Ch 103

  Matt absorbed the two messages he had just received, contemplating their implications. The first message was relatively straightforward, concerning the merit system. This was anticipated due to the previous error message that had been received, although the introduction of a merit store raised several questions. These questions, however, would have to wait as he turned his attention to the second message. This message highlighted the importance of not only expanding their numbers to grow their organization but also enhancing its reputation. The key question was whether their reputation could fluctuate both up and down and exactly what the newly unlocked controls could do. With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Matt opened a new screen he hadn’t accessed before—a status screen for Scattered Stars, revealing new possibilities.

  This screen differed from the one displaying his own status; it resembled a menu designed for navigating through various screens. While most of these were blank, a few options like "Member List," "Reputation Records," and "Organization’s Notice" were clearly labeled. As Matt quickly skimmed through them, he began to grasp the scope of what he was dealing with. However, upon opening menus labeled "Basic" and "Simple Controls," Matt found himself reconsidering the suggestions others had started to make, as he felt increasingly confused. The source of his confusion was that unlocking the menu didn’t automatically activate any controls. Instead, he needed to spend 500 reputation points to select which controls to activate.

  A quick glance at these options only added to the problems Matt was encountering, as there was only one option under basic controls that he was confident he was going to activate. The vice leader management access, even without spelling anything out, Matt realized this was going to be his lifeline. With just 10 points of reputation, it would allow him to breathe a sigh of relief. He turned to Emily and Greg to explain his discovery, his eyes darting between them as he spoke. Once he finished, he posed a simple but crucial question to the pair.

  “Who among us is best suited to handling all the intricacies of managing Scattered Stars?”

  There was a long pause as Emily and Greg contemplated the question, their brows furrowed in thought. Emily was the first to break the silence.

  “It really depends on if path’s skills can be utilized within the menu,” she remarked thoughtfully.

  “Even if they can’t, I still think you’re the better choice,” Greg replied with a nod. “I might have a slight advantage for this initial part because it sounds like it’s organized in a way I’m more accustomed to, but your path aligns with it better.”

  “I feel like I would be better suited to an administrative role,” Emily countered, her expression earnest. “Matt, can you check if you have an option for the same thing with an administrator instead of a vice leader?”

  Just as Matt was about to respond, a new system message appeared before them all.

  Prepare to exit current space as you are returned to the Darkened Expanse dungeon.

  You will arrive at the same point you entered the unnamed instance dungeon.

  In an instant, the surroundings began to transform, and they suddenly found themselves back at the location where the door they had entered had once stood. Exhausted and burdened with more questions than answers, they swiftly concluded that, aside from appointing Jaelyn as a recruiter, their best course of action was to return to the last saferoom they had used and rest. After several hours and a few skirmishes, they finally settled into the saferoom, preparing to sleep when Tempormr reached out to Matt.

  "Once again, I only have a moment to explain, so I hope you understand what I'm telling you. Normally, to enter a dungeon like the one you're currently in, you would need a permit issued by the very type of organization you just founded. This is why I didn't want you to reach the surface; while I could have pulled some strings to get you a permit, it would have complicated matters significantly. Now, it would be impossible, as you would be eliminated to prevent a rival organization from emerging before it gained strength. This is where your luck comes into play—being from a newly integrated world grants you time to establish yourself before confronting the dangers posed by your more established rivals.

  "However, even then, you will find yourselves at a significant disadvantage as only one out of the last ten worlds had any of the organizations founded by them survive. This means over 50 organizations had their founders killed, leading to their forced dissolution before they could become fully established. The manner in which you founded your organization will offer some advantages, as starting with 500 reputation points will enable you to navigate the most challenging issues more quickly. Nevertheless, you need to achieve 10,000 reputation points before your world's integration is complete, and unfortunately, I can't specify how much time you have left for that. Just be aware that there will still be some time remaining after you return to your world before the rest of the universe gains access to it.

  "So, ultimately, your focus should be on recruiting loyal members, ideally those who are powerful and capable of achieving great accomplishments. Merely concentrating on increasing your numbers can backfire; if many of your members perish, it can tarnish your reputation significantly. This could result in losing access to the resources and opportunities you have painstakingly unlocked, in the exact reverse order of acquisition. Even worse, they will be forcibly reselected in the same sequence you originally chose them, which means you cannot use the loss as a chance to refine your strategy. Now, as our time together comes to an end, my final piece of advice is to remain concealed until you are fully prepared to dominate everything that surrounds you."

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  Matt wanted to ask even more questions about what exactly he had gotten himself into and what the one who had succeeded had done to make it possible. However, there would be none of that due to the arbitrary rules that seemed to dictate if and when he was allowed to communicate with Tempormr. Feeling the need to share some of what he had just learned with all the new members—since it was clear Jaelyn was preoccupied, with 100 more members having joined—Matt decided to update his organization’s notice. He opened a blank screen with a text box that currently displayed a single sentence: “First notice is free of charge, every notice after that costs one point of reputation.” Despite the potential cost of one reputation point for changing it the next morning, Matt felt that getting the information out there now was vitally important.

  After calling Emily and Elanor over, he set about crafting a simple yet effective message that would serve as both a welcome and a warning to all who encountered it. The message read: "Welcome to Scattered Stars. While I would love to greet you in person, circumstances unfortunately prevent me from doing so at this time. Therefore, this message will have to suffice for now. It will also serve to explain our identity and our mission. In essence, we are individuals who have been scattered from Earth, determined to seize the moment and forge a prosperous future. Consequently, each member must be prepared to stand independently, as the chaos we find ourselves in demands it of us all."

  Matt felt that his initial message was somewhat off from what he truly wanted to convey, but both Emily and Eleanor reassured him that it was an improvement over the blunt version he had originally considered sending. With their encouragement, Matt finally closed the menu after marking the notice as complete. Moments later, everyone except him received a notification indicating that the organization’s notice had been updated. Observing this, Matt sighed deeply, relinquishing his worries as he settled into his chair. Exhaustion overtook him, yet his mind continued to drift toward the tasks that still awaited completion for the organization.

  When they next awoke, they received the news that an additional 213 members had joined Scattered Stars. This development added to Matt's growing concern that Jaelyn might be going overboard with her recruitment efforts. Among several pressing matters, this was at the forefront of his mind since he disliked being unaware of the new members joining their ranks. Nevertheless, his primary task was to determine who would take on the role of vice leader. He gathered everyone together for a meeting once they were all awake.

  "Alright, now that my mind feels clearer, we need to weigh the pros and cons of each candidate for the position of my vice leader," he announced.

  "It has to be Elanor," Zara declared confidently. "Any of the rest of us might try to use the position to get closer to you."

  "I wouldn't," Greg interjected. "Apologies, but I have an issue with anything that involves me and another man—"

  “We don’t want it to be you, because you would treat it as just another step closer to having a harem,” cut in Rose, her voice sharp and accusatory. “Sorry, but even if we know you’re capable, you simply don’t have our respect.”

  “Elanor does,” agreed Yumiko, nodding slightly. “But she’s lacking in the skills that Emily’s path would bring to the table. This is why there’s an issue in the first place, and why I think the rest of us need to let Emily step into the role. But that doesn’t mean we should let her use it to slowly seduce Matt.”

  “I don’t intend to do that,” stated Emily, her expression serious. “If anything, I fear that by taking this position, it will end any chances I have to be the one Matt ultimately picks.”

  “Oh, please do explain how you are coming to that conclusion,” requested Apricity, her eyebrows raised in skepticism. “After all, workplace romance is a rather common storyline in books, is it not?”

  "Books are not reality, even if our world has begun to mirror one more and more," Emily declared firmly. "As for why becoming vice leader would reduce my odds, it boils down to my desire for the organization to succeed. The moment I successfully seduce Matt, the rest of you would likely leave, which could permanently harm Scattered Stars."

  "I propose we appoint Emily," suggested Elanor thoughtfully. "As the organization expands and we eventually return to Earth, she could transition into an administrative role and assist the new vice leader in managing their responsibilities. The agreement among all of you is only valid until we are back on Earth, so if Emily agrees to relinquish the position to me or another suitable candidate at that time, it should work out. I'll even shadow her to ensure she never has any private time with Matt between now and then."

  "That has my vote," Zara called out enthusiastically.

  "It sounds like that's what's going to happen, whether we like it or not," Apricity stated with a resigned sigh.

  "It really is the only logical answer," Yumiko agreed thoughtfully, nodding her head.

  "Alright, if anyone has any objections to Eleanor's suggestion, speak now," Matt offered, glancing around the room as he paused for a moment before continuing. "It seems like everything is decided. Emily, I hope you can navigate things without any issues."

  "Today should be an off day while we figure out our plan," Emily replied, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Even though my skills can provide insights into the possible outcomes of each option, these initial decisions need to be a group effort, or you overruling us."

  Matt frowned, hoping to let her handle it on her own, but the determined look she gave him made it clear that wasn't going to happen. With a resigned sigh, Matt agreed and opened his menu to designate Emily as his vice leader, spending 10 points to grant her access to everything. Emily then opened the organization menu, eager to see if her skills would unveil any hidden insights. To her slight surprise, she received an additional one-line description that Matt hadn't noticed, but it didn't reveal much more than that. When she examined the basic controls menu option, it simply read, "A menu option that will bring you to a menu with the most basic functions needed to run an organization."