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The Awakened
Tutorial: Part 2

Tutorial: Part 2

Susan, Marcus, and Harry exchanged contact information and decided to meet later that evening to figure out what to do next. They had 48 hours until the tutorial and only that amount of time to understand their new abilities.

As Susan and Harry returned to the hotel, they noticed a stark difference. Most of their colleagues had selected "No," and operations in the hotel were at a standstill. Unable to find anyone in their department who had chosen "Yes," they headed to their break room to discuss what they had seen on their screens.

"It's like we've entered one of our favorite Isekai anime," Harry exclaimed, eyes wide with a mix of excitement and disbelief.

"It's the same: status bars, classes, and attributes," Susan agreed, glancing at her screen again. "What does your class say, Susan?" Harry asked.

"It says Holy Priest. Do you think they assigned classes based on something specific, or is it random? My class has a buff that increases mana by 20%," Susan said, still exploring her window.

"Hmm... I am not sure if it is random, but something feels weird about mine," Harry mused, furrowing his brow.

"How so?" Susan asked concern etched on her face.

"Everything for me is a question mark except for my name. I wonder what this means," Harry said, fidgeting with his window screen. As he searched for answers, he stumbled upon a menu option with additional features like inventory, skill list, stat points, and achievement points.

"Did you see this option, Susan?" Harry asked, intrigued.

Susan navigated to the same menu. "Interesting. Here you can see all the skills you have, store items in the inventory, and use points to improve stats. But I wonder what these Achievement Points are for." She paused, then exclaimed, "Oh, wait! There is a friend list too. It is like my phone's contact list."

"Oh, I see it now," said Harry. "It shows everyone online, but it is different from my phone contacts. Do you think this is the list of people who selected 'Yes'?"

"Could be. I do not see the people who claimed to have selected 'No,' and you are on my list. Let me try something." Susan tapped on Harry's contact icon, and options popped up: Call, Invite to Party, and Block. She selected "Invite to Party," and a message appeared on Harry's screen.

"Hey, it says you're inviting me to join your party," Harry said, accepting the invitation. "Now I can see your status bar," he added. "And it looks like we get a party buff that increases all experience earned by 5%."

"What skills do you have at the moment?" Harry asked, trying to decipher his list of skills.

Susan read from her screen. "I have got Basic Heal, which heals 50 Health Points (HP) over time. Cure, which dispels basic curses, and an attack spell called Holy Light. But it is strange—the book I got is empty."

Harry, on the other hand, could see only one skill on his list. Embarrassment flickered across his face. When Susan asked about his skills, he hesitated before saying, "It is empty. Nothing showed up."

Was it embarrassment or something more that made Harry lie to his friend? One could only wonder.

Susan glanced at the clock on the wall. "We've got a few hours before we meet Marcus. Let's try to figure out as much as we can."

"Good idea," Harry agreed, his frustration about his hidden stats simmering just beneath the surface. "Maybe if we experiment with our abilities, we'll get some clues."

Susan nodded, focusing on the screen. "I'll start with a basic heal. You remember that paper cut you had?" She reached out, and her hand glowed softly. Within moments, the tiny cut on Harry's finger disappeared.

Harry looked amazed. "Wow, that worked. It's just like in the games."

"Yeah, but it's real," Susan said, her voice tinged with awe. She then navigated to her inventory, finding it empty. "I guess we'll need to find items or earn them somehow."

Harry sighed; his frustration evident. "I wish I knew what my abilities were. Everything's just a bunch of question marks."

Susan gave him a sympathetic look. "We'll figure it out, Harry. Maybe Marcus will have some insights."

Harry nodded; his expression determined. "I hope so. Let's make sure we ask him everything when we meet."

Later that evening, Susan and Harry decided to meet Marcus at a café near the hotel. The café was dimly lit, creating a cozy yet private atmosphere perfect for their conversation. Marcus arrived, his serious demeanor contrasting with the casual setting. He slid into the booth across from Harry and Susan.

"Good to see you both again," Marcus said, his voice low and steady. "Let's get down to business."

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"Right," Susan said. "Can you show us your abilities? We need to understand what we're working with."

Marcus nodded and pulled out his daggers. With a flick of his wrist, he sent one flying into a nearby tree, hitting it dead center. "I have enhanced precision and agility. My class is called Shadow Rogue. I can also use skills like Stealth and Quick Strike."

Harry watched, impressed. "That's incredible. Do you think our classes are based on our personalities or something else?"

Marcus shrugged. "Hard to say. But we need to understand our strengths and weaknesses. Susan, what about you?"

Susan explained her abilities, mentioning her healing spells and the Holy Light attack. "My class is Holy Priest. It seems to focus on support and healing."

They turned to Harry, who hesitated. "I... don't know yet. My stats are all hidden. The only thing I have is a menu with options for inventory and skills, but everything's blank."

Marcus frowned. "That's unusual. We will need to figure that out. Maybe it means you have a unique class or something more powerful."

"Let's hope so," Harry said, determined. "We have to make the most of these 48 hours and be ready for whatever comes next."

As they discussed their theories and strategies, the café's soft murmurs and clinking dishes faded into the background. A sense of camaraderie began to form among them. They were in this together, and with each other's support, they just might stand a chance.

The three of them parted ways. Susan and Harry took permission from their managers to stay at the hotel, while Marcus assured them, he'd stay in contact and meet them at the hotel a few hours before the tutorial started.

Susan spent the rest of the day training, trying to make her attack spells more accurate. Harry, on the other hand, helped her set up targets while pondering how to use his sole skill effectively.

The next day, they decided to visit the hotel gym to try and improve their stat points. The hotel gym, normally bustling with guests and employees, was deserted, the recent events have scared everyone away. Susan and Harry began their workout routine.

"This feels easier than before. Maybe it's because of the class and the stats we got from it," Susan said, running on a treadmill.

"I don't know what my stats are, but this does feel easier than last time," Harry replied, running beside Susan. "Maybe we should try increasing the speed and see if we can run faster."

Susan nodded and started to increase the speed gradually. Harry, in his eagerness, cranked up his treadmill too fast and lost his balance, tripping and falling hard.

"HARRY!" Susan cried, rushing to his side. "Are you okay?"

"Ouch! I think I twisted my ankle. I shouldn't have done that," Harry groaned, sitting down and holding his leg. "Can you try and heal me?"

"Lucky for you, I got the healer class. Imagine if I didn't have it—you'd be stuck with a bad ankle for the tutorial tomorrow," Susan said, reaching out to Harry's ankle. A soft glow enveloped it, and Harry felt the pain fade away along with his exhaustion from running.

"Wow, that's amazing! Your healing, not only fixes injuries but also restores stamina and removes exhaustion," Harry marveled.

"Are you able to heal yourself?" Harry asked, curious.

"I haven't tried it yet, but it could be possible," Susan replied. She sat down, crossing her legs in the Siddhasana posture. A faint glow began to form around her but flickered out. Focusing harder, Susan tried again. This time, the glow intensified, turning a bright green. She felt her senses heighten, and energy and mana flowed smoothly through her. Her book began to glow as well.

"Susan, look! Your book is glowing," Harry exclaimed, pointing.

Susan grabbed the book from her bag and opened it. Strange characters that only she could read filled the pages. "It describes the self-healing spell I just used," she explained. "It seems this book registers all the spells I create."

They decided to take a break and get something to eat. Stepping out of the hotel, they were shocked by the sight of empty streets. No vehicles, only a few people walking with concerned looks on their faces.

"I figured as much," Harry said, looking up at the sky. "People are too scared to even go out. Only 18 hours left till the tutorial starts."

"I don't know what this tutorial will entail, but it will test our resolve and skills," Susan said, watching the cracks in the sky grow.

"Let's quickly get something to eat and head back to the gym. With your healing, I think we can train more than usual," Harry suggested.

Back at the gym, they noticed that after running and lifting weights, Susan's strength, agility, and stamina stats increased by one point. Realizing they could increase their stats further, they decided to continue their intense training regimen for the rest of the day.

The next day the hotel lobby was unusually quiet for 6 AM, the early morning light casting long shadows across the polished floor. The few guests who were awake sat huddled in small groups, their conversations hushed and tense. Some colleagues moved about, their faces etched with worry, clearly hiding something—skills and classes they were reluctant to reveal.

Harry and Susan entered the lobby, their expressions a mix of determination and apprehension. They spotted Marcus sitting in a corner, his serious demeanor unshaken. He looked up and nodded as they approached.

"Good morning," Marcus greeted them, his voice steady but low. "How did your training go?"

Susan smiled slightly. "Pretty well. We discovered that by working out at the gym, we could increase our stats. My strength, agility, and stamina each went up by a point."

Harry nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it seems like physical activity directly affects our stats. We pushed ourselves pretty hard yesterday."

Marcus's eyes gleamed with interest. "That's good to know. I spent the night honing my skills, practicing my stealth and precision. My agility and dexterity saw some improvement."

"Did you find anything unusual during your training?" Susan asked, curious about his methods.

Marcus leaned forward, lowering his voice. "I realized that my skills improve more efficiently when I'm under pressure. I set up some challenging scenarios for myself, like dodging obstacles and timing my strikes perfectly. It seems the more intense the situation, the faster the growth."

"That's insightful," Harry said. "We should incorporate that into our training going forward. But with only three hours left, we need to be ready for whatever this tutorial throws at us."

They spent the next hour sharing tips and strategies, pooling their knowledge and experiences. Susan added Marcus to their party. The countdown timer loomed large in their minds, but the sense of camaraderie and mutual support kept their spirits high.

As the clock ticked closer to 9 AM, the tension in the lobby grew palpable. The few remaining guests and colleagues glanced nervously at the trio, aware that something monumental was about to happen.

"We're in this together," Susan said, her voice firm. "No matter what the tutorial brings, we face it as a team."

Harry and Marcus nodded in agreement; their resolve mirrored in their eyes. The final hours of anticipation and preparation had come to an end. Now, it was time to step into the unknown and embrace their destiny.