High in the sky, many unidentified objects flew at high speed while making an unbelievable racket. Every soul in a few kilometers radius would instantly turn toward these UFOs.
Was it a bird? Was it a plane? No, it was the epic EDM Fleet! Yes, this was now its trending nickname, to Gaiden's dismay. He kept shaking his head, trying to forget the joke that they were becoming.
To be fair, this was a great way to make the army seem more approachable. Now, whether that was the desired outcome or not was debatable.
On the main deck, the various people chosen for the training were having a meltdown. Their entire conception of how the world worked was seriously getting challenged. How had such a clown become their would-be teacher?
Some even sneakily began to investigate. Josh could see them scurry around gathering information, but he didn't mind one bit as he had nothing much to hide. Ah, perhaps that little "humanity dies with me" bit, but no big deal, really.
When interrogated, the Climber/Farmers were giving weird testimonies. They were highly impressed by the man, and yet all that he had ever done was apparently… stare at them?! This didn't make sense.
Then they asked the Black Fleet members, and it became even more confusing. The soldiers were confident that their generals were no pushovers, and yet both obeyed his orders, with Roderick especially praising him. This fact baffled them so much!
After interrogating Josh's friends, they figured out that most were from Draconic. This was a fighting guild full of madmen! But when these Draconic people called Josh a madman, they were at a loss. To get such an evaluation from them was crazy!
That's when one of the wannabe investigators went toward his colleagues with an ashen face. They were now meeting in a desolate corner of the ship, and it was perfect for sharing this colossal secret he had discovered!
"Guys, that one shy-looking girl with the qipao: she's the Tech Queen! Also, the Draconic members are not any random ones but their elite Rankers. Can you guys believe it?!"
They didn't even know how to react to this. All of these people were supposed to be proud sons and daughters of Heaven. Why the heck were they following a man that looked like a buffoon at first glance?
That's when Josh almost gave them a heart attack involuntarily. He just happened to pass nearby while talking to Markus on his UW. They could only hear his side of the conversation, but even that was shocking:
"What do you mean you can send them to D-23, and there is no need to pick you guys up? We're literally on the way!"
"No, no. I don't care if it's within walking distance. It's not about practicality. It's about sending a message. The EDM fleet has to swing by your place too: it will show unity."
"You think it's goofy? Naw. There is one thing you fail to realize, Markus. When you create an army able to make the entire world tremble, you gotta do stuff like this!"
"Yes, I'm telling you! People won't be overly scared of us because of it. Think of it this way. I'm going to create an army that has a shot at world domination, and that could very well turn many against us."
"You don't think that will happen? Do you think people see us as a joke? That's exactly the fucking point! We will forever be the EDM blasting army in the mind of the masses. What do you think will happen once we begin showcasing our strength?"
"Yep - Weak and Playful makes one a complete jester. But - Strong and Playful means becoming a goddamn legend. Do you understand now? By the way - Strong and Serious is annoying."
"Alright, tell your guys to sit tight and get ready. The motherfucking EDM Fleet is coming!"
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The witnesses couldn't help but gulp, shocked. What had just happened?! Josh had been talking with the leader of Metropolis-D and even ordering him around?!
They shared uncomfortable looks as they didn't know how to react. That's when they made eye contact with him.
"Hey, guys. What do you think sounds better between EDM Army and EDM Legion?" Josh asked while pretending to hold a microphone.
"A-any works!"
"W-whatever you prefer, Sir!"
"Why the EDM? Eh, I mean, EDM is amazing!"
Josh pensively nodded before taking off, hearing them sigh in relief behind him. What was with the exaggerated reactions? Whatever. They would soon be too tired to overact. He would make sure of it.
Josh spent the rest of the journey to Metropolis-D happily sketching in a small notebook. For some reason, whenever he glanced at anyone, they would start shaking and avert their gaze.
Perhaps it was because they didn't know how to treat him just yet? He would be their teacher soon, but there was no clear hierarchy yet. Oh well, it would all fit into place in due time.
That's when he heard someone walking behind him and suddenly yelp as if a startled poodle. As Josh turned around, he noticed that the newcomer seemed frozen, and he was staring at the title above his doodles.
Ah, so that's what it was! He had to admit that it could easily be misunderstood: 'How to torture trainees beyond death without actually killing them.'
The individual hurriedly left as if running for his life. Oh well, the EDM Fleet would only drop people at D-23 anyway. Plus, Josh really doubted he'd become a deserter just because of a slight barely founded fear.
He returned to his task of contemplating his future path. He had to diversify his plans, for he wasn't even sure if the Alter Tower could or would cooperate. He couldn't help but smirk as various ideas came to mind.
A nearby solder somehow saw him grin and changed his expression completely. He seemed to be despairing a bit as he too began drawing. Was he perhaps drafting survival plans? How wise!
But as Josh peeked at the man's work, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The man was drafting his will!
C'mon! These people had so little faith in him! Weren't they aware that humans were surprisingly resilient when it came to adapting? Everything would be fine, probably...
Creator's Thought
There is nothing wrong with acting the fool. A fool will not be bothered by any judging glare, a fool will not be scrutinized too deeply, and most importantly a fool lives unbound by social convention. I'll be that one jester that dances like a monkey. I'll dance until my enemies are dead and the gods themselves lay under my feet.