Chapter 2
I look up, my eyes widening in shock as I realize my mind is not playing tricks on me. A screen floating above my head displays the message I just heard. At this moment, I hear the voice again, this time more ominous and insistent:
[Chosen ones, take your step through the portal. A new destiny awaits.]
I stare at the screen in disbelief. What is this? What is happening right now?
Suddenly, a vortex of energy appears before my eyes, resembling a portal. It's illuminated by the thunderstorm outside the student dorm, its thunderclaps booming. Eerily, it feels like it's beckoning me to step through it.
After a brief hesitation, I take a deep breath and push myself through the portal.
The next thing I realize, I'm standing in a vast white hall filled with thousands of bewildered people. Their voices echo off the walls as everyone shares the same confusion as I do. The portal behind me slowly closes, and I realize there's no obvious way back.
Panic spreads through the crowd, and people start screaming and shouting for help. Suddenly, an entity appears, shrouded in blinding light. Its presence demands attention.
[Welcome, adventures. Congratulations! You are the first Batch to be chosen to enter the enigmatic dungeon]
The entity's voice is clear and authoritative, echoing throughout the hall. The crowd falls silent, listening intently.
[What awaits you is a dangerous place, but with risk comes great reward. Those who climb will be granted great power.]
The entity looks down on us, pausing for a moment, allowing its words to sink in.
[But be warned, the dungeon is filled with dangers and threats. Only those who are truly worthy will be able to survive.]
With its last sentence, the entity's authoritative aura begins to fade as it slowly disappears.
[The introductory class will commence shortly. Prepare yourself]
With that, the entity vanishes, leaving the crowd confused and left to their own devices. People start talking amongst themselves, trying to make sense out of the current situation. I don't know what to think, but I'm strangely excited, craving an adventure instead of my current monotonous life.
I take in my surroundings. The air is filled with the sound of people discussing. The walls, made of white marble, are adorned with shining runes of different sizes and colors that I can't decipher. It's unlike anything I've ever seen before. I tear my eyes away from the mesmerizing runes, feeling lost in their beauty.
Looking down at my hands, I can still feel the electricity running through them. It's a strange yet exhilarating sensation. I feel powerful, as if I could accomplish anything with the energy coursing through me.
As a gate appears before each person in the hall, I feel myself being drawn towards it. A peculiar sensation overcomes me, as if my body is being warped to a different dimension.
I find myself standing in a room that, compared to the limitless hall, feels like a regular room one could find on earth. With nothing inside, except a portal in the middle.
'Where am I, and what am I doing here?' I think to myself, lost in the confusion of my current situation. As if sensing my overwhelming emotions, the screen appears before my eyes once again.
[Welcome to the System, Tedd. I am here to guide you through the dungeon and together we are going to conquer the enigmatic dungeon. I will now bestow you a quest to start your adventure.]
{Quest: Finish the Tutorial stage.}
60, 59, 58, 57.. 'There's a time limit?' I quickly walk toward the portal and step through it.
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[Stage 1: System Introduction]
"We will now commence with the Introduction. Say 'Status' to open the Status window, where your information will be displayed"
I call out, "Status." Suddenly, an RPG-like status window appears in front of me.
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**General Info**
Name: Tedd Stormbringer | Title: None
Level: 1 (0/100)
Class: Unknown
Floor: Tutorial (0)
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**Stats**
Strength: 15
Dexterity: 11
Agility: 14
Intelligence: 10
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**Skills**
Active skill: None
Passive skill: None
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**Equipement**
Weapon: None
Armor: None
Accessories: None
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(Active) Quests -> 'Finish the Tutorial'
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I stare at the screen in disbelief. The amount of information displayed is overwhelming. It takes up most of my sight, and I feel like my brain is being overloaded with data.
The screen is a vast sea of information, with row after row filled with text and numbers. There are so many different categories, but it is strangely familiar like an RPG I played at a PC Cafe in the past.
'What the hell?' I exclaim. 'There's way too much information being displayed!'
The voice seemingly listening to my thoughts, responds, oddly cheerful for a mechanical voice, "The Status window may appear overwhelming at first, but its design will make it easier to navigate by calling out each category and assisting you on your journey through the dungeon."
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I need to be calm to figure this out. "Alright, I can already see it being useful to me." Wondering if I can just ask the system to give me a quick rundown of each category I voice my thought "System, can you provide me a quick explanation of each section?"
"Providing a quick explanation: In the 'General Info' section, you'll find basic details such as your name and level.
The 'Stats' section displays your primary attributes, which are currently on the level of an above-average human being, but will increase as you can experience. In the 'Skills' section, you can find information about your active and passive skills. They are currently empty but you'll have opportunities to acquire skill books or innovate skills yourself and develop them as you progress.
The 'Equipment' section shows your currently equipped gear. All slots are empty, but you can fill them with items you discover or acquire by slaying powerful foes.
Lastly, the 'Quest' section lists your active quests. Currently, you have the quest 'Finish the Tutorial'. More quests will be given as you continue to progress in the dungeon."
'Hmm, so it really is basically like in an RPG, slay monsters get stronger? That sounds intriguing.'
[System introduced, commence second stage]