Without the System saying goodbye, I found myself flying through the void, becoming a singularity point. But this time, it didn't last half as long as when I had found myself in the cube. Five seconds as a singularity, and here I was in a new place completely. It seemed that either the way the System transported me was faster, or Luminosa was much farther away from Earth than wherever I ended up now.

I looked around and it took me only a moment to notice my surroundings. It seemed the System didn't want to give me a break. I was behind bars, trapped in a cage like some animal. The room was vast and dimly lit, with rough stone walls that gave it a dungeon-like atmosphere. The air was heavy with the musky scent of unwashed beasts and old straw.

I wasn't alone in my predicament. The room was lined with cages of various sizes, each housing a different creature. Rusty metal bars separated me from a menagerie of beasts, some familiar, but most utterly foreign. In the cage to my right, a giant octopus, its body as large as a bus, squished against the confines of its prison. Its skin glistened with slime and its eyes, large and intelligent, watched me with an unsettling intensity.

Across from me, a monster straight out of a science fiction novel - a two-headed tyrannosaur, its twin sets of jaws snapping irritably at each other. Despite its smaller size, barely larger than a human, the sheer ferocity in its eyes sent a chill down my spine. The primal, predatory intelligence in those reptilian orbs promised swift death to any foolish enough to underestimate it based on size alone. Other cages held equally bizarre and unsettling creatures, but those two were most likely the most dangerous.

The creatures paced restlessly in their cages, some snarling at me as I met their gaze, others lying dejectedly in the corners of their confinement. A few of the more intelligent beasts regarded me with curiosity, perhaps wondering what a human was doing among their ranks.

As if just putting me into a cage wasn't enough, it didn't just restrict my movement, but also sucked Mana out of me. Of course, I almost instantly gathered my focus and prevented the cage from making me any weaker than I already was. The pull wasn't strong enough to overcome my control. After all, I wasn't just a Mana Fighter or a Caster. No, I was a Primalist. My control over Mana was far greater than that of others at the same tier.

I took in my own form. I was wearing the same clothes as before - the simple t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers I had put on at home. It seemed that even the System couldn't keep my original garments intact during the transportation process. The Aether Density here wasn't as high as at Luminosa, about half that of the Human Lands, but still infinitely higher than at Earth before its Awakening.

Now it was time to read the System messages and see what the heck was going on. It was never too late to try to break myself out of this place. After all, the cage didn't just contain me, but also provided a certain level of safety.

User, congratulations on being connected to the Atheos System! Welcome to your Tutorial (Difficulty: Impossible).

Tutorial Zone Alpha-0: Everhappy Smiley Land

"Where fun never dies, but you might!"

Description: A colossal amusement park stretching across an area comparable to New York City, featuring attractions that range from merely unsettling to outright lethal. Despite its cheerful facade, it holds the dubious honor of having the lowest average Tutorial completion rate across all zones. Nonetheless, this zone offers unique opportunities for those brave enough to attempt its challenges. While the risk is greater, so are the rewards.

Total Participants: 6666

Easy: 3 Normal: 6000 Hard: 600 Nightmare: 30 Madness: 30 Impossible: 3

Objectives of the Main Quest [Nothing is Impossible]:

First - Becoming a Real VIP: Get a Premium VIP Super Mega Ticket.

Second - Meeting the Legend: Meet the real Chuckles the Chipmunk and survive to tell the tale, in this particular order.

Third - Finishing the Clown: Defeat the Ringmaster in all of his games and give him a beating, in this particular order.

Fourth - Being Mama Goose: You have nine users put in your care. Make sure all of them complete their Tutorials successfully.

Failure to complete any of the objectives within the time limit, until the land closes its doors to your planet, will mean you will become my bottom bitch, or as some like to call them, an NPC. Good luck!

Congratulations! You have received a Side Quest [Curious Creature]!

You are a part of the Curious Creatures' Deadly Exhibition. Participate in the show and win three battles. Reward: System Points based on the opponents and Caretaker's Map (recommended for the Mama Goose objective).

These quests don't seem like something difficult enough to be called impossible. Then again, there is a lot I don't know yet. I have no idea how powerful this Ringmaster is, or what it requires for me to receive the ticket, as well as who the heck Chuckles the Chipmunk is.

And you know what the worst part is?

Most menu options are unavailable. System installation: 17%.

Quests

Achievement Assessment [Unavailable]

Status [Unavailable]

Archetypes [Unavailable]

Skills [Unavailable]

Shop [Unavailable]

Inventory [Unavailable]

Yeah, it seems that I still have to wait to learn about other features of this System. Well, at least I now have the gist of what I'll have to do to proceed.

There's a lot of information I have gleaned from this screen alone:

First, the Tutorials aren't exclusive for each person. There are other participants with all sorts of difficulties in the same Zone.

Second, there might be two or even more other suckers who have received the same special treatment, maybe even more in other Tutorial Zones. Or maybe all of us who's expected to do the Impossible are already locked here.

Third, I wonder where most of the Normal difficulty participants are. There doesn't seem to be as many people in this zone as I'd expect, considering that most of the humanity is probably being integrated into the System.

My first plan was to just escape the captivity as soon as I got a basic grasp of the situation. But with the side quest given to me, it seemed this wouldn't be the best choice. The reward was not just System Points, which I had to earn—100 millions of them—but also a map of the area, which would be very useful and even recommended by the System. I wanted to find the nine people that would be in my care. Among the quest objectives, that one was probably the most unfair. After all, it didn't depend on me entirely if those people would survive and complete their respective Tutorial Quests. By the time I escaped, it was very possible that some of them would already be in danger, or worse, killed. Then again, even the Hard difficulty provided a revival, which implied that they would have another go at completing their task, even if I failed to find them in time. But if anyone of them had chosen Nightmare or Madness, things would be... complicated.

Maybe I should just skip the map and try to use my Mana Sense to find them. No, it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

And again, I had no idea when the so-called exhibition would start. If it wasted too much of my time, I would have to find an alternative. Perhaps I wouldn't even need the map once the System fully installed. After all, I doubted I would need to randomly ask every person if they were under my care or not. It should show me some information list, right?

With those thoughts, I closed my eyes and took a meditative pose. The most basic way to cultivate Mana was just a form of meditation. You had to find a place abundant with Aether, and it would be even better if it was connected to your attribute. So, for those with the basic attributes, it was pretty easy. Fire required sunlight. Air would be perfect at high altitudes. Water, well, near large bodies of water like a sea or ocean, though a river or lake would be fine too. And earth would be easiest to cultivate underground.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

But if you wanted to more properly advance your mastery over rare elements, you'd need to turn on your imagination. For example, to improve my mastery over lightning, I had to be hit by, well, actual lightning. And let me tell you, that wasn't my idea. It wasn't like I had a choice either, though.

Returning to the current moment, I was busy trying to stabilize my condition. I used my Mana Sense to scan my body in more detail. The Condensed Mana had improved both my mind and soul beyond the standard limits of my Tier. And now, almost all of it was gone. Instead, I only had my natural limits, which of course were still far beyond anything possible for a normal human. You see, each new tier of cultivation was akin to a rebirth or instant evolution to a greater state of being. Your muscles get denser and stronger, skin more elastic and harder to cut. Be it your bones, tendons, all aspects of the body were enhanced. The same went for the mind and soul.

For better or worse, mental capabilities didn't improve that much. The greatest changes were memory and sensitivity to others. Instincts were sharpened as well. In general, though, the development path depended on the way you trained and cultivated Mana. Did you put more focus on your body, mind, or maybe spirit? The latter were the rarest of them all. You see, those who focused on their body, regardless if they went for raw power or agility, were called Mana Fighters. And those were the kind of guys or girls who put the most focus on training their body.

Then there were Casters who improved their mind, trying their best to master spells, which could be created by manifesting runes made of their own Mana. Unlike the physical fighters who would just enhance their body with their element as well as use it to attack harder or even from a distance, Casters concentrated on casting spells. The longer and more powerful the spell, the harder it was to cast. It required a lot of concentration and mental capabilities. But the result was that the spell would also absorb Aether from the surroundings to become stronger. Casters traded the speed of their attacks for far more powerful and complex abilities, as long as they were willing to learn different spells.

As for me, I was neither. Do you remember what I told you about body, mind and spirit, or soul as it's also called? Well, that's where my focus went instead. I wasn't a Fighter or a Caster. Instead, I was a Primalist. I controlled elements with my own consciousness. In a way, I made them a part of myself. I controlled them like I was controlling a limb, using my imagination to create the desired outcome. This gave me the greatest versatility while also keeping my speed. But in exchange, I had to train a lot. I had to be much more talented at it.

For every 1,000 Cultivators, 900 were Fighters, 99 were Casters, and only one was a Primalist. That proved how hard it was to become one. If you tried to develop directly in this direction, not only would it not be worth it for the vast majority of people, it would also completely limit their progress. Even getting past the Initiate Rank and reach the First Tier would be an insurmountable task.

I made sure that nothing was wrong with my body, other than losing most - pretty much all - of my Condensed Mana. Which was quite surprising—it seemed that the System had made sure to stabilize my condition.

Next, I checked if I could shape elements outside of my body despite the cage's draining effect. As it turned out, it was possible, if significantly harder. Actually, this cage was a good place for training. It allowed Mana to be sucked away to such a fine degree that even I was affected. It was about 10 times harder to control my magic. But as a Primalist, this wasn't my first experience being restricted. Though, the last time I had been even weaker than right now. It was maybe 4 years after arriving at Luminosa, and guess who had locked me in? Of course, it was the generous kingdom that had summoned me, and not one of our countless demonic enemies.

Even before I could start getting bored or even think of choosing the breaking out option, a man entered the room, instantly making the animals and monsters more active. They were clamoring, but that lasted only until he shouted the word "Quiet!" enhanced by a wave of Mana.

The being that entered could hardly be called a man. That would be far too generous. After all, he wasn’t human. He resembled a two-meter-tall gremlin, nearly as wide as he was tall. His mottled green skin glistened under the dim light, and his bulbous, twitching eyes surveyed the room with an unsettling mix of malice and amusement. A whip dangled from one clawed hand, and his movements carried a surprising strength despite his ungainly appearance—enough to overpower most creatures here, even those the size of a bear. Yet, compared to me, he wasn’t much of a threat.

The cages, including mine, were mounted on a network of rusted rails that crisscrossed the floor and walls, their paths illuminated faintly by embedded Mana crystals pulsing in rhythm with the gremlin’s movements. At the center of the room stood the mechanism controlling the rails—a complex contraption of interlocking gears, glowing runes, and thick Mana-infused cables. As he approached the controls, his stubby fingers yanked the levers with practiced efficiency, and the room came alive with a mechanical groan. Gears ground together, and the cages shuddered as they began to move along the rails.

I had already seen what these cages contained. One held a pack of wolf-like creatures covered in glossy bird feathers, each with two cat-like tails flicking rhythmically. Their strange combination of features made them seem more absurd than threatening—until you noticed their razor-sharp claws. Another cage housed a towering, one-eyed ogre with mottled green skin. The creature’s massive fists gripped the bars, its singular eye glaring with simmering rage. Closest to me was the cage of a massive octopus, its dark, slimy body pressed against the bars. Its tentacles twitched, dripping mucous onto the floor—a creature whose size and strength made it a truly formidable threat. Not as much as the miniature two-headed T-Rex, but still leagues more dangerous than most creatures locked in here.

The gremlin began pacing between the cages, his bulging eyes flitting from one captive to another, clearly enjoying their agitation. Finally, he stopped in front of my cage and sneered. “Well, well, well. It has been a while since I saw a human in a cage instead of the tribune. What did you do to deserve such punishment? A terrible criminal, perhaps? Or did you try to cheat the System? No, wait—let me guess. You’re just another idiot who picked the hardest tutorial option, aren’t you? Madness isn't a joke, buddy."

“You seem pretty knowledgeable about this place,” I said, raising an eyebrow. “Were you summoned by the System too?”

“You don’t even know the basics, do you?” he said, chuckling. “Those who fail to complete their quests within the time limit but survive often end up here as NPCs. But unlike them, I’ve earned my place here. It comes with some benefits... like allowing me to do this!"

The whip glowed faintly as it cut through the air, leaving trails of green Mana in its wake. It was more than just a weapon—it carried an enchantment designed to amplify pain. Against most creatures, it would’ve been devastating. Against me? Pointless.

The blow lashed through the bars toward my leg, enhanced by his powers to amplify pain tenfold—enough to leave even a Tier Three or Tier Four opponent writhing in agony. I noted the enchantment with mild curiosity, though it was ultimately ineffective. Thanks to the Mana Boost I had activated earlier, the attack didn’t hurt at all. It didn’t even tickle. I would've been fine even without the boost, but then there would've been a risk it might sting a little.

Still, I gasped dramatically. “Ouch! So painful,” I said, sinking to one knee in mock agony, though my expression betrayed none of the amusement I felt.

The gremlin’s grin widened further. “Good. Now you’re starting to understand your place, human."

"Yeah, it wasn't wise of me to annoy someone with such power." I nodded.

"Exactly! And for what? For such a wicked creature?" The gremlin sneered, his grip on the whip tightening. “Do you even know what that squirrel is? Its kind slaughtered thousands of people!”

“‘People,’ huh?” I said, raising an eyebrow. “By ‘people,’ you mean other gremlins, obviously.”

“Of course, why would I care about humans or call you people?” he snapped, his sneer twisting into a snarl. "The System’s translations are lacking at best. We don’t even share the same concept of ‘people.’ That vile creature’s kin wiped out entire clans of mine. Don’t I have the right to punish it?”

I shrugged. “Fair enough. Revenge is a solid motivation. But that squirrel isn’t the one that did it, is it? Feels a little like you’re taking your anger out on something that just looks the part. Maybe it's a good-spirited squirrel that wants nothing more than to be friends with you.”

“It seems you still need to learn to show some respect to your betters!" The gremlin fumed as he attacked with his whip yet again. This time, I dodged the swing casually, avoiding it by a hairbreadth with a mocking smile.

“Stop dodging, damn it!” he snapped after I sidestepped yet another swing. And then another. His attacks were fast—razor-fast, even—but not fast enough to keep up with me.

“What’s the matter?” I taunted. “I thought you enjoyed playing with your prey. Or is the big, bad tamer out of tricks already?”

“Damn... how can a mere level one human be so damn fast?!” he hissed, sweat starting to bead on his mottled skin as his attacks grew sloppier with frustration.

"I have many secrets, buddy."

“So you want to keep dodging, huh? Fine, I’ll just punish that squirrel in your place!”

"Wow, so easy to give up as soon as you face a bigger fish?”

Fury blazed in his eyes as he turned away and stomped toward the squirrel’s cage, ready to unleash his frustration. At that exact moment, I activated my Gravity Mana—testing the limits of my power outside the cage. A localized gravity field formed under his feet, subtle enough to avoid immediate detection but strong enough to trip him. He stumbled and fell face-first onto the cage floor.

The moment was satisfying, even if he didn’t realize I was the cause.

Just as he was about to recover and turn his wrath back to the squirrel, a loud gong reverberated through the room.

“Well, it seems I’ll have to have my fun later,” he said, shaking his head as he stomped toward the mechanism controlling the rails. “Had you been more respectful, I might have given you an easy way out. Made you face some weaker monsters and just complete your first quest. But since you’re so full of yourself, I’ll see if you can back up your words with actual power.”

With a theatrical flourish, he yanked a series of levers, and my cage jolted forward. And can you guess which other cage followed in tow? Well, of course it was the one containing the biggest monster in the room—my good old friend, giant octopus!