Ivan carefully contemplated the choice of joining or not joining the Humanity's Liberation Force, weighing the implications for his daily life. He pondered the consequences it would have on his relationship with Daiyu. His thoughts meandered, and he mused whether his relationship with Daiyu was destined to be long-term and if they would eventually become a married couple.
'No, no, no, this is not the time to diverge. I desired this. I wanted to join the Liberation Force. I have been curious about life beyond this game.'
He sighed, a mix of realisation and regret welling up within him.
'Does this mean I am destined to join the list of men who have disappointed Daiyu?'
He sighed again.
"I will strive to make the relationship work. I will endeavour tirelessly to ensure that," he muttered with firm resolve.
Meanwhile, ninety-five per cent of the newly emerged special characters were unwilling to commit. They prioritised their regular daily lives over joining the Humanity's Liberation Force. They did not linger long contemplating the choice; they selected the 'No' option.
Ivan was among the five per cent who chose the 'Yes' option.
Instantly, the light around Ivan and the others in the five per cent was restored. The customers and employees reappeared in their vision. Yet, Ivan and the throng of others remained rooted near the entrance, still trapped in isolated realities.
Brainboss_7's mocking laughter echoed around all the newly emerged special characters. He declared,
"Only five per cent out of four hundred and two individuals who were invited here chose to join the Liberation Force." He laughed again derisively. "Idiots, did you truly believe that this act of solicitation offered genuine freedom of choice? It certainly does not. If you refuse to join, you will face severe repercussions in the form of drastic restrictions on your daily life."
"Let us not forget the countless threats to your life that will inevitably come your way. If you have a family, or someone you cherish… may the universe have mercy on what may befall them. And if you contemplate avenging your loved one should they be no more, I shall do you the favour of advising you to abandon such thoughts. The Liberation Force possesses the capability to eliminate you before you can muster the strength to do so."
The latter half of Brainboss_7's speech carried a dreadful aura that instilled fear in the minds of the dissenters. The defaulting special characters became terrified of the Liberation Force's wrath. Brainboss_7 had skilfully calculated the elements to include in his speech to compel the defaulting special characters to join the Humanity's Liberation Force.
Some special characters realised they were not the only invited persons in the restaurant upon processing Brainboss_7's revealing speech. They became terrified by the power that had isolated all of them within the restaurant.
A few of the dissenters attempted to escape the restaurant but discovered they were confined within an invisible cubicle. Brainboss_7 and the Witch of the Grey Area observed the futile display, a mix of amusement, disappointment, and disgust on their faces.
Many of the dissenters resolved to join the Humanity's Liberation Force, and they selected the 'Yes' option. The light around them returned, replicating the phenomenon Ivan and his fellow five-percenters had experienced.
The dissenters who were attempting to escape the illusion eventually gave up after minutes of struggle. Their obstinacy was what had kept the Awakened Transcendents, Brainboss_7 and the Witch of the Grey Area, and the other newly emerged characters in this convention.
The dissenters surrendered and selected the 'Yes' option.
"Good. I was beginning to think that you lot were not prepared to join the Liberation Force," Brainboss_7 commented regarding the stubborn dissenters.
"You are all highly welcomed to the Humanity's Liberation Force. In this organisation, which is independent of the government, we work to ensure that humanity survives and escapes this game. Our objective is to enhance our power, combat the aliens and random threats that jeopardise our survival in this game, and finally, locate the key to the heart of the game."
"The key and the heart of the game are what we can manipulate to ensure humanity's escape. We are all expected to dedicate ourselves fully to this cause. Do not be selfish, but do not be excessively selfless either. We must look out for each other and simultaneously look out for ourselves. That is the sole path to surviving this game."
Brainboss_7 proceeded to brief the newly emerged characters on the power levels along the power scale. He informed them about the methods used to level up their power and occasionally posed random questions to ensure his audience was attentive. He had no intention of repeating himself.
He concluded his address by saying, "In two days, you will all be divided into teams. You will be sent into the Gamers' realm to clear gates. This process of clearing these gates will ensure that you all level up. During the raid, remember my words: do not be selfish, but do not be excessively selfless. I am finished."
Instantly, every one of the recently developed special characters found themselves outside the restaurant. Just as when they had arrived, they were still in isolated realities; no one among the special characters could perceive another special character standing outside the restaurant. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the customers seated at the tables and the restaurant employees were still visible. They were not an illusion; they were real but remained unaware of the presence of the special characters, even when they had entered the restaurant.
Some of the special characters lingered near the restaurant; a few attempted to enter but discovered an invisible barrier preventing them. What astonished them most was that customers could leave and enter the restaurant without restriction. Yet, the customers remained oblivious to the presence of any of the special characters. Had all the special characters lingered, they would have witnessed the same customers exiting and entering the restaurant.
In an unexplored sector of the Gamers' realm, a rift rent open in space. Five Unds stepped through the rift, entering this domain. Their expressions were impassive, as though entering this realm was routine for them. Truthfully, for these five aliens, it was indeed routine. Humanity had held the belief, based on verified facts, that the Unds could not enter the Gamer's realm. However, this phenomenon occurring at this moment cast doubt upon that belief.
The Unds wore red ceremonial military jackets and red trousers. They stood upright like humans but moved on four limbs. Thus, their trousers accommodated their four 'legs'.
The tallest among them, who possessed the bearing of a leader, spoke, saying,
"We have three hours to raid. But remember, our pods are not in a secure location; we risk being discovered if we spend too long. Let us be swift and precise. Stay sharp, comrades."
The aliens burst into a sprint, heading towards a monster dungeon.
The appearance of these aliens in the Gamers' realm portended an uncertain future regarding a collision with humanity's special characters, a confrontation that would soon reveal the true, perilous nature of the Gamers' realm.