Episode 4. Shuffle Time (1)
Player. Some call them gamers, others users. As thinking humans (Homo Sapiens), tool-making humans (Homo Faber), and playing humans (Homo Ludens), they crossed over from another world and enjoyed much here. So, what exactly did the Players do?
Players are villains who have killed countless people.
Players swung their swords wildly in villages and cast spells. Their baseless attacks killed innocent citizens, and the guards rushed in to subdue them. The Players killed those guards too. Citizens fled at the sight of the dying, while brave guards swarmed to attack the Players. The Players killed them all.
Players killed for pleasure alone.
One death makes a murderer, a million makes a conqueror, and killing all makes a god. But Players were neither gods nor conquerors—just simple pleasure killers.
...So what am I supposed to do about it?
The info was biased, but Aiden didn't even realize that as he asked.
Become a Player.
But the voice just repeated itself, leaving Aiden wanting to clutch his head.
He understood that everyone who'd killed him in his memories were Players. He could tell the voice was saying Players were something deeply wrong, and that it wanted him to become one.
...How? And with what?
And why should I?
Who would blindly accept forced knowledge from unheard-of sources and take this message at face value? Aiden looked up at the sky.
Do I even know who you are?
And he shelved the mission.
[......]
This can be checked anytime via the help menu.
"Mister, mister. What's wrong again?"
"...Yeah."
As Aiden regained control of his body, he saw Claire fidgeting in front of him. Honestly, after standing frozen for dozens of seconds, it was a relief she hadn't panicked or hit him.
"You okay? Why were you just standing there holding your bag?"
"It's nothing. I was just... thinking."
"Are you hurt somewhere?"
"I'm fine."
Aiden dodged the question. Lying to someone worrying about him didn't sit well, but he lacked the confidence to coherently explain what had just happened.
"Then why've you been spacing out like a weirdo since earlier?"
"Sometimes you zone out when you're deep in thought."
"It feels like you're ignoring me every time, so that bugs me!"
"Sorry about that..."
"Be more careful from now on."
Fortunately, Claire seemed to let it slide despite her mild annoyance. If she'd been truly hurt, it'd be a real mess—but Aiden couldn't help it anyway. An unwelcome intruder had blocked out all external sounds, forcing his focus inward.
The System is not far from you.
The intruder's voice returned. Aiden didn't want interference from some unknown entity, yet it kept dictating his tasks.
...What to do.
Until now, he'd ignored it as mostly dream-talk, but if it started chattering in reality too, that was a problem. Why suggest goals? Why explain what Players were?
I am here to help you.
Could he trust that? It showed dreams, appeared in them, and now invaded reality to reveal unknowns. Only personal experience would prove if it was trustworthy.
Aiden immediately questioned the idea that flashed in his mind.
"Claire."
"Yeees?"
"That thing you mentioned from the start—were you serious?"
"Gotta tell me which story first."
"About something attached to my back."
Claire nodded.
"Oh, yeah, I meant it. You looked clueless, so I stopped mentioning it."
"Do you remember what it looked like, by chance?"
"No need to remember. I see it now. Want a description?"
"Please."
"Suddenly... well, okay."
Curious but obliging, Claire circled Aiden, inspecting whatever followed him. To her, 'something' hovered behind his back, gaze fixed unwaveringly.
"But seriously, why now? You ignored it before."
"I suspected something invisible trailing me, but then your words resurfaced after some thought."
Aiden had dismissed Claire's comments as jokes—her tone wasn't serious. If others had said the same, he'd have pondered it seriously, but no one had. Now, with things only he saw and heard multiplying, he finally listened.
After observing, Claire spoke.
"Summary or full detailed rundown?"
"Summary first, then decide."
"The thing on your back changes shape every time I look."
"...Better hear the full thing."
"Knew it," Claire said, circling once more and nodding. What she'd seen couldn't be summed up simply. Even during that meaningless loop, it kept shifting beside Aiden.
"From the front, I see numbers 0 and 1 floating behind your back."
"And it changes from other angles."
"Yeah, but it's subtle—if I don't focus on it, it fades. Only clear when I try."
Aiden drew a blank on '0 and 1.' Just digits, linked only as binaries. But was the issue linkage? Or that it wasn't 'human'? Yet it spoke. Or were 0 and 1 the voice itself?
Players sometimes claim, "This world is made of 0s and 1s at best."
Thus, the System provided to Players is built from 0s and 1s.
1/3
The voice affirmed Aiden's uncertain musing. What Claire saw was spot-on; its owner had been by his side all along.
"Keep describing from other angles?"
"From the side, a thick, short red line appears above your head. From behind..."
Players must always objectively check their status.
Thus, the System reveals the user's state.
2/3
Learning the side view, the voice noted the mystery metric filling. The next would complete it.
"Claire?"
"Hold on. Some pattern. Too complex to describe—I'll draw it..."
Claire grabbed her book, tore out a blank page, stared intently, then handed it to Aiden.
―△○X□―
Incredibly, the blank page now bore the pattern Claire had seen. Was this the voice's true form?
Past Players used cumbersome methods to control their bodies.
These four symbols represent that era.
3/3
With the symbols confirmed, Aiden recognized all three forms of the voice's owner. Whether he should know didn't matter—he was sure he'd learn eventually. Better approach a ghost first.
Second 'Feature Establishment' ready.
Rest to establish.
Thankfully, no blackout or hallucinations followed. Instead, the voice hinted at appearing in tonight's dream—a first warning, somewhat fortunate. The 'Realization' uptick? No clue, so ignore.
"Looks incomprehensible."
"It's on you, right? Honestly, I'm doubting my eyes too."
"Probably. Not identical, but it rings a bell."
"What kinda life leads to that...?"
Who knew? Aiden wanted to ask too. What were Players? Who was the voice? What happened to him? And that gaze from outside earlier?
Aiden turned to the exit door. Someone had watched until moments ago—he couldn't shake it. But he forced himself not to dwell. No incident yet meant likely imagination.
"Anyway, thanks for the help. Coming this far, and just now."
"No need."
"...Time to head back?"
"Shall we?"
Claire's face brightened. Her unused body ached from the trek; nothing gladdened like "let's go."
"Guess I'm leading again?"
"I'd definitely get lost."
Aiden nodded, stepping close. Claire smiled inexplicably.
"No helping it."
