-Good luck, challengers.
Those were the last words I heard, accompanied by a flash that illuminated the world. When my vision returned, I realized I was in something resembling a forest, with trees so tall they made me question if such a thing was even possible in the world. I spoke, my voice trembling with fear of attracting something unwanted, yet hoping someone else might hear me.
-H... hello? Is anyone out there? Hello...
No response. In complete solitude, the sound of the wind rustling and shaking the branches and leaves of the trees around me was so loud it was unsettling—a silence that was anything but silent. Before the cold calm could sink into my skin, a new voice echoed from the sky, or wherever the sky was supposed to be.
-Keh heh heh, welcome, challengers. You're all here, so let's get things started quickly.
The laughter in that voice was eerie, shrill, and mocking, as if it came from a little devil or a malevolent jester. As it spoke, a loud crash resounded from the direction of the voice. A moment later, a small blue bolt struck my left arm.
-Aaahhh! What is this?!
I shouted, startled by the sudden impact, but the bolt caused no harm. It felt like a strange electric current coursing through my body. Immediately, a small, floating, crystalline blue screen appeared when I turned my arm toward me.
<1,000,000,000 vs 0,000,000,000>
The screen displayed something called the "Challenger System," showing unremarkable details about me, except for that last piece of information.
"1,000,000,000 vs 0,000,000,000" "What's that supposed to mean?"
-Keh heh heh, 1,000,000,000 inhabitants of your blue star—roughly 10% of your entire world population—will be tasked with carrying the fate of your star.
"Wait, what nonsense is this? Ten percent of the population? Fate?"
-These 1,000,000,000 of you will have to eliminate a modest 2,000,000,000 various beings we've prepared for you. It's not a big deal... Keh heh heh. Two for each of you, shouldn't be too hard... Keh heh heh.
That damn constant laughter sent shivers down my spine. It didn't seem trustworthy, but what was I supposed to do? I listened to its words with the utmost attention, trying not to miss any detail it might reveal.
-You might have questions, so I'll make it clear. All of you will be trapped here until you eliminate all the monsters—or, alternatively, until all of you die by their claws, paws, or whatever. It doesn't really matter; dead is dead... Keh heh heh.
-Those who survive will return to your world victorious, as the saviors of the world. But if all of you fall, an endless horde of unimaginable creatures will destroy what you once called home. Got it?
"You've got to be kidding me. How does this even make sense?!"
I couldn't believe what I'd just heard. In an instant, I'd been kidnapped without warning, transported to another place against my will, to either die or become one of the potential saviors of the world?
-Well, that's all. Oh, I almost forgot—you have 10 years to complete this, or it won't matter how many of you are still alive. You and your star will face punishment. Now, good luck! Keh heh ha ha!!!
Before I could fully process the flood of information thrown at me without warning, the screen displayed an alarming message. A small blue light appeared in front of me, and from it emerged a green beast, at least two and a half meters tall. Its sudden appearance froze me in place. I'd always thought that if my life were ever in danger, I'd be one of those people who wouldn't freeze and would act quickly.
"What do I do?! Should I run?! Of course I should! Move, you idiot, move!"
-ROAAAAAR!
"Ah, I can move now."
The beast's deafening roar snapped me out of my thoughts and restored movement to my legs. As if my body had been preparing for this moment my entire life, I ran as if my life depended on it—because it clearly did.
<1,000,000,000 vs 2,000,000,000>
***
-Ughhh, cough, cough, cough!
"My body hurts. It feels like my left arm is broken."
I woke up with intense pain burning through my muscles, as if they'd been torn in every direction. I was at the edge of the lake I'd jumped into as a last resort. It was a miracle I was still alive. The proof of what could have been lay beside me.
Next to me was the lifeless body of the ogre that had chased me, split in half, its blood spilling from a sharp, precise cut. It seemed that during the fall, it had landed on a rock beneath the lake, dying brutally on impact.
"Truly horrifying… That could've been me."
Though the situation was grim—I was exhausted, with sharp pain in my left arm (was it broken?), and minor wounds all over my body—I felt a slight joy at having survived. But how far could I go in this state?
My boots had undoubtedly been key in this situation, the true MVPs of the day. Their sturdy soles protected my feet from whatever I might have stepped on, and the high, snug collar prevented any sprains. Having my legs in good condition during that chase was crucial.
-Oh, my dear boots, how I love you. Thank you for being here with me.
The screen on my arm displayed a curious, perhaps alarming, message.
"Is the system they just gave me already broken?"
-Good news doesn't last long here, does it?
As I struggled to stand, enduring the burning pain in my legs to survey my surroundings, a translucent white screen, similar to the one on my arm, appeared before me with a message that made me think my luck hadn't entirely run out.
{You have received a gift}
{Would you like to accept this gift?} {Yes / No}
This new screen was accompanied by a voice that sounded like a young man, exuding a kind, comforting familiarity.
-Oh! Of course, yes!
"Anything I can get in this situation is like gold."
{You have received the system ¢#>/4€É2 ©! Ō©4}
{You have received a basic survival kit}
{You have received a simple one-handed sword}
-Oh, yes!!! This is way better than I expected. I was hoping for, like, a knife at most.
With the appearance of this second system out of nowhere and the gifts I received, the situation went from horrific to slightly less horrific, I suppose. It's not like I could say it was good—I was still injured and alone in an unknown place.
-Hey, hey, too much good news all at once. Is something bad going to happen after all this?
The level-up was completely unexpected. Right after receiving the level-up message, a faint, warm green light enveloped my body, magically healing all my wounds as if they had never existed. I was fully recovered.
The excitement from this string of good news was incredible. Not only had I survived the great fall, but I'd also gained a second system that provided items that would clearly be vital in this place, a full recovery, and incredibly valuable information: you could level up here. It was starting to feel more and more like a video game.
"It seems pretty intuitive, but let's take a closer look just to be safe. I don't want to run into trouble later for overlooking something. But why am I level 1? Was I level 0 before, and the ogre made me level up?"
Health is clearly my life, the indicator of whether I'm still breathing. Mana, being at 0, must be the capacity to do supernatural things with an energy I don't have. Stamina must be my athletic capacity. Strength, speed, and defense are easy to understand, but all being at 10 makes me think 10 is the average for physical stats. Finally, there's perception, a stat I'm not sure what it affects.
"Is it one of those stats that affects a sixth sense? I'll have to wait for it to change to see what it does."
Lastly, there's a skills slot, clearly empty, but its mere existence tells me it's possible to acquire skills at some point. I haven't played many games before coming here, but skills are what really make a difference in a character's strength. Even if your base stats are good, without strong skills to make them shine, they're not much use. Of course, the opposite isn't great either, so finding a balance is ideal.
<999,851,985 vs 1,999,999,992>
It's hard to believe that in the time it took me to regain consciousness, around 20,000 more people have lost their lives, while only seven more monsters have been defeated. The mocking laughter of the voice that welcomed us made it clear this wouldn't be as simple as "just two per person" as it made it seem. The situation is worsening quickly.
Looking around, I see the lake's water comes from a river flowing from the opposite direction of where I fell. The chance of the water being potable should be higher than drinking from a stagnant lake.
"The survival kit includes a canteen with water, so I have two options: drink from it and refill it with river water, risking whatever's in that mysterious water, or preserve the canteen's water as long as possible until I find a way to boil water properly. I mean, if they gave us 10 years, there has to be a way to get water, right? Ten years... I'll think about that later."
Opting for safety, I chose the second option and walked against the lake's flow, following the river. It seemed the smartest choice since I could take water if needed, despite the risks. But the main reason for sticking to the river was its sound—I'd seen enough movies to know it could mask noises or smells I might produce.
After walking a few meters along the river, I spotted what looked like a small cave, perfect for sheltering from the sun, rain, or other elements. Carefully scanning my surroundings, I approached what seemed to be the cave's entrance and saw it: a small, dark green monster with blood-red, hollow eyes and rough, crest-like hair, armed with a dagger at its waist.
-A goblin, I suppose. I can handle it. They're supposed to be weak, small, and it's just one. Plus, I have a sword now, *I whispered*
Despite my words to muster courage, my legs trembled as I recalled goblins stabbing defenseless people in that circular area. But this was a war between us and them—I wasn't going to back down.
I crept up behind it silently, unnoticed, until I was about five meters away. I raised my sword with both hands, struggling with its weight and my lack of practice. The goblin noticed me just before the blade struck, but despite its quick reflexes, it was too late. The blade sliced through its shoulder, cutting down to where its lungs would be, killing it in one blow.
-Ughhh.
I let out a groan with a long sigh, releasing the tension from the small victory. I suppose I was lucky to find a lone goblin, but the situation was more nerve-wracking than I'd expected.
"Huh?"