Number 7

"Welcome, welcome! Please let an employee know if you're unable to find anything! They're always happy to help!"

Standing at the front of a department store greeting the people as they filed in was a man whose head was completely hairless.

Not only was his head hairless, but he had no eyebrows - for this particular man had been born without hair.

"How are you doing today? Good? Wonderful! Hahaha... oh! Hey! Nice to see you again! How's the work going? Oh... is that so. Sorry to hear that. Yes. Yes. I totally get it. Alright. See you!"

As if his batteries had been overclocked, the man's expression was filled with energy which seemed strangely unnatural as he sped from one customer to another, talking at a rate which far exceeded normal.

"Ah... I think it's about time to head back."

After the flow of customers seemed to halt, the man headed off towards the back of the store.

He would travel through the back, heading to the top floor of the warehouse where his camera room was located.

'I suppose it's time to check up on the employees.'

----

'Hm? What's this?'

Sitting now in a room filled with more camera screens than one could count, the man swirled in his chair as he glanced from one to the next, eventually landing on one in particular.

A man was scanning items with a dead expression on his face.

'Ah... that one. He's been quite troublesome recently, hasn't he? Does he not understand what it means to serve the customers? And his accounting... has been off.'

With a grimace, the man tapped his finger on the desk as he hunched closer, glaring into the camera as if his malice could be felt through it.

And perhaps it could - for the man who he glared at seemed to look around him with concern.

'His name... Percy, if I am not wrong. Yes... his counting has been quite off... and even though he has gone through the simulation a couple of times now... haha... it seems that he has become quite friendly with that girl... Amelia, I believe her name was?'

Crushing the can inside his hand, the drink within sprayed out with an immense force, spouting upwards before it came down to the ground with a splatter.

'Haha... as if I would allow such a scandalous relationship to occur... within MY corporation.'

Grabbing a towel, the man wiped off his hand as he stood up to head off.

'I suppose I'll have to talk with the two of them as soon as their shift it over.'

----

"Percy. Amelia. Do you two understand why I have called you here today?"

Randov was now in another office - his main office within the department store.

While he could still witness the cameras from here, he would have to view everything on a single screen. It was annoying, but he would often use this office when it came to discussion with his employees - especially given that this place was a mere department store on the surface.

"No Sir."

Straightening himself up was a young man in his twenties whose very essence seemed to emanate complete exhaustion.

His hair was a wreck. The bags under his eyes were so grand that it appeared as if someone had written on him with a black marker. His outfit was a mess, and his tie seemed to be barely hanging on to his neck.

Everything about this boy shouted that he had a complete and utter disregard for his appearance.

"I... don't know why you've called us here."

He spoke with a quivering voice, and his eye seemed to twitch as he stood before his boss, who merely tapped his finger onto his desk as he glanced over to his computer, keeping one of his eyes focused on watching the cameras while speaking to the two before him.

"I see. I see. You don't know. Very well, Percy. I understand. Then... Amelia. What about you? Do you know why I have called you here?"

"Have... we done something wrong?"

Speaking as she glanced away from the man was a girl who spoke in a submissive tone, gripping her forearm nervously as she spoke.

This girl too gave off the appearance of someone who was overworked beyond measure. Split ends covered her hair, and her eyes were just as filled with bags, if not more so. At least her outfit seemed to be somewhat in line, or at least compared to that of the one beside her.

"The amount of things wrong with this picture... hahaha.... I don't even know where to start. But I suppose..."

Standing up, the bald man grabbed the tie of his employee, tightening it with a jolt to the point where the boy began to choke in desperation.

"Ugh!!! Urgh!! Cough!!!"

Falling to the ground as the girl jumped back with wide eyes, the one known as Percy gasped for breath as he loosened the tie.

"I'll start with your unkempt appearance."

"I'm sorry, boss... I just... urgh... I... the numbers... the numbers... I was trying to count them... I forgot... I forgot about... oh... oh no."

His eyes becoming wide, Percy came to a realization.

'I lost my place.'

"This... is the second issue."

Pacing back and forth, the man gripped the microphone on his collar.

"Send two men here to escort a couple of employees to the chamber."

[Understood. How many seconds will they be going in?]

A static voice replied immediately to the man, who merely smiled as he heard this.

"Let's seeee... how many seconds... how many seconds indeed. Why don't we find out?"

Turning off the microphone, Randov grabbed the collar of Percy, yanking him up.

"Disgusting appearance. Ten seconds."

Appraising the boy up and down, whose eyes went wide in horror as he gasped for air, the man spoke words which invoked a terror beyond belief into both of the employees.

"Rebellious attitude. Ten seconds."

Throwing the boy to the side, the man sat down at his desk once more, folding his hands as he glanced at the girl, who wanted to rush over to the boy yet did not out of pure fear.

"Showing such a disgraceful display to the beloved customers. Ten MINUTES."

At that moment, a couple of bodyguards bursted into the room, each heading towards an employee as they stood above them, ready to escort the two to their punishment.

"This is punishment for the two of you... therefore it will be split fifty fifty."

At this statement, the girl fell to her knees in despair.

She did not say a word - and the look in her eyes became completely despondent - void of even the slightest glint of hope.

"But out of all the mistakes you made... there is one which is completely and absolutely... unforgivable."

Thinning his eyes as the men grabbed the two, who were barely present mentally at that time as they were picked up, a vein burst in Randov's head as he declared the sentence.

"Losing your place. Ten HOURS."

As he made this statement, a sentence far worse than death was made.

As if he were a judge in a courtroom, the man watched the two be taken off, completely and utterly ruined.

They did not beg or plead for forgiveness - for these two understood well that such an action would be completely and utterly pointless.

'Yet most importantly... was the fact that you two failed to realize something.'

Holding his head as an irritated expression overcame him, the man quickly calmed himself as he thought in the silence.

'I will not allow even the slightest whisper of love to exist among my employees.'

----

'Not again.'

'Not again not again not again....'

'Anything but that...'

'Five hours? Even if it's split between us... FIVE HOURS!?!?!'

Percy had lost control of his body.

It was as if he had given in to death.

He was taken into the room, carried alongside Amelia, who was terrified out of her wits just as much as Percy was.

The machine was something which should not exist.

It was a contraption conceived by a mind so devious that Percy would not be surprised if such a person was the devil himself.

Even seconds inside of it was enough punishment to make death seem appealing.

And yet now... he would have to endure its torment for hours.

'What did I do to deserve this... this... this.... this.... this... this...'

His mind caught on a loop.

'Ah.'

'That's right.'

Tears forming, the boy looked up to the guard who was carrying him, who seemed to be completely focused on performing his task without any emotional attachment.

'I lost count.'

'One.'

'Two.'

'Three.'

Thus, the boy counted.

'Four.'

'Five.'

'Six.'

He began to count, and as he was hooked up onto the machine - not for a single second did he stop.

'Seven.'

'Eight.'

'Nine.'

Never again would he lose track.

Never again would he fail to keep a perfect record.

Never again would he repeat this mistake.

"Sorry kid. This isn't personal. Just the boss's orders."

Thus, the headgear was placed on the boy, and the flip was switched - and at that instant, the boy fell into the land of nightmares.

However as the boy was put into the torment, his body reeling and twitching as he experienced the horrors, the girl watched in terror, biting her nails with such frustration that her fingers began to bleed.

Tears formed in her eyes, and these tears soon turned red as the vessels within her eyes burst, out of fear for herself and out of remorse for the boy who was going through such things.

'Why... do things have to be this way?'

'How did we get into this situation?'

'Why is this world... so cruel?'

These were the thoughts that the girl had before an electrical impulse shot out of the machine, hitting each and every one of the people present.

And at that moment, the girl began to feel woozy.

The machine stayed on, yet as she fell to the ground, she heard the thuds of a couple more people falling.

'What... is this?'

'I'm falling asleep?'

'Before I'm even in the machine?'

'No...'

'Not yet...'

'The nightmare... isn't supposed to start... just yet....'

These were the last thoughts of the girl before she fell into a deep slumber.

However unfortunately for this girl, the nightmare had begun.

----

'Why is it not satisfactory?'

'Why... am I not on top?'

As he glared at a particular tab, Randov viewed the stock market.

His company was currently placed at number 4.

'I've done everything.... everything that the Commander told me to.... he told me that his plans would even go beyond his death... and look at this. Look at this!!! HOW AM I NOT NUMBER 1!?!?!?'

'I've done everything.'

'Everything.'

'Everything.... and yet... for whatever reason... I can't reach it.'

'Why am I not the one controlling this nation yet?'

'How much power have I obtained? And yet it is still not enough.'

As the man sat in his chair, switching screens on his computer, he grit his teeth as he spoke - however it was at that moment that there was a flicker of light.

'Eh? A power surge?'

However that flicker of light only lasted a moment, for in that instant, a blast of electricity lit up the man's shiny head.

Then, in a daze, the man's head fell to his desk with a thud.

'Ugh... what is this?'

'Exhaustion?'

'I don't need sleep. I need answers. I need to work. I need to... ensure... that my employees... are doing... their jobs...'

However, the man could not stay awake.

For no amount of willpower could overcome the phenomena which had occurred all throughout the world on that night.

Thus... Randov's apocalypse began.

----

'Ugh... why am I so tired? Did I overwork myself?'

Slowly, Randov's eyes opened as he sat up on his desk.

'Huh?'

However the office in which he currently sat was no longer an office.

"What... what happened here?"

Groggily, the man stood up as he took in his surroundings - for everything around him seemed to be filled with the aura of rot.

The wooden beams seemed to be falling apart. A must filled the air which was pungent to the nose, and most importantly - his computer was turned off.

"The cameras... I need to check the cameras..."

Reaching under his desk to turn the computer on, the man realized that for whatever reason it failed to do so.

"A power outage? Tsk.... why didn't the employees turn on the backup generators? Do I have to do everything myself?"

Standing up, the man headed towards the door as he cracked his back.

However upon opening the door, the bald man stopped in his path, freezing with terror upon witnessing the monstrocity before him.

Standing in the hallway was one of his body guards - however the man standing before him was no human.

His entire face had been rearranged, torn apart in disgusting manner.

Blood covered the man's torso, and he slowly turned while groaning as he approached Randov.

"Grrr...."

"Wha... what happened to you!?", Randov shouted - however quickly he realized that the creature was approaching him.

"Hey... stay back!! Stop right there! That's an order!!!"

However the creature would no longer listen to the one who once was able to order him around - for this creature no longer had a mind nor a will.

"Rargh!!!"

Lifting up a clawed hand, the creature struck at the face of the man.

"STOP!!!!!"

Bang!

Opening his eyes as he shielded himself, Randov looked to his side to realize that for whatever reason, the blow had been diverted - instead hitting the wall beside him.

'What... just happened?'

However the zombie, who seemed to be just slightly confused, once more raised his hand.

"Stop."

Yet this hand which was raised immediately was placed at the side of the zombie as soon as the man spoke, as if it were obeying him.

'What is this?'

Backing up as he inspected the creature, the man stopped his trembling as he eyed it up and down.

However as he did so, the zombie once more started walking towards him.

"Stop attacking me.", he stated calmly.

At which the creature immediately did so, turning around as its attention was focused elsewhere.

It began to walk away, completely ignoring the man now.

'It's... listening to me? No... let me try something.'

"Stay put."

As Randov made this statement however, the creature continued its walking.

'I can't tell it to stay put?'

"Stop what you are doing."

Turning around once more, the creature now turned its focus not on Randov, but on the window of his office.

Heading over to the window, the creature raised its hand once more.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing to my office!?"

Just as the creature's swing was about to reach the window, something happened.

As if the momentum of its swing was completely negated, the fist flung in a different direction, keeping its momentum yet aimed elsewhere.

It was something that didn't appear right to Randov. It seemed to go against the laws of physics, the way the direction had just reversed instantaneously like that.

'It was... redirected?'

What was happening?

Was this all his imagination?

No, such a thing could not be.

The thing before him was a monster.

Without a doubt, it had attacked him with the intent to kill - and perhaps consume him.

It had no mind to think, and yet when Randov made the order its actions would change.

However when he ordered it to halt all action, it had simply ignored such an order.

'I can... redirect it?'

An object in motion will stay in motion.

The momentum of an object will not change unless an external force acts upon it.

Placing his hand to his chin in thought, this principal, which he had learned at some point during the time in which he was building up his business, came to mind.

'It seems that I don't have the power to change the momentum of an object... but I have the power to change its direction.'

And in that instant, an epiphany struck.

As if a lightbulb had lit inside his head, Randov was filled with a strange amount of understanding of his ability.

It was as if a voice whispered inside his mind, yet that voice said no actual words - he merely knew.

'I have the power to redirect.'

----

It was a supernatural phenomena.

It was something which Randov could not possibly understand, and yet he understood - as if it was a part of him his entire life.

'This power...'

Everything around him had become strange.

The world was corrupted.

The people had turned into rotten creatures, their flesh deteriorating and their bodies rendered with horrid wounds.

Their minds were taken from them, and they were no longer able to speak or think.

And yet, right now, in this unpredictable situation, Randov smiled.

"Heh..."

His eyes thinned with delight as he picked up a pencil from his desk, throwing it with his hand as he watched it before he thought of his command.

'Go up.'

And as soon as he thought this, the pencil shot upwards with such force that it penetrated the ceiling, sticking itself straight through the concrete.

Looking over to the creature which was standing by his window, the man picked up a pen.

Tossing it up with a flick as it rotated in the air, the man moved his arm forward, as if to orchestrate his motions.

And as he did this, the pen shot forward.

Splat!

Piercing the creature straight through its mind, the zombie let out a groan before falling to the ground - a hole straight through its head.

'I see.'

With a grin, the man headed towards the hallway as he made his way to the warehouse.

'It would seem that finally... my desire has been achieved. Commander... did you plan this too, or was this outside of your calculations which went beyond even your death?'

Covering his delirious grin with his hand, the man held in his laughter as he came to one conclusion - that he had obtained an otherworldly power in a world where such a thing would be almost necessary to survive.

Now, truly, he could become Number One - and nobody would be able to stop him.

'It would seem that I've finally redirected myself from the bottom... to the very top of this world.'