System Fall

Laying broken and injured on the asphalt of the city after my battle with the Wendigo, a dream of yesterdays came to me. My mind spiraled with visions of smoke, flame, and darkness. It was more than just a dream; it was the future I had lived firsthand alongside the other members of the Final Line. The surviving players who reached S Rank.

The world was awash in shades of despair. Massive, grotesque behemoths, spawned from the vile depths of eldritch nightmares, roamed the twilight of the world. They stood like darkened calamities against the blood-tinted sky, their every move shattered all in their path.

The cities of men were hushed, replaced by the mournful dirge of the wind through empty streets. Skyscrapers were laid bare, their skeletal frames standing like accusatory monuments.

The earth itself bore the scars of cataclysm. Where there should have been stone and dirt, there were mountains of skulls. Their vacant eyes stared out into the abyss of the world casting desperate pleas into the void.

Endless graves stretched out over this dismal landscape, rows and rows of flesh and bone. Then I saw them.

The spectral figures of the Final Line flickered in and out of existence. They were locked in their final, futile struggles, their final moments caught in an eternal loop replaying humanity's last stand.

I too stood amongst them, my future self locked in an endless duel with the monstrous [Admin] and the eldritch god.

This dream was the ending I had known A world drowned in darkness, where the [Admin] reigned supreme, and humanity was but a distant memory.

 

When I woke back up, I found myself once more on the platform of the third floor of the Hidden Dungeon. I was far from removed from the fiery city but I still bore my injuries from the battle. My body felt heavy and unresponsive, sore, covered in black and blue bruises. Each breath I took brought a sharp stab of pain from what I assumed were cracked ribs. A deep gash on my shoulder was oozing blood, the flesh around it swollen and angry.

Along the length of my arm, I saw slash marks where the Wendigo's claws had raked across my flesh. The skin was shredded, the muscle beneath visible.  Ragged breaths escaped my lips as I pushed myself up into a sitting position and then tried to stand. My body protested against the movement, every muscle screaming at me, but I grit my teeth and forced myself to move.

My legs were just as battered as the rest of me, littered with cuts and abrasions. A particularly nasty gash ran down the side of my thigh, blood slowly seeping out of it. My knee was swollen, and it hurt to put pressure on it.

Despite my injuries, I forced myself to stand.

Once I was up, my gaze fell on the miniature model city. No longer was it animated like it had been before. Nothing moved. The fires were mere props as were the buildings and even the debris. The scale model city was damaged, much of it was destroyed matching my battle with the Wendigo.

In the middle of the model city, where the damage was the most detailed, I saw the Wendigo, at least part of it. The Wendigo's figure lay lifeless, and unmoving like a figurine, with its head and a claw separated from its body.

I noticed a flickering light. It was near the train station where I had been dropped off, a small beacon seeming to call my attention to it. Despite the pain that went through my body with every movement, I forced myself to check the source of the light.

I managed to press the tiny play button and a message started to play, an audio recording that I could barely hear. I had to lean in as close as I could to make out any of the words. It was the last message of the small people I had saved.

“Thank you stranger… You’ve saved us…. For weeks we had been stuck in that hell of a city…. The Wendigo was just the last of many calamities we’ve had to face…  The monsters… We’ve fought monsters for so long. We were taken. For the beta test. Over and over again. But now we are free. Maybe… one day… we will meet again. Be well stranger.”

Their voices were filled with relief and gratitude.

As the message faded away, a mechanical rumbling filled the room, followed by the hiss of hydraulics. I turned my head towards the noise, and my eyes widened in surprise.

At the far end of the room, a concealed vault door was now revealed, parting from the stone walls of the dungeon. The massive metal structure groaned under its own weight, revealing an unexplored path before me.

Stepping over the threshold of the vault, I cautionary ventured forward, my eyes scouring the place, flickering over the damp, stone walls and the echoingly vast interior. I squinted, my eyes slowly adjusting to the gloomy darkness that clung to every nook and corner.

 

Stone walls, slick with age-old moisture and a sheen of algae, stretched out on either side of me. The air was thick with the scent of the forgotten, a mix of dampness, cold metal, and faint traces of something metallic, like rusted iron and age.

 

As my eyes adjusted to the low light, I caught sight of a small orange container nestled amidst the various detritus scattered across the floor. Despite my body screaming in protest, I moved over to the object, curiosity piqued.

Stepping over the threshold, I cautiously ventured into the vast expanse of the opened vault. The darkness of the place, broken only by the dim, flickering light from somewhere deep within, swallowed me whole, making me feel as though I was venturing into the belly of some colossal beast. I squinted, my eyes slowly adjusting to the gloomy darkness that clung to every nook and corner.

I began to understand theme that this treasure hoard adhered to. This wasn't the conventional dungeon, filled with ancient relics and mystical artifacts. Instead, the items I could pick from were more modern, even as the room itself was not.

In one corner, there were gunmetal grey crates, their contents revealed by ajar lids. In one, a selection of state-of-the-art riot shields lay in a neat row, the transparent, reinforced material reflecting a flawless surface Each was marked with symbols of defense and protection. Another crate housed a collection of telescopic batons, machetes, and tactical blades. Sturdy and reliable, the perfect blend of offense and defense.

Tucked away in a recessed alcove was a collection of riot armor, dark and imposing. Each suit was tailored for maximum mobility and protection, a veritable fortress for whoever would wear it. Each piece of armor, from helmets to boots, was marked with a variety of symbols representing resilience and survival.

While they appeared to be good items, they would quickly be replaced by something better and the Azure Gleam Knife and the Cursed Valkyrie were better than the selection available.

Only one treasure could be taken. I remembered that warning from the prior timeline. Once a selection was made, that was it. Forced to choose, In the farthest corner of the vault, a peculiar item caught my attention. A small, nondescript orange container.  I found my hand straying towards the orange container, an unexplainable pull resonating within me as I claimed my one and only prize from this modern armory. This was the sole item that seemed out of place amidst this armory.

Upon closer inspection, the words Rejuvenating Supplements were etched onto the side. I smiled. The find was perfect for my needs.  I had heard rumors about these. They weren't your run-of-the-mill health boosters.

Cautiously, I prised open the container, revealing thirty of these legendary supplements. his could turn the tide of my condition in an instant. However, I was no fool. I was well aware of the potential for unlisted side effects that could accompany such a potent concoction.

With a mental sigh, I noted the "No refills" engraved at the bottom of the container. I could not afford to become dependent on these. And yet, the immediate relief they promised was too much too ignore in my damaged state.

With shaky hands, I reached into the container and extracted one of the supplements. Swallowing it down, I could almost instantly feel a rush of energy course through my body. A warming sensation spread from my gut, radiating out to my limbs. The damage to my body started to recede immediately and my pain dulled as my muscles started to knit back together at an accelerated pace.

[System Fall Notification]

 

Title: Items Gained

You've acquired Rejuvenating Supplements X30

 

Details: The Rejuvenating Supplements are the pinnacle of healing items. Born of lost arts and forgotten knowledge, they are among the rarest treasures one could hope to find within the Hidden Dungeon. Their potent restorative properties are unparalleled, capable of mending severe wounds and reinvigorating the user's vitality in mere moments while temporarily boosting one’s entire profile. The effect of a single supplement is equivalent to days of natural healing. However, their incredible potency comes with a limitation: the container only holds thirty doses, and refills are impossible to find. Use them wisely.]

 

[Effects: Upon consumption, a Rejuvenating Supplement rapidly accelerates the body's natural healing process. Broken bones mend, deep gashes close, and debilitating fatigue is replaced with a renewed sense of energy. The speed and completeness of the healing can be disconcerting but are entirely safe.]

 

[Warning: Overuse of the Rejuvenating Supplements may result in temporary body discomfort due to rapid cellular regeneration. It is recommended to use the supplement sparingly and only in cases of severe injury.]

 

A metallic groan echoed through the vast space as the door began to shut, the echo reverberating ominously. Simultaneously, the floor beneath me trembled, and an emergency hatch suddenly sprang open, revealing a water-filled passage beneath.

I barely had time to react as a explosion of water began to rush into the vault from unseen ducts, filling the concrete room with startling speed. The riot gear, weapons, and the remnants of the untouched treasures started to float, carried by the rapidly rising water.

Even knowing it was coming didn’t really prepare me for it. There was no way to stop the incoming water, and the closing vault door ensured that there was no escaping the way I came. My only route of escape was the hatch, leading into the unknown depths. The Hidden Dungeon was done with me, and it was time to move on.