Everyone on the balcony turned to her in confusion, but people in the square began to repeat her words in a chant.
"LONG LIVE THE FIGHTERS!"
"LONG LIVE THE FIGHTERS!"
Even the chat of the stream was spamming it, moving so fast that Faust had to consciously ask the system to slow it down.
A million people were watching. Faust felt his eyes bulge. It was not much in comparison to seven billion people, but it was a number most couldn't imagine in one place.
"Fight! Fellow earthlings. We, back home, are cheering you on."
"You must not give into fear. My son is in this village. Franky, if you see this you have to fight."
"I still don't know if facing those creatures is smart…. Is there a way to escape this level?"
"F*ck you, coward. LONG LIVE THE FIGHTERS!"
"EARTH FOR THE WIN! LONG LIVE THE FIGHTERS"
So many people were chatting. All of it was translated to english since that was the language Faust was most used to. In that moment Fasut imagined everyone was filled with a feeling of being connected to something bigger than themselves.
The chants continued and now more and more people were coming out of their houses. Soon the huge square was half full, boiling with people.
Diego shook his head excitedly and waved his han.
"If you wish to fight, we've set up stations all around this block! Quickly report there and tell them your abilities. We will assign you roles and take suggestions there. Thank you, and LONG LIVE THE FIGHTERS!"
◇◇◇
Faust was the last person to enter the Town Hall's main office, he closed the door with ringing ears.
"They are bloody loud," Faust groaned. He met Kite's eye. "Dont get me wrong the chant was brillant. Did you come up with that on the spot?"
"Read it in a novel," Kite admitted. "Your plan worked. It worked way more than we thought. There's more than five thousand people out there now."
Faust checked the stream first to make sure the camera wasn't one of them. It was going round the packed registration offices following new fighters and people explaining strategy. Once in a while the stream would change to people hiding in one of the village houses, and the chat would immediately start berating them.
"A well-structured speech from a well-meaning man with the ability to speak in your ear works wonders," Faust said back.
Diego had been taking a huge sip of water for his dry throat, but he sputtered through it. "Your idea about showing people tangible results of refusing to fight through the stream was perfect."
"I wanted to chastise those idiots. You appealed to them better," Faust said, checking the stream again. Making sure you weren't being watched before speaking was irritating. "I guess we all did good then."
Kite shrugged with a small smile. "I guess we did."
High fives and congratulations went round the room, but Faust could see Rin and a few other sulking in the corner of the room. He shook his head, chuckling under his breath. Idiots.
"That was good. I'm out," Faust said, patting Diego, Kite and Tiffany on the back. "I have some friends to find."
All their eyes followed him as he left, filling him with a sense of accomplishment. He walked into this battlefield and won. Almost too easily. Now he could return to fighting without any worries.
◇◇◇
He found his targets grouped up in one of the large business buildings in the village. The system provided them with different types of housing meant to be used for really anything.
Inside the wooden building, torches had been lit, tables and chairs arranged, and alcohol and food was being served to chatting players.
Faust blinked twice. Why is there a freaking restaurant here? Weren't the food supplies in the city small.
He tried to enter but one of the two guards at the door held out a hand.
"Sorry kid, but we're at max capacity. Sergio only made so much food."
A man passed by, pale with a curly moustache, wearing a chef's outfit. He eyed Faust then clicked his fingers. "Oh, Kite told me about you. Let 'im in."
The man had a distinctly french accent, so Faust guessed this was Sergio. He walked into the dimly-lit room and extended a hand to shake the chef.
"I'm Faust."
"I am Sergio. But don't worry Kite told me who you really are," the chef dramatically whispered, while doing an exaggerated wink. "I am only serving fighters for today. My Schema can only do so much."
Faust's eyes flashed with realisation. "You're the guy Diego was yapping about. The one that can turn stone into food."
"It's a bit more nuanced than that," Sergio shrugged. "But this is me."
Faust immediately used Schema Replication to check the details.
[Schema: Limitless Chef]
[Rank: Platinum]
[Details: Cook the uncookable. Dice the undiceable. Season the unseasonable. As long as the presentation is good it will be a feast.]
[Schema Abilities: Nutritional Intuition, Cook the Uncookable]
Faust fought the smile that tried to come onto his face. "I'm honoured to eat here. I saw one of my classmates coming in here. Medium height girl, dark brown hair, green eyes."
"Oh! Spider's crew. They're upstairs," Sergio answered, leading him to a set of stairs at the back of the restaurant.
They had a balcony table, overlooking the snaking street running from the Novice Village's square to the north gate.
Spider as it seemed was one of Nirvana's five friends from before. The brown-haired girl balanced on the wooden railing of the balcony effortlessly, while kicking one of the two boys in their group.
"Spider! Get off my railing!" Sergio snapped.
The girl moved with inhuman speed, almost appearing on her wicker chair with an innocent look.
"Must be hallucinating, Serg. Take your dementia pills. Where's the food—"
Her voice caught in her throat as Faust walked out from behind Sergio.
***
A/N: Hey guys if you are enjoying the story please leave a powerstone to support the story.