Number 7

'That explains... a lot.'

Sylvia hadn't pieced everything together, but the logic was flowing.

This woman was reawakened.

Once she factored this into account, all of her strange actions seemed to make sense.

The flow of time seemed to halt as Sylvia thought these things, a phenomena which she had experienced multiple times at this point.

If she considered that the woman had some sort of ability, then even the strangest of actions would make sense given the context of exactly what the ability was.

'So that leaves the question of what the ability actually is.'

However Sylvia knew that anyone who had been reawakened would not be so quick to discuss their ability.

Even if one believed they could trust someone, having an ability meant having an absolute advantage over others. This was especially critical when it came to dealing with other reawakened persons, as there were some abilities which could only be dealt with by those who also had an ability.

'My ability, reduce, could likely reduce the effectiveness of another user's ability, for example.'

As a result of this, giving out information on one's reawakening was something that nobody would willingly do unless they could truly trust a person.

After all, this was not an age of heroes who performed public services and were required to be registered - but an era of calamity filled with those who had no reason to use their abilities for anyone except themselves.

"We have already learned that the Unnumbered all have abilities, therefore there are likely dozens... maybe even hundreds or thousands of ability users out there in the world. Although most people don't have abilities, this will greatly affect the way that things play out throughout the world. Those who have been granted abilities will discover them just as Randov had, and will soon enough learn to use them… in ways unimaginable.'

While only a few days had passed since the start of the Calamity, Sylvia mused that anyone who had an ability would have at least noticed something different by this point. Those who had become Hosts had an advantage over the others in that they gained much more information on the situation very quickly, but if she didn't take advantage of this grace period then the world would become filled with powerful people that even she and Marcus might have trouble with.

'That's right... we've been wasting a lot of time, haven't we? Even though we were privy to such accelerated growth, there were also a number of setbacks. If we don't hurry up...'

At that moment, Sylvia came to a realization, however she didn't allow herself to show it, keeping the same dead gaze.

'Then the entire world will become a melting pot of reawakened... and we'll end up as nothing more than numbers.. again.'

[OOOH!!! You finally realized it!! I'm very proud of you, Sylvia!]

Unexpectedly, Number One shouted this out with excitement evident in her tone, giggling all the while.

[Hehehe... I thought you were never going to figure it out. After the fight with Randov, you were distracted quite a bit by the appearance of Three and her Host, but you lost sight of what the existence of one person who had been reawakened truly meant.]

And as Number One spoke, Sylvia too came to the very realization which should have been obvious.

[If you don't hone your abilities as a reawakened... then even someone like me or you might DIE.]

'If you might die, then why aren't you and Seven doing anything about it?'

[Ah... but we are. After all... we've invested in you two, haven't we?]

'So in the end, you just don't want to do the work yourselves?'

[That isn't what Seven intends, Sylvia. At least... I don't think so.]

Suddenly, One became quieter as she whispered, as if preventing someone from listening in - though there was nobody who could even attempt to hear this conversation within her thoughts.

[Seven... despite his hatred for humanity... wishes to give you all a chance.]

If she had a head to nod, she likely would have done so.

[In order for a Host and Parasite to merge, they must be of a shared will. They can still be different in personality or nature, but their mindsets must be aligned. And this is merely my own opinion, but I believe that Seven has selected his human with the intention of changing himself... just as he changes his host.]

'Why are you so focused on merging?'

[I suppose it's time to tell you. Don't tell Seven or Marcus, alright?]

Sylvia didn't react visibly to this question, but on the inside the shock was overwhelming her.

One was acting completely differently than usual, even going as far as to hide something from Seven - who Sylvia had thought she was completely loyal to in every manner.

[Reawakening is an ability that is deeply linked to a person's soul. It isn't something physical or mental, but something that is literally a part of a person's being.]

One began to explain the essence of Reawakening to Sylvia, who listened intently.

[Our original bodies are locked up in a room somewhere, and we don't even know where they are. So we were forced instead to obtain another body. This left us with a problem.]

[When we take over another body, there is another soul within. If this soul is not compatible with the ability, the Host will reject it and self destruct. If a soul is only partially compatible, then they will not be destroyed, however they must become more compatible in order to fully utilize the ability. If they become less compatible, self destruction is also a possibility.]

[To put it simply... you have to become compatible with us, or you will cease to exist.]

With this information, Sylvia could not contain her expression anymore as her eyes widened with shock.

[In other words, a complete merging would mean becoming completely compatible with the abilities we hold.]

However One, who revealed such critical information, didn't wait for Sylvia to regain her bearings as she continued.

[We could take the route that Two took of course, and merely kill off a person in order to take control of a new Host. This would be a workaround for having to train your minds to become compatible. However as Two has likely found out... this comes with some unexpected side effects.]

'What are these unexpected side effects?'

Putting her thought process back on track, Sylvia focused as she began to question everything once again.

[If you kill the Host that you take over, a forced merging will occur. You will not have to live with another soul within the same body, however your personality, morals, and thoughts will become mixed with those of the other person.]

'So the person we know to be Experiment Number Two is actually a hybrid of himself and the man who he overtook?'

[Yep.]

'And you and Seven and all the others who didn't kill their Hosts didn't do so because they instead wanted to merge naturally without having to change themselves?'

[Mhm.]

'But if we fail to become compatible with you... no... with the concepts that you have been awakened to... then we risk our own elimination?'

[That's correct.]

'What happens to you if we are erased from existence due to incompatibility?'

[Your souls will simply cease to exist. We will once again inhabit a body with only a single soul - our own, and that soul will be 100% compatible with the ability that it has been assigned.]

'That...'

[So with that being said, either way is fine to us. But you know, Seven is actually giving you two quite the chance here. Instead of merely driving you to incompatibility, he is waiting to see which direction you two take yourselves on your own.]

With a giggle, One made her final statement.

[I won't allow you to tell anyone what I've just told you. Not Marcus, not Seven, not anyone. After all, don't forget what my reawakening is.]

[Reduce.]

[Do you know why that is?]

[The burden placed upon me... the expectations which that man held for me to become the ultimate weapon... these things were all so heavy.]

[And if there was anything that I ever desired - it was for someone to lighten that load.]

With a sigh, One spoke in a strangely melancholy tone.

[There is nothing I have ever wanted more than for my own importance to be reduced.]

'And what if I wanted to reduce that burden by assisting you in carrying it?'

Yet the response which Sylvia had was one in which One could never have expected.

[Huh?]

'Would that be incompatible?'

And with a smile, Sylvia opened her eyes as time seemed to flow normally once more.

'Or would such an approach merely make me an even better candidate for this ability?'

----

"You just did something, didn't you?"

Sylvia found herself faced with suspicion as the white haired girl known as Eclaire uttered these words, crossing her arms all the while.

"You're an ability user as well?"

"How would you know such a thing?", Sylvia questioned.

"I'm... not quite sure. But I just had a feeling. And based on your reaction, I'm going to assume that this feeling is right."

As she made this statement, a smile drew itself across Eclaire's face.

"Hmm... so what did you do? Well, I guess I should reveal what I did myself first."

Leaning against a wall, the woman seemed to become more relaxed, despite the fact that she was outnumbered five to one in this scenario.

Perhaps she knew that Sylvia and the rest had no intention of attacking without reason, or perhaps she was merely that confident in her own abilities.

"You're probably wondering about it. How do I know so much? How did I know your names? How did I know about Lady Isabella? How did I know that you four claimed to be working for her? But more importantly than that... you're probably wondering why I would admit to you that I intend on betraying the Owner."

Gazing around her as if to make sure that nobody was listening in, the girl continued speaking with a lowered tone as she became more cautious.

"That all has to do with my ability. As of right now, we exist in a reality that will cease to exist in a few minutes. I will snap my fingers, and the world will be reset to a checkpoint that I set earlier. And from that point, I will move forward with the new knowledge I have obtained in order to create a better outcome than before - gaining more and more knowledge with each attempt."

Placing her hand to her chest as she stepped forward, the girl smiled proudly as she spoke.

"I am Eclaire Armstrong... and I am the holder of the ability RETRY."

"You can reset time to a certain point?"

It was George now who spoke up, baffled at the possibility - yet not all too surprised given the insanity that had surrounded him from the moment of this world's destruction.

"That is correct. Which is why I can tell you all of this, because you'll forget soon anyways. Despite how I may look, I am quite logical, and I consider information to be extremely important. Being able to speak and interact with people is critical in obtaining intelligence, however doing so will also reveal things about oneself."

Looking up to the sky, the woman let out a slight sigh as she spoke.

"Even the slightest movements and habits of a person can be used to get a better understanding of that person. Therefore even allowing yourself to interact with someone is allowing yourself to reveal certain things about yourself. But with this ability, I can interact with people and gain information on them without revealing anything about myself."

"How many times have we had this conversation?"

Speaking up this time now was Marcus, who seemed to be loosening his tie as if to get a breath of fresh air.

"Seven.", Eclaire responded immediately. "The first couple of times, I found out your basic information. After that, I tried attacking you a few times to find out your strength, however I was killed almost immediately by that girl."

Pointing to Isabella, Eclaire seemed to laugh to herself in a pathetic manner.

"She sliced off my head before I even had any time to fight anyone else - every single time."

Biting her cheek in a manner which could almost be described as cute, the woman continued to speak with a bitter tone.

"So I gave up on attacking, and instead decided to gain as much information as possible on you and your group. But what do you know? It looks like there's quite a bit more for me to learn."

"What if you were to keep this reality and we were to assist you in taking down that Hotel Owner?"

Cutting straight to the chase, Sylvia didn't miss a beat as she saw an opportunity, one which seemed to catch the attention of Eclaire.

"Oh? You would assist me in that? You did say that you weren't actually members of the Organization. Tell me then. What is your actual relationship with this girl? She isn't actually the heir to the Third Branch, is she?"

"She is."

Marcus stood forward, placing his hand on the back of the navy haired girl as he stood next to her with pride.

"She is the next heir, that much is true. Don't you know that a lie is best told when it's saturated in truth?"

"Eh? So if that's the case, then she is someone who Gerard might know?"

"I've met with Uncle on numerous occasions, though none of them were particularly pleasant. He seemed to be quite intent on obtaining me as an asset, however brother had no intention of selling me off. I believe that my evaluated worth was simply more than a purchase could cover."

The girl stated this coldly, free of emotion as she spoke up.

"Additionally, due to my young age I would have been sent to the lowest level - the one in which clients could pay high amounts for highly illegal activities. Well, my point is that my particular talents would have gone to waste if such a trade had occurred."

"You're... a sad thing, aren't you?"

Looking down upon Isabella, Eclaire couldn't help but to close her eyes in pity.

"I don't believe I am deserving of any sympathy. After all, I have obtained many great things even in recent times. Through my experiences with brother and now my experience with Master Marcus and Mistress Sylvia, I have learned much and I have gained much."

The woman became silent for a moment, thinking as she seemed to eye the girl with sadness in her expression.

"I see.", she whispered. "Well... the fact of the matter is that Yakov has probably already heard our conversation, so I can't exactly allow this reality to remain. But I have a proposal."

Stepping forward, the woman looked at each person with inspecting eyes, trying to read each of them.

"If I deem you all to be trustworthy, then I will act as the loyal servant of the Owner, and I will lead you to his banquet exactly as you all have planned. You will go there, and you will enact your plan - and even if things go South, I will assist you at the last moment. You will not know why or when, but you will suddenly find yourself gaining an ally from the shadows - and even in the case that everything goes wrong, you will still have a chance to RETRY."

Lowering her tone, Eclaire eventually stopped in front of the young girl as she spoke.

"And I will continue to retry until the moment we succeed."

And holding out her hand, Eclaire offered it to the girl.

"What do you say - Lady Stirling?"

"Hey, should you really be asking her?"

Raising an eyebrow at this decision, Bradley couldn't help but to speak up, however the words which Eclaire spoke next were those of an entrepreneur.

"If you are to serve this woman as your mistress, then you had best begin to act the part."

"So you're telling me that it's my duty to assist in her revenge?"

With a bright smile, the red haired man fixed his tie as he pressed this question.

"I suppose you could say that. However, looking at her... I don't believe that she holds any desire for revenge."

Analyzing the girl, Eclaire seemed to nod after looking at her for a few moments, coming to a conclusion.

"Rather... she is merely attempting to give herself purpose. Just like you, Four."

Holding out her hand once more, Eclaire reached to the young girl, who looked back to Marcus and Sylvia before looking up to the white haired woman.

"Master and Mistress... once before you told me to make my own decision. I made that decision at that time. Now, I will ask you both. Do you wish for me to obtain my own goal as well - or should I continue to serve you in order to achieve your goals?"

Marcus and Sylvia seemed to look at one another as Isabella asked this question, however with quick nods they seemed to come to an agreement.

"Isabella."

With gentle yet firm words, Marcus began his lecture as he placed his hand on the shoulder of the girl.

"There is no human in this world who doesn't have a desire for their life."

As if he were a father lecturing his daughter, the man looked up to the sky while he spoke with nostalgia in his tone.

"If it is your desire merely to serve us, then I have no qualms with such a thing."

Suddenly, the man gazed down at the girl with intensity.

"However if you truly do have a desire deep within you - one which has been hidden away under the veil of servitude and loyalty - then I would urge you to unearth it."

And then, with a wicked smile, the man spoke the words of a devil.

"Bring such a desire to the surface - and allow yourself to pursue such a thing."

"Even if my own desire is distorted?", the girl asked.

The man paused for just a moment, and silence seemed to fill the air - however this silence was broken by the black haired businesswoman.

"Especially if your desire is distorted... it is all the more reason to call you human."

- - - -

"If there is any desire within me... it is to cease being a burden to the two of you, and to become capable of serving you properly. Therefore... if taking this place down will assist me in doing so, I would like to do such a thing."

Thus, the girl made her declaration.

With disturbing smiles, Marcus and Sylvia both wrapped an arm around the girl, thinning their eyes as they spoke.

"I see... so that's how it is.", Sylvia chuckled.

"If that's the case, then we can't just ignore your heartfelt plea.", Marcus added.

Looking at the white haired woman, the two nodded in approval.

"Then I suppose we'll just have to raze this hotel to the ground... and everything that it stands for."

As the two said this, Isabella held forth her hand - and it met with the hand of Eclaire.

"Very well. I will take your offer. Please allow things to proceed as you have discussed. We will enter the Hotel and attend the banquet in accordance with our plan. Should you betray us... well, with the ability to reset to your own checkpoint, there isn't exactly anything we could do to prevent that regardless - no?"

With Eclaire's hand in her own, Isabella posed this critical question to Eclaire who merely smiled with a nod.

"You're right. I could betray you at any moment. And because this contract will not be remembered, none of you will be all the wiser."

Holding up a finger, the woman made one additional point.

"But on the other hand, that would mean that you have no reason to lie right now. Isn't that so?"

With a devious grin, Sylvia asked this question, to which Eclaire chuckled lightly herself.

"That too is true. After all... there is no need to deceive someone who doesn't exist in the first place."

At that moment, the woman let go of the hand of the girl, and she raised her hand as she prepared to snap her fingers.

"I'll see you all in the next reality. Hopefully this will be the last time I have to try this again."

----