Bittu, having chosen his route, swiftly hopped onto the lift, descending to the bottom of underground floor no. 2. Emerging from the Tower Bridge, he made a beeline for his bike. With the bike in tow, he navigated the city, seeking the path down to the riverbank. Opting for the waterway as his escape route, he anticipated it to be faster than the roads above, and the river's flow aligned with the direction he needed. After a brief search, Bittu found the way down to the riverbank.
Moving without delay, he reached the riverbank, where distant noises stirred his attention. Approaching the source cautiously, hand firmly on the concealed gun, he recognized the eerie quietude that enveloped the night. Aware that only gangs and thieves lingered in such places to elude the authorities, Bittu braced himself for potential danger. Prepared for gunfire if it was a gang or assistance if they were thieves, he also considered the cycle as a makeshift shield.
Closing in on the source, Bittu discovered three individuals on a sleek, wooden boat—its blue hull weathered and a single oar at the ready. Positioned to flee swiftly, they reacted promptly to his presence. One of them shouted, "Run!" Without hesitation, all three propelled the boat away using the oars. Anticipating their escape plan, Bittu drew his pistol, pointed it at them, and uttered in a cold, commanding voice, "Stop, or you are dead."
Ignoring his warning, they continued rowing. Frustrated, Bittu removed the safety lock of the gun with a click. The sound brought them to a sudden halt, hands raised in surrender, their fear palpable. Bittu, observing their response, noted their familiarity with the sound of a gun over his voice. Concluding they were thieves, he pondered their level of awareness, suspecting this was a common occurrence.
With urgency to leave the city, Bittu didn't delve into questioning them further. "Get out of the boat," he commanded. Compliance followed, with them jumping out and pulling the boat ashore without resistance. Examining their faces, he observed a mix of fear and resentment, their concern for their money evident.
"Place some food and a bottle of alcohol on the boat," Bittu ordered. One of them complied, shivering slightly. "Step away. No, wait, leave one of your knives on the boat—just one, not all of you. You can buy another with the money that guy held." Pointing at one of them, Bittu intensified their fear and hatred, and yet they obediently followed his commands.
"Now, step away from the boat." Once they distanced themselves, Bittu boarded the boat, using one hand to navigate while keeping the gun pointed at them. They stood still, patiently waiting for him to depart.
After a while, Bittu was far from them, propelled by the water flow and the rhythm of the oars. Returning the gun to his pants, he increased the pace. The low visibility due to the shadows from tall buildings favored his escape. Allowing the boat to coast with the river's flow, he took a moment to rest after a day filled with highs and lows.
As he journeyed, he scanned his surroundings, ensuring he wasn't being pursued by anyone. Checking for any sign of police catching up proved unnecessary; the tranquil flow of the waterway allowed for a peaceful journey. Reflecting on the events, Bittu realized he hadn't checked the status page since leaving the hotel. As he thought of "status," a green screen materialized in his eyes.
Name: Bittu Sah
Age: 19
Race: Human (male)
Stats: Strength -> G
Agility -> G
Stamina -> G
Constitution -> G
Spirit -> Locked
Perception -> Locked
[Abilities: None]
[Alias: None]
[Equipment: None]
[Inventory: Empty]
Upon opening the status, a familiar cold and robotic voice echoed.
[ You have two new notifications; would you like to see? ]
The moment he heard the voice, an unimaginable amount of rage surged within him. Trapped in this place, it dared to address him in that cold and robotic tone. Allowing his rage to fuel him, he attacked the notification with a punch, yet as before, it remained unyielding. The frustration matched his anger, knowing they were powerless against the Nexus.
After the soothing sounds of the flowing water calmed his emotions, he decided to pose some questions to the Nexus.
"Nexus, why have you trapped me and all the others here?" he asked, his voice sharp and chilling.
[ .... Checking... You don't possess a silver coin; unable to answer the question. ]
"???? Silver coin, what silver coin?" he exclaimed in frustration and annoyance.
[ You would consume one silver coin for each question you ask the system. Currently, you don't possess any coins at all. ]
"What? Are you serious? Damn it!" he cursed at the system for not providing an answer and demanding a silver coin.
He fell silent, dismissing the system entirely. Seeing the player's non-response, the system once again intoned,
[ You have two new notifications; would you like to see? ]
With nothing else to do and recognizing that understanding the system might be helpful, he decided to proceed.
"Yes, show me what this is about now."
[ You have killed a human. You are the first person to kill a human. You have been rewarded with one platinum coin. ]
[ You have killed a player. You are the first person to kill a player. You have been rewarded with one diamond coin. ]
When he heard the first notification in the cold voice of the system, his blood didn't boil with anger but ran cold with disbelief and guilt. All this while, he thought those people were mere projections of the system, not real at all, which helped him maintain control. Yet, listening to the system was like rubbing salt on his closing wound: too painful.
Upon hearing the second notification, he felt as if his heart had momentarily stopped beating. "Killed a player" shook him to his core, having only killed two people in the dungeon. One turned out to be real, and the other was a player—a human from the same place as him. The rising guilt reached its peak, leaving him shocked at the realization that he had taken the lives of real people. Unsure of what to do next, his eyes hollowed as he felt his heart grow cold, and his soul seemed to depart his body. In an instant, he appeared to have aged significantly.
The system, indifferent to the player's turmoil, continued its explanation:
[The platinum coin can be used to increase your stats, and the diamond coin can be used to unlock one of your locked stats.]
[ Congratulations, your perception stat has unlocked. ]
As the perception stat unlocked, Bittu regained his composure. Huffing
, taking deep breaths, his hollow eyes began to regain their spirit. He had reached a precipice where the escalating guilt could have driven him to madness. Returning to his senses, he noticed that his perception stat was glowing with a bewitching violet hue, casting an enchanting light over the river.
Name: Bittu Sah
Age: 19
Race: Human (male)
Stats: Strength -> G
Agility -> G
Stamina -> G
Constitution -> G
Spirit -> Locked
Perception -> G
[Abilities: None]
[Alias: None]
[Equipment: None]
[Inventory: Empty]
After a while, the violet light began to wane and vanished as mysteriously as it appeared. Just as the light disappeared, Bittu, realizing the potential danger, exclaimed with a loud voice,
"SH*T...." He cursed, understanding that the violet light could attract the police, endangering him as a runaway fugitive. Without further contemplation, he grabbed the oars and accelerated the boat, aiming to escape swiftly.
************
Meanwhile, the lives of the dungeon residents and players continued as usual. Suddenly, a bright violet light emanated from the north side of the city, engulfing almost the entire area. Unaware of the impending chaos, the inhabitants were concerned about the unusual light. Little did they know that their peaceful lives were on the brink of disruption, and the violet light marked the onset of chaos in the dungeon world.
*************
In a secret room, sitting on a sofa, alone, away from all the mesmerizing and captivating sights of the party hall, was the older of the twin flower in a captivating and beautiful purple dress. She watched as the guests departed. At that moment, a violet light illuminated her and the artifact that she was looking at. The light fell upon the mirror artifact's surface, causing it to glow in a gentle purple light as the cracks slowly healed. The woman sat in stunned silence, unable to comprehend the spectacle.
*************
In a standard room, a man sat in front of a laptop, engrossed in a meeting. Suddenly, a violet light bathed the room shown on the screen. Within seconds, the same light shone through his window. As the light touched a seemingly plain black suit on a hanger, it began to emit a purple glow and gradually turned invisible. Oblivious to these changes, the man was busy peering outside to fathom the cause of the unexpected occurrence.
*************
In an underground room, a woman enjoyed a bath, with a locket hanging around her neck. Abruptly, a violet light filled the room, startling her. Confused, she looked around, oblivious to the fact that the locket had started to glow in a purple hue. The rusty appearance gradually gave way to its original green color as if it were a new creation.
*************
In a dilapidated house, an old man savored his meal. Suddenly, the night sky turned violet, and the hue reached his house. A wine bottle atop the television, touched by the light, began to glow red instead of the previous violet color. The bottle rapidly absorbed the light, returning to its original state. Its lid automatically opened, as if by magic or a ghost. The man witnessed these occurrences in astonishment.
*************
Across the city, numerous artifacts that had lain dormant for years started to glow and recover, drawn by the violet light resulting from the system's use of the diamond coin.
All of the higher standing people of the city started to contact the police to find the cause of such a big incident. The police complied and put a majority of police force to search the source of the incident as they started to rush to the area the light originated from. They all armed to the tooth rushed to the area. They also utilized their helicopters to rush to the area first.
*************
Bittu swiftly maneuvered the boat using the oars, aiming for speed. After a while, he spotted an entrance to the underground sewer system linked to the river. An idea struck him, and without hesitation, he executed it. Guiding the boat towards the sewer, he leaped off, lowered his bicycle, left the food, and nudged the boat, watching it drift away with the current.
Mounting the bicycle, he pedaled into the dark recesses of the sewer, navigating its labyrinthine passages. Just moments after Bittu delved into the shadows below, three helicopters, their front lights piercing the darkness, hovered over the river. They initiated a thorough and disciplined search, realizing the gravity of the unknown phenomena. Within five minutes, police arrived, securing the area with a one-kilometer radius, implementing strict restrictions on entry.
Meanwhile, Bittu pedaled steadily through the sewer, the constant rhythm designed to preserve his energy. Randomly traversing the passages while following the distant murmur of the river, he concluded after half an hour that he should emerge to verify his direction. Soon, he encountered a manhole. Ascending the ladder, he noticed his bicycle, opting for caution, and tossed it into the flowing sewer water before climbing out.
Surveying the surroundings for witnesses, Bittu found himself in a desolate alley by Avenida Paulista, a discovery he made from a nearby poster. This urban thoroughfare unfolded beneath towering skyscrapers, alive with neon lights, cafes, and cultural havens. As diverse pedestrians mingled, their footsteps harmonizing with distant traffic, the street pulsated with the energy of city life.
After exploring the area, Bittu identified a tall mall suitable for climbing. The contemporary marvel boasted a glass facade reflecting the city's vibrancy. Inside, a grand atrium featured cascading fountains, surrounded by high-end boutiques. The aroma of varied cuisines beckoned visitors, and skylights bathed the marble floors in natural light.
Upon reaching the top of the building with the lift, Bittu looked northward and realized he was on the right path. However, he also observed that he was gradually deviating from the straight route out of the city. "It seems I checked my path on time, or else I would have taken the wrong route and unknowingly extended my journey," he mused.
After confirming his direction, Bittu decided to assess whether the police had arrived at the location where the light originated. He moved to the south side of the building and observed numerous helicopters and a legion of police officers patrolling the area rigorously. Any curious individuals attempting to breach were swiftly apprehended and subjected to severe punishment, with the police resorting to physical force.
Bittu after checking on the cops, decided that this was the right moment to escape the city and from the cops, when most of them are busy with the light incident. He swiftly made his way to the lift and got to the ground floor and continued his way out of the city.