Chapter 1 – Tutorial (Survivor) – 1 

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!! WHY IS THE GHOST ROOM HERE?!"

Within the confines of a studio apartment, sunlight is unable to breach the opaque curtains. The walls and ceiling are cloaked in black soundproof foam, with only small patches reserved for light bulbs, though they remain unlit.

Adjacent to the curtain, the sole furnishings in this apartment are a computer desk and an airbed. Beneath the table, the fans of a $2,000 gaming PC roar as it handles multiple resource-intensive applications simultaneously. A white ring light rests atop a metallic stand, adding brightness to the dim room.

Before the pair of 27" monitors, a man with long hair squeals as his fingers press down on the keyboard resting on the desk. His right hand slides a multi-function mouse, maneuvering the in-game character.

DOOM-DOOM-DOOM-DOOM

The headphones emit a chilling sound of ghostly footsteps in pursuit of the player, intensifying with each step as though the apparition draws closer. 

"NOOO!! IT'S A REVENANT!!"

The game character runs away from a kitchen to a bedroom. However, his movement is too slow. The stamina bar depletes, and the character walks instead of running.

"Goodbye, world." Calmly, the streamer smiles and salutes, accepting his fate. 

CRACK!

The ghost seizes the game character and snaps his neck. Meanwhile, the player behind the computer chuckles and casually checks the live chat. 

[KEK]

[Top 10 anime betrayal]

[LMAO]

[Bamboozled]

50 viewers are tuned into the streamer's channel with only a handful engaging in the chat due to the comedic moment unfolding. Vesper, the brown-haired streamer, is unable to contain his laughter as he jokingly berates his friend. 

"Jack, you traitor." 

The scene in the game shifts to his friend's perspective. Another player, controlled by "Jack," is presently concealed within a closet. A mischievous grin crosses the player's face as he pilfers Vesper's life-saving incense sticks and utilizes them to prolong his survival.

In-game, the ghost prowls through the house for a minute, eventually passing directly in front of Jack's hiding spot. Jack stifles a smile, though the sounds of approaching footsteps and the ghost's ominous growls heighten the tension within the bedroom.

After a minute elapses, the ghost fails to locate Jack, prompting the conclusion of the hunting phase as it disappears. Jack emerges from the closet and ventures into the corridor of the single-story house, where he discovers Vesper's lifeless form. Without hesitation, Jack maneuvers his in-game character over the deceased body, repeatedly pressing the CTRL key. 

"Mandatory T-Bag while it's still fresh!"

Vesper witnesses everything. He smiles and asks the chat. 

"I thought all incense sticks were in the kitchen. Where did they all go?"

[LMAO]

[Behind the TV]

[LOL]

[Yamumuzi the Cute Spell Caster has donated 10.00$ - In celebration of 1k subs, can you read the UwU magic if possible. Thank you! RAWR UWU XD OWOW MEOW Owo NYA uwU NEKO OwU-CHAN TeeHee UwU UwO Ehe~ Kawaii~~]

Vesper read the special message and thanked the viewer. 

"Thanks for the red super. Yamumuzi. In celebration of 1k subs, can you read the UwU magic if possible-What the hell are you trying to make me read?!"

[KEK]

[DO IT!]

…

Following four hours of streaming, Vesper concludes the session with a weary sigh. He preserves the VOD and then presses the SHIFT-TAB key, bringing forth another layer of application atop the streaming program.

An overlay for a chat app emerges, revealing only two members present in the chat room, both engaged in voice chat. 

Jack who played with Vesper earlier also ends his stream. He asks Vesper. 

"Is your stream still on, Vesper?"

"No, I just finished mine. Hey, how about another collab tomorrow?"

"Sorry, I have a sponsored stream scheduled. Maybe next week?"

"Count me in. What game and when?"

"H*lldiver 2, on Friday the 13th."

Vesper chuckles dryly, "Can we play another ghost-hunting game? I'm not great at shooter games."

"This is why you're stuck at 1k subs, man. Don't stick to one genre. Diversify your content. Follow the trends. Look at the top-selling games and what other top streamers are playing. H*llDivers 2 is blowing up right now. If you hop on the bandwagon, you might gain a few thousand subs within a few days."

Vesper purses his lips in disagreement. In the past, many successful YouTubers and live-streamers earned their career by sticking to one. Therefore, he believes that he can do the same as long as he tries hard enough. 

Unfortunately, times are different. Vesper is aware of such and sighs in resignation. 

"...I'll keep that in mind."

"I'll call you next week. I'll see if we can collab again. Oh, play that game off-stream. You need some basic training or your viewers will leave you."

Jack exits the call app. Vesper also closes his computer.

He leans back in his chair and gazes at a small framed photo on the table. The smiling face of his one-year-old daughter soothes his heart, giving him strength to pursue his dream. 

'Wait for daddy, Kat. Once I manage to get at least one viral video and get enough money, I take you home.'

It's been a year since he last saw his daughter, who lived with his divorced wife. He wishes to meet her, but his financial status stops him. 

This month, his bank balance is sounding the alarm. When Vesper opens his phone to check his remaining funds, he exhales heavily.

He's left with only $50 for the entire month. Ironically, he just received his payment from the streaming platform and paid all his bills yesterday. With only $50, he'll struggle to make ends meet for the rest of the month. 

"Hah. Instant noodles again next month, probably. I wish I had more supers. Why didn't I pop off like other live-streamers? What am I lacking?"

Vesper steps into the bathroom and meets his own gaze in the mirror, attempting to shift his mood. 

The reflection staring back at him is gaunt and pallid. His weary eyes and dark circles resemble those of anime characters plagued by insomnia. Yet, unlike them, he manages a mere two or three hours of sleep each night, dedicating the rest of his time to live streaming and VDO editing for income.

Vesper's shoulder-length black hair hangs limply around his face. He sniffs at it and brushes it aside, having forgone bathing for two months to cut back on water and soap expenses.

Physical exertion drains him further, and his stomach rumbles in protest, urging him to eat something.

Feeling despondent, Vesper shuffles to the refrigerator and opens it, finding only two bottles of cold water. Disheartened, he searches through other cabinets for sustenance, but they too are bare. 

"…"

Vesper lets out a bitter laugh as he casts a glance at his computer, which holds more value than his entire month's earnings. He contemplates whether selling the computer and finding a new job might be a better option.

TICK-TICK

His phone emits a distinctive alarm, signaling midnight in the local time zone. Checking the time on his phone, Vesper resolves to venture out and purchase some inexpensive instant ramen or budget-friendly fare from a nearby convenience store. He hopes that the store might have some discounted items to offer or some expired food that they could donate to him.

Summoning his resolve to leave the confines of his apartment, Vesper suddenly feels lightheaded. Darkness encroaches on his vision, and his body crumples to the floor. 

"Ah…"

Vesper is confused because his body refuses to follow his order. No strength is left in his arms, legs, stomach, or neck. Even his brain fails to compute basic thoughts. 

Letting go of all the stress and worries, Vesper closes his eyes. He feels so sleepy.

.

.

"…"

A strange cold sensation rouses Vesper from slumber. A brisk wind caresses his skin, but it feels more like sharp needles prickling his flesh. Frowning, Vesper opens his eyes, puzzled by the sensation akin to sleeping on rough concrete.

As his eyes adjust, Vesper discovers himself lying naked on a concrete road. Pushing himself upright, he gazes down at his emaciated form in disbelief.

"Is this a dream? Why am I naked?"

Surveying his surroundings, Vesper finds himself in the midst of a suburban area at night. The houses in the neighborhood exhibit varying sizes and distinctive architectural styles. To his left, a dilapidated one-story wooden cabin appears abandoned for decades, while adjacent stands a two-story brick edifice reminiscent of Europe's Renaissance era.

No one but Vesper inhabits the deserted street. Dimly illuminated by street lamps and the faint glow of LED lights from the houses, the area is enveloped in silence save for the whisper of the wind.

The eerie tranquility and chilling breeze send shivers down Vesper's spine, evoking memories of his favorite ghost-hunting games.

"Yeah, this must be a dream. But it feels too real... Or perhaps, have I died?"

Vesper recalls collapsing earlier but cannot recollect anything thereafter. Confused and vulnerable, he approaches the one-story wooden house in search of assistance.

As he draws nearer to the front yard, Vesper notices a peculiar billboard near a metal mailbox post. Upon closer inspection, the board suddenly gleams, and its surface letters shift, coalescing into words.

"What?" Vesper scratched his head and reread the sentences. He couldn't make sense of it.

"Tutorial Zone? Doomsday Trial?"

Confused, Vesper reached out to touch the billboard. As his fingers made contact, a sudden electric shock jolted him.

Stepping back, Vesper inspected his fingers. Though unharmed, the shock felt like his entire body was on fire.

The billboard's words change once more.

"What kind of fantasy setting is this?" Vesper was flabbergasted. He pinched his arms and cheeks to confirm he wasn't dreaming. Unfortunately, this nightmare was all too real.

As an avid shut-in nerd, Vesper spent most of his free time gaming, reading novels, and watching anime. While streaming was his career, his expertise lay elsewhere.

Facing such a fantasy-like development, Vesper is half-excited and half-scared. He prays that the trials weren't some sort of death game. 

Before he could reread the sign, it changed again.

A door and a door frame fall from the sky and lands behind Vesper with a loud thud. The doorknob twists and automatically pushes the door, showing the scene of Vesper's room.

Vesper looks back and gulps. His malnourished brain enters the overdrive mode and sends an emergency signal – LEAVE!

Despite his intuition, Vesper's legs reject his instinct to run. He turns around and looks at the billboard again. As he predicted, it shows new sentences.

That was not a piece of good news. Vesper dryly laughed, uninterested in joining a death game. But before he could leave, the sign revealed enticing rewards.

Vesper gulps when he sees the examples of the potential rewards. Again, his greed restrains his legs from leaving.

The next sentences seal the deal.

The chosen difficulty was the keyword that Vesper values. Thinking of the miserable life he's facing and his weak physique, he wonders if he could turn things around by participating in the death game's easiest mode.

"May I ask what the rewards are if I pass the easiest trial?"

Vesper's eyes widen and fixate on the C Rank's result. He drools, thinking of the exchange rate for a gold bar. 

"O-One kilogram? H-How much is that? Wow." Without hesitation, Vesper makes his decision, "I'll join the trial!"

Vesper flinches. He waits for a long time, waiting for other choices. However, the signs never give him other options.

"...What about the easier modes? Hard mode? Normal mode? Easy mode? Hello?"

Vesper is stunned for five minutes.

"Erm, excuse me. What about the other choices? Do I have no other options?" Vesper's voice cracks.

Realizing the scam, Vesper turns 180 and attempts to leave. Unfortunately, the door earlier is no longer there.

RUMBLE

The billboard gets bigger, and the streets rise, forming a circle wall around the one-story house and Vesper. Without waiting for Vesper to protest or lament, it proceeds with the tutorial.

At that moment, Vesper knew – He F'ed up.