Chapter 2 – New Achievement!
No words could ever describe the shock slithering through Emrys's body at that instant. It felt like the crawling of hundreds of ants in and out of him.
He watched, eyes dilating so much one would think they would pop out of their sockets, as the sky shattered and a Tower emerged outside of Earth's sphere.
Emrys sucked in a deep breath.
The earth beneath erupted and rose skyward, scattering rain of dust and rocks.
In a haze, Emrys instinctively rolled to his right, narrowly escaping a huge boulder that crashed down exactly where he had been.
Splinters of rock flew everywhere, some pelting Emrys. Fear surged inside him instantly, igniting his senses like fire racing through a forest.
All around him, the only thing he could see was people running…only to die seconds later.
He witnessed a child smashed to the ground by a speeding car, leaving a bloody smear in its wake; a woman abandoning what he assumed was her son just to run faster and escape danger.
He also saw an old man grab the hand of a young man about Emrys's age, trying to navigate the chaos safely…only for both of them to die after stumbling into a newly opened pit beneath their feet.
Emrys's heart thrashed against his chest like a spitting, huffing, neighing horse. He tried to stand, knowing well his luck would not save him twice. Yet he couldn't.
His body was frozen in fear, unable to do anything but watch his approaching end.
'No…no…no…move! Move! MOVE!'
He roared with overwhelming anger and horror, managing to jolt himself upright and begin running mindlessly, his thoughts clouded by dread.
He didn't get far before he fell face-first onto the ground, his right ankle twisting sharply to the left in the process.
"Argh!"
He cried, grabbing his ankle in a useless attempt to ease the pain, eyes tearing up.
At that instant, Emrys saw nothing except death coming for him, with barely any ability to move.
He looked around once more, hopelessly searching for help. But what his eyes registered was a terrible reality…people dying like worthless flies, the ground carpeted in blood.
The end of the world. The end of time.
Emrys began to believe those words, trying to make peace with death.
And just at that instant…
DING! DING! DING!
A cold chime boomed through the shattered Earth.
[O Inhabitants of Earth. This is {Mother} speaking, the Main System Operator of the TowerofSelf.]
As the feminine, mechanical voice reverberated, it felt as though the world itself paused.
Emrys lifted his tear-filled eyes with immense difficulty, instinctively looking toward the distant Tower.
{Mother} continued,
[Earth has been influenced by the WorldofPremier through the Tower for thousands of years.]
[The Essence of Earth is ready to be absorbed into the structure of the Tower. The process will take three days. Meaning, dear earthlings, you have three days to enter the Tower through the different portals randomly spawned across the world. Failing to do so will result in your death alongside Earth.]
Emrys's jaw dropped, eyes widening in pure shock. He looked around and noticed something emerging from the blood spilled by the dead.
His stomach churned, barely holding back bile.
[Due to the instability of Earth's essence during the absorption…]
Emrys saw it before the {Mother} said it.
Monsters rising from blood. Small, around four feet tall, red-skinned, with sharp, needle-like teeth and a crimson jagged club in their hands.
[…Red Spawns will appear and attempt to kill you. They are unawakened. However, anything could happen. Survive and reach a Portal.]
[Now…]
{Mother} paused briefly.
Emrys cursed under his breath as he locked eyes with the red-veined, monstrous gaze of a nearby Red Spawn.
[…The countdown begins.]
SCREEEECHHHHHHH—!
The red-skinned monster threw its head back, jaw stretching impossibly wide as it screeched like a mad-touched abomination.
Clutching its jagged club tightly, it charged toward Emrys, who was still sprawled on the ground.
Everything slowed.
He watched the short legs of the monster pound toward him with unmistakable intent to kill.
And then something flashed in his mind. A memory. A memory of wanting to confess his love to a girl, yet being unable to do so because of fear.
He remembered his father's words from that day, spoken gently, a hand resting on his back, a faint smile on wrinkled lips.
"Fear is a nasty feeling," his father had said softly. "Don't let it cripple you. Don't let it stop you from doing what you want. Remember that."
"Fear is a poison, Em."
Emrys clenched his jaw so tightly his teeth creaked, his hands gripping sand and stone.
"Don't let it poison you."
In a blur faster than thought, guided by instinct alone, Emrys grabbed a large rock at his side.
The monster was upon him now, raising its short arm, club lifted high before crashing downward in a merciless strike.
But Emrys used his size advantage, stretching his arm forward before the blow landed, smashing the rock into the Red Spawn's face with all his strength.
CRUNCH—!
The creature's head burst apart, followed by a spray of crimson blood that painted the air.
The monster let out a pitiful, broken whimper before staggering backward and collapsing onto its back.
Dead.
Emrys stood frozen, eyes wide, chest heaving erratically, his face drenched in blood.
He stared at the corpse…
DING!!!
[NEW ACHIEVEMENT! A Rock, Really?]
[You are the first earthling to kill a Red Spawn with a rock. A damn rock. Your ancestors would have been proud.]
The voice was different this time. It was energetic, sharp, and cynical.
[Reward: Rock Strike (Skill — Unranked)]
[NEW ACHIEVEMENT! First One]
[You are the first to obtain a skill on Earth. It's unranked, but let's celebrate the small victories before the big ones. If you live that long, that is.]
[Reward: Health Potion (Unranked)]
[Congratulations. You have killed a Red Spawn.]
[Your body has been enhanced.]
[You have obtained Limited Inventory!]
Notifications flooded his vision one after another, leaving Emrys dazed for a moment.
It felt exactly like the games he used to play.
But there was no time to think. In the distance, more Red Spawns emerged, charging toward him.
Gripping the bloodied rock tightly, Emrys drank the Health Potion. His twisted ankle and minor wounds healed instantly, as if they had never existed.
He stood upright at last, eyes hardening as the monsters approached, heart pounding violently.
"Fear is poison."
SCREEEECHHHHHH!!!!
—End of Chapter 2—