Men were lined up in a vertical row, facing the crowd. When a name was called, they were sent forward to face their fate, resting in the hands of the spectators, who viewed the executions as a form of entertainment.
The first convict was called, and his crimes were announced: robbery, fraud, and theft. The guard asked the people how they would judge the accused, the shouts of the axe could be heard louder than the noose and the guillotine. "The verdict has been made," said the guard before handing the scrawny man to the executioner.
Our protagonist, Leo, thought at least the man would have a swift death, but boy, was he wrong. To make sure to set an example for anyone who will try to break the law, they made sure the punishment would be as excruciating as possible. A twenty-sided dice was rolled and the number it landed on was sixteen.
"Sixteen" the executioner shouted, "sixteen" was the crowd shouted back in joy. Leo was confused about what the dive and sixteen had to do in this situation. Until he saw the executioner raising the dull rusted axe.
He swung once but did not kill the convict immediately. He swung again and again fourteen times. The convict, still breathing and bleeding from his neck profusely, begging to be killed until the last swing, chopping the convict's head completely. The crowd roared in cheers as they praised the good work of the executioner, who could only feel proud at this moment.
Leo thought it was barbaric until he realized after four more convicts he would be next. At least he was not alone as there would be 20 more convicts after he died. That didn't console him at all
Noticing how stressed out Leo was a guard standing next to him started to tease him.
He laughed at the fact that Leo was scared when he was given quick active poison to not go through this pain. They even placed it in his food like how he asked for it, it was his own doing that he chickened out at the last minute.
This brought him back to when he was in the cell. He remembered about the mashed porridge that was left spilled on the floor.
Leo was thankful not to have tried it but was now curious why he was spared in this way.
All of that was not important at that time, as the third convict was going through his execution. A ring sounded in his head as he saw a red holographic window appear in front of him.
*Ding!*
[You have been chosen as the host of the system]
[Host has been locked from some system functions because of his low level]
[Host will be given main and sub-quests.
These quests would be given to set the path to the host's greatness]
_________________________________________
[Status]
[Name: Leo]
[LV: 1(0/100 EXP)]
[Race: Human]
[Title: N.A]
[HP: 10/10]
[MP: 20/20]
[STR: 5]
[AGI: 7]
[STA: 5]
[PER: 7]
[CHA: 4]
[Skills: dash(lv1)]
_________________________________________
Leo was mesmerized by the status screen, and it gave him hope. He had read lots of web novels and had a general idea of how a status screen worked.
He just had to find a way to escape his execution. Just as he was thinking of ways to free himself and survive, he was pushed again by the guard. Turns out it was his turn to be executed; he had no idea that it was time since he was too absorbed with the status screen.
The executioner repeated his words whenever he had to execute a criminal. The crowd, this time, chose the guillotine; the executioner whispered to Leo that he was lucky since the guillotine gave a quick death.
Just as he was about to place his head down to be chopped
*Ding!*
[Host is about to be executed on his first day in another world.
QUEST: escape execution by any means possible.
Rewards: 50EXP, skill EXP.
Punishment:Death]
Leo was now exhausted, he couldn't feel surprised anymore about his situation. Now all he could do was brainstorm ideas while hoping for a miracle