"Where are my weapons!? I bought a weapon from the IBAA and they told me it would come with me if I was summoned!"
Christopher looked annoyed as he glanced at the man who interrupted him. But after a few seconds, he let out a sigh and shook his head and said,
"If your weapon disappeared, then that means it wasn't made with materials from the Portals! And the IBAA doesn't sell weapons. Sir, you have been scammed!"
"But—"
"Man, shut the fuck up! Let the man talk!"
The man wanted to heckle more, but he quickly stopped when he noticed the glares from those around him. Adam knew exactly why they were so restrained—and it wasn't just because of Christopher.
It was because of the threat of an Administrator. Although it had been years since one showed themselves, it had already been imprinted in everyone's minds just how dangerous they could be.
They were gods. And if they deemed anyone here to be breaking the silent rules they have set, they could come down at any time and smite anyone they wanted.
Christopher also stared at the heckler for a few seconds before finally continuing his emergency orientation,
"Okay. I know everyone is scared, I am too—this is also my first time being summoned. But please, remember the drills! We're going to separate the people who had already been summoned by the Game before! The veterans, please go to this side! Those who have been teleported for the first time, please go to my right! Since the veterans have brighter halos, we would know if you're lying!"
Most of the people have already undergone several drills as mandated by the IBAA, and they have no trouble at all listening to Christopher's words as that was how they were trained. Even those who had not participated in drills also followed the flow—the only ones who needed to be guided were the children.
There were several people, however, who did not move according to Christopher's words and instead approached him. Not because they were rebelling, of course… but based on their uniform, they were also a part of the IBAA.
"Thanks for stepping up, sir." But from how they were addressing Christopher, it would seem his position was higher up, "We'll go help organize the people and help the children."
"Okay, you guys do that," Christopher sighed and nodded, "Has anyone spotted the Heroes? Do you know which ones were summoned to our lane yet?"
"They're probably still on their way from the Spawn Point."
"Okay…" Christopher sighed again, "We need to have everything organized already before they come. I just hope we're lucky and we don't get one of the troublemakers. Is there anyone else from the IBAA? Someone higher than me? I was stationed in the city in case something like this happens, but I didn't think it actually would happen. I don't want this kind of pressure…"
And while the members of the IBAA talked to themselves, the people arranged themselves accordingly.
Adam, of course, walked to the side of the first-timers and made sure to keep his head down while still looking for any signs of the scavenger team or Dr. Aniston. Fortunately, he and the mother, Grace, got separated when the people started moving.
But although he said he wasn't going to help her, he found himself subconsciously looking around for a small girl with pink pigtails. Although there were still thousands of them there, it should be easier to find her now that they partitioned themselves from the veterans.
Judging from the size of the crowd, their numbers were almost equal to the first-timers—just how the Administrators of the Game had always set it.
What are you going to do, Adam? One way or the other, this is it. Everyone's going to know what kind of freak you are. Since you're here, you might as well kill, Adam. Kill and become stronger.
"No…" Adam whispered to himself to get rid of his thoughts, "I… I don't want anyone to suffer the same pain I have."
You're sounding like a broken record, Adam. Do you think if the enemy spots you, they will let you go? Everyone's desperate here, Adam. Everyone's fighting for their lives. You know, everyone knows it.
And while the voice in Adam's mind continued to grow louder, another voice echoed through the air. This time, everyone heard it. The voice of an Administrator.
[Troops deploying in 30 minutes! Get ready!]
Everyone tensed when they heard that. Thirty minutes… Half an hour until people start killing each other. The lucky ones were the ones who had found the people they were with before they were teleported and already formed groups, but most weren't as fortunate as them.
No one was there to comfort them in the harsh reality they were about to face. Even Adam couldn't stop clutching his chest from the way his heart was beating so loudly. Just from imagining all the pain and hurt that was about to transpire, Adam felt himself trapped… alone again in the white room he had spent his entire childhood in.
The silence in his ears, however, was stopped as soon as the people started talking again. This time, even louder.
The reason?
The individuals the IBAA operatives had been searching for had finally arrived.
The desperate crowd that had been pounding their fists against the invisible walls suddenly parted, stepping aside as two figures in unusual attire strode toward them. Unlike the rest, who were dressed in everyday clothing, these two were clad in distinct sets of armor—each striking in its own way.
The first was a towering woman, fully armored from head to toe, with only her face visible. Her helmet bore massive horns, resembling those of a buffalo, while the rest of her armor appeared almost organic, as if it had been forged from living wood—leaves sprouting from the seams. But what stood out the most was the enormous hammer she carried.
The sheer size of the weapon sent nearby onlookers scrambling backward in fear. It was larger than some of them, its massive head nearly the size of a bear. And the dark stains of red and black marking its surface left little doubt that it had already crushed many before.
Behind her walked a man whose attire—or lack thereof—was just as remarkable. He was nearly bare from the waist up, his mouth, neck, shoulders, and arms wrapped in bandages, leaving his well-defined chest and abdomen fully exposed. Further down, he wore only a pair of skin-tight pants and knee-high boots, with the sides of his thighs left bare. If not for his long red hair cascading down to his waist, his entire back would have been visible as well.
And like the armored woman, he carried an oversized weapon—though his was a bow, sleek yet massive.
There was no mistaking it.
Heroes.
Adam stared at them for a few seconds before looking at the members of the IBAA. And judging from the way they were reacting, the Heroes were probably not that good. Adam doesn't really watch the battles and isn't aware of the less popular Heroes.
Could these two be weaker than most?
"Oh, we're fucked." Christopher winced, practically burying his hand on his forehead, "Out of all the Heroes we could get, why them…? Tell everyone to behave. Those guys…
…treat creeps like us like trash and will kill us indiscriminately if we so much as breathe in a way they don't like."
Adam was wrong. They weren't weaker, they were worse.