Tessa led the way out of the testing hall, her long, graceful strides making it seem as if she hardly moved. The other examiners and guild representatives parted to let us pass, their curiosity and awe clear in their expressions.
Soon, we arrived at her office, a spacious room decorated with luxurious red carpets, heavy velvet curtains, and expensive-looking furniture. Her desk was massive, made of polished black wood, and covered with papers, reports, and various trinkets.
"Please, have a seat," she offered, gesturing to a plush chair in front of her desk. "Can I get you anything to drink?"
"No, thank you," I replied, sitting down in the chair. "I'm fine."
Tessa took her seat behind the desk, steepling her fingers and studying me carefully. "I understand you're only level 17, Luquier. You must be wondering why I'm interested in you."
"Is it because I'm an A-rank?"
"That, and your performance seems to suggest you're either not a level 17, or your stats aren't real," Tessa said in a low and playful tone. "I can see that your stats are average, but I find it hard to believe that it's true."
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. This woman was pretty shrewd.
"Can you see my stats?" Tessa suddenly asked with a mischievous smirk.
"Er..." I concentrated, seeing a blue Status Window pop up next to her.
[Name: Tessa Iskra | Level: 540]
[Title: Tempered Disaster (A)]
[Health: 3000 | Strength: 305]
[Speed: 705 | Magic: 1395]
[Risk: 5 | Stat Points: 0]
[Experience: 33%]
"You're level 540?!" My eyes widened in shock.
"If you're that impressed, wait until you see an S-rank's stats," Tessa smiled wryly.
"Wait, you have 5 points in Risk?" I raised an eyebrow.
"I was a bit reckless when I first came to Last Stand," Tessa admitted with an embarrassed chuckle. "I died twice before my survival instincts kicked in."
[That’s because she probably had an easier tower. See, even if you had awoken another tower, you wouldn’t have been as strong as you are now.]
"I really think I would’ve been stronger elsewhere, since there’s a good chance there were multiple floors in the tower Tessa was in." I muttered under my breath.
"Excuse me?" Tessa frowned at me.
"Oh, nothing," I gave her an awkward grin, ignoring Sephera's indignant message screens.
"If you say so..." Tessa sat up straighter. "At any rate, I'd like to see your stats now."
"Sure–"
"Your real ones."
I stiffened at her words. Her eyes said that she wasn't going to be fooled by the Hand of Thanatos' Shrouded effect. Should I just show her my true stats? Tessa didn't seem like a bad person.
With a sigh, I decided to come clean, lifting the effects of the scythe.
[Name: Luquier Vaunt | Level: 17]
[Title: Reckless Immortal (A)]
[Health: 10000 | Strength: 4305]
[Speed: 4205 | Magic: 4310]
[Risk: 2075 | Stat Points: 0]
[Experience: 86%]
Tessa's eyes widened slightly at my stats. "You're level 17? But your stats are so high!" she exclaimed, sounding confused. "And you have over two thousand Risk points? Reckless Immortal? What did you..."
I chuckled nervously. "I died a few times before my survival instincts kicked in."
Tessa simply gazed at me for a moment before she burst out laughing. It was a warm, genuine laugh that filled the air, and for some reason, it made me feel a little better about revealing my true level. "Well, I'm not sure what exactly you were doing in your tower," she chuckled, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. "But you don't seem to be in worse shape than some of the other Players who've returned."
I couldn't help but smile at her reaction. "Thanks, I think?"
"It isn't much of a compliment," Tessa regained her composure, smiling slightly. "We Players aren't exactly the most stable of minds, but I can't help but wonder why your Risk stats are so high. Are you not capable of feeling pain?"
[He is, and that's why he's a masochist.]
"Ah, I have some passives that reduce the pain sensitivity. It was a little difficult at first, but I managed to get through the tower eventually." I left out the part where I only had to go through one floor.
"Makes sense. But, now I have to ask. Why try to hide your stats?" Tessa asked.
"Well, you see, I was... cautious," I admitted, my cheeks flushing a little. "You never know who's watching."
"Ah, I see," Tessa nodded in understanding. "And you're worried about being attacked by other Players?"
"Not until you mentioned it. I can get attacked by other Players?"
Tessa nodded. "It's not common, but it does happen. Usually, it's because someone has a grudge against you or wants to take your items. But, there's no reason to worry about that, since the GPA was formed to help Players deal with hostile parties. With your registration and rank, I'm sure you won't be finding yourself trouble any time soon."
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I hesitated for a moment before asking the question that had been on my mind since I'd first seen her. "You mentioned the GPA. What exactly is that?"
"I'm sure you've guessed by now that GPA stands for the Global Player Administration. The organization was established to facilitate relations between the Players that returned from Last Stand and the rest of the world. Think of it as a sort of second citizenship." Tessa explained, her voice filled with pride. "As a member, you'll have access to exclusive events, resources, and training programs that will help you adjust to your new life and make the most of your abilities. You'll also be able to receive counseling and other amenities to help you adjust to life."
I nodded, taking in the information. "So, what happens now?"
"Well, with your assessments complete, and your rank received, the best choice for you now is to join a guild. Have you informed your relatives about your results yet?"
"N-no," I shook my head. "Actually, I just returned today."
"Oh," Tessa tilted her head. "So you have absolutely no idea what's transpired so far? When did you awaken in your tower?"
I hesitated. "About... 300 days ago."
"300 days!" Tessa exclaimed, sounding shocked. "You've been gone for nearly a year? Well, I can only imagine how much the world has changed in your eyes in that time."
"Yeah... it doesn't seem like much has changed, though?"
Tessa smiled wryly. "Allow me to explain."
Apparently, I found out that the day I woke up in Sephera's tower, others around the world were experiencing the same thing. It was mass-panic across the globe as nations tried to figure out why several people had suddenly disappeared. But, soon after, the world began to change as multiple towers began to pop up out of nowhere. Just like the game 'Last Stand', people were able to enter the towers to clear floors and advance higher and higher.
Unfortunately, since no Players had returned just yet, the regular people who entered quickly perished, causing the world to restrict access to the towers. When the first Players returned, that changed the dynamic of powers in the world, leading to the establishment of the GPA. The towers were reopened, and Players began to clear the floors. It seemed as though it was a global effort; if the highest floor was the 13th, everyone around the world would be able to access it until someone advanced to the 14th for all to challenge.
Clearing the towers wasn't without their consequences, though. With every floor cleared, the world altered its geography, causing land masses to shift drastically. This led to the fall of borders and the rise of divided sectors in two hemispheres, each sector labeled with the 24 Greek alphabet. I had returned in the middle of the western hemisphere, which was known as the Lambda sector.
Guilds began to rise to power, evenly matching the shifting world government. Both the western and eastern hemispheres were led by a President, who was also an S-rank Player. For the meantime, a balance of power between the guilds, GPA, and world government kept the population safe and in check.
"Finally," Tessa wrapped up her explanation. "There are random dungeon breaks that occur, which requires Player to quickly clear or they'll threaten to explode and bring in something much worse. These dungeon breaks are usually much more difficult than the towers, since they often incur penalties, restrictions, or requirements."
I blinked, feeling overwhelmed. "Wow, there's a lot to take in."
Tessa smiled warmly. "Somehow, I think you'll take it in stride quickly. With that high of a Risk stat, I feel you're either unnaturally calm in dire situations, or on the far side of insanity. Either way, I'm very interested in you and your potential."
I couldn't help but grin at her assessment. "Thanks, Tessa. You make me sound almost... dangerous."
"Are you saying you're not?" Tessa teased, though I caught the hidden undertone in her words. "Anyway, I hope you know I'll be keeping a close eye on you. If you have any questions, feel free to come back and ask us anything. You're welcome to go home now."
I stood up, then hesitated. "Any chance you could help me find my apartment?"
----------------------------------------
Turns out, my apartment was completely obliterated to make room for a mall, of all places. Tessa quickly got me set up with a temporary home, on the promise that I join a guild and quickly get myself on track. She also had the GPA provide me with a phone, some money, and a bike.
I glanced around, taking in the cramped space. It was a studio apartment, but it was more like a closet with a bed. There was a small kitchenette in one corner, a bathroom off to the side, and a makeshift living room in the center. The bed was covered in a light gray duvet, and the walls were a soft beige color. A small desk sat against one wall, and a bookshelf was crammed full of books next to it. A single window let in a sliver of sunlight, casting a warm glow over the room.
[Do you not have family you can stay with?]
"No, my parents passed away a few years back," I grimaced. "Well, I have an older sister, but we're not very close. She left me and my parents to do god knows what, and I haven't seen or talked to her since."
[:o]
"It's fine, I've been managing to get through things by myself." I sat down on the bed, trying to figure out what to do next. I glanced at the blue screens that suddenly popped up in front of me.
[Congratulations! You have completed the Quest: First Steps!]
[Congratulations! You have earned the achievement: 'New Beginnings.']
[You have obtained 'Skill Box'.]
[System alert: New quest added.]
[Quest: So Many Paths.]
[Description: Choose the road you feel would best suit you. Whether it be a guild or solo life, you are free to decide your life.]
[Reward: N/A]
Damn. This next quest sucked. I couldn't blame Sephera either, since the system was behind the reward distribution. Oh well, at least I had an idea of what to do now.
I tapped on the new achievement, eager to see what it did.
[Achievement: New Beginnings.]
[Acquired by returning to Earth & successfully registering as a Player.]
[Description: Celebrate your first step in a new life, Player.]
Another dud. I tutted in disappointment, realizing that Achievements weren't always beneficial. I closed the screen and opened my skill box, a little less hopeful for what was to come.
[Generating Skills based on performance...]
[You have obtained the 'Death Match' skill.]
That... sounded cool. And promising. I tapped on the skill, my jaw dropping at the description.
[Death Match 1/?]
[Damage: N/A | Cooldown: 17 days]
[Description: Can only be activated upon death. When used, summons user's specter to fight against the opponent that dealt killing blow. Upon victory, revives user in place of specter, gaining all rewards. Upon failure, user loses all progress & cannot be resurrected. The higher the user's level, the longer the cooldown period.]
[What the–]
"Fuck?" I finished Sephera's message. Death Match was unbelievably insane, but... damn. If it meant I could survive being killed, then I'd definitely take it. The only downside was that the higher I got in levels, the longer I'd have to wait to use it again... but with an almost 2000% specter strength increase, that seemed like a small price to pay.
[I know you keep saying you’re not a masochist… but Luquier, this really seems like the playstyle of one.]
"I… can’t argue with that," I hung my head. Sephera was right; this was because of how I approached her tower.
"Ugh, no use in stressing over this," I stood up stretching my body. "It’s still daylight outside, so I guess I should explore around here, huh? Hopefully there’s a place I can get on the internet."
[What for?]
"Isn’t it obvious?" I grinned at Sephera’s message screen. "To play some games, of course."
****
[Name: Luquier Vaunt | Level: 17]
[Title: Reckless Immortal (A)]
[Health: 10000 | Strength: 4305]
[Speed: 4205 | Magic: 4310]
[Risk: 2075 | Stat Points: 0]
[Experience: 86%]
[Skills]
[Divinity (Passive)]
[Holy Element 17/17]
[Death’s Shadow 17/17]
[Reap 17/17]
[Final Gambit 17/17]
[Death Match 1/?]
[Achievements]
[Even Death Can't Stop Me!]
[Pick On Someone Your Own Strength.]
[Untouchable.]
[New Beginnings.]
[Items]
[Silver Serpent]
[Hand of Thanatos]