[KUTO – SKIES ABOVE THE SURFACE – 173 DAYS REMAINING]
The air cut Kuto's face like frozen blades.
Three seconds of freefall. The world spun in vertiginous spiral — blue sky, green earth, sea of goblins repeating. The wind tore away any sound beyond his own heartbeat thundering in his ears. His stomach floated loose inside his body.
Zenk's golden magic caught him at the last instant.
It wasn't gentle. It was like diving into thick honey, body spinning involuntarily until his feet pointed downward. The pressure squeezed his chest. For one impossible second, Kuto couldn't breathe.
Then the impact came.
His knees flexed violently, absorbing force that would have broken bones without the magic. The shock vibrated through his bones, traveled up his spine like an electric wave. His right hand touched the ground instinctively, fingers sinking into the soft earth.
Kuto breathed deeply. Once. Air burning in his throat.
He rose slowly.
The forest floor yielded under his feet — dark earth covered in dead leaves that exhaled a sweet and nauseating smell of decomposition. The wind carried another smell too. Metallic. Rust. Dried blood impregnated in abandoned weapons.
The others landed in sequence.
Jack fell heavy, making the ground tremble. Rose immediately, axe in right hand, sword in left. Sônia landed laughing — too nervous a sound. Romeu vomited violently, trembling. Haru simply disappeared into the shadows.
Tension hung in the air like invisible smoke.
That's when the first goblin appeared.
It didn't come alone.
From among the trees, dozens emerged simultaneously. Greenish skin stained with dirt and old blood. Irregular teeth exposed. The sound was worse — guttural grunts mixing into growing cacophony. They beat weapons on shields creating tribal rhythm. Thum-thum. Thum-thum.
— PREPARE YOURSELVES! — Jack shouted.
The axe rose. The sword pointed forward.
— Gunja, rear guard! Use holy magic! Célia, protected and heal when necessary!
Gunja adjusted his gleaming shield. Struck his fist against the center — GONG — sound that echoed like a promise.
— The rest, with me! We maintain formation!
Jack advanced. And hell began.
Haru was faster.
Already in movement, a shadow sliding across the terrain. His feet touched the ground so lightly that not even leaves made sound.
The first goblin didn't even see. The dagger pierced through the side of its neck. Clean cut. Fountain of blood painted the leaves. The body didn't even begin to fall before Haru disappeared.
Reappeared behind another. Two strikes — kidney, cervical spine. The goblin fell without sound. A third turned, desperately raising spear.
Too late.
Haru dodged only centimeters. Counter-attacked. Dagger rose under the jaw, pierced through, perforated brain. Instant death.
Each movement flowed to the next. There was no waste. Only deadly efficiency transformed into art few could appreciate. Seven goblins dead in fifteen seconds.
His face remained calm. But his eyes gleamed with something deeper. As if each death filled a hole that could never really be filled.
Jack observed for a second.
— Let's go before he finishes them all! — he shouted.
He exploded into action. Adrenaline coursed through his body like electricity. Muscles responded perfectly. The world became sharper. Combat focus activating.
He spun the sword. The air whistled. The blade cut through the first goblin spear. Sparks flew. He alternated between sword and axe — finesse and brutality. Each strike had purpose.
One goblin raised spear to attack Célia. Jack spun. Horizontal cut. The sword passed through the arm at elbow height. Hand separated from body. The goblin screamed. The axe descended, splitting the skull.
Another advanced on Gunja. Jack leaped three meters, body spinning in air. Landed already striking. The axe hit the shoulder with brutal force, cracking bone, sinking into chest.
Jack smiled. His element.
Selina floated above, eyes glowing faintly blue.
The staff spun, tracing patterns that left luminous trails. Dark blue energy accumulated at the tip, condensing until it shone like a miniature star. The air around visibly vibrated.
— Get away!
She released.
The blast exploded like an invisible cannon. Hit the first goblin and detonated. The explosion expanded in perfect sphere. Five goblins were thrown backward. Some hit trees with sounds of bones breaking. Others fell disjointed, organs liquefied by magical energy.
She spun the staff again. Explosion. Six dead.
Again. Explosion. Four dead.
Each attack traced lines of light connecting her to impact points. The sound mixed with screams, creating symphony of destruction. Her face glowed not just from magical light but from pure excitement. Determined smile on her lips.
— More! Come!
Sensi remained motionless, eyes closed, hands extended.
She felt each object within a fifty-meter radius as points of mental light. Didn't need to see. Saw better with eyes closed.
She opened her eyes. Gestured.
A stone axe trembled. Lifted. Began to spin, gaining impossible speed. The air whistled around the blade.
She pointed. The axe flew.
It pierced through two goblins simultaneously, perforating chests. The bodies fell stuck to the handle, forming grotesque pile.
Another gesture. A spear responded. Accelerated like missile. Hit group of three goblins running together. The tip pierced the first, continued through the second, finally the third. The spear kept them united even after death.
She raised both hands. Six weapons lifted simultaneously. Floated around her in accelerated orbit until they became circular blur.
She opened her hands. They fired.
Six goblins fell dead. A sword perforated skull. An axe pierced torso. A spear removed head completely.
Sensi laughed. Soft, musical sound.
— This is... beautiful.
Romeu maintained perfect archer posture.
Left foot forward, knee flexed. Torso sideways. Bow raised, string pulled to lips. Controlled breathing.
Release.
The arrow flew — FWIP. Crossed twenty meters. Pierced a goblin's eye. Instant death.
Three goblins flanked. Romeu calculated angles, speeds, distances. All in fraction of second. Fired three arrows in rapid sequence. Thunk-thunk-thunk.
Throat. Heart. Eye.
All three fell.
At the same instant, Gunja jumped, spun in air. Three spiritual arrows of golden light materialized. Fired with sounds like bells. Pierced through foreheads of three goblins coming from another direction.
Gunja landed with metallic crash.
— Maintain formation!
---
Sônia watched with wide eyes, almost feverish.
The sorceress class pulsed in her. She felt mana flowing through her veins like warm liquid. The staff vibrated in her hands.
Goblins advanced in mass. Ten. Fifteen. Twenty.
She looked at them. Smiled. Macabre smile.
— I always wanted to live this! — she shouted. — ALWAYS!
She raised the staff. The jewel shone intensely, then exploded in blinding light.
The arcane explosion erupted before her.
Wave of magical force expanded violently. Ten goblins were thrown backward like dolls, bodies breaking in air, limbs separating, blood painting the sky.
The crash was deafening. The ground trembled. Trees shook violently.
In the pavilion above, the king leaned forward. The princess smiled slightly.
Sônia felt adrenaline pulsing. Each explosion fed something inside her. She wanted more.
---
Dimitri observed and felt competition awaken.
— You think only you're capable of causing explosions?
He raised his hands. Flames materialized. A propulsion spell launched him upward. He floated above the field.
— You picked the wrong fight!
He began to conjure. His hands traced glowing runes. Magic circles spun around him. Temperature increased. The air rippled.
— Ultra Mega Fireball!
His hands joined. Energy condensed. A person-sized sphere of fire formed, spinning, pulsing.
He threw it.
The ball descended like meteor. Hit the center of a dense group.
The explosion made Sônia's look like child's play. Fire expanded in a wave that consumed everything in a five-meter radius. Thirteen goblins incinerated instantly. The heat reached even the group members.
Dimitri landed. Smiled, satisfied.
Kuto attacked differently.
Stealthy movements. Controlled speed. Calculated precision. Grabbed spear from fallen goblin. Used it. Three strikes. Three deaths. Discarded.
He observed ten goblins forming ahead.
Each copied power is one step closer. Closer to enough strength to protect what remains.
— Romeu! Bow!
The archer threw it. Kuto caught.
[ADAPTABLE CLASS: COPYING ABILITY]
[ABILITY: Spiritual Arrows]
Ten blue arrows materialized. He fired. They embedded in ten goblins. All fell simultaneously.
Kuto smiled. Pure satisfaction with efficiency.
---
Minutes later, there were no more goblins.
The group reunited, breathing heavily. The field was covered in bodies. The smell was horrible — blood, viscera, feces.
Célia and Gunja healed everyone. [HP RESTORED: 100%]
— I'm exhausted... — Dimitri murmured.
Jack opened the system shop. They bought stamina potions. The effect was instant. Exhaustion evaporated.
Jack turned upward.
— Your Majesty! We're done here!
The king's voice echoed. — Excellent. But this was just the beginning.
Suddenly, the ground trembled.
Everyone looked. A colossal presence emerged from the trees.
A four-meter bear advanced slowly. Skin black as coal. Every inch of its body was studded with weapons — swords, spears, axes, shields. Some still bled, showing recent battles. Red eyes dripped blood. Heavy breathing made the ground vibrate with each step.
The group felt fear and pure adrenaline.
Kuto narrowed his eyes, assessing. This isn't a test. It's elimination.
Jack gripped the axe firmly, muscles tense.
Heavy silence fell. Only the creature's steps echoed — each sounding like war drum beat.
The real trial was about to begin.
---
[STEVE – THORNVALE, NEXT MORNING – 173 DAYS REMAINING]
Steve didn't sleep anymore that night.
He sat at the window, watching Thornvale slowly awaken. Bakers lighting ovens. Guards changing shifts. Normal life that seemed impossible after everything he'd lived through.
The connection remained at 3%. For now.
The system helps me. But each help seems to charge invisible price. As if something inside me is being traded.
A knock on the door broke his thoughts.
— Steve. — Dagon's voice. Firm. — Meeting. Now.
Steve stood, dressed quickly. Opened the door. Dagon was there, arms crossed. Keara and Jelím waited in the corridor.
— We go down.
The main hall was almost empty. They sat in a distant corner.
— We need money — Dagon was direct. — Supplies. Equipment. And information.
Keara added gently: — The Guild has missions. We can start with something simple.
Jelím remained silent, but watched Steve through the cracked mask.
— What do we have? — Steve asked.
Dagon slid a scroll.
MISSION: Investigation of Disappearances
LOCATION: Thornvale Outskirts
REWARD: 50 gold coins
RANK: C
— Three people disappeared in the last five days — Dagon explained. — Guards found nothing.
— Seems simple — Steve murmured.
— Simple pays little. But it's a start.
Keara touched his arm. — How are you? Did you sleep well?
The lie came easy. — Yes. Everything's fine.
Jelím tilted her head. Didn't believe it.
— Then let's go — Dagon stood. — We leave before midday.
---
The Guild was in the central square. Stone building, three floors, busy. Inside smelled of old beer and sweat. Dozens of adventurers filled the hall.
Dagon went straight to the counter. A middle-aged woman with a scar attended them.
— Disappearances mission. We accept.
— Rank?
— Not registered.
— All players of the central continent are first required to take admission exams to become official adventurers in the kingdom of Adventus.
With that said, Dagon grabbed his head and said almost forgot about that.
And then asked:
But are those temporary adventurer licenses available here?
Then the woman said yes.
Then Dagon proceeded saying I request a license.
Then the woman left with Steve to a room to obtain the temporary license.
Ten minutes later, he had the card with the license. Rank F — the lowest.
And then he proceeded and requested Dagon's, Jelím's and Keara's cards.
He observed their cards very carefully.
After some time his expression changed, of surprise and astonishment and he returned his gaze fixedly to the three. With a failing voice:
Are you sure you want this Rank C mission?
And Dagon, relaxed with a smile of already knowing everything, said:
We want to start from the lowest.
Then the woman proceeded:
— The mission is Rank C — the woman said. — You shouldn't accept this mission with someone Rank F. But we're short on people. Accept at your own risk.
With that said they withdrew from the guild and began walking through the city toward another city gate.
They left the city through the south gates.
The outskirts were different. The forest pressed close. The air was colder.
— The three victims disappeared in this area — Dagon consulted the map. — Last was two days ago. Young hunter. Never returned.
Keara conjured tracking magic. Golden light emanated from her hands, spreading across the ground.
— There. Recent footprints.
They followed deeper. The forest became denser. Less light.
That's when Steve felt it.
[THREAT DETECTED: 64%]
[DIRECTION: NORTH]
[DISTANCE: ~30M]
The system detects. But what else is changing in me?
— Wait. There's something there.
Dagon unsheathed silently. Jelím floated, hands prepared.
They advanced carefully. Found a clearing. In the center, signs of struggle. Blood on the ground. Torn clothes. And bones. Human. Recent.
— Shit — Dagon murmured.
Then they heard it.
It wasn't a common growl. It was a deep, guttural sound. Wrong. As if something were trying to imitate an animal but failing. The kind of sound that made every primitive instinct scream danger.
It came from above.
Steve slowly raised his eyes.
In the trees above, something moved among the shadows. Too large to be a normal animal. The silhouette was wrong — limbs too long, joints bending at impossible angles.
Then he saw the eyes.
Multiple. Gleaming yellow-green in the gloom. Blinking out of sync. Six. Eight. He lost count.
The HUD exploded:
[CRITICAL THREAT: 94%]
[CLASSIFICATION: UNKNOWN]
[RECOMMENDATION: FLEE]
— Run — Dagon whispered. — Now.
The creature jumped from the trees.
[JÚLIA – GREYHOLD VILLAGE – 173 DAYS]
Júlia was very excited.
The beer mug in her hand was the third — or fourth? Didn't matter. She wore red knight's armor. Short pink hair was disheveled, stuck to her forehead by battle sweat.
The tavern was full. Her group of nine players occupied two tables, all laughing, celebrating.
— ANOTHER ROUND! — Júlia shouted, raising her glass.
The others shouted along.
They had defeated a horde of wild bears. Twenty of them. The battle lasted an hour. It was brutal. It was perfect.
— We're really in a game! — she shouted.
Finally. A real adventure in a fantasy world outside video games. Finally something that fills the void. In the real world, she'd always felt something missing. As if living at half capacity. But here... here the pain is real. Victory is real. And for the first time, I truly exist.
She drank more. Laughed more.
That's when the light changed.
— Hey... what's that?
Júlia turned to the window. The sky was darkening. An immense, black cloud covered the entire village. Expanding rapidly.
Then people began to fall.
Not the players. The inhabitants. One by one, they collapsed. The bartender. Local customers. Children. All falling, unconscious. As if their souls were being sucked away.
— GET OUT! — someone shouted.
Júlia dropped her glass. Grabbed her sword. Ran outside.
The street was covered in bodies. Dozens. All breathing, but unconscious. Eyes open but empty.
And above, floating in the center of the square, was a figure.
Completely covered by black cloak. Couldn't see anything — not eyes, not hands. Just black fabric concealing everything.
Beside it, a grimoire floated. Open. Pages turning by themselves. The grimoire pulsed with strange magic — colors oscillating between purple, green, black. Each pulse sent invisible wave that made the bodies shudder.
The nine players gathered, weapons raised.
— What is that?! — someone shouted.
The figure didn't respond. Just continued floating. The grimoire continued pulsing. More people fell.
Júlia felt her heart accelerate.
This isn't adventure. Adventures have heroes. Have rules. Have meaning. That thing there... that's nightmare wearing game's skin.
It wasn't excitement this time.
It was fear.
Real fear.