EPISODE 5 – SCENE 7: THE UNKNOWN

Location: Main Entrance of the HQ – Dawn

The next few hours were a blur of motion—like the gears of a machine finally turning after long dormancy. The clamor of metal, the scrape of weapons being unsheathed, and the sharp command of officers filled the air, a cacophony of preparation. Dust swirled through the camp, settling on soldiers' faces as they tight-ened their armor and gripped their weapons with practiced hands. The oppressive heat hung over every-thing, thick and suffocating—a warning of the war to come. Every movement was deliberate, each gesture part of the ritual of war unfolding before them.

At the center of the chaos, William stood unmoving—a pillar of cold, unyielding resolve. His eyes cut through the frenzy with unsettling calm, guiding the soldiers without a word. The time for speech had long passed; the mission was clear, the fate of the battle already inscribed in the determined gazes of his com-manders—Avernus, Haku, and Néro. Without words, they all understood: war was inevitable.

Avernus stood like a statue, his eyes fixed on the horizon with the detachment of one who had seen too much. Haku, shrouded in shadows, moved with an almost imperceptible grace, while Néro towered—a hulk-ing force of raw power, a tempest contained in flesh. These were not merely comrades; they were exten-sions of William himself, bound by unspoken loyalty forged in blood and history.

As the soldiers completed their preparations, the wind howled between the tents, scattering dust and fur-ther blurring the lines of their world. Each moment drew them closer to war. Yet, amid the chaos, William remained the eye of the storm—a man who had already accepted his fate.

Then, cutting through the noise, his voice rang out with chilling finality:

— William: "You know your orders. Protect the territory and prepare for war."

The simplicity of his words belied their weight. The commanders nodded, understanding without question. Beneath the surface, they all sensed that this was no ordinary battle; they were stepping into the unknown, and whatever awaited them would change everything.

— Avernus (with a rare, icy smile): "When you return, the lost territory will be ours."

William's lips twitched into a cold smile as he replied:

— William: "I'm counting on you not to break everything."

A low, knowing laugh rippled among the commanders. Each understood that, for better or worse, the world would never be the same after today.

With one final, measured glance, they passed through the dimensional door and stepped into the unknown. Immediately, a chill replaced the camp's suffocating warmth—as if the very world were bracing for what was to come.

Before them, the terrain was bleak and desolate. The wind whispered through the barren landscape, carry-ing the faint scent of distant danger. The land seemed alive with tension, every gust a harbinger of the storm ahead.

With resolve in his eyes, William activated his dimensional veil. His fingers moved with practiced precision as he adjusted its settings. A strange hum filled the air, and as the veil expanded, it began scanning the terrain ahead.

— William (softly, impressed): "The scan… it's reaching farther than I anticipated."

The energy around him intensified as the veil's range increased. His mind absorbed every detail, cataloging fragments of data with alarming speed. The terrain unfolded before him like a detailed map.

— Iris (analyzing): "Master William, the scan reveals something unexpected. This isn't merely an old con-struction site—it's the remnants of an ancient city in the Macchabé Forest, lost centuries after the Saint War. Once a key hub for trade, its records have long since vanished, leaving only traces of its former glory."

A spark of realization flickered in William's eyes. He paused, scanning the area with renewed intensity.

— William (thoughtful): "This could be more than ruins. If forgotten for all this time, it's ripe for rebuilding. I could turn it into a capital—a strategic hub for trade and control of the forest."

— Iris (promptly): "Affirmative, Master. You could transform it into a functional capital."

— William (excited): "Yes, Iris! My own strategic hub for trade and control."

Before he could dwell further, Iris's tone shifted, urgency and dread tinting her voice.

— Iris (urgent): "I'm detecting other signatures—these aren't mere anomalies. They belong to other users. We're not alone. There may be other reincarnates or players in this area."

A cold shiver ran down William's spine as the revelation struck him. He had assumed he was alone in this world, but fate had other plans.

— William (sharp, determined): "So, we're not alone after all. This just got a lot more interesting."

Haku and Néro exchanged a glance but remained silent, their uncertainty hanging in the air. For the first time, the simplicity of their world had shattered.

Unflinching, William began to move forward once again, his expression as cold and determined as ever.

— William (firm): "Haku, Néro, let's make our way to Chamarel."

Haku followed like a shadow, silent and swift, while Nero's every step promised imminent action. United for a singular purpose, they advanced together.

As they neared the horizon, an unexpected shift in the atmosphere caught William's eye—a faint, almost imperceptible ripple in the fabric of reality. He halted, his gaze rising to the darkening sky.

— Iris (calm, but with a hint of uncertainty): "Malicious signatures... but also benevolent ones. Both evil and good coexist here."

William's pulse quickened. Beneath his unyielding exterior, unease began to ripple through him. The air felt thick with the unknown.

— William (cold but determined): "Let's follow the rules... for now. But later, we'll break them."

His voice was a steady promise vow that nothing would stand in his way. Yet the uncertainty gnawed at him like an unanswered question.

Then, without warning, a further anomaly caught his eye—an unsettling distortion in the air, a crack in the world itself.

— William: "another one?"

Iris hesitated before responding, did a double check. Her voice now tinged with concern.

— Iris (concluding): "The signal bears the same signature as the Napso Gear among the Primates."

The realization struck him like lightning. His breath caught, and for the first time, doubt crept into his mind. There were others like him here. Reincarnates. Possibly enemies.

— William (voice tight, realization dawning): "So, it comes from the Primal Forest. A possible ally or potential enemy. Nice."

Before he could process further, Iris interjected with a concise analysis:

— Iris (analytical): "The signatures match the game code, Master William. There may be isolated anomalies among these primates."

The world seemed to freeze around him. A chill settled in the pit of his stomach as he realized the full extent: other users. Other reincarnates. A war among unknown players.

— William (low, guarded): "If there are other reincarnates like me, they might be adventurers in Chamarel. Stay alert."

Haku and Néro exchanged confused glances, their expressions reflecting their inability to fully grasp the storm gathering on the horizon.

— Haku (trying to reassure): "We'll double our vigilance, Master William."

Néro offered a quiet nod of approval, and William's face softened with satisfaction.

— William (more determined than ever): "We need to stay cautious. Remember, this world is new to all of us."