Newbie's Quest: Awaiting Challenge
Chapter 56: The Essence of Factions

"Holding hands? Am I hearing this right?" came a voice filled with disbelief.

"Are you sure you know what you're saying, Ethan?" another chimed in skeptically.

"Maybe Ethan has his reasons for saying this," someone mused with a puzzled expression.

"Ethan always focuses on the end result. He must have skipped a whole bunch of reasoning steps and jumped straight to the solution," another observer noted.

"A valid point indeed. Ethan is known for skipping steps and presenting solutions directly. Those unaware might think he's copying someone else's work," someone added.

Ethan, who had made the suggestion, didn't feel the need to justify his approach. He was merely providing a solution, whether others chose to listen was up to them.

His reluctance to act alone stemmed from the fact that they had entered the cinema-themed replica as a team of four. In his simulations, he had always been solo. If the others followed his advice, they could clear it in one go. If not, he would knock them out after exiting the replica and complete it by himself. He was prepared for either scenario.

Ethan had a commendable virtue: he never left a replica empty-handed. What Ethan saw, Ethan wanted, and what Ethan wanted, Ethan obtained. He was determined to claim the rewards of the cinema replica.

Although Ethan's tone was casual, his words struck like thunder. Felix Rayburn's expression changed immediately, replaceing it hard not to interpret Ethan's suggestion as a personal affront.

"Two guys holding hands, what nonsense!" Felix protested.

Ethan didn't mind correcting him. "Not two, three of us."

"Does it make a difference?" Felix retorted.

"Can't you count?" Ethan replied dryly.

"It's not about the number; it's about the principle!" Felix insisted.

"If you're unwilling, then forget it," Ethan said, ready to abandon the plan.

Oliver Wright, however, was more than willing. "I'm in, I'm in. I want to stand next to Ethan."

Natalie Clark was speechless. She pulled Oliver aside, gritting her teeth in a low mutter. "Are you a spy sent by Ethan to the Eternal Dynasty? Damn, our guild spent so much money training a traitor!"

Oliver felt wronged. "I wanted to join Ethan's guild, but I couldn't replace their recruitment site. I couldn't send my resume."

Natalie was left speechless.

In the end, only Oliver stood firmly by Ethan's side, while the other two hesitated. Ethan sighed in resignation. "Oliver, let it be. Your cooperation alone won't make a difference."

"I'm sorry," Oliver apologized, the conscientious college student in him surfacing.

"Don't apologize," Ethan patiently instructed him on a life lesson, "Don't reflect on yourself; torment others." Oliver nodded vigorously. "I've learned!"

Natalie almost dropped her jaw in astonishment. Although she agreed with the sentiment, she couldn't help but think -

Oliver, you can learn anything, but this might just be your undoing!

Due to the disagreement of two members, the episode of holding hands was reluctantly set aside. As the four conversed, suddenly, the screen beside them lit up, revealing four identical shadows of themselves. Like the front screen, there were now eight shadows in total. The online viewers were puzzled.

"Somebody commented, 'Those replays online didn't show so many shadows, did they?""

"I remember the most being equal to the team size."

"Does Ethan have some sort of buff? Toxic constitution!"

"What, the kind that opens boxes to replace S-rank items?"

"I'm getting dizzy watching this."

The players in the replica were just as confused. The front screen was one thing, as it was at a distance, but this new one was uncomfortably close, mirroring their movements in a vague, shadowy form that was unsettling.

The projector whirred to life, and new messages appeared on both screens: [BLACK AND WHITE] [FIND YOUR FRIEND]. Find a friend? Did they really have to hold hands?

"The chat speculated, 'What do these phrases mean? Who's the friend we need to replace? I don't understand.""

"A sense of foreboding."

"Could this be a faction-based replica?"

"Ethan's voice was heard, 'What's a faction replica?""

"An explanation followed: 'Although there's no strict rule, a typical replica usually has 2-3 factions, like player, NPC, and boss factions. That's the standard division. But a 'faction replica' means unconventional faction divisions. Players might be in the same faction as NPCs or even the boss.' (Sourced from White Tower Encyclopedia)"

"That's twisted! If players and bosses are on the same team, how do we play?"

"Like a real-life Werewolf game?"

"Or more like "Who's the Spy,' where a player's script in the replica is different, leading to different victory conditions."

"So... among these four, is one a traitor?"

"Blind guess: Ethan."

"The chat joked, 'Ethan's fans might be anxious, but hold on.""

"Ethan was seen as capable of handling such antagonist roles."

"The chat continued, 'Guys, based on my experience with 800 3S replicas, this doesn't seem like a faction replica. It's about players outsmarting each other, but none here seems to fit the bill."" "Let's wait and see what Ethan says."

However, Ethan remained silent. Felix Rayburn was the first to share his opinion, showcasing his impeccable English pronunciation.

"This must be a faction replica. Black and white likely represent two forces. 'Find your friend' means we need to identify players in the same faction. 2 vs 2."

While Natalie Clark remained quiet, Ethan didn't speak either.

Oliver Wright, seeing no one else willing to guess, ventured his own theory. "Maybe it's just about keeping an eye on our own shadows so we don't get tricked. After all, they mimic us exactly."

"The chat agreed with Felix, 'It sounds like a faction replica, and the players are already divided.""

"Oliver's idea seems too simple for an A-grade replica."

"Although Felix isn't popular with everyone, he sometimes shows he's smart."

Natalie heard Ethan chuckle at Oliver's guess, not mockingly, but with a satisfied air, as if recognizing some intelligence among the 'three fools.'

Natalie felt insulted by her own inference. Was she really less perceptive than Oliver, the naively honest college student?

Throughout the discussion, Ethan had remained silent. At first, it was to let things play out, but then he thought of another way to clear the replica. He couldn't ensure the others' survival, but he could ensure completion. In front of everyone, he released his hammer.