Toru Hamada awakened with a jolt, the cold embrace of the transfer pod releasing him into the harsh reality of his contract. The dim lighting of the pod did little to comfort him as a holographic window materialized in front of his face, its bright letters stark against the gloom.
You are approaching Daggerwell Gate.
The battle royale will begin in 30 minutes.
Please prepare.
Toru let out a small, bitter laugh. “So it begins,” he murmured to himself, the words barely audible in the tight confines of the pod. He stretched out his arms, feeling the stiff joints of a body that had been in stasis far too long. His matter reconstructor, a sleek, gunmetal-gray device that rested at his hip, hummed softly as he unholstered it, spinning it with practiced ease. The small, cylindrical tool caught the dim light as he aimed it playfully at the pod’s door, his mind already half in the battlefield.
With a deep breath, Toru pushed himself up and out of the pod. The door hissed open, revealing the massive main hall of Daggerwell Gate. It was a cavernous space, the metallic walls lined with row after row of transfer pods identical to his own. The hall was bustling with activity; thousands of people, all competitors, were preparing for the upcoming battle. Toru took a moment to survey the crowd—1200 bodies, each one a potential enemy. Well, 1199, not counting himself, he thought with a wry grin.
As he made his way through the throng, the magnitude of the situation settled over him. Out of all these people, less than 1% would survive to join the prestigious peacekeeper corps. The odds were daunting, but Toru had made it this far.
He raised his wrist, and another window popped up, displaying his status.
Toru Hamada
Title: Undistinguished Trapper
Science: Riflecraft (C)
Cognition: Foresight (C)
Skills: Gunnery, Turrets, Fieldread
“Still the same,” he muttered, his voice tinged with resignation. The words on the screen were a stark reminder of the challenges ahead. Despite his skill set, he knew he was just another cog in the machine, a participant like any other. No one special. Just an undistinguished trapper.
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Toru pushed those thoughts aside as he approached the armory, where the competitors were gearing up for the slaughter to come. The armory gate loomed large before him, a fortified entrance to a treasure trove of resources and weapons. As he crossed the threshold, another popup flashed before him.
Resource Points Used: 0/3
He scoffed at the reminder. "Three points to survive a deathmatch," he muttered under his breath. The system was designed to be fair, but fairness was a luxury in a world like this. You took what you could get, and you made it work.
The armory was divided into sections, each one stocked with materials ranging from the mundane to the exotic. Toru made a beeline for the minerals section, his eyes scanning the neatly organized rows of ingots and ores. He reached out and picked up a gold ingot, feeling the heavy, cold metal in his hand. The resource indicator on his wrist instantly updated.
Resource Points Used: 2/3
“Not today,” he said, his voice firm. Gold was valuable, yes, but it was also soft and malleable—not ideal for the kind of gear he had in mind. He set the gold down and picked up a steel ingot instead. The resource indicator blinked again.
Resource Points Used: 1/3
“Much better,” Toru said with satisfaction, weighing the steel in his hand. It wasn’t as glamorous as gold, but it was strong, durable—qualities that could make the difference between life and death in the coming battle.
The value of materials in this world wasn’t always obvious. Why did gold cost more than steel, despite being softer and less practical for combat? Toru suspected it had something to do with circuitry, perhaps the ability to conduct energy more efficiently, but that was a puzzle for another time. Right now, he needed to focus on survival.
His matter reconstructor, still in hand, seemed to hum with anticipation, as if aware of the work it was about to do. The device was a marvel of technology, capable of breaking down materials from the environment and reconstructing them into complex structures based on pre-learned schemas. It was a tool that every competitor in Daggerwell Gate relied on, and Toru was no different.
He had his steel, and soon enough, he’d have what he needed to face the others. The countdown had begun, and there was no turning back.
As he entered the main hall once more, Toru could see the tension in the air. The countdown was almost over, and soon, the gates would open. He took a moment to steady himself, to focus on the task ahead.
The time for doubt and hesitation was over. It was time to fight.