Chapter 13：Final Phase, Start! (1/2)

”What are you doing standing there? Come here and take a seat already...”

Ria chuckled upon seeing Calvin's strange antics.

Calvin absentmindedly stared at her. This was supposed to be his first time in Las Felipinas. As an average young man of Earth, he must act appropriately according to what everyone expects of him as an Earthling.

”What?”

”How did I come here?”

”Shouldn't I be at the top floor of Rhea Apartments?”

”Ah!”

Ria covered her mouth and said, ”You must be confused. All right, let me explain.”

”You are now in Las Felipinas. A world connected to Earth for some reason.”

”For some reason?” Calvin frowned at such a vague explanation.

Ria shrugged, ”If I knew the reason, I would've told you already. The reasons behind why Las Felipinas is attached to Earth is still being researched. It has been a decade since we found out about the existence of Las Felipinas, yet we still haven't explored the entirety of it...”

”All we know is that there are humans in Las Felipinas, as well as members of other races such as Elves, Half-elves, Dragonkin...”

”Wait, does that mean that this place is like a game?”

Before Ria could finish her sentence, Calvin exclaimed in shock.

Ria was obviously unclear about video games, but when she saw that Calvin seemed to be confident with what he was talking about. She nodded her head and said, ”Yeah, it may be similar to games.”

”What do you mean maybe? You're not very clear about it too?” Calvin furrowed his eyebrows. He knew a lot about Las Felipinas, probably even more than Ria. But when he remembered his previous relationship with Ria, he couldn't help but tease her.

However...

”What do you mean I'm not very clear? Are you trying to insult me? Hmmph, don't get too excited yet! I'm just trying to explain some things to you beforehand since you're the very first person to arrive at Las Felipinas. But since it looks like you don't need my explanation, then forget it! Let's just talk once you've survived through the final phase.”

Ria coldly harrumphed.

She then turned around and didn't bother with Calvin any more.

When Ria was gone, Calvin finally had the time to properly observe his surroundings.

From what he could see, he seemed to be inside a school gym.

There were markers on the floor indicative of a basketball court.

There were seats surrounding the wide space in the center.

Calvin lightly smiled, 'I'm finally here... The final phase... I can see that nothing has changed...'

He was a bit excited upon seeing that there were no discrepancies of what he was seeing right now compared to his memory of this place from the past. The only difference perhaps was his placement. Back then, he was the second to the last person who arrived at Las Felipinas, but now...

He was the first.

'I expect this event to continue until daylight... Dang, why did I come here so fast? Now I have to kill time!' Calvin found a random seat and he immediately felt bored. 'If only I had a pen and paper here, I could've revised some of my plans before we enter the final phase.'

'Sadly, beggars can't be choosers. It seems that I just have to do all of these plans in my mind while I wait...'

'Well, it's also a good mind exercise though.'

Calvin sighed.

He closed his eyes, but he didn't know whether it was the effects of the adrenaline coursing through his veins wearing off or he was just tired, but as soon as he closed his eyes. He fell asleep in a blink of an eye.

When he woke up, he was stunned to see the gym filled with dozens of people.

'Damn, I fell asleep.' Calvin bitterly smiled.

He wanted to revise some of his plans, but it was unfortunate that he fell asleep.

Now, seeing that most of the newbies had already gathered.

Calvin could only shake his head.

'There's no time left...'

'I'll just revise and review those plans as I go...'

Calvin stood up and walked towards where most of the newbies were gathered.

Ria found him and she approached him with a frown, ”Did you seriously just fall asleep?”

Calvin paid her a glance, ”Yeah... I was just thinking of something, but I accidentally fell asleep. Damn, if I only had some pen and paper, then this would be easier.”

”Pen and paper?” Ria frowned, ”The rules say that custodians like us cannot give any tangible benefits to the contracted participants... Unfortunately, but I cannot honor that request.”

Calvin smiled at her, ”Come on, really? Do you think that a simple pen and paper is enough to be considered as tangible benefits? For it to become a benefit, it must give me an unfair advantage in the upcoming final phase. But I don't think that a pen and paper that I will use to jot down my thoughts would give me something like that...”

Ria pondered, ”That makes sense... All right, I'll give it to you... If you manage to pass the final phase, then you won't need to worry about getting more paper and pen.” Although puzzled as to why Calvin needed a pen and paper to organize his thoughts...