Old Dog strutted onto the balcony with the rest of his entourage behind him. Faust stayed back and just sat on the railing, watching the almost three thousand people perk up at the sight of their de facto leader.
Diego looked into the crowd briefly, noting every injured person and the angry faces in the crowd. When he spoke his voice was amplified by his Schema— The Speaker.
It was a very interesting ability that Faust would have to challenge him for soon. But for now it serves as a microphone. Anything he could see or was looking at him could hear Diego's voice perfectly, and if needed he could increase its volume to ear-shattering levels.
"I want to start this meeting by saying I am sorry. My plan ignored the true nature of this world and was shortsighted."
Rin glared at Diego's back but said nothing. Faust found himself pleasantly surprised. He had misjudged Diego's personality a bit. The faults of others or a group decision were faults Diego found in himself.
That wasn't the plan. What an overly responsible guy.
"This is a game," Diego said louder. "And we are but humble players. If the system says dance then we must dance. No matter our beliefs. And before we start I want you all to try something. You might have already opened this screen. Say 'Livestream.'"
All over the village murmurs of confusion ensued , but some complied and soon gasps and outrage rolled through the Town square.
"That's right. We are being watched now," Diego said with a heavy voice. "Not only by people from earth like us, but denizens of other worlds."
The weight of his words settled down on the crowd, silencing them. Faust saw new people walking out of their huts staring at the skies and complaining.
Livestream.
A new panel appeared before Faust. It was like a camera was looking down at the city. Sometimes the angle of the video changed but it was Novice Village #1 for sure.
Chats ran along the screen. People insulting the system and threatening whatever force was being this. While others begged for the camera to change angle so they could search for their loved ones.
There was a bar for scrolling through streams. Right now his was obviously set to "Novice Village #1."
"This is sick," Tiffany muttered.
But then Diego started snapping his fingers.
"Novice Village #1284," Multiple people said at once, including Faust.
Diego cleared his throat. "I want you to change your streams to Novice Village #1284. That is Novice Village #1284…"
He repeated it a couple more times, but Faust had already moved to the new channel.
It was a desolate place. Burnt, torn down and littered with dead bodies. Its walls had been breached and now monsters wandered the space aimlessly.
Several people threw up immediately. Diego also looked sick when he saw it too and spent a few minutes silent.
Faust simply felt it was a waste. Ten thousand souls surrendered to fear.
So many people were talking now that the air buzzed with noise. But Diego's voice sliced through all that like a voice in Faust's head. It felt like Diego was speaking right to him all the time. With proximity that made his voice feel like that of an old friend.
His Schema is perfect for this plan.
"I am not here to frighten you!" Diego said, voice rising with his own obvious frustration.
When Faust returned his channel to Novice Village #1, he saw that the stream was set right on the town hall balcony with Diego centered.
It knows exactly what's important to entertain its viewer, Faust thought with awe. The system was amazing.
"I am simply here to show you the reality of the situation." Diego was snapping his fingers again, but Faust was far ahead of him.
"Novice Village #9712," Faust answered.
"Please turn your stream to Novice Village #9712. That is Novice Village #9712…"
Soon all the channels were in a highly fortified village in the midst of a celebration. The camera panned to dancing couples, then to the field outside their village where the burning bodies of thousands of monsters had been stacked.
Diego gestured at his stream.
"They just finished the third wave. Three waves. They started earlier than us. But I watched their stream, talked to them in the chat. They finished the first wave in five minutes. Five. Do you know why? Because when they opened recruitment, nine thousand people answered the call."
Diego's eyes lingered on the village and the people coming out of the houses now.
"I am not blaming those who have not worked with us," Diego said over the boos of the crowd in the square.
"Nor will I diminish the bravery of those who fought for us. No. Never. Rather I am placing blame squarely where it belongs. On me."
Old Dog's words silenced the naysayers. Faust could see viewers flooding into their stream, both from other novice villages, but also earth.
Frankly, Faust thought his words were bullshit, but he had to agree these words would evoke the most emotions.
Diego's jaw visibly clenched and unclenched.
"Every man that died fighting a fucking goblin is on my back. My poor planning, my inability to convince more people to fight, killed those men."
"The system rewards us not only for participation but also strategy. Your rewards are less because of my incompetence. But we aren't done yet. I have seen the third wave. We will not survive with this little participation."
Diego let his words settle for a moment. Faust found himself in genuine awe at the man's visible distress and regret. Was all of that real? If not he had to give it to Diego, he knew how to put on a show.
"But we have around thirty minutes and a chance to turn it all around. Our plans have changed after some expert gamer advice. Sounds stupid and I know. But I swear there's someone here who's Schema allows him to make food out of stone. Yeah. Think about that."
Diego said all this with a smile that spread to the crowd instantly. Some of the previously solemn people even began laughing.
"Anything is possible now. Do you think you can't face those monsters? Those mental chains have you put on yourself? Cast them off now. You can fight! You can win! We need a hero, but it doesn't have to be one person. I believe that if you want to live in this world, you have to leave behind your limits. You have to be crazy. The meek will die, and only the fighters will live long."
Kite shouted something suddenly. "LONG LIVE THE FIGHTERS!"