A booming, omnipresent voice resonated, not just in the air, but seemingly within the very bones of all who heard it. The words, emblazoned in shimmering glyphs materialized in front of everyone's eyes, spelled out a message simultaneously congratulatory and damning:
A faint feeling of pride began to bubble up, he, along with his allies had done something monumental. Even though it was achieved by what he felt like the efforts of Angel and Aria he couldn't help but feel proud that it was his group who achieved the victory. Even so he wasn't as happy as most would be, he didn't want to draw attention to himself and, had he known it would have been an entirely new first kill he would have had someone else handle it. The next line of the broadcast, delivered without missing a beat caused the familiar feeling of dread to come forward again and justified his worries.
John let out a growl of frustration upon seeing that. The rewards, substantial as they were, felt tainted and overshadowed by the immediate target painted on his back. A "first clear" was supposed to be a moment of triumph, not an invitation to a public execution with the other parties even helped along to do so. The system, in its detached, almost mocking tone, had just turned his victory into a hunt for his head. He clenched his fist, the digital message still hovering for all to see seemingly to mock him with its shimmering promise.
"Now, now, don't get so angry! Don't you like the little trick I did to help spice things up? You caused quite a stir with how you took down the Goliath and many of those who came to watch the battle and slaughter are rather annoyed now more than entertained because of the way it went after you joined the fray, it didn't even have a chance to build up into its final form properly! Because of that a lot of those who were annoyed by the outcome pulled strings and called in favors allowing me to pull this added bit of entertainment! Funny enough you could even say you brought this on yourself by not knowing your place."
A sing-song voice, light and airy, sliced through his simmering anger making him look up, his gaze narrowing at the clown girl currently suspended upside down in mid-air before drifting to be directly in front of him. Her two long blonde pigtails, impossibly straight, dangled almost to the ground. A grotesque plastic mask, featuring a painted red nose and crudely cut-open eyeholes, framed two glimmering golden orbs that stared at him with unnerving intensity. Her outfit was a riot of polka dots and an ill-fitting patchwork of tight and loose sections and bit of cloth stitched on randomly along with random frills seemingly added as an afterthought, it was somehow both chaotic and meticulously designed.
"And who exactly are you? Someone working for the Jester?" John couldn't help but ask, his voice tight as he glanced around, noticing the confused faces of those nearby, seemingly still processing the system's bizarre announcement. Seizing the momentary lull, he quickly collected the materialized rewards. A heavy pouch of coins, the ornate chest and the glowing ticket where all quickly placed into his ratty looking storage pouch. With practiced efficiency, he then sprinted towards his waiting group, the Weapon Master already finished with his own skirmish, having sustained only a few a scratches as he made his way over laughing boisterously. The clown girl, still upside down, effortlessly kept pace as she floated alongside him seemingly mocking and teasing, her golden eyes never leaving him.
"Oh no, I'm not related to that incompetent former manager. He was much too strict, always focused on the rules and getting things done but without any flare or care. No, no, no, I prefer working for the viewers, getting those ratings up and views high as I try to work to a promotion to a lower level by making sure they get what they want! Not that my words would make much sense to you. Speaking of which, you still haven't told me if you like my announcement or not. I worked hard on it you know!" The clown girl chirped, visibly excited with a manic glee flickering in her unblinking golden eyes.
"No, I really didn't but I can't change what its caused, can I? Why do so many seem to hate me though? I mean, aren't I just an ant with a crappy class to them? Not even worth their time or focus." John questioned, even as he instinctively swung his scythe in a wide, lethal arc. A would-be assassin, who had tried to capitalize on his distraction had tried to leapt from the side with a drawn dagger. The scythe's managing to catch him mid jump severing the attacker's arm and sending the weapon clattering to the floor well he screamed in pain before John's chains lashed out, impaling the man through the legs and tossing him aside like a discarded doll, seemingly still unable to bring himself to kill without issue. The clown girl merely giggled, seemingly unfazed by the sudden brutality but rather interested in it instead.
"No idea, but someone of your class has never lasted this long, or at least existed this late into the game. Oh, you could have killed some of their sponsored chosen? Someone they could have hoped to nurture but honestly? I have no clue. But I am enjoying it because it's really entertaining and boosting me greatly hehe." She told him, her tone oozing with a clear, unsettling psychosis. A blast of fire erupted to his side, incinerating several more individuals who had been foolish enough to try and rush him, their screams lasting only a few moments.
"You called the Jester a 'former manager' right? What's happened to him? He should have been the one in charge of this level from what I understood" John pressed, drawing closer to the Weapon Master who grinned, dropping his axes for a pair of short swords and seemingly doubling in speed as he charged at a small group forming behind John.
"His… indisposed currently and like I said, I want to get to the top! Plus, not being as stubborn about the rules means the viewers quite like me." She said almost gloatingly before looking at his companions. "Huh, your companions are rather interesting. I can't remember seeing ones like them before, at least not people of there strength being on a high level like this one and those statues and bots look like something those really low-level merchants sometimes have." She suddenly remarked, her golden eyes narrowing as she focused on John's diverse retinue, a detail that made John's blood run cold.
"I got them all by chance. Consider it spicing things up. Not to mention I got them through my own circumstances, luck as far as I understand it should also count as one's own skills." John said, attempting to justify their presence but a flicker of unease still crossed his face.
"But where did they come from and how did you get them?" she asked, her form subtly distorting as the faintest form of a monstrous shadow flickered behind her, hinting at too many mouths and tongues with terrible, razor-sharp teeth. The air around her steadily grew heavy, a pressure that made his skin crawl.
"I got them by luck from a dream. I had this weird metal plate in my hand and the sack at my side seemed to have them in it. There probably a gift from my sponsor," he told her, blending a kernel of truth with carefully constructed lies, hoping it sounded convincing enough for her to believe. He couldn't risk exposing the true nature of his companions, not at the very least.
"I very much doubt it but I can't prove otherwise yet." She told him with narrowed eyes and a huff. "I'd advise you to use that class change ticket though. Some gods would be really happy to help someone as good-looking as what you have become and no doubt be very generous towards you now. But that's all from me for now. But know I will be keeping an eye on you. Oh, but for being so secretive, you've forced me to do one more thing before I go!" She said, her voice rising to a higher, more delighted pitch, a manic glint in her eyes. With a theatrical snap of her fingers, she vanished with a bow.
Before John could even process her departure, the system voice boomed once more, its previous announcement now sounding like a whisper compared to the volume of the newest one, oddly he couldn't help but wonder if these where common or something new this clown girl chose to do.
John cursed under his breath as a massive, crimson beacon of light erupted into the sky, originating directly from him, faint to his eyes but a clear indicator to anyone looking at him that broadcasted exactly where he was to everyone and everything. At the same time smaller and a bit fainter blue lights seemed to settle on his companions, marking them as targets as well. The only saving Hope was that the markers only appeared on those currently present, he didn't notice any markings or signs in the distance meaning his those back at his camp where excluded.
"What the heck is going on! HEY!!! Why am I being targeted along with them! Hey, you dog manager! I am an innocent, good little merchant just trying to make their way in this harsh, cruel world without any real or tangible connection to him or them besides business so why am I also marked!" Z loudly yelled as they rushed towards the group, a hilarious mix of annoyance and genuine terror in their eyes as they quickly rounded on John.
Z immediately grabbed his shirt and began to shake him vigorously. "YOU! I demand reparations and compensation for this! Why did you drag me into something this dangerous! I demand payment for damages and all the emotional harm you're causing me now and in the future!" Z cried, their voice cracking with clear indignation that just made him chuckle dryly before his expression seemed to harden, losing all traces of humor as he seemed to look around for something.
"So, what do we do now? Head back to base, hold up and wait out the storm from a defensible spot like in the first parts of Attack on Titan? Act like the camp the Japanese military make in GATE?" Ash asked bouncing over to him while Saya seemed equally curious as she looked at him. The immediate danger of the surrounding mobs seemed to melt away almost literally as those who still wanted to try and attack them met their end at Ivy's fire as the rest seemed to be trying to regroup or look the dead.
"No, we're going to keep heading this way. I want us to find the Chaos Marauders' main base or the location of their boss, Warlord's Dominion. Even if we're now going to be attacked left and right, I want us to keep pressing forward. I don't want to risk our home right now and this could be a good way to lure some of them out, especially after those who were around have either fled or died." John declared, his voice firm, unwavering. He half-expected frustrated groans perhaps even an argument against it, but instead, he was met with a chorus of approving smiles, glints of excitement in their eyes.
"Then what are we waiting for? If these idiots wish to harm my master, they will need to go through all of us. This even gives us a chance to show off and learn some control and maybe avoid punishment?" Aria said somewhat nervously with almost eager grin on her face hoping to make up for her previous mistakes. The rest of the companions nodded in agreement as Angel walked over to the freshly fallen bodies of a group of Chaos Marauders. Her hands glowed with a sickly green light as a thin mist seemed to drain from the corpses, flowing into her palm.
"I agree with her. If you would have had us go back and hide like a bunch of pansy-asses, I'd have chosen to leave as you would be showing me you hadn't change at all. This is the kind of person you need to be. Decisive and sticking to your choice even when things don't go as planned!" Saya added, getting rapid, enthusiastic nods from Ash.
"Hahaha! I'm just looking forward to a good fight! If we're now targets it means some strong people might come and I can have a lot more fun! Many thanks master, for bringing me back to a field of bloodshed and battle where I can truly feel alive!" The Weapon Master roared with a hearty laugh, already engaging a new wave of attackers with brutal efficiency.
"We are your slaves. Your wishes are our commands and we shall follow you to the end be it yours or ours. But I do agree, we're a bit more at ease knowing you're determined and don't stop halfway when shit goes south," Ivy eventually said well standing protectively in front of Hope well firing off bolts of crackling lightning at a group that had gotten too close for her liking. The determination in their eyes was a stark contrast to Z's initial panic.
"Everyone, thank you. Okay, they seemed to have come from this direction and considering they don't seem like the smartest of people they probably went in a straight line from there base to here." He said before slowly whispering under his breath. "Not that I'm much better having done the exact same." His words as soft as they where seemed to have been heard by Z and Saya who simply laughed or shook there head well muttering about learning experiences.