The corrupted node pulsed with a menacing red light, casting jagged shadows across the clearing. The twisted tree loomed over it, its blackened branches curling toward the fissure like claws. Sam and Daryl stood at the edge of the clearing, their weapons gripped tightly. The air around the node was heavy, vibrating faintly, as if the world itself was resisting their presence.
“Alright,” Daryl muttered, his voice low.
“Dont tell me we have to fight the tree?”
Sam shook his head, though he didn’t sound entirely convinced.
“I don’t think it’s the tree itself. It’s that,” he said, nodding toward the glowing fissure at its base.
“The System called it a corrupted node. Whatever that means, it’s the source of all this.”
“And how are we supposed to destroy it?” Daryl asked, gesturing with his spear.
“Hit it with a stick?”
“Something like that,” Sam said, forcing a grin.
But his mind was racing as his HUD pulsed with new instructions.
Objective Updated: Destroy the Corrupted Node.
Warning: Node destruction may trigger additional defenses.
“Great,” Sam muttered under his breath.
“Naturally.. Never the easy way is it?”
Daryl frowned. “You’re doing that thing again. Talking to yourself. Is it that… ‘System’ of yours?”
Sam nodded. “Yeah. It’s warning me that this might not be the end of it.”
Daryl groaned, rubbing his face.
“Figures.”
Sam stepped forward, gripping the Impaler Staff. He could feel the energy radiating from the node, sharp and unnatural, like static crackling under his skin. His mana reserves were still low, but he had just enough left for one good push. He glanced back at Daryl.
“Not sure whats going to happen” he said.
“Just make sure nothing comes out of that thing, and if it does.. Just stab it or something.”
Daryl swallowed hard but nodded, raising his spear. “Point and stab got it…”
Sam approached the node cautiously, the red light intensifying with each step. The fissure seemed to ripple as he neared, and the hum in the air grew louder, vibrating through his bones. He raised the Impaler Staff and channeled his mana into it. The tines began to glow faintly, the energy surging as he focused.
“Alright, well here goes nothing” Sam muttered.
With a sharp thrust, he drove the staff into the fissure. The reaction was immediate. The node pulsed violently, a shockwave rippling outward and forcing Sam to stagger back. The ground shook, and a piercing shriek echoed through the clearing; a sound that wasn’t entirely physical. Sam winced, clutching his head as the noise seemed to drill into his skull.
The fissure began to writhe, its red light growing brighter and more erratic. Cracks spread outward from the node, spiderwebbing across the tree’s base. For a moment, Sam thought it might collapse, but then the light coalesced, forming into a shape.
A figure stepped out of the fissure, its form shimmering like molten metal. It was humanoid but twisted, with jagged, blade-like limbs and a glowing core that pulsed in time with the node. Its head tilted toward Sam, its featureless face giving the unsettling impression of watching him.
“What the hell is that?” Daryl shouted, backing up a step.
The HUD answered before Sam could.
New Threat: Corrupted Sentinel.
Tip: Target the core to destabilize its energy. Avoid prolonged engagement; its attacks will become stronger over time.
“Its a pain in the ass,” Sam muttered, his grip tightening on the Impaler Staff. “Fuck my life.”
The Sentinel didn’t wait for him to strategize. It lunged forward with a speed that belied its size, one of its blade-like arms slicing toward Sam. He barely managed to dodge, the blade carving a deep gouge in the ground where he’d stood. The shockwave from the strike sent him stumbling.
“Daryl, now would be a good time to jump in!” Sam shouted.
Daryl rushed forward, jabbing his spear at the Sentinel’s flank. The weapon glanced off the creature’s shimmering armor, sparks flying but leaving no visible damage. The Sentinel turned its faceless head toward Daryl, raising its other arm for a counterattack.
“Bastard…” Sam growled, thrusting the Impaler Staff at the Sentinel’s core.
The glowing tines struck true, and the creature let out a distorted shriek, staggering back. The energy around its core flickered, and for a moment, its movements slowed.
Tip: Continued pressure on the core will disrupt the Sentinel’s defenses.
“Hit the center! Hit the center!” Sam shouted, circling the creature. “That’s the weak point!”
Daryl darted in with his spear. This time, he aimed for the pulsing core, his strike landing with a burst of sparks. The Sentinel recoiled, its movements growing more erratic.
Sam followed up with another attack, channeling what little mana he had left into the Impaler Staff. The weapon glowed brightly as he drove it into the core again, the impact sending cracks rippling across the Sentinel’s body. The creature shrieked again, its energy flaring wildly. The ground beneath it began to splinter, red light spilling through the cracks as the node destabilized further.
“Move back!” Sam shouted, grabbing Daryl and pulling him away as the Sentinel convulsed.
Its form began to collapse inward, the glowing core imploding with a deafening roar. The fissure at the tree’s base erupted in a blinding flash of light, and then, silence.
Objective Complete: Corrupted Node Destroyed.
Reward: Mana Capacity Increased +10%. New Skill Unlocked: Force Pulse.
Sam staggered to his feet, blinking spots from his vision as the HUD displayed the updates. The tree was still, its blackened branches unmoving. The air felt lighter now, the oppressive weight of the node’s energy finally gone. Daryl sat up nearby, rubbing his head.
“Is it dead?”
Sam looked around, scanning the clearing for any remaining threats. Finally, he nodded.
“Your guess is as good as mine….”
Daryl groaned, leaning on his spear as he got to his feet.
“You really know how to pick a fight.”
Sam managed a tired grin.
“Ya.. Thats what my mom used to say to me.”
“Come on,” he said, slinging the Impaler Staff over his shoulder.
“Let’s get out of here before something else decides to show up.”
As they approached the shimmering barrier of the tutorial zone, Sam felt a strange sense of relief. The oppressive atmosphere of the corrupted node was gone, but he knew better than to let his guard down completely. The forest around them remained unnaturally still, the occasional crackle of distant energy reminding him that danger was never far away.
Sam stepped forward first, the familiar hum of the System washing over him as he passed through. The weight of the day’s battles lifted slightly, the zone’s safety a palpable comfort.
“Alright, we’re back,” Sam said, turning to Daryl.
“Come on, let’s—”
He stopped mid-sentence as Daryl walked toward the barrier, only to slam into it with a dull thud. The invisible wall shimmered, repelling him with a faint glow.
“What the—” Daryl muttered, pressing his hands against the barrier. “Why can’t I get through?”
Sam’s stomach sank as the HUD pulsed in his vision, displaying a new prompt.
Notification: Guest Pass Expired.
The current guest is no longer permitted access to the tutorial zone. All privileges associated with temporary entry have been revoked.
“What?” Sam muttered under his breath.
“Daryl, it’s… it’s telling me you can’t come in anymore.” Daryl’s brow furrowed, his confusion quickly giving way to irritation.
“What do you mean, I can’t come in? I was just in there!”
Sam’s gut twisted as the HUD pulsed again, overlaying a second option in his vision.
New Option: Allow Permanent Outsider Access?
Consequences:
Tutorial zone difficulty will increase by 2x permanently. Additional enemies, adaptive challenges, and resource scarcity will be introduced. Outsider will be granted full System access, including skill progression, inventory management, and experience gain.
Warning: Proceeding will irreversibly alter tutorial parameters.
Sam blinked at the prompt, his jaw tightening. He glanced at Daryl, who was still pressing against the barrier in frustration.
“Sam, what’s up?” Daryl asked, his voice edged with panic. “Why can’t I get in?”
“It’s this thing.. The system” Sam said slowly, still processing the warning.
“It’s… blocking you.”
“Blocking me?” Daryl exclaimed, his hands dropping to his sides.
“You mean that thing you’ve been talking about? The one that lets you see all this crazy stuff? It won’t let me in?”
“Not unless I let it,” Sam admitted, his voice tense.
Daryl froze, staring at him.
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
Sam nodded, his eyes flicking back to the HUD. “ it’s going to change whatever it is that I’m in. Like evolve or somthing.”
“evolve?” Daryl asked, suspicion creeping into his tone.
Sam hesitated, reading the warning again. “If I let you in, the System is going to make everything twice as hard for both of us. The tutorial doubles in difficulty, and you’ll get access to the System yourself…experience, skills, all of it. but it will be worse than it is now.”
Daryl’s face twisted into a mix of disbelief and frustration.
“Are you serious? The only thing keeping us alive out here is that damn tutorial, and now it’s telling you to make it harder?”
“It’s your call,” Sam said, his voice steady. “If you want in, I’ll do it. But this system thing is.. Pretty accurate with what it says.. It’s going to get a lot hard than it already is.”
Daryl stared at him, his jaw working as he struggled to process the information. Finally, he spoke, his voice quiet but firm.
“Sam, I’ve been running for my life since this whole thing started. I’ve watched people die, I’ve fought those monsters, and I’ve barely made it this far without losing my mind. If this System can give me a chance to fight back..to actually survive…then I’ll take it.”
Sam nodded slowly, his expression serious.
“Alright. But once you’re in, I dont know whats going to happen honestly.. I’m still learning all of this as I go.”
Daryl gave a weak laugh. “better than where I just came from.”
Sam smirked faintly, then turned his attention to the HUD. He selected Allow Access with a flick of his mind.
Confirmation: Outsider Access Granted.
Warning: Tutorial parameters have been adjusted. Difficulty increased by 2x.
The barrier shimmered and dissolved, allowing Daryl to step through. The moment he entered, the System’s energy surged around him, causing him to stumble slightly.
“Whoa,” Daryl muttered, clutching his head. “What the hell was that?”
Daryl straightened, blinking as he seemed to notice something new. His eyes widened.
“Wait. I see it. The text, the… the prompts. Is this what you’ve been dealing with?”
“Welcome to the System,” Sam said, his tone dry.
“It’s not exactly user-friendly.”
Daryl let out a breathless laugh, then froze as a new prompt appeared in front of both of them.
New Objective: Dual Survival Mode Activated.
Shared Objectives Established.
Survive the next wave of evolved threats.
Work together to complete adaptive tasks.
Rewards are shared, and progress scales with performance.
Tip: Coordinate actions to maximize efficiency.
“Next wave?” Daryl said, his voice rising in alarm.
“What does it mean, ‘next wave’?”
Sam gritted his teeth, gripping his weapon.
“It means we’re about to find out how much harder this just got.”