It was already evening, but the World Quest was still ongoing. By now, most people had no choice but to accept their new reality. Many roamed wildly, hunting and slaughtering monsters and mutated beasts just to prove their survival. Yet there were still some who cowered in hiding, clinging desperately to the hope that the gods would overlook them.
But the World Quest notification was like a curse engraved into the very core of their brains. It did not allow escape. It reminded them relentlessly, whispering at the edges of their sanity. Some could not endure it and began to slip into madness, the inability to fight, the inability to kill, the inability to live.
«WORLD QUEST: FIRST BLOOD»
TYPE: Mandatory
GOAL: Kill 5 monsters within 48 hours
RANK: E
SYSTEM NOTICE: "Survival must be proven. Failure means erasure."
REWARDS:
+100 EXP
Basic Weapon (E-Rank)
Passive Skill: Adrenaline Surge (reflex boost when afraid)
FAILURE PENALTY:
-50% Health
Quests locked for 72 hours
System beacon attracts monsters
TIME REMAINING: 5: 13: 05»
Most members of the Eleso Faction had already completed the quest. Relief touched them, but there was no celebration. The truth was bitter: they now understood their lives were no longer their own. They belonged to the gods, puppets on strings.
Rather than laughter, there was vigilance. Rather than joy, there was fear. Even children, who once played freely in the streets, now walked with wary eyes and clenched jaws. They too had accepted it. Everyone had. The world was harsh and brutal, and it would only get worse.
James walked through the camp of the Eleso Faction, his gaze heavy. These were people who should be in schools, workplaces, or enjoying their families. Instead, they looked hardened, worn down by survival. Their innocence was stripped away.
But James was no different. He too had changed. His heart was no longer burdened by illusions of peace. He only hoped for one thing; for Collins to wake up.
His negotiations with Akinde, leader of the faction, had ended with a mutual understanding. James explained he would fight and take on dangerous missions in exchange for resources. Akinde wanted to rope James in completely, but the words of Niniola, praising both James and Collins, had influenced him. In the end, Akinde settled on a fair arrangement: James would not owe the faction as long as he fulfilled missions when needed, and in return, they would protect the unconscious Collins.
As for Amara, she hadn't said a word since Niniola left the office. Her silence was heavy. She left everything to James, trusting him to handle it all and James did.
Now, wandering through the faction, James quietly observed the hierarchy. Here, strength ruled. Privilege did not come from connections or wealth, it came from the ability to fight and survive.
He shook his head. None of it mattered to him. Once Collins woke up, they would continue their path, hunting monsters, leveling up, growing stronger. The World Quest was only the beginning. James knew this was just the warm-up. The Djinns would soon unleash stronger waves of monsters. That would be the real horror.
After the warm-up, came the real game.
"You don't like our faction?"
James turned, surprised by the feminine voice. A woman he didn't recognize stood behind him.
It was Sola. She had just finished assigning people to various departments, farming, fishing, medical care, and more. She had been heading off to rest when she noticed James, someone she hadn't seen before.
"Oh, the faction is great," James replied. He found himself quietly impressed by her beauty. While she wasn't as striking as Niniola, she had her own charm.
"Of course it is. It wasn't easy to organize everyone after… you know what happened."
"I agree," James nodded. Of course, he knew. The apocalypse, the chaos unleashed by the gods.
"So, what department are you working in? Since you're here, I assume Mr. Akinde brought you."
"Nah, a little brat brought me here. Arrogant for his age." James said bluntly.
"Oh, you mean Laide?"
"Yes." James confirmed.
"You don't have to mind him," Sola smiled.
"I have bigger things to think about than minding a little boy," James muttered, sounding almost tired.
"So, are you assigned to a department?" she asked again.
"No. I prefer fighting monsters, that way I can level up."
"Fighting monsters isn't easy. Especially for someone young like you."
James shot her a sideways glance, she was underestimating him. If only she knew what he and Collins had been through since the apocalypse began…
But before he could respond, the sky split with golden light.
«DING… FIRST COMPLETE QUEST ACHIEVEMENT»
CONGRATULATIONS TO CHINA, EAST LAND, FOR BEING THE FIRST REGION TO COMPLETE THE FIRST PHASE OF THE GAME
REWARDS:
+2 Levels
200 God Coins
Saga Unlocks
Passive Skill: Adrenaline Surge (reflex boost when afraid)
Cosmic Stream Store Unlocked (Ascendants may now purchase items with God Coins)»
The world froze.
Shock rippled across the globe. China had completed the first phase while the rest of the world still struggled with the basics.
Some shouted in protest, furious at the gods for showing favoritism they don't know whether it was true or not. Others trembled, fearing they were already too far behind. But their cries received no response. The silence of the gods was deafening.
James felt his heart drop. This was his first time seeing such a world notification.
"China… completed the first phase?!" Sola gasped.
"The first phase?!" James repeated, but his tone was heavier. The words carried a dreadful truth. If what they had faced so far was only the first phase, then the world was far worse than they could imagine. Countless people had already died just to survive this phase. What would come next?
"How's that possible?! How did they adapt so quickly?!" Sola demanded.
"Maybe… they already had cultivators before the apocalypse," James said casually, though his mind spun.
"This is no joke," Sola replied seriously.
James shrugged, but determination burned in his chest. If others could push forward, so could he and he would.
But James didn't know his words were not just a guess, they were true. China did indeed have cultivators hidden in plain sight, who were forced out when the gods turned the world upside down. And this announcement would awaken other supernatural beings worldwide, forcing them out of hiding.
Elsewhere, Niniola sat alone in her room, resting after helping more survivors awaken as Ascendants. She glanced at the glowing notification.
"I wish I could get a heads-up on what the first phase actually was… but alas, that's impossible," she sighed, leaning back.
Far away, Dennis and Diablo also received the news.
"Do you think we're still in the first phase?" Diablo asked.
"Of course. If not, we'd have gotten this message long ago," Dennis replied firmly.
"I don't know. Something feels off. I feel like we haven't seen anything yet." Diablo muttered, unsettled.
"Me too," Dennis admitted. "But we just need to grow stronger and face it."
"You've been stuck at Level 9 for a while now. How do you plan on getting stronger?"
"Maybe it's part of the system's rules. We just keep pushing forward. Answers will come."
"You're too positive," Diablo sighed.
"Let's continue. The mystery will solve itself," Dennis said. Together, they carried on with their mission, to help others become Ascendants.
Meanwhile, in a land scorched by eternal flames, two beings stepped forth.
"We have arrived," said the horned figure, his mischievous smile glowing against the firelight