Choices

As people slowly collected themselves, still reeling from the shock of witnessing the man's horrific fate, a heavy silence enveloped the room. No one dared to utter another word. As the countdown continued from the initial 30 minutes down to just 20, Tony and his group reached a decision—they would go through the yellow door.

Tony, having experienced firsthand the terrifying power of the goblin, understood that it was the weakest monster in the yellow door, signifying a moderate challenge. The thought of what horrors might await behind the red door, given the terror he had just witnessed, was beyond his imagination.

As individuals gradually made their decisions, the room began to empty out, with the initial crowd of 100 people dwindling down to roughly 30 remaining. The majority of those left were aligned with Chronos and her group, while Orix, the enigmatic figure, still sat quietly in the corner, a solitary presence amid the unfolding events.

As Chronos began to speak, her voice resonated with unwavering determination. "We must choose the red door," she declared, her words carrying the weight of conviction. "It is the most challenging, but it also promises the greatest rewards."

Her pronouncement left many behind her feeling a mixture of fear and doubt, but she had anticipated this response. Undaunted, she gazed up at Orange.

In a calm and collected tone, Chronos made her request. "Give me the map of the layout for the red zone," she stated firmly.

Orange's initial shock quickly gave way to a sly grin as he regained his composure. "Looks like this tutorial is going to be very interesting," he mused, a hint of amusement in his voice. In a moment that caught everyone off guard, a map floated down from the sky and landed gracefully in Chronos's hand, leaving the entire assembly in a state of awe and astonishment.

Chronos took the opportunity to address the assembly. She began, "As this peculiar guide, Orange, mentioned from the very beginning, he has never once lied to us. He did indeed hint at the limitations of the white door, but no one thought to ask about quotas or any further details. Moreover, he emphasized that the next 30 minutes would be the most crucial decision we would make, yet people made their choices within mere seconds."

She continued, "It was their carelessness and haste that ultimately led to their demise." Her words served as a stark reminder of the consequences of their impulsive decisions.

With the momentum of her speech, Chronos continued to address the assembly. "The red door is undeniably difficult," she affirmed. "That's why, from the very beginning, I have assembled people with the strongest attributes, stats, and skills. Our goal here is not merely to survive a tutorial; it's to beat this game and return to Earth."

Her words resonated with determination and purpose, underscoring the seriousness of their mission and the importance of their carefully chosen path through the red door.

With the assembly now excited and rallying behind her, Chronos seized the moment to unveil the map. She displayed it to everyone, revealing a detailed layout that included all the bosses and hidden zones. She explained, "As long as we avoid these danger zones early on and stick together with our well-equipped team, we should have no issues ensuring everyone's survival and progressing together."

Her strategic approach and the map's guidance elicited a renewed sense of confidence and determination among the group, as they prepared to embark on their perilous journey through the red door with a clear plan in mind.

As the timer gradually ticked down to just 10 minutes, Chronos and her group marched resolutely toward the red door, their determination unwavering. As other groups began to leave, some gazes lingered on Orix, who remained seated in the corner, motionless and seemingly uninterested in making a choice. Among those who observed Orix, there were mixed emotions—disgust and pity—reflecting the diverse reactions to Orix's apparent indifference to the unfolding events.

With just 10 minutes remaining, Orix stood alone in the chamber, the only living presence apart from the two cold, lifeless bodies left behind by the goblin's earlier rampage. As the last person entered the door, Orix finally stood up from his seat and calmly addressed Orange, "Hey, Fur ball, give me a wood sword."

Orange, seeming to be in a good mood, silently complied with Orix's request. As he approached the two dead bodies with a disturbing nonchalance as if he had executed this gruesome act countless times before. He dismembered the bodies with eerie ease, cutting through them as if they were mere objects, and stored the grisly remains in his inventory without a hint of unease. 

It became evident that the quota didn't solely apply to the participants of the tutorial but also extended to Orange, the guide overseeing the tutorial's proceedings. Orange's role was not only to guide people through the game but also to ensure that they actively chose to participate instead of simply opting out.

As a guide, Orange had additional incentives tied to achieving a balanced distribution of participants among the Green, Yellow, and Red doors. However, he was bound by the strict rule that prohibited him from lying about any aspect of the game, as any deviation from the truth would result in severe consequences.

Orix was aware that Orange, as a guide, had the authority to grant participants a simple request, as long as it wasn't excessively extravagant. He had strategically waited until the last moment to make his request, avoiding unnecessary attention early on.

However, Orix also understood that anything beyond the doors of the tutorial fell under the control of the Floor Manager, and Orange had no influence or control over those aspects of the game.

The unfortunate fate of the two early casualties was, in Orange's view, a necessary sacrifice and a "Tradition" he had devised to ensure the balance of participants among the doors. This grim practice served his goal of maintaining an equitable distribution and engagement in the tutorial.

Orange had become immensely intrigued by Orix, who exuded an air of mystery. He couldn't help but wonder why Orix hadn't asked for a map like Chronos had. However, Orix had a simple reason—he already knew the orientation of all the tutorials like the back of his head.

The most significant difference between Orix and Chronos lay in their origins. Chronos came from a different time, which meant that each tutorial she experienced was slightly different due to the temporal variations. On the other hand, Orix's cycle was rooted in the beginning of time itself, providing him with a unique perspective and experiences that were distinct from Chronos's.

Despite his curiosity, Orange's attempts to engage Orix in conversation went unanswered. This gradually escalated Orange's frustration, but he decided to issue one final warning to Orix. With just one minute remaining, he asked, "Which door are you choosing, the Yellow or the Red door?"

To Orange's shock, as time inexorably ticked down to zero, Orix's choice became clear—the green door.

Name: Orix

Level: 1

Class: None

Skills: Curse of The Zagreus [ Mythic ], Fatigue recovery [ C ]

Stats:

HP: [ 5 ]

MP: [ 5/5 ]

Strength: [ 2 ] [+1] (wood sword) [E]

Vitality: [ 2 ]

Agility: [ 4 ]

Intelligence: [ 3 ]

Luck: [ 2 ]