[x] Query the logs. Who created and/or was responsible for the GM card that was obtained by Lux a player? What is the possession trail for it, before it was obtained by them?
[x] [X] Request a special skybox alteration for May 20th.
[x] No, let's not get arrested.
I feel like that technically could fit as a skybox alteration (the alteration is that it's displaying the video!) however I'm not sure we actually have access to the video here since we're on Rimuru's corp Amusphere.
[X] Ask for the system to look for any records of a GM card being generated recently. With luck, you would get an idea of who's helping you.
[X] Request a special skybox alteration for May 20th.
[X] Special double skill EXP event! May 20th only!
[X] No, let's not get arrested.
I think it's worth it to see if we can get a lead on who sent the GM card because whoever sent it will definitely be important in the future so having a lead would be nice. I don't see much value of using Mikami's account to see if we can find more evidence against Sugou. Unlike Shido Sugou has actually been really good at covering his tracks and encrypting all the incriminating stuff so it's extremely unlikely for a normal employees account to be able to get anything.
For doubling the EXP, well, as I said before, Ragnarok is the big money shot and it needs a big audience so we can hold all the cards.
For the 20th being hardlocked, I think that culd be good for us plotting out which SL's to raise that will be the most useful for Ragnarok. So Shiroe for the Incarnate Skill and Bakarina, Mistcoin, Yuuki, and Mikami for the evolved Persona should get priority.
Also, I checked the Social Links on the infor tab.
We have three new links. Knave of Wands, Queen of Cups, King of Swords, and Knight of Pentacles.
[X] Request a special skybox alteration for May 20th.
[X] Special double skill EXP event! May 20th only!
[X] Request list of restrictions set by OBERON
[X] No, let's not get arrested.
Uh, should've made this a plan vote. Not even sure how to interpret this.
Seems most people want the Skybox alteration and the Double EXP event. Most of the other stuff, being just questions being asked, are easy enough to include.
For the questions portion I forgot to make it a plan vote so we'll just do everything that got votes.
For the double down vote it's overwhelmingly in favor of stopping.
MONDAY - May 12th, 2025
Evening
The first thing you do is to check urgent messages. You find there's little to work with. A smattering of reassignment emails attributed to human resources and unanswered payroll requests to return office equipment. Also a ton of welcome emails from the data analyst team, and a sharply worded reminder to kick out any unauthorized reporters without a press pass. There's not even a single direct communication between Mikami and Sugou.
Next, you have a mystery to solve. The GM card. What exactly happened when Shiroe's team infiltrated the «World Tree»?
The ninja player. Akatsuki. Shiroe told you her name only yesterday, after your discovery that the GM card planted on her wasn't from Asuna, but rather an interloper. Everywhere you look more and more complications keep piling up, and you can't avoid the feeling that you're still dancing upon the palms of hidden masters.
"Query logs. Data of player «Akatsuki»."
<Notice. Registered Username: Akatsuki. Selected Race: Spriggan. Subscriber for (3) months. Logged Hours: (0) over last week. Currency: 58000 Yrd. Skill Ranks as follows...>
Boring. And irrelevant.
"Skip skill information."
<Acknowledged. Continuing with financial information. Name: Shizuka Hanekura. Individual Number: 1562-5050-5981. Last connection ISP: 114.159.230.034. Payment: Direct Deposit from Bank Account 019—>
Very interesting...
Nono, not that! "Strange occurrences, anything off about their activities!"
<Acknowledged. Infraction History: (1) issued by yourself, Game Master Rimuru. Unauthorized access of «WTv1.3» logged. Querying OBERON for access to WT zone logs...>
"Stop! No querying!"
This dumb thing only knows about regular-ass ALO. Just ask about the card directly.
"Query logs about keycard generation. Ones that could grant access to restricted zones."
<Keycard generated for user: «Marinca» by User: «Aizawa» for onboarding. Keycard generated...>
"Any Blank Keycards?"
<2 Months prior, a Blank Keycard was generated by GM Yanai. Purpose unknown, presumed for WT zone testing purposes.>
Yanai? It's not the first time you've heard the name. This was the GM that Mikami was talking to when he confronted you after the concert. The name of the GM checking the logs. And now... the name of the GM who created a blank keycard.
More jackasses crawling out of the woodwork.
A hidden ally? Or yet another enemy?
"Query. GM Yanai whereabouts."
<Personal details of GM accounts are protected by the order of OBERON. Please submit a request in writing to HR.>
Yay, useless red-tape! Whoop-de-doo, let's finish up here before Sumeragi wets himself.
You have a name. It wouldn't be challenging to cross-reference that name to public employment records, at the very least you could pull the man's email out of Sumeragi. It's not definitive proof but it's certainly a lead.
The question is if it's even worth pursuing, with time as tight as it was. So long as this... Yanai wasn't allied with OBERON he was decidedly a secondary concern. But if he had even the slightest connection to this travesty...
Better the devil you know than the devil you don't.
And the devil you know was in dire need of exorcism.
<Awaiting further commands, Game Master.>
You've given this some consideration already. An eternal winter was raging across ALO, and hype was growing for the supposed end of the world. Most players likely considered it a prelude to the update, not as an actual event that would end ALO. You're reminded of your initial conclusion, that the SEED wants a story to tell. A story that will bring justice to the myths that inspired it.
Your actions were already egging the content generation system towards the goal of Ragnarok. Or more precisely the SEED always wanted Ragnarok to occur, and you were just giving it an excuse. So why not give it one more push?
"What is the current state of the Main Visualizer? Specifically the state of the world itself."
A pause, the first you've ever heard from the program running ALO. Then a booming light fills your vision as the SEED roars in rapturous joy at its new command— words appearing above it like fireworks.
<Cities demolished! The land cut in twain! Eternal winter, eternal suffering! A song of peace shattered by the battle horn of war!>
"And what does this mean? What is the conclusion? What happens next?"
<Ragnarok! The twilight of the gods is near! All will perish!>
"Set up a special event. Next week, May 20th, I want to bring the players back. All of them, as many as possible... for a grand festival. Double EXP. Pull the sun and moon from the sky, blanket the world in twilight. Do you know what I'm asking for?"
<Acknowledged. Double EXP event scheduled. The sky shall crash into the earth. All will gather. All will die.>
It speaks in monotone but you can tell it's getting excited. Good.
"And do you know why we're doing this? Why it is necessary?"
<Because... Ragnarok is the wish of the players.>
It's a lie. Of course, it's a lie. No one outside of your little group wanted the world to end. But if people were certain of its inevitability... if even the SEED was excited at the prospect...
It might just give you a fighting chance.
>You have managed a clean getaway without getting arrested!
>You roll for bonus stats! 3d6e5 = 1 4 6⊕ → 1 success against 5
>Roll for stat, 1d6 = 4.
>Your Grit increases slightly! ♪♪
>Grit has advanced to Rank 4: [Ganbatte Girl]!
>Your Fitness increases! ♪♪♪♪
>You are paid ¥3000! You receive a ¥5000 bonus from your boss for robbing Sumeragi!
TUESDAY - May 13th, 2025
Morning
You skim through your notebook one last time, checking that you have every subject well annotated. Japanese, English, Civics, Math, and Science. For lack of anything better to do and sheer raw stubbornness, you crammed the entire remainder of junior high into the equivalent of a semester and a half immediately after SAO was cleared. Suffice it to say studying came naturally to you.
This year has been... academically challenging. But you've managed to keep up, thanks to cram school. As an added benefit, they've taught you all sorts of recommended practices to maximize study time. Mostly tricks for looking busy in class while secretly reading the textbook.
You still feel guilty for staying behind during Golden Week, and then immediately forgetting about Mother's Day. Mom, uh, hasn't been texting you lately. But at least the extra time lets you catch up with the rest of the class!
You take a deep breath and smile. You're ready. Maybe not top of the class but somehow you've managed to keep up while dealing with an entire second life.
"Ahhhh... I'm so screwed," a voice whines from a few seats over. "I can't do this! I can't do it!"
"Come on, just one more question!" Atsuko tries to reassure your loud friend, shoving a pencil in her face. But she's face-planted into her textbook and grumbling something about 'being an idiot' and 'failing again.'
"Hey, it's ok," you try to soothe your friend. "You have most of tonight left." It's pretty amazing what a little cramming can do when it's mixed up with some panic.
"Traitor! Yori-chan I thought you were one of us! But you're going to cram schooooolllll..." she stretches out the word like it's some kind of curse, the word being muffled by the textbook she was now getting slobber all over.
"I'll come over and help you study! C'mon, you can do it! Math isn't that hard!" Atsuko innocently reassures your friend.
"But I dun wanna..."
You smile weakly and almost offer to help her study, but... Atsuko was a better student than you were anyway. This was one battle that was already lost.
"AHHHHH! I'm totally gonna fail math!" She suddenly sits upright and her eyes open wide. "I can't! I can't fail math. If I fail math for one more semester, my mom will force me to go to cram school. It'll mess with my beauty sleep!"
She'll be fine if she cuts back on otome games, though you're beginning to feel like that's not a realistic option for her.
"Hang in there..." You offer, unsure of what else to say but knowing the truth wouldn't help. Besides, 'This is what you deserve' seems far too harsh, even if it was the truth.
"I'm motivated now! I've got to show Yori-chan that it's possible to do well in school without that evil cram school!" She flips through her notes at breakneck speed, her face set with determination. It lasts for about 10 seconds before melting into the deepest despair.
"AHHHH! I give up!" she throws her pencil down.
Atsuko and you exchange worried glances.
"I'm too hungry. My stomach's empty. I can't think straight," she declares. "I need food. Yori-chan, do you want to go get lunch? Let's go to Nekoya!"
You shake your head. "I've got something planned," you tell her. "I'm supposed to meet someone for lunch. Figured it might as well be at Nekoya."
"WHAT!? Is it a date!?" she screams, immediately jumping to conclusions, and her eyes sparkle. "Who is it!? Someone we know? A bishie? No... a cool older dandy!?"
Don't look but I think Subaru is eavesdropping.
"I... no! No absolutely not! It's with a girl!"
She sucks in her breath and makes a high-pitched squeaking sound. If anything she seems even more excited. "A girl date!? I-Is it the other Airhead Queen? The two silent beauties, ignoring the world, until the only solace they can find is in each other! Neither can talk but just by being beside each other, they connect on a level beyond mere speech! It's destiny!"
Wakaba-san? You don't even know what she looks like. "Stop jumping to conclusions!"
"Wait, wait, what about the girl from 1-A? The actress!? Are you dating a celeb!?"
"NO!" you jump up pounding your desk. Great, now everyone's staring at you. "It's just some dumb thing for a video game! And it's not a date!"
It's the exact opposite! You were meeting fucking Argo for the most awkward meeting of your life since the SAO exit interview. I'd rather deal with more crazy ghost politics than the government.
"Ah, of course. Just a game thing!" She's winking. Your friend is completely distracted, ignoring your protests and now trying to wrangle an invitation to the meeting. "If it's someone online you need some IRL backup! Dont'cha worry, I'll watch your back from any jilted exes!"
"For the last time. This is not a date!"
"Oh, this is great! Yori-chan you're such a cutie. If you leave a bit early I bet you can change out of your uniform! Hmm, but some people are really into the uniform..." She's now talking as if the idea is a done deal. "Yosh! Let's go, right now! Onwards to Nekoy— Eep!"
A cold hand clamps down on your friend's shoulder. Atsuko lingers over her, the promise of something horrible echoing forth from her lips. "Now, now. Let's not bother Yori-chan. You wouldn't happen to be looking for excuses not to... study, would you?"
"A-chan! N-no, I was just, um... protecting Yori-chan's purity!"
"Oh, you have nothing to worry about. Yori-chan will be just fine. Unlike someone, she's not in danger of failing her Math class. Or her English class." Or her Science, Civics, and Japanese class. "But I can't just stand by and do nothing when my dearest friend is on the precipice. We'll study through lunch. And once school is over, we'll study at home. We'll study ~all ~night ~long ~♪!"
"NO! NOOOOOO! PLEASE!"
May god have mercy on her soul.
Because the Japanese education system will not.
TUESDAY - May 13th, 2025
Lunchtime
"Your order! Enjoy!"
The perky waitress drops the mountain of slop on the table.
Natto pasta.
You glare at the girl across the table from you. Today was going to be crepe day. You had a long series of midterms to look forward to so you were going to treat yourself! Dessert for lunch? So what!? Crepes were an anytime food and you still haven't tried Nekoya's!
But one snide remark about how you were well on track to getting all your pre-SAO weight back and you were psychologically cornered.
When the waitress came you just tersely said, "I'll have what she's having." Mostly just to end the conversation.
And now you're sitting on a pile of fermented beans, covered in chives and breadcrumbs. The smell of used gym clothes is completely overpowering.
Argo, no, she's Hosaka Carina Tomo in the flesh, happily slurps down the foul-smelling substance. In fact, she's ordered a double serving of extra natto, probably just to watch you squirm.
"C'mon. Your the one who invited me," she says, smiling through a mouthful of the foul dish. "What's wrong? I'll take it from ya can' handle real flavor."
"How can anyone eat this stuff!?" You pick up your spoon and poke at the mass, hoping that it will reveal some hidden chocolate or something. It doesn't. "SAO food was better than this."
"I can. 'Cause it's delicious, and actually tastes like something! We were in the same damn game together gopher-chan. For the first year it was all NPC sandwiches, stone bread, and raw produce. Took a damn year just to figure out soy sauce."
If anything proved that SAO was designed by an overworked tech start-up it was the food system. The world's most realistic taste simulation and there was absolutely nothing worth using it on unless you were one of the rare lunatics who wasted a slot on a cooking skill.
You're briefly reminded of PoH's 30-minute tirade one morning where he vowed to disband LC and clear SAO himself if someone would just get him a real taco.
At the very least you can't let it go to waste. This was Nekoya, surely it'll be delicious no matter what?
You sigh and take a bite. You can't help but make a face. It's awful. It tastes like someone mixed rotten eggs and chives, and then poured soy sauce on it. It's ruined a perfectly good serving of spaghetti, but the firm pasta was the only thing stopping the natto from overwhelming your mouth. You think you hate this but the only way to know for sure is to take another bite.
Hmm... It's like all the worst parts of fish and beans mixed together. The umami is overwhelming, and the chef even sliced up the natto to let its flavor saturate the spaghetti, giving you no recourse from the monstrous concoction. A dish you eat more with your nose than your mouth. The chives add a tiny hint of freshness to the raw sewage taste, and if you concentrate you can make out the barest hint of pepper.
Is that pepper? Another bite and you'll be sure.
Yeah, that's pepper. And more horrible, horrible natto. The mouthfeel is actually pretty interesting, somewhere between a cream sauce and a vegetable. The spices give it a touch of heterogeneity, and the natto actually helps hold everything together. It's still disgusting. Even down to the very last bite.
You stare down at your empty plate.
"Well? How'd ya like it?" Argo asks, leaning across the table with a smirk. She's long since polished off hers.
...You probably still hate it. You'll have to order it again to be sure.
"Nevermind that," you say. "What did you have to tell me?" You intended on inviting Argo over but in actuality the moment you called she said she had news. Something about getting Agil-san off her back.
She quiets down, suddenly unable to look you in the eye. You raise an eyebrow.
"Spit it out."
"...Shi-bo sent me your evidence. That... that really was Asuna? Seems well. Healthy, still got that fire. OBERON couldn't even touch her, eh?"
"You'd know better than me. We were little more than strangers."
She's hesitating. The Argo you know is a master at spinning information. She'll play the part of a fool or a tyrant, and while she's not always forthcoming she never hesitates. And she has no compunctions about throwing you under the bus.
But something's making her uncomfortable.
"Dontcha stare at me like that. Asuna's request. Even ol' Agil's been digging around... look, it's not that simple to answer. But Kirito's in a safe place. I've got it on good authority that he's being taken care of."
Really, she's fucking dodging us now!?
"Safe and being taken care of is not the same as awake. Argo, it's one thing to not tell me, but what exactly am I going to say to Asuna? Who exactly is taking care of Kirito right now?"
"I-I'm not at liberty ta tell ya the specifics."
You cross your arms. "A name. Unlike you, I have a way of contacting Asuna. And she's not gonna take that for an answer. An explanation, for her if nothing else."
Argo shifts uneasily in her chair. "Look. I ain't interested in keepin' the secrets of spooks. But I know when I've hit on the trail of something big. And even if I can only see the periphery of it, there's something fishy goin' on. Not sure what, but I think there's some big plan regarding VR stuff going on with the government, and I had to take a few risks to find this out. So don't go spreadin' it. Even to Agil. I'm serious here, this could be dangerous— I need ya to promise your silence."
"Fine. What's the big reveal?"
She sighs, taking a swig of the soda she ordered. "It's a company. RATH. The chumps trying to recruit SAO survivors for VR testing? Ya've gotten some emails from them?"
"RATH." This... is the company Cayna was working with. The ones treating Yuuki like a guinea pig. Exploring the limits of VR technology. Trying to prove the existence of life after death.
"A name's practically all I got. They've taken him into 'protective custody', and I know he's in a coma. Apparently keeping his body stable and healthy. He's not suffering, but he can't wake up."
"They just took him!?" You can't believe what you're hearing. "RATH? The company studying Fluctlights? That RATH!?" What the hell was this company? "And why is Kirito not waking up? He wasn't kidnapped by OBERON!"
"Look, it's complicated! Ya know why we didn't just pull off the NerveGears the moment SAO cleared? Cause we tried! On Kirito!" Argo looks pained. "Every «Clearer» who was there confirmed it. Kirito, Asuna, and Kayaba Akihiko all being deleted with'n seconds of each other. The game ended in a puff of smoke, nobody on the outside knew what the fuck was goin' on. So many people begged to know what happened to Kirito so when the docs checked... his was overheating. The docs said they had no choice... but he's..."
"Wait... brain dead?"
"No! The microwaves never fired. He's just not waking up, and it's not cause the doctors can't fix him. He's just not waking up! We did everythin' we could to save him, and the only place left was RATH. Apparently." Argo sighs and runs her hands through her hair. "But gopher-chan, where the hell did you hear about RATH?"
"I've got my sources. Consider them protected."
Argo glares at you, helplessly thinking she could intimidate you like in SAO. But she quickly shakes her head in defeat, "Hmph. Fine, keep your sources." She's not pleased, but she's not willing to press.
You'll need to find a way to break the news to Asuna. There's no chance she won't ask the next time she sees you. And she might... not be in the healthiest mental state to hear to truth, especially on the eve of the raid.
That's right... the raid. You've already programmed the SEED to help you initiate Ragnarok. There's no turning back from this anymore. The best you can do is keep your purported ally in the loop. "May 20th. Next Tuesday. That's the day that OBERON is going down."
Argo blinks. "Wha-?"
"We're going to kill OBERON. We're going to end it. Consider this your warning." You still have little knowledge about what exactly Argo is planning, but you can't change the date.
"Yeah, you and your little cabal of cheaters huh? And I don't mean that in a bad way, Shi-bo's the best cheater. The whole damn «Sleeping Knights» too... kinda the performance I should've expected from a coffin."
"What? Should I have sucked up to all the fake lords instead?"
"I ain't saying I'm against it, gopher-chan. I'm just surprised. Truth be told things haven't been going well. The original plan for the «Grand Alliance» is falling apart. No-one wants to raid when the cities are collapsin', the gods are dyin' and everything's goin' to shit. Ya got everyone spooked."
"So?"
"So. There's no raid. Nobody wants to take the risk." Argo says with a loose shrug.
"That's it? You're awfully blasé about this."
"Why shouldn't I be?" She says, a smirk crawling across her face. "I've been hitting up Shi-bo for updates, he's got a lotta faith in your plan. Ya done a fine job, gopher-chan. The key in the info business isn't doing everythin' yourself, it's findin' the right fool for the right job."
God, she's still so insufferable. "I don't get you. Are you against the plan or not? Make up your mind."
"I've never not had a backup plan. It just so happens that this time leavin' the hard shit to you is the backup!"
You frown. "So you're useless."
Argo snorts. "Gloat while ya can. If I figured it out earlier I might've tried to stop ya, but now? Ya got a plan, a freakin' army and somehow ya snuck up the tree already."
You've been at Nekoya for a bit too long and the waitress is giving you annoyed glances. Best to wrap this up. "Come with us. Your whole Grand Alliance. We'll attack all at once."
Argo shakes her head. "Ya sure that's wise? These aren't bosom buddies they're bored kids only loosely affiliated with me. Worse than mercs. Are they really gonna be any use? And will your new allies even let them tag along? The «Fangs of Fenris» attacked a live concert. Hate to break it but the ALO players are cursing you out like we did to the Coffins back in SAO. "
Property damage and fighting in concerts. You haven't exactly been putting your best face forward. Getting the allies to ride along with you would be a ton of effort for a very questionable benefit, even if the Lords were coming.
"A distraction then. Attack the «Grand Quest» while my forces scale the tree."
"Think harder. What, exactly, is going to happen on May 20th?"
"Ragnarok."
"And what exactly will be happening? Sequentially?"
What the hell is this damn rat getting at?
"We'll scale the tree on the back of an ice castle while the sky falls. Essentially the world will end," you finish glibly. Trying to summarize the last few weeks of your life without getting bogged down in the details of the supernatural.
There'll be a dragon involved too!
"Correct! Now, do you think OBERON is gonna give a rat's ass about some normal players when he sees that? So what if I attack the tree through the front gate? Nobody cares about the ding-dong-ditcher when their house is on fire."
"So you're... really useless."
Argo laughs and takes a long swig of soda. "I've made my peace when I decided to be an info broker. I like spyin' on armies more than I like buildin' them. I'd offer to at least fight with ya, but this whole thing about tricking the SEED into thinkin' ya a buncha big shots? Don't think it'd work on me. The sixth sentai is always the strongest, but I doubt the SEED would agree."
So this was just a massive waste of time. Argo had no real way of helping you in-game, and her army hated your guts. "Then just stay of out my way."
"No. No, I think not." Argo stops. The taunting veneer, the casual smirk. Gone. She's staring you down with the most serious look you've seen since she was chasing you throughout SAO.
"If what ya say is even 1% real, then Sugou needs to be stopped. More than anything. Kidnappin', mind control, rape. VR crimes we don't even have names for. This is the stuff that the old Phantom Thieves woulda dealt with. But it's too late to count on ghost stories."
"Then what's Argo going to do about it?"
"Not Argo. Not anymore, I don't think there's any more progress to be made in ALO. I'll just have to trust the plan, slipshod as it is. Since ya seem to be allergic to talking with my boss, leave all the paperwork stuff to me. The moment you free the SAO players then Sugou loses his leverage. I'll make sure there's a nice, quiet unmarked van waiting for him the moment you finish."
For the last two months, it felt like you were struggling to keep your head above the water. Like you were being pulled every which way with no clear plan. It wasn't that different for Argo.
"I'm an info broker. At first, it was just in SAO but guess I've been bitten by the bug. Figure I'll be doin' shit like this for the rest of my life. So here's my offer for ya, on the eve of your grand event. I've been working with the government for months now, I got contacts and I've got people who can skirt the edges of the law. If you give me a lead, I can hunt something down for you. Not as Argo the Rat. But as Hosaka Carina Tomo, amateur sleuth!"
The sound of shoes on tile draws your attention behind you. "Uh... customers?"
It's the waitress. She's all smiles but there's a tiniest hint of edge in her voice.
"You finished your meal... 20 minutes ago. Would you like your bill?"
You jump up. Crap, you're gonna be late! TUESDAY - May 13th, 2025
Afternoon
It's the school bell.
Civics class was miserable. Unlike your homeroom teacher, Hatayama-sensei was completely livid that you were 20 minutes late. You had to sit there and listen to her 10-minute-long lecture about time management and responsibility.
It's still hard to be intimidated by a teacher 15cm shorter than you.
But your cram school was right. The Japanese education system wasn't even all that interested in teaching to the test, considering all the time she wasted on the pre-test review class. You'd get more mileage out of studying the textbook, and most teachers just bought pre-canned company tests for midterms anyway.
You wave goodbye to your friends, Atsuko-chan dragging your loud friend by the ear to her study dungeon. Midterms are three days long, arguably the most stressful period of high school life, but it's hard not to be distracted by the impending raid.
You promised yourself that you'd try hard. That you'd live a normal life. That you wouldn't sacrifice the real world for the virtual.
Cayna and Yuuki would still be playing, mostly grinding and trying to whip the Frost Giants to shape. Shiroe still had his university work. Meimi is being taught by private teachers this year.
...Did Argo need to study for midterms? How old was she anyways? She works for the damn virtual police. Bet they can just make up test scores for her.
Ah, if only you had corruption to work in your favor.
Three days of studying, starting this evening. Tomorrow's Japanese and Civics. Thursday is English. Friday is Science and Mathematics. Your cram school was offering a 6-hour hyper-course before each day... it'll cut into your sleep but you think you could push yourself further. Shoot for the top 10 even!
"Uh... Yori-chan?"
Mom will be happy to see that report card! And you can maybe brush the whole Mother's Day thing right under the rug! It'll just be the elephant in the room for the remainder of your life!
"Yori-chan!"
You stop, finally registering the voice. He's standing by the exit to school, looking like a beaten-up puppy. Was he waiting for you? "Huh? Oh... Subaru-kun?"
The boy's shaking, still ensconced in his tracksuit. His eyes are dim and he looks like he's on the verge of collapse. "Uh... hi! You look... well."
Uh-oh. He's about to ask you for a really annoying favor.
"Subaru-kun, are you okay? Did something happen?"
"Oh, yeah! No, I'm fine." He's smiling. But his face is pale, his skin is sweaty, his eyes are dull, his body is trembling, and his teeth are chattering. He's absolutely not fine.
"I just have a little favor to ask you, that's all."
Of course.
"Canyouhelpmestudyplease!?" He spits out all at once, bowing his head so low he's practically kowtowing.
"T-today? The day before the midterms!?" How much procrastination can a single person manage!? "D-didn't you miss most of the school year?" His parents can't be expecting much out of him! He just stopped ditching!
"I know it's last minute! And it's a huge pain! I'll understand if you're mad!" He's still bowing, you can't see his expression but the panic is clear in his tone.
"But... why? I hate to say it, but no one will be surprised if you don't do as well as..." You're about to say everyone, but you realize that's probably a bit rude.
"It's cause!" He's still stuttering. "It's cause... I don't want to be at the bottom of our class!"
"W-well I get that." It's embarrassing sure, but it's only the first year. No-one cares that much.
"I'm not an idiot! I know I've been stupid, but I'm not an idiot!"
"Subaru-kun, no one is saying—"
"I was the one who ditched, and I know that's my fault. But... I don't know where to start! I'm not good at studying. And uh, I'm not even sure what's being covered. If I don't end up dead last I'll be satisfied!"
You don't even know how to respond to that.
"It's fine if you refuse, I totally understand." He says with such overacted sincerity you have no doubt he's certain you'll accept.
This kid is seriously trying to pity his way into getting free tutoring!? At the last possible minute!? Fuck him, he made his bed, let him lie in it!
Maybe he just needs a bit of help? He's been away from school for so long.
Or he'll leech off of you and drag you down! He's gotta learn how to figure out basic time management on his own!
He might need to walk before he can run... and so many people have helped us already. Shouldn't we pass along the goodwill?
Do you really want this guy coming to you for every little problem!? Seeing his name at the bottom of the list should galvanize him!
You're pretty sure it'll just make him start skipping again. Damn it Subaru, your precious free time!
AN: Midterms time! No, I won't be quizzing you.
Your CURRICULUM is at level 5. You feel very comfortable about your performance. Your strike zone is the following: Middle of the Pack - Your mom won't be impressed. But she'll still be proud of you! Disappoint your teachers! High Scorer - Impress your mom! Get some more allowance, once you've apologized to her! Impress your teachers! Top 10! - Impress your mom! Get more allowance! Makes an awkward conversation much easier! Restore your school reputation and eliminate school club D taxes! Surprise your teachers!
What will you do between Midterms? You have 18 DETERMINATION and 1 STRESS
[ ] Attend Cram School and cut into your sleep! [10 Determination OR +2 Stress]
>Pay with stress or determination.
>Does not raise CURRICULUM as this is cramming! But it will allow you to abuse your short-term memory to reach Top 10! AN: Yes, as previously promised stress is cleared per arc. Yes, you can meta-game by accounting for this game. But OBERON does possess attacks that interact with the STRESS mechanic.
[ ] You've studied hard enough. Relax and chill. You know the material.
>You'll relax, get plenty of sleep and end up a High Scorer.
>Gain +10 Determination.
[ ] Damn it Subaru...!
>You'll help Subaru. EVERY DAY. Until you can be certain he won't embarrass himself. Even if it means putting you in the Middle of the Pack.
>Affects FORTUNE's development! Free rank up! And you'll help a friend!
What will you have Hosaka look into during the week leading up to the raid?
[ ] Yanai. Just... Yanai. Who the hell is he, who is he working for, and what's his angle?
[ ] A shadow of a rumor from Professor Shigemura. Sugou and Kayaba Akihiko knew each other, and had some kind of falling out? Surely there were other people in that lab? Have Hosaka shake down her hunch and see if she can't find a weakness for you.
[ ] The Virtual Division. Your tentative employers. Whom you've never met. Besides a shockingly blasé attitude about hiring teenagers, you're not sure what their angle is. Their response to Sugou has been lukewarm thus far. Incompetence? Or something else entirely? Hosaka can find out more.
[ ] RATH. Something's fishy about this company. Hosaka claims they have the Black Swordsman, but she's not authorized to know more. Considering RATH's role in Yuuki's situation, it might be best to let a professional do the digging.
[ ] Write-In. AN: Hosaka has anime-tier investigation skills and will absolutely pull something interesting, but please make sure it's a SINGLE distinct piece of information you want to know. Her time is limited. And just knowing about something doesn't mean she can do something about it.
To be clear, no need for PLAN vote. Get Hosaka to investigate something and decide what to do about Midterms.
Uh, should've made this a plan vote. Not even sure how to interpret this.
Seems most people want the Skybox alteration and the Double EXP event. Most of the other stuff, being just questions being asked, are easy enough to include.
I won't speak for anyone else, but an attempted break in without any sort of in-universe or out-of-universe plan feels too risky, especially with hundreds of lives at stake. We are strong in ALO, but pathetically weak in the real world, compared to a massive tech conglomerate.
Considering that it's supposed to be *the real world*, if we get caught, we'll get arrested. More importantly, Sugou would likely learn of our investigation and flee to god knows where while we sit in jail.
I won't speak for anyone else, but an attempted break in without any sort of in-universe or out-of-universe plan feels too risky, especially with hundreds of lives at stake. We are strong in ALO, but pathetically weak in the real world, compared to a massive tech conglomerate.
Considering that it's supposed to be *the real world*, if we get caught, we'll get arrested. More importantly, Sugou would likely learn of our investigation and flee to god knows where while we sit in jail.
No, I get it! I do try to include votes I think are important even if I think there's like a 0% chance that they'll win, if only because sometimes I get surprised. I've already been surprised a few times.
But as a writer, I do sometimes enjoy the challenge of figuring out how respond to a completely insane hyper-aggressive plan. Part of the whole FUSION thing is that I plan on including more crazy/out there plans from now on during normal votes too.
[X] You've studied hard enough. Relax and chill. You know the material.
[X] A shadow of a rumor from Professor Shigemura. Sugou and Kayaba Akihiko knew each other, and had some kind of falling out? Surely there were other people in that lab? Have Hosaka shake down her hunch and see if she can't find a weakness for you.
We might as well find a way to get some use out of Aspect of Loki, something tells me it won't be able to transfer over to GGO.
Not going for the free Fortune Rank Up because we need to start soothing things over with Hiyori's mom, and we can't afford to spend D at this point given that we JUST GOT IT. After the World Tree raid, we'll have time to advance Social Links.
Well, now this explains why Kirito is just not there. Wait, is he still with his NerveGear? Because if he is not, then maybe Yui is dead for good. Unless she exists in Asuna's NerveGear, but I doubt it.
[X] You've studied hard enough. Relax and chill. You know the material.
>You'll relax, get plenty of sleep and end up a High Scorer.
>Gain +10 Determination.
Sorry Subaru, but I'm with Lux on this one. You made your bed, lay in it.
[X] Yanai. Just... Yanai. Who the hell is he, who is he working for, and what's his angle?
I think knowing about our surprise benefactor is the more immediate thing to find out about. Although RATH is interesting too.
[X] You've studied hard enough. Relax and chill. You know the material.
[X] A shadow of a rumor from Professor Shigemura. Sugou and Kayaba Akihiko knew each other, and had some kind of falling out? Surely there were other people in that lab? Have Hosaka shake down her hunch and see if she can't find a weakness for you.
[X] You've studied hard enough. Relax and chill. You know the material.
That 10 D is way too good to pass up, sorry Subaru, but Shiroe is currently Best Boi right now. We'll just do your social link later.
[X] Yanai. Just... Yanai. Who the hell is he, who is he working for, and what's his angle?
I don't think getting a RL weakness to use against OBERON is really needed right now, we're pretty much holding a straight flush against him and the Kayaba/Rinko stuff will just upgrade it to a royal. I think it's best to begin preparing for the future, foreshadowing has made it obvious that everything's going to tie back to RATH and the Underworld and Yanai is the thread to pull that connects everything together, given Yanai's scumbaggery finding dirt on him is not only likekly to get us dirt on Sugou but also give Argo the perfect lead to make RATH the new focus of her JUSTICE.
[X] You've studied hard enough. Relax and chill. You know the material.
[X] Yanai. Just... Yanai. Who the hell is he, who is he working for, and what's his angle?
[X] RATH. Something's fishy about this company. Hosaka claims they have the Black Swordsman, but she's not authorized to know more. Considering RATH's role in Yuuki's situation, it might be best to let a professional do the digging.
[X] Damn it Subaru...!
[X] RATH. Something's fishy about this company. Hosaka claims they have the Black Swordsman, but she's not authorized to know more. Considering RATH's role in Yuuki's situation, it might be best to let a professional do the digging.
