It was quiet again.
Really, really quiet.
The kind of quiet where if I waved my little paw around and shouted "Boo!", the sound would bounce back at me like I was scaring myself.
I sat right in the middle of the glowing floor, swinging my tiny legs that didn't quite reach the ground. The Tower's Tutorial Chamber was so, so big, but it always felt empty when no one was here yet.
The walls were tall and round, covered in glowing symbols that shifted and spun, changing shapes all the time. Sometimes I tried copying them with my stubby arms, but I always ended up twirling around until I got dizzy and fell flat on my back.
"Ehehe… the floor feels cool."
I pressed my fluffy face against it with a giggle.
I liked the floor. It was smooth and shiny, like glass, but it didn't hurt when I fell on it. Sometimes, I pretended it was a giant candy plate and I was a marshmallow sitting on top.
But candy floors don't stay fun forever.
After a while, the quiet started poking at me again. So I sat up straight, puffed out my chest, and threw my arms wide.
"Ta-da! Welcome to the Tutorial~!"
Nobody clapped. Nobody cheered. The only sound was the soft shiiing of the runes glowing on the walls.
I blinked, then tried again, louder this time.
"TA-DA! Welcome to the Tutorial!"
Still nothing.
"…Hmph."
My ears drooped as I crossed my stubby arms. It wasn't fun when I was the only one listening.
Being a Guide meant waiting. And waiting. And waiting some more. I was good at waiting because that was all I did. Sit here, smile, and wait until the Tower decided to bring the new Players.
But sometimes… waiting felt heavy.
Like right now.
I lay back down, staring up at the high ceiling where the runes crawled like glowing fireflies. I wondered what the new Players would be like this time. Some screamed. Some cried. Some puffed up their chests like they weren't scared at all.
And me? I always said the same words:
"Don't worry! I'm here to help!"
That was my job. That was why I was here.
But—
For just a moment, my button eyes caught something strange in the lights above. Faces. Names. Voices.
Ones I shouldn't know.
I shook my head hard, ears flapping. "No, no, no! Stop it!"
A Guide should be cheerful. A Guide should smile. A Guide should be fluffy and helpful, not sad and heavy.
So I stood up again, spun until I was dizzy, and threw my arms wide.
"Ta-da~!"
The dizziness made the lights spin like stars, and I laughed. For a little while, it was fun again.
Until the floor began to glow brighter.
I froze. My ears perked up.
The runes shimmered. The air trembled.
"They're coming," I whispered.
My tummy fluttered excitement? Worry? I didn't know. Maybe both.
Light burst across the chamber. The silence cracked open.
And one by one, the Players arrived.
Tall. Small. Loud. Quiet. Some gasped, some cried, some froze like broken dolls.
I waddled forward, fluff bouncing with each step. My stitched-on smile never faltered.
"Welcome, Players! My name is Teddy, and I'll be your Guide through the Tutorial!"
Dozens of eyes turned to me. Confusion. Laughter. Frowns.
"Is that… a toy?"
"We're supposed to trust that thing?"
I didn't mind. I was used to it. I puffed out my chest.
"I'll explain everything, so don't be scared! The Tower picked you, and now you're here! Yay!"
A messy-haired man shouted, "What is this place?! Where's my family?!"
A woman beside him screamed, "Send us back!"
I tilted my head, ears flopping. "Um… you can't go back yet. You have to clear the Tutorial first! If you clear it, you can go home… for now."
That only made the panic spread.
I hugged my round belly with both arms, trying to look extra fluffy. "It's okay! I'll help you! That's what I'm here for!"
Among the crowd, a child stared at me. Her eyes were wide too wide. For a moment, I thought she could see something behind my stitched smile. Something I didn't want anyone to see.
But then she giggled.
"Fluffy…"
I smiled wider.
Yes. That was me. Fluffy. Helpful. A good Guide.
The Tower rumbled, and glowing windows appeared before each Player. Gasps followed as they tried to touch them, fingers passing through.
"See? That's your Player Window!" I said cheerfully. "It shows your class, your stats, and lots of other things! The more you clear, the stronger you get!"
I spun in a little circle, arms swinging. "The Tutorial is your very first test! Don't worry, it's not too hard. Just follow me and"
I stopped.
Just for a second, the light from their windows showed me something else. Blood. Screams. Betrayal.
Faces I shouldn't remember.
My stuffing felt heavy.
But no one else noticed. They were too busy panicking.
So I smiled again. I always smiled.
"Follow me, everyone! Your adventure in the Tower starts now!"
And as they shuffled after me, I wondered like I always did how many would make it out alive.
The wall pulsed with light. Five glowing rings appeared, each shining brighter than the last.
[Tutorial Progression]
Stage 1 – Beginner Grounds (Goblins, Slimes, Wolves)
Stage 2 – Labyrinth of Shadow
Stage 3 –Trial of the Hunt
Stage 4 – Arena of Resolve
Stage 5 – Final Gatekeeper
Time Limit: 1 Month per stage (Tower Time)
I puffed out my cheeks like a teacher.
"Five stages, one month! Clear them all, and you get to leave the Tutorial and reach the First Floor. Yay! But if you don't…" My ears drooped. "…then the Tower eats your chance, and you don't move forward."
Nervous whispers rippled through the Players.
I clapped my paws. "Okay, okay! Rewards! You like rewards, right?"
That got their attention.
I pointed to the first glowing ring. Holograms of goblins, slimes, and wolves popped out.
"Stage One – Beginner Grounds! Beat the monsters, earn EXP, and level up! Clear it, and you'll receive your very first Skill Shard. Think of it as your starter toy!"
The Players stirred. Hope flickered.
Stage Two– Labyrinth of Shadows!" A maze of twisting halls unfolded, shadow monsters slithering within. "It's tricky, but clearing it gives you a Stat Blessing and a Tower Map Fragment."
"Stage Three– Trial of the Hunt!" Antlered beasts and clawed predators appeared. "Here you'll chase and be chased. Clear it to earn a Skill Orb and Tower Coins!"
Gasps. Greedy eyes gleamed.
"Stage Four – Arena of Resolve!" A glowing arena erupted with phantom crowds. "You'll face other Players. Pass, and you get a Class Blessing and a random Special Item. Could be a sword, a ring, or maybe even squeaky boots!"
A nervous chuckle spread through the group.
"And finally Stage Five – Final Gatekeeper."
The last ring turned crimson. A towering armored figure appeared, eyes blazing.
"This is the hardest part. Beat it, and you'll finish the Tutorial. Survivors get a Tower Key to enter the First Floor and your very first Title."
I lowered my voice, almost whispering.
"Titles make you special. They change how others see you… and sometimes, how the Tower itself treats you."
The Players fell silent.
I clapped again, bright and cheerful. "Don't be scared! You can do it. Remember: only Players can respawn. So fight, grow stronger, and climb!"
My ears drooped, but I forced my smile wider.
"So let's play, okay?"
The five rings blazed one by one until only the first remained lit.
[Stage One: Beginner Grounds – Initiating…]
The floor rumbled. Massive doors creaked open.
The scent of dirt and grass swept in. Distant goblin cackles echoed, mixing with wolf howls and the bubbling of slimes.
Weapons shimmered into existence in the Players' hands as their class cards awakened.
I waddled toward the doors, spun once, and threw my arms wide.
"Stage One starts now! Go, go, go!"
And the light swallowed us all.
The forest trembled.
The ground shook.
And then—
"...Gyaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!"
A hulking Goblin King burst through the trees, taller than a two-story house, with a club big enough to squash a bus flat. His green skin was covered in scars, his tusks jutted out like daggers, and his beady red eyes scanned the gathered players with pure hatred.
"Waaaah! H-He's huge!" one Earth player shouted.
"B-Boss monster! Already?!" cried another.
"Nyahaha~ he looks like a big ugly pickle!" Teddy pointed his stubby finger dramatically, totally ruining the tense atmosphere.
The Goblin King roared, and the battle began.
Players charged in humans from Earth wielding makeshift swords and guns, while warriors from other dimensions unleashed strange magics and techniques.
An elf woman raised her glowing bow.
"Piercing Light Arrow!"
A Filipino college student beside her blinked in shock.
"Wait you're like, Legolas?! That's cheating!"
Meanwhile, a beastfolk swordsman with twitching cat ears leaped at the Goblin King.
"Shadow Fang!"
Teddy clapped excitedly.
"Kitty-ear man, gooo! Slash that mean pickle!"
But the cat warrior got swatted by the Goblin King's club and sent flying straight into a group of panicking gamers.
"AAAAHHHHHH!"
"Dude, watch where you land!"
"Respawn system works, right?! RIGHT?!"
All around, the fight turned into a comedy of errors. Magic circles misfired. Guns jammed. Spells collided with bullets. Nobody could coordinate.
"This… is a mess," grumbled a knight from another dimension, raising his shield just as a stray fireball from a panicked Earth player hit him in the back.
"Oi, who fireballed me?!"
"Sorry, sorry, friendly fire isn't disabled!!"
In the middle of this disaster, one man didn't move.
Zero.
He stood with his arms folded, his face unreadable, watching the Goblin King rampage as players scrambled. His mere presence felt different calm, steady, almost detached, like he wasn't even sweating.
Teddy tilted his head.
"Mister Zero, aren't you gonna move? The mean pickle is scary!"
Zero finally stepped forward.
Just one step.
The ground cracked beneath his boot.
The Goblin King noticed him, and its roar shook the forest. It swung its club down toward Zero with enough force to crush a car.
BOOOOM!
Dust exploded into the air. Everyone gasped.
And when the dust cleared—
Zero was standing there, one hand casually holding up the massive club.
"...What the hell?" a soldier whispered.
"He stopped it… with one hand?"
Zero's voice was calm, barely above a whisper, but everyone heard it.
"Too slow."
With a flick of his wrist, the club shattered into splinters.
The Goblin King stumbled back, bellowing in rage.
"Everyone, attack now!" shouted a knight.
"Cover me, I'll heal!" yelled a priestess.
"Guns on the left flank, now!"
Slowly, painfully, the players began to realize they couldn't beat this boss separately. Humans, elves, beastfolk, and armored knights started fighting side by side.
The elf archer's light arrows synced with an Earth sniper's bullets.
The cat warrior slashed in rhythm with a gamer's baseball bat swings.
A mage's fire spell timed perfectly with a grenade blast.
Bit by bit, chaos turned into something resembling teamwork.
Teddy cheered from the sidelines.
"Waaah! Everyone's being friends now! Even kitty-ear man is helping baseball bat man! Go go gooo!"
The Goblin King staggered under the combined assault.
And then—
Zero moved again.
His hand brushed against his sword. In one smooth motion, he unsheathed it, a silver flash cutting through the air.
SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH—!
The Goblin King froze.
For a heartbeat, silence filled the forest.
Then its massive body split cleanly in two, collapsing with a thunderous crash.
The battle was over.
Everyone just stared.
No one spoke.
Teddy hopped onto the Goblin King's corpse and raised his stubby arms.
"Yaaaay! Mister Zero sliced the big pickle in half! So coooool!"
Zero simply sheathed his sword again, expression unreadable.
As the players caught their breath, a holographic board shimmered into existence above them, glowing brightly.
Teddy puffed out his cheeks and cleared his throat in the most serious way he could.
"Ahem! Ahem! Attention everyone! Teddy the Great will now announce the Top Player Rankings for Stage One!"
Players turned toward him, curious and anxious.
"Rank number five… Kitty-Ear Man! Because he fought bravely even when squished!"
"Rank number four… Sparkle-Stick Lady! Pew-pew arrows were shiny!"
"Rank number three… Baseball Bat Guy! Bonk bonk bonk!"
"Rank number two… Mr. Shieldy Knight! So tanky! Teddy likes him!"
Teddy paused, then raised a stubby finger at Zero.
"And Rank number one is… duh duh duh duh Mister Zerooooo! Yay! Clap clap clap!"
The holographic board confirmed it:
Top Player: ZERO
Stage One Clear Points: Overwhelming Victory
The crowd erupted in whispers.
"Who is he…?"
"Zero…? Never heard of him…"
"Wasn't he just standing there the whole time…?"
Teddy giggled.
"Hehe~ Mister Zero is number one! But don't worry, Teddy loves you all too! Let's do even better in the next stage, okay?"
The players weren't sure whether to laugh or shiver.
Zero said nothing. His eyes only lingered on the glowing board for a second, before turning away.
The first stage had ended
and the name Zero was now burned into everyone's memory.
The battlefield still smelled of blood and burnt mana. The Goblin King's massive corpse had already dissolved into shimmering motes of light, leaving behind only the cracked earth and the silence of exhausted players.
And then—
"Duuun-dun-dun-dun! Tadaaaah!"
Teddy appeared again in a shower of sparkles, spinning around like a host on a children's show. His stubby paws stretched wide as if he expected applause.
"Congratulations, everyone! You cleared Stage One~! You survived goblins, slimes, wolves, and the Big Mean Pickle King!" Teddy hopped on one foot, wobbling like he might fall over. "Nyahaha, so amazing! Teddy is proud!"
A wave of exhausted groans rolled through the crowd. Some players sat slumped against trees, catching their breath, while others stared suspiciously at the little bear.
"Proud, my ass," muttered an Earth soldier, spitting to the side. "Half our team died and respawned at least twice."
"Don't blame Teddy!" the bear puffed his cheeks. "That's just tutorial fun! Respawns mean you can make mistakes, nyahaha!"
The reminder wasn't as comforting as he intended. Many glanced around nervously, remembering the sharp line Teddy had drawn earlier players could respawn, but residents of the Tower could not. A truth that made every accidental friendly-fire and every desperate mistake weigh heavier.
Still, there was no time to dwell. Teddy clapped his paws, and a giant screen shimmered into existence above the battlefield.
"Attention! Now it's time for the next step in your wonderful adventure~! Stage Two will begin soon! But first listen carefully, okay? Teddy will explain the rules, because rules are very, very important!"
The hologram behind him flickered, revealing strange shifting images forests, deserts, seas of sand, cities in ruin.
"Stage Two is not like Stage One," Teddy began, swaying side to side like a metronome. "Stage One was all about learning how to swing your sword, cast your spells, and not accidentally bonk your teammate on the head. Hehe, though you still did that a looooot."
Several players groaned. A mage glared at an Earth sniper.
"That fireball on my ass was your fault."
"Not my fault you walked into it!"
Teddy ignored them, spinning dramatically.
"Stage Two is about survival! Not just fighting, but living. Breathing. Eating. Drinking. Sleeping. All those boring human things you usually take for granted nyahaha, not anymore!"
The crowd stiffened.
"W-What do you mean by survival…?" a priestess asked cautiously.
"Good question, sparkle-stick lady!" Teddy pointed at her. "In Stage Two, you will be dropped into the Evermaze!"
The screen behind him shifted, showing a sprawling, endless labyrinth. Walls of stone twisted into impossible patterns, shifting floors spiraled into dead ends, and glowing runes flickered ominously across the ceilings.
"The Evermaze is huuuuuge!" Teddy stretched his arms as wide as possible. "It's a living labyrinth that changes every day! Sometimes the walls move. Sometimes the ceiling collapses. Sometimes you'll wake up and your whole team is in a new place! Nyahaha, fun, right?"
Murmurs erupted immediately.
"A maze…?"
"Sounds like a nightmare."
"Is this a joke?"
Teddy wagged his stubby finger.
"Not a joke! A challenge! Inside the Evermaze, you'll find monsters—lots and lots of nasties who love to chase lost little players. You'll also find traps, puzzles, and secrets! The only way to clear Stage Two is to reach the heart of the maze and defeat the Guardian waiting there!"
The screen shifted again, showing a colossal, shadowy figure with dozens of glowing eyes. Its true form was hidden, but its oppressive aura radiated through the projection.
Someone gulped audibly.
"What the hell is that thing?"
Teddy just giggled.
"Oh, oh! And don't forget!" Teddy clapped his paws. "You have one month to clear the Evermaze! If you don't reach the center and defeat the Guardian before then… well…"
His smile stretched just a little too wide.
"The maze eats you. Nom nom nom!"
The silence that followed was suffocating.
"You're kidding…"
"He's joking, right?"
"Please tell me he's joking."
Teddy tilted his head innocently.
"Nyahaha, do I look like I'm joking?"
Nobody laughed.
"But don't worry! You won't be alone!" Teddy continued, spinning to face the screen again. "Stage Two zones are much, much bigger than Stage One's. That means your group will mix with other players—Earthlings, elves, beastfolk, knights from shiny worlds, mages from gloomy worlds! Maybe even people you've never imagined! You'll meet them all inside the maze!"
The crowd stirred.
"Wait you mean… we'll be with more players from other dimensions now?"
"That's… that's insane. We can't even cooperate properly with our own people and the other dimensional player."
"And now we're supposed to team up with more of them, more aliens?"
The elf archer crossed her arms, ears twitching irritably.
"Aliens? You're the alien here, human."
"Oh, great, here we go again…"
Arguments began to bubble. Earth players and otherworldly players eyed each other with growing distrust.
Teddy's paw smacked against the screen, startling everyone.
"No fighting yet! Save your bonking for the monsters!" He puffed his cheeks again. "The maze doesn't care about where you're from. If you don't cooperate—even just a little—you'll all end up dead-dead-dead-dead-dead! And Teddy won't save you!"
Throughout the chaos, Zero stood at the edge of the group, silent as always. His dark cloak barely stirred in the breeze, and his expression never changed.
But Teddy's button-eyes flicked toward him for just a moment.
"Mister Zero will do fine, I'm sure," Teddy mumbled softly, almost to himself. "Nyahaha… Teddy doesn't need data to know that."
No one else seemed to hear it.
The announcement fractured the crowd.
Some were pale with fear, muttering about traps and monsters. Others were excited, thrilled by the idea of testing their skills against such a massive challenge. Rivalries flared. Distrust thickened.
"Cooperate with beastfolk? No way."
"Humans are too reckless."
"Try saying that again, cat-ears."
"Bring it, monkey-brain!"
Voices rose, anger bubbling dangerously.
Then a heavy thud silenced everyone.
Zero had stepped forward. Just one step, but the weight of it echoed louder than the arguments. His gaze swept across the crowd, cold and sharp, and suddenly no one wanted to keep shouting.
Teddy giggled nervously.
"Nyahaha, Mister Zero sure knows how to quiet a room~
While the chaos happening the ground rumbled beneath their feet.
"W-wait, what's happening?!"
"Earthquake?!"
"Hey, you alien. What's even an earthquake?!"
"No...it's starting!"
The battlefield cracked open, and streams of blinding light erupted from below. Players screamed as the light swallowed them, pulling their bodies into the sky like shooting stars.
"Nyahaha, don't panic!" Teddy called out cheerfully, even as the ground broke apart under his own stubby paws. "This is just your transfer! Welcome to the Evermaze, everyone! Have fuuuuun surviving!"
The world shattered into light.
And when the players opened their eyes again—
They were no longer in a forest.
Cold stone walls stretched endlessly in every direction. The air smelled damp, thick with the musk of moss and something fouler. Torches burned faintly along walls that twisted and bent at impossible angles. Somewhere in the distance, a low growl echoed through the maze.
Stage Two had begun.