The once silent and desolate landscape now reverberated with horrified screams, the air thick with a palpable panic as desperate attempts to escape were met with swift and gruesome demise. Two more players fell victim to the merciless iron rods, their feeble efforts to flee proving utterly futile.
"There's no use in running," Ivan stated calmly, his words cutting through the chaos as the remaining four survivors scoured the area for any glimmer of escape, only to find none.
Yet, despite their desperate struggles, the inevitable outcome remained unchanged. The iron rods pierced through their bodies without mercy, snuffing out their lives one by one until none were left standing. In a surreal glow, a brilliant blue light engulfed the lifeless corpses sprawled across the ground, culminating in a blinding flash that swallowed them whole, leaving nothing behind.
"Does this mean they'll respawn? Or is this another part of your ritual?" Lorson questioned, his gaze fixed on the vanishing bodies.
"Who knows? It depends on how many lives they had left. Hasban was offered only one, so their fate could be respawning or their bodies being claimed as an offering," Ivan explained with a hint of detachment.
"So, what's next? Am I the next sacrifice?" Lorson inquired, his demeanor remarkably composed compared to the panic-stricken players who had met their demise.
"No, you still have use," Ivan replied, his tone ominously assured.
"Adventurers, your sacrifice has been acknowledged. You shall be granted passage to the realm you seek," Hasban's resonant voice reverberated, signaling the conclusion of the grim ordeal.
"I also request that you ensure the events of today remain buried, concealed amongst the countless other secrets hidden beneath this ground," Ivan's words held a note of urgency as he addressed Hasban.
"As you wish. Now, brace yourselves," Hasban responded, his command punctuated by a beam of brilliant white light shooting skyward. Suddenly, the ground beneath them began to tremble, collapsing inward like a sinking abyss.
"Good luck, adventurers," were the parting words they received from Hasban, the voice echoing as Lorson and Ivan plunged into the depths, consumed by darkness.
Their senses enveloped in obscurity, they hurtled into the void, a sense of unending descent only punctuated by the jarring impact of their bodies meeting the ground below.
Lorson's eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the warm sunlight that bathed the surroundings. Rising to his feet, he surveyed the unfamiliar terrain, his gaze shifting to Ivan, who was already standing, his demeanor ever-alert.
"Have we finally reached a point where you tell me what the hell is happening?" Lorson's voice mirrored the perplexity he felt.
"Simply put, in exchange for the eight lives, we've been given a quest of great significance, but it seems most of the game's players didn't know about it," Ivan offered, his explanation concise.
"Ok, but why am I dragged into this mess? What does this have to do with me?" Lorson's inquiry reflected his lingering uncertainty.
"Primarily, so you can take on the role of the 'kept,'" Ivan replied, his tone laden with implication.
"And what the hell is a 'kept'?" Lorson's curiosity pushed him to question further.
"Put simply, if we succeed, we'll be rewarded greatly, as I mentioned earlier. However, if we fail, Hasban, being intolerant of failure, has graver consequences in store. While I might end up with no rewards and leave empty-handed, for you, as the one who wilfully invoked this quest, the penalty for failure is eternal entrapment within this realm," Ivan elucidated.
"You're quite the scheming bastard, aren't you? And here I was thinking I was sly," Lorson's tone carried a hint of resignation, as if coming to terms with the reality of his situation.
"You don't seem as angry as I anticipated," Ivan commented, a hint of amusement in his voice, noticing his relatively subdued reaction.
"What good would being angry do? At this point, I can only hope we succeed," Lorson replied with a nonchalant shrug, seemingly embracing his new circumstances.
"That's the spirit. Don't worry too much—I'm not planning on failing either," Ivan assured him.
"So, what exactly is this quest? What are we supposed to do?" Lorson's curiosity lingered.
"I can't say for certain. It's randomly generated," Ivan admitted.
"So, the game just comes up with random quests?" Lorson questioned.
"Yes, though the lore suggests that someone else bargains with Hasban, the dark trader, offering something in return for his assistance or other benefits. Then Hasban sends a willing participant—someone who provides a sacrifice—to aid them, all in exchange for substantial rewards," Ivan explained, shedding light on the intricate dynamics of the quest system.
"Remarkably intricate, isn't it?" Lorson commented, a hint of admiration in his tone.
"It was a product of my careful planning, " Ivan replied proudly.
"Hmm?" Lorson questioned in confusion.
"Forget about it. Right now, we should get moving since the quest details haven't appeared yet," Ivan instructed, shifting their focus to the task at hand.
"Got it," Lorson agreed as they both ventured into the light-dappled forest.
"Remember a few key points: This realm is separate from the regular Oasis world, devoid of player presence. Everyone here is an NPC. We must act wisely, and every action we take must be for our own benefit. Clear?" Ivan clarified.
"What the hell? I don't take orders from you," Lorson retorted.
"Ah, so you're truly eager to remain trapped here forever," Ivan countered.
"Apologies, I meant understood, sir," Lorson corrected himself.
"Good. Let's exit this forest and search for other people," Ivan suggested, guiding their path through the wooded area.
"By the way, what happened to the other new players from the tutorial tower?" Lorson inquired as they walked, his curiosity getting the best of him.
"They foolishly overestimated their abilities or succumbed to a reckless lust for power. Either way, their lack of judgment led to their deaths," Ivan disclosed.
"How did that happen?" Lorson prodded further.
"Due to an action I took, the game mistakenly believed we were far more powerful than we actually were. As a result, we were presented with the option to vote for a substantial increase in tutorial difficulty in exchange for greater rewards," Ivan elaborated.
"And they voted to make it harder?" Lorson asked.
"Yes, unfortunately. They soon realized their dumbness, but by then, it was too late. They were wiped out by the very first boss," Ivan explained, recounting the unfortunate turn of events.
"That's rough. How did you manage to survive?" Lorson inquired.
"By methods I can't reveal. Let's just say luck was on my side," Ivan replied.
"What an weird character you are—" Lorson began, but Ivan swiftly raised a hand, silencing him.
"Shhh, did you hear that?" Ivan interrupted, his tone hushed.
With caution, Ivan and Lorson moved stealthily toward the source of the footsteps, navigating through the underbrush and trees. As they exited the dense forest, they were met with a striking and formidable sight.
A group of over a dozen men, some in armor and armed, while others mounted on horses, turned their attention toward the duo. Ivan and Lorson, equally focused on the armed men, then directed their attention to the quest that had materialized before them.
[Hasban's Quest: Defeat the Venai Kingdom and dethrone the tyrant King.
Time Limit: 15 days
Reward: ?
Penalty: The 'kept' will remain trapped within this quest indefinitely]
Raising his gaze from the quest details, Ivan looked at the assembled group of men, one of whom stood out with a distinctive blue text hovering above him.
[Azonai, the Tyrant King (Lvl ???)]
"Identify yourselves," a deep voice from one of the armored men reverberated through the surroundings.