"I am Nabil. I was born into a stable family, wealthier than most of my classmates. I got everything I wanted, and both my parents worked, so I was used to a certain lifestyle. I spent most of my time alone at home, lost in video games.
Despite having everything, my family was far from peaceful. My father was an alcoholic and abused my mother almost daily. As a child, I didn't understand much. My father brought different women into our house, claiming they were my aunts. I believed him.
One day, when I was twelve, I came home to find my father attacking my mother. When he saw me witnessing the violence, he turned on me as well. I was injured, but my mother managed to save me, though she lost an eye in the process.
After that, my parents separated, and my father was sent to jail. His smuggling operations were exposed, thanks to my mother's report to the police. Since then, my mother raised me alone. She never remarried, dedicating herself to making sure I grew up well. I wanted to improve her life, but despite my intentions, I squandered my time playing games instead of studying. Now, facing death, I regret my wasted past.
It feels like I'm drowning in a salty sea, burning in boiling oil. All I see is an impenetrable darkness."
---
"If you die, what is the meaning of our sacrifice? We all died to save you. What was the point of our deaths? If you die, who will honor our sacrifice?" the dolphin spoke in a human-like voice.
"I didn't ask you to die for me. It's not my fault. You can't blame me for everything. Why did you save me? What was your reason?" Nabil demanded.
"When we saw your eyes, you became our king. As pawns, we can't let the king die. The king's role is to record the sacrifice, and if the king dies, the sacrifice loses its value. Not just us, but everyone, from rats to mighty dragons, will mourn. If you die, all our efforts will be in vain. So think carefully before you give up or we all will crumble and weep."
"You can't die."
"You can't die."
"You can't die."
< You can't die >
° You can't die °
[ You can't die ]
-------
"I can't die. Yes, I can't die."
Nabil opened his eyes with a scream, finding himself lying on the ground. His body had miraculously healed. His previously ripped flesh, broken leg, and shattered chest were now restored to normal.
Looking around, Nabil saw he was inside a cave, resting beside a warm fire.
He sat up, marveling at his complete recovery.
"Where am I?" he muttered, feeling a dull pain in his head. He clutched his head and stood up.
Beside him lay a set of armor and various tools: a stone sword, pickaxe, and axe.
< Stone Sword - 66% Health >
< Stone Pickaxe - 21% Health >
< Stone Axe - 100% Health >
< Stone Chest Plate - 41% Health >
< Stone Helmet - 80% Health >
< Stone Leggings - 91% Health >
< Stone Boots - 3% Health >
He also noticed a chest containing his t-shirt. His lower body was dressed in pants, while his upper body was covered in bandages.
"Who did this?" Nabil started to say, but the bandages around his throat made speaking painful, so he stopped.
< System was switched off; I have no idea. >
"Someone must have saved me, but who?" Nabil wondered.
< Important - Don't trust anyone, only trust the person you believe >
Nabil explored the cave, finding no one. He discovered a ladder and climbed up, emerging into a dark room with a trapdoor-like gate. Peering through small openings, he saw the outside swarming with various creatures, such as skeletons and zombies.
"So this is how the world looks at night? I'd better keep the door shut," Nabil thought, descending back down. He picked up the sword and noticed a message written on the ground: "Feel free to use these. They are yours."
"Was this message meant for me?" Nabil wondered as he examined the text.
He scanned the cave, picking up a stick to examine further. He discovered some wooden planks covering a large hole. Removing the planks, he saw a massive cave filled with hostile creatures and monsters. The place was shrouded in darkness.
As he took in the scene, an arrow flew from the darkness. He dodged it just in time, spotting a skeleton with a bow. He quickly hid the entrance.
"This place is like those enormous caves in Miniworld games, where players mine. I never thought I'd see something like this in real life. How could anyone mine in such a place?" Nabil wondered, marveling at the surreal sight.
---
Day 08
Nabil awoke to the sun rising, its rays slowly turning the bodies of zombies and skeletons into dust. The particles mixed with the air, creating a thick, polluted haze.
As he stepped outside, Nabil surveyed his surroundings: he was in a massive cave. Behind him lay a rocky expanse, while ahead stretched a dense jungle. The stench of decaying undead filled the air, making him cough.
He quickly retreated back into the cave, where the remnants of the wood fire had faded to ash, plunging the cave into darkness.
"What will I do with this armor? How do I even wear it?" Nabil pondered aloud. He picked up the chestplate and put it on.
"Wow, it's lighter than I expected!" he exclaimed as the armor reshaped itself to fit his body.
He then donned the leggings, helmet, and boots.
Venturing outside, he carried a sword in his left hand and an axe in his right.
"So these are stone weapons. To craft them, I need to gather stone and wood. The armor is also made of stone, so it's craftable as well. But first, I need to find some food," he mused.
"The armor is surprisingly light. My vision is somewhat obstructed, though. I should take it off for now," he decided, stowing the armor in his inventory for later use.
Nabil glanced at the sword and concluded, "I can use the axe for tasks that the sword would handle, so I don't need it right now." He placed the sword into his inventory and scanned the area for food.
He spotted mango trees, their fruit hanging high.
"Wow, I didn't notice those before. But how do I reach those mangoes? They're way too high," he thought.
"Maps? What maps?" Nabil asked aloud.
"Great, I need that map. How do I level up?" Nabil inquired.
<200 points will advance you to level 2. 400 points will take you to level 3. 800 points will take you to level 4. 1600 points will level you up to 5.>
"What's my current point total? Are points and coins the same thing?" Nabil asked.
"So I need 10 more points to reach level 2. How do I earn points?" he asked.
"I should start by cutting down this tree. It's huge, so I'll likely get a significant amount of wood," Nabil decided, beginning to chop with his axe.
<99.5% health remaining>
With each strike, Nabil noted the health drop:
<99% health remaining>
"Wait, this axe only takes 0.5% health per hit. The last one took 5% per hit. Why the difference?" he wondered.
"I see, this tree isn't as thick as the last one," he said, continuing to chop. After a few more hits, the tree toppled, and Nabil collected ripe mangoes from its branches.
He eagerly began eating the juicy fruit.
"Ah, finally something delicious. I was thirsty, but these mangoes are perfect," he said, stuffing the remaining mangoes into his inventory.
"What? How is this possible? I thought similar items stack in the same slot, just like in games," Nabil complained.
"How am I supposed to carry all these mangoes then? There are still 12 left," Nabil said, frustrated.
Nabil pulled out a chest from his inventory and placed the mangoes inside.
"I'll carry the chest with the mangoes. Wait… If I put the chest back in the inventory now, it should hold all the mangoes," he reasoned.
"Yes, I can," Nabil said, confidently pressing the button to store the chest. However, the mangoes spilled out onto the ground.
-----
In a different part of the world, the armored woman teleported through the sky with her distinctive purple eyes.
She navigated by following a map displayed on her system, seeking a specific location.