Chapter 56: Extra: S2 Session Introduction
You will experience a different world. Remember, only humans remain unchanged in this place where culture, customs, architectural styles, and the rules of the world are all different.
Survival is guaranteed. Even if you encounter death, it’s not the end; you will return to your original world without a scratch. Cue dramatic music!
You have only one objective. Secure the Shining Trapezohedron hidden somewhere in the world. It’s a mystical relic known to summon evil beings and, on the flip side, provide infinite wisdom. But beware, activating it comes with a dash of… cue suspenseful horror music sacrifice.
There are plenty of opportunities and time. Additionally, forgetting the goal and gathering delightful experiences counts as an equally valid way to enjoy this new world. Seriously, no pressure!
Playtime Per Round: 2 hours (6 days)
Additional Objective: Secure the Shining Trapezohedron
The following content is the record of preliminary investigations by a collaborator.
We hope it helps you understand this world better, but let’s be real—it may just confuse you more!
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About the Stage ①:
This is my first record. Welcome to a strange civilization! The buildings look like art gone rogue, and there’s a massive difference in mana concentration in the air—almost like it’s been on a mana diet or something! When I arrived at the specified coordinates, my first sight was a shabby back alley. It was stuffed full of strange-looking bags tied up with—guess what?—garbage!
I bravely armed myself with a knife and cut open a bag to inspect its contents. Inside, I found something that looked like mystery crop peels, a cylindrical metal object, remnants of tissue or newspaper, a dead cat’s carcass, and some very unfortunate human bone fragments. Talk about a real treasure hunt, right? Spoiler alert: Nothing noteworthy.
I moved cautiously, keeping an eye out for my first encounter with other life forms. If this world was as hostile to outsiders as the Spirit Realm, I was ready to measure their hostile levels—yep, through good ol’ combat. If they fell below the Defense Bureau’s Threat Grade 3, I’d proceed. 3? Quick exit! 2? Full-on retreat! I’m not here to become a villain’s lunch.
After about 5 minutes of walking, I finally slipped out of the alley. The buildings here are towering like giants! The roads are massive and well-maintained, covered with what looks like a black substance—talk about curb appeal! And surprise! I saw a carriage with no horse. Is it the future? Or am I just having a weird dream?
I spotted another life form. Looked human! Although I can’t confirm the anatomy—too busy making sure I wasn’t in a horror flick—it had all the common traits. Two arms, two legs, five fingers, and even divided into genders. Ears? Yep, they had those too, though they were pretty round.
The overall hue of the city is a gloomy gray. People looked like they’d just heard the worst joke: their expressions are gloomy. Sure, they seem well-fed, but their eyes? No spark. I couldn’t help but think they might be living under the boot of a tyrant.
Fortunately, the fashion in this city is akin to the capital’s style. Suits, silk hats, dresses—you name it. As long as you don’t look like you just rolled out of a dumpster, blending in should be easy-peasy. Even the academy uniforms work here!
Most folks aren’t carrying weapons—yay for good security… or maybe it’s legally prohibited? Who knows? More investigations needed. I’d continue once I set up a temporary headquarters.
The following doodles depict this strange civilization’s quirks.
About the Stage ②:
Here’s my second record. I’ve set up my temporary base at 201 Carter Street, 2nd Floor of the East Shopping Mall. Repeat after me: 201 Carter Street, East Shopping Mall, 2nd Floor. The lovely items I’ve collected will be hidden here—not suspicious at all!
I focused on investigating the city’s social atmosphere.
Carrying weapons is technically allowed, but flaunting them like you’re on a catwalk is a big no-no. It’s basically like our world. From here on out, I’ll stop repeating the obvious and stick to the fun freaky details!
Only a select few can handle mana, while magic is looked down upon by society. Wizards? Yeah, they get grouped in with witches and devils. Talk about a bad PR day! You can essentially think of their societal perception as equivalent to that of black wizards in our world.
Most citizens? Powerless. However, those keeping the peace, along with some citizens, wield artifacts called guns that shoot projectiles. Their power ranges from “hey, this is just a rock!” to “Whoa, that’s Earth’s Awl!”
A hodgepodge of religions coexists here, and let me tell you—the believers are more corrupted than your average villain! Scandals involving church ministers are spreading like wildfire, and the citizens’ views are polarized like a political debate. Since our faith is deemed heretical, best keep your mouth shut about it!
Rumor has it there are cults worshipping all the wrong deities or even malevolent ones. I’ve heard bizarre tales of them snatching up kids for rituals, so yeah, it’s not a great reputation to have!
During my escapades, I discovered a weird stigma on a building’s wall. After some further probing, I found three more with similar designs. What does it all mean? What’s their function? Stay tuned—I’ll keep you posted with any updates!
About the Stage ③:
Hamburgers are fantastic! The fries? Divine! Sure, they’re a bit salty, but if you’re used to la-di-da aristocratic dining, you’ll be just fine! I’ve compiled a list of personal fave restaurants in a neat little table.
About the Stage ④:
Here’s my fourth record. I got tangled up with a cult group called the Order of the Silver Twilight—and not on purpose! What happened? Well, I was wandering the city, aiming to investigate those suspicious stigmas in the back alleys.
The vagrants avoided me like I was wearing too much cologne. They lurked in the shadows, peering at me with their rotten stares. Sure, sending them packing would have been easy, but I didn’t fancy a run-in with the local law!
Just as I found a couple more stigmas, murky-eyed vagrants approached. They stank like a trash can after a hot week—not pleasant! One dude in the middle had on necklaces that belonged in a horror movie: skulls, crosses, prayer beads, and some totally random grimy items—yikes! Yeah, it was probably not for sincere worship.
He approached with a creepily polite smile, “For what reason are you wandering around searching for graffiti?”
I replied, “It’s to beautify the environment. Is there a problem?”
That guy retorted, “This place may be shabby and dark, but it’s private property! You can’t damage what’s here.”
I huffed, “I got it; please step aside. I’m just leaving.”
He replied, “You’ll need to justify yourself.”
Despite his smile, I could see that glint in his eye—goodbye, subtlety! This guy was eager to mess with me. So, I took action first and pitched a brick at him!
1) The brick vanished about 20 cm from him. Curiouser and curiouser—it looks like a magical barrier! Since nothing like steam or debris popped up, I guess it’s more like “whoops, spatial hiccup” rather than annihilation.
2) Upon the brick’s disappearance, one of the vagrants behind him flopped over, bleeding from the nose! Sounds like experimental magic gone wrong to me!
With over ten vagrants lurking, I had no clue how this guy’s barrier would hold up in close-quarters combat. So, I did the smart thing—I retreated.
The man cast some unknown spell that wasn’t about launching projectiles; it seemed to home in on targets within sight. Talk about a bummer! It felt like an invisible punch! I got knocked back, but in the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t life-threatening if one’s protected by mana.
After that scuffle, I marked the Silver Twilight as a hostile force. Looks like it’s time for some serious digging into their operations!
About the Stage ⑤ (Order of the Silver Twilight):
They are a cult that’s been steadily gaining followers. They regularly hold meetings in a central location, claiming they aim to enter the embrace of a god for eternal happiness.
Once a week, they conduct a ritual called the “Summons Meeting,” fervently hoping their deity arrives soon, while shouting holy names to the sky. Despite complaints from nearby residents about the ruckus, it seems the police aren’t taking any action.
I had the pleasure of attending a Summons Meeting—purely for research, of course! And guess what? The name of their god has a kind of hypnotic effect. If someone has solid mental barriers, they should be fine, but if you’re a bit wobbly in the noggin, steer clear, my friends!
Here are some words from those who attended the meeting:
“The glorious name we hear is truly magnificent and blessed. When we pronounce it, our hearts race and our chests flutter with ecstasy, yet we can’t pronounce it correctly. How tragic!”
“The glimmering night sky draws near. I can sense His approach. Though us mere mortals can’t capture His divine form fully, even if it means agony, I’ll clear the space for His arrival!”
The feelings typically expressed? Awe, being overwhelmed, and a sprinkle of fear—daily doses of existential dread!
Oh, and I pieced together that the man with the gaudy necklaces is the cult’s leader! Most of the vagabonds creepily stalking the alleys seem to be tied to the Silver Twilight. Hypnosis and other mind tricks are likely at play here, given that the city’s folk couldn’t care less about the poor.
Those stigmas? Yeah, it’s probably them, but the true effects are still a mystery!
About the Stage ⑥ (Battle Record):
Tried to infiltrate the Order of the Silver Twilight’s building.
Confirmed the existence of detained civilians. Attempted to rescue.
Spotted! Combat initiated. Shot five cultists dead.
Gained intel from a civilian. Confirmed the basement exists in the Order’s building.
Attempted escape using a vehicle. Left the driving to the rescued civilian.
Additional seven cultists met their demise.
Engaged with the cult leader who chased after me—
…
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After quietly reading through the Session Introduction I crafted with Pink-Haired Lesbian’s help, she pointed at the abrupt end and asked, “Why did you erase the latter contents?”
“Because it’s way too spoiler-y! It wouldn’t be fun if they know everything from the get-go.”
She replied, “You’re all about creating trials, aren’t you? But hey, it sounds like they could gain a lot. There’s no danger of losing their lives…”
Pink-Haired Lesbian gave me a look that screamed, “Is this really the place for students?”
Of course, it’s fine! This is a TRPG! I’m a nice GM who doesn’t want to see players suffer! The thrill of a giant octopus’s horror experience isn’t about the players panicking—it’s all about the journey!
I’m right behind them, ready to help!
And let’s be honest—I wasn’t going to push them through with, “Hehehe, you’re already signed up; you HAVE to go!” Nope, I’ll show them the introduction and say, “So, this is the vibe. What do you think?”
If their reaction is lukewarm, I’ll whip up something fresh and exciting!
But because student growth is my goal, I don’t think a light-hearted virtual experience is enough training. That’s why I decided to keep the whole “this is all Illusion Magic” thing under wraps for now.
If I sense players are really struggling, it won’t hurt to admit—“Surprise! This was all part of the illusion!”
…
One day, I’ll need to come clean to Pink-Haired Lesbian that this is all just an illusion. But then she might report it up the ladder, and who knows? The stubborn second prince might wake up from his delusion and come at me with a dropkick!
So for now, I’ll keep this secret—like hiding a test score of a whopping 20%.
With that in mind, I tidied up the introduction and invited the three students interested in my lectures into my office. Time for some discussions!
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