Chapter 11 – Tutorial (Survivor) - 11
Vesper's eyes slowly flutter open. Having faced death for the second time, he begins to become accustomed to its chilling embrace.
Death itself holds no fear, but the agonizing process leading to it is a nightmare. As blood seeps from him, an icy sensation grips every nerve and bone, stabbing him with invisible needles of frost. His organs churn, sending sharp signals of pain to his brain, urging him to fight and cling to life. Even as his eyes and lungs cease their function, his mind persists for several excruciating seconds, each one stretching out like an eternity.
The first encounter was shocking; the second, was still terrifying but bearable. Rising to his feet, Vesper massages his neck and abdomen, finding himself once again in the middle of the road. Testing his voice, he attempts to speak, yet silence greets him—a consequence of his prior penalty.
A low rumble resonates as a billboard emerges from the concrete, taunting him once again.
Vesper clicks his tongue, engaging in silent banter within his mind.
'You never warned me about the Apparatus! That should've been in the rules. If I knew a boss monster would spawn, I would've left it alone!'
'...You.'
'...This.'
The words on the billboard mark the final scene he beheld before darkness consumes his vision, his eyeballs dislodging from their sockets.
Despair floods Vesper as he loses both his eyes and his sight, his heart sinking and his mind freezing. His face drains of color, as pale as a ghostly sheet.
'NOOOO!!'
Vesper flails his hands in front of his face, but the darkness remains impenetrable. Overwhelmed by the shock, he stumbles and crashes onto the unforgiving floor, its icy touch leaving his skin scratched and bloodied.
'Noo! NOOOOO!!'
A torrent of emotions floods Vesper - anger, frustration, desperation, and sorrow. Alone in the enveloping darkness, he unleashes a voiceless cry, consumed by regret for his past choices and the life he led.
Nearly 24 hours have passed since Vesper lost his sight, granted a brief respite in the tutorial world after death.
Lying in the street's center, Vesper replays his mistakes in his mind, envisioning alternate realities where his decisions diverge from the harsh truth. His will to live has all but vanished.
In a state of apathy, a distant voice intrudes upon his thoughts, reminding him of the impending time limit.
Vesper dismisses the warning with a snort and a spat.
'Do as you wish. I'm finished. My life is over.'
Once more, the voice urges him on.
Fed up with the Judges' and Protectors' unreasonable demands, Vesper rises, confronting the starless sky with resolve.
'Listen here, whoever you are! You strip away my sight, then demand I enter that accursed house, survive, and return with offerings for you?! Do you think I'm a Superman who can miraculously adapt to my blindness within a day?! I mean, dammit! It's my fault for taking your bait when I could have left here!'
Despite his lack of eyes, tears stream from Vesper's sockets as he grits his teeth and sobs in solitude.
Five minutes swiftly elapse, and the relentless voice announces Vesper's mandated trial.
Still weeping, Vesper scoffs at the voices.
'Whatever. Do as you please. I'm destined to die again anyway.'
Just as Vesper finishes his thought, he feels a tremor beneath him. Steadying himself, he takes a step forward and collides with a solid obstacle.
Rubbing his forehead, Vesper reaches out and encounters a wooden door. He fumbles around until he locates the doorknob.
Before he can turn it and enter the house, the mysterious voice interjects with a reminder.
Vesper snickers and directs his ire toward the heavens, defiantly flipping his middle finger.
'That's just perfect. I get it loud and clear. I'll fetch it and get myself killed in no time. What else do you want to take from me? My hearing? My legs? My arms? Here, take my dick and shove it up your ass because y'all are desperate for one! Ha!'
Entering the house, Vesper feels a soft rug beneath his feet. Recalling how the spider lady can track his footprints, he wipes his soles, clearing away some of the street's grime. It may not be pristine, but it suffices to rid most of the dust and dirt.
Blindly, Vesper braces himself for another death. His left hand trails along the wall, serving as his guide as he ventures forward.
Thankfully, the house's layout remains unchanged from his previous attempts. Guided by his left hand, Vesper navigates the familiar paths leading to the master bedroom and the baby's room.
Contemplating the key's potential location, Vesper heads towards the master bedroom, uncertain of what awaits him.
…
Being blind proves to be a significant handicap for Vesper. Tasks that would take mere seconds for a sighted person become lengthy endeavors for him. After stumbling and inadvertently kicking furniture in the corridor, Vesper eventually locates the doorknob of the master bedroom and enters.
Closing the door cautiously behind him, Vesper flails his arms in an attempt to avoid colliding with objects. Unfortunately, his movements only lead to chaos. His elbow knocks over a flat-screen TV, generating a cacophony of noise. Advancing further, his right pinky toe meets the sharp edge of a cabinet, causing him to stumble onto a rune ball, throwing him off balance.
With a resounding thud, Vesper crashes backward, his head colliding with the door. Fortunately, the impact isn't severe enough to render him unconscious or inflict fatal injuries.
'This is awful.' he complains in his mind, feeling pain coursing through his body, unable to ascertain if he's wounded.
Regaining his footing, Vesper adopts a new approach. Rather than aimlessly walking and inadvertently kicking objects, he opts to crawl through the room.
Unlike his previous attempts, Vesper immediately recognizes the significance of the rune ball he encounters, mentally commanding it.
'Consume.'
Within moments, he gains a minor stat boost, albeit insignificant, yet accumulating over time.
After neutralizing this obstacle, Vesper makes his way to a cabinet, recalling it as the previous location of the key. However, his search yields two runes instead. Disregarding their significance, Vesper consumes them without hesitation.
Once again, frustration mounts as he finds no trace of the key. Slamming a drawer in vexation, he exclaims in his mind.
'Where is that stupid key?!'