Ten newbies remained out of the one hundred that participated in the first trial.
The expressions on the faces of Jenny and Harry were of disappointment, while Randy, Dino, and Arthur were somewhat exhausted. A pool of blood encompassed the wasteland that gradually reverted to its original temperature.
Burns were evident on the skins of the survivors, some of whom were shared shitless despite having survived through the massacre. Their faces were pale without a shred of blood running across them.
“You’re strong,” said Dino, gently punching Randy’s massive lateral deltoid. The latter revealed a faint smile, unlike his expression of insanity whilst committing the massacre. He seemed like a decent human-being for once.
“You… too,” said Randy between breaths, trying to steady his erratic breathing.
“No, you guys are crazy,” said Jenny, shaking her head in disappointment. “We shouldn’t have killed them…”
“What do you suggest we could have done, Jenny?” Arthur asked, his expression displaying his frustration accurately. He expected to meet naive newbies, just like he’d been during his former life during the tutorial.
However, he and a few others were quick to adapt due to the brutality of the atmosphere. In the tower, people would kill to receive a few coins. They would brutally murder an entire family for a cookie.
Jenny hesitated… “Um…”
“If you’re so perturbed by this, why don’t you retire once you’re done with the tutorial?” Arthur inquired, staring at the woman in unusual clothes. Her expression was enigmatic, and flickered between sorrow and annoyance. “You won’t be able to survive without the ability to swing at anyone who swings at you.”
Jenny balled her fists, clenching them until blood dripped. She clenched her teeth, gritting them. “Mind your own business, Arthur.”
Arthur shrugged, unperturbed by Jenny’s reaction. In fact, the former had expected a sensitive reaction. She probably originated from a planet where morality was the norm. Also, the tower was probably her last resort at success, and retiring would expose her to some difficulty on her home planet.
‘She’s probably a refugee,’ thought Arthur. ‘Well, who knows?’
“We can talk about this later,” Harry announced, pointing towards the portal that had manifested. Purple energy swirled within the portal, spewing a dangerous aura. Yet, everyone knew it was completely safe.
Arthur, Randy, Dino, Jenny, Harry, and the five other survivors took one last glance at the corpses before entering the portal.
Their vision darkened, and their soul traveled at tremendous speeds through space and time, towards the coordinates with which the portal was connected to. It was an instant process for those traveling through it, but many laws were influenced in the process.
The ten survivors emerged from the portal.
Warm winds brushed against their skins, and light flooded into their corneas as they gently opened their eyes. It was a modern city, lined with skyscrapers, flying ships, and a luxurious atmosphere.
“It’s like New York City!” One of the newbies announced, causing the others to shoot the person with curious glances. “A city on the planet I originate from. This is a bit more modernized, though.”
Lifeforms originating from various different species roamed the streets. Some seemed incredibly weak, while others seemed powerful. Some wore equipment suited for battle, some wore formal attire, and others wore casual clothes.
Some even wore lab coats.
Suddenly, dark energy burst from the ground, shaping into the form of a humanoid fox. It was Dracolius, a Guardian belonging to the Tower Administration. “You all will stay in a hotel for a few weeks while you undergo basic training. It is up to you, whether you wish to attend or not. After the training period, all of you will be faced with a single trial, following which you will enter the Outer District. That is, if you manage to pass.”
The newbies nodded. 𝘦𝘯𝑜𝘷𝘦𝑙．𝑜𝑟𝘨
“Other newbies will join you during training, and shall participate in the trial alongside you. Step into this portal to enter your hotel.”
Dracolius flicked his wrist, causing another oval-shaped, purple portal to manifest beside him. The newbies bid him farewell before entering the portal.
As they emerged from the other side, they noticed they had reached a hotel reception. Dracolius exited the portal before swiping a few cards at the reception. Then, he passed the cards to the newbies.
“Go to your rooms,” said Dracolius. “Tonight, at 8 PM, you will be introduced to your fellow newbies. The training will also be explained, and you can choose whether you wish to attend or not. That is all. I shall take my leave now.”
Dracolius, although capable of explaining matters in great detail, was a man of few words. He never spoke casually, or displayed significant reactions. His emotions were dull, and he remained emotionless most of the time.
He was an enigmatic man/fox.
He snapped his fingers and dissolved into the atmosphere. Not even dust remained to prove his existence.
“I’ll take my leave first,” said Dino, heading towards the stairs while staring at his card. “See you guys at 8 PM. I’m assuming a portal will open in our rooms, allowing us to reach our destination in little to no time?”
“Probably,” replied Randy, heading towards his room.
Soon, everyone had departed, except Harry, Arthur, and Jenny.
“Bye,” said Harry unenthusiastically, heading towards his room.
That left Arthur and Jenny.
“Think about what I said,” said the crimson-eyed man. “If you cannot handle it, you’ll have to learn. Otherwise…”
Without finishing his sentence, Arthur disappeared into the distance.
Jenny remained standing. Her eyes stared at the marble floor covered in ruby-red rugs, and her shoes. Her eyes, externally, were calm. Yet, within them, a storm was brewing, desperately trying to burst.
“Me? Leave?” Jenny asked no one in particular, letting out an absent-minded chuckle. She wasn’t in her right mind. Tears streamed down her face as she laughed, uncaring of what those around her thought.
Finally, she wiped her tears and stared at the ceiling.
“I can never leave… not until I break through the ceiling of the tower…”