The countdown ticks away. Alex hears Rishi's voice reminding him and their three contracted helpers of their hastily constructed plan, thrown together on the spot after analyzing the situation. "Whatever happens, don’t do anything rash. The very first thing you should do is try to meet up with each other. Depending on the world we arrive at, remember the different possible meeting points we discussed earlier."

Alex reviews his status one last time, checking his healing items and feeling well-prepared. He discovered earlier that he could store certain items in his personal room, up to 50 items. He decided to store his special items and essences for safekeeping.

Alex Kerber: Lvl 2

HP: 158/158, MP: 138/138

STR: 9 (+1), AGI: 9 (+1), PHY: 9, SNS: 9 (+1), CHA: 9 (+5), MNA: 9, INT: 9 SPR: 9 (+5), LUK: 9

Available Stat Points: 1

Innate Skills: Genius Conjurer lvl 2, Statistical OCD lvl MAX

Free Skill Slots: 0/2, Free Basic Skill Slots: 0/8

Basic skills: Basic Close Combat Prowess lvl 2, Basic Footwork lvl 2, Basic Endurance lvl 2, Basic Long-Range Combat Prowess lvl 2, Basic Eloquence lvl 2, Basic Concentration lvl 2, Basic Meditation lvl 2, Basic Mana Control lvl 2

Passive Skills: Pistol Proficiency lvl 2, Alexandrian Royal Swordsmanship lvl 2

Active Skills: Annihilation Grenade lvl 2, Sealions Icewing Embrace lvl 2

Fantasy Coins: 69,000 Soul Crystals: Small x3

Current Weapons: Mr. 5’s Revolver (Deep Blue), Sword of Pluto (Deep Blue) Barbed Dagger (Light Green)

Current Equipment: Commander Shepard’s Dog Tag (Deep Blue), Sealion’s Might (Deep Blue), Shield of Pluto (Deep Blue), Armor of Pluto (Blue), Visor of Pluto (Blue), Cuisses of Pluto (Blue), Gauntlets of Pluto (Blue), Sabatons of Pluto (Blue)

Miscellaneous Items: Navalia Wolf Jerky x3 (Gray), Potion x3 (White), Healing Potion x2 (White), Bandage (White), Gotcha Pork Roast (Light Green), Antidote (White), Jack’s Spare Silvery Mask (Light Green), Plant Essence x3 (Green), Frost Essence (Green)

Special Items: Skillbook: Black Magic (Fire-Blizzard-Thunder-line) (Purple), Pluto’s Ceremonial Blessing (Deep Purple), Baroque Works Invitation (Purple)

Finally, the mission begins:

[Player is now entering Level 1-4 Mission:

Players gathering... total number of players: 50

World selection: Earth (The Purge Franchise)

Starting Location: NY, Staten Island

Timeline: “The First Purge”]

Setting: In the world of The Purge, society has found a dark solution to control crime and unrest. For one night each year, all crime, including murder, is completely legal. This annual event, known as "The Purge," is a terrifying social experiment designed to vent societal anger, allowing citizens to release their violent impulses without consequence. The result is a twisted blend of freedom and chaos, a night where survival is not guaranteed, and morality is pushed to the edge.

This mission takes place during The First Purge, the initial experiment conducted by the NFFA, The New Founding Fathers of America, a new political party that started it all. In an attempt to reduce crime long-term, the government designates one isolated community, Staten Island, NY—as the testing ground for the original Purge. Participants are encouraged to engage in any actions they choose, while wealthy sponsors, thrill-seekers, and desperate individuals each have their own reasons for participating. The night is a brutal test of human nature, where trust is shattered, alliances form and fall apart, and no one truly knows who will make it to dawn. Residents are paid for staying and receive additional rewards if they take part in the violence. Staten Island was chosen for its high percentage of poor residents who voted overwhelmingly for the experiment, driven by the promise of monetary rewards.

Player Setting: PvP actions are encouraged, and players will obtain random amounts of their defeated enemies' possessions, varying between 1% and 20% of the total value of their belongings, in the form of bloody chests. These chests cannot be opened during the mission and must be opened back in the Fantasy Realm.

Mission Objectives:

* Survive from 7 PM to 7 AM.

* To increase your mission rating:

* Obtain as much valuable loot as possible and store it in the mission-specific section of your inventory (Money, Jewelry, Drugs, Weapons, anything of value). In case of death, this inventory will slowly empty and then turn into a special container with everything valuable inside. Player items cannot be placed into this inventory.

* Kill other players.

* Killing non-player characters is neither rewarded nor punished.

* Hiding in a safe place leads to a heavy reduction in mission rating.

The three players with the highest kill count will receive additional rewards:

* Rank 1: ??? + [Soul Crystals (Small)] x5

* Rank 2: ??? + [Soul Crystals (Small)] x3

* Rank 3: ??? + [Soul Crystal (Small)] x1

Rating Tiers (Level 0-4):

* F (Death): Player dies, no rewards.

* E (Penalty): Lose 1 to 3 random stat points.

* D (Neutral): No stat points, 300–600 FC.

* C (Average): 1 stat point, 1000–2000 FC.

* B (Good): 2–3 stat points, 3000–5000 FC.

* A (Excellent): 4–5 stat points, 6000–10,000 FC.

* S (Exceptional – Very Rare): 6–8 stat points, 12,000–20,000 FC.

Failure Condition: Leaving the designated area of Staten Island, NY, for more than 5 minutes.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Punishment: Immediate soul destruction.

[Player is now entering Staten Island, NY. Current time: 6:55 PM]

[Player level 2 recognized - Player will spawn in the southeastern part of the map, the second safest location with a smaller risk of immediate death.]

[Warning: Attacking players before the start of the Purge experiment at exactly 7 PM will be punished by immediate soul destruction.]

Alex suddenly awakens. "Damn, this is the prequel to The Purge," he mutters, realizing he's in The First Purge world. It's essentially a giant death match confined to Staten Island. He recalls most of the movie plot but isn’t entirely certain on the details since it’s been a while since he watched it. He never really liked this prequel to the original movie, feeling it focused too much on a few specific characters and their backstory rather than the larger things happening behind this event. Still, he knows that there are plenty of opportunities to exploit.

As he looks around, the streets seem eerily empty, but in the distance, he can hear the faint sounds of a street party. Though he feels somewhat ridiculous, Alex has decided to wear his full armor. To mask his appearance, he prepared for this exact scenario by bringing a large black cloak, which he throws over his armor, hiding it somewhat. Thankfully, his [Visor of Pluto] covers his head and most of his face, helping him stay somewhat anonymous

Alex remembers the first step of Rishi’s plan: "Immediately go to the highest place in your field of vision and try to group up." Since Alex and Rishi share the same level, they should both be in the southeastern part of the island, making it likely that they'll be able to meet. He spots the tallest building nearby, a large hospital, the Staten Island University Hospital, and decides to make his way there, using every available minute before the "game" officially begins.

He starts jogging toward the building, knowing he doesn’t have much time. After two to three minutes, Alex slows his pace to a brisk walk. "I should be able to reach the hospital in another three minutes," he thinks. He remembers that, in the movie, the first hours were relatively calm. People mostly celebrated, some looted, but it was more about wild block parties than outright violence. He knows that, aside from the criminal gangs, who are only an issue if provoked, and the psycho, Skeletor, there’s no real threat in the initial phase. "At least for now," he muses. "The real danger lies in the other players." He also remembers that the NFFA hid weapons around Staten Island.

"If I get targeted by a sniper, even with my armor, I’m in huge trouble," he thinks, feeling a shudder of anxiety. "Later, in the early morning, well-armed gangs hired by the NFFA will arrive. They’ll be a serious problem—firearms, cars, motorcycles, and moving in packs."

Suddenly, the system message blares:

[The First Purge has started. It is exactly 7 PM. This mission will end in 12 hours, at exactly 7 AM. Good luck to all players.]

Alex acknowledges the system message but keeps moving steadily toward the hospital. Suddenly, he hears loud noises ahead, shouting and the sound of car windows getting crushed. "It can't be? Has it already started? The movie only focused on a few key characters. I have no idea what really happened elsewhere!" he thinks.

He hesitates for a moment before creeping closer to the sounds. As he rounds the corner, he spots the source of the commotion: two players locked in a desperate struggle. Their odd gear instantly gives them away. "Players," Alex realizes, adrenaline rushing through him. Rishi’s words echo in his mind: "If killing other players gives me rewards, I’ll play by the system's rules."

"No hesitation!" Alex silently tells himself. He ducks behind a parked car and edges closer, keeping his movements low and deliberate. One player wields a crude-looking mace, while the other desperately dodges, armed with a simple bow. "Hehe, guys, this isn’t a medieval world, what are you doing?" Alex chuckles under his breath at the absurdity of it all.

The bow user scrambles away, vaulting over cars to dodge the swings of the mace-wielder. They are completely engrossed in their awkward duel, unaware of Alex’s approach. With calm precision, he draws his [Mr. 5’s .44 Caliber 6-Shot Revolver], taking advantage of their distraction. His recently upgraded Pistol Proficiency lvl 2 steadies his aim.

He lines up his first shot at the bow user’s head, firing with lethal intent. Without hesitation, he squeezes the trigger twice more, targeting the man's exposed upper body, only protected by a flimsy leather chest armor.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The shots ring out in the quiet streets.

You have dealt 29 x 3 = 87 damage to Player 48

You have killed Player 48

Player 48 is already dead, no damage dealt

Player 48 is already dead, no damage dealt

Alex, neither celebrating nor dwelling on the moment, quickly shifts his focus to the remaining player. The mace-wielder, staring in shock at his fallen adversary, turns his gaze to Alex. He spots him crouched behind the car, revolver still aimed and ready.

"No, wait. STOP, PLEASE!" the man pleads, his voice shaking with desperation.

[Mr. 5’s .44 Caliber 6-Shot Revolver] effect activates: Explosive ammunition!

You have dealt 29 damage to Player 45

You have dealt 23 damage to Player 45

You have dealt 25 damage to player 45

You have dealt 27 damage to player 45

You have killed Player 45

You received Bloody Chest (Player 48)

You received Bloody Chest (Player 45)

“That was easy," Alex thinks, noting how quickly the encounter ended. "Even though the second guy looked tough, he must have had less than 10 PHY and under 100 HP. Killing is so simple with this monster of a weapon in my hand!” He forces himself to push aside the thrill of power. “Stop thinking about it, move on!” he tells himself, coldly suppressing the rush of adrenaline.

Just then, a system message flashes before him, visible to every player in the mission:

[Player 48 and Player 45 have been eliminated]

[Current ranking: 1. Player 13 - 2]

Alex’s heart pounds in his chest. "Looks like I'm Player 13," he realizes, seeing his new kill count reflected in the ranking. "I better hurry and leave," Alex thinks, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of movement. "Don’t want to get ambushed by other players myself." He moves quickly, keeping low as he navigates through the abandoned streets, his senses on high alert for any lurking threats.