Derek Atkinson, a 57-year-old African American with graying hair and a slightly stooped posture, had seen better days. His face bore the lines of a life lived in relative contentment, if not excitement. His dark skin had a few age spots, and his eyes, once bright and ambitious, had dimmed with years of routine and predictability. Divorced, with two kids and some grandkids he rarely talked to—save for the yearly birthday card and the customary $20—Derek had been an accountant before the cultivation system came. He had always been a middling presence, never rising above mediocrity but finding solace in the stability and predictability of his life. He had found comfort in his routines, the predictable flow of numbers, and the quiet of his small office. He was content, even happy at times, with his lot.
When the cultivation system was introduced, Derek was too scared to choose a dungeon. The fear of the unknown paralyzed him, and he couldn't bring himself to take the risk. Once the timer ran out, he found himself in a massive courtyard, larger than anything he could have ever imagined. The expanse was vast, dwarfing any stadium he had ever seen. It felt endless, teeming with people and other races—humans and dark elves, with some Vorath and Ursox scattered among them. The sheer scale of the place was overwhelming, a testament to the new world's enormity and complexity. Derek felt a sinking feeling in his stomach as he realized how small and insignificant he was in this vast, new reality.
An orc, towering and imposing, stood before them. His skin was a deep green, and his eyes were a piercing yellow. His muscles rippled under his minimal armor, and his presence was commanding and intimidating. "Kneel," the orc commanded, his voice booming and leaving no room for disobedience. Derek, along with the others, dropped to their knees, the cold ground pressing against them. The orc introduced himself as Gorath and informed them they would be servants to the students who would come to his school over the next three years. Derek's heart sank further as he listened to the orc's words, the reality of his situation hitting him like a ton of bricks.
An idiotic Vorath attempted to rebuke Gorath, standing tall and defiant. But the orc merely looked at him with a chilling intensity, and the Vorath collapsed, bleeding from his seven orifices. The sight was horrifying, and a collective gasp echoed through the courtyard. Derek felt a wave of nausea wash over him. The message was clear: defiance would not be tolerated. The orc's power was absolute, and any attempt to challenge it would be met with swift and deadly retribution.
"You are expected to work every day, taking care of necessities from dawn to dusk," Gorath continued, his voice a cold, hard promise of the grueling days ahead. "On average, you will work 17 hours a day, which includes a single hour to rest and eat in the middle of your shift." The weight of his words pressed down on Derek, the thought of such long hours and relentless labor sapping his already dwindling spirit. "Should you perform your duties adequately, you will receive one hour of instruction on meditation and basic cultivation techniques one time every two weeks." The promise of instruction was a small glimmer of hope, but it was scant consolation for the arduous path laid out before them.
Gorath's eyes scanned the crowd, his gaze landing on each of them with a weight that made Derek's heart pound. The orc's piercing eyes seemed to see right through him, assessing his worth and determination. "Those who slack will be corrected, and those who cannot be corrected will be used as training material." The way Gorath said "training material" sent a shiver down Derek's spine. It sounded horrible, an ominous fate awaiting those who failed to meet the orc's expectations. The implication was clear: their lives were expendable, their worth measured only by their ability to serve and survive.
The cold, unforgiving reality of his new life settled heavily on Derek's shoulders. The mundane comfort of his previous existence seemed a distant memory, replaced by a harsh new world where only the strong and the obedient would survive. The future looked bleak, but Derek knew he had no choice but to endure, to adapt, and to find a way to navigate this brutal new reality.