Free Web NovelChapter 5: They are Here
"I..." Tony stuttered, not clear on what reply to give to the moderator.
Different thoughts ran in his head at the same time as he measured the validity of the possible options he had in mind.
’Should I tell them about the system?’
That was definitely a "no!" Although now, he didn’t have a clear reason for concealing the system he had just awakened, he thought it was the right thing to do. Besides, from novels he read in his previous world, the protagonists who received a system all kept it to themselves.
’Not like I’m a protagonist. Just thinking,’ he mused, and continued to measure his options.
If he was given the option to be decisive, he would prefer to conceal his class just like he was going to do for the system. However, there were going to be disadvantages that followed awakening as a player with no class.
First, he would be ranked very low in the hierarchy. As always, those who see themselves as strong would want to prey on those who are considered weak. If he had actually not awakened, it would have been his problem. However, he couldn’t say for now...
’I look forward to that moment.’
The second problem, which is even more tangible, was verifying his identity as a player.
So far, he had learned that three guilds exist in this Tower world, and each of these guilds won’t risk employing a player who was not going to benefit them in the public sense. From what he learned through the few fragments of memories he inherited from the previous owner of this body, these guilds based their popularity and value on their members’ achievements.
That is to say, without a class, it would be difficult for him to join a guild.
This wouldn’t have been a problem on his side; it was just that without having a player ID, accessing the floors of this tower was going to be close to impossible. He needed to be a guild member in order to verify his identity as a player.
Given this problem, there was only one way to solve it, and that was to reveal his class.
’If I reveal my class, it would even create more trouble.’
’But isn’t there the option of becoming a solo player? Will that also require that I get myself an identity card?’
Since his class deals with summoning entities — well, he was yet to fully access the system to clearly understand its mechanics — but from basic knowledge as a summoner, becoming a solo player wouldn’t be a bad choice.
Nevertheless, that decision was going to depend on whether he was truly allowed to access the tower floors without the identity card of a player.
And it is also solely going to depend on the ability and capability of his summons and what type of summons he would have.
He couldn’t trust the current strength of this body. If it was in his former world, he could as much as not even think of becoming a player since he had his wits and inventions, which could very well clear an entire area on any of these floors in the blink of an eye.
Well, that possibility also depended on the strength of the opponents he faced on each floor.
Tony sighed, shifting these thoughts to the back of his mind.
Standing this way without the least possible recourse was going to place him on the more disadvantageous path.
Ignoring the rant from the moderator, he looked up to the audience gathered until his attention shifted to Sandra, who was currently staring at him with confusion. When their eyes met, she gave him the kind of questioning stare that asked, "What is going on?"
He shook his head that all was fine.
"Hey boy! I’m talking to you," the moderator said furiously.
"Tony, why don’t you answer him?" some players standing in the queue by the side persuaded.
’What is there to answer in the moderator’s question?’ Tony thought, and it was at that exact moment that a flurry wave of other memories bashed into his mind.
Unable to withstand the amount of information that came rushing in all at that same time, Tony clutched his head and crouched to his knees, struggling to contend with the daggering pain that followed.
Eventually, he was unable to hold up as the memories turned out to be the complete memories of the previous owner of this body. And so, he gave out.
"Will he never stay awake to engulf his full shame?" a man said from across the spectators after seeing Tony collapse.
"I don’t think it’s about shame this time. Didn’t you witness the pulpit’s reaction earlier?" the lady beside him defended, not looking at her side to see the man.
"It could be a glitch," the man argued, causing the lady to face him.
"Do you even hear yourself? A glitch in a pulpit? I’m deeply sorry for you."
And so, various other spectators contemplated what could have been the cause of Tony collapsing this time. There were those who had the same thoughts as the man, while there were also those in the lady’s shoe.
However, that ponytail-haired female kid who had questioned her mother earlier about why Tony was not getting encouraged earlier turned to her mother once.
"Mom, are things not getting interesting?"
Her mother looked at her confused. "What do you mean, baby girl?"
But after getting no reply from her daughter, who continued to stare at the commotion on the awakening stage with enthusiastic eyes, she commented. "I guess you don’t really understand anything yet."
***
Tony didn’t wake up until the next morning.
The rays of a bright morning streamed into his room, flashing on his eyes, causing him to blink them open.
When he was fully awake and observed his surroundings to see he was now in his room, he was truly grateful to those remaining memories that had come in at the last moment when he was caught in the net of the decision to make.
He was going to have more time now and more options to review.
"You’re awake," a familiar, sweet voice sounded from the kitchen, approaching closer.
Tony looked up to see that Sandra was currently dressed in her pajama gown.
’What the... did she spend the night here?’
It was obvious what the answer was. From the new memories, Tony was able to tell that they spent their moments in bed together more often than not.
Plus, one of the most important pieces of information he needed about how Tony and Sandra got together was now made available to him.
"Here, have some coffee while I prepare breakfast," Sandra said, bringing a stool closer to the foot of the bed and putting a tray on top.
As she bent down to drop the tray, the cleavage of her breasts revealed itself in full. Swallowing his saliva, he turned away from the sight.
"Sandra," he called. "After breakfast, let’s have some discussion."
Sandra dropped the tray that carried the cup of coffee on the stool and stood erect. Then furrowed her brow in inquiry.
"Is anything the problem? You’ve been acting strange lately."
Tony shook his head that everything was fine. He was better off leaving details out until during their discussion.
"In that case, I will go and make us some breakfast," Sandra said and turned to head back to the kitchen.
However, a knock came at the entrance door at that moment.
Sandra looked at Tony, who had an "any idea?" look on his face.
"I guess they are here. It should be them," she said and headed to the door.
—————————————————
Support the story with your powerstones ≤ 3
