Eldritch Horror Theatre

[Take it, or put it back and leave.]

It turned out there really was a difference between base metals and precious metals.

Compared to the note wrapped around the Key, the handwriting on the one tucked beneath the gold coin was much clearer.

At a glance, its very first sentence thoroughly grasped the brilliance of releasing in order to capture.

[The reward is not for what you have done, but for what you will do.]

The second sentence was even more coldly aloof, striking a posture that perfectly scratched a chuunibyou's itch.

And that was everything written on the note.

No contact info, no admissions office, no franchise hotline. The sense of destiny and mystery was maxed out.

Not to mention, just by casually weighing it in his hand, he could tell the gold coin's density was perfectly fine.

Hmph!

With a cold smile, Fu Qian folded the note. A moment later, he held the gold coin up to the light.

Unfortunately, regret was nothing more than self-glorification for the weak.

Any claims of "If only I had done that back then" had less than a ten percent chance of actually being acted upon, even if given a second chance.

For someone who had bided his time for years to finally gather the traits of "ordinary," "middle schooler," and "receiving a mysterious item," how could he possibly allow this summons to be blasphemed by regret?

This was the courage to face his destiny directly; it had absolutely nothing to do with the engraving on the gold coin.

His gaze fell on the gleaming reward, and Fu Qian blinked.

It didn't depict a skull or demon horns. It was the silhouette of a human back, rendered in just a few lines.

Though simple, it was clearly the work of a master—slender and alluring at a single glance.

Coupled with the coin's smooth golden surface, it made one spontaneously want to see what the front looked like.

...

Truly professional. Without missing a beat, it had gathered every element needed to spur a hero onto their journey.

As a master of abduction himself, Fu Qian offered a colleague's appreciation for this new element introduced on the coin.

Of course, a gentleman helps others fulfill their wishes. He harbored no rebellious intentions toward it, quietly letting the gold coin roll between his fingers.

Ping—

With a soft chime, the gold coin flipped high into the air.

Instead of reaching out to catch it, Fu Qian turned and pulled open his jacket pocket.

He naturally wasn't playing some coin-tossing game to leave the future up to fate; he was merely striking a pose to pocket it.

A true warrior never let probability take the blame.

The moment he stepped out of the school gates, this man—who would eventually be hailed as the Lord of the Rings by numerous Gods—had absolutely no intention of ever attending class properly again.

Silently, the gold coin dropped into his pocket in a smooth, fluid arc.

Fu Qian's footsteps were just as smooth.

Without a hint of reluctance or the slightest intention of cleaning up the aftermath, he turned and left the room.

Then the building.

That was right. Although he had accepted the gold coin, Fu Qian had no intention of waiting around.

With such a flawless setup, there was absolutely no reason for it to start strong and end weak.

A true calling of destiny always maxed out the sense of fate. Once accepted, there was no escape; hiding in a school restroom would be useless anyway.

Accept the deal, then wait in place, or even stand by the road for a designated car to pick him up?

That would completely ruin the aesthetic. A car pulling up beside him while he casually strolled down the street—now that was more like it.

A moment later, as Fu Qian surveyed the city from a brand-new perspective—having already left the vicinity of the building and stepped into the neon-lit streets—a powerful engine roared behind him, followed by the sharp screech of brakes.

Either sound would normally grab a young man's immediate attention.

However, despite the sudden commotion, Fu Qian didn't pause his steps or cast a single glance backward.

Sorry, but as a chosen one, these worldly creations had long since faded from his awareness.

"Hello there, young man."

A few seconds later—perhaps feeling that restarting the car to crawl after him would be too humiliating—the window closest to the curb rolled down. Half of a heavily bearded face leaned into view, calling out to him.

As for the other half, it was hidden behind a massive pair of sunglasses.

...

"Hello."

Maintaining a lofty posture didn't mean abandoning politeness. On the contrary, the latter was often a crucial component of the former.

Faced with the proactive greeting, Fu Qian finally stopped walking. He cast a scrutinizing glance at the newcomer and gave a slight nod.

Naturally, his expressionless, aloof demeanor absolutely had to be maintained.

"Call me Oz. Get in."

The older man in the sunglasses had probably been waiting to answer a question like, "Why are you here?"

Unfortunately, after returning the greeting, the ordinary middle schooler standing before him showed no intention of asking anything. He merely sized the man up with sleepy, listless eyes, as if waiting for a performance.

Naturally, even having taken the initiative to speak, the man's imposing aura clearly still needed to be preserved.

Gesturing toward the back seat with his chin, he coldly motioned for the boy to get in after his self-introduction, without the slightest intention of explaining further.

To his slight relief, the young man didn't show much doubt or hesitation. Giving a single nod, he pulled the door open and climbed right into the backseat.

"I might not be able to pay the fare."

Naturally, the first thing he said after the car started was quite unexpected.

"Heh... It's fine. If you couldn't afford it, I wouldn't have shown up."

Oz paused in surprise for a moment before answering with a smile.

...

"You mean this?"

Understanding the man's words seemed to require a bit of logical thinking.

Looking thoughtful, Fu Qian promptly pulled out the gold coin and held it up.

"Yeah. It seems you don't dislike Gold, and coincidentally, neither do I."

The man didn't even turn his head, adhering strictly to the principles of safe driving.

Even while speeding through the night, he hadn't taken off his sunglasses.

"Later on, if you fail the test, I'll take that as the fare."

Sure enough, there was a Phase Two of the exam. Just as expected for the selection of those who would control the God-Slaying Power.

Oz's explanation left Fu Qian feeling a mix of profound emotion and high-spirited fighting intent.

"But what if I pass the test? Wouldn't you still miss out on your fare?"

Naturally, these soaring emotions didn't cloud his logical thinking. A moment later, he pointed out the loophole in the man's conditions.

...

Oz fell into a brief silence, staring blankly into the rearview mirror.

"Don't worry... if you pass the test, everything you possess will be taken to pay the fare."

Ultimately, this small question failed to stump him.

"So that's how it is... Then that Key—you guys sent it to me?"

Faced with this less-than-ideal future, Fu Qian gazed out at the night scenery flashing past the window and suddenly brought up the very beginning of the story.

"Yes."

"The purpose?"

"You've already accepted the gold coin, yet you're still hung up on this question?"

Returning to his area of expertise, Oz seemed to regain his confidence, letting out a string of low chuckles.

"Of course, it was to tempt you into abandoning your mundane life and falling into the cruel Abyss."

"And you've made a foolish decision."

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