When Sefa slowly opened his eyes, an unfamiliar beam of light pierced his pupils. He was lying on a cold ground, his body aching all over. His shoulder throbbed in pain, and his breathing was erratic. The last thing he remembered was the deadly trials of the 0th Floor… Goblins, labyrinth, traps… And now?
A voice echoed:
> "Tutorial Mode complete."
The system voice echoed like an ancient power through the void. It had both a mechanical and a mystical tone. But this time, it continued.
> "You had only one trial… If you had died, everything would have ended forever."
Sefa flinched. In this game, "death" was real. There was no infinite life, no rebirth.
> "Your stats have been activated. Stat screen is opening."
A semi-transparent window appeared before him, displaying the following information:
Name: Sefa
Level: 1
HP: 90 / 100
MP: 60 / 60
STR: 9
AGI: 8
VIT: 7
INT: 6
WIS: 5
DEX: 8
CHA: 4
LCK: 6
SPT: ???
EMR: ???
SDR: ???
FTH: ???
Stat Points: 5
He narrowed his eyes and looked at the unknown stats.
> "What the hell is ???… Are there things in this game even hidden from me?"
Just then, the voice echoed again.
> "System Warning: Incompatible Soul Detected. ??? activation is imminent. Uncontrolled anomalies may occur."
> "System Message: '…and ultimately, ??? will be shaped by the threads of ??? fate…'"
Sefa squinted. The sentences were censored—meaning unclear. But something was definitely wrong. The system was filled with things that didn't belong to him.
As he stood up, his foot struck something. A silver, oval object partially buried in the dirt…
An egg.
Its semi-transparent shell flickered with blue sparks. The system voice returned:
> "You have obtained a Mysterious Egg."
"Contents: Undetectable."
> "Maybe this… is the beginning of something else," Sefa muttered. He placed the egg in his pocket.
At that moment, a new quest notification appeared:
> Quest: Survive – Endure the First Night
Time Limit: 00:32:18
Condition: Find shelter, survive the night safely.
As the sky slowly darkened, the wind howled fiercely across the barren ground. Sefa scanned the area. No trees, no buildings. But in the distance, beyond the rocks, the silhouette of a collapsed structure emerged.
> "Shelter…" he whispered and began to walk.
20 minutes later…
When he reached the ruins, he realized it was once a hut. Its roof had collapsed, and the walls were cracked. Still, he found a corner inside that offered some protection.
As he settled down, something caught his eye—a note in the corner… and a rusty dagger beside it.
The note read:
> "If you're reading this… you're probably alone. Just like I was. This world isn't a game. Don't think you're a player. The rules are different here. And everyone… will want you dead."
— L.S.
Sefa picked up the dagger. It was cold. Real. The note told him he wasn't the first… or at least not the only one.
Nightfall…
The wind grew stronger. Sefa shivered as he lay down. He took the egg from his pocket and held it in his palm. The light inside pulsed like a heartbeat. It was alive.
Just as his eyes were about to close, the quest notification changed:
> Quest Complete
Reward: +1 VIT, +2 LCK
New Quest: First Contact
His eyes barely shut when a rustling came from the bushes.
"Rustle… rustle…"
Sefa shot up, raising the dagger. Emerging from the bushes… was a rabbit.
But not an ordinary one.
Its eyes glowed yellow. Its fur was smoky grey. And it had two tails.
> "What the—?"
The rabbit suddenly leaped at him. He instinctively dropped to the ground. The rabbit crashed into a tree and fled.
Sweat dripped down Sefa's forehead.
> "Even the creatures here… aren't normal."
Morning
When Sefa stepped outside, the rising sun cast a dim light over the barren plain. Suddenly, a notification window appeared:
> System Announcement: 'Welcome to the 1st Floor.'
'This world is filled entirely with living beings. There are no other players. Every decision has real consequences.'
'The stat system is now active. Each floor beyond the tutorial holds deadly trials.'
> "The floors…"
Sefa was finally starting to understand the system.
> "This world… is a tower. A structure rising floor by floor. And I'm… on the first step."
Suddenly, a massive voice echoed through the sky:
> "??? initiated… system update… ??? mismatch detected… ??? cannot be predicted…"
The voice faded.
Sefa looked up. The sky was rippling.
> "Am I the only one who sees this…?"
End of Chapter Note:
Sefa is now on the 1st Floor. But this place is unlike any other. There are no players here. And death… follows him at every step.
The system is mysterious. The stats hol
d untold secrets.
And this is only the beginning.