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Tring... Tring... Tring... (Sound of a Telephone)
I picked up the ringing phone on my desk.
"Hello…" I answered.
"Can you come to my office now?" My boss called. He wanted me in his office.
"To your office, sir? Is there something wrong?"
"There's something I'd like to tell you."
"Alright, sir. I'll be there right away."
I'm Jaya Kusuma, though people usually call me Jay. I'm an intern at a company in Jakarta. I just graduated from college and decided to do an internship to gain work experience.
Knock... Knock... Knock... (I knocked on the door)
"Excuse me, sir."
"Please, have a seat, Jay. You've been interning here for almost six months, right?"
"Yes, that's right, sir. During my time here, I've learned a lot and gained many new experiences. I've also made new friends and connections, including some of the senior employees here."
(Nods) "Yes, you've done very well during your internship. Let's get straight to the point. I'd like to offer you a contract for a full-time position, the same role you've had during your internship. So, how about it? Do you want to be a permanent part of this company?"
(Smiling happily) "Of course, sir. I'd love to take this opportunity. Thank you so much."
"Alright then, here's the contract. Please read and fill it out. Once you're done, return it to me."
"Sure, sir. I'll fill it out right away. Thank you again."
With a joyful heart, I left my boss's office and rushed to sign the contract he had given me, eager to become a full-time employee.
Crash! (I bumped into someone)
"Ouch… That hurt a bit."
I was so excited that I didn't see someone in front of me as I walked quickly. I bumped into them and fell.
"Sorry, sir. I wasn't paying attention."
"..."
He just walked away.
"Tch, cold-looking handsome guy. What, does he think he's the main character of this world?" I grumbled about his attitude.
The man I bumped into was one of the managers in the company and quite popular among the female employees. He had a handsome face, black hair, and a cold demeanor. I have no idea how he manages to work with others with that kind of personality.
The clock showed 5:00 PM, the end of the workday. I headed home from the office, like usual, on my motorcycle.
Before going home, I always stopped by the bookstore to buy a fantasy novel. I love action stories and battles with monsters, so I often bought fantasy novels whenever I finished one. I'd also buy food to eat at home.
The next day at the office...
I was in my former boss's office to receive a briefing. But...
"Jay, let me introduce you to Mr. Arya Dewangga, one of our managers. Starting today, you'll be under his team," my boss said.
I was shocked. "I'm doomed," I said internally.
"So, Jay, are you willing to join Mr. Arya's team?"
"Yes, sir. I'm willing."
"Good. Then please follow his instructions. You're both dismissed."
We left the room. I followed Manager Arya from behind. After a while, he suddenly stopped, and I bumped into his back.
"Stop following me."
"Sorry, sir. But I don't know what my tasks are yet."
"Lunch break is coming soon. Come to my office after lunch."
Then he walked away again. And when I looked around...
"Huh? T-O-I-L-E-T. Why did I follow him all the way to the toilet?"
At exactly 12 PM, the lunch break alarm went off. I headed to the employee cafeteria as usual.
Our company provided buffet meals, drinks, and snacks, freely available during break time. Today's menu was complete, with various nutritious options including carbs, protein, calcium, and more. The company really cared about employee health to maintain productivity.
I picked white rice, stir-fried beef with onions, fried tofu and tempeh, spinach and carrot soup. I also grabbed a slice of watermelon, orange juice, and my favorite chocolate pudding.
After collecting my meal and snacks, I sat down and ate heartily. The food was delicious, and the pudding was perfectly sweet. I finished everything.
After eating, I cleaned up and headed to Manager Arya's office.
I knocked and entered, then listened carefully to the tasks he had for me. I memorized everything—duties, role, responsibilities—so I could do my job well.
After explaining everything, Manager Arya asked me to leave his office. I went back to my desk.
"Finally, I'm officially working here. I'm just like the seniors now. I'm so happy!"
One year later...
Since it was a holiday, I went to my favorite bookstore to read a fantasy novel I had been obsessed with lately. It was expensive, which is why I only just bought it. Fortunately, no one else seemed interested in it—only one copy left in the store.
The novel, titled The Failure of Five Heroes Defeated Disasters, is a fantasy story I love. I had read it before, but now I finally owned it.
The story is about five heroes who saved a planet from monsters. They had extraordinary powers and succeeded in defeating the threat, but at the cost of the planet's life. A betrayal from one of the heroes caused the death of two of them, including the traitor. The remaining three survived.
It was written by someone named Mulavarman. I've long wanted to meet the author, but no one knows who he is. There's no contact info at all.
The next day at the office...
"I can't believe it's been over a year since I started working here. I still remember my intern days so clearly. But now—why do I have so much work? This pile of paperwork never ends! Ugh, I need a moment to clear my head."
I walked to the window to gaze at the city. It helped me relieve stress.
But...
"The sky's so dark... looks like a storm is coming."
Thunder rumbled loudly, strong winds blew, and then came a powerful earthquake. Everyone started running outside to escape.
"Earthquake... Earthquake! Everyone get out now!" The employees panicked.
"Oh no, I need to get out of here!"
When I reached the front yard, many people had gathered. We were all anxious and scared. What kind of disaster was this? A black sky, strong winds, earthquakes, and terrifying thunder.
Then something unimaginable appeared above us—a gate in the sky.
"Hey, look at that! Something weird's happening!"
Soon after the gate appeared, strange screens popped up in front of everyone. It looked like a game interface, showing quests to be completed.
"What is this?" Everyone was confused.
[You Selected by System, Click "Yes" To Continue]
{Yes} {No}
Nobody knew what was going on. My former boss was furious at the situation.
"I don't have time to play games!" he snapped.
He clicked "No"—and something horrifying happened. He died instantly, his head severed. Blood gushed from his body.
"No... no…"
"AHHH!"
People screamed in terror. Chaos ensued. We had just witnessed something beyond human understanding.
What kind of disaster is this? This was no ordinary calamity. It was unlike anything humanity had ever faced. What will happen tomorrow... and the days to come?
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To be continue