Chapter 38 - 37: The Man From Earth

Chapter 38: Chapter 37: The Man From Earth

For the first time since arriving in this world, Arin forgot to answer immediately.

The security projection hovered above Ark Prime.

A man stood outside the hidden valley with both hands raised.

Ordinary travel clothes.

A backpack.

No visible armor.

No mana weapon.

And in his right hand—

A smartphone.

A real smartphone.

Not a crystal slate.

Not some magical imitation.

A rectangular black device with a cracked corner and a familiar camera module on the back.

Arin stared.

Lucan stared at Arin.

The stranger stared toward a security lens he should not have been able to see.

Then repeated himself in English.

"I’m from Earth too."

Lyra tugged Arin’s hand.

"Big Brother?"

He didn’t answer.

Lucan frowned.

"What language is he speaking?"

Arin finally looked toward him.

"Mine."

Silence.

Lucan’s eyebrows rose.

"Yours?"

"From before."

"Before what?"

Arin looked back at the projection.

"Later."

Lucan’s expression immediately became offended.

"You criticize everyone else for saying that."

"Yes."

"And now you’re doing it."

"Yes."

"You’re a hypocrite."

"Currently."

That shut Lucan up for perhaps three seconds.

Elara watched Arin carefully from her medical chair.

"Do you know him?"

"No."

"Then why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?"

Arin’s eyes remained on the smartphone.

"Because that shouldn’t exist here."

EVE stepped closer.

Her eyes flashed.

"Object scan unavailable."

Arin frowned.

"Why?"

"The individual remains outside territorial range."

"Long-range analysis?"

"Blocked."

"By what?"

"Unknown interference."

Of course.

Nothing could ever be simple.

Arin looked toward the twelve thousand newly awakened residents around them.

People were still being moved out of Ark Prime in controlled groups.

Medical drones remained busy.

Food and water distribution had barely stabilized.

This was absolutely the worst possible time for another mystery.

Which meant he was not going to let the mystery set the pace.

"Do not open the valley."

EVE nodded.

"Confirmed."

Lucan looked surprised.

"You aren’t going to meet the first person from your previous world?"

"Not yet."

"Why?"

Arin looked around Ark Prime.

"Because twelve thousand people just woke up."

Lucan followed his gaze.

Right.

Arin continued.

"He waited long enough to reach the gate."

His expression hardened.

"He can wait another hour."

The stranger outside lowered his hands slightly.

Then looked at his phone.

He tapped something.

A notification appeared on Arin’s Authority Band.

«EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION REQUEST DETECTED.

SOURCE:

UNKNOWN DEVICE.

PROTOCOL:

UNRECOGNIZED.

DEVICE ATTEMPTING DIRECT NETWORK HANDSHAKE.»

Arin went still.

EVE’s expression sharpened.

"Founder."

"I see it."

The stranger’s smartphone was trying to connect to House Elysium.

That was significantly worse than simply owning one.

"Reject connection."

«CONNECTION REJECTED.»

The man outside looked at his screen.

His shoulders dropped.

Then he spoke toward the invisible valley.

"Okay."

In English.

"Fair enough."

He slipped the phone into his pocket.

Then sat down on a rock.

Lucan frowned.

"What did he say?"

Arin translated.

"He said okay."

"That’s it?"

"Yes."

"He traveled to a hidden civilization, somehow found the gate, apparently comes from your original world, and after being denied access his response is okay?"

Arin watched the man remove a water bottle from his backpack.

"Apparently."

Lucan crossed his arms.

"I don’t trust him."

"Good."

"You don’t either."

"No."

"Excellent."

Arin turned away from the projection.

Lucan stared.

"You’re seriously leaving?"

"Yes."

"What if he disappears?"

"EVE."

"Tracking."

"What if he attacks?"

"Perimeter defenses."

"What if he has useful information?"

Arin looked toward Lucan.

"Then it will still be useful in an hour."

That was the end of it.

He returned to Ark Prime.

---

The next fifty-seven minutes were some of the least dramatic and most exhausting Arin had experienced since becoming Founder.

No ancient Administrators.

No corrupted Founders.

No S-Rank Hunters.

No hidden vaults.

Just logistics.

A group of sixty-two winged residents refused to enter Residential District Three because the ceilings were too low for comfortable flight.

Arin moved them to a tower district.

A scaled family discovered the water temperature in their assigned building was painfully cold for their species.

EVE adjusted environmental controls.

Three children could not locate their parents in the awakened records.

Arin ordered a missing-family registry immediately.

A fight broke out between two ancient residents over whether Founder Thirteen had betrayed them.

Lucan separated them before security drones arrived.

Tavian, the former Prime logistics worker, quickly became one of the most useful people in the entire city.

Arin found him standing before a projection, organizing almost four hundred residents into employment groups.

"You worked fast."

Tavian turned.

"Founder."

"No kneeling."

"I wasn’t going to."

"Good."

Tavian pointed toward the lists.

"We have engineers, medical personnel, food technicians, educators, maintenance staff, preservation workers, and forty-seven people claiming to be administrators."

Arin frowned.

"Administrators?"

"Lower-level."

"Any root access?"

"Not that they remember."

"Keep them away from critical systems until EVE checks."

Tavian nodded.

"Already done."

Arin looked at him.

Tavian smiled faintly.

"I did logistics during the end of civilization."

"Good."

Arin looked at the organized lists.

"You’re hired."

Tavian blinked.

"By whom?"

"Me."

"For what position?"

Arin thought for two seconds.

"Civilian transition coordinator."

Tavian stared.

"Did that position exist before?"

"No."

"Salary?"

Arin paused.

EVE spoke through his band.

"Current Elysium civilian currency system is inactive."

Tavian raised an eyebrow.

Arin sighed.

"We’ll figure that out."

Tavian laughed.

It was the first time Arin heard someone from the old civilization laugh without bitterness.

Good.

Another problem for later.

Currency.

Employment.

Education.

Government.

Food production.

Housing.

Actual civilization building.

Strangely, Arin preferred those problems.

They were difficult.

But they felt honest.

He glanced toward the Civilization Authority prompt.

It remained locked by his choice.

Good.

He didn’t regret it.

Not yet.

Lyra appeared beside him carrying the horned girl’s hand.

"Big Brother."

Arin looked down.

The girl stared at him.

Lyra spoke proudly.

"This is Nemi."

The girl whispered something.

The translation system converted it.

"Hello."

Arin crouched slightly.

"Hello, Nemi."

She looked at his damaged armor.

"You are Founder?"

"Apparently."

Nemi frowned.

That answer clearly confused her.

Lyra whispered:

"He says that a lot."

Arin looked at her.

"Why are you explaining me?"

"She needs warnings."

Tavian covered a smile.

Arin ignored him.

Nemi looked toward the city exit.

"Where is my family?"

That question again.

Arin did not soften it.

"I don’t know."

Her expression fell.

"But we’re checking every record we have."

She looked at him.

"If they’re not here?"

Arin paused.

There was no good answer.

So he gave the real one.

"Then we’ll keep looking."

Nemi nodded slowly.

Lyra squeezed her hand.

Arin stood.

Something had changed around him.

Not power.

Responsibility.

Three days ago House Elysium had contained three residents.

Now there were over twelve thousand people with names.

Families.

Questions.

Needs.

History.

He didn’t need Civilization Authority to feel the weight of that.

Maybe that was precisely why he didn’t want it.

A city should never become numbers inside his head.

He wanted to keep seeing faces.

"EVE."

"Founder."

"Status on outsider."

"Still waiting."

Arin looked at the time.

Fifty-nine minutes.

Fine.

"Prepare outer reception point."

Lucan immediately appeared from somewhere nearby.

"I am coming."

Arin looked at him.

"Were you listening?"

"Obviously."

"That’s becoming irritating."

"I learned from EVE."

EVE replied:

"I reject responsibility."

Lyra raised her hand.

"I’m coming too."

"No."

Her expression darkened.

Arin continued before she argued.

"You have Nemi."

Lyra looked toward the horned girl.

That worked.

"I’ll stay."

Good.

Arin looked toward Elara.

His mother was speaking with several awakened residents who apparently recognized her.

She caught his gaze.

"Be careful."

"I will."

"You used to say that before climbing things."

"These are different circumstances."

"Are they?"

Arin walked away.

Lucan followed, laughing quietly.

---

The outer reception station existed nearly five hundred meters inside the mountain boundary.

Arin had no intention of bringing the stranger into the city.

A transparent security barrier separated the reception chamber from the external passage.

A-01 stood on Arin’s left.

Lucan on his right.

EVE connected remotely.

Two drones waited overhead.

Arin had changed out of the damaged MK-I suit.

Not because he wanted to appear friendly.

Because the armor needed repairs.

He wore dark Elysium clothing and carried the energy sidearm openly.

"Open external communication."

EVE activated the speaker.

The man outside immediately looked up.

Arin spoke in English.

"You have five minutes to explain who you are."

The stranger froze.

Then slowly smiled.

"Okay."

He stood.

"That’s definitely English."

"Name."

"Marcus Hale."

"Age."

"Thirty-two."

"Original country."

"United States."

Lucan whispered:

"What are you asking?"

Arin raised one hand.

Not now.

"Year."

Marcus’s expression changed.

He understood exactly why Arin asked.

"2024."

Arin went still.

Interesting.

"What month?"

"October."

Arin’s eyes narrowed.

He had left Earth later than Marcus.

Not massively later.

But later.

Marcus looked toward the invisible speaker.

"Your turn."

"No."

He laughed once.

"Right. Sci-fi fortress guy has trust issues."

Arin almost found the phrase amusing.

Almost.

"How did you get here?"

Marcus’s expression sobered.

"I died."

Lucan whispered:

"That part I understood."

Arin ignored him.

"How?"

"Car accident."

"Where did you wake?"

"A place called Red Hollow."

Arin knew it.

A frontier mining town three kingdoms east.

"How long ago?"

Marcus hesitated.

"Eight years."

Arin’s expression changed.

Eight years.

Marcus had been in this world long before Arin arrived.

"Ability?"

Marcus looked toward the hidden valley.

"There it is."

"Answer."

"I got a System."

Lucan stared toward Arin.

Arin’s hand tightened slightly.

"What kind?"

Marcus pulled out the smartphone.

"This."

He held it up.

"It looks like my old phone, but it isn’t."

"Functions."

"Map. quests. inventory. translation. communication."

Arin’s expression hardened further.

"Vehicles?"

"Some."

"Weapons?"

"Some."

"Construction?"

Marcus smiled faintly.

"Some."

Lucan looked between them.

Even without understanding English, he recognized the pattern.

Two System users.

Marcus continued.

"But mine isn’t anything like whatever you’ve got hidden in there."

"How do you know what’s inside?"

"Because my phone told me."

Wrong answer.

Arin raised the sidearm slightly.

Marcus immediately raised both hands again.

"I didn’t scan you."

"Explain."

"My System has been pointing toward this valley for eight years."

Silence.

Arin’s eyes narrowed.

"Eight."

"Yes."

"And you only came now."

"It wouldn’t let me."

"What changed?"

Marcus looked toward the valley.

Then toward the phone.

"This morning, I got a quest."

He tapped the screen.

Turned it outward.

Arin couldn’t read it from the distance.

EVE zoomed the security feed.

Text appeared.

English.

«WORLD EVENT UPDATED.

PROJECT ELYSIUM HAS ACQUIRED A CIVILIAN POPULATION.

CIVILIZATION ROUTE DIVERGENCE DETECTED.

LOCATE PLAYER TWO.»

Arin stopped.

Lucan watched his expression.

"What?"

Arin did not answer.

Player Two.

Marcus looked toward him.

"My System has called me Player One since I arrived."

Arin’s Authority Band immediately activated.

Not because Arin commanded it.

«EXTERNAL SYSTEM ENTITY DETECTED.

COMPATIBILITY:

UNKNOWN.

THREAT:

UNKNOWN.»

Marcus looked down at his smartphone at the same time.

His face changed.

"What?"

Arin’s eyes narrowed.

"What does yours say?"

Marcus hesitated.

"You’re not going to like it."

"Say it."

Marcus turned the screen again.

A new message had appeared.

«PLAYER TWO CONFIRMED.

WARNING:

PROJECT ELYSIUM IS NOT A GAME SYSTEM.

WARNING:

DO NOT ALLOW PLAYER TWO TO CLAIM CIVILIZATION AUTHORITY.»

Arin went completely still.

Lucan frowned.

"What does it say?"

Arin stared at Marcus.

"Why?"

Marcus shook his head.

"No explanation."

"Ask."

"I already did."

His phone changed.

Text appeared.

«ANSWER LOCKED.

REQUIREMENT:

BOTH PLAYERS MUST ENTER THE FIRST DUNGEON.»

Arin’s expression flattened.

"No."

Marcus blinked.

"What?"

"No dungeon."

"But—"

"I have twelve thousand people who woke up today."

Marcus stared.

"Wait."

Arin continued.

"A hostile Administrator under my city."

Marcus slowly lowered the phone.

"A family crisis."

Lucan whispered:

"Probably several."

Arin ignored him.

"And a government I need to build."

Marcus looked almost impressed.

Arin pointed toward the external passage.

"So whatever your System wants..."

His voice remained calm.

"...can wait."

Marcus stared for two seconds.

Then he laughed.

Not mockingly.

Actually laughed.

"Okay."

Arin frowned.

"What’s funny?"

Marcus slipped the smartphone back into his pocket.

"For eight years, I’ve been wondering what kind of lunatic Player Two would be."

Arin’s eyes narrowed.

Marcus smiled.

"Turns out you’re the guy who tells the main quest to take a number."

Arin considered that.

"Accurate."

Lucan looked between them.

"I hate not understanding this conversation."

Arin looked at Marcus one final time.

"You are not entering the city."

Marcus nodded.

"Expected."

"You remain in the outer guest station."

"Better than camping."

"Your devices stay disconnected from our network."

"Fair."

"If your System attempts access again, you leave."

Marcus raised both hands.

"Understood."

Arin turned away.

Then stopped.

One question remained.

"Marcus."

"Yeah?"

"Have you met anyone else from Earth?"

The humor vanished.

Marcus’s expression became serious.

"Yes."

Arin turned fully.

"How many?"

Marcus hesitated.

Then answered.

"Six."

Silence.

Arin felt the situation expand again.

"Where are they?"

Marcus’s jaw tightened.

"Two are dead."

Arin waited.

"One disappeared."

Another pause.

"One works for the Royal Guild."

Arin’s eyes sharpened.

"Name."

"Selene Marr."

Arin froze.

The Royal Inspector.

The same woman whose order had stripped Vaelor of Guild legitimacy.

Marcus continued.

"And the other two..."

He looked past Arin.

Toward House Elysium.

"...belong to the Hollow Crown."

Lucan’s expression changed even though he did not understand the sentence.

Arin’s Authority Band flashed.

A new Elysium warning appeared.

«FOREIGN WORLD ORIGIN PATTERN DETECTED.

HISTORICAL MATCH SEARCHING...

MATCH FOUND.

ARCHIVED DESIGNATION:

EXTERNAL PLAYERS.»

Arin stared at the words.

The System continued.

«PREVIOUS EXTERNAL PLAYER INCURSION:

RECORDED DURING PRIME FALL.»

And suddenly, Earth was no longer separate from the mystery of House Elysium.