The Greatest Supreme

People turned their heads left and right as they tried to pinpoint where the voice originated. Even the competition organizers and staff currently had no single hint on what was happening.

However, one thing was for sure. The chilling apprehension entirely superseded the heat of the competition.

At that moment…

”Sir! ”

”Maam, wake up! ”

Zekiel Radnier and Fia Arcuri have fully passed out amid the inclining pandemonium.

”Wah! ”

”Ma, lets go home. ”

Children were crying as if they were facing a nightmare at present. The journalists inside the studio hall were already reporting to the entire country on the unusual turn of events, speculating that someone might have put some poison in the provided food of the competitors and was instigating terrorism.

Now, the medics were currently assessing the conditions of the competitors, as well as Rin Ardolf, who fainted just after the two.

The medics had baffled expressions on their faces.

”…But there is no concrete evidence of poisoning, ” one of them uttered.

Then…

Blink!

All the lights blacked out, and the louder cries of the children and worried voices followed. People instantly turned on the flashlight from their cellular phones.

Then, most of them stood up from their seats. Some of them remained seated, comforting their shaking hands. Some clasped their hands and prayed silently. Nevertheless, they all have a similar wish— to wake up from this terrible dream. But how?

There was only one answer in their minds: Leave this area.

”Umalis na tayo, Hon ” (Lets leave, Hon.)

”Move. Move! ”

”Daddy, daddy, I can breathe. ”

”Dito muna tayo. Hayaan mo muna sila. ” (Lets stay here. Let them go first.)

”Lord, have mercy. ”

Stomp, stomp.

As the mass of people rushed to the doorway, a group of security personnel tried to alleviate the panic.

Someone from the security spoke through the megaphone.

[Calm down! Don try to make a stampede, or it will worsen the situation.]

Most of the people halted; however, some still insisted.

A security staff came to report.

”Sir! The generator is not working! ”

Another security personnel came.

”We already checked the video surveillance cameras but detected no suspicious individual. ”

Then another came.

”Sir! We have already released our K-9s to check if there are explosives within the vicinity. ”

However, the last report triggered something.

”Explosives? ”

”Huh, bombs!? ”

Hearing those vicious words made the mass of people go into an uproar. They started panicking again and pushed each other while the barricade of security officers was trying to prevent the rush.

[Calm down!]

However, the loudness of the megaphone was dominated by the cries of people.

As the people desperately tried to reach the exit, a certain entrance was making its way.

At this point…

Flash!

A bright, blue light was emanating from the direction of the stage. People looked back and witnessed something grandeur yet disgusting.

”Welcome to… ”

”…T-the Last Stage? ”

Those words were floating in the air. At the same time, the big, visual screen was also speaking the contents of it.

[Welcome to «The Last Stage»]

Spark, spark.

There was a visible electric current at the edge of the flashed screen.

The people had various thoughts in their minds, but their mouths remained stitched.

I-isn it something you would see in a Sci-fi movie?

Is it the… the System?

M-metaverse?

Masama ang kutob ko dito. (I have a bad feeling about this.)

What sorcery is this?

Silence fell in the place until someone broke it.

”Sir, the competitors are gone! And the guy who fainted too! ”

Then suddenly…

All of the people inside the studio hall had something flash before them. It was their own screen window. All of them had the same, exact message.

[You have become an Audience.]

* * *

”A-augh. ”

My eyes slowly opened and saw…

Darkness?

My hands and legs were slightly shaking.

It was total and infinite darkness as if you were inside the singularity of a black hole.

What are these memories?

I stood up from the ground and started venturing around. I extended my arms, hoping that I would be able to touch something.

”Hello? ” I shouted. ”Or am I dead? ”

”No, you
e not dead, I guess. ” Someone answered.

I flinched at the unfamiliar voice. This persons really near. I tried to reach for them, but all I could grasp was the air.

I asked them,

”Hello, where are you? ”

”I also don know. ”

Then someone butted in.

”Hey, can you hear me? ”

And various voices began to rise.

”Hello, hello! ”

”Im scared… ”

”Können Sie mich hören? ” (Can you hear me?)

”¿Se me escucha? ” (You hear me?)

The voices filled this void-like place. It felt like there were thousands of people gathered here. Then a loud machine-like voice was heard.

[Stabilizing Mental State of the Performers…]

[Mental Stability is temporarily affecting the Performers!]

[Mental Stability will be automatically removed after the duration of Nexus Rendezvous.]

[Removing Language Barrier…]

[Language de-Barrier is now performable within «The Globe»!]

…Its the voice I heard before.

”Thats the voice from earlier! ” Someone exclaimed.

And the chattering began.

”Oh, you heard it too? ”

”It feels like we
e in a web novel. You know… the trend. What do you call this…? Oh, System! ”

”Huh, System? ”

”Before we talk about such things, we need first to get out of this place. ”

”Yes, theres no time to play. ”

Spark.

[You are a Performer.]

Spark.

[Father of History, Father of Lies, Recorder Herodotus has reached the Entrance of the «Nexus Stage».]

A couple of announcements were heard, and at the same time, floating, bright blue screens were beaming containing those messages.

I read the message from the screen.

Herodotus?

Despite the bright light, I still couldn see the people with me.

And several voices emerged.

”History, recorder… What? ”

”Nexus Stage? ”

Then…

Spark.

A holographic personage appeared in the middle of the darkness. There was a bearded old man with a staff in his hand.

He then opened his mouth.

[Greetings, dear Performers.]

Shocked and anxious voices were heard.

”W-who are you? ”

”…Herodotus? ”

”Please be a dream. Please be a dream ”

Herodotus. Didn he die a long time ago? Whats happening?

[Yes, Im Herodotus, the ruler of the Recorders and your so-called Father of History.]

Someone butted in.

”Oh, Father of Lies? ”

Haaa.

[…Plutarch.]

”Plutarch? ”

…Yes, the one who called him that.

[…Its not that important for now. Whats important is your situation.]

”O-of course! Anyways, w-where are w— ”

…They
e too noisy.

[Save the questions for later. Now.]

Tap.

Herodotus staff tapped the ground.

Spark.

Adjacent to the visual screens, there appeared an inventory-like window wherein heraldic medallions the size of a coin were attached.

«Faces»

[Im meeting all of you here for this reason. As you can see, besides your own System window, there are insignias which are known as «Faces». Remember the memories that sank into your mind?…]

Chatters.

[They are not just simple memories.]

”Then what are thos- ”

[They are the memories of your past lives, your past reincarnations.]

The chatters subsided. Then silence took place.

…So that means that I was…!

[And all I can say for the moment is that your memories are related to those «Faces». I cannot say the full details since all of you need first to get past your first Quest Act. Now, questions. Just raise your hands.]

”….. ”

I couldn see them. Maybe they were raising their hands.

[Yes, you.]

Someone asked.

”Where are we? ”

[All of you are currently in the «Nexus Stage». As its name implies, the «Nexus Stage» is the point of connection between two Major Stages, the «Recorders Stage» and the «The Last Stage». The Recorders, like myself, reside in the «Recorders Stage» and the Performers, like you, and Audience live in the «The Last Stage» or he Earth. This place is the only one where the Recorders and Performers or Audience are allowed to meet face-to-face. Just imagine an hourglass, and the waist is the «Nexus Stage». Next question.]

”….. ”

[Yes, you.]

A voice emerged.

”What the hell are Recorders? ”

[Recorders are someone who
ecords the events of the past, the present, and the future. Recorders are someone in the past who wrote about histories, stories, and the future. Next question.]

…There are just too many questions that need to be answered.

Stage, performers, The Globe, entrance…

I slowly raised my hand.

Herodotus noticed me, narrowed his eyes, then gently smiled.

Whats his deal…?

[Yes, you.]

I asked, ”…William Shakespeare, where is he? Is he a Recorder too? ”

[Hmm, I see.]

Come on…

[…You
e still as smart as ever, Performer Zekiel Radnier.]

Still? As ever? Ah, I see. They
e Recorders after all.

A familiar voice then resonated.

”Z-zekiel? Hey, Zekiel, where are you? ”

”Rin? ”

[Are you going to let me answer your question or not?]

”….. ”

”….. ”

[Okay. The answer is simply we don know.]

What?

[Next question.]

…They don know?

[You.]

”How are we supposed to believe you if you
e the Father of Lies? ”

These people… obviously didn study World History.

[Then, who would you believe in?]

”….. ”

I see.

We had no choice but to believe the person in front of us.

[Last question.]

…This is frustrating.

The people started muttering.

[You?]

”How do we get out of here? ”

Yes, that was the most appropriate last question we could come up with.

[You will naturally return to «The Last Stage» after the 5-minute appointment. You can see the remaining time in your System windows.]

I looked at the floating words.

[Nexus Rendezvous Remaining time: 00:00:01:07]

Herodotus spoke once again.

[Once all of you have returned to «The Last Stage», the Quest Act I will commence. So, prepare yourselves. If theres something you want to learn, you can explore your Systems after.]

”So we
e really inside of a game? ”

”Something like that, but I don think so. ”

”Im so confused! ”

”What will happen to us? ”

”Im so excited! ”

”What? Excited? We literally don know what lies ahead of us. ”

…..

Chatters began as they couldn help but feel perplexed.

Someone then exclaimed.

”Sir H-herodotus! I just want to ask if— ”

[I will now take my leave since I no longer have any business with you all. Good luck with your first Quest Act.]

”W-wait, Sir! ”

Tap.

Spark.

[Father of History, Father of Lies, Recorder Herodotus has reached the Exit of the «Nexus Stage».]

Spark.

The holographic personage disappeared.

A voice was then heard.

”I really have a bad feeling about this. ”

Spark.

[Nexus Rendezvous Remaining time: 00:00:00:10]

Rumble.

The ground began shaking.

”W-whats happening? ”

The people inside this void-like world began panicking.

[Nexus Rendezvous Remaining time: 00:00:00:06]

[Nexus Rendezvous Remaining time: 00:00:00:05]

[Nexus Rendezvous Remaining time: 00:00:00:04]

[Nexus Rendezvous Remaining time: 00:00:00:03]

At the three-second mark, the world began rotating.

The panic of the people intensified. But I tried my best to remain collected.

[Nexus Rendezvous Remaining time: 00:00:00:02]

[Nexus Rendezvous Remaining time: 00:00:00:01]

[Performer Zekiel Radnier has reached the Exit of the «Nexus Stage».]

The darkness gradated into a bright spectacle.

…Did I come back?

My eyes encountered a familiar background. It was the place where I competed.

Someone then shouted.

”T-they
e back! They
e on the stage. ”

…They?

I looked at my sides and saw familiar faces.

They were Rin, Ms. Arcuri, and… Samantha?

Then the security personnel rushed toward us while holding their arms and guns.

Then one of them exclaimed, ”Stop moving! We suspect that all of you were the terrorists! ”

…What the hell are they talking about?

”Such nonsense, ” Fia Arcuri nonchalantly said as she advanced.

”Don move! Or else we will pull the trigger! ”

She immediately stopped her feet. However, it seemed that her eyes continued to move forward toward the group of personnel; it was a vicious glare.

”Raise your hands! ”

We had no choice but to raise both of our hands.

Then, Rin worriedly asked me.

”Z-zekiel, what are they saying? We, terrorists? ”

”Just observe. ”

Haaa.

I took a deep breath.

As they rushed toward us…

Spark.

Something was stopping them.

”Argghh! ”

Spark. Spark.

[The Non-visible Barrier has already been established.]

”W-what? ”

The security personnel looked down at their screens.

[You are an Audience. You cannot enter the «Quest Stage». ]

”Y-you… You, terrorists! Enough with your tactics! ”

”Are you dumb or just in denial? Look at those floating words! Wake up. ” Samantha irritatedly told the security.

”N-no this can be. Such things are surreal! These are illogical and physically impossible! ”

Samantha was laughing.

And the people behind approached the security personnel.

One of the people spoke.

”Uhmm, Sir. It may be hard for us to accept this… But shouldn we do what Aristotle told us to do? ”

…Aristotle? What happened here? Is he a Recorder as well? But, it was said that the only place we are allowed to meet with the Recorders is the «Nexus Stage». How…?

At that moment, a loud announcement was heard.

[Quest Act I will commence in ten seconds!]

”W-what? ” The security personnel muttered.

[10…9…]

Then, he glared at us and tried once again to pass through the invisible barrier.

Spark.

”Urggk! ”

[You are an Audience. You cannot enter the «Quest Stage». ]

Spark.

[You are an Audience. You cannot enter the «Quest Stage». ]

[4…3…]

Spark.

[You are an Audience. You cannot enter the «Quest Stage». ]

[2…1…]

Then, from our perspective, they all vanished. However, the place remained the same.

Rin asked, ”D-did they just disappear? ”

[Quest Act I is now commencing!]

[Performer Zekiel Radnier has reached the Entrance of the «Quest Stage».]

Then the same message appeared on my allies screens.

[Performer Rin Ardolf has reached the Entrance of the «Quest Stage».]

[Performer Fia Arcuri has reached the Entrance of the «Quest Stage».]

[Performer Samantha Manansala has reached the Entrance of the «Quest Stage».]

Spark.

[Stage Spectacle is now in effect.]

The appearance of the stage changed. There appeared a boardroom table and cabinets containing something. In the middle of the table was a holographic System window.

Spark.

Then before me, a System message flashed.

—

[Quest Act I: Forming Performers Association]

Time Limit: 15 minutes

Description: Have a strong mutual bond with all other Performers within the «Quest Stage». After the bonding process, all Performers will submit their fingerprints and provide a name for the Association through the Virtual Contract.

* Allied Performers Count Progress: Partial (1/3)

* Fingerprint Submission Progress: None (0/1)

* Association Name Progress: (Unnamed)

*Note: If any two Performers within the «Quest Stage» have not formed a mutual bond, Virtual Contract will be invalidated. Hence, the Performers cannot create an Association, and all Performers will receive the Nonperformance Penalty.

Performance Reward: (+1) Gold Talent, (+10) Stage Presence

Nonperformance Penalty: Absolute Death

—