Terror Infinity Side B

Chapter 17, Apocalypse Alice Intermission

Although Shin had already decided to go with Hikari's suggestion, he was still rather uneasy at using the points for luxury. 100 points could mean buying a desert eagle for any of them, or a stat increase of 10. Even though it didn't need any ranked rewards to return to the previous mission, which they were going to use, but 100 points for ten extra days of resting was still wasteful. Other than Players like himself and Aqua, the others don't reap large amount of points on average during the missions.

Shin: It's best to just discuss it together. No small amount of points are worthless when it could mean life or death, but maybe they would think that it is worth it for a short vacation. I definitely need one and Apocalypse Alice was one of my favorite books.

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Everyone gathered on the platform the next day, with Shin being the last one to arrive after Hikari was sent to get him. Before Shin got a chance to ask them what they needed him for, a gold colored stone tablet, that was not there before, came into view and took all of his attention. The gold colored stone tablet was floating five meters above the ground and emitted a gold light.

Those with an appreciation for the arts would have found the tablet beautiful to the eyes, but not those here who have gone through life and death trials over and over again. For them it was nothing more than one more omen of death and violence that was waiting for them here in God's Dimension. Shin only needed to see the golden tablet once to feel a sinister foreboding energy on horizon.

Shin, being the last to arrive, knew the least of what was going on. He was about to go over and ask either Hikari or Aqua, but Connor, who had just finished cleaning one of his handguns, (an image that still feels... so, so wrong since he was only a ten year old kid) came over to explain before Shin had the chance to ask. It was unexpected that the quiet Connor would bother to strike up a conversation, yet maybe that was just another sign that the sinking feeling in the pit of Shin's stomach wasn't just his imagination.

Connor: I arrived before the others and that floating rock was already there. The others already saw it, so go look at it yourself before talking with anyone. There's some interesting information etched onto the floating golden tablet. A message from this God that you all keep bringing up.

Shin: A message. Okay, but whatever that floating light is, that isn't my god. I prefer a female one and one that wouldn't send me on death missions.

Connor: Whatever, just look at it leader (He said so sarcastically, the ten-year old child).

Shin did as he was told and moved closer to the tablet and when he focused onto the stone tablet, information appeared within his head just like when they were are talking to God.

- When a team reaches a state where three human Players have unlocked their Genetic Constraints, this message will appear and stay in this dimension. We have all predicted that once a Genetic Constraint is unlocked to its Fifth Stage, the final stage of the constraint, the organism will evolve into a higher tier organism.

The human world will then advance or wreak havoc at the thought of that organism. In order to prevent the encounter of two or more high tier organisms from multiple teams, which may cause the extinctions of the human race, we've created the following rules. When a team reaches a state where three human Players have unlocked their Genetic Constraints, that team will encounter other teams that belong to God's Dimension from other countries.

Killing a member from another team will be rewarded 2000 points and C rank reward. Killing a member that had unlocked the Genetic Constraint will be rewarded 7000 points and B rank reward. Eliminating the whole team will reward every member a rank C reward.

There does not exist cruelty, justice, or evil in this world... only one team can survive till the end. If you don't want to die, then surpass your limits and evolve.

Shin: ...So the time has finally come, huh?

This message was obviously incomplete. When Shin recovered from the shock of this message, he looked around at everyone who was in a daze. They had read the message before he arrived, yet they were all quiet and not talking. Aqua knew this was going to happen long before anyone else, so she was fine, yet the others were worried.

Most of them had already heard this was going to happen from Sozin, yet now that it was staring at them in the face, it had finally become real.

Connor and Jin weren't with them when they learned of Team Battles, but they got the general idea of how dangerous the future was for them now just by reading what was on the tablet. They also seemed to have been told about the general details of the Genetic Constraint and its meaning.

Shin, as the team leader, couldn't allow this awkward silence to continue as they need to discuss this, so he called out to them.

Shin: To start off with… Aqua or Hikari. Please analyze the meaning of this message. We heard some information from Sozin before, but let’s go over it again for Connor and Jin's sake. Also, for the sake of multiple viewpoints, let's pretend we didn't have prior knowledge beforehand. Then we will compare what we come up with to the information that Aqua and Sozin provided for us.

Hikari: I'll go first then. This message is probably left by the creators of this world. And because it appears directly in our head, it will use words and language that we understand. Like the Genetic Constraint was a phrase that Saki and Sozin both used, yet it is possible there are other names for it due to languages and other cultures. Secondly, it mentioned an important bit of information that we are not the only ones in God's Dimension. In fact, I was suspicious of this for a while, even before we learned some information from Sozin. Didn't you notice that everyone who came into this world is Japanese for the most part? Kampa and Connor were just visiting Japan at the time they answered YES when they were brought here. The same applied to Zero, the half Chinese American sniper from BTOOOM, and the Irish man, Derrick, who betrayed us. This message tells us that there are other God's Dimensions, Terminal Lobbies, or central hubs from other countries, and that they also have similar teams.

Shin: The problem is that it is likely that they will belong to the Four Pillars, but let's leave that aside for the moment. Continue Hikari.

Then with Shin’s permission, Hikari continued her analysis.

Hikari: The last point is that the creators originally didn't want two separate teams, or more, to return to the real world. It can lead to a war between the two teams in the real world due to a difference in beliefs, language, and moral values. Such situations are very destructive, like... if the sniper who died in BTOOOM, Zero, has ten times the strength and speed that he had originally, an unlimited ammunition Gauss sniper rifle, or more powerful Sci-fi weapon, and some other sci-fi equipment, he could rival a whole army. Not to mention the blueprints of advanced technologies that Saki once exchanged for. Top that to whatever the final stage of the Genetic Constraint is, then maybe no normal country or military organization can stop him.

Shin hearing this potential couldn't help but think of the Five Founders of the Four Pillars. The Immortal King, Deep Zero, Divine Blade Edge, Trinity, and their former leader of their Player team Wrath.

According to Sozin, a man who held the strength to save up points and escape God's Dimension, he was an insect compared to those five god level Players. While Sozin barely making it back to the real world by abandoning his comrades, those five stayed in God's Dimension longer necessary to get the very best exchanges.

They should of had the ability to completely change, or wipe out the real world. They didn't and instead play some sort of sick proxy war in God's Dimension, but if anyone of them chose to do so they could take over the world. Shin could only imagine that this didn't happen was because world conquest, or genocide was too much bothersome for those who have reached the realm of Gods... but in the end that's a whim. A whim that at any moment could change.

Aqua: That's nice to know, but the point is that we are probably going to encounter a team from another country in the next mission. And we will either be all killed or we will kill them all!

Shin: I wish that wasn't the case since we still have the missions to deal with, but most likely Aqua is dead right. Especially... since we have to deal with groups like Mass Enlightenment and Blood Crusade. The other two I don't know if they will attack us, but I won't hold my breath.

Shuai: It can't be that bad, right guys? Since we will be on the mission, then we should still have to follow God's restrictions and finish the missions or wait until time is up. The reason for such high rewards for killing a member of the other team is probably to entice the teams to start a war with the other, but if both sides don't attack then it's possible that both sides can survive.

Misaki: Shuai might be on to something. Maybe it would be possible to work together depending on the missions we have, or at the very least stay away from each other. I'm all for a fight now that I've unlock my constraint, but I don't want to see any of us die.

Kampa: I understand what you said Misaki, but the real world is not so innocent. I know from fighting my own wars before coming here. Like two sides of an opposing army in war, both teams will be concerned with the other team attacking first and gaining an advantage... we will not only have to face the monsters within the missions, but also members of the other team... they will want to kill us just like those monsters! All it'll take is just one bullet fired.

Shin: Bullet of World Revolution, right? The tension within the missions are high to begin with, and now the Team Battles will make it even worse. At such critical levels all it will take is a single bullets to ignite a war. Just like volume seven of Black Bullet. Also, once the fires of wars are lit then it won't end at just one life taken.

Everyone fell into a silence.

Just surviving through the missions was already extremely difficult, and now that they learned about encountering other teams in the movies. It was either kill or be killed, a near confirmed fact, so the choice was obvious. Attack first! That's the obvious solution, yet won't wouldn't the other team think in the same way? Following this reasoning, the war starts the moment they encounter the other team.

Shin: Oh right! It mentioned that we will only encounter other teams after three people unlocked their genetic constraints. Aqua and I have both unlocked ours, Misaki in the last mission. Connor, our newest member has as well before even entering God's Dimension. Now, do you think it's easy for people from other teams to unlock their constraints and still be alive today? It wouldn't surprise me if one or two unlocked Players from those teams to have died. We almost did in BTOOOM and Apocalypse Alice. Also, Aqua and I are at the second Stage as well and have powerful enhancements and weapons, and are about to become even stronger. Maybe our team is one of the strongest teams! Haha, so we shouldn't worry too much. We will discuss our enhancement paths first.

These words calmed the others, but a shadow had already been cast onto their hearts. Even Shin could only sigh at the sight of the golden tablet. Live on... only one team can return alive?

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Jin: Excuse me, but could you tell me and Connor more about the Four Pillars. You told us a little before in the last mission after Derrick betrayed us, but not the whole picture. All I know is that they are possible enemies.

Shin thought that was enough since they are enemies, but he decided to talk about them anyways. Jin and Connor weren't with them when they met Sozin, so a lot of what is going on in God's Dimension is not known to them. Shin began with what the four Pillars were, what they wanted, and how because Team Japan is not under their thumb, they see Team Japan as an enemy to be killed.

Jin: So these guys want to kill us all because we don't work for them and are a potential danger to them if a time comes where we return to the real world. Alright, I think I get the gist of it now. And I can finally see what everyone other than Connor and I were worried about with the Team Battles. It isn't just some random team of former civilians that we will be encountering, but the Four Pillars, right?

Shin: Yes. According to a man we met in the real world, Sozin, told us is that The Four Pillars have a monopoly of most, if not all, teams within God's Dimension aside from us. Mass Enlightenment, Blood Crusade, Absolute Reckoning and Dove United... it is safe to assume that all four will be gunning for us.

Aqua: Also, among those four organizations, Team Japan has already offended and made enemies with both of the most hostile of the four, Mass Enlightenment and Blood Crusade. Who knows if it's possible to reach some peace agreement with Absolute Reckoning or Dove United, but 100% as it stands, if we meet Mass Enlightenment or Blood Crusade there will be a battle to the death.

Jin: I see. This is just a suggestion and it isn't one that I like, but what if we join up Dove United or Absolute Reckoning? I don't want to have my fun ruined by joining an organization and following strict guidelines and rules, but if we do so it may be possible to avoid some battles. Also, depending on the relationship between the two organizations, Absolute Reckoning and Dove United, we could potentially avoid 25-50% of Team Battles!

Shin had to agree with Jin. Both of them saw the benefits of joining a large organization as suggested. Putting Absolute Reckoning aside, Dove United seemed to be the most harmless of the four organizations that make up the Four Pillars. Additionally, they had a friend in Dove United named Sozin. Sozin could introduce Team Japan to Dove United and as he is a high ranking member and warrior, so nothing should go wrong... yet Shin didn't want to do it

Connor: Joining a bigger group to avoid a fight is the act of a coward. Also, you lose most of your freedom since your original group gets absorbed into the larger group. That's what happens in real life. Individuality and independence doesn't exist in a large organizations. It too much of a liability to them.

Jin: Well, I like this group as much as anyone. Fun is fun, but I prefer an option where I won't die, and I don't want to see such a special group like this die even more!

Aqua: Putting aside your sick definition of fun aside, Connor is right. Sozin told us that joining Absolute Reckoning is a bad idea, remember? Even after escaping this dimension we'll still be bound by them and forced to fight battles we don't want to fight. This obligation can even extend to or potential children and their children, and would be used as soldiers.

Jin: How about Dove United?

Shin: Not worth it in my opinion. Sure, we happen to know a top member like Sozin and they seem like a friendly bunch, but that won't help us much here. From what I know Dove United isn't interested in the truth of God's Dimension like the others, so they won't invest too many resources here as they care for the real world more. Most likely, they only have a few teams here, so your plan of avoiding 25-50% of Team Battles is flawed Jin.

Jin: I see... in that case we either die or survive by the skin of our teeth as an independent team. Simple, yet exciting, right!? This is definitely more exciting than joining some worthless cause.

Hikari: Dear god, to think there is someone worse off than Shin. Ah, my first impression of my boyfriend is now higher.

Shin: Hikari... though I am glad, I don't want THAT (Jin) being the reason why.

Jin: How mean Shin.

Shin chose to ignore Jin at this point, but he was right. Team Japan couldn't rely on anyone and would have to face all of the organizations of the Four Pillars. Most likely, each encounter in the future would end in blood on both sides.

Shin: Just one team will survive... how right. Maybe their teams can get around this rule and return to the real world, but not Team Japan. Enemy #1 of God's Dimension.

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Authors Note:

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Proofread by Hoebagger