"Anyone planning to enter the blue portal, gather over here!"
Joe's eyes twitched in suspense as he saw a group of around 200 people huddle near the end of the hall. In the middle stood two intimidating figures with the air of professional military veterans. Both were decked in solid metal armor covering their chests and shoulders, giving ample protection to their vital points. Every piece of equipment they wore had intricate inscriptions carved on the surface, making them look like gallant heroes of old. The amount they had presumably spent on their equipment was likely exorbitant.
The speaker wielded a large halberd that stretched over 8ft tall. The bladed edge thrummed with a sinister energy that felt like it could cut a person in two. Joe had no idea how he planned on wielding that thing with its size, but he couldn't deny it looked impressive as hell.
The other man standing next to the speaker had gone with a sword and shield combination. The shield was oval-shaped and covered in a complex pattern of Sigils. His sword was a long sword similar in length to Joe's, except the numerous sigils carved on the blade's edge gave it a more refined look. Overall, the guy looked like an elite knight straight out of medieval fantasy.
Joe made his way through the crowd, careful to avoid the weapons haphazardly handled by the amateur mob. His [Swords Mastery] skill suddenly screamed at the potential danger of being skewered by an errant blade operated by an old lady. "Watch it!" Joe shouted. Thank God he had the respawn Skill. Otherwise, he might die before the end of the first day. It was clear very few people had any experience handling a weapon. To be fair, archery and sword fighting weren't precisely common pastimes back on Earth. Most lived sedentary lifestyles working in an office with the occasional road trip on the weekends. None of them, Joe included, were prepared for their current situation.
The speaker slammed his Halberd into the ground, releasing a loud clanging sound that reverberated across the area. The crowd abruptly went quiet, focusing their attention on the speaker.
"Listen up! None of us know what's on the other side. We need to play things smart and use our superior numbers to our advantage." the speaker said as he peered confidently across the mass of people around him.
The crowd murmured in agreement. No one wanted to face the upcoming trial alone. Most would choose to go in groups to minimize the risk and have someone else be in front.
"Rick and I have over 20 years of experience in the Army and Marine Corp. We've survived life-threatening situations and have undergone years of close combat and survival training. We plan to enter the blue gate. Those who want to join us are welcome, but we'll only accept those who can and will listen to orders."
Joe's eyes darted around, inspecting the response from the crowd. Many nodded their heads in agreement, happy that someone else was willing to take on the responsibility. A few looked reticent, unwilling to follow someone they didn't know, but they were in the minority.
"Those who want to join, come stand over here so we can start organizing you. If anyone has military experience, let us know."
Slowly the crowd began to move, and after only a few minutes, the majority had selected to join the group, with a few raising their hands to confirm their military background. Approximately 40 people chose to go their own way. They parted from the group, selecting to go solo or organize into smaller parties.
For now, Joe opted to join the larger group. Safety in numbers was a good strategy. Even if most here had the same amount of combat experience as a toddler learning to ride a bike, Joe included. He could watch and learn from those who were more experienced while reducing the risk of a needless death—a win-win situation.
It took almost 4 hours for the group to organize. Adam, the leader, had decided to organize the 200 plus members into smaller squads, each led by an experienced soldier with military experience. As far as Joe could tell, it was a decent setup. Joe got assigned to a ragtag group with 15 other fighters. None of them had memorable faces or gave off powerful auras like the other squads. Instead, quite a few were 60 years or older, with a higher mix of females to males. Joe wanted to laugh at the blatant profiling. It didn't take a genius to know he was in the B or even C-tiered team. It was likely because everyone had to announce their skills and attributes at the start to ensure the groups were "fairly" organized.
In reality, the squads led by the leaders had assigned themselves the strongest fighters. Adam and Rick's team alone contained the most impressive lineup. Each team member was equipped with vastly superior weapons and had purchased Silver-tier skills or higher. Those that contested the decision quickly found themselves reprimanded. The argument was that this would be the vanguard force ready to step in to counter severe threats. Whatever that meant. However, the situation had worked out quite well for Joe. He had no desire to join a powerful team at the moment. His priority was to slowly practice [Sword Mastery] and gain experience, something he wouldn't be able to do in the backline.
"Okay, kids, everyone knows their role, right? Don't mess with the plan, or I'll beat you myself" The person who spoke was the leader of Joe's team. A guy who called himself Smokey after Smokey Bear. He had to have been 70 years old and was a Vietnam War veteran. His skin was littered with marks of age and a life of cigarettes and alcohol. Joe doubted if the guy could get out of bed in the morning, let alone lift a sword. Yet here he was hefting around a large claymore like he was 20 years old again. Turns out, Smokey had decided to use his name as the basis of his skill choice. [Great Bear Transformation], a bronze grade skill that gave the user passive attribute bonuses and the ability to transform into a bear, combined with [Giants Strength], brought his strength up to a ridiculous 30 points. That number would only grow as he leveled and improved his skill mastery.
The other members stopped what they were doing and gathered around. Most, if not all, had been bright and purchased a bronze skill from the store. Some had purchased basic manipulation skills to control flames, water, or Earth in specific ways. A woman named Beatrice had purchased [Healer's Touch], a helpful skill that allowed one to heal others upon contact. She had quickly used it on herself to heal her arthritis and other ailments. The other group members almost mobbed her once they saw the incredible effects. She had to fight everyone off with a stick until Smokey intervened.
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The other exciting Skill was [Elemental Summoner], purchased by a kid named Jones. The Skill allowed him to call an actual elemental to fight for him. The first time he used it, he summoned a 6ft fire elemental that seemed to emerge from hell itself. The kid looked like he was going to pass out from the excitement. Of course, he wasn't the only one with this Skill, nor was it the most impressive. The entire hall seemed to burst alive, with over a hundred abilities activated over the next few hours—each person trying to get in some last-minute practice before leaving.
Some members had wanted to stay longer in the hall. First, it was safe. Second, they still had access to the store, which meant they could continue to buy food and water as long as they had the points. They could have spent the next few weeks training in a safe environment before entering the first floor. However, half a day later, it soon became apparent why that plan wouldn't work.
'Ding.' 'Tower Announcement - One hour left until all participants are forcefully transported to the first floor.'
The system notification had caused the atmosphere in the hall to sour. Many had hoped to take advantage of the apparent loophole, but the Heavens were nothing if not thorough.
"Hmph, did anyone think they could fool the Gods?" A few of the pious members of the group had murmured in self-righteousness. Joe wasn't too sure. The fact that Respawn didn't appear when searching the Divine Shop had been an apparent oversight. He had told a few others about the Skill in a roundabout way, asking if they had seen the ability in the shop. Most had never even thought to look at the Unranked list, and when they checked, the Skill had already been grayed out. Joe felt sorry for the others but couldn't help but feel thankful that he had found it before someone else. If that made him selfish, then so be it. It was a moral dilemma for future Joe to handle.
"Everyone gather. It's time," Adam shouted. The call to arms by the leaders caused Joe and the others to perk up. Emotions ran high as everyone made last-minute checks to their equipment. Joe stood up and surveyed the hall one last time. The place had become significantly quieter, with most groups already moving on to the first floor. It was quite the spectacle when the first teams went through. Everyone had waited with bated breath to see what would happen. Every time a person jumped in, the shimmering gates had pulsed but little else. It was rather anticlimactic. Not even the black gates had caused a reaction.
Joe gathered with his group as they stood in line behind the other squads. Many trembled in anticipation, some with excitement, most with fear. His group would be one of the first five squads to enter. Their role was to act as the shock troops to soak up damage from any potential enemies waiting on the other side. According to the professionals, it was a standard military tactic that would allow the main force to come through in full strength. 'Ptui!' Joe frowned in disgust. It effectively meant they were the sacrificial lambs, sent to soak up damage to protect the other groups. But who could they complain to? All he could do was make a silent promise to pay this favor forward in the future.
"Teams 1 to 5, get ready."
Joe gripped his sword tightly and took the last bite of one of his food rations, a brown block with the same taste and consistency as stale bread. It wasn't tasty, but it was better than battling on an empty stomach. He looked up at his teammates, giving them a final nod of respect. They had only spent a few hours training with each other, and even though they didn't know each other, they had managed to build a silent bond of camaraderie.
"Go go go," Adam ordered while directing the first groups through the portal.
The first groups charged into the gate, roaring out with fervent zeal. The blue gate pulsed with each individual that crossed through until, finally, it was Joe's turn. He took a deep breath before his feet sprung into action. He leaped into the gate while joining the crowd and yelling out in defiance. He prepared for another painful experience, but barely a second later, he appeared on the other side unaffected.
Joe hefted his sword and scanned the environment for immediate threats. Who knew what was waiting on the other side. Were there enemies? Had the other groups already engaged in a bloody melee? Joe's thoughts spun at the potential scenarios he might find. With his sword ready, he prepared himself for the worst. Yet, instead of an apocalyptic battle, all he saw was a picturesque grassy plain. All around was a lush green grass with the sweet smell of spring. He looked up at the blue sky. Lazy clouds hung in the air, slowly moving along with the cool breeze of the wind. The sun, a yellow ball reminiscent of Earth's sun, was high in the sky, suggesting mid-day. If Joe had to guess, he would have believed he had been transported back to Earth.
"What the…are we back home?" Jones impatiently asked the group.
"I don't think so. If anything, it's way too peaceful here," Joe replied while peering around in suspicion. There was no way the heavens would decide to send them back home. They needed warriors, not gardeners. The quiet, eerie scene had to be the calm before the storm.
"Reminds me of when Smithy and I went scouting for Viet Cong along the Cambodian border. One minute it's all peaceful, then BAM! Hundreds of Charlies appear like ghosts from their underground bunkers. Poor ol' Smithy never made it back that day." Smokey grunted with weary-looking eyes.
"Thanks, Smokey, for that history lesson. What are you saying? We're about to be swarmed by legions of enemies from underground?" Jones asked sarcastically.
"Don't give me any spunk, kid. I was fighting enemies when your mommy was still in diapers. Just stay prepared and don't lose your head when the bullets or arrows start flying," Smokey reprimanded. He was about to smack Jones around the head but stopped after realizing he might break his neck. 30 strength was three times the strength of the average male after all.
"Anyway. Enough yapping. I want everyone to remain close and stay alert. Once the others come through, we'll decide the next steps." Smokey barked.
The final group passed through the gate in full regalia a few minutes later. Confusion could be seen on their faces once they observed the peaceful, serene environment. It wasn't until the second the final person stepped through that the portal shuddered and then disappeared in a flash. The crowd gasped, and everyone gripped their weapons tightly in preparation. Suddenly, the chimes of a bell echoed through the air and a system notification popped into everyone's view.
"Welcome to the first floor - Prove yourself worthy of heaven's gifts. Survive to reach the second floor."
Floor Quest received:
1. Don't Die: Survive the five goblin waves. Reward: 5000 exp, 7000 DP
2. Prove Yourself: Kill 10 goblins. Reward: 7000 exp, 10,000 DP
3. Exceed Expectations: Kill 50 goblins. Reward 10,000 exp, 15,000 DP
As soon as Joe finished reading the notification, cries and screams could be heard around the grassy plains around them. Joe looked up just in time to see hundreds of goblins spawn barely 100 meters away. Dozens appeared in bursts of light in front of them. The Goblins were just like he would have imagined. They were green with pointy ears and small frames. Each held a small dagger and wore a small loincloth that did little to hide their brittle and emaciated bodies. Yet, for how small and weak they appeared, they made up for it with numbers and aggression. The Goblins gave out a shrill that sounded like nails on a chalkboard before charging straight towards the unsuspecting human ranks.
The first-floor challenge had finally begun.