Appearing before the gargantuan building with the words "Apex Operations Hall!" inscribed on it, Ryuk unconsciously felt his heart slam hard against his ribcage.
The mere presence of the structure felt like standing before a titan, and he couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the pressure.
Eventually, he mustered the courage to go in, spurred by the multiplying gazes directed his way.
Entering through the heavy glass structure, it naturally slid open for him as he stepped inside.
Yet, the sights within made his bag slip from his hand, his jaw dropping to the ground.
No, "beautiful" couldn't begin to describe it—it was absolutely and breathtakingly gorgeous.
The room he had entered was gigantic, and the air within was incredibly strange.
He felt as if someone was warmly massaging his body and nostrils, making him feel both invigorated and relaxed.
The pure, unblemished white light, coupled with the immaculate cleanliness of the hall, left him frozen in place.
Quickly, he reined himself in, picked up his backpack, and looked forward.
Ahead of him was a group of male and female Apex soldiers, some typing rapidly on keyboards in front of them.
"This should be the receptionists..." Ryuk thought to himself as he walked towards one of the female soldiers, who seemed to be lazily scrolling through a screen instead of typing.
She was the first to notice Ryuk, raising an eyebrow as she looked him up and down.
He looked like he had just been dragged out of a gutter, with faded clothes, a dirty face bearing dark ink marks, and brown hair speckled with white that obscured its true color.
"And who are you? Did you lose your way? How did you get into the base?"
A flurry of questions assaulted Ryuk as he arrived before the fierce-looking woman, whose gaze held unfiltered disgust for him.
Yet, he wasn't bothered in the slightest.
He had heard plenty of tales about the pompous soldiers from the barracks and knew better to be easily offended by one.
Without a word, he pulled a card from his coat and placed it on her desk.
Jennifer's eyes narrowed at Ryuk's calm and collected expression.
That alone was enough for her to realize he wasn't lost and knew exactly why he was here or at least what he was doing.
Eventually, she redirected her attention to the card. At first glance, it didn't seem remarkable, but as she picked it up and felt its texture, her fingers twitched.
She flicked the card over and her eyes widened in shock.
She looked back and forth between the card and Ryuk three times before taking a deep breath, swiping the card on a device at the side.
A soft beep echoed before she began typing furiously on her keyboard.
Her eyes dilated in surprise again, and she quickly grabbed a telephone at her side, dialing a number.
A strange glass-like light appeared before her and Ryuk, blocking him from hearing any sound.
After a brief exchange, the call ended, and the woman replaced the telephone.
She handed the card back to Ryuk, who accepted it without a word.
"Take that elevator, sir, and input the number three. There, you'll reach the third floor. Look for room number 0 at the end of the hall," she said with newfound respect, her tone completely changed.
Even the way she addressed him—with "sir"—was drastically different.
Of course, Ryuk's expression remained impassive.
He gave a simple nod, slipping the card back into his pocket before heading toward the elevator.
'Just what did you give to me, Old Jack?' he silently wondered as he stepped into the elevator.
There was already a panel of buttons at the side, and Ryuk pressed the number 3.
A soft chime echoed as the elevator doors closed.
Immediately, Ryuk felt a faint vibration beneath his feet, realizing he was being carried upward even though everything seemed motionless.
"So, this is the elevator they talked about. How interesting," he mused, unknowingly straightening his posture and putting on a pompous expression.
It was his first time in an elevator, and he couldn't help but feel like he had suddenly become more important.
After about 15 seconds, the vibration ceased.
The elevator doors opened, and Ryuk stepped out.
Before him stretched a long, narrow hall with several blocks and corners along the sides, each marked with various numbers.
Ryuk quickly deduced the descending order of the numbers, realizing that room 0 would be at the very end.
Without hesitation, he began walking forward.
Along the way, he couldn't help but marvel at the intricate design of the doors, the strange tiled patterns on the walls, and the seamless flooring.
However, his admiration was cut short when he felt a sharp pain slam into his head, sending him crashing to the ground.