"What is this? What's going on?" was what I said after seeing where I was. I was standing in the middle of a green, flat land. In front of me was a tree that looked like it was piercing the sky and connecting the world to heaven.
Each branch of the tree had glowing little balls. From what I could see, there were thousands... no, millions of them. While I was trying to understand what was happening to me, I heard someone speaking in my head.
"Welcome to the Lost Lands," the voice said.
"Lost... Lands?" The name seemed familiar. I could swear that I had heard the name before getting here.
"Contesters will fight for absolute dominance. Those who are able to stand at the top will receive godship and will be able to go back to their worlds. Aside from godship, the winner will also receive three wishes without limitations."
"Fuck." After hearing what the voice told me, I understood where I was.
"Conquest of the Realms," the game I had spent years playing. The game that had ruined my future, my relationships. The game I had been obsessed with since it launched five years ago, when I was fifteen years old. I never stopped playing until my time for conscription came. After that, I tried studying for university, but because of the game, I didn't even sleep most nights; rather, I chose to sleep in class. Now looking back, it was the most stupid choice for me.
The game was simple but winning was difficult. Each round started with a hundred players. Each player was given a random race and starting location. After that, every player would use the initial workers of the given race to dig up resources. With the resources collected, the player needed to construct various buildings, each of which had its own production or effect. For example, the Barracks gave you ten troops after being built, and each level upgrade of the Barracks gave an additional ten troops.
I was a Warlord rank when I stopped playing, which was equivalent to Diamond in other games. Long story short, I wasn't the best player of the game, and all I could do right now would be praying that pro players were not here.
But there was something bugging me, and that was the rewards the voice promised. Godship and three wishes? Is it because we are here with our real bodies rather than virtual avatars?
Shaking my head and collecting my thoughts, I looked back at the tree standing in front of me. Assuming I'm inside the game, this tree is the one that will distribute races to us. If I'm lucky, I can receive a mecha as a starting race, then it will be easy for me to finish the game.
"Everyone will now receive their races randomly," the voice announced.
After the voice stopped, I saw the tree starting to glow brightly. It became so bright that I had to use my hands to cover my eyes. After a few seconds passed, the light died down, and my race appeared on the system screen that popped up in front of my eyes.
=====================
Race: Humans
Rarity: Rare |A+|
Effects: 20% boost on researching. 20% boost on production.
Necessities: Accommodation, food, water, entertainment.
=====================
Well, it's better than nothing. At least with the research bonus, I can focus on advancing with superior technology.
*Ding! Ten times multiplier system activated.*
*It's detected that the host received his race.*
*Multiplying ten times...*
*Error... Unable to multiply. Upgrading ten times...*
*Success...*
*Congratulations. You have received Superhumans.*
===================
Race: Humans |Superhumans|
Rarity: Legendary |S|
Effects: 50% research speed boost. 50% production efficiency boost. 50% hunting speed, hunting efficiency boost. 50% mining speed, mining efficiency boost.
===================
Looking at the screen displaying my race, I had my mouth agape. This upgraded race, it was super broken. You could finish the game easily by focusing on research and mining. It's one of the few races that has a boost in both research and mining.
While I was lost in thought because of the race, I remembered something. I heard a synthetic woman's voice in my head which said something about the multiplier system.
"System!" I yelled out, wanting to see what I could use that for, but nothing appeared. 'I guess I need to receive something for the system to be activated.' While I was pondering about the system, the teleportation that indicated I was on my way towards the starting location, pulled me out of my thoughts.
Opening my eyes, I saw myself on top of a mountain, surrounded by clouds. Apart from the clouds, there was nothing around me except the shabby-looking hut which would be my house for a few weeks until I upgraded it. But if the multiply system works as I think, then upgrading the house within a day is not impossible.
Deciding to see what's inside the hut, I walked inside. The interior was simple. One bed, one chest, one table, and one wardrobe. Apart from all that, there wasn't anything additional, only a little space for walking in and out. At least I have a place to put myself in.
Leaving the hut, I decided to summon my workers. The best strategy for now would be using the superhuman strength to mine downward. Opening the system screen given to us, I pressed the button saying 'Summon Workers.'
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*Ding! Host summoned workers.*
*Multiplying by ten times.*
*Success...*
*Congratulations, the host received 100 Superhumans.*
'Fuck, that's beautiful,' I thought as hundreds of superhumans appeared in front of me. Thankfully, the space around my hut was spacious, and a hundred humans were easily gathered in one place. The beauty of superhumans wasn't just the effects given by their superior race but each human had their ability and strength.
Looking at one of the summoned humans, I used the appraisal skill, which is given as a starter skill.
===================
Andrew Black
Race: Human |Superhuman|
HP: 2000
MP: 400
ATK: 70
DEF: 100
DEX: 50
AGI: 35
WIS: 20
INT: 20
CON: 100
Ability: Hardened Skin
{As someone possessing hardened skin, the owner is immune to damages received below the rank of D.}
Status: 100% (Hunger, Sleep, etc.)
===================
Nice, someone with this ability is useful for defense and mining apart from battle.
===================
Michelle Reson
Race: Human |Superhuman|
Ability: Flight
{The user of the ability is able to manipulate the air around him/herself to fly. Max speed: 100 km/h (62 mph)}
HP: 1000
MP: 500
ATK: 50
DEF: 35
DEX: 75
AGI: 35
WIS: 25
INT: 25
CON: 50
Status: 100% (Hunger, Sleep, etc.)
===================
Someone with the ability to fly is useful for descending from this mountain and reconnaissance. But these stats, I wonder how strong they are. Then I remembered that rulers also have abilities and stats. 'Status' calling it in my mind, my status appeared.
===================
Ethan Smith
Race: Human (Temporarily)
Ability: N/A
HP: 500
MP: 300
ATK: 20
DEF: 20
DEX: 35
AGI: 20
WIS: 15
INT: 15
CON: 25
Skills: Appraisal
===================
So, I'm basically a weakling, huh? Even so, I feel much stronger after coming here. I guess the normal human stats would be 10 or something. I also don't have any race apparently other than being human temporarily. I guess it works as in the game; you need to upgrade the hut and select a race. It's also troublesome because to choose a race you need to gather many resources. But then again, considering the multiplying system, collecting resources should be easy as drinking and eating.
After pondering for a few minutes, I turned my attention back to my people and ordered them to make groups corresponding to their abilities. Those with the ability to help with resource gathering were 30 humans. Abilities to help with researching and reconnaissance were a total of 50 humans. The remaining 20 were able to help with farming and such, but because they were up in the mountain with zero soil to grow crops, they were useless at this time of the game. Although they couldn't use their abilities in farming, they were still able to help with building as their strength was still superior.
After splitting into groups, I ordered those with abilities to help in reconnaissance to search the area. In the early stages of the game, it's important to locate mining spots such as iron, copper, and gold. Then I sent the resource gathering group to search for resources such as woods and stones. They are essential for building new types of buildings or upgrading.
The group responsible for research and the group responsible for farming were unemployed at the moment, and I couldn't think of anything they could help with, so I told them to do what they wanted. Then I walked inside my hut and opened the system.
The system provided by the beings that brought us here had five tabs. One of them showed the World Status. Clicking on that, a map opened up in front of me. The blue dot jumping up and down showed where I was. I was at the end of the map. It was good because I didn't need to be scared about people attacking from behind, but it was also not good because when the Ravagers' attack happened, they would be attacking from outside the map.
Ravagers' attack comes in waves. After the first week, two waves of Ravagers' attacks happen, and most players located at the end of the map usually get eliminated without even seeing the second wave. Most players were complaining about how strong the raiders were, but the developers never listened to their complaints.
Ravagers are similar to old bandits who were pillaging villages and farming locations. But the game described them as people with bloodlust and unsatisfied hunger. The places they passed always became ruins without exception, and no one living there survived.
I got teary just by remembering how much I suffered because of them. Even if you're in the middle of the map, the first month's Ravage attacks always get you if you don't get strong enough to protect yourself, and it wasn't an easy job to get strong while standing in the middle because you are not all by yourself there.
Shaking my head, I scanned the area surrounding my mountain. Just right next to my mountain was a river going towards the middle of the map. Passing that river, there was a beautiful forest just like the rainforests of my world.