While my male self was absentmindedly watching the other passengers, my eyes drifting across unfamiliar faces, my female self-focused on the doors separating the train cars, searching for something beyond them. That's when, all of a sudden, a new system message screen appeared before me, disrupting the calm of the moment.
Tutorial started
[Current tutorial status]
Tutorial duration: 90 days remaining.
Completion criteria: [Survive the tutorial and accumulate tutorial points]
Tutorial info: [Each beginner's starting point varies based on where they were when the tutorial began — whether in forests, deserts, or even at sea. Wild beasts roam these biomes. Defeat them to earn tutorial points and grow stronger]
Tutorial point rules: [Earn points by defeating beasts in the area. Points are distributed among collaborators. If you eliminate another beginner, their tutorial points are transferred to you]
Final rewards will be determined based on total Tutorial Points and the number of survivors.
Remaining survivors: [5900/5900]
The screen didn't seem to be linked to my main status—the one where my skills and class were displayed. It felt like a separate interface, something made just for the tutorial, entirely distinct from what I was used to seeing.
Even though I had no idea who created the system, it was clear that whoever did was incredibly meticulous, especially with odd details.
As I got caught up in examining the new screen, a deep male voice echoed around us, sharp and clear, immediately snapping my attention in its direction: "Is everyone okay?" he asked, concern evident in his tone.
I turned toward the voice and saw a man—probably around my age—with a handsome, well-groomed appearance. He was helping a girl to her feet, his eyes scanning the area quickly, as if looking for more survivors.
Yet something about the way he held himself felt off—like his mind was split between the current situation and some deeper worry. And speaking of survivors, that's when I noticed something strange.
Even though I hadn't boarded the most crowded train car, there had definitely been more people here earlier compared to now. From what I could tell, there were around eleven passengers—maybe a few less—but strangely, now, besides me—and of course, my female self—there were only three others: one girl and two guys, plus my male self.
My first instinct in this bizarre situation was to think that the others might still be in that white room where I spoke with my clones earlier. But that idea quickly fell apart when I remembered something important: The three people currently here with me weren't in the same car I'd boarded. I mean, I'd seen them at the station before we got on, but I'm certain they were a few cars ahead of mine.
Still, no matter how weird this was, I couldn't help noticing that all three were dressed in outfits that wouldn't look out of place at a cosplay convention.
The handsome guy helping the girl was wearing what looked like a medieval hunter's outfit—or at least that was the impression he gave off, with his refined appearance and perfect posture.
The girl, on the other hand, wore something more modest: an asymmetrical dress, mostly gold with black accents—though the gold definitely stood out more.
While it subtly revealed parts of her body—like her shoulders and the area around her navel—it wasn't exactly provocative. There was a quiet elegance to her look, striking a nice balance between charm and restraint.
Just like my outfit and the handsome guy's, hers also seemed to be made from simple materials—maybe soft leather or a rough but durable fabric—suggesting practicality rather than luxury.
The last guy was my male self, and the other—a good-looking man—was dressed in armor straight out of the medieval era or a fantasy TV show. No matter how you looked at it, our outfits were clearly unusual. Still, given everything else going on, that oddity felt like the least of our concerns.
Lost in my own thoughts, bouncing between my male and female selves, I was suddenly pulled back to reality by a voice beside me: "Hey, are you okay? Are you hurt?"
I was a little caught off guard by how suddenly he approached me, but given the circumstances, it was probably the smart thing to do. In a situation like this—where no one knows exactly what's going on—the more allies, the better.
"Don't worry, I'm fine" I replied with my male voice, still trying to process everything that was happening.
He nodded at my answer before speaking again: "Alright. I can imagine what you're going through. Anyway, I'm Oliver"
He gestured subtly toward a girl sitting on a bench, seemingly catching her breath: "That's my girlfriend, Alice"
Then he motioned to the guy staring intently out the window: "And that's Ethan, my best friend"
I raised an eyebrow, surprised by the sudden introductions. I mean, we'd just met, but he was being surprisingly friendly. I wasn't sure if that was weird or just his personality—but either way, now that they had introduced themselves, it'd be awkward if I didn't do the same.
"Nice to meet you! I'm Justin" I said in my male voice, giving a short bow before gesturing to my female self.
"And this is Noa" I added, pointing subtly—an odd reflection of myself.
I noticed Oliver raise an eyebrow slightly at my words, like he was trying to make sense of the situation. His gaze moved from me to the other before he asked, with a hint of curiosity: "Do you two know each other?"
As soon as he said that, I realized what was confusing him. How would I know her name unless we were already acquainted? Besides, based on how my male and female selves had acted so far, it was clear we weren't behaving like people who knew each other. Honestly, I hadn't thought too hard about it—it would've been strange to be too friendly with myself. This whole situation was more unsettling than I expected.
"Well, actually, we just met" I replied, watching closely as my female self-gave a faint nod, almost involuntarily, as if silently aligning with my words.
I could've lied, sure—but I knew that kind of thing would eventually be found out. After all, aside from the fact that Noa and I were the same person, there was no reason to make up a backstory about knowing each other beforehand. In any case, Oliver seemed to accept my answer without pushing further.
His gaze shifted to the train windows, where he stared out in heavy silence at the darkness that stretched endlessly outside. Nothing but thick fog and pitch-black emptiness awaited us, as if the world beyond had vanished along with the light.