Online Game: Starting With SSS-Ranked Summons

A tense silence filled the car. Donald studied Arthur carefully, recalculating risks and outcomes like the military strategist he was.

"Where is this coming from suddenly?" he asked. "You've been content with video calls."

"Content isn't the word I'd use," Arthur said, allowing a hint of raw emotion to enter his voice. "I've been patient. I've believed in your words and our agreement."

He looked down at his hands, an uncharacteristic vulnerability in the gesture.

"But your actions have been showing me otherwise. I could lie to you and tell you it hasn't affected me, but it has." He raised his eyes to meet Donald's. "I just want to see my sister. Why is that such a bad thing?"

Donald stared at him for a moment, his calculating gaze searching for deception and finding what appeared to be simple human longing.

'This kid...' Donald thought. 'Fine. It's not like he can do anything after seeing his sister. I'll talk to the doctors so they can sort out everything before his arrival.'

The colonel's posture relaxed slightly. "Alright. I'll set up a meeting so you can see your sister." He raised a cautionary finger. "But don't get your hopes up. You will most likely not see her face to face."

"That's fine." Arthur's voice cracked perfectly. "Even if it's from afar. I just want to see her."

He didn't have to fake the sadness and longing he felt for his sister. That was real. He merely had to let Donald see it—let him believe that emotion was all that motivated this request.

Donald's expression softened almost imperceptibly. 'Like I thought. He's just a kid who misses his only family. I've been treating him like he was a top threat...' A brief pause in his thinking. 'Well, he is a threat, had he not been so young and predictable.'

"I'll make the arrangements," Donald said, his tone more gentle than Arthur had ever heard it. "It will take a day or two before the meeting can be arranged. That's the best I can do with the security protocols."

"Thank you," Arthur replied simply.

As he reached for the door handle, Donald leaned forward. "One more thing. Any updates on your prison situation? Any progress on escape plans?"

Arthur paused, hand still on the handle. This was dangerous territory. Claiming no progress would raise suspicions. He had been inside the military base for weeks, yet ever since he came, he had been imprisoned. Arthur knew that the military wasn't stupid and that they would catch on at some point.

But revealing too much would be equally risky, Donald could think that Arthur was trying to get on his good side.

"I've been working on the guard," Arthur said, turning back to face Donald. "One of them specifically."

Donald's eyebrow raised slightly, interest piqued.

"At first, he was like the others—wouldn't talk, wouldn't even make eye contact," Arthur continued. "But after spending so much time in that cell..." He shrugged. "Boredom is a powerful motivator. For both of us."

"Go on."

"He started talking. Small things at first. Complaints about shifts, comments about other guards."

Arthur leaned in slightly, as if sharing a secret. "My Luck talent helped massively. I don't think i would have encountered such an event without it."

Donald nodded. Arthur had already revealed that he had an A-Rank Luck talent.

"Most guards there are fanatically loyal to the village chief," Arthur explained. "But this one... he's newer. His loyalty isn't quite cemented yet."

"You've been planting doubts," Donald surmised.

"Not quite. I don't have the ability to plant doubts. I have simply been going off of what he had been saying about the mayor's influence on the village. The way he treats outsiders. Small criticisms at first, then larger ones as he began to trust me."

"I need a few more days before I could possibly have a chance. Maybe a week at most."

"And Lieutenant Adam?"

"That's the tricky part," Arthur admitted. "Before I make any move, I'll alert you. We'll need some kind of distraction to draw guards away from the mayor's building. Then my guard contact and I can free the lieutenant and escape during the chaos."

Donald studied him, searching for deception. "You've thought this through."

"I've had nothing but time to think in that cell," Arthur said with a hint of frustration.

After a moment, Donald nodded. "Acceptable progress. Continue developing this asset. I'll have our players in the village prepare contingencies for extraction support."

"I won't let you down," Arthur promised, the lie coming easily.

"See that you don't." Donald tapped the driver's shoulder, signaling their conversation was finished.

As Arthur exited the car, he kept his face carefully neutral. But on the inside, he was laughing like a maniac. His hard work had been paying off, and he was closer than ever to his true goal.

All he had to do was delay and show the military that he could be trusted. Just until he could see his sister.

When he sees his sister, everything will be set.

'Once the merge happens, I would be able to teleport to her location and save her from there. After that, I will pay back the military for everything they've done,' he thought, a cold satisfaction spreading through him.

Guards nodded as he passed. None of them knew they were interacting with the architect of their downfall.

His stomach growled, reminding him he hadn't eaten since before diving into Armageddon. Food first, then plans.

Arthur changed course, heading toward the facility's cafeteria.

Upon arriving, Arthur immediately wished he'd remained hungry. He saw James waving at him from a corner table, surrounded by Ryker and a few others.

"Fateless! Come join us."

Arthur sighed inwardly. He had no choice but to comply.

James wasn't just another player. He was the captain of the strongest player team inside Armageddon and, like Arthur himself, part of the first-class dormitory.

"Don't just stand there," James called, his booming voice drawing attention. "Food's getting cold!"

Arthur grabbed a tray, loading it with the premium options his privilege allowed him. As he approached James's table, the red-haired man cleared a space beside him.