2 [ The Guidance ]

As I opened my eyes, I found myself standing in the midst of a bewildering and unfamiliar world.

The sky above was painted in a deep shade of purple, adorned with peculiar clouds that floated high in the heavens. As I observed my surroundings, a remarkable transformation unfolded before my eyes, altering the very fabric of the environment.

The air grew thick and misty, adding to the surreal ambiance.

A nagging uncertainty gnawed at me - was this a dream or an actual, tangible reality?

Dream? No, am I still alive?

The sights and sensations that enveloped me were nothing short of surreal and dreamlike. Vivid colours permeated the atmosphere, while the air carried an array of exotic and peculiar scents.

When I gazed upward, a breathtaking spectacle greeted me - a sky bedecked with stars, each belonging to constellations I had never encountered before.

The ground beneath my feet was shrouded in an impenetrable darkness, even darker than the night sky itself. It was only the radiant reflection of a nearby star that illuminated my immediate vicinity.

As I pulled myself upright, an astonishing sight unfolded - the dark ground beneath me rippled and undulated, forming a miniature wave that dispersed with a mere flicker of my movement.

Baffled, I attempted to fathom this peculiar phenomenon. It seemed as if the ground was akin to a water puddle, where physical contact with its surface induced a ripple effect, rippling outwards until the energy dissipated.

What is this thing?

Despite its water-like behaviour, the ground felt as solid as any terrestrial surface, devoid of any wetness.

I attempted to push my hand through the ground, only to be met with an impenetrable resistance, leaving behind nothing but the lingering wave pattern as evidence of my interaction.

To my surprise, my reflection gazed back at me from the ground, adding to the ethereal beauty of this bewildering realm.

Overwhelmed with wonder and curiosity, I couldn't resist repeatedly touching the ground, inducing countless mesmerizing wave patterns in the process.

"—Are you done playing?"

"Gawh!"

Startled, I withdrewy hand, and the ground gradually settled into stillness. The sudden appearance of the mysterious voice caught me off guard, leaving me perplexed.

The same unpleasant voice I had encountered earlier resurfaced. However, the real shock came when I caught sight of a reflection on the ground — a peculiar person with a disappointed countenance stared back at me.

The figure's appearance was just as unappealing as its voice, leaving me taken aback.

Filled with a mix of fear and confusion, I instinctively recoiled and shuffled away on my back, eyeing the floating entity with dread.

Despite the figure resembling a human in form, its unearthly features and vibes rendered it inhuman. A white cloak draped his frame, concealing his hideous face beneath a veil.

My pupils trembled in terror, yet a spark of defiance remained within me. I mustered the courage to confront the bizarre entity as it floated closer to me.

"Don't come any closer!" I commanded, attempting to halt his advance.

"I said don't come any closer, you ugly bastard!" I snapped.

"—ugly?" The figure seemed taken aback by my sudden outburst, clearly affected by my honesty.

….

That's exactly what had happened before I ended here. After calming my mind, the figure began to explain my situation. It begins with introducing himself.

"You may refer to me as 'The Guidance'," the figure disclosed.

"I shall assume the role of your guide, offering explanations and instructions on your forthcoming endeavours, including the necessary steps to successfully complete The Trial before embarking on your journey as a player in the game,"

Once the commotion settled, The Guidance proceeded to elucidate the situation to me. He introduced itself as 'The Guidance' and assumed the responsibility of providing me with direction and instruction for the upcoming Trial, a prerequisite to the participation in the game that I was invited.

What did I get myself into. I sighed, obviously in my head.

I listened intently, fully engrossed in The Guidance's words. He revealed that my presence in this realm was a direct result of me accepting the enigmatic invitation from the email.

Despite my attentiveness, I found it challenging to wrap my mind around the surreal circumstances unfolding before me; everything seemed simultaneously tangible and illusory, blurring the lines between reality and a dream-like realm.

"At least, it seems the invitation was genuine," I mused, though still struggling to comprehend being invited to play a game by a being of higher authority.

Reflecting on why I had accepted the invitation, I usually ignored emails from unknown senders.

However, in this instance, a charm seemed to have concealed the true nature of the email, rendering me unable to resist its allure. Seeing me regretting accepting the invitation, the figure spoke to me.

"Essentially, once the email was received, escaping the inevitable participation in the game became impossible, as if fated by an unyielding spell,"

"In other words, I got hypnotized?" I was dead serious.

"No, It means we just increase the acceptance probability of the invitation—" I cut him out.

"Then, what is the probability of the email being accepted?"

"...About 99% but—" I cut him out again with an annoyed expression.

"Great, a forceful participation, once in a while in my life won't hurt, right?" I continued after letting out another sigh. "Anyway, where am I?"

"Presently, you're in 'The Main Lobby Realm,' a dedicated space designed for players before embarking on The Trial,"

"Ordinarily, settling the emotions of invited individuals took over an hour, with some resorting to magical means. Surprisingly, you appeared an exception, maintaining an unusual calmness in the situation,"

"I was still hoping that this was a dream," I followed his ste— floating little white–snow feet from behind. What the actual fuck is this dream?

"Prior to commencing the actual game, every player is required to undergo The Trial, an assessment aimed at gauging both their physical and mental attributes,"

The Guidance elucidated.

"After completing The Trial, players will progress to the subsequent stage before the actual game can commence," He ended his monotone speech.

I found myself struggling to grasp the details, especially regarding the purpose of this intermediate stage involving sponsorship from 'The Astrals,' supreme beings who served as game masters and spectators for this intriguing invitation.

Midway through the explanation, my curiosity drove me to munch on a snack, creating intermittent sounds of 'Munch' and 'Crunch' during the discourse.

"Furthermore, death has been excluded from The Trial, meaning any demise will be relatively painless, allowing players to advance to the subsequent phases," He continued his boring introduction if this game.

However, the discussion was momentarily interrupted as The Guidance inquired.

"By the way, where did you get that snack?" He turned his face at me. That sudden turn almost choke me, I had completely forgotten about his accidentally-scuplted appearance.

"—you mea dis jar of kooki?" I interjected with a sheepish grin after hardly trying to swallowed it before added.

"I accidentally brought it with me when you were summoning me. Want some?"

"—No…We, The Guidance, do not starve nor have the need to fill up our stoma—"

Crunch* Munch*

"..."

"—Are you sure?" I persisted playfully.

"There were still five pieces left," Gently swinging the cookie in my hands. His gaze was focused on it.

The Guidance attempted to maintain an air of denial, but witnessing my persistent munching proved irresistible, and curiosity got the better of him. He found himself tempted to take a bite.

"Told ya," I continued with another bite.

"Crunch* Munch* So, where was I before? Ah yes, The Trials! They are very important in granting you extra stats and skills as rewards. they come into play during The Sponsorship Stage, providing you with an advantage,"

After contemplating my situation several times, I finally provided some words.

"—I see. So, when can I begin The Trial?" Though, I still couldn't understand the Trial yet.

"When you're ready, we can begin The Trial right away,"

"I'm all set! Let's start,"

I mean, what's there to be worried about when there's no real death involved in The Trial, right? Let's end this quickly!

In the end, I was soaked in this weird and sudden scenario, accompanied by sensations of enthusiasm and curiosity.

"In the initial phase, participants in this scenario underwent a trial aimed at assessing their physical and mental capabilities. The trial commenced by randomly placing them in the heart of an unfamiliar forest teeming with menacing monsters—"

Oh, wait, did he just mentioned monster? Why didn't he said that earlier? But I push the thoughts of asking that. I wasn't interested in this dream. Probably will wake up and didn't remember a single thing again.

"Consequently, the players had to navigate the challenging terrain and endure the wilderness for a full 36 hours to succeed," He said.

"Players must be prepared for combat as they enter The Trial. Before commencing the challenge, participants will have the option to choose a weapon of their preference," The mention of weapon got me a bit excited. Just a bit.

The Guardian presented me with a silver book, and upon opening it, a fascinating array of weapons manifested and hovered before me.

Each time I turned the pages, a new weapon materialized, each one distinct from the last. I couldn't contain my astonishment, as I had never encountered anything quite like this in my dream before.

After much contemplation, I decided on a sword as my weapon of choice and received a leather sack.

I don't why but the moment I saw it, my heart couldn't stop beating as if it calls me to take it. Although there were many options, I couldn't possibly wield them all.

I had never wielded a weapon before, I found myself with no alternative. The sword was the only choice that resonated with my style, even back when playing Olden Rings, I always opted for a sword as my weapon. Maybe, I have a soft side for this type of weapon. Or maybe I was just biased.

"The sword proved invaluable in battling the perilous monsters, its sharp blade and swift strikes aiding in your defence. Yet, you couldn't afford to grow complacent or lower your guard. The trial's intent was to challenge both your physical and mental capacities, requiring unwavering vigilance and focus throughout. Apart from combat, you had to gather essential resources to ensure your survival in the unforgiving wilderness,"

It's challenging to put into words, but I can't help feeling that any video game on Earth would offer a more compelling scenario or quest explanation than what was provided by The Guidance. Maybe it's because I had set my expectations quite high for The Guidance? How disappointing.

Fortunately, I have the advantage of being able to pose questions directly to The Guidance during the trial.

The Guidance assured me that it would monitor the players' progress closely. Additionally, The Guidance had informed me beforehand that the other players would be placed in a distinct realm for the duration of the trial.

There are other players participating in the trial. The good news is that I won't be required to interact with them directly, there's no concerns about social interactions during the challenge. I thought.

"The trials' scoring and evaluation will be handled by the realm's system itself. It will serve as the impartial judge, determining the players' performance and assigning ranks accordingly," He continued.

"Hello, Mr. Guidance, during the trial, will you be present and available to provide guidance and support?" My curiosity got the better of me.

"No, I won't physically be with you. I'll be observing from a distance, but if you have any questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to ask. I'm here to help,"

I must admit that it takes some getting used to his voice. I need to get more accustomed to it. That made me wondered, could this be a nightmare for me? I tried to look at his face directly again but my heart sunk at the thought of it.

I took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. instead of doing something that could give tremor to my brain, a question lingered in my mind.

"Do you have a name? It's a bit challenging to keep addressing you as Mr. Guidance every time I have a question. It doesn't roll off the tongue easily,"

"—No, we do not have any given name, nor do we require one," He paused then continued with no expression in his voice.

"How can I survive? What type of monsters populate this forest? What should be my first step in this trial? These were the inquiries you should anticipated as a priority," He scolded me with a monotone voice.

"Asking my name—What a peculiar player," I can't tell he was being sarcastic to me.

"So Garen, I have another question to ask—"

The Guidance slightly twitched his right eye, a subtle physical reaction to the unexpected name he was called.

"This forest—What was the size of it? Is there a restriction or limit on the players' freedom to roam during the trial?—" I didn't stop there. I've keep on bombarding him another question since he asked for it.

"—Furthermore, what types of monsters inhabit this forest, and how many of them are there?" I smiled waiting for his answer.

There was a rush of excitement in his expression as I finally posed thoughtful and relevant questions. What a peculiar Guidance, ugly too. I wondered if he can read my mind. I hope so.

Despite the confusion caused by my choice of name, The Guidance understood that fulfilling his duty and responding toy questions remained his primary responsibility and top priority.

Regardless of the circumstances, it was committed to providing the necessary guidance and assistance to aid me throughout the trial.

"That's some good questions. So, regarding that—" As The Guardian prepared to deliver his response, an abrupt chill filled the vicinity, and an intense pressure weighed down on the atmosphere. His eyes glowed with a piercing blue hue, emanating a powerful energy from within his body.