Rio hesitated for a moment, then quickly pressed "no." Once he did, the test guard and all the illusions disappeared.

He felt a sense of accomplishment for conquering the illusion once again, but he couldn't shake off the unease because the system had never operated like this before. The test had always been the same, ending when you answered the question. This time, it continued afterward, making him worried that others might fall for it.

Stepping out of the test hall, he noticed the guards staring at him with various expressions – curiosity, pity, and even malice. Uncertain about their reactions, he made his way to the main hall, where everyone gathered after the test.

Rio had completed his test quickly and was among the first to leave. He spotted his friend Raul and approached him.

"Did you notice the new part of the test? That was something different," he asked.

Raul replied, "What new part? I felt like something was going to happen, but as soon as the system message appeared, I clicked no without listening to anything else. " The others who finished early did the same. "But it's strange that it's taking everyone so long. Usually, at least a hundred of us are outside by now. I hope my wife didn't fall for this update you are talking about."

"Don't worry," Rio reassured him. "After all these years, she won't be fooled. But I'm concerned about my little one; it's their first time, and I didn't warn them about this. I honestly didn't expect..."

Before Rio could finish his thought, Raul interrupted with a shout, "NO!" followed by a long sigh "It seems my wife accepted the system, and now I'm bound by it," Raul said, a mix of disbelief and a forced laugh in his voice. "Well, I guess I won't be competing with you guys every year anymore. There's a message saying I'm fully registered now."

As Raul was looking at his messages, a look of concern washed over his face. "In the system messages, there's something called a countdown event for your area. It says that in the next 24 hours, there will be rewards for KILLING anyone without the system. More information will come once the event starts."

The three men who had already left the hall surrounded Raul, bombarding him with questions. Many more people exited the exam hall into the main one, and the crowds continued to grow, and so did the discussions about the latest test update, and the new message seen in the system"

Rio saw his wife amongst the crowd and quickly ran over to her, cutting his talk with Raul short. but, he was conflicted between feeling joy because she didn't accept the system's latest trick and worry for what he had just heard about what will await them in 24 hours, it's as if the system tried to warn them. He realized that he couldn't protect his family from those empowered by the system who might seek to harm them.

The people around them had a mix of emotions on their faces. Many villagers had embraced the system, and they were still processing the shock. Some were pleased, as they had always wanted to try the system but were held back by family obligations. Now, they could finally advance in the world and escape their simple village life. However, as word spread about the message to kill non-system users, those who had initially resisted went back inside the testing hall to accept the system. They were given a second chance and decided to embrace the system this time.

Rio turned to his wife and said, "Eliza, we need to prepare to escape quickly. It looks like we might be hunted down. We could be in real trouble at this rate."

Eliza hesitated and replied, "I think what the others are doing is safer. Everyone is going back into the test hall to accept the system. Maybe we should do the same and get it over with."

"No," Rio insisted. "I made a promise to my father on his deathbed that I would live free from the system's control. What kind of system goes to such lengths to enslave everyone? We mustn't trust it!"

"But we're simple people; we can't fight it. Leave the fight to someone else, someone without children to worry about. I'm going to accept the system on behalf of our family. We have no choice Rio!! "

"Please, just wait. Let me think for a moment. Let's wait to see if the children pass the test"

Before Rio could finish his sentence, his son Roi emerged from the testing hall. Roi saw his parents arguing, and his his eyes filled with shame. It was clear he had accepted the system and he was worried about what his parents were going to say, he didn't want to disappoint them. However, instead of feeling disappointed, his mother showed signs of relief upon seeing the system's mark on his hand.

His father, on the other hand, had a disappointed stern look with hesitant, conflicted eyes. He placed a hand on Roi's shoulder and nodded without saying a word.

Roi broke the silence, saying, "You know, Dad, it might not be a bad thing..." but before he got to say what he meant, his father interjected.

"Did you check the system yet? Did you see the message about a local event that encourages you to kill your loved ones and neighbors to achieve the system's goals? How can this system be good for humanity? Always remember, even if you have the system, use it as a tool. Don't let it use you. Don't succumb to the addiction of chasing higher levels. Seek a simple life my son."

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Roi looked at his father, conflicted. He had grown up with these principles and believed in them, but now he found himself on the other side. However, at least his children wouldn't face the same conflict and existential crisis. At least his dating options weren't limited to Anna or Ella down the street anymore because he could go past the village borders. .

Similar conversations occurred within many families, and one by one, people around them embraced the system. However, to their surprise, Beth had not come out of the testing hall.

The family sat down to ponder their future. The hall had almost emptied. Almost everyone had accepted the system except for Eliza and Roi, and Beth who was still doing the test. The entire village understood that Eliza and Roi were probably waiting for their daughter to come out first, as it had been over two hours since the last person exited, and she was still inside, struggling with the test.

Eliza urged, "Let's just get the system and get this over with. Beth must be going through a tough time inside. Let's not wait."

"Fine, I'll do it on behalf of the family," Roi decided.

He has seen his son spend the past two hours setting up his system according to his preferences and thought that the issue might be blown out of proportion. His son said that the system looked okay, He continued saying "Our village is doomed. If we're the last family without the system, who will we connect with? It was fine when there were many other families, but how will we even find food tomorrow?"

After contemplating this for some time, Roi made up his mind. He returned to the testing hall and, with a sigh, said, "Why not skip this? I've passed the test already. I accept your terms and conditions. Please give my family the system protocol."

Initializing registering user, please fill in the form.

As soon as Roi saw the form, a another message appeared:

He began filling in his name, the names of his family members, and additional details. However, before submitting the form, he suddenly fainted.

***

In an instant, Roi found himself in a vast, empty white land. A voice, both familiar and commanding, shattered the silence, shaking the earth beneath him. "YOU FOOL!" the voice screamed.

“YOU FOOL!” the words echoed again.

Roi asked while trembling "What is this? Who is this?"

The voice replied with stern resolve, "I have warned your ancestors, instructing them to teach their children to resist, never to accept the system. Yet here you are! YOU FOOL!"

Desperation filled Roi's voice as he retorted, "Who are you to judge? I had no choice! Everyone else had already accepted it, and my family was the last one. We can't survive alone in this world! we need someone to bake the bread, and someone to hunt the fish, and someone to buy our product "

The voice said something chillding "You have fallen for an illusion!! Everything you just witnessed was an illusion!! and you were swift to embrace the system, condemning your children!! YOU FOOL!"

Roi was puzzled "You mean there are others who didn't fall for this illusion? I've taken this test thirty times, and I never experienced anything so vivid."

The voice paused briefly but returned to respond with a calmer tone, "The illusion became a reality. Everyone failed the test and succumbed to the system's sinister influence. Your family, however, remains the last bastion of resistance. Only your daughter had the strength to resist, becoming the first to exit the illusion. She covered her ears, shut her eyes, and persistently rejected the system until the illusion ended in full. And you, FOOL, have condemned her. She could have been a remarkable descendant worthy of this bloodline"

Roi was torn and pleaded, "I don't understand. If everyone else accepted the system, how can we survive in a world alone? I thought about it. We have no other choice. If you are my ancestor, you must forgive me, for I did what is right for my family!"

The voice spoke once again "I am not here to grant forgiveness. I am here to help you to help humanity. I cannot talk with a child, and your wife is not my descendant. Therefore, I am left with you – the last man on Earth who has not fully succumbed to the system's control. If you accept the system for yourself and your family, you will not only condemn them, but you will condemn the entire world. When everyone is under the system's control, no one will ever be able to free themselves from it. Humanity will forever be bound and enslaved by it, used as pawns in wars beyond your understanding. We cannot allow that to happen. Before the system tightens its grip on you, awaken from this trance, and instead of completing the form, reject it."

Suddenly, Roi woke up. He found the form in front of him and hesitated. The voice's words echoed in his mind, urging him to resist. His hand trembled, but he chose to go over the form once again, and submitted it this time. In a shocking twist, a new mark appeared on his hand, one he had never seen before. As the mark completed, a message from the system appeared:

[Your family has now become part of the system Protocol]

[Your application has been rejected]

Suddenly a different message appeared on top of the previous messages.

Romos Blood System Initialising. You are in danger, you will now be transferred to a safe area.

Panic overcame Roi as he cried out, "Wait, what is happening? My children, I need to find my children!" He rushed out of the testing hall, where he saw his daughter sitting on the steps, equally shocked by a system message in front of her. His wife called his name and approached him. "It seems we experienced a mass illusion," she said "but reality and illusion were one and the same, I know this is hard for you, but it's okay my love, it's the right choice." But before he could respond, before he could see his son, he vanished from before his family's eyes, landing in front of ruins in an unknown location.