| Welcome to the Tutorials Final Phase! Participate in killing one of three raid bosses or survive until time runs.
| Time Left: 90 days
| Clear rewards: Ability to travel into the trials and Ranking Based Rewards.
| Safe Zone: 5 days Days| Next Monster Wave: 2 Days
Flynn Blackwater stripped away the prompts one after the other before checking his character sheet. A mental flex had it front and center, displaying what the man Flynn Blackwater amounted to. He found himself lacking. Before even opening the screen, he knew his body was sluggish and weak. It was as if he was chasing an ever-growing void of strength that only got more extensive each time he leveled his intelligence or wisdom. Even a few measly points were enough to push back the hazy barrier that was his memory loss, letting him get a glimpse of the unknown. No matter how much he focused, It was hard to tell how each point affected his memory. Techniques, power, and experience flooded his mind leaving him wanting, no, needing the power he once had.
| Name: Flynn Blackwater
| Age: 21
| Rank: Common [Level: 2]
| Fate: 800/1000
| Health: 110/110
| Stamina: 130/130
| Mana: 140/140| Class: :Error:
| |- Strength 12
| |- Dexterity 13
| |- Constitution 11
| |- Intelligence 10
| |- Wisdom 14
| |- Charisma 11
| |- Luck 13
| Race: Human
| Status Effects: Shattered Mind, Tutorial Tongues
Stats are only as powerful as the person who wields them. A mantra beat into his by an old man with a bloody stick came to the surface, and a mix of sadness and loss threatened to overtake him. He didn't know how or when, but his old master had died. Perhaps the event occurred in the second trial or far into the future. He simply didn't know. All he knew was the sadness and guilt he felt when thinking of it threatened to overtake even his ability. Flynn swallowed, letting the cold overtake his emotion once more as his eyes shifted to the small box that indicated his ability was still, in fact, active.
It seems I have a lot to bargain death for.
Flynn let the thoughts wash away as his focus shifted to his surroundings.A blue shimmer surrounded him, encapsulating himself and about a hundred other humans. In his first life, he'd come to realize that this was but one group of many scattered throughout the forest that surrounded them. The safe zone, or the blue shimmer as many would call it within his particular group, was light blue and see-through; if he squinted, he could see the small hexagonal pattern etched into the surface. The shield would stay up for about five days allowing the more industrious groups to set up a functioning base of operations. Unfortunately, His group spent that time crying and shitting themselves, Blackwater included. There were a few shining stars, but after the first two beast waves on the second and fifth day, Flynn and all the other useless survivors were left to fend for themselves.
Either way, Flynn had no intention to be around his starting group longer than the third day. Flynn didn't kid himself. Yes, of course, his ultimate goal was to save humanity, but that didn't mean Flynn was some hero. He would save humanity his way, which didn't include protecting every desperate and distraught pack of humans he encountered.
In the few moments Flynn spent contemplating the events and his own clouded morals, the crowd around him had already broken into a panic. Groups were already forming, and genuine delinquents were already vying for control. Pack nature, as always during times of chaos, had already taken control. The worst of humanity had taken control of his particular group pretty fast after the few 'elites' from their group left them high and dry. Flynn had become little more than a punching bag and loot shuttle for a small 'gang.' He wasn't powerful enough to even stand up to the trash of his group the first time around, and the thought made him chuckle at his own stupidity. Simply running away and killing a few dozen monsters would have set him up for the first trial. Instead, he sat in his own fear, contemplating this and that until fate chose for him. He would not let fate get off so easily this time around.
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Flynn watched as people of all races babbled with each other, and even witnessing it for the second time, it was a wonder to see. Realization slowly dawned as foreigners of all lands talked together as if they had spoken the same language their entire lives. It reminded him just how powerful the system was. Every tutorial participant was given the language skill |Tutorial Tongue| that allowed them to understand the languages of any non-hostile being they met only after hearing a few words. Of course, it stopped working on the second trial, but still, it was a boon nonetheless.
The majesty of the situation was broken as a rather annoying voice that reminded Flynn of nails on a chalkboard cut through the babbling crowd."Oi, runt drop your items, everybody gottem. I know you've got em!" A large brute yelled out, and the crowd quickly moved, hoping not to be caught up in the drama. Flynn sat on the edge of the gladiatorial style circle that had formed, watching with an indifferent look.
The boys were around his current age, 20 or so years old. One was big, at least 6 feet, and built like a bus. The other was your typical run-of-the-mill gangster neck tat and all. He looked like he rolled right out of a cliche movie. Flynn didn't quite smile, but a bit of mirth filled his eyes. They had been the bane of his existence within the tutorial, and he had become their personal loot shuttle carrying anything they thought might be helpful. To say the least, it was an embarrassing existence Flynn didn't want to relive. That being said, he felt no reason to intervene. If it played out like it had when he had been in the source of their commotion, then a particular blonde would step in before they even got close to dragging the poor boy outside the protective dome.
"Drooop it!" The big one bellowed as he kicked their current target, making him spit out blood and whatever air he had left in his lungs. The victim was small, with a mess of brown hair. Fynn couldn't even get a good look at him as he cowered on the ground, bunched up into a ball. The safe zone was cruel in some ways, it meant you couldn't die, but you could be beaten around like a piñata for eternity.
An idle thought made Flynn pause. These two chuckle fucks were supposed to approach him. Luckily, a quick glance his way from the head goon told him they had considered him, but Mr. neck tattoo had decided against it. Flynn put on a smirk and gave the man a cheeky wink. Confusion filled the man's face before he shrugged it off, focusing on his current mark. Despite his appearance, Flynn knew Caden to be no fool. He was cunning and used brutal punishments and manipulation to rule over others.
Flynn watched the two men beat the boy each time, stopping to ask for items. Flynn doubted the boy had any, but this entire situation wasn't about the items. No, Caden was setting a precident for the group, and his goons kept any over-eager busy bodies in check within the crowd. Flynn had to admit it was impressive; within maybe thirty minutes of appearing within the woods, he had already put together a small gang of thugs who followed his lead. Flynn's eyes fell upon the girl who'd put a wrench in the man's plans.
Selena was on the edge of the crowd, arms crossed. She frowned but made no moves to save the boy despite the severity of the beatings already exceeding that of his own. She had stepped in almost immediately in his first life. Flynn shrugged. It didn't really matter; he had more important things to do than watch some kid get beaten to death.
He wasn't a hero.
"Please Stop!" Fist met flesh with a loud crunch.
Flynn didn't have time to save everyone.
"Just stop..." The boy croaked out through broken teeth. "stop!"
Flynn Blackwater's feet seemed to move on their own as something possessed him. It was far greater than the power of some measly ability, and as if with a pop, the cold was gone, replaced by an ever-burning anger that roared and threatened to consume everything.
I may be no hero, but I was never one to let someone else take my beatings.