With his body all bloodied, Alab could only glance at Alon as his body dispersed into golden lights along with the S-grade sword that he had secured with Althea.
In no time, Alab was left alone in the Tutorial. His bones were broken from heavy impact, he could only remain in his position as an agonizing pain assaulted his body.
He felt his flesh and internal organs being pierced by his dislocated bones. His mind couldn't process at its normal pace as the pain restricted him.
With an hour remaining before the Tutorial ended, Alab glanced at the remaining items only to be disappointed as only items below A-grade remain.
"This…"
With a low voice, he muttered. He didn't know what to do next. He could exit the Tutorial and leave empty-handed.
'Yes, that's the best option', he pondered as the pain was becoming unbearable.
"Ex—"
He couldn't bring himself to finish the word. After all, their struggles in these past days resurfaced and haunt him.
If he was to leave the Tutorial now, it was similar to him neglecting the efforts they had spent together. Alab couldn't do that.
"Arghhh!!!"
Pushing his body to stand up, Alab firmed his resolve. But his body was too destroyed, white bones protrude out of his limbs as his flesh and inner organs were exposed to the outside.
The impact was too strong than he imagined.
Still reluctant to waste their collective efforts, Alab tried to stand once more but it was to no avail, he fall on the ground as the white bones became more apparent.
"Arghhhh!! It hurts! It hurts!", he wailed but no player in the wilderness was there to hear or help him.
His voice seemingly reached the void.
"I have to do something… something", he pondered as he gradually lose a large amount of blood.
—----
Meanwhile, on the 1st floor of the Tower.
A man wearing a coat was sitting in an office chair as he browsed through the pile of documents before him. His small eyes were then piqued by the mana-powered clock as the hands on it ticked to 11.
It was already 11:00 at night and only an hour remains before the Tutorial ends.
Standing up, his skinny and tall body was revealed as he peaked through the window behind him. From this spot, he could clearly see the vast circular platform just meters away from the building he was staying at.
Glancing at the new players who were constantly spewing out of the Resurrection Hall in the center of the platform, he couldn't help but show a worried look.
"Guildmaster, your successor hasn't arrived yet", he mumbled as he sneaked a glance at the portrait hanging on the wall. On it was shown a picture of 30 players with a variety of gender and appearances.
It was a wonder how amidst their differences, they were all smiling in the photo. It was a genuine smile that made the man in the coat smile again as he remembered the day the photo was taken. The day when they were still complete…
"Guildmaster… sorry, I'm succumbing to my grief again", he uttered as his gaze was stuck on the middle-aged man in the center of the group. He was smiling the widest as his hands were embraced on the shoulder of the people next to him.
Looking at the person on the outermost side, the man in the coat saw a young boy that was identical to himself.
"Why were you so weak that time?! Why?!", he mumbled as tears started to overwhelm his eyes. He was blaming himself for being too weak. He then shifted his gaze from his past self to the platform outside.
Wiping his tears off, he uttered.
"This time, I would make sure that I would be of help to your son, Guildmaster. I won't let him die the same tragic fate as you.", he uttered as he waited for the arrival of the successor - their future Guildmaster.
Knock knock
With knocks resounding on the door, the man permitted the person to enter. A young man in a blue coat entered as he bowed his head. Scrolling through the documents he was holding, he then reported.
"Based on the information we gathered, there were a total of 3 available SSS-grade items, 5 SS-grade items, and lastly, 25 S-grade items. Among them, only 5 S-grade items remain based on the recent report", he recounted.
This report made the ambiance in the room to become more depressing. Silence ensued for a while before the young boy uttered.
"Captain, I'm afraid our new guildmaster could get an S-grade item at most", he muttered.
The man in the coat already speculated that. With his expression turning bleak, he commanded.
"Tell all the members on the 1st to 10th floor to gather in front of the Resurrection Hall, and be prepared for the arrival of the new Guildmaster"
"Yes, Captain!", the boy in the blue coat spoke in a strong voice as he then walked out of the room, closing the door as he left.
His eyes flashing worried, the man in coat stared at the Hall as he uttered.
"Please, get at least an S-grade item"
—----
Meanwhile, Alab crawled on the ground as he dig deeper into the wilderness. His broken body was now moving towards the crevice below the altar of the SSS-grade monster, Minokawa.
He had no choice but to follow his intuition and get at least the F-grade item since there was no S-grade item left. The other items below S-grade were all in the Inner part of the wilderness which was way too far from his current place.
He was left with options of either getting the F-grade item and having that as his reward or exiting the Tutorial empty-handed.
Among the two, it was obvious that the former was the best option.
As he followed his intuition, he was led to the altar and traced its back as he found a small crevice upon clearing the surrounding soil.
The opening was too small that Alab doubted he could fit in here.
Still, with his intuition getting stronger and stronger telling him that the F-grade item was a must-have item, he dived inside the crevice as he dragged his broken body.
ARGHHHH!
He felt his flesh being peeled as he forced his way inside the crevice. His protruding bones didn't fit the opening as Alab could only bear the pain of his limbs being ripped off his body little by little.
ARGHHHH
Forcing himself in, his two feet were ripped from his body as his bottom flesh loosened on the ground.
Pant pant pant
Enduring the pain, Alab panted for air as he felt vitality escaping his body. He doubt that he could remain awake for the next 5 minutes in this state.
'I got to get it, at least', he pondered as he crawled deeper into the crevices.
"Deeper! Deeper… deep—", he pushed himself until he felt his body falling from a great height as the soil below him turned into quicksand.
His severed body then fall into a small space as he felt pain assaulting his already worn-out body.
'I can't…no, I got to do this!', he pondered as he was about to succumb to the pain and planned to escape the Tutorial.
However, the thought of wasting their collective efforts for days made him feel guilty. He had to do it no matter what.
Scanning the space he fell into, it was a small area of 4×4 meters. On his side, Alab saw an eerie scene of a coffin lying just right beside him.
If it was the normal Alab, he would have faltered by now. But, looking at the coffin, Alab felt relieved somehow as his intuition was strongly telling him that the F-grade item was lying inside that very coffin.
Without letting him ponder for any longer, the system hurried him with its countdown.
[To the remaining player in the Tutorial, please take your choice now]
[Only 10 seconds remain before the end of the Tutorial]
[9…]
[8…]
"Hurry!", dragging his severed body, Alab climbed to the top of the coffin.
[6]
[5]
Removing its lid, Alab felt his strength finally seeping out of his fatigued torso.
[4]
[3]
ARGHHHHHHH
Pushing the heavy lid with all his remaining strength, Alab finally moved the lid by a little, revealing a crevice in the side.
Extending his arm towards it, Alab panted.
[2]
[1]
At the end of the countdown, Alab touched a hard thing inside the coffin. From his intuition, he was certain that whatever it was, it was an F-grade item.
Sigh
Releasing a sigh, Alb rested his head on the lid of the coffin, as he watched the system announcement stating the end of the Tutorial.
[Congratulations! You have passed the Tutorial!]
[Your reward will now be evaluated]
[Processing…]
[Ding!]
[It is detected that you have chosen the F-grade item, "Necromancer Lich"'s corpse as your reward]