Finn's father glanced at Finn and then looked away, focusing on his mother and siblings.
"My father was among the world leaders that negotiated with the system. We have obtained some inside information," he began.
Finn put down the Wuxia novel, actually interested in the information his father had. Alexander, sporting black and blue eyes and a bandage over his nose, was giving Finn a nasty look, but everyone was too focused on his father to notice. Finn ignored him, listening intently.
"We don't know much," his father continued, "but what we do know is that whoever's hand you're holding when you get sent to the tutorial dungeon—or school, as in Finn's case—you will reappear with that person. It acts as a chain, with one person at the front. Even if someone dies, the chain moves forward to the left to whoever the leader was, and if the leader dies, it'll be the second person. However, there's a limit of 100 people per chain."
Finn's interest piqued further. This was crucial information.
"You will run the tutorial dungeon alone," his father clarified, "but once you complete it, you'll reappear on the Earth that has merged with other planets. Finn, since you'll be sent to a school, you'll reappear after completing your tutorial. This means you might be three or so years behind us—two years for your schooling and approximately one year for your dungeon tutorial. You'll show up wherever the leader originally appeared after their dungeon."
His father continued, "There will also be other races—dwarves, elves, orcs, and countless others. The multiverse is vast and teeming with a myriad of races."
Finn's mother, pale and trembling, clutched at Finn's father's arm, her eyes wide with fear and uncertainty. She seemed on the verge of breaking down completely. "What will happen to us? How will we survive this?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Amelia, Finn's sister, appeared as composed as ever, her face a mask of calculated calm. She absorbed the information like a computer processing data, her eyes flicking back and forth as if visualizing every possible scenario. Amelia had always been an enigma, her thoughts concealed behind an impenetrable exterior. Finn knew she was calculating every variable, preparing for whatever lay ahead.
Alexander, on the other hand, had stopped glaring and now wore an expression of intense focus. His usual hostility was replaced by a sharp, strategic gleam in his eyes. Finn recognized the look immediately—Alexander was already devising plans, his mind working at a furious pace to adapt to this new reality. Finn knew his brother well enough to see that he was readying himself for the challenges ahead, leveraging his keen intellect and ruthless pragmatism.
As his family continued to talk, Finn became engrossed in his Wuxia novel, which was actually pretty interesting. He had finished his sandwich and was contemplating making a second when he felt like someone was looking at him.
Looking up, Finn found his family staring at him, their eyes filled with a mix of curiosity and expectation. He returned their gaze, remaining silent.
Eventually, his father broke the silence. "What are you doing?"
"Researching," Finn replied simply.
His family's eyes remained fixed on him, and Finn, fully aware that his father wanted more information, decided to stay silent. His father's frustration was evident as he asked again, "What are you researching?"
"A Wuxia novel," Finn answered, then elaborated, "It's a story about martial arts and cultivation, where characters grow stronger through training and overcoming challenges. It might help me understand the concepts we'll need in the tutorials."
He noticed a flicker of interest in Amelia's eyes, her calculating mind undoubtedly processing this new angle. Alexander, however, resumed his intense glare, as if Finn had just unveiled a secret weapon.
Just as his father was about to respond, Finn's smartwatch vibrated. He glanced down at the screen and saw that everyone was being called to the event center. Looking up, he noticed that his family, along with everyone else, was also looking at their watches, the same message displayed on all of them.
The room, filled with tension and unspoken fears, now buzzed with a new urgency. Finn stood up, the Wuxia novel forgotten for the moment, and prepared to head to the event center, a mixture of anticipation swirling within him.