Wrecking the Database 19 (Patreon)

Wrecking the Database 19

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Commissioned by Weise

Wordcount: 2500

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“So, how do you think it works? How do we get these new skills for everyone else?” Isaac didn’t make any stupid statements. After my explanation of the situation, the leader of the hardcore guild knew the correct course of action was acquiring the power for him and his own. I didn’t even have time to make a long-winded monologue about why I hated him, before he decided what he was going to do. As expected of a meathead amongst meatheads, he had a mind that was all about goals and the actions to gain those goals. “Spill it, Hikigaya.”

“I told you everything I know already.” Unfortunately, being the smartest of meatheads isn’t that high of a standard. Isaac can hold a conversation, but critical thinking? That was a bit too much to ask for. Rational and logical thought patterns were sadly not even in the running. “Don’t you think I’ll tell you how to get powerful, if I could?”

“No, you wouldn’t.” Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m a little wrong in regards to the critical thinking part. However, I’m sure that I’m correct in regards to Isaac’s logic and ability to reason. “If you could keep something to yourself, you would. So, know that if you lie to me this time, my whole guild’s going to hunt you down, Hikigaya.”

I was about to blow off the threat, since it really wasn’t that much of a threat, when Isaac did the generic, jackass thing to signal that he was about to be a jackass.

He crossed his arms.

“Your friends and sister, too. Since they’re all you care about.” It seems like I’m really not getting out of here without giving away everything. Isaac was the kind of person that could be fooled into exploiting noobs indirectly, but he was also the sort to follow through on his words and correct himself when required. In short, this threat wasn’t one that I could take lightly. “I’ve given you a lot of leeway. I’ve been your thug. It’s time you meet your end of the bargain and give me the information I’ve paid for… which you won’t sell to other Guilds this time.”

From those words alone, I knew that telling Isaac was going to be a bad idea. Given the nature of his group, which are full of no-lifers, grinders, and others who genuinely enjoy being in another world, there was no way that the information was going to reach other Guilds. Isaac’s Guild was composed of tight friendships, irl and in-game, and those held firm, despite the Catastrophe. Source: me and my plucky band of idiots who are always causing me trouble.

Isaac had the advantage of having a few hundred accomplices and allies that he could count on, while I had less than a dozen.

However...

“All the Players need this, Isaac. This isn’t an advantage that you can just keep to yourself. Your Guild isn’t enough.” Isaac’s Guild being completely aware of everything I did to gain my power was fine. The sooner someone took the spot of the strongest, the sooner a lot of the coming threats would have answers, and I was completely, utterly fine with that not being my job. But, one guild, even Isaac’s can’t manage that. Thus, i was completely, utterly not fine with keeping how to get new Skills a secret from everyone else, when more Players with more Skills meant more bodies between threats and Komachi. “How would you deal with whole cities that manage to have whole playerbases with overskills, huh?”

If he didn’t care about what I thought, nor the impact of carrying out his threat, then he’d surely have to care about what his people thought. It was simple logic. The reason why he was willing to hurt me, why he was willing to hurt people who he only knew as people I cared about, was that he cared about his own people more. Thus, the only way to convince him to relent was to point out how his actions could hurt those he cared about.

“If you want to scare me, you’ll have to do better than that, Hikigaya. You and I both know that there’s only a few players who are freakish enough to find exploits, especially in a new world.” The words were delivered stoically, with crossed arms, and a set face. Some would be intimidated by the delivery, especially with the speaker being a massive man in massive armor with massive swords. However, if he was truly confident, he wouldn’t have said a single word in contention, nor would have switched to a defensive posture, despite towering over me. Yes, without a doubt, I was being treated as a threat. Finally, I can fucking do some work. “You’re a freak, while people like me and mine just know how to play the game correctly. If you had my responsibilities, you’d do the same as me.”

“So, you want to be like me? You want to play the same way I do, Isaac?” My words could only work on Isaac because he knew me. He knew Hikigaya Hachiman as an individual he had to tolerate for the sake of advantages. While he’d never work with me as an individual, as the leader of a Guild, his hands were tied. For the same reasons, he hated me and needed me. And, of course, I was fine with that. But, was he fine with feeling the same about himself? “You have a lot to lose, you know? Or, maybe, you just want to give as much as you can to your friends before running solo? That’s what I’d do, if i were trapped in a Guild like you.”

The words were completely cliche. 

Isaac probably knew that they were cliche.

He wasn’t some random person from this world, but a person that was from my own word.

However, that didn’t matter, because I wasn’t just putting words into his mouth.

He played video games to relieve stress. He’s a Guild Master because his skills in real life made him stronger and mightier in the game. He wants to escape into a world where he leads an army of champions who are undefeatable, a god of war unhindered by restrictions, thus he was willing to involve some of his real life into his game. Now, though? All his efforts resulted in obligations just tying him down, making it so he can’t explore a new world where he’s already a god of war without expending the effort he used to. Maybe, that thought was just a niggling seed of doubt within him. It could be possible that he was such a good person that I’d just planted it. Still, the fact remained that I did so in fertile soil.

Thus, Isaac was unable to reply.

The ball was in my court now.

And, I was fine with losing, as long as Isaac lost too, even if he was losing because he wanted to be a better person, while I was content with the man who tempted him.

In the end, Komachi’s win was the only thing that mattered.

“The day I play this game like you is the day I’ll curl up and die, Hikigaya.” Those were exactly the words I wanted to hear. Isaac turned away from me, walking away, even as he glowered at me. Some would see a lost friend, but only if they were pathetic. Isaac and I were no more than strangers with mutual goals. Allies of convenience. That defined my relations with him perfectly. Not having access to him and his Guild was going to impact my future plans, but having one Guild monopolizing what I discovered was unacceptable for reasons only given. “Never ask me or mine for help again, you absolute asshole.”

Thus, Isaac left without a single glance back at me, taking with him his Guild, probably all the loot from the event, and the knowledge that there was more to this world than he originally believed.

In the end, all he lost was a bonus objective, which he’ll gain in the future alongside everyone else.

Given how hard I worked, how many mistakes I made, and how much luck was involved in making my efforts to destroy the Goblin King work, this was a complete, net loss for myself. 

Yet, again, I didn’t care about losing myself.

I achieved my main objective, kept those close to me out of a war, and was one step closer to making a world that wasn’t endlessly endangered.

I would pay any price for that, so my loss is only on paper.

This is undoubtedly a victory for me.

Yep.

Totally.

…

The Duke’s city was festive and joyous. Flower petals fell from the rooftops, upon troops that walked in formation, while led by their distinguished superiors. A few of the more skilled, regular folk were given places of honor in the march through the city, those who were truly valiant and risked everything to win for the sake of others, but they walked behind the great, the amazing, and the upper-class who did the majority of the fighting and leading. 

Technically, that would have to be me, since I made it all happen… but I was content with my fantasy-world meal, though it was slightly marred by the fact that Zaimokuza was enjoying it too.

I was partaking on the glorious “fantasy” meat that every gamer dreamed of consuming. It was an entire bone, covered in meat with a dark crust. In the real world, creatures which could supply such gratuitous amounts of meat. Then, naturally, there was also a wide array of sides. Vegetables, fruits, cakes, cheeses, and othersuch things were present in a dizzying array. From the finest of basic foods, to the most basic of finest foods, everything I could manage get my hands on without issue was present.

There was nothing better than a feast after a battle. 

Normally, I’d spit on such conventions, but an adulthood spent as a wage-slave has allowed me to appreciate the notion of festivities. Well, as long as said festivities were limited to me, and someone who I needed to talk to. Parties are the best when it’s all for me. I don’t get the need for another people, really. I can appreciate food better alone and in silence. People are the absolute worst seasoning to add to food, so I’ll pass on them, thank you very much.

“Ne, Hachiman, are you sure that you don’t want the place of honor in that parade?” Anyway, while Zaimokuza was trash disguised as a Victorian Genderbent Musketeer Loli, I needed to speak with her. Even though she was chewing through my food, as though she had any inclination to pay a single bill, I withstood her presence. Needless to say, I was a single health-point from breaking down in her presence, but I managed to overcome death through sheer willpower. “You are a hero of the people! Songs shall be sung of you throughout the ages… as the man who granted power to the people, while all others turned their gazes inward, you gave outward.”

“Talk normally, or I’m throwing you into the parade.” 

“Why, my Ally from Another Life, I know not of what you speak--

“I’ll tell everyone you can change, but choose not to, if you don’t talk normally.”

“Okay.”

“I lost Isaac.” Zaimokuza, being the only reliable, powerful individual I could count upon in my group, needed to be informed. Hoarding secrets is fine in many cases, but this was information that I was better off letting Zaimokuza knowing. “He wanted to keep Overskills to himself. I refused, so he decided to leave the plan. We’re on our own for now, so you’re back in play.”

“Umu! Yes! With such ill tidings, it’s only natural that a secret weapon be played! Zai-chan shall rise from the ages of this tragedy to breathe new life into your plans, Hachiman-kun!” I counted at least four crimes against humanity in that sentence. I absolutely hated it, but I couldn’t deny his words. The only thing I could hope to do was attempt to deny his existence. Dammit, my Denial of Reality skill isn’t strong enough to affect the real world, yet. “I shall lead the charge, be the Guild leader that you wish for me to be, and the world shall tremble in our passing… in both fear and joy!” 

“The kind of people who’d trembled when you walk by are people who should be jailed, dumbass.” Try as I might to put Zaimokuza down, I knew that her wail of dismay was just a stagger animation. No real damage was inflicted, but that didn’t matter. I just needed the opening that was presented to me by the moments of weakness, so that I could sway that dark abyss of a mind she had into the right direction. “We can’t hide anymore. Too many people will look for us after this. We need to take advantage of this situation to gain what we need, so that’s where you come in. You’re going to take all of the credit, as the “true” mastermind of this situation.”

“Ahh… so cool! I’m going to be a mastermind in another world!” As expected of Zaimokuza, he obviously missed to quotation marks. It also didn’t bother him at all that he was going to be taking all the honors. All that was in his prim head was the coolness of the fact that he was going to do something cool. Truly, he was the best companion anyone could hope to have. Endless positivity naturally means endless gullibility. “Wow! This is so great! I’m moved that you’d entrust me in such a manner, Hachiman!”

There was no trust here. It was all for my benefit. I was putting a target on Zaimokuza’s back. Sure, he gained prestige, honor, and attention, but I didn’t care at all for all three of those things. Those were just labels for the new targets stapled on my back after my success, which I now placed upon Zaimokuza, so that I could take advantage of them as much as possible. 

However, he wasn’t only to be a hero.

He was going to “discover” something too.

Namely, while Isaac was waiting for me to come into the city to declare my findings for the good of all, I was going to have Zaimokuza do it.

Someone who was ousted from her Guild, who decided to go solo after the Transfer, and who had a reputation of being an eccentric freak who loved Elder Tale. 

Effectively, I’ll manage to spread the word of Overskills to the rest of the Players, hopefully encouraging some to rise up and actually fight, or at least empower the overpowered people who remain.

The fact that Isaac was going to feel bad, thinking that he’d cut ties with me over a secret that was going to be outed, was just a bonus.

Really.

I’m not lying.

I totally wouldn’t change Zaimokuza’s role in all my plans just to spite Isaac.

No way.