The Ascendance Deceiver

Selective Disclosure

As Alayn's eyes adjusted to the luminous golden light, they fell upon the resplendent figure of the majestic door before him. Standing alongside him were the six other players, their expressions brimming with curiosity and anticipation, eager to glean insights from Alayn's encounter within the Cosmo shop.

It was evident that they yearned to hear every detail, their eyes fixed on him, awaiting for Alayn to enable his voice. Alayn keenly observed the anticipation radiating from the other players, understanding their eagerness to hear his account. With a casual smile, he began to share his experience,

"Well, as it turns out, the Cosmo shop I entered this time was exactly the same as before. There were no noticeable changes or alterations." His words hung in the air, and the expressions of the other players subtly shifted, some with a tinge of disappointment and others with a hint of relief.

Alayn couldn't help but inwardly chuckle at the sight of some disappointed expressions among the players. He decided to address their reactions, his tone lighthearted, "Well, well, it seems some of you were expecting some grand transformation or mystical additions to the shop, am I right?" He paused for a moment, allowing a playful smile to spread across his face before continuing, "Unfortunately, it appears the shop has remained the same for now. But hey, who knows what surprises might await us in the future?" Alayn's words were met with a mixture of understanding nods and a few sheepish smiles from the other players. As most of them smiled Alayn silently shot a glance at the passanger with the two piece suit who was seem to be in his early thirties and was able to see that he was glancing at the women who seem to be in her twenties. A playful smirk crept onto Alayn's face as he made a mental note of the situation.

"Ah right, I used my One-time bonus question and learned some more things about this whole Kodoku game." Alayn said changing his expression to a more serious one. Alayn's words drew the attention of the other players, their curious expressions growing more intense. Sensing their anticipation, he continued with a serious tone.

"I discovered that there's more to this Kodoku game than meets the eye. Beyond the visible abilities and challenges, there's an unseen power at play, subtly influencing our thoughts and emotions. It's a force that prevents us from causing disturbances or questioning the nature of this game out of fear or losing control."

Alayn paused, allowing his words to sink in. He could see a mixture of surprise and intrigue on the faces of his fellow players.

"It seems there's a protective mechanism in place, guiding us to maintain our rationality and prevent chaos. This realization leads me to believe that there's more to uncover in this game, hidden layers waiting to be unraveled."

The atmosphere in the group became charged with curiosity and anticipation, as Alayn's revelation opened up a new realm of possibilities. The players exchanged glances, silently acknowledging the significance of Alayn's findings.

Alayn's voice grew deep and serious as he uttered the revelation, causing a hush to fall over the group. His words hung in the air, carrying the weight of a profound truth.

"And through the utilization of my one-time bonus question," Alayn declared, his gaze fixed on his fellow players, "I have unveiled the true origins of this game. It is none other than the creation of gods themselves."

The atmosphere in the room shifted, as if the revelation had cast a veil of solemnity over the players. A somber silence enveloped the group, their expressions transitioning to a mixture of contemplation and gloom.

Among them, Mr. Luverne and the man in his early thirties nodded with a sense of familiarity, as if they had long suspected this truth.

The gravity of Alayn's words reverberated through the room, leaving the players in awe of the immense power and intention behind the game. It was a revelation that reshaped their perception, unveiling a hidden layer of divine intervention that governed their experiences.

With this newfound understanding, the players remained silent, their thoughts racing with the implications of being entangled in a game crafted by gods. The weight of their circumstances now bore upon them, infusing their resolve with a profound sense of purpose.

"B-but why would the gods create such a game? What purpose could it possibly serve?" The woman in her twenties interjected, her face a mix of confusion and fear. It was as if the last flicker of hope for divine intervention and survival had been mercilessly extinguished, leaving her bewildered and vulnerable.

Her voice quivered, echoing the collective doubt and desperation in the room. The weight of her question hung heavily, demanding an explanation that could provide even a glimmer of understanding amidst the chaos they found themselves in.

"That's something I would like to know too" Alayn said to the team concluding his explaination.

Though Alayn shared his knowledge with the team of players, he selectively withheld certain information, keeping his deeper understanding of the Kodoku game and the true purpose behind it to himself.

He was aware of the origins of their abilities, bestowed upon them by these enigmatic "Gods." Furthermore, Alayn had unraveled the significance of the two key terms in the game: "Avatar" and "Authority." These pieces of knowledge, he believed, were best kept within his own grasp for the time being.

Having acquired the knowledge of "Avatar" and "Authority" from Solarael, Alayn recognized their potential value. He saw an opportunity to leverage this information to his advantage. By keeping these details confidential, he could use them strategically in the future. Perhaps, he could even sell this valuable information to other players, acquiring the necessary credits he had to spend.

Alayn realized that in the game of Kodoku, information held great power, and he intended to wield it to his advantage when the time was right. And Alayn astutely recognized the organizer's intention to make them spend their hard-earned credits in order to obtain valuable information. The deliberate withholding of even the slightest details about the game served as evidence of this strategy.

Alayn's main motivation for sharing this extensive information with the other players was twofold. First, he wanted to foster a sense of trust and cooperation among the team members by encouraging them to share the knowledge they had gained. By taking the initiative, he hoped to create an environment where everyone would benefit from the collective wisdom of the group.

Secondly, by strategically withholding certain key pieces of information, Alayn sought to maintain a strategic advantage over the other players. He recognized that by controlling the flow of information and selectively revealing only what was necessary, he could position himself as a valuable resource within the team and potentially gain an upper hand in the game.

In essence, Alayn's approach was a delicate balance between building camaraderie and strategic maneuvering, with the ultimate goal of maximizing his own chances of success in the Kodoku game.

As Alayn finished his explanation about the shop and the usage of his one-time bonus question, he extended his arm and with a flick of his fingers, his ability card materialized between his thumb and index finger. The card appeared in a flash of light, displaying his name and remaining credits. Alayn held the card confidently, and showed it to the other players. The ability card displayed '1018' credits on it.

Alayn confidently presented his ability card, making his announcement, "I have received the thousand credits as promised by Solarael after our first visit to the shop." As he revealed the card, displaying a balance of exactly one thousand and eighteen credits, the room fell into a momentary hush, filled with a mix of curiosity and anticipation.

Breaking the silence, Luverne pointed his index finger towards the card in Alayn's hand and remarked, "It seems you have an additional eighteen credits on top of the promised amount."

"Ah yes, I obtained those additional credits by selling my phone and airpods," Alayn replied with a smile, swiftly continuing before anyone could interject. "Originally, I received a total of twenty credits for them. However, I spent two credits on behalf of Mr. Luverne and his sister, allowing them to enter the shop together." He gave a kind smile to the girl standing beside Luverne, acknowledging his gesture.

"You didn't have to, but I appreciate your gesture. Well, what's done is done," Luverne replied to Alayn, his voice carrying a mix of disappointment and acknowledgment. "I'll pay you back those two credits after I visit the shop."

"No need to worry about the credits. Consider it a gesture of goodwill," Alayn responded with a slight wave of his hand. "I don't expect you to pay it back. Just promise me that you'll lend a hand when I find myself in an urgent situation. That would be more than enough for me." He offered a sincere smile, expressing his understanding of his own limitations and willingness to rely on others when needed.

"Of course," Luverne replied, his tone filled with appreciation.

"Thank you, sir," the girl next to Luverne expressed, a warm smile gracing her lips. Her eyes sparkled with delight, knowing that she would now have the opportunity to explore the shop alongside Luverne.

"You're welcome. But please, call me Alayn. Just Alayn will do," Alayn said, his smile widening.

"Sure, Brother Alayn. Call me Seren" The girl said with a bright smile on her face.

As their conversation came to an end, Alayn shifted his attention towards the other players and noticed that they had already engaged in their own conversations, forming small groups within the larger team.

Neo stood by Alayn's side, seemingly detached from the other players, his gaze occasionally drifting towards the girl standing next to Luverne.

Alayn couldn't help but silently lampoon as he caught Neo stealing glances at the girl, thinking to himself, "What are you looking at, you rascal?"

As Alayn shifted his attention towards Neo, he reminded him, "It's your turn to visit the shop now. Be careful of your steps as you approach the counter." and with a nod Neo began to approch the majestic golden door.

With Alayn's reminder, all the players shifted their gaze towards Neo. The entire team watched intently as Neo approached the golden door, his movements stiff and robotic, like a puppet on strings. Without hesitation, Neo reached out and touched the golden door, and in an instant, he vanished into thin air, disappearing before Alayn's eyes.