System Fall

Unlocking the crafting recipe for an item or getting it unlocked as a purchasable wasn’t the same as obtaining it, but now I had a concrete goal. Actually getting my hands on the Vacuum Tupperware was going to be one of my next tasks. It was absolutely necessary to survive going forward. The item kept food from spoiling, with the side effects being that you couldn't taste anything that was stored in it.

 I’d eaten worse than flavorless food.

I’d survive.

Besides, there was one simple trick to overcoming tasteless food. All I needed was the legendary bottle of green sauce. Tabasco.

This was something Selene had managed to obtain early, but how she got it, she never told me. No one knew how she obtained most of what she had, and I hadn't been that curious in the first place to ask. I figured she would have told me if she wanted to. It wasn’t important.

I saw the time was nearing midnight, and the next phase was getting ready to start. I didn't think it was a coincidence that System Fall set the night as a starting point rather than the day.

"It's coming," I muttered to myself.

The Advanced Tutorial was going to start soon.

Resting against the rough bark of a tree trunk, I surveyed the zone we had managed to clear in the Central Zoo. May was sprawled out next to me on a patch of grass, her chest rising and falling rhythmically in slumber. We had turned this place into a monster-free zone, a feat that seemed to have convinced most of the nearby beasts to relocate.

Before she had passed out, May had been vocal about her self-doubt throughout our efforts. Her words often echoed in the stillness, "I'm not strong enough. If you weren't here, Nick, I'd be dead ten times over by now."

When she’d be slow to block an incoming attack and I’d taken the monster out instead she asked, "If you weren't here, Nick, would I have been able to survive? I don’t just mean just here, today, right now, but in general.”

I had attempted to reassure her each time, "You’re wrong, May. Sure, I would have been able to survive this, even clear it by myself. But a little help goes a long way in lightening the load. You're stronger than you think, and your presence makes a difference."

Being a solo player didn't mean isolating myself from humanity, it just meant not pointing fingers toward somebody else and expecting them to save the day when shit hit the fan. Being a solo player meant being  accountable for my own actions, decisions, and the outcomes. I wasn’t dumb enough or arrogant enough to think that having comrades was a bad idea. At some point everyone needed to rest, and when you did, you had to have comrades to watch your back.

In the meantime, I stood guard while May caught up on her much-needed rest. There were distant growls and rustling leaves, and an occasional unsettling silence. Despite the backdrop, May seemed to be sleeping peacefully.

My train of thought was abruptly halted as the clock struck 12. Another day in this chaotic world had ended, and the Advanced Tutorial event was inching closer. It was time to brace ourselves for the challenge ahead.

[System Fall Notification]

Title: Next Stage of Tutorial Starting Soon

Well done, Nick Vandall

 

It appears you've weathered the initial chaos of our Beginner Tutorial, quite the feat indeed. But don't get too comfortable, the real challenge is just around the corner.

You are cordially invited back to your starting point within the next 60 minutes for the starting of the Intermediate Tutorial. Do try not to be late, the consequences for tardiness are... unfavorable, to say the least.

Prepare yourself, the upcoming test won't be as forgiving as the last. Remember, in this brave new world we have gifted you, survival isn't granted, it's earned.

We anticipate your timely return. Best of luck, you'll certainly require it.

 

I wondered if Alvin and Willow had finished up the other group and followed through on my suggestions. My role wasn't to enforce judgment or moral policing, but in this situation, the hope was that they'd realize the real filth would be leaving such trash behind. My thoughts were more straightforward: everyone should take their fate into their own hands. I simply didn't have the luxury to do otherwise.

Our path led us away from the Central Zoo, back towards our starting point. The evidence of the Beginner Stage's casualties littered our path, corpses strewn haphazardly across the streets or left untouched in buildings where we could see them through shattered glass. The eerie silence was broken only by the occasional caw of a distant crow, adding to the oppressive atmosphere.

May exhaled heavily, her breath misting in the chill air as she took in the macabre scene. "The system leaves them to rot, huh?" She mused, her voice hushed and gloomy. "We need to think about getting rid of these bodies. It’s the right thing to do, besides if we don’t, we risk diseases, even a plague."

My eyes scanned the frozen bodies scattered across the area and then landed on May. "You might want to consider acquiring a fire skill in the future," I said, my tone matter-of-fact, businesslike. "Effective against certain foes and could solve our problem of... disposing of the deceased.”

May's gaze turned cold, a clear indication she didn't appreciate my practical yet morbid solution. Unfazed, I met her frosty stare with a look of steadfast resolution. "It's the harsh truth," I added, my voice softening. "We don’t have the time to bury them all."

We moved on and walked in silence. May didn’t say anything more. Our destination, our original starting point, loomed ahead. What was once a disjointed mass of confused and terrified faces had instead become a small gathering of hardened survivors. Their quiet murmurs died down as we approached, their gazes hard as they turned towards us in silent appraisal.

 

I quickly counted the number of people — approximately a hundred survivors, a number significantly higher than during my past life. The sight was both comforting and alarming. While it was a relief to see more survivors, the thought of increased competition and potential [Admin] interference to whittle down the numbers was cause for concern.

In the center of the gathered survivors, a massive steel cage commanded attention. A dark reflection of an MMA octagon, it was veiled in impenetrable blackness. Its gleaming surface reflected our distorted figures, casting eerie shadows on the ground. An unwelcome addition to our new reality.

Unlike the crumbling, gutted buildings that were gradually succumbing to the harsh touch of the apocalypse, this monolith was in perfect condition. It was a structure that bore no sign of wear or damage, as if it had sprung into existence just moments ago. Its glossy, jet-black surface held a mirror-like quality, reflecting the dim and intermittent light that managed to cut through the gloom, painting an eerily perfect picture of our broken world.

More than its gargantuan size, it was the building's shape that invoked a strange sense of familiarity. Resembling an octagonal MMA building, or perhaps a massive warehouse, its edges were sharp and angular, each plane meeting at a perfectly calculated degree. It was a haunting spectacle that held a chilling beauty - the stark geometry was a bizarre sight amidst the chaos of the apocalyptic landscape.

As survivors approached the imposing structure, they would see their reflections, twisted and darkened against the structure's glossy surface. It was like staring into a bleak mirror of the world we now inhabited, a distorted reality reflected back at us from this incongruous monument to the new world order.

It was a stark, chilling reminder of the dramatic upheaval our world had undergone - an island of order and perfection amid a sea of destruction. As if the apocalypse hadn't touched it, the steel MMA building stood ready for the dark trials that lay ahead

As we took in the sight of the colossal octagonal structure dominating the cityscape, I broke the silence, "If we didn't know any better, I'd say we're being set up for some sort of prizefight. You reckon they'd at least have the decency to give us some boxing gloves?"

May’s eyes narrowed slightly, her brow furrowing in thought. She was quiet for a moment, then a dry chuckle escaped her. "Maybe the prize is just getting to see another day," she responded, her voice carrying a note of grim resignation.

Despite her words, there was no trace of a smile on her face. The stark contrast between the pristine building and our surroundings was hard to ignore. The untouched structure felt eerily out of place amidst the remnants of our once thriving city, its polished exterior reflecting a dark and distorted image of our new reality.

"I wonder if the inside is as shiny as the outside," I mused, trying to inject some lightness into our grim conversation. My attempt was rewarded with another dry chuckle from May.

"It probably is, considering the way our luck's been running," she responded. The corners of her mouth tugged downward in a grimace rather than a smile, but it was still a reaction. "Ready to step into the unknown?"

“After the Hidden Dungeon, how much worse could it be?" I retorted, my tone echoing her dry humor as we braced ourselves to face whatever awaited us in the steel behemoth before us.

We turned back towards the rest of the survivors. Whatever was going to happen, was happening soon.

Phasing up through the ground like a phantom, Zagrid's incorporeal form appeared, a grin plastered on his digital face. “[Greetings, one and all!]” His voice rang out, filled with malicious glee. “[I see we're a tad light on numbers considering just how many of you we started with. That makes you all what? The proud and top one percent? Welcome to the life of the California Condor, folks. It's lonely at the top.]”

He motioned grandly toward the towering structure that dominated the area. “[Now, you might be wondering what this lovely monstrosity in the middle of your reunion party is!]” Zagrid hovered around the octagonal structure, his digital face flickering with amusement.

A sudden burst of white light illuminated the interior of the building, casting a sharp contrast against the dark, hulking figure trapped within. Strapped to a Greek-style pedestal was a beast straight from nightmares, a monstrous figure that looked like a Minotaur with upgrades.

This figure was bathed in a sinister shade of black, muscles sharply outlined, each one seeming to have been chiseled from pure obsidian. Its bull skull head glinted ominously in the cage's harsh light, adding to the already overwhelming sense of dread.

A ripple of fear passed through the crowd of survivors as the creature flexed against its restraints. Its size alone was threatening; easily twelve feet tall, muscles rippling under its skin as it strained against the metal.

“[Now, meet your new party guest!]” Zagrid chimed in, glee evident in his tone. “[This behemoth here is a one-man...or one beast wrecking crew. If I had arms, I'd slap the roof of this cage just to emphasize that. This bad boy can fit so much violence in it.]” His digital laughter echoed eerily around us.

“[In maybe an hour, or could be more, could be less, these bonds holding our friend here will snap. Or they'll just vanish, who knows? Regardless, he’ll be free to come and go as he pleases]” The bot shrugged, an almost comedic contrast to the impending threat. [And let me tell you, our friend over there? Oh, he's raring for a good tussle.]

Drawing out the suspense with the skill of a seasoned showman, Zagrid let his words hang in the air for a moment, before delivering the punchline. “[Now for the fun part, folks. Choose your champion.]” The phrase seemed to echo ominously in the silent air. “[Keep our friend entertained, and you all live to see another sunrise. Not literally of course. We aren't quite that generous.]”

A chill-inducing chuckle escaped Zagrid, the sound hanging in the cold air like a menacing specter. “[However, if your champion ends up being turned into a messy puddle of red...well, let's just say they've bought the rest of you a few more minutes of borrowed time. Every moment counts. Carpe Diem right humans?]”

 

With a flicker, his digital face gave a curious expression, as if discussing the weather rather than orchestrating a fight for survival. “[It's really simple. Just try to survive. One foot in front of the other, one sacrificial lamb...I mean, brave champion, at a time.]”

His eyes seemed to glow ominously, his voice dropping into a malicious drawl. “[Try not to trip on your way to the arena, folks.. Every life matters. Or at least, every life is another chance for next time. Depends on how you look at it.]”

His laughter echoed around the silent area like a cruel taunt. “[Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the Intermediate Tutorial. The fun's just about to start.]”

The crowd of survivors started looking at each other and looking forward towards the monster within the arena. Almost every voice started whispering amongst themselves some version of, “How do we decide?”

His voice then rippled through the silence once more, filled with cruel delight. “[Oh, don't look so grim, everyone. At least you're not the one locked in the cage. Yet.]”

His cruel laughter echoed across the square, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. “[So come on, back to your questions. Who's it gonna be? Who's ready to face the big bad minotaur? There's no rush. Take your time. Well, actually, there is a rush. So, make it snappy.]”

The bot glanced at the ticking clock displayed at the top of the cage, which had begun its countdown. “[Remember, every second counts. Literally.]” Zagrid gestured at the menacing beast writhing within the steel cage. “[Just look at him. He's absolutely dying to meet you all. Wouldn't want to keep him waiting, would we?]”

The crowd seemed to shrink back even further, if that were even possible, their terrified eyes glued to the enormous figure wrestling against its restraints inside the cage. Zagrid was right about one thing, the beast looked impatient, and it was growing more restless by the minute.

Just as I thought I thought the bot was about done so I could make my move, Zagrid's voice dropped lower. [You don't want to see what happens when he gets bored. Believe me. So, I suggest you decide your champion soon. Best of luck, my dear contestants. You're going to need it.]

The crowd erupted into chaos as the reality of Zagrid's words sunk in. It was like someone had ripped open a beehive. Everyone began to voice their opinions simultaneously, each thought louder and more frantic than the last.

"The weakest among us should go first! They'll help us find any vulnerabilities it has and we can make a strategy out of it!" a man suggested confidently, before he met the gaze of a woman who stood a head taller than him, armed with twin katanas. His bravado faltered under her icy stare, and he quickly turned away, realizing his words had effectively signed his own death warrant.

The woman who had initially questioned the idea of choosing a champion smirked at his discomfort. "If you’re not suggesting yourself, do you got any other bright ideas?" she asked sarcastically. The man had no response.

 

Through all the arguing and fear, Zagrid looked pleased and shrugged. [You lot figure it out. It doesn't matter how you choose. Democracy, rock-paper-scissors, a cooking competition. Just decide.] And with that, Zagrid zipped towards the cage, leaving us all in stunned silence. There was a collective flinch as he approached the cage, but the bot merely phased through it and disappeared.

[System Fall Notification]

Title: Special Event - Boss Encounter: Duskhoof, the Cursed Minotaur King

Main Objective: Slay Duskhoof, the Cursed Minotaur King

 

Greetings Survivors,

 

For the Intermediate Tutorial, you must engage in a battle of survival and strategy against Duskhoof, the Cursed Minotaur King. This formidable adversary is locked within the arena at the center of the Octagon, his sole purpose: to engage you in combat.

 

Duskhoof is not an ordinary opponent. Boasting a formidable combination of strength, speed, and intelligence, he is a lethal predator with a singular focus: to hunt and destroy. This challenge is not just about brute strength, but also about resilience, strategy, and cooperation.

 

Do not underestimate the importance of your mission. Should you fail to engage Duskhoof within the confines of the arena, the rules of engagement will change.

 

[Special Clause:]

 

Failure to initiate combat with Duskhoof will result in a catastrophic penalty. The Cursed Minotaur King will be released from his arena, free to hunt and slaughter ten of you at his leisure before being compelled to return to his cage.

 

Your mission begins now. Venture into the Octagon, navigate your way to the arena, and defeat Duskhoof, the Cursed Minotaur King, to advance to the next stage of your survival journey. The clock is ticking, survivors. Make your choice.

 

 

Then, following the bot leaving, a timer appeared above us, silently counting down from [71:59:58]. As the first second ticked away. The conversations around me turned into desperate debates and wild speculations.

While the crowd argued, I found a quiet corner and leaned against a lamppost, watching the spectacle unfold. This was a brave-new world, where physical strength didn't equate to survival. This new system had completely changed the power dynamics. Status, abilities, skills. These were the new currencies of power.

Talks of forming a group to fight the minotaur came up but were quickly shot down as people hesitated to reveal their abilities. Trust, it seemed, was a scarce commodity in this new world. Deciding a leader posed another challenge. Who would be brave and intelligent enough to lead a group of strangers against an unknown and powerful enemy? And more importantly, who could command enough respect to keep the group together?
System Fall may have rewritten many of the rules of the world, but the world hadn’t become a game where you could assign party roles and trust the game system to prevent friendly fire. It was a raw and harsh reality.

A few individuals, in their panic, tried to run but were promptly met with the unseen boundaries of the arena, and were quickly repelled back towards the center of the square.

[System Fall Notification]
Title: Escape Attempted

 

Details: The current area has been locked down and all of you are restricted from leaving the designated area until after the current event is finished.

 

Please note, with each escape attempt, the boundaries of the area will continue to compress. Please refrain from attempting to exit.]

 

"They'll soon realize the walls creep inward each time someone attempts an escape," I murmured. Even if you tried to seek refuge at the edges, the relentless, encroaching walls would inevitably force everyone into the heart of the square.

One man rose above the commotion, offering a solution steeped in naivety, "That robot had a point. This is America, we should put it to a vote if nobody wants to volunteer, or draw lots like a draft.”

"Great, I'll set up a polling booth once I find the shop where you bought your delusions," another shot back. I chuckled under my breath at the biting sarcasm, the tensions sparking heated exchanges and teetering on the brink of violence, it wasn’t lost on me that they were more willing to fight each other than the minotaur.

"You seem remarkably unaffected by all this," May remarked, her gaze focused on me. "Any ideas on taking down that monster?"

"The only surefire way," I replied, scanning the crowd, "is to get significantly stronger."

Those who weren’t strong enough had the biggest worry on their faces. They expected to be turned into sacrifices. I spotted David in the sea of faces, the middle-aged man who'd initially shown interest in teaming up. He had exchanged his crowbar for a spear, adapting like the rest of us.

"Why even bother with an event like this? Are we just entertainment?" May questioned, her voice bitter.

I wanted to confirm her fears, but instead, I gestured towards the looming cage, "We can choose to be entertainment that survives or entertainment that perishes. Save the bitterness for later after we live through this."

"So, in the end, it all boils down to how we choose to survive? Is that it?" May responded.

"And what's the alternative?" I posed, glancing at the minotaur as it let loose a thunderous roar, "Even if we managed to keep that boss at bay, things are going to get rough here with the shield keeping us in, people are going to turn against one another."

 

May stayed silent, her gaze fixed on the minotaur with an unreadable expression.

"What we have here," I mused, my voice threading through the thick tension in the air, "is a perfect setup for disaster." My eyes scanned the confined crowd, their basic needs stripped away, with survival now dependent on either triumphing over a formidable foe or sacrificing the feeblest among us.

"Enough!" A voice cut through the noise, commanding everyone's attention. It was Jason, his gaze sharp, and eyes glinting with determination. May's face lit up at the sight of him and their other comrades.

"So, what's your grand plan?" The woman with the katanas shot back, arms crossed, demanding to be heard amid the chaos.

Jason paused for a beat before answering, "We all know that sooner or later, someone will have to fight that minotaur. One of our team members has a skill that induces a dream-like state in the target, an illusion of serenity that also eliminates any pain. While I doubt it will affect the beast, we could at least use it to ensure a painless end for anyone unfortunate enough to have to go in."

"No pain? And you'd vouch for that?" The skeptic from earlier snorted derisively.

In response, Jason held up his arm, now bound in a makeshift bandage, "I nearly lost this arm today. We were lucky enough to find a doctor to perform emergency surgery. There was no anesthesia, but the dream-state skill worked like a charm. I didn't feel a thing."

Suddenly, the grim prospect of being chosen to face the minotaur was tinged with a measure of mercy. The condemned would step into the ring enveloped in blissful ignorance.

The hitch, of course, was the usual snag. We were all quite content to let someone else shoulder the burden of wealth, so long as they were generous towards us in return. But when faced with the possibility of assuming that burden oneself? The enthusiasm waned.

"We better decide soon," Jason said, breaking the uneasy silence. His gaze shifted to me, piercing through the crowd, "What about you, Nick? What's your take on this?"