aren''t different from the pig awaiting the slaughter. " Megane-kun placed his hand on the Bull''s head and strictly commanded. "Apologize. Now. " The Bull was smart enough to realize the hopelessness of the situation. He resigned himself to do what that bastard wants - anyway, he will find a chance to get his revenge on this Glassy later. But, before he could actually do something really humiliating, a soft voice gathered everyone''s attention. "P-please, wait a minute. C-can I say something? " It wasn''t someone from the group of "bullies" who supported the Bull. They were too afraid to even make a sound. It wasn''t a frightened woman who wanted to disappear from this scary place as soon as possible. Alex, obviously, wasn''t the voice''s owner. Instead, it was a girl who seemed to be in her mid-teens. She timidly approached the group. "What is it, little miss? Can''t you see that adults have a serious conversation here? "Stolen novel; please report. Megane-kun asked, but his tone wasn''t too harsh. Instead, he was even a little bit gentle. "W-why everyone is like this? We shouldn''t fight against each other! E-everyone should get along and find a way out of here together! " Her face was still red from all the crying, but her expression was resolute. "It seems this Crybaby is rather brave, heh. " Alex smirked to himself while observing the everchanging situation from the sides. "We aren''t fighting each other, though. I just discipline my subordinates. Is there something wrong with that? Or you are saying that a bunch of fools bullying a weak woman is acceptable behavior?" Crybaby thought for a second before answering it. "They are wrong, but I can understand them! You and this woman, aren''t you pressed that scary button? What if it killed the rest of us? They are just scared of dying, and I''m scared too! And why are you so sure that those people are lying? Only because you never cared about killing someone for no real reason, doesn''t mean that you can judge everyone else with your standards! " While saying it, she looked really pitiable and almost started to weep again closer to an end. It looked as if she really believed those people. "Yes? Judging by my standards? Look at them! Look at those people! Witness if someone can meet your gaze without feeling ashamed of themselves. It would be your answer, little miss. " Monkey, Parrot, and Nameless Trio were unable to look straight at the girl. The same can be said about the shrill woman. They knew more than anyone else what kind of choice they did. And they also knew that if they were given that choice again, they would do the same thing. The Bull wasn''t in a state to care about this in the first place. After looking around those people and seeing that no one argued against Asian man''s accusations, Crybaby started to do the same thing that all crybabies do by definition. Well, almost started, because someone interrupted her before that. "Hey, girl, You can look at me. I''m not ashamed at all. On the one hand, because I''m rather shameless (said someone who is way too easy to feel embarrassed) and on the other, because I really did nothing to be sorry about. I never even touched that Red Button of Betrayal, you see? So, how about it? Let''s be friends and get along well? My name is Alex. Alex Grey. " For the first time since entering the white hall, Alexey Johnovich Grand made his presence clear to everyone. He was also the first out of the bunch to introduce himself. Even though the last name was fake (you can never be too cautious), but still. After hearing what he said, the girl changed her expression to somehow surprised, but, at the same time, delighted. Everyone else, other than Megane and Bull, flinched when heard the phrase "Red Button of Betrayal". The Shrill Woman inadvertently blurted. "Aren''t this is the Red Button of Survival? " She realized her mistake when everyone looked at her, most of those gazes were rather cold. "No, it was obviously called the Button of Betrayal! I''m sure of it! " Crybaby argued with confidence and some pride, seemingly not realizing that her words imply. "It seems the name of the button is different depending on the choice you made." Based on that piece of info and reactions of others, Alex made some conclusions, but he wasn''t sure how accurate they could be. "Anyway, the girl is right. We should think about how to proceed in the situation instead of doing some petty fighting. So you, Bull, should apologize to this Megane-kun, and you, Megane-kun, should cancel your curse or whatever power you used on him. Then, we should return to our respective rooms to check if the text above the buttons changed. After all, it seems there is nothing unusual in this hall. Any questions?" Alex decided to take the initiative in his hands and suggested the most logical course of action. "Yes, of course, I have a question. " The man in glasses asked while frowning. "Yes?" Alex asked with an innocent expression. "How the hell you called me just now? " ... Then he used the gun to shot Alex in the head... ... Actually, no, there is no way that he will do something so absurd, even though he actually did, other people here wouldn''t blame him. Chapter 3. Another test Next, everyone talked nonsense for another few minutes, and Megane-kun canceled his "curse" after hearing some unwilling apologies from the Bull. "I''m glad that everyone could get along so well! If there is another crazy test like this, then let''s trust each other as well! I think it is the whole reason why that Law Will thingie tried to scare us in the first place - so that we could start to be kind to each other!" Hearing that Crybaby said the other could only helplessly sigh. But, maybe, Alex thought, she actually was right in this. After all, no one died in the end. The purpose of this place wasn''t to harm them. Then, unexpectedly, one guy out of Nameless Trio found the courage to ask that girl a question: "Young miss... Could it be that you are a-actually Ellie ...the Innocent? I often watched yours...em shows... and actually a bit of a fan... " Crybaby looked at him with a puzzled face. "Mm? I''m not sure if you really could call me "innocent," and my name is definitely not Ellie... have you mistaken me for someone else, mister? Are you sure that Ellie looks anything like me? " She asked him innocently, that actually fit the strange "title" of Ellie. But, instead, the guy''s reaction was the opposite. He became pretty much sure that it was a misunderstanding. "Now what I think about it, you just have a little bit similar face, but everything else is entirely different. Completely. Yeah, there is no way for you to be this person, haha, sorry. " Someone interrupted their conversation, though. "Hey, boy. It isn''t the time or place to flirt with cute girls, give it a rest. " Said the gaudy woman, Parrot, while looking at the poor guy with disapproval. Most others silently approved her words. Eventually, everyone did what Alexey suggested and returned to their respective rooms. And sure enough, when he checked the hologram above the Red Button, the text changed.
As some of you already guessed - no one will die in this Assessment Test. After all, it would be an unnecessary waste of human resources. It seems everyone already met each other in the hall. The next stage of the Test would be started when everyone press and hold the button at the same time.
Buttons on hold:6
While he read the text, the number at the bottom changed.
Buttons on hold: 8
"It couldn''t be helped, I guess. Though it would be a smarter move to talk things through with everyone, it could also create even more friction within the group." Thinking so, Alexey Johnovich pressed the button without releasing it. It seems that someone else decided to take their time, as it was only about a minute later that the change happened. The room became a confined space as it was when Alex first arrived here. And the hologram changed as well.
No one dies in this Assessment Test Space. But it doesn''t mean that there is no reward and punishment system. All of your actions would be evaluated to give you the appropriate rewards. Those rewards would help you in the actual Tutorial stage and perhaps in the rest of your road as a Chosen.
Before, in the Test of the Red Button, there were three people considered winners by hidden rules. You win the test either by being the first one to press the button or by not pressing at all. In both cases, multiple people can be considered as winners at the same time. Someone with utmost determination or someone with a compassionate heart - both can become a Hero and guide humans to the Salvation. Each one of them will get 3000 Tutorial Points upon entering the Tutorial.
Next, in the second test, you should choose who the winners were and what choices they made. In your case, you only need to choose two other people. Those able to determine all the winners would get a bonus of 1000 Tutorial Points. Those able to decide right on both the winners and their respective choices would get 5000 Tutorial Points and also would be allowed to keep the memories of this Assessment Test as well. Anyone else will forget everything that happened here after entering the actual Tutorial.
Before the second test starts, you have a right to choose one person to contact and talk to them for five minutes. If someone else picked them before you, you would need to wait until they end the conversation, and if you both chose each other, then you wouldn''t get a second chance either. So think carefully.
The given time to read the message and choose the conversation partner:This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. 33... 32... 22... 17...
"So, the memories would be erased? I''m not sure if it would work on me, considering my Gift? Anyway, it is hard to say how vital those Tutorial Points would be in the Tutorial and if this amount is enough to give a significant advantage or not. " He thought for a few seconds, considering whom he should choose as his conversation partner. "Megane-kun would be an obvious choice, but if he picks me as well, then it would be a waste of opportunity. But, still, anyone else is really easy and not worth much attention either, even that Bulls. So the much biggest waste would be to miss the chance of talking to Megane in private. " And so, he picked the holographic icon with the handsome Asian face and then waited. All other profiles disappeared from the hologram, but then a cute girly face appeared there again. It seems to indicate that he was chosen by Crybaby as a conversation partner. Unfortunately, he would need to make a lady wait for a few minutes because he made his choice faster. "I expected you. " A holographic video-image of a young man in glasses appeared before Alex and said those words. " Can I guess that it means you chose someone else instead of me? " "Yes, I did. Why? " "Well, I''m slightly interested to know who it could be. " "Make a guess. " "Well, in this batch of people, the only two whom you would contact instead of me would be that Bull and, maybe that Crybaby. Right? " "Heh, no. Actually, I would choose one of them, but one other person said something interesting. Contacting that person is actually more critical than contacting you. They are also much easier to talk to or manipulate. " Alex thought for a second who it could be but didn''t find a plausible answer. "Yeah? Care to tell me about them? " " You don''t need to know. You have something else to ask, right? I can answer one of your questions if you promise me to answer one of mine. " Alex guessed that Megane-kun was still pissed about his nickname, or has had something else in mind, so getting all the answers wouldn''t be simple. But if he can choose only the one question to ask, then he already has it in mind. "It is a deal then. Let''s ask those questions first and then answer them step by step. " Asian man approvingly nodded. "Yeah, dealing with a smart person has its own charm, I guess. My question is - what is your allegiance? Or rather, who are your Looper friends? " "Hah?" This question surprised Alex for sure. He already guessed that this man knew about the loop and Chosen based on how calm he was and how skillful he was at his ability. But, a guess was still a guess. Now he confirmed it and, in fact, this question gave more information to Alex than if he asked about it himself. So, he decided to be nice and answer truthfully. "Well, I know about the loop and how Chosen can keep their memories if they work hard enough. You probably guessed as much, but just weren''t sure, right? One of my relatives is Chosen, but that is it. I never was invited by any Guild or Clan. I just browsed some info online. " Not a word he said was a lie. But it wasn''t a full truth either. It could be misunderstood that his relative was a Looper who told him about everything. Understandably, Alex wouldn''t reveal some stranger truth about his Gift. "Yeah, seems probable. If you were genuinely knowledgable about the situation, you wouldn''t do something as stupid as completely ignoring the button that could save your life. " In fact, it was the other way around. If he didn''t know anything and didn''t have his gift, he would press the button the second he completely read the rules. Then he would need to just hold on it to the end, it would make him the first no matter what unless someone else did it as well. Of course, there was no reason to tell him. "Anyway, you already answered my question, so do I have a reason to answer yours now? What about telling each other step by step? " Megane-kun asked with a hint of suspicion. "Well, just by asking this question, you already told me a lot. So I decided to be nice for once, Megane-kun." "If you call me that again I wouldn''t tell you anything for sure. " "Fine, fine. You can answer my question or not, it doesn''t really matter. Anyway. Would you choose to save your lover or one million strangers? " "Come again? " "As I said, would you choose to save your lover or one million strangers? " "I heard you the first time, boy. What the hell does it have to do with anything? " "It is up to you to answer me or not. " Silence. For the most part, Alex expected two reactions - immediate answer, or a slow one. Of course, both times, the answer should be that he will save the lover. It would make perfect sense, considering his "opening speech". How fast the answer was given and with how much confidence would help Alex to determine how likely it was for Megane-kun to win by being the first to press the button. So, this reaction was somewhat unexpected. Only when there was almost no time until the conversation''s time limit did Asian man said bitterly. "I can''t make such a choice. " His form disappeared from the sight. Chapter 4. Decision Time
Until the next call: 60... 59...
"So, I''m given time to think things through? Very well." "This Megane-kun sure surprised me. How could he be unable to make such a simple choice? Aren''t this choice basically the same one we already did here? What is there to hesitate? Now I''m sure - he isn''t a winner. " Alex efficiently used the short time he was given by making though somehow hasty, still entirely rational conclusions based on the limited information he had. "In the first place, if he really was the winner, he wouldn''t need to talk with anyone at all. As it was rather evident that Crybaby and I completely ignored the button. It would be a breeze for him to guess our choices and preserve his memories alongside with the highest amount of points possible. So yeah, he just couldn''t be the one who pressed the button first. " As his thoughts reached this far, he thought about the details of the conversation they had just now. "Someone said something interesting, hm? Me, Megane-kun, Crybaby and Bull were the ones who talked the most. It is unlikely to be one of us, considering the context. Two others were... that Nameless boy and Shrill woman..." After thinking about everything they said, he achieved a conclusion. "Nameless boy said some useless nonsense. Even if Crybaby is really this Ellie person, it doesn''t change much and not related to our situation. But that Shrill woman... Maybe I actually misunderstood the true meaning behind her words and everyone''s reaction? It could be the case... very likely. And it would explain why Megane-kun wanted to contact her so much. " Though this conclusion was still incomplete, Alexey felt that he is close to solving the puzzle. "Hello? Mister Alex? Can you hear me? Um, I''m right here and talking to you! " It seems his one minute already passed as one impatient girl pouted at him through the holographic image. " I wanted to talk to you! And waited for the whole six minutes as well! And now you are ignoring me... I thought that you are a really nice person, but it seems I was wrong... " She was almost on the verge of tears when Alex reacted... "Oh, sorry, I was really deep in thoughts and never tried to ignore you, honestly! Anyway, don''t cry, miss Crybaby. Everything is alright. " She watched at him, a little bit shocked. "Who is this "miss Crybaby"? Is it another case of mistaken identity? " "Believe me, you would be much more convincing without tearing eyes. If you don''t want me to call you Crybaby, then maybe you should tell me your name? I already introduced myself before. " "Oh! S-sorry! I was just too embarrassed back then, so I forgot to introduce myself! My name is Beth Petit. Nice to meet you! " Alex thought that her second name sure was fitting. Somehow, she reminded him about Jane. Even though this girl and his "little sister" looked nothing alike (rather, the opposite), but the way they talked was almost the same.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "Nice to meet you, Beth. Did you calm down more or less? At first, when I have seen you crying in the corner of the hall, you seemed to be really stressed by that whole situation. " He asked, a little bit concerned. "Yes, I''m fine now! When asked whom I choose to call, I picked you so I could say my thanks for being the only one who actually helped me to gain some confidence. I really like you a lot. You remind me about my older brother, hehe. " "Do you have an older brother, Beth? " "Yeah, he is a really fantastic person! If he was here, he would be able to calm everyone down in no time at all! He is strong, reliable, kind, and also smart! " "Haha, it seems you really like that brother of yours. " "Of course! But be at ease, I''m sure that one day you would be no less amazing than he is! " "Actually, you remind me about my younger sister as well. Though she isn''t really a sister, just a cousin. She also seemed to be a little bit older than you. " "Oh, we have so much in common, Alex! What you think about your sister? " "She is cute, like a small animal. She is rather talkative and lively. She is also somehow annoying..." "Eh? Aren''t it means that you consider me annoying as well? " "Well... maybe just a little bit... " "Eh? Eh? Alex, you meany! How can you say it to a girl? " Her fakely "hurt" expression made her even more adorable. It seems that instead of being ready to cry like usual, she actually tried to tease him a bit. "Haha, sorry, sorry. You aren''t annoying at all. And even if you are - doesn''t it make you even more lovable? " Her face turned somehow red, it seems she was easy to get shy when people complimented her. "C-could it be that you are hitting on me, mister? " She asked bashfully. "Hah? No way, no way. I have a rather peculiar taste in women, and you aren''t my type. I just adore you like I adore my little sister, so be rest assured as I would never hold any interest in you as a member of the opposite sex. " It seems the level of his denseness was rather shocking... "Y-you! Everything between us over! You aren''t anything like my big bro! Hm, don''t talk to me anymore. " Alexey was genuinely dumbfounded. "Eh? Have I said something wrong? " The fact that he sincerely can''t understand what he did wrong make it all the more pitiable. Perhaps, he is one of those people who are destined to die virgins. Well, of course, unless Truck-kun actually does his work properly and makes him the lustful Hero of the Elven Kingdom. "Em... Beth? I don''t know what is wrong, but I''m really sorry. I just expressed my feelings honestly without any thought of offending you. Can you forgive me? Let''s be friends, alright? " She disappeared from the hologram and, instead, only her small white room was seen inside. It seems you can avoid the "invisible camera" by crawling on the floor... What a useless piece of knowledge. And so, she ignored him, hidden from the sight, right until the call time ended. It seems that no one has had three or more conversations, so immediately after that, the voting time started. Time to vote. 60... 59... "What the actual hell? What is wrong with that girl? Could it be she fell in love with me from the first sight and so was disappointed that she wasn''t my type? It is the only explanation, but it doesn''t make much sense. Though I''m a handsome (not really) and dashing young man, so it really can be the case... Still, isn''t it is way too fast and sudden? It seems I underestimated my own charm... " 50... 49... Does he really have the time thinking of this nonsense when he should vote instead? Each second should be used to think of the right choice! Well, actually, - it doesn''t really matter to him, as he was able to think things through a bit while being ignored by Beth. "When I mentioned the Red Button of Betrayal, everyone other than Megane-kun and Beth reacted. It means that for them, that button did hold a different meaning and name. After that, Shrill woman said that her button was that of Salvation. I assumed that it was the case for everyone who pressed it, but it can''t be right. " 35... 34... "Obviously, for the person who actually won by pressing first, the button should hold a different meaning than for others. So, it indicates that we have three different names for the red button. " 22... 21... "It is possible that I interpreted everyone''s cold gazes at that woman wrongly. Maybe they looked at her like this not because the name of their button was the same, but because it was diametrically opposite? For example, the Red Button of Damnation. It would make perfect sense to hate her then. It is also consistent with the meaning behind the names and what they imply. " 10... 9... "And so, every mystery is explained, and everything made clear... " 6... 5... "As another Asian guy in glasses once said - I can see it... I can see the Ending! I don''t know how tasty those 8000 of Tutorial Points are, but they are already mine. " 4... 3... 2... And so, he voted. Rationally. 1... And so, he failed. Miserably.