As I stepped into the new environment, the overwhelming noise and chaos of the arena faded away. I felt the touch of a cold metal coating on my skin. The quiet atmosphere allowed me to take a deep breath and relax.
Looking around, I saw a group of creatures conversing amongst themselves, completely oblivious to my presence. They appeared to be going about their routine, with no hint of aggression or violence.
I closed my eyes and felt a sense of relief wash over me, knowing that I would not have to fight for my survival anymore.
However, my peace was short-lived. I was suddenly jolted awake by a strange, guttural growling noise that echoed throughout the room at regular intervals of 10-15 seconds. I shuddered and opened my eyes, only to be met with a dimly lit metal ceiling.
The room was filled with the sounds of snoring, snuffling, and painful moans, but I couldn't tell where they were coming from. I tried to locate the source of the growling noise, but it seemed to be coming from all around us.
As the noise grew louder, the creatures around me began to stir, jumping to their feet in a panic. I followed their lead, pressing myself against the cold metal wall for support.
The space we were in felt cramped and claustrophobic, and I could sense the walls closing in on us from all sides. Despite the calm demeanor of the creatures earlier, the situation now felt dangerous and uncertain.
[Health: 40%]
[Endurance: 37%]
A notification appeared on my screen, informing me that I had been asleep for four hours and was now at the Survival Crossroads. I had a few available points for improvement, but I wasn't sure if I should use them just yet.
[What is the Survival Crossroads?] I asked, still feeling disoriented from my slumber.
[This is a treacherous place where the rules are much tougher. Here, fights are allowed at any time, and you are responsible for your own safety. The Caretakers will provide you with Spiritual Stones, but you must be quick to pick them up. You can earn additional Spiritual Stones by defeating other fighters, but be warned that you also risk losing them in case of defeat.]
I nodded, taking in the information.
As I tried to focus on healing my wounds, I realized that the regeneration process was much worse than I had anticipated. My body was still in pain, and I could feel my energy levels dropping rapidly. I knew that I had to be careful if I wanted to survive the upcoming battles at the Survival Crossroads.
The hum abruptly stopped, and the creatures scattered in different directions. I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease, wondering what could have caused such a reaction.
[Is there any way to restore my Endurance and Health faster?] I asked, hoping for a solution to my ongoing struggles.
[You can improve your Endurance and Health points with the help of earned experience points, and you can also activate the Passive Revitalization mode.]
I opened the tab of my statistics to assess my current status:
[Name: Participant 137.
Race: Humanoid.
Grade: 3~4.
Strength: 90.
Dexterity: 175.
Endurance: 60.
Magic Resistance: Data is being collected.
Luck: 2.
Experience points: 180.
Mana Perception: 17.
Intelligence: 12.
Mental Strength: 7.
Regeneration: 35.
Skills:
Melee (initial), Exoskeleton Cultivation (initial), Iron Stomach (initial-yellow), Bone Arrows (initial).
Experience points: 180.]
[What kind of mode is Passive Revitalization?] I inquired, eager to learn more about this feature.
[During Passive Revitalization, your body will enter a deep healing state, which allows your muscles and tissues to recover at an accelerated pace. However, this process can cause partial or complete paralysis, rendering you unable to move or defend yourself.]
[I see. I have to pay for everything. But this mode is very useful if I have a safe place to recover.]
Looking around the crowd that surrounded me, I shrugged my shoulders. If I don't have time to recover, then I may be killed to capture the Spiritual Stones. But on the other hand, I can't afford to wait too long to heal my wounds, or I might miss my chance to collect the Stones.
Clenching my teeth, I considered my next move carefully.
[How long will it take to fully recover from wounds with and without Passive Revitalization mode?] I asked.
[Data processing is underway.
With the Passive Revitalization mode, your full recovery will take:
1 hour and 8 minutes.
Without the help of the Passive Revitalization mode and with a total Regeneration score of 35, it will take:
7 hours and 39 minutes.]
I took another look at my future opponents and bitterly nodded. I needed to recover quickly, but I couldn't afford to be paralyzed during the process.
Exhaling deeply, I leaned against the wall and sat cross-legged, then connected to the system.
[Starting the Passive Revitalization mode.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Health field loading: 41%
The regeneration of damaged muscles, broken bones, and missing skin parts is underway.]
I felt a warm sensation spreading through my body as the healing process began. My vision shifted to an external view, and I watched as my body repaired itself from the outside. I could see my needles-bones, my future weapons, were also restored.
Despite the regeneration, I still felt weak and vulnerable. Today, I had been on the verge of death, and even now I was not completely safe.
During the recovery time, I also distributed experience points:
[Name: Participant 137.
Race: Humanoid.
Grade: 3~4.
Strength: 90 (+25).
Dexterity: 175 (+55).
Endurance: 60 (+30).
Magic Resistance: Data is being collected.
Luck: 2.
Experience points: 180.
Mana Perception: 17.
Intelligence: 12.
Mental Strength: 7 (+10).
Regeneration: 35 (+45).
Skills:
Melee (initial), Exoskeleton Cultivation (initial), Iron Stomach (initial-yellow), Bone Arrows (initial).]
So 59 minutes had passed, and the creatures in the room were becoming more restless. The hum had stopped, and the silence was only broken by the sound of footsteps from above. Suddenly, a small window on the ceiling opened, and a beam of light illuminated the room. A voice echoed through the chamber.
"Well, well, well. Look at what we have here. Wounded and healthy creatures alike, all waiting for their precious Spiritual Stones."
I could feel the contempt in the voice of the caretaker, and the creatures in the room responded with growls and howls of anger. The man continued to laugh as he looked down at us, his eyes scanning the room.
"Your total winnings are 289 spiritual stones, but the trouble is, it seems I can't help with the distribution."
As he spoke, he shook out all the spiritual stones, and they fell to the floor, soon turning into a glittering pile in the center of the room. All the creatures focused their attention on the stones, their eyes gleaming with hunger and greed.
"My winnings are 1 spiritual stone," a creature with a stump instead of a front paw got up. "I'll take mine."
The creature limped forward, leaving a trail of blood on the metal floor as it tried to reach the stones. But a healthy creature with a predatory grin stepped in its way, blocking its path.
"Well," the healthy creature sneered. "How do we know you actually won the battle? What if you're lying?"
The other creatures in the room gathered around, their eyes fixed on the two of them. The tension was palpable, and I could sense that something was about to happen.
---
The screams of pain and the sound of bones breaking echoed off the walls, drowning out all other noise. I watched in horror as the creatures tore each other apart, fighting tooth and nail for a chance at survival.
I tried to ignore the chaos around me and focus on my own healing. The loading fields were at 88.24%, and I could feel my body slowly recovering from the injuries I had sustained. I closed my eyes and took deep breaths, trying to calm my racing heart.
But even as I concentrated on my own recovery, the violence in the room continued to escalate. Creatures were now fighting with even greater ferocity, their desperation to survive driving them to ever more extreme measures. Blood splattered across the floor and walls, and the stench of death hung heavy in the air.
While I was waiting for the fields to be loaded, someone's hand–or what was left of it–landed on my hip, leaving a purple trail behind it. I closed my eyes in disgust, but there was no time to dwell on it. I felt that the loading in the window was nearing completion, and I knew that I had to be ready to move quickly when it was over.
Clenching my jaw, I watched in horror as they began to destroy the weak, tearing them apart, stepping on their heads. I could feel their cold eyes on me, sizing me up as an easy target.
Just as a creature with shreds of wool hanging over his head approached me with his hands full of sores, another creature hit him with a hoof, driving him away. The black silhouette of a hybrid horse and some kind of animal spoke with authority, commanding the others to beat those who came to the Survival Crossroads with one thought - to kill and rob them.
The monsters fought to the death, sparing no effort, but I could only sit and wait for the download to finish, feeling helpless and vulnerable.
Suddenly, the system connected with a question window,
[The first mission starts.
Survive at the Survival Crossroads and destroy 3 enemies within 5 minutes.
Do you want to accept the mission?
Yes. No.]
[Mission? What is it?]
[Every time, under different extreme circumstances concerning you, a mission is launched. It specifies the conditions and the end time. After successful completion, rare treasures, learning new skills and points for the System Store are waiting for you. But if, having accepted the mission, you do not fulfill the conditions, then you will be punished.]
[Health Loading Window:
97%]
Looking around the room, I noticed the thing that had tried to grab my throat earlier. The one who first started all this struggle and one madman with a sickle-shaped tail, who cut down everyone without taking apart the road.
And there were also others who fought with all possible methods.
They had one thing in common — they were all strong and very hostile.
I mentally clicked on "No," but the system didn't cancel the mission.
It didn't work.
Silence.
Grinning to himself, I pressed several times and asked the system:
[Why the fuck isn't it canceled?]
[Apparently, the Mother Source wants you to accept the first mission.]
With the last words of the system, I clicked on - Yes.
I'm hopeful that the outcome will justify the effort I put in.
[Download Window:
100%]
As the download window reached 100%, I could feel my adrenaline pumping, ready to face the challenge ahead. When I got up, I twisted my wrists, feeling a newfound strength coursing through my veins.
With a swift motion, I withdrew my claws and made my way out of the chaotic fray. I promptly took down the creature with a bald head by slicing its throat to the bone. The creature clutched at the wound, muttering under its breath, before falling into a pool of purple blood. As someone stepped on the creature's torso, a fountain of blood sprayed onto my face. I turned away from my first victim, grinning.
[One enemy defeated out of three. 4 minutes and 16 seconds remaining in the mission.]
But time was running out. I spotted a desperate opportunity. Stepping on an outstretched hand, I pried off the fingers with my razor-sharp claws and flung them towards the fat creature, who was in the midst of a fierce battle with a one-legged foe. Despite its superior strength, the creature with the missing limb was losing ground against the relentless barrage of attacks. The fat monster caught the fingers mid-air and crushed them to a pulp with a sickening crunch. He then snorted in my direction, letting out a guttural howl before pointing his finger at me.
Frowning, I looked around as more and more creatures turned their bloodthirsty eyes towards me. I stepped back, only to bump into the monster I had killed a minute ago. Even the sickle-shaped tail seemed to grin at the sight of my sweating face.
"Are they all working together or something?" I muttered to myself.
[3 minutes and 56 seconds remaining in the mission.]
I sent needle-bones flying towards and met the next group of enemies with my claws at the ready. My endurance was at its highest level, but I knew I couldn't keep this up forever.
As the battle raged on, my claws became blunt and broke off along with pieces of skin. Endurance flowed away in rivers, leaving me drained and vulnerable. The weight of the solid bodies pressed down on me, overwhelming me with their superior force.
The pain was unbearable as I fought on, with no hope of completing the mission. A brutal blow landed on my face, smashing it into the ground. I gasped for air as more blows rained down on me, breaking ribs and tearing through my soft tissues.
My body was on the verge of collapse, but I refused to surrender. Summoning the last bit of strength within me, I managed to catch another paw with my shattered hand and tried to grow needles on my back, only to watch them break off even before they could fully regenerate.
In a desperate move, I dug my fangs into someone's throat and broke off their neck, defeating the second enemy. The system announced the progress, but it was clear that the mission was far from over. With only 35 seconds left, I crawled towards a huge carcass with scaly skin, seeking refuge behind the mountain of meat.
I waited patiently, the needles on my tail already poised for the final blow. As I got up on my feet, I counted the damage done to my body, knowing that this battle had taken a heavy toll on me.
[12 seconds left until the end of the mission. If participant 137 fails to complete the mission, the System will activate its punishment protocol.]
I cursed under my breath, feeling the weight of failure crushing me. Sending my needle-like bones towards the barely conscious critter, I received a notification that the mission had ended.
I wasn't ready for this kind of battle, not yet anyway. Gasping for air, I leaned against the lifeless creature.
A notification window popped up, displaying a gift box containing two mysterious objects.
[Do you wish to open your rewards?
Yes. No.]
Trying to push away the nagging thought of punishment, I clicked on "Yes."