Tutorial Phase

As the first light of dawn painted the room in hues of gold, I awoke to a sight that plunged me into a maelicstrom of confusion and awe—a black box, floating before my eyes, its hum a strange melody of unseen worlds. Its edges were dotted with lights, reminiscent of the most advanced technologies I had dabbled with during fleeting moments of respite from my duties as a Special Forces Sergeant.

Running my fingers over its engravings, a sense of familiarity battled with the sheer impossibility of its presence. "What the hell?" I muttered, my curiosity tinged with a rising alarm. This was a piece of the future, stranded in my present.

The box vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leaving behind a voice that echoed, "Analysis complete... Overview." Instinctively, I repeated, "Overview," summoning a blue window filled with data that seemed to define me in terms unknown:

Name: Azarias Yelnats

Age: 25

Level: 1

Rank: A

Class: Unknown

Sponsor: Unknown

Ability: Fusion

Health: 15

Mana: 15

Essence: 0

STR (Strength): 1

INT (Intelligence): 1

CON (Constitution): 1

CHA (Charisma): 1

SPD (Speed): 1

Points Available: 25

The absence of my phone, my link to any semblance of normalcy, sparked a surge of panic. With no other options, I reached out through the system. "Message Njoya," I commanded, my voice a mix of desperation and hope. His reply came as a beacon in the tumult, confusion laced with an undercurrent of relief.

Determined to unravel the mystery, I initiated a call to Captain Xander. "Call Captain Xander," I spoke into the void, the system responding to my command.

As his voice crackled through, "Azarias… what the hell is happening?" the weight of our situation began to dawn on us.

"Yeah, it's crazy. I don't think anyone could've prepared for this," I responded, my mind racing with the implications of our new reality.

"Right on," Njoya's voice echoed in agreement, his usual bravado tinged with uncertainty.

The captain's questions poured in, his tone a mix of concern and disbelief. "Is this some kind of prank? How did you even get through to me?"

I reassured him, "No prank, Captain. It seems like the whole world's caught up in this... situation. We need to figure this out together."

Gathering the team, we shared our experiences, the bizarre system linking us in ways we couldn't have imagined. "Hey, have either of you experienced anything strange this morning?" I messaged Naomi and Zillah, their swift responses confirming our shared ordeal.

As we convened at the captain's office, the gravity of our circumstance settled in. Captain Xander shared insights from global communications, hinting at a worldwide phenomenon. Our conversation meandered through disbelief to speculation, with Njoya proposing a theory that seemed ripped from the pages of our favorite novels. "It's like those transmigration stories, right? Maybe we're being prepped for something big."

"Transmigration," I corrected, the word feeling both alien and apt in our context.

Our dialogue was cut short by the system's chime, a prelude to our unforeseen journey. "Initializing tutorial," it announced, and within moments, our world shifted.

Transported to an unfamiliar terrain, we stood, transformed by the system's whims. Armor clad and armed, our appearance mirrored the fantasy of Njoya's theory. The shock of our sudden transition gave way to a rapid assessment of our situation.

"What the hell is going on?" I voiced our collective bewilderment, my eyes taking in the fantastical landscape that sprawled before us.

"It looks like we've been transported to some kind of fantasy world," Zillah analyzed, her calm demeanor a stark contrast to the chaos of our situation.

Njoya, ever the optimist, found strength in our transformation. "I don't know about you, but I feel stronger."

Captain Xander, embracing his role, rallied us. "It seems Njoya's theory might hold more truth than we thought. Let's stay alert."

The arrival of goblin-like creatures, brandishing weapons and armor, marked the beginning of our tutorial—a real-life lesson in survival in this new world. "Welcome to Lancaster! The tutorial will now begin. Lesson 1: Basic combat training," the system