On a sunny day like any other, cars were zooming by with the occasional blaring of horns and yelling of obscenities.
Dogs were barking, people were conversing when all of a sudden, out of nowhere the sky turned dark.
With no predictions of eclipse for the day people took their phones, some to start recording the strange phenomenon, and others to surf the net.
Gasps of shock and confusion rang out as the netizens found out that they were not the only ones being affected, it was happening all over the world of AURTH, though it was less impactful in some parts which were already experiencing nighttime.
The dark sky got lit up by faint glows coming from the clouds as particles of red and gold dust fell to the ground.
Some tried dodging the particles, fear of the unknown serving as the guide for their instinctive human behaviour, while the others, the more adventurous ones reached out to touch them, only to find them dissolve upon contact with their skin.
Wide eyed, the first ones to come into contact with these weird dust particles read the sentences on their retinas as they were soon joined by the rest who realised that nothing, not even buildings nor clothes would prevent the weird looking dust particles from coming into contact with their skin.
At different intervals, everyone around the world saw the text that appeared with a notification sound.
[DING! THE AWAKENING HAS ARRIVED ON THE PLANET #45643/3 KNOWN BY NATIVES AS AURTH.]
[SCANNING FOR DOMINANT SPECIES.]
[DOMINANT SPECIES: HUMANS]
[ANALYSING WORLD HISTORY]
[GENERATING OF POWER LEVELLING SYSTEM]
[DISTRIBUTION OF POWER LEVELLING SYSTEM ACCORDING TO PERSONAL LIFE EXPERIENCES]
[DING! You have been bestowed with the deadly sin… and the heavenly virtue… ]
Shock. Absolute shock. The kind that was enough to freeze all the activities of a boisterous and technologically advanced world like Aurth.
As people soundlessly stared at the absurd information floating in front of their eyes, a resounding *CLAP* was heard as a light shockwave passed through everything and everyone.
[Time-lock released. Countdown to beginning of tutorial: 00:09:59]
Skrrrr! Piiii! *BOOM*
Drivers swerved, pilots steadied planes and pedestrians ran as the world roared back to life after unknowingly being frozen in time.
Another round of silence set in allowing people to process what had happened, the realisation too daunting and mind blowing to be accepted by the faint of heart.
People refrained from asking questions, a failed attempt to cling to the hope of things being normal.
*VOOOM* With a faint sound as abilities flickered into activation, people glowed in different colours as some teleported, others bulked up and a few got healed of minor cuts and bruises.
Seeing the unique abilities being displayed by those around them, the more reluctant ones finally read the weird messages with the hope that they would be able to either escape this weird dream or get a cool ability.
[DING! You have been bestowed with the deadly sin Wrath and the heavenly virtue Kindness in accordance with life experience, special skills- BERSERK, REFLECT]
[DING! You have been bestowed with the heavenly virtue Humility and the deadly sin Sloth in accordance with life experience, special skills - SCHOLAR, SKIP]
With shock still decorating faces like makeup, people tried tapping the screen with their fingers, the uniqueness of the situation preventing mockery from filling the air.
A few more tries was all that was needed before they realised their approach was wrong and they were either approached by the early birds of the situation, or sought their help.
Eventually everyone realised that thinking about the special skills they had been gifted was enough to read their descriptions or activate them.
"Look at me mama, I can make things float", shouted a young child no older than 12 as he used his Greedspecial skill, TELEKINESISto make his biscuit wrapper float.
In the penthouse of a skyscraper, a teenage looking young man sat with a glass of wine, exuding an oppresive presence that made the maids around him feel weak.
"Figured I'd get Pride" he said to himself in a lazy voice. "After all who but me is truly worthy to wield this power." The haughty young man thought out loud, believing that his title as billionaire heir was finally giving him the respect and power he deserved.
In another location, enriched with the smell of sweat and cigarettes of a low-end strip club, a woman activated her special skill, PSYCHIC, influencing the man she was servicing to give her all of his cash as well as keys to his motorcycle.
A special skill granted to her by the deadly sin Lust.
All around the world people activated their special skills getting addicted to the otherworldly skills and conveniently forgetting the timer that loomed in the corner of their vision, a costly mistake which would prove to be the last one for some.
[00:07:37]
In a large mansion in the heart of one of Aurth's most bustling cities, a pair made up of an old man and a young adult stood, the former just a few steps behind the young man, his head slightly bowed to show reverence.
"Say Alfred, I'm kind of curious about what you got. For the virtue bit I'm kind of guessing Humility or something, but for the sin bit I have no clue."
The old man, given the name Alfred by the younger one answered the question posed to him.
"Young master, I did indeed get Humility and for the sin I got Wrath."
"Wrath huh, I didn't see you to be the angry type. Then again with your permanent poker face and emotionless voice you didn't give me much to guess with. And what have I said about calling me young master."
"Well I asked you for your name and you gave me a fake one. You also called me Alfred and had me dress up in a butler's suit so it's only fair that I call you whatever I want."
"Tsk tsk tsk, fine whatever, but hey aren't you going to ask me about my sin and virtue, as well as my special skills."
"No need to bore the young master with such questions when I already know the answers."
"Based on the fleet of cars and yachts, coupled with the rare wines and meat the young master has collected and hoarded over the years, my guess for your sin is Greed. As for the virtue, it's Patience, an attribute you express with terrifying consistency and precision."
"*sigh* It seems like you truly know me well Mr. Godfrey. Go on and be with your family in this unpredictable time we find ourselves in."
"Nonsense, with less than five minutes on the countdown to doom I wouldn't reach them in time. Don't worry I've already told them about where I hid the weapons you gave me to protect myself and I trust my wife would know how to use a gun, and please, call me Alfred. I've gotten quite attached to it."
[00:03:19]
"Okay Alfred, let's go get our guns ready and welcome the trial the Americain way."
[00:00:17]
"Oh look young master, it's now down to less than half a minute."
Mr Godfrey, –Alfred's voice rang out, both of them decked in secret service grade vests with rounds of bullets plastered on them.
The ease with which they moved showing that this wasn't their first rodeo.
[00:00:10]
[00:00:09]
[00:00:07]
[00:00:05]
[00:00:03]
[00:00:02]
[00:00:01]
[DING! TRIAL HAS BEGUN ]
[FIRST TRIAL – HUMANITY'S GREATEST ENEMY, THE…]