20: The true power of invisibility Sometimes, the most defining moments of our lives are not the ones when we encounter something monumental, but when something barely avoids us. This was the case for Shane today when he almost became the target of an eyeball laser on obliteration mode. "Fine...we'll save the eyeball for a rainy day." Alex pulled out a notepad from his computer desk and began scrawling on it. It was a list of names with Shane written in the middle. Alex crossed him out and readded him to the top of the list. 'You can escape once, but you've just gotten a fast pass to hell.' Alex felt good to be an agent of karmic justice. "Alright, what's up with this sword?" 'Lord, this is Balisarda, the sword from the inner world of a former European chosen named Ruggiero. It has a special characteristic in that it can cut through the enchanted,' Houdini responded. "Enchanted...like otakus?" 'Excuse me, Sir. I was referring to enchanted substances such as items strengthened by magic or other means.' "...That's unfortunate." As Alex slowly removed the blade from its sheath, it shimmered in the light. It was approximately 60 cm long, with a blood grove all the way down the middle. He held the sword and examined it closely, as if in admiration and respect for its terrible lethality. Then he abruptly started waving it madly around in every direction, only stopping when he accidentally cut the lamp in half. 'It's good to finally have a weapon. Smashing people with gold bricks feels good but it hurts to damage my money like that. It's like giving the enemy 1000 physical damage while suffering 800 morale damage myself,' Alex shook his head. "Houdini, these offerings satisfy me. Your date of execution has been delayed." Houdini was both happy and frightened. '...Delayed? Until when?' he panicked internally. Besides the 3 new magical items, Alex had pulled out a 4th item--the sword of Damocles hanging over Houdini's head. "Does each chosen have a weapon like this?" Alex asked. 'No, Sir. To remove a weapon with magical powers like that, a chosen may typically need to conserve energy for half of their lifetime. Many Generals form weapons so such a cost is too much for most chosen. In addition, each family requires its chosen to provide materials to the family as a duty, so a large part of their extractions include cultivation resources, strengthened materials, and in the case of the Rodwells, science and technology products,' Scott chimed in. "Very well, meeting's over. You're all dismissed," Alex announced. 'Lord, if I may.' Hades had something to say. "Speak." 'Lord, I am happy the mission has gone well, but if you ask me, you are not using the Helm of Darkness to its fullest ability,' Hades continued. 'Am I about to receive a power-up?' Alex grew eager. "Ok...How would I correctly use it?" he asked Hades. 'Lord, have you ever wondered why the King of the Underworld would need a Helm that granted invisibility?' "Why?" Alex's curiosity began to grow. 'Lord, in my travels many years ago, I came across a great sage. He taught me the true power of invisibility, a secret which I shall confer upon you now...' Alex's anticipation reached its peak. '...Watching women bathe, Lord.' ... 'This is my fault. I should've known he was going to say that, but I bit anyway.' Alex began to reflect on his fatal weaknesses. 'This is the greatest divine power known to God or man, Lord.' Hades' eyes gained a fervent glow. Standing alone in the sky of Cardpolis, he gazed into the distance, raising his left arm as if demonstrating a picturesque scene. 'Lord, just imagin--' "Shut up!" 'How was this guy a famous God? He should be on a list of sexual predators.' Alex began to have doubts about these alleged Gods. "Are you still watching women bathe naked?" he asked Hades, feeling perhaps he needed to post a photo of him around Cardopolis to warn the citizens. Hades' face became serious. 'Of course not, Lord. I am no longer that lowly animal I once was. I have since learned many things, grown as an individual...I now watch them use the bathroom.' Alex had immediately cut off his soul link to Hades. Hades was sad. 'Why can I never find anyone to share my hobbies?' The eternal loneliness of a perverted NEET.
21: The target is Area 51 What walks and sleeps at the same time, but doesn't sleepwalk? Alex was in two places at once. He was following behind someone in Cardopolis, while simultaneously lying in bed on Earth. He was lucid dreaming. Since Scott had told him he was capable of this, it was his first time actually trying it. Just like Scott said, when asleep, he didn't need the help of a General to move around Cardpolis. He could move freely, and although he still couldn't touch anything, he didn't feel the need to right now. Watching her was all he needed. Leena was walking in a garden of her estate, watching the flowers in bloom. Only when watching this beautiful girl would Alex be at ease. Near her, he didn't feel restless or annoyed. "Staring at the stars on a cool night. Losing oneself in their glorious light. I find myself breaking into poetry, but this is the limit of my verbal ability." Alex's eyes were closed, savoring his words as they seemingly echoed in the night air. He spontaneously composed a poem, feeling proud of his accomplishment. He thought if Leena could hear his art, she would immediately fall in love. Some distance away, Hades, Houdini, and Scott stood behind a tree eavesdropping. At the end of the poem, they looked at each other, then as if on cue, all swiftly flew into the distance. They couldn't risk hearing more "art." *** BOOM BANG BANG Loud sounds were coming from Alex's headphones as he sat at his PC, playing a game. "Shut up! I'm not feeding! I just started this game!" He was taking more damage in voice chat than he was in the game. Every minute or so he would look over at the card of Balor's eye sitting next to his PC, as if fighting hard to restrain himself from something. 'Sir, we really need to continue collecting cultivation resources to strengthen ourselves for the apocalypse.' Scott attempted to persuade him. "We just did a job, don't act like we've already spent all of it on drugs and strippers in one day. Besides, why would I want to be turned into a chocolate M&M again, just so you can tell me I've gone from a super waste to a regular waste?" Alex would not be fooled twice. 'Sir, the next target should be able to provide you with better resources. There might even be some advanced science and technology products.' Alex's ears perked up. "What kind of products?" 'Sir, I'm not sure what specific items they will have. I only know that this facility is currently the premier research base of high-end technology on Earth. In fact, you have likely heard of it, it is called...Area 51.' Alex deeply inhaled as he dropped his headphones and swiveled his chair away from his computer. He was so excited he forgot to let go of the mouse, which he still held tightly midair off the table. BANG BANG BANG "You bastard! We're on the same team!" Low sounds continued to emit from the headphones as Alex walked away from his desk and looked out the window. "Where did you say is the target?" Alex double-checked his hearing. 'Area 51, Sir.' ... Several minutes later, Alex came out of the kitchen and returned to the window. He was now wearing a tinfoil hat shaped like a sailboat. "Ok, we can talk now. They can't hear us." Growing paranoid, Alex turned on the TV to create additional noise to interfere with any listening devices. "It's the crime of the century! Billions of dollars in gold have been stolen in a robbery yesterday at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York." A news report came on. Alex couldn't help but smile, feeling great pride. "The robbery was a violent one. Thirteen security officers were found dead at the scene. Their bodies were so badly damaged that forensics experts could not conclusively say much about what happened to them. The FBI brought in special investigators from their department of criminal psychology." The image cut to a man with long gray hair, wearing rimless oval glasses. "Our experts have analyzed the perpetrator's likely actions at the scene and were able to develop some hypotheses. Based on the level of violence and difficulty in examining the bodies, we cannot conclusively rule out the possibility that he sexually assaulted the victims before, or more likely after they die--" BOOM The tv now had a gold brick lodged in the middle of it. "What experts?!? These guys are perverts! Don't they have cameras?!? Why ruin my reputation?!? Alex screamed. 'Sir, the Rodwells likely wiped the video footage so as not to publicize the evidence of supernatural powers,' Scott rationalized. Sigh...Alex needed to get his mind off this slander. "Tell me the details of the Area 51 plan." 'Sir, the plan is not too different than the one to rob the Federal Reserve. You will go in invisibly and steal. It's simple.' "You said that last time...and now everyone thinks I'm Jeffrey Dahmer. Besides, won't the Rodwells be prepared now?" 'Sir, the Rodwells have dozens of facilities all across the United States. Even if they knew you were going to attack. In a short time, they would not be able to increase security at all of them.' "How many aliens will I have to fight?" "Sir, there is no such thing as aliens from outer space. Area 51 is merely an underground testing site for cutting edge military technology. The UFOs you have heard of are a branch of the secret human tech of the Illuminati." "...Not even Chewbacca?" Alex's eyes became wet as he felt his childhood dream slipping away from him. '...I'm so sorry for your loss, Sir. ------------ Author's Note: Thanks for reading. If you like it, you can read more at this link: WotG - WN