In a small town of Padidu, Philippines. A Humble–unfinished home was standing strong, looking plain and has the atmosphere of poverty.
Inside this house, a simple dish was being prepared at the table. Prepared by two teenage girls, both beautiful morenas that can captivate a man's heart.
"Brother...let's eat. The dinners is ready!"
"Big bro, don't keep us waiting! My stomach is grumbling from hunger already...Hurry up!"
The two girls knocked continuously at the thin plywood door, calling out the person who was inside – busy with something.
In the table, they are three dishes: a white rice, cooked–canned sardines and a scrambled egg.
"Okay! Okay! Elly, Kayla. I get it already!"
Then the plywood door creek opened, showing a disheveled and haggard man inside. Dark circles swelled below his eyes, and his eyes were redden like he was on drugs. He is Mark, the breadwinner of this small family of three.
Yawn!
Mark yawned, as he staggered towards the crudely made table.
"Bro...you look so beaten up" Kayla, smiled mischievously. Wanting to laugh at his condition but held it in.
"Hays... My boss seems to treat me like a machine. Piling me up with task that was impossible to finished alone, while expecting me to finish it all in just a day? What a bastard! At least he should give me a rise" Mark sadly sigh, voicing out his displeasure as he sat down. He want to quit this online job, but the problem of how he'll going to sustain this family – keep echoing in his mind if he every single time he thought about quitting.
"Brother, don't think too much. For now let's eat." Elly smiled as she appeared behind Mark, massaging his back as she did. She knows how much stress her brother was into, and want to help him even for a bit. Well, at least not becoming another source of problem like Kayla.
Then the trio then began to eat their modest meal, as the two girls keep talking about their experience in the school today, while Mark listen attentively while he's chewing his food.
Unfortunately, this happy occasion would not last long. As Mark was eating, something appeared before his eyes. Flickering in the air as it manifested out of nowhere, infront of him.
It's a virtual panel!
[Congratulations human, you've been chosen as one of the Aspirant!]
[The 9th Aspirant batch of Earth to enter the Ascendant Trial. Now, you have 15 seconds to prepare before you'll be transported into the trial space.]
[15]
[14]
Mark was flabbergasted at the sudden information he received, making him freeze for a couple second before he jolted back awake to reality.
He stared deeply at the two girls with knowing eyes, like he knows what was about to happen to him.
The two girls stares back at him. Their face contains multiple emotion: shocked, horror, and confusion as they look at the glowing symbol at the back of Mark's hand which was enough to give them the idea of what's about to happen.
The mark of 'Trial Chosen'. Glowing in azure glow can be seen at the back of his hand. A mark that would show only to the chosen few of the system, to participate in trials of Aspirants. In the location called Trial World, which was a world chosen by the system to conduct it's trials.
An opportunity to rise to the top of the world and become an Ascendant, wielding power unimaginable to mortals. While also a death sentence if you ever fail and fall in the trial.
[...]
[9]
"Bro..." Kayla, felt a mix of emotion. Her eyes become teary as she look at Mark. This maybe the last time they would see each other, so Kayla cannot help but let her emotion take control.
Everything happened so sudden that the duo: Kayla and Elly doesn't know what to do and how to react. They where just eating their dinner, before it turned like this. Never have it crossed their minds that their beat up brother would get chosen by the system...so suddenly.
"There's a money hidden below my drawer. And I have savings in my Gcash, the PIN is 1111." Mark pinch their checks an smiled before he gives them a tight hug. And as time was rapidly approaching zero, he patted them on the head, as if to say goodbye.
[5]
"You two!... keep on studying hard even when I'm not here. Don't you dare to give up on your dreams, or I'll beat you two up!" Mark smiled as his figure become blur – turning into small light particles that rise above.
[2]
[1]
"I'm going to find you two when I come back... Goodbye!"
[0]
Mark managed to say his goodbye, before he fully disappeared from the world. His figure turn into light that disappeared into the unknown.
The girls was frozen from their position for a moment before the broke down in crying. Their brother, the person that was like a parent to them, the one that protect them from this harsh world was gone. Taken by the trial ground created by the system unknown for everyone. As for whether he'll go back from that trial alive, it's up to fate.
...
[Welcome Aspirants to the World Of Trials!]
The mechanical woman voice greeted everyone that appeared before an apocalyptic world. Where the sun and moon was crimson red. Where the environment was gloomy, tense, and thick with the smell of blood that lingered around – still fresh.
Everywhere you look here there's only dried earth, bloody mist, and deadly silence. Other than the system notification echoing with cold–mechanical voice, and the chattering of the crowd.
[You have 10 minutes of immunity from every sort of harm, before the trial would officially begin. Aspirants, spend this time wisely and adapt to your new environment...]
[9 minutes and 59 seconds...]
"Where am I?"
"Is this the trial world? Why do it looks like this?"
"Base on the past experience of countless Ascendants that survive a trial, and as what was teached in senior high education curriculum. The more battered and torn the trial world is, the harder and dangerous the trial would be!"
"So you mean that we were on, one of the most difficult trial world?... The f*ck?"
"Why I've been chosen? God why?"
"I just want to lay on my bed all day, but alas!"
"Isn't it good to be chosen by the system? Becoming an ascender, and rise to the top of the world. Killing monster and being a hero of the nation?"
"You need to survive first, dork head. The fatality rate of an average trial averaged to 50 to 60 percent. And now, we still don't know if this trial is one of them, as this place looks like a bad deal, we can only brace ourselves for the worst."
"..."
Crowed of around a thousand humans gathered in the open field they've got transported just into. They were still disoriented by the teleportation and nausea hit them like they've eaten sh*t. While faces was mixed with anticipation and trepidation as they talk and look around.
They where hopeful about the future they would have when they go back to earth as a new batch of ascendants, as well terrified at what would about to come to them first.
Even do they're from different country and use different languages making communication a bit difficult – especially those that didn't know how to speak the universal language. Even after all this, they all have one thing in common.
It's the mark of a trial chosen, a symbol of Aspirants that was about to undergo their trial.
Amongst this crowd, their was one quiet individual. Listening to their conversation like a bastard eavesdropper, as he gather useful information from all around.
It was Mark. He just got transported here, the same time others, and now he was doing his best to adapt to his new reality. Right now, he lacked information, and now trying his best to gather it from people that may know a thing or two.
Unlike most of these guys that surely entered a higher education, or may be descendants of an Ascendant. A college dropout like him surely lacked at many aspect other than searching for online jobs, he knows none.
"Why are your ability guys?"
"You mean the ability we gained as soon as we become aspirant?"
"Yes! You can check it out when you think about 'status' in your head. You can see your initial attributes and ability there."
"I don't have one! Damnit, this is a scam!"
"Not everyone can naturally awaken their ability. It's all based on luck and once talent"
"Don't fret guys, you don't need an innate ability to become extraordinary. You just need to pass the trial and choose your profession "
"..."
After hearing a critical information from the crowd, he immediately try it out. Calling 'status' in his mind.
Moments later, an azure blue panel appeared before his eyes.