“A press conference?”
“Yes,” Ryan nodded as he sat opposite Chris in the large office of the skyscraper, a view of the city behind him.
It had only been a day since Chris and his friends had defeated the final Boss of the Mighty Peaks Dungeon and returned to the real world, and they had been immediately whisked off to the building they were currently in almost as soon as they’d appeared outside the door.
“But…right now?” Chris sighed.
“In a few hours, yes,” Ryan nodded before continuing, “Chris, you’re probably the most powerful Diver in the world right now, and we need to let people know about you. Part of the process for becoming officially registered with the Diver’s Association is agreeing to have your basic information made public.”
“So, what?” Chris asked nervously, “I have to share all my Stats and Skills?”
“Of course not,” Ryan chuckled, “Just your level, Class and Job will be fine. Look, I know this is sudden, but this press conference will also be the official opening of the Diver’s Association. I’d really appreciate it if you could speak.”
“I…” Chris muttered, before sighing, “Okay, I’ll do it. All I have to say is what my level, Class and Job is, right? I won’t need to make a speech or any statements?”
“None at all,” Ryan nodded, “Thank you.”
“So…what do I do now?”
“Whatever you want,” Ryan chuckled, “As long as you’re back before the press conference. Go get something to eat and drink, though no alcohol.”
“Right,” Chris chuckled as he left the room, waving to Ryan as he closed the door, the man nodding back as he returned to work.
“So,” Ayla hummed from beside him, making Chris jump slightly at her sudden appearance, “I hear you’re free for the next few hours? Want to get that coffee?”
“Oh! Sure,” Chris blushed as she grinned at him, the two heading towards the elevators.
It took them a few minutes to reach the ground floor of the building, walking over to the small café that was built into the place. Chris quickly placed his order, Ayla laughing.
“What?” he asked.
“A Mochaccino?” she teased, “Aren’t real men supposed to only drink coffee black with no sugar?”
“I don’t see how that matters?” Chris frowned; the woman suddenly blushing as she turned away.
“Sorry,” she muttered, before smiling at the barista, “I’ll have the same.”
“What was that about?” Chris asked as they sat at a table, waiting for their drinks to be made.
“Right, sorry,” Ayla sighed, looking at him apologetically, “Army humor. You have to be prepared to rip into everyone, otherwise they’ll just rip into you. Well, they’ll do it anyway, but you need to be ready to fire back just as hard.”
“I see,” Chris nodded, “Well, as long as it doesn’t get too bad, I don’t mind all that much.”
“Really?” Ayla chuckled, “Even when I question your masculinity?”
“I don’t really care about that stuff,” he shrugged, “Never really interested or affected me all that much.”
“Good to know, I’ll make sure not to hold back then,” the woman laughed, before giving him a wink, “Just kidding, I won’t make fun of you…too much.”
“I appreciate it,” Chris grinned back, looking up as their order was called, “I’ll go grab the coffees.”
Ayla nodded as he got up from the table, hurrying over to the counter and grabbing their drinks. He quickly returned, handing her the coffee and sitting back down.
“So, uhm…” he said nervously, “Sorry, this is kind of my first real date in…well, ever. What do we do now?”
“Really?” Ayla giggled, “Well, same here. You don’t get much time for real romance in the army, just the occasional casual hook up. How about we just get to know each other a bit better? Well, better than killing a dragon together, at least.”
“Sounds good,” Chris nodded as they started to talk.
------
“Do I have to wear my armor?” Chris asked as he put the gold-colored gauntlet on.
“Yes,” Ryan nodded, “It gives you a heroic quality, exactly the type of image we’re trying to portray for you.”
“I’m hardly a hero, though,” the man sighed, “I mean, up until half a year ago, I was an unemployed bum living in my parent’s house.”
“And now you’re not,” Ryan chuckled as he patted the man on the shoulder, “Just say your lines, and this’ll be over quickly.”
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
“Right,” Chris nodded, watching as Ryan walked confidently out onto the stage, camera flashes and questions suddenly filling the air.
It took about ten minutes, Ryan expertly dodging questions as he gave a simple speech, before he turned to look at Chris, nodding his head as the man walked out on stage.
“Hello,” Chris said as confidently as he could as he stood behind the podium, “My name is Christopher Trevor Sanders, a Diver for the Diver’s Association.”
The barrage of shouted questions hit him like a wall of force, making him sweat as he looked out over the sea of reporters and camera people. Swallowing nervously, he continued the lines he’d been given.
“I am proud to be a part of this new endeavor, and hope to prove myself to all that I am strong and trustworthy.”
“How strong are you?!” a reporter shouted, “Are you stronger than the lead Chinese Diver?”
“My current level is twelve,” Chris said, the reporters falling quiet for a moment as they muttered to each other, “I possess the S Rank War Magister Class, and the A Rank Master Alchemist Job. I look forward to working with the Diver’s Association in the future. Thank you.”
The questions returned in full force as he started to walk off the stage, pausing as the doors at the back of the room suddenly burst open, three people strolling in like they owned the place. The reporters also paused, looking back at the three men as they walked down the middle aisle, grinning and waving as they went.
“Excuse me,” Ryan said as the men reached the stage, trying to step up onto it, “But who are you?”
“Us?” the apparent leader laughed, “We’re the strongest Divers your little association is ever gonna see!”
“I highly doubt that,” Ryan chuckled, glancing over at Chris as the man sighed.
“Says you!” one of the others snorted, “We’ve got C Rank Classes, and the boss has a B Rank Class!”
“Well then,” Ryan nodded, “I am sure we can accommodate you all, but you’ll need to go to the front desk to register first.”
“Register?” the boss sneered, looking over at Chris, before he jumped onto the stage, standing right in front of the armored man, “Why would we need to register? You should be begging us to join.”
“I doubt that,” Chris sighed, “Please go to the front desk and register like everyone else.”
“What?” the other man growled, looking Chris up and down, “You think that just because you have some fancy armor you get to boss us around?”
“No,” Chris replied flatly, “But you’re causing a scene. Please go to the front desk to register.”
“Really now?” the man growled, turning away as he shook his arms, before spinning back and slamming his fist into Chris’s chest with a shout, “No one ever tell you gold is soft?!”
The sound of breaking bones filled the room as the reporters gasped, the man blinking as he looked at his crushed hand, before falling to his knees and screaming in pain.
“Yes,” Chris nodded as he looked down at the sobbing figure, “But from what I understand, a Mithril and Orichalcum alloy is extremely hard.”
“What the fuck?” one of the other two gasped, “But the boss can dent steel with his punch!”
“My armor isn’t steel,” Chris shrugged, “Now, please go register at the front desk, then you’ll have access to the services of our Healers.”
“Fuck you!” the man on the stage gasped, staggering to his feet as he glared at Chris, “Who the fuck do you think you are, bastard?”
“A Diver,” Chris replied flatly, “With an S Rank Class and A Rank Job. I also possess several powerful Titles, the most recent of which is called ‘Dragon Slayer’. Can you say the same?”
“B-bullshit!” the man spat, his face going white, “Prove it!”
“How?” Chris asked, “Others can’t see our Status screens. Do you want me to hit you like you just did me? I’m sorry, but I’m not very good at holding back my strength, so you’ll most probably die.”
“What?” the man said, his face somehow going even paler, “What the fuck are you?”
“Stronger than you,” Chris shrugged again, “Now, please go register at the front desk, and we’ll have our Healers take care of your hand.”
“B-boss,” the third man finally spoke up, looking around as the reporters were furiously taking notes and photos, “L-let’s just go register, right?”
“This isn’t over,” the man hissed at Chris as he staggered off the stage, the other two helping him walk out of the room as he cradled his hand.
Chris gave a tired sigh as he watched them leave, before blinking as the flashes and questions intensified, quickly hurrying off stage as Ryan tried to calm the reporters down.
------
“That was hilarious!” Elizabeth cackled as the five of them sat in the living room of the apartment Chris had been given in the Diver’s Association building, “That guy looked like he was about to pee himself in terror!”
“I really would have preferred if that didn’t happen, though,” Chris sighed, blushing as Ayla leaned against him, a coy smile on her lips.
“Well, I think you handled the situation very well,” she cooed, “It was pretty hot to see you just deny him like that.”
“Ew,” the younger girl laughed, “Straight people flirting.”
“Enough ladies,” Alan laughed, “Can’t you see Chris is embarrassed?”
“That’s half the fun,” Ayla chuckled, even as she sat back up, “Anyway, what are we going to do now? I mean, we’ve all technically been hired by the Diver’s Association, so we’re going to have a bunch more free time.”
“Way to shove it in my face,” Jessica pouted from where she’d been sulking on a couch, “I can’t join until I turn eighteen next month. That’s so far away!”
“It’ll be fine,” Alan tried to comfort her, “At least you’re still allowed to access the facilities to train and practice and stuff.”
“Still unfair,” the girl huffed, “I’m going to be so far behind you four when I can finally join back up!”
“What makes you say that?” Elizabeth asked, “I mean, you and I promised we’d become Diver’s together, didn’t we? So, I’m not doing anything until you’re fully registered.”
“Really?” Jessica gasped, jumping off the couch and tackling her friend in a hug, “Thank you!”
“I don’t think any of us want to do much until we’ve all had a good rest as well,” Chris chuckled as he watched the two girls, “So how about we just wait for you to turn eighteen, then we’ll all see about going into another Dungeon, okay?”
“You sure?” Jessica asked, looking down in worry, “But what if like, other people get stronger than you in that time?”
“Then good for them,” Chris shrugged, “I’m not that interested in being the strongest or the best, I just want to make sure you guys are safe and okay.”
“Aw, that’s so sappy,” Ayla laughed as she poked him in the side, “You’re such a softy. But I like that about you.”
“Thanks?” Chris blushed as the others laughed, the group falling into comfortable conversation soon after.
------
Thousands of miles away, a woman sat watching the wide screen television in interest.
“Hey sis,” the young man said in Chinese as he walked into the room, “What you watching?”
“The press conference for the opening of the American Diver’s Association,” she replied in kind.
“What, they finally opened it?” the teen laughed, “We’ve had our Diver’s Guild for months already, those Americans are always so slow.”
“Hmmm,” the woman nodded as she watched the screen, looking at the man in the gold and red armor as he towered of the sobbing fool that had attacked him, “How…interesting.”
“Hey,” her brother said as she stood from the couch she’d been sitting on, walking towards the door, “Where’re you going, sis?”
“Why,” Xiu Ming hummed, “To America, of course.”
