I stood on the ruined street, dust still settling from my escape, and stared at the two paths Observer was highlighting.
OPTION A: Safe Zone (280m SW)
- Current Occupants: 4/5
- Estimated arrival time: 4-5 minutes
- Risk Level: MODERATE (Ravager patrols)
- Reward: Survival guarantee (Phase 1)
- Success Probability: 87%
OPTION B: Anomaly Investigation (150m N)
- Type: UNKNOWN (High-value loot suspected)
- Estimated time: 8-10 minutes
- Risk Level: EXTREME (2 Evolved Ravagers confirmed)
- Reward: UNKNOWN
- Success Probability: 34%
The smart choice was obvious. Get to the Safe Zone. Secure my spot. Survive Phase 1.
But my hands were still covered in Ravager blood. My body still thrummed with the power of reaching Level 3. And that Uncommon ability core—from just one Evolved Ravager—sat in my inventory as proof.
If this were the tutorial, what came after?
I pulled up the scenario information again:
TUTORIAL SCENARIO 1: THE CULLING
Time Remaining: 36 minutes, 54 seconds
Tutorial. Scenario One. The implications were clear—there would be more scenarios. Harder ones. And if we were stuck in this Tower...
I thought about the other survivors. Most had run straight for Safe Zones. Played it safe. Minimized risk. They'd survive Phase 1 with whatever common traits they'd started with and nothing more.
But I'd fought. Killed an Evolved Ravager solo. Gained two levels and an Uncommon ability.
The gap was already forming—between those who just survived and those who got stronger.
"If I play it safe now," I muttered to myself, watching the timer tick down, "what happens when the next scenario is even worse?"
Daniel's scream echoed in my memory. Thirty-two people dead. More are dying every minute. And this was just the first scenario.
I looked north, toward the anomaly. Toward the unknown.
Thirty-four percent chance of success.
I'd just beaten eight percent odds.
"Observer," I said quietly. "Give me everything you have on that anomaly and the patrol patterns around it."
My vision shifted, overlaying the urban wasteland with tactical information:
ANOMALY ANALYSIS (ENHANCED):
- Location: Collapsed shopping center, 2nd floor
- Energy Signature: Similar to Ability Core but stronger
- Estimated Contents: High-tier equipment/abilities
- Justification: Evolved Ravagers do not patrol randomly - they guard valuable resources
EVOLVED RAVAGER PATROL (x2):
- Patrol Route: Circular pattern, 40-meter radius around anomaly
- Patrol Interval: 90-second cycle
- Blind Spots: [3 identified]
- Weakness: Predictable pattern (not yet aware of threats)
- Note: Both at full strength, no injuries detected
Two Evolved Ravagers. The last one had nearly killed me, and I'd only won through environmental damage and luck.
But I was Level 3 now. Stronger. Faster. And I had Piercing Strike.
"Show me the approach vector with the highest success probability," I commanded.
Observer mapped out a path—using blind spots in the patrol, timing windows, and structural cover. It was tight. Very tight. One mistake and I'd have two of those things on me simultaneously.
OPTIMAL APPROACH:
Enter through the eastern breach (collapsed wall). Wait for Patrol A to pass (18-second window). Climb to the 2nd floor via debris ramp. Retrieve anomaly (estimated 30 seconds). Exit via the western fire escape. Window of opportunity: 2 minutes, 12 seconds
WARNING: Zero margin for error
If detected, the survival probability drops to 5%
Five percent if things went wrong. But thirty-four percent overall.
I checked my inventory:
Health Potion x2Emergency Rations x3Rebar Spike (Damaged)
Not much. The rebar spike had a cracked grip and a bent tip from the fight. Barely better than nothing.
But if the anomaly really did contain high-tier equipment...
I started moving north.
The shopping center loomed ahead—a three-story structure that had partially collapsed, leaving skeletal remains of escalators and storefronts exposed to the gray sky.
I crouched behind an overturned car thirty meters out, watching.
The Evolved Ravagers were there. Massive, armor-plated, moving with that terrifying combination of animal grace and intelligent purpose. They were bigger than the one I'd killed—or maybe they just looked bigger because I was seeing them in open space.
EVOLVED RAVAGER (x2):
- Threat Level: HIGH (each)
- Status: Alert but not alarmed
- Patrol Pattern: Confirmed (90-second cycle)
- Current Position: Patrol A - North side / Patrol B - South side
Observer tracked their movements, overlaying predicted paths on my vision. Like clockwork. Ninety seconds per cycle.
I waited, counting down, breathing slowly.
Patrol A passed the eastern breach.
Patrol B was on the opposite side.
Eighteen-second window.
Now.
I sprinted across open ground; every second counted. The breach was just ahead—a collapsed wall section creating a gap into the first floor.
Fifteen seconds.
I slipped through, immediately moving into shadow. The interior was a maze of collapsed ceiling sections, abandoned store displays, and rubble.
Twelve seconds.
I found the debris ramp Observer had mapped—a collapsed escalator creating an inclined path to the second floor.
Eight seconds.
I climbed, hands finding holds, pulling myself up. My improved strength from leveling up made the climb easier than it should have been.
Four seconds.
I reached the second floor, ducking behind a support pillar just as Patrol A's shadow passed below.
STATUS: UNDETECTED
Time in danger zone: 47 seconds elapsed
Anomaly Location: 15 meters ahead, behind the collapsed clothing store
The second floor was more intact than the first. I could see into what used to be a clothing store—racks knocked over, merchandise scattered, but the back wall still standing.
And behind it, I could see the glow. Pulsing. Rhythmic. Like a heartbeat made of light.
I moved carefully, Observer highlighting safe paths through the debris. Every sound felt too loud. Every step is a potential alarm.
The glow intensified as I got closer.
Behind the collapsed racks, partially buried in rubble, I found it:
A chest.
Not metaphorical—an actual chest. Made of dark metal, covered in angular patterns that seemed to shift when I wasn't looking directly at them. The same blue energy that marked Safe Zones pulsed along its edges.
ANOMALY IDENTIFIED: Hidden Equipment Cache
- Rank: Uncommon
- Origin: Pre-scenario remnant or previous climber's stash
- Contents: [Scanning...]
* Weapon (Uncommon)
* Armor Piece (Uncommon)
* Ability Core (Uncommon)
* Consumables (Various)
- Note: High-value equipment. Evolved Ravagers are naturally drawn to concentrated energy signatures - explains patrol behavior.
My heart raced. This wasn't an official reward. This was found treasure—something left behind or hidden before the scenario started. And the Evolved Ravagers had been drawn to its energy, guarding it instinctively.
"Open," I whispered, reaching for the chest.
It responded to my touch, the lid sliding open silently. Blue light spilled out.
Inside, four items materialized:
A dagger - Not crude like my rebar spike, but a proper weapon. Matte black blade about ten inches long, perfectly balanced, with a grip that seemed to mold to my hand when I picked it up.
WEAPON ACQUIRED: Shadow Fang
- Rank: Uncommon
- Type: Dagger
- Properties: Increased damage, enhanced durability, minor stealth enhancement when held
- Special: Damage increased against targets unaware of your presence
A leather bracer - Dark brown, reinforced with metal plates, covered in the same shifting patterns as the chest.
ARMOR ACQUIRED: Bracer of the Climber
- Rank: Uncommon
- Type: Arm Guard
- Properties: Reduced damage to equipped arm, enhanced grip strength.
- Special: Reduces cooldown on abilities by 10%
Another Ability Core - This one glowed with a deeper blue than the first, pulsing with more intensity.
ABILITY CORE (Uncommon)
- Type: [Unknown - Requires absorption]
- Compatibility: HIGH
A bundle of supplies - Three more Health Potions, two items that looked like smoke bombs, and something Observer identified as a "Mana Crystal (Minor)."
I quickly equipped the bracer on my left arm and sheathed the dagger at my belt. The damaged rebar spike went into inventory—might still be useful as a disposable weapon.
The difference was immediate. The bracer felt like it had always been part of me, and the dagger... I could feel its potential. A real weapon. Something that could kill efficiently.
STATUS UPDATE:
Equipment Level: Significantly improved
Combat Capability: Increased by approximately 60%
Survival Probability: Recalculating...
I reached for the Ability Core—
SCREECH.
My blood went cold.
That wasn't from outside. That was from behind me.
I spun around.
A third Evolved Ravager stood in the doorway. Not part of the patrol. Observer hadn't detected it because it had been sleeping in a back room.
And I'd just woken it up.
EVOLVED RAVAGER:
- Threat Level: HIGH
- Status: ALERT - AGGRESSIVE
- Distance: 8 meters
- Estimated response time from patrol: 15 seconds
CRITICAL WARNING: About to fight 3 Evolved Ravagers simultaneously
Survival Probability: 3%
Three percent.
The Ravager lunged.
No time to think. My body moved on instinct, Observer feeding me attack vectors. I dove left, the creature's claws gouging the shelving where I'd been standing.
I came up with Shadow Fang in hand.
The dagger felt right. Natural. Like it wanted to cut.
The Ravager turned, intelligent eyes locking onto me. It didn't charge mindlessly this time. It was learning. They were all learning.
Outside, I heard the other two screeching. They'd heard. They were coming.
Fifteen seconds until this became a three-on-one fight I couldn't win.
The Ravager in front of me circled, patient, blocking the only exit.
My mind raced. Observer showed me the tactical situation—and it was bad. The room was too small to maneuver. The Ravager too large to slip past. The window behind me led to a three-story drop.
RECOMMENDATION: Use Piercing Strike
Target: Neck joint (highlighted in yellow)
Success chance: 67% (one-shot kill if strike is perfect)
Mana Cost: 40/100
One shot. That's all I'd get before the others arrived.
The Ravager tensed, ready to pounce.
I activated Piercing Strike.
Mana drained from my reserves—I could feel it, like something vital being pulled from my core. But the dagger began to glow with faint blue light, energy concentrating along the blade's edge.
The Ravager lunged.
Observer slowed my perception, showing me exactly where to strike—the gap between armored plates at the neck, where the creature's momentum would drive it onto my blade.
I sidestepped and thrust upward in one motion.
Shadow Fang pierced through the gap with almost no resistance, Piercing Strike's energy allowing it to slide through tough hide like paper. The blade sank deep, finding the vital artery Observer had highlighted.
The Ravager's screech cut off mid-sound. Its momentum carried it past me, crashing into the wall. Blood pooled rapidly.
[EVOLVED RAVAGER DEFEATED]
[+250 EXP]
No level up. But no time to worry about that.
The other two Ravagers burst through the doorway simultaneously.
I grabbed the Ability Core from the chest, shoved it and the supplies into inventory, and did the only thing I could:
Jumped through the window.
Glass exploded around me. The ground rushed up.
Three stories. Thirty feet. Enough to break bones, maybe kill.
But Observer had already calculated this:
FALL TRAJECTORY: Angled toward debris pile
Impact Force: SEVERE but survivable (estimated 40% HP loss)
Landing Strategy: [Displaying optimal form]
I tucked and rolled as I hit the rubble pile, letting momentum dissipate. Pain shot through my shoulder and hip, but nothing broke.
HP: 62/100
I scrambled to my feet, already running.
Behind me, the two Ravagers appeared at the window. One jumped down immediately. The other took a different route—the fire escape I'd planned to use.
They were coordinating.
I sprinted through the wasteland, Observer mapping an escape route that used every piece of cover, every blind corner. The Ravagers pursued, but I had a head start.
And I was faster than I used to be. Level 3 wasn't just about raw power—it was speed, reflexes, and endurance. I could feel it in every stride.
The chase lasted two minutes of pure adrenaline before I managed to lose them in a maze of collapsed buildings. I ducked into a half-standing convenience store, pressed against a wall, controlling my breathing.
Observer showed the Ravagers searching fifty meters away, confused, unable to track me.
Shadow Fang's stealth enhancement was helping. They couldn't smell me as easily.
I waited five minutes before moving again.
When I finally felt safe enough to stop, I found an intact third-floor apartment with a good view of the surroundings. Twenty-eight minutes remained on the timer.
Enough time to recover. To plan.
I checked my status:
NAME: Ren Raven
LEVEL: 3 (EXP: 650/1000)
TRAIT: Observer [UNIQUE]
ABILITY: Piercing Strike [UNCOMMON]
HP: 62/100
MANA: 60/100
EQUIPMENT:
- Shadow Fang (Uncommon) - Equipped
- Bracer of the Climber (Uncommon) - Equipped
INVENTORY:
- 200 Credits
- Health Potion (Minor) x5
- Emergency Rations x3
- Smoke Bomb x2
- Mana Crystal (Minor) x1
- Ability Core (Uncommon) x1
- Rebar Spike (Damaged)
I drank one Health Potion. Warm liquid, tasting like nothing and everything at once. My HP climbed back to 92/100. The minor injuries from the fall have closed.
Then I pulled out the second Ability Core.
Two Uncommon abilities. Most people would be lucky to get one Common ability from this entire tutorial.
"Absorb," I said.
The core dissolved into light, knowledge flooding my mind.
[ABILITY ACQUIRED]
SHADOW STEP (Rank: Uncommon)
Type: Mobility/Stealth
Description: Briefly merge with shadows to move silently and swiftly. Leaves no sound or trail. Can pass through small gaps.
Cost: Mana (Moderate) - Distance: 10 meters maximum
Cooldown: 20 seconds
[EQUIPMENT SYNERGY DETECTED]
Shadow Fang + Shadow Step = Enhanced stealth capabilities
Damage bonus from Shadow Fang increased when attacking from Shadow Step
I felt the ability settle into place beside Piercing Strike. Two abilities. Both Uncommon. Both synergize with Observer and my new equipment.
I was building a style—information gathering, stealth approach, precise strikes. Not a brawler. An assassin.
The scenario timer showed twenty-six minutes.
I had a choice again. Head for a Safe Zone now—there were still spots available. Or...
Observer highlighted something else. Another energy signature, smaller than the cache, but still present. A solo Evolved Ravager is guarding it. Just one.
POTENTIAL TARGET:
- Estimated Loot: Common-Uncommon equipment
- Risk Level: MODERATE (single target, you have an element of surprise)
- EXP Potential: 250 (might reach Level 4)
- Success Probability: 72%
Level 4. Better equipment. Growing stronger.
Or play it safe. Lock in my survival.
I looked at Shadow Fang in my hand. Felt the power of Shadow Step waiting to be used.
I thought about what came after the tutorial. About the Tower's higher floors. About the fact that thirty-two people—no, more now—had already died in just the first scenario.
Playing it safe hadn't saved Daniel. Hadn't saved Sophie or the others.
But I'd killed two Evolved Ravagers. Gained rare equipment. Earned two Uncommon abilities.
The gap was widening.
I stood up, checking my equipment one final time.
"One more," I said to the empty apartment. "Then I'll find a Safe Zone."
Observer mapped the route.
Twenty-five minutes remaining.
Enough time to get stronger.
Enough time to prove that I wasn't just surviving the Tower—I was climbing it.
[END CHAPTER 3]
[CURRENT STATUS]
NAME: Ren Raven
LEVEL: 3 (EXP: 650/1000)
SURVIVORS: 54/100
TIME REMAINING: 25 minutes, 33 seconds
Equipment: Significantly upgraded
Abilities: 2 Uncommon
Combat Power: High for current level
Phase 1 still in progress...