The Game Ensures

And more importantly, there were transparent walls separating them from one another, like rooms. While ahead, there was a gigantic gate with a large length and width standing tall.

Like a mouth of a prehistoric beast.

"..."

Jason fell silent, and only surveyed the environment around him.

As he did so, the barriers separating everyone disappeared, and instead appeared behind them, as if trapping them within.

The only entrance now was the gate.

Everyone realized this too, and hurriedly hurdled together, and began discussing what to do. None daring to take even a single step forward.

'It seems like... nobody dares to go out. Well, I know you won't.' He thought to himself.

From his observation, everyone had a weapon on them. Some were knives, some were axes like him, some were hammers, and some were even bowls.

'The range is various. So not only Talents and Ranks, there's also variation in weapons? I guess my luck is quite high then.'

He thought. Amidst his thought, a single man, large and bulky, finally decided to take but a single step forward.

His action attracted everyone's attention, and because of that, they realized the inhuman feat that he did next.

Crack~

The tile he stepped on, shattered like broken glass. It gave out the impression of being fragile under the might of the man's foot.

"Oh my god!! How powerful!! As expected of one of the few Rank 1 humans, and one of the eight Level C Talent couriers!! You're amazing"

A young woman besides the bulky man exclaimed out loud in amazement.

She then followed up, "Ivanovic, let me join you. Being around such a powerful man will make me feel safe and protected. There's man like you here."

Her words brought more attention towards both of them. Eyes of envy, jealousy, admiration and the likes falling upon them.

"Heh." The man himself smiled in satisfaction at the attention he was gathering. He then casually stepped over a large piece of granite, smashing it to bits and pieces.

This asserted his might even more, and more people seemed to want to ask for his protection and favor. But that did not stop them from praising, and fawning over him.

The man himself did not seem to dislike the attention, and smiled even more, feeling more confident and powerful.

And in no time, he gathered a small party of five, him being the fifth and the leader. They then carefully, and pridefully walked towards Game Sever No.333's Gate and entered.

Under the eyes of everyone watching, they valiantly walked into the Gate with pride. They were like soldiers, about to go to war.

Like pioneers, about to open up a path to a new Era. An Era of prosperity.

But just as the last person within the party entered the gate, something terrifying occurred.

A grayish dull blur flashed at quite a fast speed, and what followed were three heads flying through the air, and back out of the Sever No.333's Gate.

The next moment, before everyone registered everything that took place, the bulky man's head also flew in as well, and rolled even closer towards the people.

They could still see the expression of pride and content on this face, showing that everything happened so fast, even he failed to react in time.

Meanwhile, the last member of the party, driven by fear and instinct, hid her head within the bush. Her only thought was not to see the Zombie.

If she did not see it, it did not see her. This was a mentality brought by fear.

Yet nobody gave her any attention. They also had their own reactions brought by fear.

Ba-dump~

With but a single heart beat, and breathe held, everyone looked back at the gate, and saw a dog-sized gray cat staring back at them with its lifeless eyes.

It's gaze alone brought chills down everyone's spines. And the fact that it lowered its head, then slowly and carefully ate the trunks of the lifeless bodies...

...!!!

Brought an emotion far greater than fear to all the present players.

Despair.

And the following notification only told them that everything was not a dream, but Reality.

[ Notice: Player XXX has been chopped by a T1 Cat Zombie! ]

[ Notice: Player XXX has been chopped by a T1 Cat Zombie! ]

[ Notice: Player XXX has been chopped by a T1 Cat Zombie! ]

[ Notice: Player XXX has been beheaded by a T1 Cat Zombie! ]

Unfortunately, the notifications did no help, and only instilled more fear and despair into the hearts of the players.

Some stayed still as stone. Some trembled in fear. Some fainted. But overall... they were not ready for this. None of them were.

They were consumed by fear.

Fear.

An unpleasant emotion caused by being aware of danger, a feeling of being extremely afraid if you may.

Or rather...

A feeling of respect and wonder for something very powerful, unknown and beyond comprehension.

Ultimately, it was an emotional state uncomfortable for the human mind to bear. And it was something everyone present, among all the remaining 2 995 players felt.

None of them could believe what was going on. Despite the proof before their eyes.

Some even wondered about whether the concept of survival even existed within this game that they found themselves in.

Unfortunately for them, the game itself was no emotional spectrum, and continued with its business as usual.

[ Ting!! ]

[ NOTE: The Safe Zone is a temporarily safe area. Repeat. The Safe Zone is a temporarily safe area... Anyone within the safe zone is given absolute protection for a given amount of time ]

[ NOTE: Yet it goes against the main theme of the Opening Survival Ceremony. Hence carefully bear in mind that, staying within the Safe Zone is not mandatory, yet Ranking Up and Survival are ]

[ NOTE: You either choose whether to stay safe and protected until the end, and ultimately get swarmed by the zombies, beasts, ghouls, bugbears, boogeyman etc after the time limit... Or, get stripped off of every meaning of your Existence ]

[ ... ]

The Doomsday Administrator appeared at the worst time, and fueled the fear the players currently bore.

Yet at the same time, it also woke up those that were determined to survive at every cost. They understood that it was better they went out and Ranked Up.

After discussing a few things with those around them, more and more players agreed that Ranking Up was a better choice than waiting for death.

At least... there was a chance of survival, regardless of how slim it was.

Hence they began coming together, forming parties and groups to better survival. Grouping up was better than going solo after all.

But as they were still doing such, they heard a high pitched scream that penetrated their ears from up ahead, that attracted the attention of every other Player.

"KYAAAAA!!!!"

It was the lucky player that survived the onslaught of the Zombie Cat. She was fiercely, and pointlessly waving her dagger around. Her actions reeking of the desperate intent to live.

The Zombie Cat was unnerved by her cry, and in annoyance turned to face the player. However, the player herself was quite fast, as her hands moved around as blurs.

The smart ones deduced that she had a speed-type Talent on her arsenal. And they were on point, for she waved her dagger so fast, in every possible direction, she seemed to have multiple arms.

Her hands left after images back and forth, side to side, and even up and down. And maybe thanks to that, or God, or maybe even luck itself, she managed to land a single strike to the head of the Zombie Cat.

Everything happened so fast that everyone failed to catch on, and even she, herself, failed to comprehend the situation, and continued to fiercely wave her dagger everywhere.

Such an action continued until the [Game Announcements] rang out once again.

[ Congratulations!! First kill achieved!! Player XXX has killed a Tier 1 Zombie Cat and has earned 5 Hunting Points (HP) ]

"..."

"..."

Everyone was dumbstruck.

Even the player herself was shocked and paused, as the notification appeared before her eyes and almost clouded her vision.

Next, a new icon appeared below the [Game Announcements] tab, showing a "100" icon appeared. Once clicked, it showed the [Talent Global 100] list.

And upon it, only a single person, rather, a single serial number hung at the highest position. Besides the number, there was a golden star, illustrating the number "1" within.

"..."

The player realizing everything, suddenly broke into sudden laughter, then moments later, tears of joy follow her laughter as she desperately stumbled back towards the Safe Zone.

She ran for her life, and desperately flew into the Safe Zone as if she was being chased by ghosts.

Everyone gave her brief glances of pity, sadness and even mockery. Various gazes fell upon her, but the lass was only happy about surviving and did not care about them.