[WAKE UP!]
"Haah!" I gasped, sitting upright.
What...?
WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!
[You passed out.]
"Oh... WAIT! WHO THE HELL WAS THAT?!" I sprang up as my memories kicked in, realizing where I was.
The rooftop.
And there should be no one here except me!
I looked around, searching for the source of the voice, but to no avail.
I couldn't find anyone.
[Haah... Really? Fine, I'll say it. I am the system.]
"Wait... what?"
[I SAID, I AM THE SYSTEM!]
"I HEARD THAT! I'M NOT DEAF! WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS WHY THE SYSTEM CAN TALK!" I yelled back, not in the mood for nonsense.
[I don't know... maybe because the system CAN talk,] the voice responded, dripping with sarcasm that was blatantly obvious.
Weird.
Shouldn't the system be a program or a bunch of code?
Why then was it dishing out this much emotion?
It sounded almost...
...human.
"... Then why is this the first time I've heard you talk?" I asked, my voice still laced with skepticism, but I had calmed down a bit.
[I only made an appearance now because you completed your first mission. You are now deemed a player.]
"... Hold on. A player?" I raised an eyebrow.
[Yes... But before you ask any more questions... don't you think you're forgetting something?]
"No..." I said with a frown before adding, "... I don't think I'm—" However, before I could finish the sentence, I stopped midway as I remembered something I shouldn't have forgotten in the first place.
"The exams... CRAP!" I roared and dashed toward the rooftop exit.
Talk about a huge problem.
I can't skip the exams. If I do, I'll be tracked down and severely punished by the staff.
"What did you mean by player?" I asked as I rushed down the stairs.
[Well, it means what it sounds like. You are a player in this world, chosen from countless others, and you are on a mission. After successfully completing it, you will be given back your memories... ********* ********* ********** ******** ********* *********]
"Huh?" I frowned. "What are you even saying? I can't hear the last part clearly."
[You do not have sufficient privileges to learn more.]
"What?"
[You are only at level one, so your access to certain information is limited.]
"Just great," I muttered, reaching the floor with the elevators.
Without wasting a second, I sprinted toward the elevator as the doors slid open.
"You said 'countless others.' What did you mean by that?" I asked, catching my breath with both hands on my knees.
I was exhausted, both mentally and physically.
It's been a long day.
One where I died more than once.
[You do not have sufficient privileges to learn more.]
"Again?" I asked in annoyance.
[You do not have sufficient privileges to learn more.]
"Okay, I get it, but at least help me understand what the hell is going on," I demanded, waiting for the elevator doors to open.
[As you've already been told, this world was created from a game, but it is by no means a game. Everything here is reality: the characters, the world itself. So don't be fooled by your knowledge.]
"Well, I know that."
This isn't a game.
My repeated deaths have proven that.
This is reality, and every single action I take influences the future.
[You were selected for this mission, like many others, but 'they' are all dead, as most couldn't pass the first stage. If you die, you'll be taken to the Nether Realm, where, like the others, hell awaits you.]
"What?" I frowned, but just then the elevator doors opened, and I ran out.
[That's all you have access to for now.]
...This...
This is crazy.
What the hell is all this?!
Who selected me for this mission?
[A god... The most beautiful goddess in existence.]
"Huh?" I muttered.
Some goddess of beauty or something?
[Well, no... but all other goddesses pale in comparison to her beauty.]
"FUCK HER AND HER BEAUTY! WHY THE HELL DID SHE BRING ME HERE?!"
[How... how dare you insult her!]
What the hell is up with this system?
Tsk.
'It seems I'm not getting any useful information from this busted thing. From the way it's talking about the goddess, it's probably made by her to monitor me or something. I better be careful.'
[I can hear that!]
"Just shut up and tell me the location of the lab," I snapped, stepping outside the building.
There were still students loitering around, but they were probably from other years.
From what I could tell, all classes under Year Eight had their exams today, so it couldn't be any of them here.
[... Follow this.]
Before I could respond, an interface displaying a map of the school appeared in front of me, showing my current location.
"Sweet," I muttered and dashed toward the lab.