The System Universe

Almost ten years later, Phanessa Tauriel, now known as Phay, sighed as she wiped down the bar counter for the twentieth time that day. She couldn't help but reflect on the strange twist of fate that had led her from a curious teenager in the streets of Manaus to the owner of a thriving sports bar and tattoo shop.

"Sigh. To think my childish curiosity would lead me to a life of constantly wiping down tables and permanently marking people's skin with ink," she mumbled under her breath.

Phay glanced up, watching her bartender and one of her best friends, Visha, skillfully mixing a gin and tonic for a customer who had had one too many. Visha was the epitome of edgy cool, with her platinum blonde pixie cut, one side shaved to reveal a trail of silver piercings. Her black eyeliner was sharp enough to cut, and her dark lipstick completed the badass vibe she effortlessly exuded.

Catching Phay staring, Visha rolled her pale green eyes and blew a bubble with her gum, popping it with a sharp snap before smirking at her boss. Phay chuckled, appreciating her friend's unbothered attitude. Despite Visha's tough exterior, she was fiercely loyal, and Phay loved her for it.

As Phay continued her work, her thoughts drifted back to the past. She absently touched the tips of her ears, which had elongated and grown pointed after that fateful day in the old shop. Her once brown eyes had transformed into a striking liquid gold, another reminder of the change she had undergone. Luckily, the older woman gave her an antique necklace, its emerald pendant glowing softly against the rusty gold chain wrapped around her neck. This necklace could conceal her transformations, allowing her to live a somewhat everyday life.

Phay twirled the necklace between her fingers, the dark green of the emerald matching her long, wavy, blackish-green hair—yet another change from eating that golden apple. She remembered the day she had returned to her aunt wearing the necklace. Her aunt Eleni had asked where it came from, and Phay had simply shrugged, saying, "An elderly lady gave it to me, saying it was good luck."

Her aunt had given her a strange look but hadn't pressed further. Phanessa chuckled at the memory. 'Aunt Eleni had always been laid back, even with children'. She had accepted Phay's odd explanation without question, much like she had accepted the strangeness of Manaus.

Shaking her head to clear the memories, Phay focused on the present. She had a client coming in ten minutes to get work done on an old tattoo, and she preferred to have everything set up before they arrived.

"I suppose I can't complain," she mused to herself as she set out the tools of her trade. "Because of that old woman's help, I own a booming sports bar and tattoo shop with my best friends. Life could be worse."

But even as she smiled at the thought, a small part of her still wondered about her chosen path and the one she had left behind. "She said there were six other Apples around the world, huh? So that meant six other people like me."

_________________________________________

As Phanessa stepped into the waiting room that connected the bar to the tattoo shop, she immediately spotted her other best friend, Sadie, sitting at the front desk, casually flipping through a magazine. Sadie's long, curly hair, dyed vivid bubblegum pink, cascaded down her shoulders, partially obscuring the bored expression on her face. Despite her disinterest, some overly muscular guy, who looked like he spent way too much time at the gym, was trying to hit on her. His enthusiasm was almost comical against Sadie's complete lack of interest.

"Hey, you good? I'm about to have my last client, then close for the day," Phanessa said, walking over to the desk.

Sadie looked up from her magazine, her eyes—a pale, almost icy blue—rolling dramatically as she popped her bubblegum. The guy trying to flirt with her visibly flinched at Phanessa's sudden appearance muttered an awkward excuse, and quickly exited through the waiting room door.

"Alright. Is Vi still taking orders over at the bar?" Sadie asked, utterly unfazed by the man's departure, focusing entirely on Phanessa.

"Nah, she just kicked out drunken Tom. I just finished helping her clean up. Is Ilayda still piercing?" Phanessa replied, leaning against the desk. Drunken Tom was a regular, an old Irishman who loved to come around every workday, usually around lunchtime, to drink and half-heartedly flirt with Visha. Phanessa swore that despite Visha's constant eye rolls, she secretly found his antics amusing.

"Nope, she just finished her last walk-in five minutes ago. By the way, Ophion is in one of his needy moods. He came by, saw you busy with clients, and started hissing at the new walk-ins. It was hilarious."

Phanessa chuckled, picturing the scene: a three-foot dark green and yellow snake slithering around, throwing a hissy fit in the middle of the shop. Ophion was notoriously temperamental, especially when he felt ignored. She was about to ask Sadie if Ophion was at his usual spot, when something usual happened.

A resounding "DING" was heard then a translucent, white screen suddenly appeared before them, hovering just above their eyes. Phanessa squinted, reading the text that materialized on the screen.

[The galaxies of the Universe #1004288 have finally reached peak maturity. For finally collecting the required amount of 1,000,000 Chaos essence, all residents of Universe #1004288 will now be transported to the tutorial to be initiated into the System Universe. Please stand by.

Note: The initiate may need to prepare for combat, depending on whether God sponsors the tutorial trial. Good Luck]

Phanessa blinked, trying to process what she was seeing. The words didn't make any sense. A system universe? Chaos essence? This was straight out of one of the litRPG novels she had read, but she never expected anything like this to happen in real life.

She turned to Sadie, who was staring wide-eyed at her screen with disbelief. "Did you see that?" Phanessa asked, though she already knew the answer.

Before Sadie could respond, Visha and Ilayda burst into the room from opposite sides, their white screens hovering before them. Ilayda, with her straight dark blue, almost black hair and ocean blue eyes, looked just as edgy and badass as her sister, Visha. Dressed in a black leather jacket, dark blue jeans, and black high-heeled boots, she looked like she belonged in a biker gang. Silver piercings decorated her face and ears, adding to her rugged appearance.

"What the fuck is this?" Ilayda demanded, her voice full of irritation as she gestured toward the floating screen. Phanessa couldn't help but find her friend's annoyed expression oddly attractive, but now wasn't the time for distractions.

"How the fuck should we know, Ilayda?! We're as clueless as you are!" Visha shot back, coming to stand beside Phanessa. Her grey crop top showed off a diamond belly button ring, and her ripped white denim jeans paired with Nike sneakers contrasted starkly with Ilayda's biker look. "If we knew, we wouldn't be freaking out, now would we?"

As the sisters bickered, Sadie tried to calm them down, but Phanessa's attention was focused elsewhere. She was watching the timer on the screen, counting down steadily. "What is the timer for?" she mumbled, a sinking feeling growing in her gut. The more she thought about it, the more the situation resembled a scenario from one of the litRPG novels she loved—those stories where the world suddenly changed, and everyone had to adapt or perish.

"The timer's already halfway down," Phanessa noted aloud. She glanced at the clock on the wall. "Thirty minutes until midnight…" She quickly did the math and realized the timer was counting down to midnight. "It's going by our time… fuck!" She spun around to face her friends, her heart pounding with urgency. "Girls, the notification said we're getting teleported to a tutorial and to wait. I think this timer will go off at midnight and teleport us to wherever this tutorial is. We can't waste any time. I suggest grabbing whatever you think is useful for survival—weapons, medicine, water, anything you can carry."

Without waiting for a response, Phanessa headed through the hallway behind Sadie's desk. At the end of the hall, stairs led down to their home floor—a five-bedroom, three-bathroom living space with a cozy living room and a decent-sized kitchen. After buying the building and its land, it had been her pride and joy to design and build it. Who needed to rent a place when you could live right under your business? The only downside was the lack of windows, but the convenience made up for it.

After entering the password to their home's door, Phanessa headed straight to her bedroom, bypassing Ophion, who was coiled on the couch with her favorite pillow. The giant snake lifted his head, tongue flicking out in a hiss as she rushed by.

"Ophion, mommy might soon be leaving for a deadly monster-slaying tutorial! Be good while I'm gone, okay?" she called out, not expecting a response. Ophion simply hissed again, sounding thoroughly unimpressed.

Phanessa made a beeline for her queen-sized bed and reached for a small archery trophy she had won when she was sixteen. The trophy was attached to a lever that, when pulled, revealed a hidden room on the other side of the bed. As the door slid open, she could hear her friends scrambling in their rooms, packing whatever they could in their limited time.

Inside the secret room was a treasure trove of weapons and gear, all gifts from her Uncle Lyall. A brilliant weaponsmith, he frequently sent her his best work to test out, asking only for her honest feedback in return. It was a win-win situation; over the years, she had amassed an impressive collection.

Phanessa quickly scanned the gear and selected sleek black leather combat boots with two-inch heels. They were stylish, but more importantly, they were practical for both combat and long-distance travel. For pants, she opted for long black cargo pants that hugged her body perfectly, offering both flexibility and comfort. She matched them with a grey utility belt, perfect for holding various tools and supplies. For a shirt, she chose a dark green short-sleeved top made from a particular material similar to that used in bulletproof windows—soft like satin, yet water-resistant and tough enough to provide some protection. Over this, she slipped on her bulletproof leather jacket, its worn exterior hiding its true strength.

She turned to the weapons rack after tying her long blackish-green hair into a high ponytail. Without thinking about it, she reached for her favorite weapon: a beautifully crafted bow. It was the weapon she was most familiar with that had always succeeded her in practice. She grabbed a quiver of arrows and strapped it to her back.

Next, she picked out eight daggers, each perfectly balanced for throwing. She equipped them on her belt—three on each hip and one on each leg—ensuring they were all within easy reach.

As she finished equipping herself, she checked the timer on the screen one last time. There were only a few minutes left. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself for whatever was coming next, heading to the living room to discuss a plan with her friends.

_________________________________________

Phanessa stepped into the living room to find her three best friends already gathered, each preparing in their way for the unknown challenge that awaited them. The atmosphere was tense but focused, with a shared understanding that whatever was coming, they would face it together.

Ilayda sat comfortably on the couch, sipping water from a canteen while Ophion's long, dark green and yellow body draped lazily across her lap. The giant snake seemed content, his head resting peacefully as Ilayda absentmindedly stroked his scales. A spear leaned casually against the armrest of the couch, its sharp point gleaming under the dim light. Of all Phanessa's friends, Ilayda was Ophion's second favorite "human," Phanessa couldn't help but feel a warm flutter in her chest at how well her friend—and secret crush—got along with her temperamental pet.

On the floor nearby, Sadie was polishing a war axe that Phanessa had given her as a gift some time ago. The axe was a heavy, imposing weapon, its blade etched with intricate designs that gleamed as Sadie worked. Her meticulous nature and sharp eye for detail made her the perfect person for such a task, as she quickly spotted and removed any imperfections or dirt marks on the weapon's surface. Sadie's bubblegum-pink hair fell over her shoulder as she concentrated, her fingers moving with precision and care.

Visha, ever the restless one, was perched in the recliner, her legs draped over the armrest as she twirled a dagger effortlessly in one hand. The blade spun in her fingers, a blur of silver, as she practiced her dexterity. In her other hand, she was tossing another dagger into the air, catching it by the hilt each time with an almost casual grace. Visha's edgy appearance was only enhanced by the dark, intense look of concentration on her face as she continued her silent practice, the flickering light casting sharp shadows across her features.

Phanessa paused for a moment, taking in the scene. Her heart swelled with pride and affection for these women who had stood by her through thick and thin. They were more than just friends—they were her family. They had faced countless challenges together, and whatever lay ahead, Phanessa knew they would tackle it head-on as a team.

"Looks like everyone's ready," Phanessa said, breaking the silence as she stepped fully into the room. She walked over to the couch, reaching out to lightly scratch Ophion's head, earning a contented hiss from the giant snake.

Ilayda looked up at her and smiled, her ocean-blue eyes twinkling with that familiar mischievous glint. "As ready as we'll ever be," she replied, her hand stilling on Ophion's scales. "Ophion's been keeping me company while I waited for you. He's such a charmer."

Phanessa smiled back, feeling a pang of longing mixed with her affection. "He has good taste," she teased, glancing at Ilayda and turning her attention to Sadie.

"How's the axe coming along?" she asked.

Sadie looked up from her work, her pale blue eyes meeting Phanessa's. "It's almost done. I'm just making sure it's in perfect condition. If we're going into some kind of tutorial, I want to be fully prepared."

Phanessa nodded approvingly before shifting her gaze to Visha, who caught her eye and smirked.

"I see you're keeping busy," Phanessa commented, watching as Visha caught the dagger again.

"I gotta keep my skills sharp," Visha replied with a shrug, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "I have no idea what we're about to face, but I'm not planning on being caught off guard."

Phanessa chuckled, appreciating her friend's attitude. "That's the spirit."

With everyone armed and ready, Phanessa took a deep breath, steeling herself for what was to come. The timer on the screen was almost down to its final moments. Whatever was about to happen, it was clear that their lives would change in ways they could never have imagined. 

"Alright, ladies," Phanessa said, her voice steady with determination. "We're going to face this together, no matter what. Stay close, stay sharp, and remember—we've got each other's backs."

The group nodded in unison, a silent agreement passing between them. As the final seconds ticked away on the invisible countdown, the four women gathered their weapons and stood together in the center of the room, ready to face whatever lay ahead.

_________________________________________

As soon as the timer hit zero, Phanessa felt a strange sensation, as if the ground beneath her had suddenly shifted. The next thing she knew, she was sitting in a small, sterile room. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all a stark, unblemished white, making it feel like she was trapped inside a blank canvas. A simple white table separated her from the only other occupant of the room—a creature unlike anything she had ever seen.

The creature looked vaguely human in form but was utterly devoid of color or features. Its skin was uniform white as if carved from marble, and its face was smooth and featureless. Even its hands were unnervingly blank, with no nails to speak of. The only color in the room came from the creature's clothing—it was dressed in a black and white suit and tie, which somehow made it appear even more surreal.

Phanessa's first instinct was to reach for her weapons, but as soon as she tried, she realized they were gone. Panic started to rise in her chest, but she forced herself to stay calm. A quick touch to her neck confirmed her fears—her necklace, which hid her pointed ears and golden eyes, was also missing.

The creature, seemingly unfazed by her sudden elven appearance, made a dry comment. "An elf in an all-human world—quite rare, but not unheard of," it said in an eerily smooth and almost mechanical voice.

Phanessa narrowed her eyes, trying to control her emotions. "Where are my weapons? And my necklace?"

The creature's faceless head tilted slightly as if considering her questions. "All weapons and supplies you arrived with have been stored in an inventory ring, which will be returned to you after you begin the tutorial. The necklace, however, is of particular interest—it has properties that were noted in your profile. You will receive it back as well."

Phanessa took a deep breath, trying to process the situation. She needed answers, but she also needed to stay composed. "What is this place? Who are you? And what's this tutorial?"

The creature's voice remained calm and emotionless as it began to explain. "This is a transitional space for new initiates entering the System Universe. You may call me a facilitator. My purpose is to guide you through the initial process and answer any questions you may have before you begin. The tutorial is a mandatory process that all residents of your universe must undergo to acclimate to the new system. You have ten minutes to ask questions."