"Seems I’m quite popular," I said to Korrok with a questioning tone.

"Your purging, and washroom incidents have made you a bit notorious," Korrok remarked casually.

“Oh”. I said and I took a moment to look around the room. There were men and women and ‘others’ all around and most all of them appeared to still be staring at me. I did the only thing I could think of, I played it cool. “Any autographs will need to be scheduled."

Korrok snorted and continued “After you complete your affirmation quest, it won’t be nearly as crowded around here. To be honest, a good portion of the initiates here might not make it through their quests." “So, I’m a laughing stock then?” I tensed. His eyes swept across the room, scrutinizing the others. "It’s not just a trial of physical prowess, but also a challenge to one’s mental and emotional fortitude." He gave me a reassuring pat on the back. "Don’t worry about them, worry about yourself. Your trial is soon to commence."

I spooned another serving of the bland porridge into my bowl, turning back to Korrok. “This ‘system’ sounds like a fancy term for 'Big Brother'. Or maybe it's more of a Wizard of Oz situation—man behind the curtain and all that?” I inquired, scraping every last bit from my bowl.

Korrok laughed. "You might view it in that light, but it's far more encompassing. The system oversees all in this place, yet its presence isn't directly felt—it's... omnipresent if you will. It's as integral as the air filling our lungs, and as foundational as the earth beneath our feet."

I twirled the spoon in my now empty bowl, my brow furrowed. "That's a totally clear explanation, not at all cryptic. If I figure it out maybe I’ll gain a skill in ‘deciphering vague answers." I remarked.

Korrok simply shrugged. "That's the most accurate way I can describe it. There are parts of your new reality that can only be grasped through direct experience."

I was gearing up to press further when another flurry of questions sprang to mind. "How does time function in this place? Is it all wibbly-wobbly then? And if I flunk this quest, that’s game over, right?"

Korrok raised a hand, chuckling. "Slow down. Time in this realm doesn't adhere to the conventions of your world. It's more malleable, governed by the system. Concerning the affirmation quest..." His jovial demeanor faded, "should you falter, you'll die, simple as that. No one fails and survives. And no one quits and survives."

"No one?" I repeated, hesitating with my next spoonful of porridge.

Korrok's eyes scanned the room, resting momentarily on the subdued, ashen faces of fellow initiates. "No one," he confirmed. "

A bitter aftertaste from the porridge welled up, but I nodded, mentally bracing myself for the forthcoming challenges. I didn't come all this way just to falter at the threshold. “I've always fancied a bit of drama. Let’s get on with it then.” I responded, locking eyes with Korrok.

While continuing to eat, my intrigue about this world prompted more questions. "So, leveling up—does a bell ring or anything? Or is it more of a sad, silent progression to greatness?” I questioned, arching an eyebrow at Korrok.

But even before Korrok could answer, I had a sudden realization. "Wait a scooch, I exclaimed, as a soft chime echoed in my mind and a notification popped up on my HUD, "Level 3 already? A bunch of my stats have gone up! Hey, hey, not bad, your boy is getting strong. Or, I don’t know, less weak."

Korrok's deep chuckle resonated through the room. "That's right. In the tournament, you level up for each win. But it's not just about battles. Here, you earn experience from quests, battling creatures, crafting, and even..." He smirked, enjoying the pause a little too much, "...certain personal endeavors."

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I nearly spat out my porridge, taken aback. "I’m not even going to ask what you mean by that," I stammered, feeling my face heat up.

His laughter boomed again, and he gave the table a hearty slap. "I'm just joking around. But on a different note, have you seen your title yet?"

Clearing my throat, I replied, "Actually, I hadn't even thought about it." Following his directions, I scrolled through my HUD, but then something else caught my attention.

“Hey Kor, there’s an 'Innate' section? Might be I’m something special, or maybe I’m peculiar." I remarked, intrigued.

Korrok looked just as curious, his brow furrowing. "That's not common. Seems like there's more than just a title in there for you."

Reading the contents of the 'Innate' tab, my brows creased in concentration. "Title: Destiny's Chosen Drifter. You were chosen by destiny to avoid death, but this has left you adrift without a home. Effects: Unknown. A mystery title, awesome… " I said with trepidation.

Korrok pondered for a moment, his face softening. "That's an interesting title. I wonder if the other chosen ones got the same?”

My eyes widened in surprise. "There are more Chosen Ones than just me? It's getting crowded on this pedestal. I really think there’s only room for me."

He gaffawed. "You thought you were the only one? Every tournament has at least one. Like I said, they usually die right away."

"No pressure then," I said with a touch of sarcasm, before moving on to the next ability. "Combat Ambidexterity. Sounds like a party trick with potential."

A sly grin stretched across Korrok's face. "Ah, I had a feeling you had something like that. Your dual-wielding skill is quite rare. If you make it in this tournament, that ability will play a huge part."

I swallowed hard, processing what he said. I continued, "Hardiness. It says I'm more resilient than most, that I recover quicker, and I'm not easily affected like others."

Korrok nodded knowingly. "That sounds like a good one."

He then changed the direction of our discussion. "By the way, have you your attribute points yet?

I paused, a furrow of confusion forming on my brow. "Why would I check them? Do they change?"

Korrok grunted in response. "Of course they do lad, depending of how fancy your class is, you might have gained 2, 3, or even 5 attributes per level. Typically, it corresponds with the rarity of the class."

Quickly navigating through my HUD, I found the information. My eyes widened in realization. "Looks like my attributes went up 5 points per level. I got 2 in strength and Constitution, and 1 in Dexterity for each level."

Korrok looked intrigued. "Most Epic classes earn 3 points per level. Your class should have gotten 3. That's significant, Everett. I almost nudged you towards the Dragon class for those extra points, but you got them anyways somehow."

With a smirk, I replied, "Do you think that class had wings and breath abilities? That would have been cool, oh well."

That comment made Korrok chuckle. "Alright, listen. You need to upgrade your fighting gear as soon as possible.”

Absorbing his counsel, my gaze fell to my rather unimpressive clothes. "Am I safe to head to a quest zone in this attire, for now, I look like a professor in an apocalypse?" I asked, looking down at my worn-out and holy chinos and pinstripe shirt.

Korrok's grinned. "That’s what I meant. Your outfit is... lacking, to put it mildly."

Nodding in agreement, I sighed. "So, where can I get something more suitable?"

He replied, "You can look for something at your quest's location. How you get it - kill, beg, borrow, or steal - is up to you." and you'll have items to trade or sell in town and you will probably level."

“By the way, are there really NPCS? Are we talking folks with their own minds, or more like bots or something?" I asked, genuinely curious."

He leaned back, pondering, then shared, "It's a special quest area, controlled by the system. The people and animals inside are real as well… as the area itself. If you possess enough power, or you're a part of a significant faction, you can gain access. But there are boundaries. Some of these places are immense, spanning the size of countries, some even planets."

As I was about to bombard him with more questions, he raised his hand, signaling me to hold off. "These places are chosen by the system and the immortal tournament itself to test and foster your growth. Mistreat them, and you'll face the system's wrath. It has ended promising careers in the past and won't think twice about doing it again."

With a stern look, Korrok leaned in, "Prioritize getting gear upgrades. You've got a limited amount of time in the zone, you will see a meter most likely in your HUD when you arrive. If you see it start getting low and you haven’t completed the mission, get moving. You won’t survive if you fail."