Chapter 36 - The Forgotten Past – I

Roland looked around and said, "This is it? It doesn't seem very impressive. And I don't see the Gate either."

Marisa placed her hands over her wooden staff and nodded. "I also do not sense any mana fluctuations..." She looked over and said, "Are you certain this is the location, Alex?"

"I'm sure." I stepped over the boundary line onto the pavement and looked around.

It was a bit of a strange feeling. In 3D-ED, this place would have already been turned inside out and repurposed into a training ground for Starlight Academy's mid-term exam.

But because of the chain of events from my presence as an extra, it was left undiscovered and untouched.

... the Gate itself wasn't this area. Instead, the crumbled and vine-covered ruined buildings just marked the entrance.

And if I remembered correctly...

I walked towards a small pedestal in the center of the ruins.

Roland, Marisa, and Evelyn followed, all of them on guard and holding their weapons.

That wasn't necessary though. After all, I had specifically written this place as a sort of 'training ground' Gate to demonstrate how versatile those could be. But I didn't tell them to relax either.

Even the gods didn't know what crazy shenanigans were unfolding these days, so... never hurt to be too careful.

"This Gate has a special entrance condition, you see." I placed my hand on the scratched off bronze plaque on the pedestal and said, "You have to be in the right place, touch the right thing, and say the right words."

Evelyn kept her hand on her rapier and glanced at me. "Alex... are you sure that this is safe?"

"I'm sure. And I had Elio double check."

One of the benefits of having a super-powered named character who only died because he got off-screened.

Elio confirmed that this place was safe when I brought him. And he even entered first and left to confirm the difficulty and mechanics. So I was sure we would be fine.

Evelyn relaxed a little and said, "Well... if Uncle said so, then I suppose it is fine."

Roland chuckled and said, "If Alex says it's fine, it's fine, Princess. Have a little faith in your man."

Evelyn blushed. "I-Impertinent! Just because we are friends does not mean you can use my title so callously! E-Especially when implying... such..." She turned a deep red.

Marisa clicked her tongue and muttered under her breath. "Why is he such a flirt so naturally but mean nothing when he does it...? At least be more like Alex and be sincere... idiot."

I smiled.

This was fun. A proper trip out on an easy dungeon with friends...

It reminded me a lot of the good old days playing MMORPGs online. Except this was reality.

But enough about that.

"You guys ready?" I looked at everyone and said, "If you are, I'll activate the Gate."

Evelyn took a deep breath to regain her composure. Then she nodded and said, "Go ahead, Alex."

Roland smoothed his expression and nodded too. "Yeah. We're ready."

Marisa didn't respond and just held her staff tight, cautious.

"Alright. Now then..." I stared at the pedestal and said the words to activate the Gate. ""

A faint tremor started spreading through the area.

But I expected that. In fact, I specifically wrote this to have a super dramatic opening event to show the grandeur of Gates and how cool they were so-

===

> WARNING!

> An unexpected resonance has formed!

> [The Forgotten City] has a perfect compatibility with the role !

> The Gate's special parameter [Recollection of Times Past] is overflowing!

===

I barely caught the flurry of system messages. But even before, I was already moving. "DAMMIT! I KNEW IT WAS TOO SIMPLE!"

Evelyn quickly closed the gap and pulled me into her arms before jumping back. "Alex!"

Roland drew his blade, blue eyes sharp and focused.

Marisa swept her staff, pulling us all close and surrounding us with a glittering emerald barrier. She looked at me and said, "You said it was safe!"

"It should be! But just in case-"

A golden vortex ripped apart the sky before crashing down, engulfing us all.

Right before it did, I shouted. "Break through the trial and meet me in the plaza! Nothing is real! Remember that!"

And then the world exploded into light and darkness.

I waited, feeling Eve's touch fade. And after a few moments, I was alone in the darkness. But I didn't panic. This was expected.

was the first Gate presented in the story. It was a challenge, but also 'safe.' Enough to be used casually as a mid-term exam.

The only danger in the mid-term exam that I put was that the Void Arbiter's spies were acting up and planting various dangers. But since this place hadn't been discovered, that plot point was non-existent.

...But it seemed like the law of equivalent exchange might be active.

Still, I needed to focus and remember what I could about this place.

was essentially a trial ground. First time entrants were sent into a 'field test' which would be a reflection of the user's past. That was in part why it was chosen for a mid-term exam.

People who cleared the trial, be it through brute force or through proper means, were able to walk around the Forgotten City itself and monitor the trials taking place in a monitoring center at the plaza.

But... as for a tl;dr, I just wrote it to have an excuse for Roland to pick up his signature sword style, the art.

In 3D-ED, this portion would reveal a bit of Roland's past about how his grandfather was a great hero who had an unstoppable sword style. But also how his grandfather had refused to pass it down because it was too dangerous.

Still, Roland had seen it once when he was a toddler. And this city was the perfect place to revisit that memory and even interact with his grandfather to learn more about his family's history and start hinting at being in their bloodline.

That was why I wanted to come here. It was a key part of Roland's awakening as the wielder of Durandal, and we were definitely going to need that sooner rather than later if even half of the chaos I anticipated coming up at the Winter Solstice Ball came to pass.

But...

'A perfect compatibility with the role ...?'

Still waiting in the darkness, I reread the messages that popped up just after I activated the Gate.

Since made a trial from memories pulled by the entrant, I had thought it would just pull things from 'my' memories.

You know, like maybe a college exam that I once failed, some embarrassing situations, etc. But...

'That's strange. Am [I] completely separate from [Alexander Smith] in the eyes of this world and the Gates?'

These sorts of trials usually read the record of existence on one's soul.

At least, that was the lore explanation I wrote for how it worked. But if so...

The Gate was pulling from [Alexander Smith] like the system messages warned. Specifically, it said that there was a 'perfect compatibility' for the 'role' .

...Could it be? I thought the text descriptions for my traits were just flavor text. But... was it literal? That as long as something fit in the description it would be enforced?

I frowned and pulled up while waiting for the trial to start.

===

[Playwright]

> You have an instinct for dramatic flare! You can decide a 'character' and a 'play' at any time. Actions taken in accordance to the character and play will be magnified in effect. Your lies become indistinguishable from the truth and your actions are seen in the best light.

===

"...Does this mean that my 'lie' of being Alexander Smith is being treated the same as the truth?"

My eyes widened in realization. "Wait. In that case... if it means what I think it does, then for Eve, I can just-"

> The Trial begins.

> WARNING. An advanced trial has commenced due to the perfect compatibility!

> WARNING. An urgent quest has commenced!

> WARNING. The extreme Gate resonance has allowed foreign influence!

> WARNING. Causality has been disrupted!

> WARNING. Your true Talent has emerged in response! [*e W** D*l**es ***g*dy] rewrites and resolves the acausality!

> ROB: Be careful! Gates aren't a part of your creation!

===

What? Wait, hold on! Rob! That's important information! Don't just-!