---

 [Coins Possessed: 9,050 C]

I received a lot of coins for being lousy entertainment for the constellations. In a way I was quite furious but also pleased. Receiving so much coins would definitely be useful in later scenarios since I’d be able to defend myself easier.

 As I wondered through Derlith Station with eyes on me due to my last performance, I was intrigued by my new found ability ‘Magnification’. It seems my ability allowed me to look into the person I desire. Perhaps it would do the same for me? I quietly activated Magnification in my head.  

I was dumbfounded at this discovery. Could this really be applied to every person I come across? I was about to find out when I heard a shout. 

"Aksel!" 

The shout was from Mia and she was running towards me with Leo in the rear. They had discovered some new weapons, Mia wielded a spear and Leo a sword. 

――Wait, are those made out of animal bones? 

“Mia..!”

Mia stood in front of me with an ecstatic expression. I was startled and offered an awkward handshake. She accepted and started shaking my hand. 

"Thank goodness you're alive! I got really worried when you didn't appear when the scenario was over. Please, please don't do that again." She looked up at me with a pleading expression. 

I gave her a slight smile whilst averting my gaze slightly. "Don't worry, I won't do it again. I think..."

I then glanced over at Leo, and though he didn't express it, I could tell he was happy that I was back. Maybe he felt bad that him being a burden led to my staggered entry into the Derlith Station. Now that I focused on it, Leo appeared quite thin. I looked over and saw many people watching me with eager eyes, mothers comforting their children and men whose mouths were watering. 

It didn’t take me long to notice that the people here were low on food, and it was at that moment, a man had appeared infront of me. Despite the scenarios we’d all went through, he looked well-kept and professional. 

"I've heard of you, you are Aksel Liebert. Correct?" 

I was surprised that he knew my name already, did the news that I beat Daniel travel so quick already? 

"You've got that correct. Would you like something?" 

"Pleased to meet with you, Aksel. My name is Sawyer Irvin and you could say I'm the representative for this station."

He shot me with a smile but I could see it wasn't a inviting one. I could already tell from this guy that he was bad news. 

"I see you have food over there. The people here are extremely hungry, we scavenge a lot but it seems the food above have all been dispersed into pieces. Would you be so kind as to lend some food for the people?" 

Hungry eyes watched me as they await my choice. This was a predicament. There were about 80 people or so I could see in the station right now. If I were to give my food away, they're wouldn't be enough left for me, Leo and Mia. If I didn't give away my food, then I would be labelled the bad guy and that could resolve into some conflict. There's no way I could get out of here alive.

"Let me think about it."

Sawyer beamed before replying.

"Don't worry, take all the time you want. Just remember, people here are really hungry."

I decided to look at his profile. I had to know what I was up against if I wanted a chance.

 

Raising his hand, Sawyer ushered all of his followers away and looked back. I could see that what he wanted to do was take charge of the situation and twist everyone against me if I didn't comply. I had to think of a solution. Quickly.

---

 I, Leo and Mia retreated to a spot in the station. The station was abnormally quiet, many people watched us like a hawk, they couldn't take their eyes off the food. I battled my morality in this situation, what should I do? Would I not be a hypocrite if I let all these people starve whilst me, Leo and Mia eat? Should I not share my food with the people, and risk going hungry? As I was about to converse with Mia what I should do in the situation, I heard a shout.

"Attention!"

Everyone's eyes fluttered over to the loud voice, I could see it was Sawyer. He was standing on a podium in the station with a man below him. He looked frightened as Sawyer spoke.

"Attention all people! I have some sad news for you all. This man here has been caught stealing your food."

A low murmur could be heard throughout the station.

[The Incarnation 'Sawyer Irvin' has used Rumour Expert Lv. 6!]

..?

"My group and I was searching all day and night for some food for you all. We searched with all our might and finally found some food! We were ecstatic and wanted to distribute it fairly with you all, but then… A problem occurred."

The station seemed to quieten down at his words. They all then looked at the man frightened below.

"This man you see before me claimed that we should not split the food with you people, but become tyrants and monopolize the food."

The tension seemed to increase as Sawyer spoke, his words flew into the crowds ears and they gobbled up every last one of it. It wasn't hard to influence hungry people, Sawyer knew who he was talking to and how to deliver his message.

"When we argued against his wishes, he stormed off never to be seen again. Later, we found out that this man had stolen all the food and ate it all himself. We also heard that this man also had accomplices and that's how he was able to obtain the food secretly."

The tension increased significantly and you could hear the spirits inside the station become filled with rage.

"Are you going to let this man get away with it?"

The crowd's mutter slowly increased.

"Are you truly going to let this person rob you off your food then run away scot free?"

The crowd turned into a mob and boiled with rage, inaudible shouts and cries could be heard.

"Ah…” A small smile swept his lips.

“Then… I give him to you, the people, do as you like with him."

The mob became a stampede and ran towards the man.

"Damn you, you little shit!"

"Hold this, boy, do as I tell you!"

"Who gave you the right?!"

[The Constellation 'Gracious Judge of Thunder' is turning away from the scene.]

[The Constellation 'Secretive Plotter' is intrigued at the scene.]

The mob destroyed the man, trampling him upon their boots and beating him up. Mia and Leo also couldn't bear to watch the scene and looked away. I looked up at Sawyer and saw him grinning from ear to ear, a grin that came from the Devil himself was on that man.

There's no way I could trust his words. Perhaps this was a warning to me. Something to show me that if I didn't co-operate with him, I wouldn't make it out of here alive. Sawyer had the whole station around his pinky and I couldn't do anything about it. I watched sorrowfully as the mob proceeded to destroy the young man.

---

It had been a couple hours after the incident happened. Rumours were going around that I was one of the accomplices involved and that resulted in tenacious stares from the others. I reached for my smartphone and looked at the date. I had lost track of time but it had not been so long from the start of the scenarios. Unfortunately, my phone was going to die but the state of the world like this, what use would there be for having a phone? 

"Aksel."

"Mia..? What is it?" 

"Have you figured out what to do with the food?" 

I looked down at the stash of food still present, not one of the packets had been opened since we got here. We were all very hungry. I had already thought of an idea but haven’t put it into effect yet.

"I will sell the food for coins. I'm sorry but I will charge you guys as well. 10 coins for one."

[The Constellation 'She Who Brings Victory' understands your method.]

Mia had a difficult expression on her face but Leo just looked at me and nodded. This was most efficient way of distributing food without loss. 

"Okay.. Sure. But how do we even give you coins?"

I demonstrated the way to donate coins because of my knowledge from the coins usage tips. 

['Mia Becker' has paid you 10 coins.]

['Leo Collins' has paid you 20 coins.]

"Hm?"

"It was for saving me the other day." He muttered this lightly but I could still hear his words. I guess he was still opening up to me. Many of the people inside the station grew agitated as they watched Mia and Leo eat. It was time. I stood up and announced. 

"Attention!" 

The station became silent at once and turned towards me. 

"I will be distributing the food I've gathered. Not for free, of course. If you want to purchase food, then we will be using the new coin system."

There seemed to be a slight uproar at my words and the mob became riled up.

It was crucial to choose my words carefully and play safe, there's no doubt that a crowd like that would obliterate us, who were small in size. Though unfortunately for me, Sawyer Irvin was the first to respond. 

"So you are going to monopolize the food like our previous friend did? I guess the rumours are true, you were an accomplice." 

The crowd started to stir up in tension at once. I had to calm them down. 

"I don't intend to monopolize the food. I just won't give food to your group. But for the rest, I’m offering you guys a fair price, 20 coins for one of your choosing."

The crowd calmed down but I still couldn't take any chances.

"20 coins for a piece of food? Who does this guy think he is?!" 

"20 coins is a lot. I’m barely scraping 40..."

I bit my lip, this was sure a gamble. But then at once, people came rushing towards me. I encouraged them to make space and sold them pieces of food. 

[A number of Incarnations have paid you 20 coins.] 

[You have earned 2,240 coins.]

After a few minutes, the food was nearly all sold out. I could see the look of anger on Sawyer's face as I earned a lot of coins. Due to this event he was losing group members at an exceeding rate. The people ate like someone who hadn't had a proper meal in days. I knew he wouldn't be able to let this slide. 

"Do you really think he'll let you off like this?!" 

They all turned to Sawyer, who had spoke out of the blue. I could see his rage, he was desperate and wanted to set the people against me. 

"Next, he'll change you for more, then more, and then you'll have no coins left to spend and defend yourself with!" 

The people then turned to me with a questioning look, as if what I did was truly bad and I was trying to take advantage of them. I gritted my teeth, he had something else up his sleeve. Didn't he?

[The Incarnation 'Sawyer Irvin' has used Conspirator Lv. 5]

"Did we not agree that this guy was the accomplice? Don't let him get the upper hand, take his food just like his friend stole from you!"

How hypocritical. The people turned to me with malicious intent. 

"Take his food! Now!" 

Sawyer's henchmen rushed at me first. I recognised some of them were also with Daniel, was Sawyer the actual ringleader of this whole thing? My hands were tied in a situation like this, if I were to attack nowhere, it would be a chain reaction and the people would overwhelm us. That was when Leo stepped forward. 

――He stepped forward? 

[Exclusive Skill, Magnification Lv. 1 has activated!] 

Leo unsheathed his sword and held a stance. 

"Thank you, Aksel."

[All evolution conditions of the attribute 'Crouching Figure' have been met.]

[The attribute of Incarnation 'Leo Collins' is blossoming.]

[The attribute of 'Leo Collins' has blossomed to 'Judge of Annihilation' (Hero).]

[You have contributed greatly to the attribute of 'Crouching Figure!']

I was stunned, I didn't know such a banal attribute could blossom into a powerful one. 

"I won't be a burden to you guys any longer."

His fingers shifted greatly on the sword, as if he was trying to find the best way to hold his sword.

――Though within seconds, he had found his grip. 

[The Incarnation 'Leo Collins' has activated the exclusive skill 'Judgment Time'.]

[The Absolute Good constellations have agreed to the use of this skill.]

['Judgment Time' has been activated.]