Reever materialized in what looked like layers of thick clouds stacked endlessly beneath him. His body floated in midair, suspended by an invisible force. He tried to move, but his limbs barely responded. His mobility was completely restricted.
"So this is how it starts," he muttered.
A part of him expected the system to be cruel. If it wanted to be unfair, it could simply release him from this height and deduct a life before the match even began. That would be very much in character for it.
"If I'm meant to die, I die," he sighed. "That's just life."
He waited.
Moments later, the system responded.
[Detecting total number of players.]
[Players found.]
[Number of players: 300.]
[Match type confirmed: Veteran Rank-Up Match.]
[All players are qualified for this match.]
[Analyzing difficulty and match format.]
[Match type: Survival–Objective Hybrid.]
[Time limit: 3 hours.]
[Match overview:]
[Players will be deployed into an abandoned scientific facility spanning several kilometers.]
[Players must survive for three hours while completing missions assigned by the system.]
[Clearance conditions:]
[Complete up to five missions with a five-star rating.]
[Survive the full three-hour duration.]
[Missions will be distributed twenty minutes after the match begins.]
[Failure condition:]
[Player death results in a minor rank loss.]
[Rewards:]
[Top 3 performers will receive system rewards.]
[Players who clear the match will be allowed to rank up.]
[Successful players will receive a Veteran Upgrade Token usable on one weapon.]
[Team formation permitted.]
[Warning: Team members may still be enemies.]
[Survive.]
Reever absorbed the information carefully.
This was new. He had played dangerous matches before, but never one that mixed survival, objectives, and player interference so directly. The system was not subtle about it either. It wanted conflict. Constant conflict.
Interesting.
As the countdown ticked down, the invisible force holding him began to weaken. The clouds below parted, revealing a massive ruined structure stretching across the landscape. Broken towers, collapsed corridors, shattered glass domes, and long abandoned research wings formed what looked like a dead utopia.
This was the battlefield.
The system slowly lowered him until the ground rushed up beneath his feet. He landed inside a small, enclosed room. The walls were cracked, the lights flickered weakly, and the air smelled stale.
He was alone.
Perfect.
Reever glanced at the human insignia embedded into his armor. The countdown indicated nearly five hours before it expired and revealed his true identity as a bot. More than enough time. The match only lasted three hours.
Once the timer reached zero, he moved.
A glowing arrow appeared on the ground, pointing forward. He followed it cautiously, expecting to be led to some large mission hall filled with panels or terminals.
Instead, the arrow guided him through narrow corridors and into a large room.
When he opened the door, he found three other players already inside. They glanced at him briefly, assessed his appearance, then lost interest. To them, he was just another human participant.
At the far end of the room stood a fully armored figure. The armor was bulky, reinforced, and equipped with what looked like advanced medical modules. Above the figure's head floated a rank indicator.
Master Rank NPC.
Reever felt a brief jolt of tension before forcing himself to relax. NPCs of this level were not uncommon in structured matches, but seeing one this early still carried pressure.
The NPC held up a white board. A large red number five was painted across it.
Five players required.
Moments later, the final participant entered the room.
A bot.
Reever's gaze sharpened as he checked the insignia.
Kill Bot.
The worst kind. Or the best, depending on perspective.
Kill bots were not mindless. They processed information, adapted to tactics, and executed objectives with frightening precision. The only thing separating them from humans was the lack of voice communication.
When the other players noticed the insignia, visible shock crossed their faces. No one liked encountering kill bots this early.
"Welcome, players and bot," the NPC spoke calmly. "I will be your mission handler."
His voice was composed, professional, and unsettlingly confident.
"My name is Doctor Harun. I am a biochemist who once worked in this facility. You may call me Harun."
As he spoke, his body vanished.
Then he reappeared directly in front of them.
Several players flinched. Even Reever felt a chill run through him. That was not teleportation lag. That was raw authority.
Harun extended his hand and shook each participant's hand in turn. When he reached Reever, his grip lingered for just a second longer than necessary.
"Interesting," Harun whispered quietly.
He then moved on to the kill bot, greeting it with the same courtesy.
No one dared to speak.
"There is no need to be tense," Harun said with a faint smile. "I am only here to assign your mission. We will not meet again."
A transparent panel materialized before them.
[Mission Assigned.]
[Objective:]
[Collect ten power cores.]
[Survive interference from opposing teams assigned to sabotage your mission.]
[Reward:]
[One random gadget per participant.]
[Mission condition: Survive and deliver.]
Reever's eyes narrowed.
Sabotage teams.
That meant other groups were specifically instructed to hunt them. This was not a race. It was a controlled collision.
The system truly was vicious.
"That is all," Harun said lightly. "Now leave my room."
A wave of pressure erupted from his body. The players were forced backward as if struck by an invisible wall, thrown out into the corridor. The door slammed shut behind them and sealed itself.
Silence followed.
"Well," one player in white armor said after a brief pause, "good luck."
Without waiting for a response, he turned and sprinted off in his chosen direction.
One by one, the others split up as well, each heading toward different sections of the facility.
The hunt for power cores had begun.
And for Reever, this veteran rank-up match was no longer just about survival.
It was a match he would ensure to have fun. After all, ot was his last rookie match and he had to have at least good memories of it.