Terror Infinity Side B

Chapter 10 - 2, H.O.T.D Intermission

The second day since we arrived in the Terminal Lobby. The four of us had gathered. Hikari, Misaki, Aqua and myself. We were to meet to make plans and discuss more about enhancements and our future course of action. That was the plan, but there was a fifth person, a girl about the same age of me here with us.

Mokoto: Hello, my name is Mokoto. I am Misaki's childhood friend and... apparently I am a human creation of his makings. Please look after me.

Shin: Misaki, she is beautiful and all, but I thought you were 100% going to create a swimsuit model? You were all excited by it.

Mokoto: ...

Misaki: D-don't look at me like that. He - he's kidding, Mokoto. You're the one I love most. Let me introduce her to you guys. She is my childhood friend Mokoto and... she died sometime last year. I was... I was trying to make someone who looked like her, yet I ended up making the real her instead.

Hikari: You made her? As in the actual Mokoto? Like you brought her back to life?

Misaki: No, not like that. The Mokoto that is here before you is a human creation and not the original Mokoto, but she was born from my memories. I met her when she was three years old and since then we have been nearly inseparable, and unknowingly when I made her God used all those memories that I possessed and gave them to this Mokoto. Body, voice, personality, and even her small, almost unnoticeable expressions that only I could ever pick up. They are all the same.

Mokoto: It might seem strange for me to say, but I don't feel at all that I am a copy or clone. It isn't just memories of my life that I have, I also have the feelings to go along with them. I am not reading off a script trying to imitate the girl Misaki knew. I'm just me. Mokoto.

Human creation?

I was just thinking about a possible anime girlfriend(s), but Misaki was trying to bring back... make a copy of someone who was already dead. Could I do that? Could I bring back... my family? It know it wouldn't be actually them, yet I can't get the possibility out of my head. Maybe once I am satisfied and ready to to return to the real world it might be something to seriously think about.

Shin: Aqua, you can bring back what you exchange from God back to the real world, right? Both enhancements like your Wolverine/Werewolf mutations and Misaki's human creation Mokoto?

Aqua: I have never seen anyone return to the real world before, but it should be possible. The person who exchanges their points for 'Back to the origin' can retain all of their items. All items from exchanges, stat enhancements, created life forms, summoned life forms and genetic changes to the body. The those exchanges will belong to the player even if he chooses 'Back to the origin', meaning the real world where we came from when you are ready to make the 50,000 point exchange. If you believe that God will keep his promise then we should be able to take back everything we have gained here.

Misaki: I heard as much from God when I made my human creation, but I am glad to hear you say that. Now... now not just for my little sister that I left behind, but for Mokoto as well I will survive this place and return home!

As we heard Misaki proclaim he would return to the real world, we could all feel his passion and... there was more to it than just escaping this place that was motivating him. Most likely, Misaki feels responsible or is responsible for the death of his childhood friend. He said that the incident happened a year ago and had been trying to turn his life around, but the fact that he received that message and clicked YES meant that he wasn't over it. This also led to him leaving his younger sister alone because of his depression. I still don't know Misaki that well, yet it was obvious that he was carrying something heavy on his shoulders. There was nothing that I could do to help him since I had my own issues to deal with, but when I look at his desperation... I was reminded a little of myself.

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After introducing his girlfriend to us, Misaki then sent Mokoto away so we can discuss business, yet we were still stuck on the subject of human creations.

Aqua: An exact copy in both body and mind, or as close to it as you can get. That is amazing. I have lived through six missions from God and I never knew these creations could be so detailed. Mine just cooks, cleans and knows how to to clean gun and make bullets.

Hikari: That is detailed in a different way, but you are right. Who knows how many secrets are hidden in this place.

Shin: Right. No one has ever mentioned this place in the real world, or word has just never gotten out and was kept a secret. Getting transported to movies, manga, anime and novels, and then interacting with the characters and even changing the original plot. Then there are exchangeable items enhancements which are all unbelievable. I can understand things like guns, but enhancements? Do you think that this kind of world is possible? When Aqua said at the start of that mission not to treat this world like a game world, that couldn't have been better advice. If she haven't said that, I definitely would have believed this to be to be some virtual reality world and I was brought here against my will to be an Alpha tester.

They were silent. None of us had any kind of answer to what this crazy world was, and that... was uncomfortable for us who were risking our lives here. I then took a deep breath and continued my speech.

Shin: I don't care if this is God's territory, or a devil's game. I just want to live, earn enough points to realize my goals and one day return home. Our goals may not be exactly the same, but none of you probably wants to die in these missions, right? The four of us should form a group, a team for the sake of survival. Because no one knows what the next mission will be, there's a limit to how much one person can do. We will form a team and help each other out. Anyone against my idea?

Aqua: You seem to have changed quite a bit from the person I first met in the mission. More so than Misaki who just lost virginity over there.

Misaki became embarrassed over what Aqua said out loud, but she quickly followed up by saying it wasn't something to be embarrassed about. I agreed. If I could decide on a women then I could throw away my seventeen years of inexperience out the window.

Aqua: I think you're right. We couldn't confront any missions alone before we get enough enhancements. I've experienced six missions, so I know how important team work is. That last mission was easy, but the average difficulty of a mission is enough to give me a real difficult time. Team work can get you through those difficult times, but reality isn't that kind. Sometimes those next to you are just as dangerous as the monsters. I am fine with sharing information and help each other out, but if any newbies want to break apart our team, I advise all of you to kill them.

Hikari: But, but didn't you say killing a newbie will cost 1000 points? Even if they get in the way, I can't see killing them outright as a good thing.

Aqua: There are ways around that restriction. Yes, it will cost me 1000 points to kill a new player, but am I going to be the one to kill him? No. I can just break his or her arms and legs, or push them into the monsters. Long as I don't finish him off with my own hands then it will not count. Any else have any other questions?

Misaki: Isn't that a little bit cruel?

Aqua: Yeah it is, but so what? New players can be a lot of trouble, so why can't I kill them? That is why I make a point to not trust or deal with new players till they survive their first mission. You three are the exception.

Shin: Right, we won't hurt any newbies intentionally, but if they are to get in our way or put us at great risk, then I don't mind doing what I have to. I will survive no matter what and one day return to the real world! Now I have something to tell you all. Aqua might already have noticed, but during the mission I think I discovered how to obtain extra points and rewards. It probably has to do with changing the plot. Saving a character that was supposed to die, killing strong monsters, or completely reversing the plot. I think you can get rewards by completing these and surviving.

Then I began to tell them about my experiences. Saving Hisashi and Alice, how I broke some kind of limit three times and God even rewarded me for it and said it was a Hidden God's Quest. And that I received 1B and 3C rank reward, for two B rank rewards, over 10,000 points and the Upgrade Certificate. Hearing this, the three of them were shocked and didn't know how to continue. Aqua who recovered first said that she knew about the rank rewards and limit breakthroughs as she has experienced them herself, but never heard of Hidden God's Quest or being rewarded an item from God like the Upgrade Certificate.

I asked about the three realm breakthroughs, and Aqua said that if a player pushes their body pass the limit in a specific area through sheer force of will alone, God will reward a player with increased stats. She also added that after a player begins enhancing themselves with points or enhancements, it is impossible for that player to to be rewarded for a breakthrough again. Breakthroughs are only available for normal people who have yet to strengthen themselves with outside forces like God.

Then that means I was lucky in a way. Putting Physical and Mental Realms aside, if you were in the state that I was in that forced me to break the Longevity Realm Breakthroughs, you chances of living through the rest of the mission are slim to none. Then to acquire all three realm breakthroughs in your very first mission... it has to be infinitely close to impossible as you can get. It was worth it for all the rewards, but if I was asked to do it again, I would walk away without a second thought.

Hikari: How many points do you have?

Shin: 10,019 points, two B rank rewards. I had a little more points, but my repairs cost 69 points.

They looked at me with envy and jealousy. Even Aqua had slightly forced a smile.

Aqua: I risked my life and almost died who knows how many times to get just four thousand points and two C rank reward in my first mission, but you got over ten thousand in your first outing and even two rank B rewards. Shit, Shin, it seems like I should have you carry me in the next mission.

Misaki: 4000 points and two C rank rewards in your first mission isn't small either, so don't complain. Hikari and I almost died a few times too and we just have 1000 or so points.

Shin: But it wouldn't have mattered if not for Aqua. If you didn't come back for us in that... wolf form for us, then those undead would have broken in and possibly killed us all. Thanks.

Hikari and Misaki also gave Aqua their thanks, but she said it was nothing and looked away slightly embarrassed. It was cute, and would have been cuter if I didn't have the image of her almost ripping me apart at the end of the mission.

Hikari: We now know how to obtain rewards. Even though they are difficult to get, but it's better than not knowing anything at all. Plus you also get points along with it. That's why you need 50,000 points to go back. It's impossible if you just complete the basic missions. At least we have something in mind now.

Misaki also stopped being jealous of me and Aqua gave me a look of respect and trust. Aqua knew that I was a good enough person to tell her about the Hidden God's Quest and the Upgrade Certificate, when it could have been to my advantage to keep it to myself or say a half truth. I, we had all passes our first test here alive and Aqua had finally acknowledged us as her peers.

Aqua: Ok then, I will give you a description of the exchangeable items and stats. We still have nine days to rest so we don't have to rush, but we have to make the most of our time. For the next mission and to survive!

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Authors Note:

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Next chapter will be long as it will cover the enhancements. Look forward to what Shin will finally exchange for.