Ashley
It doesn't take long before I find myself appearing on some strange platform floating high above... uh... nothing. Just a pitch black void.
The next thing I notice is that it's rather cold in here. And that's not just because I'm in nothing but a hospital gown.
But that's not a priority at the moment.
There are bridges connecting each edge of the platform I'm standing on to other platforms, with each bridge being made out of different material and being of different stabilities. Some are made of wood and are swinging around in the wind. Others made of metal and are as sturdy as a brick.
Then there are bridges that have holes in the wood planks making them up yet are stationary, and more bridges with what look like traps on them.
I raise my head to look at the sky above me.
No ceiling. No walls. Just floating platforms and floating bridges.
When I look down again I find another screen appearing in my vision. A notification.
Primordial System Notification
Tutorial #10002 has now begun its second phase.
The survival phase.
Skill Points will be given out to users based on their performance within the phase. And all experience given by monsters will be paused until the end of the phase.
1 Skill Point will be given for every platform reached.
2 Skill Points will be given for every monster slain.
3 Skill Points will be given out for every user slain.
5 Skill Points will be given out for every five minutes survived either at the end of the phase or when the user is eliminated from the phase.
All users will be brought back to life after the survival phase is complete.
An additional 25 Skill Points will be given to those who survive the entire hour of the survival phase.
That doesn't bode well. But at least it means we'll be brought back to...
I hear a snarl to my left, making me turn my head to spot what looks like a large dog on a connected platform.
...life.
Guess this must be one of those monsters he kept mentioning. Even if it's just some large, black dog.
Large dog or not though, this is a little unfair. Because I don't have any powers.
At least I don't think I do.
Actually, can I fly on these wings?
I try to move them, only to realize I have no idea how to do that. So all I end up doing is twitching them slightly.
Well, at least they aren't slumping and awkwardly weighing me down or anything. The things are just somehow perfectly straight and don't seem to weigh much of anything.
I quickly look back at that status menu thing from before. Then I go ahead and focus on every word stated in it while warily watching the dog make its way across a relatively old looking bridge with some holes in it.
But I don't find anything on the screen. So I close out of it and look at the other icons in my vision. Starting with the one directly beneath the status. Some sort of red dot.
Only to get a notification flashing in my vision from the attempt.
Primordial System Notification
The System Broadcast Menu is disabled for users within a tutorial.
Try again after leaving the tutorial.
Well that's not helpful.
I focus on the next one beneath that. An icon that looks like a coin. And this time a strange menu appears in my vision similar to what happened when I focused on my skill before.
{You currently have 0 Skill Points.}
Not useful.
The dog reaches the halfway point on the bridge as I try to look around for anything to use as a weapon. But I don't find anything. And I'm still in nothing but a hospital gown.
This is not looking good. I really hope I don't get eliminated right away.
That would suck.
I look at the last of the icons in the corner of my vision. This one being blood red with raven feathers sticking out of it.
Could this be...
Instead of finishing the thought, I focus on the icon. Because the doggo is still coming towards me.
Then a new screen appears in my vision.
Primordial's Successor Menu
Successor Forums
Have a lovely time in the tutorial my dear daughter!
PS: The System should be slowly restoring the muscle mass you lost during your little nap!
Daughter? That weirdo?
No thanks.
I go ahead and crumple up the paper before tossing it off the platform.
At least I have an explanation for what's going on with my muscles.
I take the time while staring up at the sky to finally think about everything that's happened. And to figure out what I want to do.
For one, I don't remember a thing about myself. Only some common sense and for some reason the fact that I didn't have an 'ability' before the System initiated. Which is obviously because of what Assimilate does. Oh, and that I was twenty years old but now look younger. Probably because of becoming a Successor.
For two, I'm not really sure why, but there's a small part of me that actually doesn't want to remember what I've forgotten.
So that's a thing.
Means I won't have to worry about trying to recover my memories at least.
Then there's three.
For some odd reason, the Primordial of Chaos – who I still have no idea who is much less those other Primordials his clone mentioned – apparently gave me his blood and turned me into his Successor. And he's calling me daughter.
Although, in hindsight, that could theoretically be true since he gave me his blood. In a technical sense.
I continue taking peeks at the surrounding platforms as I consider everything and gather my thoughts. But no monsters or other people appear during this time.
So I move onto the next subject.
Number four. I can gain the ability to unlock other people's Skill Trees by killing them.
I focus on the tree icon in the corner of my interface – pretty sure that's what the clone called the layout of icons – before something new shows up. First is the crimson orb I saw before, but now it's moved off to the left side of my interface while a new tree appears on the right. One with just two skills in it, with one skill grayed out and the other, larger one glowing a faint purple.
First I focus on the glowing purple one and I hear that same robotic voice as before, except a male voice this time. Which makes me wonder if the System just alternates or something.
{Strong Jaws – Your jaws will be far stronger than they were before, making it easier to keep them locked onto something while biting down.}
I stare at the words currently scrolling across my vision for several seconds. Then I move on to the grayed out orb that's connected to the purple one by a line. And just like with the first one, a female robotic voice plays out. Pretty much confirming that theory about them alternating.
{Dark Bite – Locked – Your fangs will be infused with darkness magic when this skill is activated, draining five units of mana or one unit of darkness energy with each activation.} – [Spend 100 Skill Points to unlock this skill.]
Unlike the other times though, after the description of the skill finishes scrolling, the following text lingers for a few seconds. But it's grayed out and won't let me select it. Probably because I don't have enough Skill Points.
But overall, I think I understand how it works. It's rather simple.
So long as I'm responsible for the death of something, it counts for Assimilate. I have to use the skill a maximum of ten minutes prior to the kill. And I get access to the Skill Tree belonging to the one I killed, automatically unlocking the first skill in the tree in the process without having to spend Skill Points. The 'Root Skill' as Chaos called it. Meanwhile I have to spend Skill Points to unlock the skills in the trees that aren't the root skill.
And it looks like these monsters also have Skill Trees. So that's good.
Even if the Skill Trees may... not really help me very much. Considering the fact that human teeth aren't meant for tearing flesh.
Not really sure what it says about me that what I'm worried about is the practicality of the skill with human teeth rather than getting a biting skill in the first place, but I guess it doesn't really matter.
But that also raises the next point.
Monsters. The way Chaos phrased it seemed to imply there were monsters outside of this tutorial and the System Events as well.
Which doesn't bode well.
Anyways, it's not good to wait so long. I need to start traversing the platforms for more Skill Points.
I'm just wasting time sitting here.
So I begin to get up, only to barely manage to climb to my feet. Which doesn't really bode well.
But at least I managed to do it.
I begin to struggle my way over to the bridge I cut the rope of before reaching down as carefully as I can without falling to grab the knife I dropped next to the pole. Then I start to walk towards one of the other bridges. The sturdiest and least likely to be trapped one.
A metal bridge without any sorts of noticeable marks or differences in the flooring.
Of course, it takes me a good second to get over there. Even if my strength slowly feels like it's returning to me.
After reaching the bridge, I follow along the metal railing, supporting myself with it as I cross the bridge. And luckily for me, there are no traps. Just as I expected.
When I reach the next platform, another one of those messages plays out in my head.
{You have been granted 1 Skill Point for reaching a new platform within the tutorial.}
Alright. So far so good.
By now my strength is largely returning. To the point that I don't have much trouble walking anymore. I just feel a bit weak and nothing more.
With good timing too, because when I lift my gaze from the ground, I see a small group of three people staring at me from several platforms away.
Great.
People.
This'll be a challenge.