Chapter 3: Enter The Stage

"Anyway, the prize is a meeting". A short silence before a quiet "Eh?" from Shoudo. Kaede sighed softly and facepalmed. "I guess you're technically telling the truth, but that isn't all". Shoudo looked a bit confused.

"Of course, I'm telling the truth. It is a meeting. But what I didn't tell you was who it was with. The prize is actually, a meeting with the creator". Harumi smirked. "Now what do you think this creator person is?".

Shoudo, finally understanding the prize, hammered his fist into his open palm. "Oh, the creator of the game. Right?". Harumi nodded. "The creator of this game. Someone that created this game, where one million get abducted. They are then put through numerous worlds, called Stages to complete Objectives".

Harumi brought up the pamphlet and lightly hit it with the back of his hand as emphasis. "Reading from the pamphlet, it shows some experiments from the few people willing to learn more about this so called "Game". One, is that when we finish a stage, no time in the real world passes".

Harumi put up one finger. "Second, no damage from here transfers to the real world. This also includes working out. But damage from the real world, transfers to "Stages". That's another power of the so called Creator". Harumi put up another finger.

"Third, powers given to players are usable in the real world. There's not much information about this on the pamphlet because it's so thin but it'll do. Also, there are consequences to overusing your power in the real world. So that's Power Bestowal". Three fingers are lifted.

"Counting the power to kidnap people, or copies of them at least, that's another. Assuming they create these stages or transfer us to other worlds, that's another power. That's 5 powers at least. The ring is another power, illusion probably. If not to show us the ring, it's to hide the ring from billions of people". Six fingers are up.

"But then you have to account to how many people are playing the game at any given time. One million. So that's one million other powers. This "Game" has also lasted longer than we were born. The longest Player having played an astonishing 40 years".

Harumi then pointed at Shoudo. "Now, with that much power, who do you think this creator is?". Shoudo seemed to not really process Harumi's long rant about the game and gave an expected response. "Ah... What?". Harumi, realizing he was too caught up in it, coughed into his fist again.

"I'll spell it out for you. The creator of this so called Game, is God. Or at least a God. Even if a human had this kind of power, they would be a God inside a human body. The pamphlet didn't have anything for explaining the purpose but I can guess that's it's either for amusement or a darker reason. Meeting the Creator can also be taken as a threat". Harumi trailed off, reading the pamphlet again looking for any words he missed.

"Yup. No purpose for the game. Instead, I guess the players gave it a purpose with all these factions...". Harumi again was about to start a rant, this time about the Factions existing in the game but was interrupted by two people. Both Kaede and Shoudo.

Shoudo interrupted because his ears couldn't take more of Harumi's rants while Kaede needed to say something. "I'm sorry to interrupt your... "Informative" talks. But it's time. Five more seconds". Kaede looked to the sky. "For what?". Shoudo asked following her gaze.

Her gaze led to a giant clock in the sky. "What's is that for?!". Harumi looked surprised but then realized. "Ah, right. The second timer. The second timer is for when the stages start. Seriously, three loading screens before the Game actually starts? Ridiculous".

When the timer ran out, a screen appeared in front of everybody. Harumi's screen showed his Rank on the first, his points on the second, his power at the third and objectives on the fourth tab. There was also a fifth tab but it was greyed out.

"Points zero... Right?". He first opened the points tab. Yup, zero points. Going to his ranking placed him in the hundred thousands, along with the other new Players. His power tab only showed the words, Information Suppression. But the description was all question marks.

The fourth tab only had the words, "No Objectives". While the last tab, called the Guild Tab, required 10,000 points to unlock. 'Well, then this screen is almost completely useless. At least I got some hints though'.

He looked up into the sky and saw the clock hands moving again. 'Right, we only had one minute to check our Screen before we go in right?'. Suddenly, when the time finally ran out, the clock collapsed into itself. It suddenly spelled words in the sky that told everyone what to expect.

[Stage: Month of The Grand Hunt]

Then everything became bright and they knew not of where they were.

(Giant Courtyard)

They were again transported. This time to something more natural. It was a courtyard, the blue sky was high in the sky. He looked around him and saw a lot of people. Not as much as before but a considerable amount of them. Some of them, veterans probably, immediately opened their status screen.

Harumi copied the motion and opened the screen and went to the objectives tab. 'That's new. I'm guessing everyone got what they needed to do'. Harumi opened each of the objectives and saw that it didn't have a description other than the words "Hunt and kill the (Insert Monster Name)". It's time limit was 1 month.

He narrowed his eyes a bit. 'It seems that we have to find information about our targets ourselves'. Harumi looked and tried to find anybody he recognized. The only person he could see was Shoudo. Kaede was nowhere to be found. Just as he was about to go over and talk to Shoudo about her, a loud voice could be heard.

"Hear me, Grand Hunters! You...". Well, it was basically the principals speech. It was conveyed the information in the most roundabout way. 'That was somewhat annoying'. In all, the speech lasted a whole 2 hours.

The only important things that Harumi got from the speech was that this was something that happens every 10 years in this world. People get summoned to hunt monsters that are too dangerous, and this has created a culture that depends on the summonning.

This world doesn't have any powers, other than the monsters. No magic or supernatural material that can help in defending against these monsters. Also, if they don't do the summonning every 10 years, the monster population gets crazy and attack settlements.

'Huh, wouldn't I've been more help if I was transported to this world instead?'. He shook his head and decides to get his proof. Proof of joining the Grand Hunt was shown as a Black Card. 'How does this work exactly? Couldn't people just forge these?'.

Suddenly, the voice belonging to the princi-, I mean King continued. "There's no need to worry about the card being destroyed by any force. These cards have been proven to be able to survive being crushed by a 1 ton object falling 5 meters". 'That is really fucking specific'.

"Please do not worry about money. The Card allows you to buy anything you may need including lodgings or transportation. Also, do not hesitate to use the library as a way to research about your target". Harumi blinked. 'Well, that solved that problem'.

But as he thought more about it, he rejected the idea. 'No, too many people will be there. I shouldn't take that route. Asking locals... or hunters could work. Not Grand Hunters as they call us, but native hunters'.

A few hours pass and Harumi finally had his Black Card after a long line. He looked behind him and saw Shoudo looking at the ground. "You've been quiet since we got here. What's wrong?". Shoudo looked at Harumi.

"Well, I was just thinking... Isn't the fact that they're forcing us to fight for them kinda... messed up? I mean I saw kids in the crowds, no older than twelve. Are they really going to have them fight monsters that can threaten kingdoms?".

Harumi sighed. "You know they don't have to fight right? Judging that the fact they know we don't know anything about the supposed targets and gave us access to the library, they probably have experience with Players. At least they know enough about the Objectives. If I were to guess, they are mostly hoping on the Players that are serious about earning points".

"Besides, based on what the King back there said. These guys have rivals. Other kingdoms I suppose. But why waste soldiers on fighting monsters when you can depend on otherworldly forces. Or maybe they are already strong enough to push back the monsters and they only go through with the summoning because of religious reasons".

Harumi started walking towards a store. Shoudo was stumped for a bit then asked, "So they really aren't good guys?". A few seconds later, Harumi walked out of the store and chuckled at Shoudo. "You're so protagonist like. Anyway, it isn't what matters for now. You ever heard the expression, life isn't black or white, but a shade of grey?".

Shoudo nodded. "For a rival kingdom, this kingdom is an enemy and thus black. Yet for the citizens, the kingdom is protecting them is good, white". Harumi continued walking towards the town. "Now enough about morality and who's good or bad. We need to find a place to stay".

"Wait, shouldn't we find Yamamoto-senpai?". Shoudo was now walking next to Harumi. "She's a veteran so she should be fine. Besides we have much more pressing matters. First, we need to find place to stay. Then I'll tell you our plan of attack".

"Plan of attack? Couldn't you just tell me now?". Harumi shook his head. "No, I want it to be a surprise". Harumi started walking faster. "Hey, come on just tell me!". Shoudo whined while Harumi just ignored him. He was already deep in his thoughts.

'It doesn't matter if we don't complete the hunt. As long as we survive until the stage ends. But that isn't my style, I'll want to at least finish two of the hunts before the end of the stage. While him...', Harumi looked at Shoudo. '... I'm gonna have to help him complete his hunts. If he completes all four while I only get two, that should help me deflect a bit of attention'.