Chapter 1: Chapter 00 – Prologue

A platinum blonde haired man scrutinized the summoning letter in his hand. He took a look around the metal building and made sure he was in the correct address. "What a grandeur city hall…" He muttered before entering the building. Reaching the receptionist, he took out his summons and was immediately guided by someone into the elevator. When asked questions, the officials kept a tight lid on their lips, no information being leaked in response to his frustration.

Then, he arrived at his destination. 

The elevator door opened, "Licht Jäger von Rosenthal… correct?" A female military officer raised a question at him. 

The man, Licht, nodded. He has platinum blonde hair, a pair of bright blue eyes and healthy pale skin. His height is average at 1.75 m, and his body is thinner than the average Martian, but he has a sturdy and compressed muscle thanks to his physical training. However, he has no confidence in beating the military officer who seemed to serve as a combat personnel in the First Contact War.

"I apologize for making you wait, Licht-sama." The military officer draped in a pale blue martial outfit took a deep bow.  Then, she pulled a group of her shoulder-length black hair behind her ear after fixing her silver-rimmed glasses. "Our internal system has yet to completely recover, thus it is harder for our organization to mobilize our resources, we are sorry for the inconveniences."

"No, that's fine." Licht shook his head, understanding the officer’s plight.

The Sword Seigneur, who was the previous leader of the Imperial Sword Sect, had fallen during the First Contact War. His direct disciple, Sword Constellation, has inherited his position, but it's not like the organization's day-to-day operation isn't affected. It would be rude to expect something that is beyond the officer's control.

"Thank you." The female officer politely bowed once more as she led him into a room. He was made to sit on a soft sofa in a dubious room which seemed to be underground rather than aboveground. "Then, let's get started." She activated the Omni-gear, the wrist watch-like computer, on her wrist. The item is extremely helpful in various situations, especially for information management. Soon, a holographic screen appeared and she began her interview.

"Licht-sama, it has been two weeks since you were offered by the Machine Cult. What do you think of the offer?"

Licht has a lot of things in his mind. "Militarization of mortals, it is similar to a military draft during the war, right??" He asked himself. "I've been thinking. If I accept the Cult's offer, then what will happen to my body?" 

The female officer's eyes seemed to gleam in understanding as she recalls that Licht no longer has anyone to rely on. Everyone he held dear has been killed during the First Contact War. 

"Licht-sama seemed to have doubts about the Machine Cult's technology?" The officer asked, but she wasn't looking for an answer for her rhetoric. "Please, I know it is hard for you, but the Machine Cult's technology is the best, no organization has a better understanding of technology than the Cult, even us who hailed from the Imperial Sword Sect couldn’t grasp their methods."

'But you're not looking for that kind of answer, right?' The female officer withheld her last question deep within her heart. She knew the pain of losing loved ones. After all, most of humanity's population has been cut down significantly. In a sense, there's nobody who did not suffer from the First Contact War, but she wouldn't be that rude for being insensitive.

"Right. I'm sorry…" Licht sighed with a heavy heart. "At this point, I am just looking for excuses. As our Imperial Doctrine dictates, the xenos have no right to slaughter our race in our first contact, nevertheless initiating a war and slaughter 13 billion people..."

Licht gripped his hand tightly. His purpose is now clear, no trace of hesitation is left within his heart. "Miss, please take care of me. I will trust my body to you." He stood up and took a bow, imitating the female officer's ethics.

The officer seemed to panic, "Please raise your head, Licht-sama. I'd be troubled if you keep doing so." She spoke in a pleasing tone after he raised his head. "It might be late for this, but it's better to be late than never. My name is Akira Kurosawa, I will be serving as your liaison to the Cult, and will be assisting you in various matters."

Licht traced blankly stared at Akira Kurosawa who, when bowed, had her martial outfit show the massive valley of her chest. Previously he had his mind distracted, so he doesn't have the attention to see Akira. But now, he realized that this big breasted woman was very attractive. Her face radiate the charm of oriental beauty from Holy Terra, which coincidentally is his preference in women. 

Yet, he held his desires. It is not wise to make a move to a combatant who served in the First Contact War. At the very least, he knew at least this.

"Since you've decided, we can begin signing the necessary documents." She took out various digital documents from her Omni-gear and gave him a digital pen.

Naturally, he started reading them before signing anything.

"While my consciousness is within the virtual world, my belongings would be stored by the Cult… well, it's not like I have a lot of things in the first place…" he muttered softly as he signed digital documents after another.

"Wait, it's not a virtual world?" Licht was shocked after reading the next document. He turned his gaze at Akira for confirmation.

"Affirmative, it never is." Akira pursed her lips as she paused. "Licht-sama, what do you know of our military?" 

"Our?" 

You are reading story Distorted Shadow at novel35.com

"I am asking about your knowledge of our Human Imperium as a whole, rather than the Imperial Sword Sect or Crimson Mars alone."

Licht pondered for a few moments. "I am not too clear on it. As far as I know, our Imperium is governed by 7 independent organizations that worked together in tandem: the Machine Cult, Imperial Administratum, Imperial Sword Sect, Illusory Pink Butterfly Sect, Adeptus Psykana, Astrales Militär and Dark Forest… Other than their names and jurisdictions, I know little else since I was born and grew up in the shelter during the most intense part of the First Contact War."

"I see." Akira nodded in understanding. "Then, let me explain a bit. This planet, Crimson Mars, is under the control of the Machine Cult, the shelter where you were born and grew up in was also under its governance. That being said, the Imperial Administratum has enacted the edict to militarize our mortals as a post-recovery measure from the recent war. Of course, not everyone would be included as the human race is not a race solely made for combat, thus only a select few among civilians will be chosen as a participant of the experiment…"

"Guinea pig?" Licht wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but he is not the dullest either. 

"More or less, yes. The Machine Cult's next project, the Nine Heavenly Realm, will be a virtual reality game for most of the population, but it wouldn't be for some." She paused, "A small portion of the population would be selected as experimental subjects, and that would be people like yourself… on the other hand, the rest would serve as control subjects."

"Okay, I understand…" Licht more or less understands his position in the experiment. At the very least, he would be able to give some sort of contribution so that the Imperium will have a fighting chance against hostile races. He continued to read and sign the documents.

Akira Kurosawa silently did her job to assist Licht. If there are questions, she would answer them to the best of her abilities, and soon, all the documents are signed. 

"With this, the Imperial Administratum will be notified of your willingness to participate in this experiment. Your sacrifice would not be in vain." Akira rose up from her seat and saluted him.

"Then, what are you waiting for? I'm ready."

Akira dropped her salute, "There's no need to be hasty. First, let me ask you, how familiar are you with virtual reality technology?"

"A bit too familiar, I guess. It's the only piece of entertainment in the shelter. Without virtual reality technology, most of us who grew up in the shelter during the First Contact War would be mentally impaired in one way or another, or so I've been told."

"Great, then there wouldn't be a psychological rejection." Akira nodded. "I am not too clear about the Machine Cult's technology either, there will be a staff that would explain them to you. In the meantime, you can rest and mentally prepare yourself for the plug. After all, you wouldn't be able to log off like other players."

Licht stood up and thanked Akira. She summoned someone to guide him leave the room and soon, he was out of the building.

 

…

 

Not long after Licht departed. 

"Lioni-sama, is there a reason why we choose this civilian as a Chosen?" Akira, the female officer, asked her superior after Licht returned.

"Heck if I know." Lioni, a woman with the same martial officer suit as Akira, shrugged her shoulders. "It's the decision of the men from the Dark Forest. They wanted to use random civilians to simulate the potential of the human race as a whole, but we both know they won’t choose ‘random’ people for that. We, as the members of the Imperial Sword Sect, are merely officers in this project, we’re not qualified to understand what the Sovereigns are planning. If not for the Cult's resources being funneled to refine the system, there's no need for us to serve the masses." 

"Still…" Akira Kurosawa did not agree. "Licht-sama was a random person that grew up in the shelter, he’s not even a Magus like us. There are countless other men like him, I feel like we're wasting time and resources in useless endeavors. Shouldn't the project focus on us or at the very least, combatants as the priority?"

"As I said earlier, it's the direction from above. You know the men from Dark Forest are difficult to deal with, right? Even then, do you want to object to the instruction from our Sect Master, Sword Constellation-sama?"

Akira Kurosawa blushed red in shame. "N- No way. I'm sorry…" She bowed to a certain direction as if she's apologizing towards someone far away.

You can find story with these keywords: Distorted Shadow, Read Distorted Shadow, Distorted Shadow novel, Distorted Shadow book, Distorted Shadow story, Distorted Shadow full, Distorted Shadow Latest Chapter