Beyond the Bracer Guild, toward Grancel Market...
"What in Aidios's name is happening!?", Princess Alfin's voice exclaimed. She could be seen inside the first floor of the wide marketplace. Before she could even act, one person after another began to freeze in place. It wasn't just that. After they froze in place, their color started to drain from their bodies. They soon became figures of black and white. Then, the entire surroundings began to become drained of its color.
"I-I'm not sure...", Kloe asked, also unsure of what was happening before her.
"Hisss...", Celine hissed, feeling something spread around them that she couldn't figure out. Emma and Kloe also watched on in shock, seeing their surroundings suddenly change before them. Estelle just stared at the market turn still, becoming void of color. It wasn't just the people. Everything around them was now monochrome! It was as if everyone had been frozen in time!
It was then they heard the sound of a bell. The chimes almost matched the pacing of the color being drained before their very eyes. Ding...Dong...Ding...Dong...
"The sound of a bell? It couldn't be...", Emma uttered. Even her eyes turned serious. The one who spoke out to the girls next was Tamamo. It seems her eyes were looking elsewhere. Tamamo's eyes looked up, and not at the figures surrounding them!
"Kyuu.", Tamamo said, drawing the girls' attention.
"Look up? What do you mean by 'look up'---?", Celine tried to say, still having a serious look in her eyes. Hearing Celine's voice reach their ears, the girls recovered enough, and followed her words. Their eyes shifted upward. To their surprise, they all saw something hover in the air above their faces.
Blue screens popped out one after another, individually. One stood above each girl, which included the two Familiars!
Every blue screen read the same text. Estelle couldn't help but blurt out in shock once she started to read it aloud. The blue screens didn't stop for the rest of the girls. The Gamer Notifications came through one after another. They just watched on, reading the text before them.
[Ding! Gamer Naoto has invoked a new Instance Dungeon. Now preparing the stage...]
[Ding! Time will no longer flow. To those who have bonded with Gamer Naoto at any degree, you will not be influenced by the actions of the Instance Dungeon unless invited into Gamer Naoto's Party.]
[Ding! Due to the size of this Instance Dungeon, a temporary increase has been granted to Gamer Naoto's Party limit. Current Party limit is now 12.]
[Ding! While the present danger may not directly fall on you, it is advised to regroup immediately. The first monster wave is approaching Grancel City.]
[Ding! Time until the first wave of monsters arrive, 10:00...]
"M-Monsters are coming? Here in the city!?", Estelle exclaimed. "And what the heck is a Gamer Naoto? Is that referring to the prince?"
"That does seem to be the case...", Kloe said. This too, was her first time seeing the Gamer Notifications. Unlike other Systems, the Gamer System can influence everyone around its holder. That is why there is the Party function. But it goes even beyond that. Everyone who bonds with The Gamer can get influenced to some degree!
That is why these girls did not freeze in place, nor have the color drained from their bodies. All of them have a certain level of Favorability with Gamer Naoto.
But before the girls could start moving around, they heard a hurried sound of shuffling feet that belonged to a single figure. They swung one of the doors leading into the market wide open. The figure belonged to a green-haired woman who was dressed in a blue soldier's uniform. She quickly scanned the first floor, and after spotting the girls near a bench, the woman's eyes landed on Kloe. It seemed like it was only one person who arrived. No soldiers accompanied the woman, likely due to the interference of the Instance Dungeon. Still, a look of relief appeared in the woman's eyes after spotting Kloe.
"Oh thank Aidios you're alright, Your Highness!", The woman shouted, quickly approaching Kloe and the group.
"Is that you, Julia?", Kloe called out, surprised to see her still moving amongst all of those who were frozen in time.
"It is. I'm glad to see you unharmed, Your Highness. If those messages are true, then the city is about to get swarmed with monsters!", Julia replied.
"Those messages...You aren't referring to these, are you?", Kloe asked, and motioned her hand upward. Julia paused for a moment, and traced Kloe's hand. She saw the very same blue screens that once appeared over Julia's head.
Seeing these same blue screens, Julia frowned.
"What the hell?", Julia cursed, becoming shocked once again...
Meanwhile, in another part of Grancel City, toward the West Block.
A similar scene could be seen playing out inside the Septian Church. Two familiar faces stood amongst a mass of people undergoing its daily service. Even the Bishop stood at the podium, delivering a hymn. Sadly, that all came crashing down the moment a green and white-haired man and his squire suddenly heard the ancient toll of a bell.
These bells didn't belong to the Septian Church.
"What the...You hearin' what I'm hearin', Ries?", Kevin asked, confused.
"You sure you aren't in one of your delusions again, Kevin?", Ries asked, feeling slightly annoyed while she was trying to enjoy a snack.
"Honestly, I kinda wish I was. But I don't think that is the case here.", Kevin responded, and frowned. Before the two could react further, they suddenly felt a subtle change strike against their surroundings. A very fast shadow entered their view. Wooosh! Wooosh! Wooosh!
One person after another showed the exact same situation to what just happened in East Block. Including the Bishop himself, they all became frozen in time, and the color of their bodies began to drain in a blink of an eye. Ries was about to take another bite of her snack before she frowned. She didn't even realize the food accidentally slipped from her hand, only to land on the wide bench beside her.
"This can't be good...", Ries said, and frowned. "I don't ever recall having one of your delusions affecting reality."
"That's because it ain't one. Look!", Kevin exclaimed, and raised one of his hands, only to point at two very familiar blue screens suddenly appear before them. One after another, Kevin and Ries saw the Gamer Notifications appear.
[Ding! Monsters will soon begin swarming Grancel City. Time remaining, 10:00...]
"What the heck is an Instance Dungeon?", Ries tried to ask, still frowning. Their surroundings were now all frozen in place, except for Kevin and Ries. As for Kevin, he gripped onto his crossbow.
"If it is what I think it is, then this must be the Crown Prince's doin'. To think he could have such an ability that can affect a whole city. I'm afraid we aren't the only ones.", Kevin said, and also frowned.
"Are we really frozen in time? I truly find that hard to believe.", Ries asked, still doubtful. She made her way toward her sword. A retractable sword that the Septian Church gives out to those who belong to the Dominion. They're quite deadly!
"Only one way to find out and that's doin' it the hard way. I have a feelin' all the Blocks are gonna get involved here. Seein' as we're in West Block, I take it that's our assignment. As you said Ries, what we're experiencin' now is likely an Instance Dungeon. Courtesy of His Highness. I didn't think I'd get to see one so soon. Not until we head to Erebonia.", Kevin explained, causing Ries to look at him.
"So you're saying this wasn't planned?", Ries questioned, letting it dawn on her.
"Exactly. Seems to have a randomness factor. Let's go, Ries. The timer's tickin'. Nothin' good waitin' here any longer.", Kevin said, seeing their surroundings now entirely black and white. All other figures were frozen in time, including the Bishop. No one else seemed to have come to their side during this time, so Kevin's eyes could only wander toward the Church's exit. "But let's not head to the West Gate immediately. If my gut's right, we needa form this "Party" thing with His Highness. Right now, the Instance Dungeon is treatin' us as bystanders. We won't be able to fight back."
"Treating us as bystanders? You mean if we go out and try to fight those incoming monsters, we can't?", Ries asked.
"That's what I'm sayin' here. If this is the result from that earlier explosion, then I'm startin' to see the bigger picture already. Let us hurry toward His Highness's side. I'm sure we aren't the only ones.", Kevin said, urging Ries to follow him. It wasn't often seeing Kevin serious like this, so she nodded in agreement. She just had one last look at the bench, and saw her snack ruined. Seeing this, Kevin laughed.
"I'll buy ya another one after we finish this mess alright?", Kevin asked, trying to hold back a laugh. Ries's eyes turned directly toward bloody murder.
"I'll never forgive those monsters. How dare they ruin a completely good snack!", Ries retorted, and tightened the grip on her sword.
"Hahaha! Direct that anger toward those monsters we'll be fightin' shortly, yea? Let's hurry.", Kevin said, and started to head toward the exit of the Septian Church.
"After you.", Ries said, and followed after Kevin.
Once they exited the Septian Church, all they saw around them was monochrome, monochrome, and more monochrome. Kevin frowned seeing how still their surroundings were.
"This is almost too creepy for my likin'. It's almost like everyone up and vanished.", Kevin said, frowning.
"It's almost like the entire city froze in place...", Ries murmured, seeing all of Grancel City now frozen in place. It was very eerie to say the least. She also looked up, and saw the same two blue screens hovering above her and Kevin. "These screen things don't help either. Why does it need us to remind us that we constantly have ten minutes left?"
"Beats me. As annoyin' as it is, that explosion sounded from the South Block. His Highness should be there.", Kevin said, and pointed his finger south.
"Got it.", Ries said.
Just like that, Kevin and Ries left the Septian Church and were already in the Instance Dungeon. It wasn't just them who were affected by this. Toward the North Block inside one of its well-known hotels, a sole figure could be seen residing in one of its rooms. Having already finished business earlier in the day by participating in the tournament and won it, Sherryl found herself lounging around in the hotel, recuperating from her wounds. They weren't severe. She was already bandaged up and everything. It didn't take long for Sherryl to feel a disturbance in her surroundings.
Wooosh! Wooosh!
"This...", Sherryl uttered, and did not expect to see something directly appear before her. Her eyes turned wide in shock. After all, unlike everyone else, she was familiar with this blue screen. She had seen it back on Nemeth Island.
[Ding! Gamer Naoto has invoked an Instance Dungeon. Should you not wish to participate, please remain inside the hotel. Thanks to the bond you share with Gamer Naoto, you will not be influenced by the actions of the Instance Dungeon. Monsters will soon be swarming the city.]
"You've got to be kidding me.", Sherryl cursed while she saw her surroundings become monochrome. Proceeding toward the window, she opened her curtains, and saw some familiar faces rush toward the South Block. "It's turning the entire city into one!?"
While trying to recover from her own shock, Sherryl didn't hear her door open. Unlike the other figures, a single woman strutted into her room with an amused look in her eyes.
"You really aren't foreign to this, Sherryl.", Kilika said, greeting her while she was still recovering from her shock. "I'd love to hear all about it."
"Kilika...", Sherryl uttered, seeing Kilika arrive. After all, they were using this room during their stay here in Grancel City. She wasn't a Bracer like Zin was. At least not yet. Soon, she will become a receptionist for Zeiss, but that hasn't happened yet. "I don't really think now's the time."
"On the contrary, now's the perfect time to discuss this. You don't wish to partake in this Instance Dungeon, as His Highness calls it, right?", Kilika asked, ignoring the fact their entire surroundings changed.
"True. I do not wish to meet Big Brother right now. It sounds like the entire city is about to be besieged by monsters. Naoto's busy recruiting allies to his side, right? Twelve people, if I'm not mistaken.", Sherryl responded.
"Haha, I knew it. Coming here was right after all. It sounds like you know more about this than the rest of us do. It almost sounds like you've personal experience with this so-called Instance Dungeon.", Kilika mused.
"Nothing gets past you, does it, Kilika? It's as you said. I now have time to burn. Or in this case, all the time in the world, considering it's frozen in place. Once you've gotten to know Naoto in some manner, those around him will not get influenced by his ability, unless he requests it. It's interesting, isn't it?", Sherryl also mused, still wondering how the Gamer System works.
"So His Highness has the final say...All for what, exactly?", Kilika answered, wondering that herself.
"That unfortunately, I do not have an answer for. I'd love to learn it if you can figure it out, somehow.", Sherryl said.
"Well, no promises. While His Highness did secure me a spot for that trial of his back in Erebonia, I opted not to join that Party of his for the time being. Shall we watch from the sidelines?", Kilika asked, and smiled at Sherryl.
"Yes. Let us do that for the time being. We should find a good vantage point, as long as we remain in the hotel.", Sherryl responded, and nodded her head.
Sherryl and Kilika soon began to move about the hotel they resided in, only to see other hotel guests and even the receptionist frozen in time. While the two tried to find a good spot to watch the Instance Dungeon unfold, there seemed to be more activity beyond the North Block...
Grancel Castle.
First Floor.
Shortly before this, General Morgan and Colonel Richard stood by in one of the drawing rooms. While devising some strategies to make sure Queen Alicia's birthday celebration went off without a hitch, the two felt something. Wooosh! Wooosh!
"Did you just see a swift shadow enter our room, Colonel?", General Morgan asked, and frowned.
"So I wasn't the only one who saw that...", Colonel Richard said, and wondered what it was he saw. Shortly after, the door opened in a panic. He saw Captain Amalthea rush in, worry written all over her face.
"I-it's terrible, Colonel! You need to---!?", Captain Amalthea tried to say. But before she could do anything else, she suddenly found herself frozen in place. One moment after another, the color began to drain from her body...
It took a moment to register seeing what happened to Captain Amalthea. Unlike Julia or other members of the Royal Army, she, unfortunately, had not had any connection with Naoto. Because of that, she is within conditions of the Instance Dungeon. She, like the other maids and butlers in the buildings, have suddenly froze.
All except one person, that was. One more figure soon arrived after Captain Amalthea.
"It is as I feared.", Phillip said, observing the ongoing scene before him. Hearing this, Colonel Richard quickly shook his head.
"Aren't you the butler who serves the Duke? Why did Captain Amalthea suddenly stop moving!?", Colonel Richard shouted, wanting an answer.
"The answer lies above your head, Colonel. It seems we entered what seems to be called an "Instance Dungeon". As to what it is, I haven't a clue.", Phillip answered, and shook his head.
"An Instance Dungeon?", General Morgan asked, still doubting the changes before him. But he listened to Phillip, and looked upward. Colonel Richard also did the same, and sure enough, all three of them saw three blue screens hovering above their heads.
[Ding! Monsters will soon be swarming the city. It is advised to regroup immediately...]
"What in Aidios's name is going on here?", Colonel Richard asked.
"No need to be alarmed, Colonel. In fact, you might want to head to Naoto's side if you want to participate in this monster raid. I was already made aware of the details. Thank you always, Sieg.", Queen Alicia said, and approached Phillip.
"Schree~", Sieg happily said, flapping his wings while flying around the room.
"Y-Your Majesty!", Colonel Richard exclaimed, trying to salute after seeing her arrive in their drawing room.
"So this really isn't a dream. If Colonel Richard is going to go assist His Highness in this monster raid, no one will be left to protect you, Your Majesty.", General Morgan said with a frown. Hearing that, Queen Alicia smiled.
"You failed to read the fine print, General. Those who do not participate in this "Party" of Naoto's, we will not be influenced by these monsters. Such a strange ability, isn't it? But if it eases your worry, you may remain here and escort me to the garden terrace. I wish to witness this "Instance Dungeon" myself. After all, this may not be the last time we see such a phenomenon.", Queen Alicia said, commanding the General. Hearing a sudden order, General Morgan recovered from his stupor, and saluted her.
"At once, Your Majesty."
Hearing that, Queen Alicia smiled. She then looked at Colonel Richard.
"Off you go, Colonel.", Queen Alicia said to Colonel Richard. She then looked at Phillip. "You go assist the Colonel as well, Phillip. His Excellency is not hindered by this event. Like the rest, he froze. You do not have any reason to hold back in providing additional support.", Queen Alicia continued to say.
"I reached the same conclusion, Your Majesty. Albeit only for a short while, I shall lend you my support as your once-feared "Demon Commander"", Phillip said. "My blade is at your service."
"So you really do hold that title...", Colonel Richard uttered, and became shocked once again. But he quickly shook his head. Getting one last look at his own confidant, he looked at Queen Alicia once more. "Let us hurry to His Highness's side at once."
"After you, Colonel.", Phillip said. He now had his rapier drawn.
Just like that, Colonel Richard and Phillip began to make their way through the North Block while General Morgan escorted Queen Alicia back to the garden terrace to observe the ongoing Instance Dungeon from afar. Sieg also sped along the skies, quickly arriving at South Block once again.
Many moving parts were now underway!
Back inside the Bracer Guild...