ℭ𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 1: 𝔓𝔯𝔬𝔩𝔬𝔤𝔲𝔢 - 𝔘𝔫𝔢𝔵𝔭𝔢𝔠𝔱𝔢𝔡 𝔑𝔬𝔱𝔦𝔣𝔦𝔠𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰!

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It was December 31st, 2021, just a few minutes before midnight. Jay had been awoken by the loud celebratory noises from the neighborhood, the cacophony of cheers, music, and fireworks piercing through the night.

It was New Year's Eve, and everyone was in high spirits, ready to welcome 2022. The World Health Organization had declared the Covid pandemic settled down, with the vaccine made available to everyone over the past two months. This announcement had reignited hope and joy, making the festivities even more exuberant.

Though the noise was disruptive, Jay didn't bother asking his neighbors to keep it down. Instead, he plugged in a pair of noise-canceling headphones and tried to drift back to sleep.

He closed his eyes, seeking the comfort of slumber. Jay was just about to drift into sleep when his phone buzzed insistently. Groggily, he reached for it and saw a familiar name flashing on the screen.

“Hey, Udhay. What’s up?” Jay mumbled, his voice thick with sleep.

“Hey, Sensei! I hope I'm not bothering you,” Udhay said, his voice bubbling with enthusiasm. “I just wanted to let you know I won’t be able to make it to training for the next month.”

Jay rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the drowsiness. “How many times do I have to tell you not to call me Sensei? You’re 27, four years older than me.”

“Ah, but it sounds so cool!” Udhay replied, his tone almost playful. “Anyway, I’m going on a business trip with my dad. We’re heading overseas, you know, for one of those high-profile deals. He wants me to start taking over the business dealings and prepare me for when he passes the mantle to me.”

“Right, right,” Jay said, stifling a yawn. “Just make sure you don’t come back and tell me you’ve been using your ‘high-profile’ status to dodge training. I expect you to train in your free time.”

“Of course, Sensei! I wouldn’t dream of it. Besides, I want to come back and show you my new moves. I’ve been practicing my spinning back kick and working on my ground game.”

Jay sighed, hearing Udhay still call him “Sensei.” He had gotten used to it, despite his earlier protests. “Spinning back kicks? And here I thought you were too busy flaunting your latest designer suits. How are those working out for you?”

Udhay chuckled. “Well, they make for a great conversation starter at parties. But I promise, I’m taking my training seriously. Just like I take my designer labels.”

“When you get back, I expect you to be less about the suits and more about the mixed martial arts. It’s taken you six years to barely master the basics under me. You know, most people would have done that in one to two years.”

“Hey, I’m a slow learner by nature, remember?” Udhay said with a grin. “But not everyone can be a prodigy like you, Sensei—gifted in martial arts and mastering multiple disciplines with ease. If I hadn’t crossed paths with you that fateful day in the hospital, I’d be nowhere near what I am capable of today on my journey to becoming a fighter.”

There was a brief pause, and then Udhay added, “I’ve gotta go. My ride’s waiting.” The sound of the helicopter’s blades began to hum in the background as Udhay neared it. “See you in three weeks, Jay. Have a great New Year’s Eve!”

As his student’s voice faded away, Jay heard the click of the call ending. He sighed, grateful that his wealthy client hadn’t decided to interrupt him in the middle of the night by showing up in one of his extravagant vehicles, like he usually does, ruining sleep not just for him but for the entire neighborhood.

He pushed the thought aside and drifted back to sleep, only to be jolted awake once more as the distant sounds of celebration seeped into his room, marking the end of another year.

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The noise irritated him, robbing him of a good night's sleep, but he didn't dwell on it. Instead, he quickly put his headphones back on, raising the volume high enough to drown out the outside sounds, and was just about to slip back into his dreams.

But then, a peculiar sound reached his ears. It wasn’t the familiar thumping of music or the distant chatter of people partying. It was a strange voice, indistinct and impossible to tell if it was male or female.

Curiosity got the better of him, and he opened his sleepy eyes, only to be startled by what he saw. Floating half a meter in front of his face were a series of light blue rectangular boxes.

These boxes contained information, resembling notifications on a phone or a computer, but they looked far more advanced, like something out of a science fiction movie—a 2D version of a hologram.

Despite their presence, they didn't obscure his vision. Everything behind them remained perfectly clear, as if the notifications were semi-transparent.

Normally, reading a notification on a device required focus and comprehension. However, these strange notifications were different. The moment Jay glanced at them, he instantly understood all the content within a fraction of a second.

It was as if the information had been transmitted directly into his mind, bypassing the usual process of reading and interpreting. The experience was surreal, leaving him both bewildered and fascinated.

╭── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╮

﴾ System is assimilating Earth with the rest of the Vast Universe. ﴿

﴾ To ensure a smooth assimilation, a Trial Program is necessary to gather data from 1111 individuals with the highest potential abilities from Earth. ﴿

﴾ This Trial Program is divided into three sub programs: ALPHA, BETA, and GAMMA. ﴿

﴾ The entire Trial Program spans 18 months, with each phase having a different duration and number of participants. ﴿

﴾ The Trial Program consists of 11 members in ALPHA for 3 months, 111 members in BETA for 6 months, and 1111 members in GAMMA for 9 months. ﴿

﴾ Congratulations! You are one of the 11 chosen for the ALPHA Program. As a member of the ALPHA Program, you will be among the first to start the Trial. ﴿

﴾ After the ALPHA phase, the 11 members will join 100 BETA members for the next phase, and then all 111 members will continue with an additional 1000 individuals in the GAMMA phase, totalling 1111 participants. Upon completion of the GAMMA Program, the Trial will conclude, and Earth's assimilation will begin. ﴿

﴾ Survive, overcome challenges, and grow stronger. Best of luck. You will be teleported to the Trial Zone in 3 minutes. Prepare yourself. ﴿

﴾ Time Left: 180 Seconds. ﴿

╰── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╯

As Jay absorbed all the information from the strange notifications, he slowly recovered from his initial daze. The surreal experience had left him both bewildered and curious. He instinctively tried to move away from the notifications, but they followed him as if tethered to him by an invisible string. No matter how he shifted or turned, the glowing blue boxes remained persistently in his line of sight.

Determined to interact with these mysterious notifications, Jay reached out to touch the one displaying a countdown. His hand, however, passed through it effortlessly, as if it were a mere illusion. The notification felt intangible, almost ethereal, yet it was undeniably present, floating in mid-air.

Jay's mind raced as he tried to make sense of what was happening. He discovered that by concentrating, he could mentally push the notifications to the side of his vision, clearing his direct line of sight.

Despite this newfound control, his face betrayed his disbelief—eyes wide with shock, mouth slightly agape. The interaction with the notifications was beyond anything he had ever imagined.

Despite his skepticism about the bizarre information presented to him, the undeniable existence of the notifications forced Jay to confront the possibility that they were real. He reasoned with himself, knowing that he had to prepare for the scenario where he might actually be teleported.

The thought of being whisked away to an unknown trial zone filled him with a mixture of fear and excitement. His heart pounded in his chest as he took deep breaths, trying to steady himself. Jay looked around his room, the familiar surroundings now tinged with an eerie sense of impending change. He quickly gathered his thoughts and began to mentally brace himself for whatever lay ahead.

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