"So basically, the so-called top ten reward isn't a reward at all? They're just sending us into the forbidden zone to run a mission!" someone muttered quietly among the group.
Everyone paused. Now that they thought about it, it really did seem that way.
In fact, quite a few of them began to suspect that the timing of the national freshman tournament wasn't a coincidence either.
It just so happened to fall right after most of them had completed their third round in the forbidden zones. What were the odds?
"That student just now wasn't wrong," the instructor admitted calmly, then added, "But this forbidden zone isn't particularly dangerous for you. If you succeed, you'll receive generous rewards. Doesn't that count as a reward?"
"If anyone feels uneasy about it, you're free to withdraw now. No one will stop you."
Silence.
At this point, no one would be foolish enough to back out.
An extra run through a forbidden zone, especially one not too dangerous, was actually a good opportunity for newcomers like them.
Besides, if they quit now, how would they even explain that when they got back to school?
Seeing no one respond, the instructor's tone grew colder. "Also, next time you have a question, raise your hand first. If you speak out without permission again, you'll be dismissed on the spot."
The student who had been muttering earlier turned pale. He realized he'd just made a bad impression.
Fortunately, the instructor didn't press the issue further.
The lecture resumed.
"This forbidden zone takes place in a world quite similar to our own," the instructor explained. "In their future, a terrifying species of monster appeared and nearly wiped out all of humanity. The future humans couldn't defeat them, so they used a temporal device to travel back in time and ask their ancestors for help."
As he spoke, he switched on a projector.
An image flashed onto the wall a hideous monster.
Its body was entirely white. It had six limbs, four of which it used to walk, while the remaining two were short but ended in razor-sharp claws. Two thick tentacles extended from its back, each concealing bladed weapons.
The moment Vincent Fox saw the image, he froze.
He had already felt a strange sense of familiarity when the instructor described the world inside the forbidden zone.
Now, seeing the creature, he was certain. He knew exactly which world this was.
"The Tomorrow War."
This had been the last sci-fi movie he'd seen back on Earth before being reborn into this world.
He remembered it vividly.
In The Tomorrow War, a terrifying alien species nearly wiped out humanity.
Their skin was incredibly tough, nearly impervious to bullets and blades.
Their strength was immense, easily tearing apart armored vehicles.
And their ability to reproduce was even more terrifying a single female could give birth to tens of thousands in just one month.
Even worse, nuclear weapons barely harmed them. In fact, radiation made them evolve faster.
These creatures were known in the movie as "White Spikes."
They had overwhelmed Earth and nearly driven humanity to extinction.
What puzzled Vincent was...
Why did the instructor say this world wasn't that dangerous?
Those White Spikes were incredibly strong. They always hunted in packs and could decimate an elite army within minutes.
Among all the new students present, Vincent was probably the only one capable of surviving a direct encounter.
Even Lucia Blair would be doomed if she got surrounded.
Her mental strength still hadn't reached the level needed to withstand such a siege.
Only Vincent had the confidence to take on these monsters and escape unscathed.
"Could it be that... dying in The Tomorrow War world doesn't result in real death?" he wondered. "If that's the case, then I suppose it wouldn't be that dangerous... but that seems unlikely."
Still, Vincent didn't voice his thoughts. He continued listening.
"Your mission in the forbidden zone is to exterminate these creatures and save humanity," the instructor went on. "The more people you save, the higher your performance rating."
"Once you enter the forbidden zone, you'll be prompted to choose a time period. You can start in the peaceful era or jump straight to the disaster era, 25 years into the future. I recommend choosing the future. It'll save you a lot of time."
"In the peaceful era, the White Spikes haven't appeared yet. While you can still time-travel within the zone, the process carries some risks."
"You'll only have seven days for the mission. Every day wasted is a massive loss."
"Remember, once you enter the disaster era, you must stay on high alert. The White Spikes could be hiding anywhere."
"When you encounter one, do not engage in prolonged combat. They always travel in packs and have enough intelligence to flank and trap their enemies. If you're surrounded, you'll be in grave danger."
"One more thing this forbidden zone allows you to terminate the mission at any time and return to the real world."
"If you ever feel like your life is truly in danger, don't hesitate. Abort the mission immediately."
"You're the pride of our nation. Even if the mission fails, your lives must be preserved."
The crowd stirred with surprise.
They didn't expect to hear that they could withdraw at will. That was rare.
Vincent finally understood.
So that's why the instructor said the mission wasn't too dangerous.
As long as they could escape in time, the danger level was manageable.
Just don't get instantly killed in a single encounter that was the key.
"White Spikes are extremely dangerous," the instructor emphasized. "Each one has strength comparable to a Tier-1 mutant beast. Those tentacles on their backs? They can fire bone spikes with force comparable to sniper rounds. Do not let your guard down."
"For the next few days, I'll be training you specifically on how to fight these things."
The instructor's voice echoed powerfully across the base.
----------------------------------------------------
The deeper he goes, the more the truth unravels. Don't wait read ahead and witness Vincent's rise before the world catches up!
[email protected]/_theon
Change @ to "a"