Interlude: The Backstage of Solaris Plaza

In front of Solaris Plaza

Night

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The police finally arrived, forming a security perimeter around the entire set of buildings comprising Solaris Plaza. Onlookers witnessed the strange spectacle of hundreds of drones firing at an elderly man touching a wall of the building, seemingly unaffected by the onslaught, even his clothes remained spotless. The sound of countless gunshots pierced the night air.

Somehow, any recorded video of the event could only be kept offline or on private servers. When posted on social networks, the videos would be swiftly deleted. To add to the unsettling situation, the onlookers randomly lost network access for no apparent reason when certain drones moved nearby.

Before the police arrived, the drones had initially started firing at civilians to force the elderly man to move from his spot. However, he merely frowned and remained unwavering. After a few deaths, the drones continued to concentrate their fire on him, realizing he would not budge.

When they arrived, the police officers managed to shoot down some drones, but they quickly realized their ammunition was limited. Setting up a perimeter, they turned their attention to discovering the origin of these relentless drones.

One officer mused, "Thinking about it… don't the drones have limited ammunition too?" As they surveyed the chaotic scene, they noticed a distinct path of drones flying back and forth, which was difficult to discern due to the darkness and the numerous drones in the sky of Nanome.

"Let's follow them."

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Point Of View change — Dwarf

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I frowned as I retracted my gloved hand from the wall. Despite this object or curtain, having a hidden function, a cognitive boost, it was irrelevant compared to the two important and bothersome points.

1. The real aim was to conceal whatever lay inside from prying sensors. However, without an Absolute Rule in place, such efforts were futile against the likes of me.

When I extended my hand and sensed the events unfolding within, I detected an Absolute Rule being unwritten. Through logical deduction, no Accessories should have been present in Solaris Plaza, and the culprit had no reason to remove any rule from their own possession in this context. Only one possibility sprang to mind that could explain this inconsistency.

…

Had some reckless fool, driven by misguided curiosity, truly thought it wise to unearth one of the Great Mysteries of the World in NANOME!? I heard of what these beings are from the trickster… No good would come from this. Their kind has unleashed untold calamities upon our world. It was imperative that everyone capable converge here immediately to eradicate them and close the entrance.

2. The drones compelled us to breach the curtain because we would recognize it. This object, I knew it all too well.

One of our core members had vanished without a trace several weeks ago. She had sent a flimsy excuse about a secret mission via text message. Naturally, given her lazy nature, we assumed this was simply her way of declaring she needed a break. When truly needed, she would, of course, return without fail.

Regret weighed heavily upon me. Perhaps I should have been more vigilant.

My mind turned to our other core member who had also recently vanished using this flimsy excuse…

…

…

I trembled.

In Nanome, my country, I had let my guard down, foolishly believing it to be safer than elsewhere, as if it were some playground. Never again would I commit such a critical error.

Yet how could not even one of our assistants have taken notice? Or… did they?

Multiple instances of uncharacteristic behavior, in this case, could only mean one of two things: mere coincidence or a sign of something deeply amiss.

I began by contemplating the direst possibilities.

A Dream Director? A Cognitive Playwright?

Or perhaps another type? Or a traitor in our midst?

Could our entire organization have been compromised?

…

I harbored no illusions about the presence of several Cognitive Playwrights and countless unregistered Performers lurking within Nanome. But would one of them possess the audacity to orchestrate such a scheme? Perhaps, for stupidity knows no bounds, unlike the finite universe. At the very least, they had the sense not to attempt manipulating more members, as several possessed an iron will.

As for the traitor theory, while improbable, it was not beyond the realm of possibility. Yet, the needs of every member and assistant were catered to on a level that would undoubtedly spark public outrage if the true extent of our salaries were brought to light. Moreover, numerous procedures had been established to address threats and coercion. And of course, everyone's background was checked by me.

Thus, in either case, I found myself seeking an imbecile or a group of them, rather than some mastermind pulling the strings. And my own will, I knew, could overcome any obstacle short of the Absolute.

I paused. At long last, one of our powerhouses had arrived on the scene. What could a detective and an assassin hope to accomplish in this situation? Come to think of it… Where was she? The police had arrived to provide assistance, so I surmised she must have managed to contact an assistant.

No matter, she should be all right. I paused, a realization striking me like a thunderbolt.

…I had entertained this very thought twice before, and two of our members had vanished without a trace.

…But she really should be all right.

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A sudden gust of wind caught the onlookers by surprise, sending caps and hats flying, and skirts waving. The drones were also caught up in the gale, their delicate mechanisms struggling to maintain stability as they came uncomfortably close to the ground.

In the next moment, a dazzling display of fireworks lit up the night landscape as every last drone was obliterated within a mere ten seconds by a shadowy silhouette, now beside me. This figure, with its glowing red eyes, coat of dense black fur, humanoid stature, gaping maw, and sharply pointed ears, could unmistakably be called a werewolf — making more than three times my size.

I felt my white cap being placed back upon my head.

"A monster?!" an onlooker gasped.

The werewolf glanced my way. "So, what is—"

"Just breach this place, Blitzer!" I commanded, cutting him off.

"I see." Without asking for further elaboration, Blitzer charged toward the building. A shockwave erupted as he collided with an invisible barrier, the force throwing him back. He landed deftly on his legs and pressed forward. Soon, the entire surrounding area began to quake as something unseen started to crack.

As my colleague worked on breaking through the entrance, I checked my phone for updates from my organization and the police, with whom I maintained close contact. I quickly scanned through the most recent notifications.

Red Painter : [I finally got rid of the drones tailing me and I conserved my stamina. Do you require assistance? Or not? I read that Blitzer will come.]

Dwarf : [No need, and yogurts]

Red Painter : [Yogurt? Strawberry yogurts?]

A tremor caught me off guard, causing me to send the message by accident with automatic correction. I rewrote.

Dwarf : [*No need, and yes, he's here, hopefully sufficient. But you might lend the police a hand at the warehouse suspected of hosting the drones. Perhaps whoever is controlling them is present. {Location}]

Red Painter : [Left the discussion]

…I really wouldn't want to be the one confronting her.

Truth be told, Blitzer alone was insufficient, but I preferred to call upon strong-willed members. Red Painter was perhaps the most lethal of us, but… I couldn't say if she was either strong-willed or weak-willed; at least I could say for sure that it wasn't in the middle due to her constant need for instructions. Yes, we follow orders, but… she took it to a new level. And also, she had some problems.

Also, her defense made her ill-suited for fighting unknown opponents.

Death was an eventuality that all of us accepted, yet I wasn't looking forward to losing one of my colleagues. Being in Nanome allowed this thought to not be foolish. Despite many of them dying, it was never in Nanome or due to a threat coming from Nanome, and I didn't intend to change that.

Of course, countless non-core members met their demise on a regular basis, but I cared less about their fates. At least I cared enough to refrain from senselessly summoning them here as mere powered cannon fodder, since trained police officers proved to be far more useful, valuable, and competent as a unit, given their wealth of experience… too bad many would likely die.

In the end, there was a chance factor involved in becoming a Performer, so if a normal cashier suddenly acquired the ability to control tons of water, they obviously would not be more useful than trained firefighters. Why? Because replacing a fire with a flood doesn't mean solving the problem. Being a core member was a testament to the trust placed in them and their exceptional competence, which was why I cared about their well-being.

'Let's hope that the trickster didn't leave Nanome,' I opened a group chat with several participants.

Dwarf : [Where are you?]

The Great Mister Misdirection : [Where am I not?]

I remembered why I didn't like him. It seemed he had recently convinced an assistant to add "The Great" to his name… Just as he had somehow managed in the past to get the entire organization to call me Dwarf due to my size and slightly larger nose… Every day I nearly forget my original codename, but it seems that everyone already has.

Dwarf : [This is serious. Someone broke the absolute rule in order to release these beings. {Location}]

The Great Mister Misdirection : [Interesting. But, why should I care?]

The Great Mister Misdirection : [Wait a second.]

I waited several of them.

The Great Mister Misdirection : [In Nanome?! I'm coming. But they shouldn't be a threat. It will depend on our luck. Usually only those brought naturally into this world are major threat level for sure.]

Luck, he said? Our luck didn't seem good.

Dwarf : [That's not all. In addition, I suspect that Dream Fairy and Endless Bubble are brainwashed and inside Solaris Plaza.]

The Great Mister Misdirection : [I'm in the headquarters. I will bring the necessary items to counter Dream Fairy. It seemed foolish to me that someone would pull this stunt without assurance. If we hadn't known then, whoever of us entered would have had their last dream.

The Great Mister Misdirection : [What, wait?! How is she brainwashed?]

Dwarf : [No passive protective effect, I assume. I could set a fire with wood and put it out with water all my life, but that doesn't mean that I'm immune to fire. It wasn't like she has an image to begin with, neither do we… however, Endless Bubble does, and he is the real threat if we counter her.]

The Great Mister Misdirection : [I see. We have no time to waste.]

The Great Mister Misdirection : [Left the discussion]

I noticed that a certain person was connected and nearby. Did we tell him that he could disable the option so everyone could see his position? I think yes but he didn't listen.

Dwarf : [@{Explosion Devotee} Did you read the recent feed?]

After some seconds, an answer came.

Explosion Devotee : [Yeah…. Why are you contacting me? Shouldn't Blitzer, Red Painter and you as support be enough? We are never more than three in Nanome.]

Dwarf : [YOU DIDN'T! Come here now! {Location}]

Explosion Devotee : [I'm on a secret mission.]

I paused, palming my face. Did everyone think that this excuse was a genius move? Well… It effectively worked twice and it frustrated me.

Dwarf : [If you don't bring your explosive ass here now, I will make it my life's goal to demote you. No more free stuff, like you say.]

Explosion Devotee : [I'm on my way.]

Explosion Devotee : [Left the discussion]

…

…He was jesting. He knew the gravity of the situation, so he came… Who was I kidding?

I sighed. At least, we should be able to eliminate any threat with the addition of pure versatility from the trickster, versatility and power from Blitzer, and pure power from the idiot. I couldn't quantify the concept of strong-willed, but I could say for sure that these three had enough will.

Maybe I should have called more members to stand by, but I wasn't sure and the remaining ones willful enough weren't in Nanome. If we could get rid of the brainwasher first, then everything could be solved by strength as long as these beings were not tricky to deal with.

…If anything, I would have rather called my contacts to nuke the whole place, but it was unrealistic. One of the crude truths of the Supernatural Collective was us being here so the country doesn't just try to nuke or exterminate every tricky situation. Moreover, the concept of Focus rendered such weapons ineffective in many cases. Let's trust the three.

The tremors have stopped.

Blitzer landed again on his feet after crashing into the wall for the umpteenth time. Countless rainbow-colored cracks on an invisible surface near the building's wall were visible to the naked eye. He breathed a little, steam leaving his maw. His stamina had been tested a little, but he was still in top form.

"So, they are inside?" Someone said from behind me. Of course, I had sensed the trickster's presence beforehand; he couldn't startle me. Yet he startled the onlookers and, slightly, Blitzer.

"Yes." I turned my head as he walked beside me. As always, he was wearing his dark grey magician costume, which consisted of a suit jacket over a dress shirt with a black tie, dress pants, a cape, and a top hat with a black band. He wore a smiling helmet covering his entire head, representing a poker face. Not a single piece of skin was revealed.

He tossed me a large steel ball at me with a rope attached to it, which I had to lift with both hands.

"It's the only one remaining," he said, and we both knew the implication. And since neither of us were compatible nor fully worthy, it would quickly become a simple steel ball without any effect.

I closed my eyes; no text was present, but I instinctively understood how it worked. I soon activated it and extended its protection range to all of us.

My attention was redirected to Blitzer, who slightly grew in size and instinctively howled at the full moon. Before, he prioritized his speed in case the curtain could self-repair. Now, he was in his strength-focused form. He turned his head to me; several onlookers were terrified by seeing his bestial face.

I pondered. The idiot hadn't arrived yet, but he should arrive soon. However, no matter what, allowing whatever was happening inside to continue was more foolish than anything else, so we couldn't wait any longer.

I nodded to Blitzer. His fist landed on the cracked invisible curtain, shattering it. It didn't stop its course as he pulverized the wall with all his might. Through all the area noises, the shattered glass was heard, with a rainbow-colored spectacle of glass falling. Shortly after, the glass on the floor vanished.

Now we could finally enter Solaris Plaza.

"Blitzer-" I quickly briefed him, I nearly forgot to do it. However, he didn't show any change at the news. I didn't elaborate on some part like the beings but I gave the essential, like the need to stay in the range of the Accessory I was holding and the abridged part with D.F. and E.B.

"Let's go."

He lunged forward on all fours, his massive form rippling with primal power, claws gouging the floor as he moved with ferocity.

The trickster and I followed him with the officers behind us. As I stepped inside, I stopped; the trickster stopped; the officers stopped. Blitzer also stooped in front of us. We all looked at our surroundings.

Blood lingered in the air; no corner in sight was devoid of blood and corpses. With a quick scan, I could tell that some were eaten alive by beasts… Who was I kidding? I could tell they were eaten by other humans, and I had no doubt that they did notice, which might have been the main reason we all paused after the high number of deaths and the odor.

However, some appeared without external injuries. I noted this in my head, then I went forward.

We wouldn't be professionals if we pointlessly wasted our time. It was just unexpected. That didn't mean I wasn't affected. I didn't care how, but I would get my hands on the culprit even if this was the last thing I did; they had proven that they didn't have the right to live. I didn't consider myself righteous, neither did I consider the culprit evil. I just considered them like a plague we needed to get rid of, since we were the doctors.

Soon, we all continued to run forward. Most of the officers followed suit; those behind either threw up or were pointlessly checking for survivors in this garden of death, I was in no mood to inform them.

"I sense dozens of presences. At the right turn!" I yelled. It seemed that the sight had disturbed me more than I was willing to admit; I should have already noticed the presences.

I felt that Dream Fairy was nearby in someone's dream, mindscape or closed Event.

Actually, I was surprised that she hadn't already attacked us when we entered. What else could guarantee a certain win in case we broke open without knowing that she was here? Was I wrong, and the culprit planned something else for us? Did their plan change?

Or… Did they also plan to use her as protection against these beings, just in case?

I smiled as Blitzer dashed forward; in the end, we were lucky and couldn't have picked a better timing.

Suddenly, a flash of light emerged from where there should have been forty presences, reducing them to only one. I also sensed three other beings in this building, so in total, there were four. There might be more in other buildings.

The werewolf turned right, vanishing from our sight, only to reappear in a thunderous crash as he was hurled against a wall. The impact shattered the surface, sending fragments of rubble raining down. Unscathed, he wrenched himself free from the crumbling wall and landed on his legs.

"Who are y… No. What are you? What have you done? What is your goal? And who left? Your accomplices? Survivors? Speak, now!" In his werewolf state, his voice boomed, deep and menacing.

"You aren't impressive… I'm supposed to soon be killed by the forces present in this country because I chose to stay?" a voice was heard. "My brother and my liberator are just cowards. Come here, doggy, and prove to me that your high amount of Focus given by my kind isn't wasted on you."

"I don't know what you are talking about, but you have three seconds to answer me!" Blitzer said, his size and muscles beneath his fur amplified, now in an upgraded strong-focused form without any regard for his stamina. He then turned his head to us. "Check if there's anything else in this and other buildings."

"Okay." I was going to leave, then I paused to say, "I'm not sure what type he is, but after your first contact with him, you are now under the effect of one of his abilities. But you can handle it."

The magician and the police followed behind me. I hoped to find answers from whoever I would find.

In the end, I didn't. This whole incident remained shrouded in darkness.