"So, you were also in the Bayswater area. I wonder if it was just our area that was affected? If it were the whole sector or city, I believe by now at least we both would have run into more people. Considering that most of the suburb is basically old empty factories, it would make sense why we have only seen a couple of others. In all of Bayswater, there's probably a hundred people at most." Marla thought out loud.
After answering all of her questions, most regarding the system, at least to the best of my ability. We both then swapped stories of where we were when we were transported to this zombie-infested city and what happened before our initial meeting. Marla's recount sounded just as frightening as my own, even more so in some ways as she had to also focus on protecting her younger brother, who I now know was only twelve years old in a couple of months. Sid had also revealed a couple of things he had noticed about the system interface that I didn't know until then. Like the fact that one could overlay their health, stamina and mana over their vision at all times in a number or bar form.
Considering that my mana and stamina had apparently not come into play at all so far, not moving an inch since I had awoken, I decided to just have my health bar visible. Saying it was visible wasn't exactly right though, as it wasn't directly in my normal vision; it only appeared if I mentally thought for it to appear. Sid also said that he tried to access an inventory system like the majority of RPG games had but to no effect. I sighed internally after several minutes of fruitlessly trying to open an inventory myself. The thought of being able to have an infinite storage system where one could retrieve anything at will elated me. However, it at least for now, it was apparently wasn't meant to be.
I had noticed that besides the all-round status page and notifications, the world I was currently in wasn't truly like a video game. Take stamina, for instance. In RPG styled video games, one would deplete stamina using just basic attacks or sprinting. But I had previously noticed that when doing physical activity, and even though I had felt physically tired afterwards, the so-called stamina value didn't move. I came to the swift conclusion that it was obviously used for other things.
Going back to Marla, who after hearing I was also in the suburb of Bayswater when I was teleported here, began to think of multiple theories, just like I had. However, she was missing a piece of crucial information that I had not divulged. That was the origin of the light wave. I don't exactly know why I didn't tell Marla and Sid that I had watched the light wave explode outwards from the strange machine where I worked. It was just something inside of me telling me not to divulge it. And as far as I was concerned, especially over the majority of the situations I had found myself in over the night, I must trust my instincts; they hadn't done me wrong so far.
"Well, I suppose ultimately it doesn't matter at the moment. Regardless, we just need to focus on our own survival and return safely. Going by what the system had announced when we arrived, and if we are agreeing that we can believe in its words, we only need to survive for a couple more days before we can get out of this hellhole." Marla said as she tapped her small chin with a broken, painted fingernail.
"Yeah, I wouldn't exactly say I trust this so-called System Overlord, but if it truly is some omnipotent deity, I don't imagine it gets its rocks off by lying to some random and confused humans. The only thing I don't understand is what it gets from doing all this?" After eating another salted cracker and washing it down with a swig of water, I muttered in agreement with Marla's thoughts.
"What do you mean, what it gets? Why would a god want something?" Marla looked over to me, putting her hand in her lap. The shadowy inside of the back of the truck made it look like her brown eyes, which were now staring into my own, were as black as coal, causing me to involuntarily shiver. 'For a teenager, she sure is intense.' I couldn't help but comment to myself at seeing her no-nonsense expression. I was previously quite surprised to find out the woman had only just recently turned seventeen years old. By her demeanour and the way she carried herself, I thought she was at least my age or older.
Thinking about her question, I didn't answer straight away as several thoughts that had bothered me began to spiral around in my mind. Finally, finding someone who was actually alive, I could bounce ideas off of, I decided to air my thoughts. "The reason I think there is something to gain is because of the law of equivalent exchange. There can't truly be something born from nothing. And the reason I believe this rule applies to this world as it does ours is the loot drops."
Marla tipped her head down as if thinking over my words, while Sid looked between the both of us, appearing somewhat lost. He looked at me and asked, "Are you saying loot drops are bad? Shouldn't one receive a prize after slaying a monster? And they turn to dust after a while even if they're not looted, which makes it hard to loot their corpses with your own hands."
"It's not really a question about it being good or bad; it's a question of why it happens. I can safely say that the majority of things I had looted from the zombie's ashes were things they did not have on themselves before I killed them. So, it begs to answer, that it was the system that conjured these items. And then the question returns to why it does that and how it does it? Can it turn the slain bodies' matter into anything it wants, or does it conjure them with some other mysterious material like mana? Or is it just some weirdo that has some planet-sized warehouse where it stores all manner of things and merely teleports them over at random?" Sid appeared to be even more confused after hearing my words. Looking back at Marla, I could see she was taking my words to heart and wasn't just listening to my thoughts to be nice. Seeing this, I continued.
"And then why does the system do it for them? Besides a few gross skin patch rolls, the rest of the things I've looted have been food, water, and weaponry. So, it's safe to guess that the system doesn't actually want us dead, even with it throwing us into a situation with enemies on all sides and barely any information, and is instead empowering us in its own small ways. It just doesn't make sense, and that's not even including what experience points truly are and how they could actually change the physical body of somebody. I'm not ashamed to say that before this night, I was nothing close to as fit and as strong as I am now." After I finished speaking, I needed to take a large swig of water, as my throat felt parched. Regardless if it was this world or back home, this was one of the longest conversations I had ever held, and that includes with my own family.
When it comes to experience points though, I wasn't completely in the dark, especially after experiencing what it was like upgrading my life force tier from zero to one. My best guess was that the experience points were probably some form of energy extracted from slain enemies or given by the system to enhance one's own power.
Thinking of life-force tiers, I realized I still hadn't gone through my notifications after waking up inside the truck and the subsequent skirmish. Looking over to Marla, who was still deep in thought, I said, "I've got a couple notifications I need to check, so I'll be spaced out for a bit; just tap me on the shoulder if you need me." Marla didn't say anything, even though there was a curious gleam in her eye that spoke of more questions at what I had just said, but instead nodded in reply. Leaning back against the cold metal of the side of the truck, I first mentally activated the biggest and most annoying notification itch that I had felt since waking up.
[Congratulations Human! You have now advanced to Life Force Tier 1 and have taken your first step on The Great Path. The five foundation pillars of a sentient being, Strength, Endurance, Spirit, Agility and Charisma have all seen an increase of double their standard values. Any awakened Support Pillars will also have an increase of double their initial value at the start of the Life Force Transition.]
'Well, shit on me, that's a lot to unpack.' Just as I began to digest the words ringing inside my mind, another notification popped up almost forcefully, as if it couldn't wait to be read. This was the first time besides the initial introduction message that the system had forced a message into my vision. It gave me a foreboding feeling in the pit of my stomach. My face took on a small frown that only got heavier after I read the following words.
[Congratulations Human. Your tutorial mission has deviated from the preconceived trajectory and has expanded beyond the standards set. As a newly integrated system being, you have not entered the true universe of the System and instead have been ushered into a safe zone space created to help the integration of all new beings. Because of this, the parameters of the tutorial zone had taken on a familiar terrain and beings to one's known to you, enabling an easy adaptation to the system. With enemies and challenges being neither too strong nor too weak. However, due to your recent life force tier ascension, your power has gone past the parameters set for the tutorial zone. You are now given two choices.
[Option 1: You may stay in the safe zone tutorial, but no future experience points will be granted to you, and you will only receive loot drops until the remaining 65 hours and 12minutes remaining of your integration are complete.]
[Option 2: Establish a Personal Base in the System world of Aeos. Entering an integrated system world, your gathering of experience will not be locked, and loot drops remain as standard.]
[You have ten minutes upon receiving this notification to choose before a choice is made for you.]
"Oh crap. This, this..." After reading the notification for the second time, my head felt as if it was becoming heavy, and a great weight settled over my shoulders so suddenly that it felt as if I was being slowly squashed. My breath gathered in short, rapid gasps, and my chest began to burn. Right before the panic attack had fully grasped my entire being, and I was beginning to see white, and soft but firm grip on my shoulder broke the hold the information I just read had over me. Turning to my left, I found Marla's calm but tightened eyes staring into my own. I could tell there was a part of her that was still somewhat scared of me and my current actions, but it couldn't hide the instinctual caring and warmth her gaze radiated. The sight, for some reason, calmed me immediately. The eyes reminded me of my mother's gentle, calming gaze from when I was younger.
"I'm okay." My voice came out in a rasp, which only made the young woman's face take on an even more concerning aura. The sight actually made me feel guilty as it pierced my fragile heart, especially when I looked over to the child, Sid, who was also giving me the exact same look. 'You're the adult here, stop freaking out over everything. One step at a time, one punch at a time. Show some backbone, goddamn it!' After mentally berating myself, I straightened my slightly hunched shoulders and turned away from the little soldier Sid and back to Marla. This time my voice didn't sound as if it was seconds from turning into a sob as I began to explain what I had just read.
"So, those are my options. Honestly, just the information revealed in those short notifications is giving me a headache let alone the fact that I have to choose to either sit safely in this tutorial zone or move onto a real system world, where even though I can still increase my experience points I imagined the danger level would also rise dramatically." After finishing my words with a frustrated sigh, I checked the countdown timer that had appeared at the edge of my vision. Seeing that I only had five minutes left, I growled softly and rubbed my head vigorously as if I could physically pull out the best choice.
"Honestly, I don't know which choice to make either. Like I said earlier, Sid and I's tutorial missions are just to survive seventy-two hours. Considering that the first notification told us that we would be sent back to our own world after we finished the tutorial means that there shouldn't be any need for one to take risks to even gather experience points at all. We don't even know if these increases to our bodies will actually transfer over once we return. However, we also have to take into account the fact that we don't know if this is a one-off or if we will be pulled into this world multiple times. Not including the fact that one might want to come over willingly if possible." Marla spoke gently and intelligently, her thoughts and conjectures well thought out. I initially agreed with her, finding her words reasonable, but when she claimed someone might willingly enter this nightmarish world, I interjected, surprise marring my face.
"Why in the world would someone want to come to this land of death willingly? Unless they're a lunatic." Marla gazed deeply into my eyes and shook her head slowly before dropping a bombshell of a possibility that hadn't actually crossed my mind since arriving. "If our power increases not just physically but also magically, or spiritually or whatever, imagine what this could mean for our planet's fight against the Swarm. This opportunity might be something that we have to grasp even if it costs millions of lives; it could ultimately lead to saving billions."
At those words, I was left speechless, with my mind swirling chaotically. Seeing that I was now struck by deep thought, Marla stopped talking and sat back, gazing at me, obviously waiting to hear my choice. During the last of the several minutes that felt like seconds of my countdown, many thoughts ran through my mind. Like if I could actually grow my strength to such heights that all it would take was a simple punch from me to rip a Swarm's hard shell into pieces, I could join the army and clear incursions before they ever became a problem. Surely I would be paid generously for being such a hero to the people of our world. Such that our family would never have to worry about money again.
However, the thought of just myself becoming that strong paused, as I remembered sharply I wasn't the only one teleported here, not even including the fact that there was literally two other possible super humans only a few feet from me right now, there could even be thousands of tutorial zones integrating every person of the Federation at this exact moment. Making me not special but just one of billions again. Of course, there would then be geniuses, or even real fighters who had teleported over, who would truly excel in this world, growing powerful so quickly that I would once again become nothing but a rat at the bottom of their shoes.
No. Not again. I always wailed that I was never given the chance. This, this is mine. To go from the ordinary to the extraordinary, I needed to make a choice, the right choice. Not just for my world, not just for my city, or even my family but for myself. Looking up, my eyes began to harden as my will formed. Reading over the notification once again, I mentally shouted my choice the next second, worrying that if I paused for even one more second my shabby will would crumble and I'd ultimately chicken out. Luckily, I held on, waiting with a stilled heart until a new notification rang inside my head.
[Congratulations Human, you have chosen option 2 and will take the next step onto the Great Path. You will shortly receive a Personal System Mission, also known as a Pathway Mission. You have thirty minutes before you are forcefully ejected from the tutorial zone and sent to the world of Aeos.]
After reading the message, the heavy feeling lying over my shoulders didn't actually dissipate, but instead of feeling suffocating, it felt more as if it was a burden I had willingly lifted, not one forced upon me. Looking up, I met Marla's curious eyes and with a shaky smile, I informed her, "I chose to leave the Tutorial zone." I thought she would look somewhat surprised, but instead, she had a more knowing look, as if she believed that was the choice I was always going to choose. The look truly made me feel bewildered. Although the young woman was clearly intelligent and had good observational skills, I was still a relative stranger to her, so how could she look so sure of herself?
Ultimately, I couldn't help but ask Marla, who once again gave me a surprise with her answer. "Grubbs, I know that the time we have now spent together is basically nothing, and it's almost impossible to truly know a person without years of being around each other. But I do have experience with a certain type of person." Pausing Marla looked over to her brother who was silently staring wide eyed in my direction, at least he looked surprised at my choice I thought as Marla began talking again, "my family is a military family, with generations on both sides serving even before there was a federation. Men and women of all types. Some were physically strong, some were smart beyond their peers, some were absolute brain-dead morons, and even others that were crafty boot lickers, but even though their personalities all varied in so many ways, they all held one thing in common."
Taking her eyes off her brother, who was now also looking at his sister expectantly, she continued with a proud smile, "They held responsibility above all things. They were all the type of people that once donned with the heavy mantle of responsibility never bowed or bent under the weight. They carried it forward relentlessly. My father once said, a soldier doesn't need to have the whole world upon his shoulders to be responsible. All it took was just one person, one single person they had to protect, and that was all it took to turn a brittle spine into iron. That's what being a soldier is all about. You Grubbs, also have that look in your eyes. I don't know if it's for your family, a girlfriend or even the whole world, but you look responsible, and that carries a weight too. A weight that fits you like a glove." Marla gave me a soft smile, while Sid nodded vigorously at her words towards me.
For a moment, I didn't know what to say, even though a cynical part of myself wanted to mock the young woman's words for immature philosophical crap, probably spoken by the Federation propaganda patrol — but at that moment. With that mysterious weight hanging over my head, I truly felt it. It was with that realization that I knew I had been feeling that weight for a long time; it was only now that I truly felt it. And this time, instead of feeling bent at the hand I was dealt, I instead used it to harden my spine. Sitting up straighter, I squared my shoulders and nodded towards Marla, saying, "thank you, Marla. Those were the words I needed to hear right now. I know I'm truly scared of what I will soon be facing but I can't ignore the fact that there is a part of me that is very excited about what's coming and how it will likely change my entire life."
Marla smiled softly in reply, then reached out and gently rubbed her hand through her brother's hair, while I watched the sweet display with a soft smile, a new notification itch sprouted. Knowing this was going to contain details of my Pathway mission and hopefully some about the world I was heading to, I took a deep breath and mentally opened the notification.