Chapter 3: Epic Ability Core

Exiting the Limo and arriving at the restaurant, I still had so many questions about everything Max said.

'He said he wants to forge some rankers who can stop the end of the world, he doesn't mean me right. I mean all I did was play a stupid phone game for 10 years, but if he did... What would he gain from that, saving the world maybe... My thought process is all wrong, what could he gain from me an ability-less person, no way is he going to offer me an ability core, that's completely ludicrous... Or is it. To him, I might look like a promising investment...I can't be certain just yet"

The four of us sat at the reserved table in the VIP area.

Soon after a waiter showed up to take our orders, the waiter took notes on their orders and then turned towards me and said "And what would you like to have".

"Max... Oh umm, I'll have the same as Max" I blurted out. I didn't even notice the waiter until he spoke to me, all I was thinking about was understanding Max.

I don't understand why but Sarah and Bruce gave me a weird look full of judgment while Max was grinning like he found his long-lost brother.

'Why are they looking at me like that? Is it because of what I ordered... Wait what did I even order? It's too late to make this right, besides it seems like I earned some points with my investor, all I need to do is eat the same dish as him. Anything from this restaurant should be a delicacy but what worries me is the look Bruce and Sarah gave me. Well, whatever they throw at me imma eat it, I don't what my investor thinking badly of me.'

"So Julian if it's alright with you I would like to begin today's discussion with the wish you earned. I will once again go over the things that Divine won't grant under any circumstances. Number one, party one can only ask for money up to 0,1% of Divine stock and no higher, Number two, party one's decision mustn't harm party two in any way, Number three, party one mustn't ask for help in criminal activity or request party two does the crime in their stead... There is more do you want me to continue or would you like to just get this over with and move on to the other matters."

"It's okay you don't have to continue I get the gist of what you're saying, but before I finalize my wish, I want to ask a few questions."

"Go ahead."

"Earlier when you said that you want to forge some rankers, you included me. Am I right?"

"Quite sharp aren't we, yes you're correct"

"Then why? What do you see in me I'm just a guy who played a phone game for 10 years"

"Precisely because of that, we need people who don't give up. You see I made Failure Online for the sole reason of finding a person who can do the impossible because only someone like that can have a chance at saving the world."

"I see... wait did you just say you made Failure Online, that's impossible you would have been 8 when Failure Online was released. Your father Roy Midas made Failure Online. "

"My father is nothing but a puppet that does what I tell him. I use my ability to see other realities, calculate if the same thing is going to happen here, and then profit from that in any way possible, and all of that is to save the world, because how are you gonna save the world without money and power."

"So you mean to tell me that while I was a snot-nosed brat playing videogames, you were leading the biggest conglomerate on earth."

"Yes"

"..."

"..."

Then breaking the silence, the waiter came with the food. He placed a plate with a well-done steak in front of Bruce, then placed a plate of sushi in front of Sarah. He then brought two large portions of shiokara and placed them before me and Max. The waiter then told us to enjoy our meals and left.

What stood before me could only be described as a big pile of squid, it almost looked like noodles but I knew there was no such thing in this dish.

I finished the dish because I didn't want to leave a bad impression on my investor, and let's just say it's an acquired taste that doesn't sit well with me.

Once all of us were done eating Max stood up and said "Let's continue the conversation downstairs"

"Downstairs? What do you mean we are on the ground floor?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. The basement here is one of my many secret bases."

Max then pulled on a book and the bookshelf opened like a door revealing a set of stairs.

As we were entering Max's secret base he got a call.

I couldn't hear what he was talking about. He looked a little concerned. Well, it's none of my business anyway.

He then made eye contact with Sarah and after about twenty seconds of silence, Sarah left in a hurry.

"It seems like we wasted too much time"

Max then reached into his pocket and pulled out an epic ability core and a mana contract, placing both items before me.

The epic ability core looks like a rough glowing rock the size of a fist.

This honestly surprised me a little, I predicted that he was gonna do something like this but I didn't think he would value me so much to offer me an epic ability core

"The mana contract just states that if you chose to use this ability core to awaken you must help me save the world, that is if I like your abilities. So what do u say are you in or do you just want to claim your wish and dip"

"I'm in."

"I don't know why, but somehow I figured that would be your answer"

I signed the mana contract and placed my hand on the ability core. Then the ability core started glowing more violently, so violently in fact that it was like someone pointed a flashlight at me in a pitch-black room. When the ability core stopped shining I felt two different energies inside me.

"Say Status or just say it in your head"

"Status"