Chapter 351 - 347: Mission Or Trap?
"You're always a downer, man. Let us be hopeful. Even the imagination of fighting and killing that person is so amazing. I wonder how satisfying it will be to cut off his limbs when I face him.
****
"What happened to the lift? Why isn't it coming down?" the Old Scientist, known as Senia was standing in front of the lift, pressing the buttons, but it didn't seem like the lift was coming down. It was showing that the lift was on the sixth floor.
" Why isn't anything going as per expectations? Now even the lift stopped working?" the man cursed in frustration as he started walking towards the stairs.
"This is where the real test starts—the one in a ten-thousandth reality. I can't waste this chance. I'll make it that one successful possibility," Ryder muttered as he looked at the gun in his hand.
"Janus, What are the chances of my success now that I'm here? I must have eliminated a lot of those ten thousand realities by being here. My chances should be better now, right? Give me a number," Ryder asked Janus.
<You have one in five thousand chances of success>
Janus answered. There seemed to be some impatience in his tone.
<Why do you wish to take the risk to sacrifice so much to save a bunch of strangers? Did you not learn anything after the last time?>
Janus asked Ryder. Ryder felt as if he could sense the sadness in Janus' words. He could see that it was probably one of those times when Janus behaved like a real being.
" It's because I can. I can save thousands of lives, so why wouldn't I? If it's a little harmful to me, so what? If I can save anyone without losing people close to me in the process, it's always going to be a win," Ryder muttered as a smile appeared on his face, but that smile was countered by the sadness in his eyes.
" Alice and I are both orphans, You know? It's not fun. It was never fun. Seeing Alice cry, remembering her parents, is something I still remember. As for myself, the memories of my father and mother are still in my heart. I don't ever wish this fate on anyone else. I can only imagine how many kids would lose their parents and how many parents would lose their families if these attacks are successful. I have a chance to stop them without any dangers to myself, so why wouldn't I?" Ryder inquired.
" You said yourself; I can go back in time three times at once without attracting the attention of the lord of time. I'm saving the last trip to save my friends and family by following the same set of events like the first time in case something went wrong, but that still gives me two attempts. I would be too cruel not to try that while I have the opportunity to save people. If I can stop even one person while keeping my friends and me safe, that would be a win for me," he continues.
Ryder didn't know if it was real or his imagination, but he seemed to hear Janus' sigh.
It was followed by a familiar sound that he had heard many times before
It was the time... the time for a mission from Janus.
< Ding... A mission has been issued to the host>
As Ryder heard that, a stunned look appeared on his face. This timing was just so strange.
If it was a mission like he had received when he had killed the Dark Uprising members, then it was definitely a good thing, but if it was a mission that was going to mess with him like Janus often did, then it was going to be a bad thing. Ryder could only hope that it was going to be a good thing.
<Mission: Stop the plot of Uprising and escape without getting caught>
<Mission Rewards: Two Thousand Origin Points>
<Punishment of failure: You would never be able to succeed in stopping these attacks>
<Time Limit: One Day>
<To help the host have a fighting chance to complete the mission, he is allowed to take the rewards in advance>
<Warning: If the host takes the Rewards in advance and fails to finish the mission, he would have to pay back double what he received in advance>
<Would you like to take the advance?>
<Yes/No>
Janus asked Ryder after explaining the mission.
As Ryder heard the main and about the advance, a smile appeared on his face.
"Would I take the advance? I would have to be stupid not to take it. Origin Points are exactly what I need!" Ryder exclaimed with a smile on his face.
"Yes, give me the points in advance," Ryder declared.
<Two Thousand Origin Points have been given to the host>
"Janus, you're good. You do make my life hell sometimes, but you always come with a helping hand when I really need it. Thanks for the origin points," Ryder thanked Janus.
<Don't thank me. You will have to pay me four thousand Origin points if you fail. I would have a fun time collecting those four thousand points from you>
"Ah, you're trying to confuse me, aren't you? You definitely did this to help me, right? You didn't do it, so I would owe you an exorbitant amount of origin points, which would allow you to make my life real hell, right?" Even though Ryder said it, he was actually starting to doubt Janus' intentions.
<Sure>
Janus replied, intentionally talking as if he was mocking Ryder for being stupid.
"You bastard! Do you really think I'll give you the satisfaction of owning me? I'll win, and I'll win with the extra Origin Points I received!" Ryder declared as he rolled his eyes.
He was halfway down the stairs between the sixth and the fifth floor.
Instead of going down, he went back again. Now that he had enough Origin Points, he could prepare more thoroughly to face the powerful Beings that he might face. He knew that he couldn't buy things from the store when he would be under the enemy gunfire.
He wanted to buy on the sixth floor. No one could come up using the lift since the lift was stuck here. As for the stairs, he could kill them if any unaware enemy came up even when he was busy going through the items in the store.
He stepped on the sixth floor and moved away from the stairs.
"Janus, open the store," he commanded.
A semi-transparent screen opened in front of him, which showed the store of the system.