《Eden Virus》Eden Virus 13
Advertisement
The corridors of the school were dead silent save for the echoes of our footsteps. It felt strange wandering the school at night, as if we've gone to another world. Shadows flickered as we pass by empty classrooms, giving me a sense of unease. It was all so creepy; everything was just too quiet.
"Umm…hey," I called out to Hideyoshi, who was walking in front of me. My voice reverberated, but he did not respond. He continued walking, ignoring me. I let out a sigh as we continued down what seemed like a never-ending hallway.
"Here we are." He announced as we finally arrived in front of a clubroom with no name.
"Prez, it's me and Takatora." He called as he knocked on the door. In response came a gruff voice.
"Come in."
-
"Welcome to the Artificial Research Club. I'm Nobunaga Kenjirou, the current sitting president. Very pleased to meet you." The club president greeted as he placed his right hand out to me. They were huge, almost twice the size of mine.
"H-hello. I'm Takatora Ryuuko, nice to meet you too." I responded timidly, keeping my hand to myself. He noticed my uneasiness and promptly pulled his hand back.
"Please, have a seat." Hideyoshi pulled out a chair for me at the large table in the middle of the room. "Would you like some coffee?"
"2 sugar and cream please?"
He chuckled to himself at my request. His laughing made me felt a bit embarrassed as I sat down.
"Please relax. You can have some snacks if you want." The president said as he took a seat across from me.
"Thank you…"
Various open bags of chips and candies were spread across the table. The scent of coffee and sweets strongly lingered in the air as I looked around the room. It was a typical medium size club room, the ones usually for recreational activities. From the looks of it, it could've been for photography or a small art club.
Books and paper laid scattered about on the desks and even on the ground, as well as numerous equipment. I could see a small electric stove, a bunch of dumbbells and...a broken bicycle? It was upside down with its front wheel replace with what looks like a giant rock. It looks like some sort of makeshift grindstone. There were also what seem to be Futons behind where the president was sitting. All the mess made me wonder if someone had been living in here.
Advertisement
But the thing that caught my eyes was the giant whiteboard in the back of the room. On it was numerous pictures of places of the city, strange diagrams and even photos of people, many with crosses over them. It reminded me of those bulletin boards they keep clues and evidence on in those detective dramas. I could not read everything, although a single word stood out on the top of the board that connected to the rest of the information. It read, "Artificial" in big bold letters.
"Please don't mind the mess. We don't usually have other people around and well, we don't often get a chance to clean either." He said nervously as he noticed I was looking around.
"All these things, do you…do you guys live here?"
"...Yes." He replied shyly.
"Oh! Umm…well…"
"In Artificial, we don't actually have homes to go to. So for us, the school and the clubrooms are the only places we could stay at. But we'll get to that in a little bit. Takatora, how are you feeling?" The president stared at me, his small, frightening eyes glaring through his glasses.
"I'm…I'm feeling much better now." I responded while trying to break away from his scary gaze.
"What's wrong?" He asked with concern, yet it only seemed to make him look even scarier.
"Prez, it's your face again. You're scaring her." Hideyoshi told him.
"Eh?! Oh…uh…I'm really sorry." He hid his face in embarrassment.
"No, no! I don't mean to…it's just, you look…" I quickly tried to reassure him.
The president hung his head in resignation.
"People always tell me, that my face; I always look angry and scary. I try my best to relax and not look as scary but it just ends up worse."
"Umm…President? You really don't have to force yourself."
"We also keep asking him to wear a mask, but he just won't. The Prez, especially when he smiles, look like a freaking serial killer from a horror movie doesn't he?" Hideyoshi snickered as he carefully placed a cup of coffee in front of me. "Two sugar and cream."
Advertisement
"Thank you." I laughed nervously as I took a quick sip. A warm mix of sweetness and bitterness enveloped my tongue. A perfect blend of coffee and cream, swirling together harmoniously as it gently warmed and eased my rigid body. The wonderful taste brought a smile to my face.
"You like it?"
"Yes, it's delicious."
He beamed at my compliment before taking a seat and a sip as well.
"I have no doubt you have many questions." As the President's gaze went to where my right arm was, I instinctively moved to hide it. "My apologies, I didn't mean to stare. We'll do our best to explain everything we can."
"Please..., I just want answers." I said, still sheepishly holding my right shoulder.
"Of course."
He took out his phone and slid it across the table.
"Mitsuhide, I'll leave it to you."
As he said that, the phone turned on and projected a live chat. On screen appeared a male student, looking like he just woke up. He was wearing our standard school uniform and from the looks his ascot, he was also a senior.
"Geez, Kenjirou. Do you really have to do this so late at night? I need sleep too, you know." He yawned as he adjusted his ponytail. That voice, it was familiar…
"Y-you! You're the one that called me on my phone before! The one that tried to warn me-!"
"Oh? Hey! You're Ryuuko, right? How are you doing, it's me, Mitsuhide Juntaro! Man, am I glad you're okay, ha ha!" He laughed as he waved to me through the screen.
Seeing him acting so friendly and even calling me by my first name made me felt very uncomfortable.
"Senpai, your usual self is showing. Maybe, just this once, you could show some restraint?"
"Hahaha, why don't you shut the hell up, Takuya. Ryuuko doesn't mind at all, right?"
"Actually, I would prefer if you-" I tried to protest.
"Perfectly fine! Afterall, we're already good friends, aren't we?"
This guy…
"Anyway, am I glad to see you're okay. You took some serious damage and I was very worried. Not to mention-"
"Mitsuhide, just get to the point." The president pleaded while shaking his head.
"Alright, alright. I was just trying to be friendly, sheesh. Ryuuko, I'm sorry to say this but this world is not our world."
"Huh…HUH?!" I leapt out of my seat in surprise. "What do you mean-?!"
"Senpai, you really couldn't have find a better way to ease into such a bombshell?"
"Did I not just tell you to shut the hell up? Or can you not even read my lips now?"
"I, unfortunately, do have a hard time reading what you say cause everything that comes out of your mouth is crap."
As I watched the two bickered, I heard the weary sigh of the president while covering his face with his giant hands in shame. He looked so tired, as if this was something of a regular occurrence.
I was speechless, not just because of the absurdity I have just heard from Mitsuhide-senpai but how nonchalant these people were after presenting such a revelation.
"These people are dangerous...what have I gotten myself into?" I thought to myself as I sat back down, and quickly took another sip of the coffee. Its wonderful aroma and deliciousness were the only thing that I could understand in the midst of all this madness.
Advertisement
My Doomsday Territory
On doomsday, Tang Yu unexpectedly got the Lord of the End System, he remained very calm. Lack of experts? I will construct a pub so I can make ten draws in a row; Lack of food? I can’t be too cheap with the large pack full of food supplies sent from the market; Lack of safety? Arrow Tower, Mage Tower Artillery and all kinds of automatic defence buildings. Having many isn’t too many; Lack of equipment? Workshop production must produce high-quality items. Sir, would you like one? We are having a 20% discount special at nine! ………… In short, this is a story of Great Lord Tang building up his territory, attacking some monsters, and ripping off…… Cough, making some money at the same time.
8 1527Curse of the Lycan
Twenty-year-old Katrina Monich is a scholar studying abroad far from her home in Cape Cod, South Africa. After an ominous meeting with a man at three in the morning, a strange domino effect seems to fall into place. From her content two years in Maryland to an unknown desolate land only miles away, Katrina feels as though things are not as they seem. If only she knew how right she was.
8 110Ignis
The duaghter of a Navigator house, with all of the obligations and connections that imples, and a few more besides. House Dannan has many obligations and competing interests, and you get to play a part in resolving at least some of them. How much trouble couly one yopung Navigator possibly get into? Quite a lot, as it turns out.Part 2 of the Aegisverse Saga. As to the Sexual Content warning: precisly one chapter will have such content, and it will be clearly marked in the title and description of the chapter. the chapter in question is entirly skippable from a plot standpoint if you do not want to read such content. Second Person is used throughout. If that isn't kosher with you, best to back out now. A Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader fanfictionComplete, with a total of 44 chapters and ~45,000 words. On the series - This series was first written as a Choose Your own Adventure (CYoA) on the /r/HFY forum. The between chapter votes have been omitted, as they are not part of the story, despite their influence on it. On the the Author's notes - These were included in the original document, and are included here for the purpose of completeness. Spelling, grammatical, and formatting changes have been made in the process of archiving this story and re-formatting it for publication on Royal Road. None of the contents of the story has been substantially affected. Cover by gej302!
8 172Noctoseismology
Doctor Roxanne Updyke was isekai'd earlier today. She finds herself in a world of noble heroes and wicked villains, wielding great powers against each other in the never-ending war for justice. An ordinary person would be advised to run for cover. Doctor Roxanne Updyke, however, is a mad scientist and an experienced bounty hunter, from a world of powers more subtle but no less dangerous. The greatest danger isn't the fights between heroes and villains, it's that she'll find something she's unwilling to leave behind when her job is done.
8 112Over the Mountains // Thorin Oakenshield
Persephone is the rarest race in Middle Earth. She isn't a half breed... but a quarter breed. What she doesnt tell anyone outside of the Wizards is that she is really part elf, dwarf, wizard... and skin changer. When she is asked to join the company of Thorin Oakenshield, she agrees but isn't prepared for what she gets herself into. She is suddenly thrust into an adventure of loyalty, honor, persistence, wisdom, bravery and love.
8 54One Man's Journey
Adam lived a carefree life between the borders of two rival kingdoms. He worried little of the brewing war. One night, demons assail his home town, shattering his previously calm life. Robbed of half his family and all of his eye sight, Adam starts a tough journey that will go beyond his wildest imagination.At the behest of one of my readers, I will enlarge one tag: TRAGEDY
8 135