Ray was deep in thought, as so many questions flooded his mind. The bartender noticed the quiet atmosphere and stepped out of the back door of the bar. He returned holding a thin piece of paper that was blank on one side. Ray took the paper, which read, "Come meet me at this bar after you organise yourself. I'll be available any time after." He nodded slightly to the bartender and left.
When Ray got home, he changed his clothes, took a shower, completed his homework, studied, and then had dinner. In the middle of the night, he decided to leave the house. He quietly opened his window and climbed out, placing pillows on his bed to make it look like he was still asleep. He closed the window from the outside and started running to the bar, wearing his brown-and-white pyjamas since he didn't have time to change. He was eager to find answers to his questions.
The cold wind hit him as he stood outside the bar. The entire district was lit up, looking less rugged and livelier than during the day, with people walking in and out, enjoying themselves. Ray knew many people didn't typically stay up this late. It occurred to him that most of them were likely drunk, oblivious to his presence.
As he entered the bar, he found it nearly empty, except for the bartender, who was not wearing his usual uniform. Instead, he wore a long black coat and trousers. Ray instinctively questioned why the bartender was dressed that way, but he didn't dwell on it. Reinhard gestured for him to sit down. After Ray pulled out a chair, Reinhard sat opposite him, smiling gently.
Ray, not thinking of it that much, just relaxes in the chair for a moment of silence. Reinhard spoke.
"Let me give a breakdown of everything first. Let us start with the card, the card is are ability or a character you get after clearing the time void. The character is the person you became in the time void, and everything you had done with the character is doable with the card."
"Based on your achievement and character, you will be given a rank for it"
"Each one will determine your power and skill."
He then raised his hands and opened his Palm, showing six figures
"There are 6 card ranks, each one differing from the other in a huge margin, so let us begin"
"The first and the lowest card is the E card, also known as EVOLVER is not that special; it just gives some high power or strength than the average human."
"The second card is the D card, known as DRIFTER, as I stated. The difference between them is like the distance between the deeps of the sea to the top of a mountain; they could destroy a full military squad and cities with ease."
"The third one is the C card, which is known as CATASTROPHYES, they could eradicate the nation the nation with their power, their speed equal to light or much more than that."
"Know those are the low cards now to the next three."
Ray was momentarily shocked 'If C is considered low, the low despite having the power to destroy the nation, just how, how much stronger will be the rest?'
Reinhard looked at Ray's expression, "So shall I continue or wait in teel you process it?"
Ray shook his head, "No, no, no, no, no, you continue."
"Ok, so the first of the higher card and the fourth is the B card is known as BREAKERS. They have the powers that could destroy the planet; their power is so vast that they could share their ability with others, but in it become lower for others."
"The fifth is the A card known as ANOMALYS, which has the power to annihilate planets and stars; human could not even imagine their output power, they also call them 'arsenals'."
"The sixth and last is the S card known as SUPREMES, they are also called 'higher being', they are so powerful they could change the rules of the world."
Ray pushed his chair back, trying to process what he was told; he began rubbing his eyes.
Reinhard saw it, walked to the back door of the bar, and after a while brought two coffee cups and moved one of them to Ray.
"Drink"
As Ray to a big sip, he swallowed some and spat the rest, saying in a hoarse voice, "It is bitter."
Reinhard smirked, "Get used, after all, there more bitter thing in life."
Ray rolled his eyes, his expression full of mockery, "Like your life."
Reinhard was shocked for a moment and sighed,
"You seem better now, so shall we continue?"
Ray nodded, a smile appearing on his face.
"So, despite the huge difference, the card system is considered fair because of its time usage."
Ray understood that after he knew that if someone was to challenge him in a rank fight, he could destroy them.
"OK, so now let me give the list."
"E card lasts for a day."
"D card for half a day."
"C card for 3 hours."
"B card for 1 and a half hours."
"A card for 20 min."
"While S card for 1 min."
"What!" Ray was stunned to think that his S card had a lower time than the normal one.
Reinhard was puzzled by Ray's reaction, "Is there any problem?"
"Nope, just surprised about the s rank time, I mean if it was me, I would lower the timer to 30 sec maybe."
"You might be right, it is still powerful, but don't wear the likelihood of you encountering a supreme is low."
"So, the next thing is about the divine body and Rie. I did not know why I did not tell you that time, so let me give you a rundown."
"Divine body is the process in which your body becomes stronger; it has the same capability as a card rank in terms of physical strength only."
"The system is exact to the cards, yet the way of identifying is not."
"Then how is it?" Ray asked, his curiosity edging him.
"Well, it is by colour."
"Huh… colour?"
"There are different colours, so let me tell you."
"E is brown, which unlocks when you are a rifter."
"D is orange, which is unlocked when you can achieve something beyond any human limit."
"C is red, which is unlocked when you survive a battle with a B rank."
"There of the color is beyond my reach, so I can't tell even if I want to, but they are assumptions; they could be yellow, silver, and white, respectively.
"Now wait a minute, you say you unlocked C rank divine body, but doing what?"
"I know it sounds crazy, but it is the truth."
"Now let me tell you about Rie, which is a short term for rifter eyes, it allows the user to see things differently."
"SO, how do you unlock this one?" Ray asked, his voice filled with fear, what he could hear.
Reinhard relaxed a bit and said in a calm voice, "I could help you, but you have to listen to my instructions."
Ray was hesitant, yet did not want to miss his chance "Ok"
He closed his eyes, entering his subconscious, and did what Reinhard had told him, then started imagining something he was not given any specific, so he imagined a white dot, which was the only thing shining in the dark.
Then he heard Reinhard's voice, "Once you're ready, touch the dot."
He did, and suddenly the dark place around him was being shattered by waves of colours. The only thing that was not affected was the dot before he could react; he was submerged in the colours. His mind felt as if it were floating.
He stretched his hand to the dot, and then the dot grew big, big enough that it became the only visible thing in his mind.
Then he heard a voice "Now open your eyes." as he did his pupil expanded as he saw everything around him has changed every object was transparent only showing the line it was made of in silk thread his hand and body was radiating with orange color, he looked at the cup to see that the coffee was gone instead it was replaced with a misty gray fog.
The fog began to rise from what looked like wired symbols read, it was his first time seeing the symbols, yet he could read them, he glanced at Reinhard to see him glowing in red colour.
'So, he was not lying when he said he did not know about the B rank.'
Yet something was strange, his eyes were glowing in a lighter colour of red. He thought for a moment, then concluded that Reinhard had activated those weird eyes.
Reinhard stood and walked out the main bar door, calling out to Ray to come. Ray, not understanding what was happening, instinctively followed him.
He went out to see him steering up to the sky. Ray saw that and he followed Reinhard to look up slowly; his face started to fill with shock to the point that he was drained of his colour.
The dark sky was devoid of stars, appearing much darker than usual. The moon, previously rough-edged, now resembled a perfectly shaped piece of brown metal. Inside, it was filled with gears, and there were three metal hands: one was short and thick, the second was taller but less thick, and the last one was the tallest and thinnest. Numbers from 1 to 12 are circled inside the edge.
Ray mustered up the word with a low and weak voice, "The moon … is a clock."