[1ST POV INITIALLIZE]
With a big leap, I took the final step and entered the escalator. The interior of the escalator was spacious and wide, equipped with a panoramic holographic screen that displayed the current outside world, resembling a real-time window despite being situated in the center of the building.
In stark contrast to the outside, filled with ruins and darkness, the interior of the escalator appeared clean, bright, and undamaged. However, the paranormal holographic screen showed a world engulfed in ruins, with red flames and smoke enveloping the entire dome. The artificial light of the holographic sky had gone blank. Perhaps they hadn't destroyed the elevator to allow a few survivors to pass through this floor, but there were numerous elevators on this floor, providing an opportunity for others to move to the next floor.
As soon as Shan and I landed our feet inside, we nearly lost our balance. We leaned forward against the holographic screen wall for support. Now that we were safe, Setsuna quickly closed the elevator door using the touch holographic button next to the sliding entrance. Strangely, the squad of masked men pursuing us also stopped.
They simply stood still, gazing at the survivors within the escalator, while the door slid closed. One of them seemed to fix his gaze on me.
It dawned on me that these soldiers, despite wearing masks hiding their bloodthirsty behavior, actually followed a set of rules like NPC and did not act out of emotion. They truly meant it when they said they wouldn't pursue or kill those who moved up to higher floors. It felt as though I was trapped in a survival game, and I needed to figure out the rules of the game.
Gasping for breath, I bent forward, placing both hands on my knees to regain my composure. After taking a deep breath, I then looked around to observe what was happening in the elevator.
Setsuna and Shan were there, along with six other passengers, including my gymnastics teacher, who stood in the corner. I didn't greet him immediately, pretending not to notice him, as I was too tired. But deep down, I felt immense joy to see him survive and be present here.
Standing beside my gymnastics teacher was a girl with short brown hair and a modified body. I assumed they must have known each other.
Glancing around, I noticed many survivors sitting with their knees up, their expressions tense and darkened as their minds processed the recent events. Some of them were stained with blood and dirt all over their bodies. Meanwhile, a tall guy with slicked-back black hair, dressed in a black suit, stood anxiously, tapping his feet on the ground repeatedly.
While lost in my thoughts, I heard a voice that distracted me from my observations.
"By the way, Einsamer, it's about time you told me the truth about your archetype," Shan said, turning his head toward me, his eyes wide with intrigue. His face was covered with visible marks and discoloration caused by dirt.
I was aware that my archetype was probably uninteresting to him. However, my exclusive skill was what made me unique among other rankers. Nevertheless, I hid my skill from people because the Church of the Divine Light had forced me to keep quiet about it. It was an extremely exclusive skill that allowed rankers to utilize skills from other archetypes. Whenever anyone showed curiosity about me using other archetype skills, I would always claim it was a hidden creation skill obtained from a secret quest in Aerosea, the underworld of TWOD in the Western Dimension.
Considering all this, I responded, "As you know, my archetype is that of a peasant, nothing special, and you already know that. Why are you asking all of a sudden?"
It was strange for him to ask me such a question in this kind of situation.
Furthermore, my exclusive skill, "Jack of All Trades," allowed me to battle using multiple skills from every foundational archetype. This sometimes confused people, as they assumed I must possess a rare or even exclusive archetype, when in reality, it was just my skill.
"You're not hiding anything, are you? It's quite rare for a ranker to be able to use powers from other archetypes, you might be a chosen one you know." Shan asked, his brow furrowing.
"Even in this situation, you know how to make a joke. But the chosen one is not me either. I am neither heroic nor passionate," I replied with a faint smile.
As a peasant archetype, no matter how much I strived to upgrade it, I wouldn't be able to obtain mystical exclusive skills. So, I didn't see the point of having this exclusive skill in the first place. However, I had mastered it and used it to my advantage, knowing which foundational archetype skill to use against particular enemies.
Moreover, the peasant archetype was one of the weakest, so I could only upgrade the skills I possessed to at best an S-Rank. But there was one more rank, the mystical rank, that peasants couldn't obtain. Nevertheless, I was grateful that the game system allowed every ranker to obtain an exclusive and rare skill, either through completing a hidden quest or being born with it.
In my case, I was born with the exclusive skill of the Jack of All Trades. It was both a blessing and a curse, as I could use many archetype skills, but I couldn't level up. This realization made me feel like my life had been predetermined since birth. However, a peasant's most noticeable trait was hard work, and I used it to my advantage.
But now, with the world fallen into chaos and society crumbling, what was the point of discussing TWOD and my archetype?
"It still doesn't explain why it is extremely rare for a ranker to possess such a skill. There are rumors that only one ranker among the top ten rankers in the solar system is able to have such an archetype - the archetype of Pantology," Shan said, his expression filled with curiosity.
Exhausted, I replied, "It's a creation skill I obtained from an S-Rank achievement during a dimensional event, and my archetype is a peasant."
In my words, it was a mix of half-truth and half-lie. The skills I was born with were not obtained through hidden quests, it was actually a part of me.
Shan expressed his dissatisfaction and said, "I also got the same achievement, but my creation skill can only create items and tools. It can't even create archetype skills."
He took a deep breath and continued, "In most cliche novels, the chosen ones are always the seemingly boring and loser ones who have a hidden power."
"Are you trying to tease me with your words?" I asked, unsure of his intentions.
"The divine judgment might exist, and it's possible that a few chosen ones are born to lead people to the righteous path. It's crucial to know that I am actually standing near one," Shan said, his voice slightly teasing me.
"The chosen one might be you or anybody else. Obviously, it's not me. And by the way, you think I'm a loser?" I said, playfully striking his back.
It was true, I used to be a people pleaser, not even knowing who I was. If, for some reason, I turned out to be a chosen one, I would be a disappointment to the higher power that chose me, whether for good or bad. I didn't like the idea of being a harbinger of darkness either. In fact, I preferred to remain a nobody.
Shan didn't seem to mind when I struck his back and just laughed it off, sitting down with his hands resting on his bent knees. I knew he was joking around to lighten the mood.
Indeed, now we wouldn't be able to play TWOD or use our archetypes to benefit us in reality. In the end, they were just reflections of our personalities, nothing more.
Nevertheless, I lied to him to calm his mind. "The creation skill I have has another hidden level. I think everyone can unlock it. I'm not the only one who can use multiple archetype skills either."
Shan looked at me analytically and responded, "I see, you're a skilled ranker. Too bad the game is shut down and the world is upside down now."
Just as I was about to respond to him, someone else interrupted our conversation.
A sharp voice rang out, "Damn, all the lower floors are no longer accessible. We can only go up!"
When I took a closer look at the floating screen showing the available floors, all the floors from the 42nd floor downward were non-accessible. There was no light coming from behind the numbers, and no matter how many times Setsuna tried to press them, nothing worked.
Therefore, we could only go upward, to the top of the building where the largest floating island in sectors 2 and 1 was located. It was known as the artificial garden and was one of the most attractive sites in Singa Sanctuary, alongside the vibrant city.
The man in the black suit stepped forward, pushing Setsuna aside, and clicked on the topmost floor.
"Let the adults do the work. Step aside, girl," he said as he glanced at Setsuna, then he continued with a nervous laugh "Golden eyes? Haha, unlucky for an elite lady like you, now the world is upside down, experience the harsh reality."
He probably noticed her golden eyes, only the new generation of the elite were allowed to have these modified eyes.
She was about to argue with him, but I pulled her back and shook my head. I wanted to observe the situation first, in case any unknown rules arose.
The elevator was already halfway there, and we were currently on the 42nd floor. In around three more minutes, we would reach our destination, which meant there were still 74 more floors to go. I wondered what had happened to the people on the floors below us. Did they have to go up as well?
Now, the elevator began to move, and everyone seemed to ease their tense expressions a bit. But not even a minute passed before something strange happened.
Out of nowhere, the elevator started shaking violently for a short period before halting with a loud clunky noise. We had only reached the 88th floor. The malfunction of the elevator made the passengers look around nervously.
The transparent glass also turned pitch black, functioning as a security mechanism that added another layer of protection.
Multiple holographic displays were projected from a single round device, showcasing a high-security message: "The elevator is in high-security mode. Please don't leave the elevator until authorities arrive."
However, as if there were an error or glitch, the holographic screen started displaying countless news articles on the same topic: "Unknown terrorist attacks across the world."
Footage of multiple domes being attacked appeared on the screens, showing crumbled buildings and iconic landmarks being destroyed.
The iconic Opera House was being obliterated by a laser beam from an unknown fleet of cruisers that belongs to the terrorist, and the same fate befell the Tokyo Dome, sector 17 and the Juéqǐ de Lóng Dome, sector 19 both located in the Ryu Sanctuary continent in the East.
Hundreds of people were burned and slaughtered, some even impaled on the street.
The raw videos of people being killed alone made my blood boil with rage. Why did these people glorify death and violence and showcase it to the world?
Shan and I exchanged a confused glance, and Setsuna also seemed equally confused, though she showed no sign of fear.
Her eyes glanced at me with an annoyed expression, as if she wasn't pleased with the situation. This was happening all around Tellus, not just in sectors 1 and 2 within the Singa Sanctuary continent.
At that moment, chaos erupted as a distressed passenger shouted, "Why is this happening? This must be a joke, right?" Tears streamed down her cheeks.
I presumed that she must have been living in a false utopia, unable to endure this stressful situation. However, Setsuna was different. She seemed composed and didn't utter a single word.
After witnessing the footage, a loud bell rang from the elevator's speakers, capturing our attention. Additionally, the black glass surrounding us transformed into a screen, revealing the figure of an old lady—the school principal.
She was dressed in a black trouser and professional suit.
Her strict voice echoed through the elevator as she broadcasted the news. "Everyone, follow the instructions. Our school is under attack by unknown terrorists wielding traditional weapons such as swords and spears. Please find shelter in the underground bunker and do not go to the upper floors above you. They have set up... agghhhhh!"
Blood!
While she was talking on the screen, an arrow suddenly flew from nowhere, piercing her back from behind and exiting through the other side. Attached to the tip of the arrow was her heart, which ended her life instantly. Her body fell, her face smashing onto the table in front of her. Her blood splattered everywhere on the screen, as this horrifying scene was being broadcast live, probably everywhere within the skyscraper.
The staff, teachers, and her secretary who were present in the hall screamed in shock at the sight of the principal being killed in cold blood.
Then, heavy footsteps of several masked men could be heard approaching from the two entrances of the hall. Each one of them carried weapons straight out of fantasy.
These mysterious men chased down the remaining survivors in the hall, showing no mercy to teachers, students, guards, and staff. They slaughtered them with their swords, their faces concealed by black hoods and eerie angelic masks stained with the blood of their victims.
Suddenly, the screams of misery ceased, signaling that there were no more survivors in the hall. One of the killers, distinguished by a silver sun cross emblem on his mask, confidently stepped forward with seven other masked men accompanying him. They stood in front of the camera, their voices distorted.
With a wicked chuckle, the man soaked in blood proclaimed, "The judgment begins, and no one is coming to save you. We've killed all the security guards in this school. You've been living a privileged life as lazy, carefree, and selfish individuals, sitting at the top of the food chain just by being human. But now, the tide has turned."
He continued with an excited voice, "Let the game of life and death begin. Betray, kill, steal, rape—indulge in every sin, for we do not judge sinners. We only judge the hypocrites, those self-righteous individuals in this wicked world where survival of the fittest reigns supreme. We will show them that there is no force of good coming to save them. If you want to survive, you must kill and betray! Become the alpha."
The screen once again turned blank after the leader of this terrorist group declared his goal of killing everyone in the skyscraper.
Everyone who witnessed this horrifying event unfolding before their eyes was left speechless. Some cried out in terror and prayed to God. Shan and Setsuna stood frozen in shock, their eyes wide open and their mouths agape, unable to comprehend what they had just witnessed.