Chương 31: System Things

It had been a month, and Joe had only just entered France. He had set out thinking he could return home in a few days. But every single time he started on his way, he found some people in danger who needed help. A city pillar needs capturing; please help. Oh, look, a Beast wave was bombarding a town. Oh, these people have no food or water. He was convinced the system was doing it on purpose. But he also knew it was just his nature to help others when he could. This past month, however, has been crazy busy for that.

Europe was an absolute mess compared to the other regions he'd visited. This made sense; Europe was a small, densely populated area compared to the jungles of South America, forests in Asia, and deserts in the Middle East. Joe pulled up his quest screen. Quest - Kill all 100 Gate bosses to restart Integration into the multiverse. Quest progress - 49/100 Time limit of Quest - 1. 5 Years Current Humans Alive in World 43: 899, 532, 002 He even looked at the Humans Alive number for the first time in a while.

One hundred million people had died in the past six months. A staggering amount. He closed his screens. A strange sense of unease flowed through him. He had come so close to home in France, hitting forty-nine boss kills. And now, one boss was standing between him and home, one more boss. Surely nothing would happen when he reached fifty kills out of one hundred, right? Who was he kidding? He was almost certain something monumental was about to occur. [Everyone has been evacuated, all clear.] - Hugo.

[Perfect, I will engage soon; everyone fall back.] - Joe. Today, he decided to reduce his power levelling during Boss Beast fights. He couldn't account for all the variables and simply didn't want to take any unnecessary risks. Upon arriving in France and meeting with the local Divers, he discovered they were in contact with the Americans and that they were part of the information network that was being established.

Joe had also learned that an American known as the Divine Sword possessed an advanced Identify skill, which revealed that Boss Beasts came in two versions. Class B, the normal instinct-driven ones. Class A, who were the far more dangerous, clever Beasts with skills. Just like the Lycanthorus and Drok. He shivered at the thought of Drok. He wondered if there was a way he could upgrade his Identify skill. Did he just have to keep using it? Or was there some trick to it?

Lost in thought, Joe's mini-map suddenly flashed; a giant red X appearing south of him. His eyes widened, and he sprinted as fast as he could, one of his party members had just died. [Hugo, Alain, anybody, what is happening? I'm on my way.] - Joe. Four more Xs appeared. No. No, no, no, no. Joe sprinted, his heart pounding. A single message appeared in the chat. [Help.] - Anascia. All five remaining dots turned to Xs. Everyone had just died. __ Hugo waited for the last scout to arrive.

They had successfully evacuated everyone they could find to the outskirts of Lyon. The Beast residing here had been sighted to the north, so they were all exiting the city from the south, away from danger. Joe was positioned north of them. The Progenitor's appearance heralded a turning point for the French people. They had heard all about the good he had been doing as he travelled around completing his quest. And the Progenitor had finally arrived in Hugo's great country, and he was elated.

His people would be free soon. Hugo looked up as the last scout, Sophia, arrived. She nodded, and they confirmed over the party chat, granted to them through the Progenitor's skill, that everything was clear. Then, they set off. They had only been jogging for about five minutes when the two leading the group suddenly stopped. Hugo approached, placing a hand on Sophia's shoulder, about to ask what was going on… her head fell from her shoulders. Her body toppled forward. He stood in shock; she was dead.

What had killed her? He didn't…. His vision flipped; everything turned red. His head spun uncontrollably before coming to a stop, and he found himself gazing up at his own body as everything slowly faded to black. __ Joe arrived on the street, his mini-map filled with X's. Ten headless bodies lay in a pile in the middle of the street. He froze, his eyes burning with rage. He was about to take a step when a sudden shiver forced him to jump back.

Anger flooded him as he noticed a shimmer move past where he had just stood, a clear sign that something invisible had attacked him. He leapt further back and veered to his right. Feeling something brush against his shoulder, he spun, kicking out, but struck nothing. He dashed away, activating mana sight. As he pivoted, he saw a mana-covered blob charging at him. Ducking its attack, he slammed his fist into it. This time, he connected, and a grunt of pain erupted as the blob recoiled.

Joe stared in disbelief as the blob began to take on the faint shape of a man. He used Identify. Identify: Lorenzo, Human, Assassin level 55, Infiltration Specialist Level 32 It was a man, a human, who had wiped out the entire party. Overcome with fury, Joe let out an Aura Shout.

"WHY!!!!!" __ Five minutes earlier. Lorenzo crouched in the shadows of a building, silently observing the small group led by Hugo Dupont as they waited for the remaining scouts to return. As he watched, he pulled up his quest panel. Quest: Assassination, Target Hugo Dupont and Team. You must kill Hugo Dupont and his nine team members within one minute of each other to complete this assassination quest.

Accepting this quest means you must complete it within one month, or all other Assassins will mark you as an assassination target. Reward - Legendary Item Lorenzo had accepted the quest immediately, no questions asked. A legendary item as a reward? That was beyond anything he'd ever seen for an assassination job. It was too good to pass up. The moment he arrived in France, he tracked down Hugo and his team relatively quickly.

However, up until a few days ago, one or more team members had always been away, and he didn't have any opportunities to strike because of the strict time limit between kills. Then, when he thought he had the perfect chance, 'He' arrived. The Progenitor. Lorenzo had been stunned when he identified the man and saw the title. Why was a Progenitor here now, of all times? The moment Joe appeared, Lorenzo hesitated. He chose to wait, hoping the Progenitor would leave, but he never did. They had been together ever since.

And now, Lorenzo was running out of time. With only a couple of days left before the quest deadline, he had no choice but to strike soon. So, after overhearing their plans to scout the city of Lyon, he made his decision. This was the perfect opportunity. He would kill Hugo's team while they were separated from the Progenitor. Then, he'd leave just enough evidence to make it look like the Beast had killed them instead. It would be a flawless execution.

Lorenzo watched as the last scout returned, and the group began moving south. They were following the exact route he had anticipated. His traps already in place. Now, all he had to do was wait. It triggered perfectly. The two lead scouts died without a sound, their bodies frozen in death. Hugo surged forward, right into position. He readied himself.

The moment Hugo placed a hand on the woman's shoulder, Lorenzo activated all of the remaining traps and struck, eliminating the two scouts at the back in a single, clean motion. None of the group had even had a chance to react. Flawless. Congratulations. Assassination Quest Complete. Reward Distributed. Lorenzo checked his storage ring. Inside, a new legendary Item Box awaited him. A satisfied smirk crossed his face. Too easy. Moving forward, he began arranging the bodies to make it look like a Beast attack.

The job was nearly done when another notification appeared. System Message New Quest - Kill the Progenitor The Progenitor has noticed your killing and will arrive in five seconds. Kill him before he kills you. Reward - Legendary class upgrade Lorenzo exhaled slowly, his smirk fading. The Progenitor… A legendary Class upgrade was on the line. That was far more valuable than anything he could imagine. He had wondered how long it would take for his actions to draw serious attention. But this was unexpected.

Anticipation flowed into him as his excitement started to peak. This is the fight I've been waiting for. He thought. At the end of the street, a figure emerged. Lorenzo looked up. The Progenitor had arrived. The man's gaze was locked onto the pile of bodies, his expression unreadable. Lorenzo remained hidden in stealth, watching closely. No hesitation. He pulled his twin knives free and activated his movement skill, closing the distance with predatory grace. The Progenitor dodged. Not by reaction. Not by sight.

By instinct. Lorenzo's eyebrows lifted slightly. Interesting. He struck again, missing. Again, miss. He frowned. Fast. Faster than Lorenzo had expected, and he had expected a lot. This wasn't speed from pure agility; it was something more profound, woven into how the man moved. A fight worth having. Lorenzo had not wanted to fight the Progenitor at first. But now… now he had no choice; his elation started to rise. Killing Beasts was tiresome and annoying, but killing people.

Especially someone strong enough not to die from his first attack… this was something else entirely. Lorenzo's face creased as the smile he carried was so big it engulfed his features completely. He sprinted after the Progenitor. Lorenzo still had the advantage; the man couldn't… The Progenitor turned and looked right at him. It was too late to dodge. Lorenzo was right behind him and committed; he struck out. The Progenitor dodged, and his arm blurred, slamming into Lorenzo's stomach.

Lorenzo grunted as he jumped back. His eyes watered as he gasped for air. The strength behind that hit was unfathomable. How could anyone be that strong at such a low level? He looked up through bleary eyes. The Progenitor was staring at him. Lorenzo felt true fear for the first time since escaping that cursed Tutorial Gate. Then the man shouted, and everything turned black. __ Joe watched as the now visible man slumped to the ground unconscious, bleeding from his nose, mouth, ears and eyes.

He had unleashed a full blast of his aura in his anger, which the man was unprepared for. Though Joe felt no pity. This man had killed everyone. He staggered as the realization hit him. They were dead, just like that. He hadn't known them long, but they were good people. And now they were dead. He wondered if he had it in him to kill a defenceless, unconscious man. He didn't. So he grew some vines and tied the man up in the middle of the street. He went over to the pile of dead bodies.

"I'm sorry," he whispered as he turned to gather wood for a pyre. Not long after, Joe sat staring at the unconscious assassin, a fire burning behind him in the distance, a Pyre for the fallen. __ Lorenzo regained consciousness but didn't move or open his eyes. He felt pain coursing through his entire body. He was wrapped up in something solid. He tried to remember what had happened. The Progenitor shouted, and then he blacked out. Whatever skill that was, it was strong enough to knock him unconscious.

This man was a monster. He had to get away. He felt the man's eyes on him. Shit, he knew he was awake; the man was starting to move. He had no way out, so Lorenzo accepted it was over and went to clench his teeth to activate his suicide pill, but suddenly, his head was flung back; the man then pulled out every one of his teeth in a moment. Lorenzo spat out blood as the man let go and threw him to the floor.

"No easy way out for you," the man growled as the air became heavy. Lorenzo finally opened his eyes. He no longer saw a man before him. What he saw caused his bladder to release and his body to shake in terror. __ Joe sat staring at the man. Lorenzo had tried to bite down on something, probably poison or cyanide or something. Joe had responded in a panic by ripping out every single one of his teeth before forcing a healing pill into his mouth. Now, the man sat there, trembling.

Joe kept his Mana Sight active, watching for any sign of another suicide attempt. But Lorenzo was too afraid now to even try. Hours passed. Joe repeatedly questioned him, but it became clear he wouldn't get anything of much use from the mumbling assassin. All he had learned was that there were assassins who could accept system-issued assassination quests, earning items and gear as rewards. That was it. No other names. No information on an organisation or group. No hint of a larger network. Nothing. Joe sighed.

Interrogation wasn't something he had ever done before. It was possible that Lorenzo had been lying about some things and had kept other pieces of information from him. He had no way of telling. He was purely running off instinct and the feeling he got from the man. But he had learned some very new and frightening things. The fact that the system was encouraging people to kill each other was simply horrifying. He closed his eyes. It took a long moment before Joe opened his eyes again. He knew what he had to do.

He was delaying the inevitable. There was no way he could let this man live. How many people had he killed? Lorenzo's level alone spoke volumes. He was, without a doubt, the strongest person Joe had encountered so far in his travels. His speed was possibly equal to or close to the Lycanthorus. A man like this was a walking death sentence to anyone who got in his way, a predator who would keep killing as long as he drew breath. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent.

Report any sightings. Joe steeled himself. He raised his hand. And with a single Mana Blast, he killed his first human being. You have Slain Lorenzo Bianchi, Assassin level 55 You have slain a human. Title awarded. In silence, Joe watched as Lorenzo's storage ring vanished, and a large box appeared on the ground beside his body. For a moment, Joe thought about trying to loot the body, like he did with beasts. But he shook that thought away, and instead Lorenzo's body joined the others to burn on a pyre.

Twelve hours later, Joe stood in the centre of Lyon as the rain poured down around him. The Boss Beast lay still at his feet, taking its final, ragged breaths. Joe was glad it was raining. Happy that no one was around to see him right now. A single tear slipped down his cheek, lost among the raindrops. You have Slain Alpha Dorego level 60 Ding! Class Farmer has reached level 45 - stat points distributed. Exp penalty in effect due to failure to protect innocents.

Quest - Kill all 100 Gate bosses to restart Integration into the multiverse. Quest progress - 50/100 Time limit of Quest - 1. 5 Years Global System Message Congratulations, World 43. 50 Gate Boss Beasts have been slain out of 100. Your world is now halfway to its goal of reintegration into the Multiverse.

The current top three contributors for this quest are as follows 3: Progenitor Hakeem – 2 Boss Beast Kills 2: Divine Sword Malcolm – 4 Boss Beast Kills 1: Progenitor Joe – 39 Boss Beast Kills As a result of your strenuous efforts, your world Leaderboard has been semi-reinstated. Now, when you access your status screen, you will see a new tab listing the top 200 highest-levelled humans on World 43.

Additionally, your world has been added to the Integration Leaderboard among the other 49 worlds vying for Multiverse integration. This tab will also be available on your status screen. Your world will not be ranked on the leaderboard until you reach 100 kills. Joe looted the Boss Beast and sat down. Cold and steady rain still poured down upon him, but he welcomed it. It was comforting, the sensation of water running down his face, washing away the blood and exhaustion. He sat for a long time, unmoving.

Only when he finally opened his eyes again did he stir. He brought up the Global System Message, and he re-read it carefully. It was a lot of new information. Now, everyone knew about the quest. He smiled slightly as he scanned the top three contributors, seeing a familiar name. Hakeem. He hoped his friend was doing well. He had to be high-level by now to have made the list. Curious, he pulled up his status screen and opened the new World 43 Leaderboard tab. He scrolled straight to the top ten.

He wanted to see just how strong the highest-ranked people on the planet really were. What he saw stunned him. World 43 Leaderboard: 10 - Désira Ngolo (level 52) 9 - Felicia Price (level 52) 8 - Alice Taylor (level 53) 7 - Diego Castillo (level 53) 6 - Song Weilong (level 54) 5 - Divine Sword Malcolm (level 58) 4 - Kairos Athanasiou (Progenitor) (level 58) 3 - Esha Bakshi (level 65) 2 - Hakeem King(Progenitor) (level 65) 1 - Gao YuanYuan (level 70) Joe recognized five names in the top ten.

Three of them were teammates, people he had fought alongside and helped take down Boss Beasts with. That put a slight smile on his face. His eyes returned to the top name. Gao YuanYuan. Who is that? Level seventy was crazy. He couldn't tell from the name if it was a man or a woman. His knowledge of Chinese names was limited, aside from a few actors and actresses. Joe himself wasn't even listed in the top two hundred.

There were over one hundred people at level 51, and he had no idea how many were sitting at level 50. You had to be level 50 to make the list. Joe wasn't far off, though. His Class was level 45, and his Profession was level 47. From what he'd been told, when people used Identify on him, they saw his highest level, which meant he would be counted as level 47. Still, he had a lot of catching up to do. But the biggest surprise? Esha. Level 65. She was an absolute machine.

She must have spent every single moment since he left India killing Beasts. Joe had to see her again. As soon as he made it back to Asia, he was definitely visiting his friends. He exhaled, pushing those thoughts aside for now. He had recovered enough. It was time to move. Joe made his way back to the French base camp, where Hugo and his team had been stationed. Grenoble. It was time to deliver the bad news.

An hour after finishing, informing the people in charge about what had happened, a new global notification popped up. Global System Message World 43 has been challenged to a resource grab by worlds ranked 47, 48, and 49 in the integration rankings. This challenge was put to a vote for all Worlds and passed with a 100% yes vote. World 43 now has two weeks to choose 17 members who will defend your world from losing all its resources. All 3 Progenitors will attend the resource grab.

Everyone can vote on who they'd like to represent your World using your leaderboard panel. During these two weeks, a new tab will be available explaining everything you need to know about the resource grab, including a message board everyone can access to discuss who you want to vote for. Good luck. Joe stared at the notification. Did he read that right? Three other worlds were challenging them? Trying to steal their resources? What the fuck? A slow, burning rage began to rise inside him.

He had almost died multiple times. He had watched good people die. He had seen suffering and pain. Hungry eyes staring at him from malnourished faces. He had struggled for months to help everyone he could. Try to return some kind of normalcy to their lives. And now? Now this damn system was just allowing other Worlds to come in and take everything they had fought for? That he was still fighting for? Joe stood up, his hands clenched in fists. He walked outside, his body tense, his breathing sharp.

Fury boiled in his veins. More anger than he knew what to do with. He needed to let it out. But he was surrounded by people, people just trying to survive. Without really thinking, as uncontrollable anger flowed through him, he activated Random Teleportation. He vanished from France. __ For the next few days, the entire world was in a state of shock. Most people had no idea what had been happening these last six months. The previous two global messages had been a rude awakening.

The first one brought hope, proof that strong people were out there, fighting to make a difference, helping, guiding. But the second? The second message nearly shattered what little hope most normal people had left, those who spent every day trying to survive. The Resource Grab. As a result, the new message board, set up specifically for the event, was immediately flooded with cries for help. Complaints. Desperation. For three straight days, the board was unreadable. Post after post questioned the governments.

Where are they? Why hasn't anyone helped? It was endless. Then, a new post appeared, pinned to the top. The first promoted post. [I Hear You] - Divine Sword The post outlined the goal of a new faction rising in North America. They called themselves Shining Light. The City Pillar, they had claime, d was called New Eden. The post also listed the locations of all nine claimed Pillars so far. They had communication terminals connecting them, ensuring that all Pillars remained in contact. The advice was simple.

Get to a Pillar. At least one existed on every continent. The post listed thirty established Safe Zones for those who couldn't reach one. The ultimate goal? To migrate everyone from safe Zones to City Pillars as soon as possible. This post marked a turning point; hope began to return. The message board cleared up, no longer buried under endless panic. The Divine Sword took an active role, highlighting posts and promoting critical information. Gradually, the focus shifted back to the Resource Grab.

More specifically, who would represent World 43? Almost everyone in the top 200 wanted a spot. The message boards became a battleground, a popularity contest to win votes and gain recognition. But one thing was unanimous. The top ten were going. They were on another level compared to everyone else, both in level and experience. If World 43 had any chance of holding its ground, these were the people who would lead the fight.

"Where the hell is Joe?" Hakeem grumbled.

"He's not even in the top two hundred." Nadine, sitting next to him, shrugged.

"Does his ranking even matter? You saw how many Gate bosses he's killed. He's fine," she said." I want to know who this Gao YuanYuan is. She is the highest-levelled person on the planet. That's amazing."

"Traitor," Hakeem mumbled.

"She had over a year's head start, and I'm only five levels behind her. She should be embarrassed."

"Mmhmm," Nadine hummed. She knew her brother was disappointed about not being the highest level. So, instead of arguing, she simply patted his back and slid a plate in front of him.

"Try this, it's my new recipe." Hakeem perked up slightly. Nadine had picked up a chef profession from the City Pillar shop and had been levelling up like a mad woman, constantly making new treats and desserts. The City of Heliopolis was thriving now. Buildings were popping up at an alarming rate. More and more people were settling in. At this point, Hakeem figured most of the UK had relocated here, millions of people. The city borders had expanded multiple times to accommodate them all.

The Safe Zone stretched almost fifteen miles from the city's centre in all directions. It was turning into a true megacity. Hakeem took a bite.

"Mmm, this is delicious."

"Thanks!" Nadine beamed.

"I'll see you later." Then, she disappeared, off to wherever she was going. Hakeem leaned back, pulling up the Resource Grab details. It was simple. A battle tournament. The twenty representatives, including the three Progenitors, would go up against the other three Worlds. The rules? Lose ten fights, and it's over. World 43 loses all its natural resources, including its mana. And if that happened? Everyone dies. Hakeem exhaled slowly. After reading that, he had a pretty good idea of what Joe was doing right now.

He was out there, levelling like a madman. So naturally… Hakeem had to do the same. He stood up, rolled his shoulders, and headed out. __ Drishti entered the city of Nagpur, central India, with Veda wrapped around her shoulders. When the City Pillar appeared here, the leadership chose to keep the name Nagpur. Now, it is the safest place in India. The moment people heard about the Pillar, they had migrated here en masse, including her.

Veda muttered complaints through their telepathic link as they moved through the bustling streets.

"That man, why hasn't he come back yet?" Veda grumbled.

"He is probably very far away. He doesn't have wings to just fly here."

"Well, he should get some wings then. How long do I have to keep waiting?" Drishti sighed. She had long since gotten used to Veda's daily complaints, especially when it came to him. At least they were on their way to talk to Esha; maybe that would keep Veda occupied for a bit. With only one week left before the Resource Grab, they knew Joe would be forced to participate. They had messages to prepare for him.

"Are you sure you don't want Esha to tell him you're alive?" Drishti asked.

"No, it has to be a surprise. It's more fun that way." Drishti rolled her eyes. She wished Joe would hurry up and free her from this madness. They arrived at Esha's house, a place she had purchased using credits from the City Pillar store. The house was beautiful, lavishly covered in tapestries, perfectly reflecting Esha's quirky nature. Drishti still hadn't finished her house yet; she had been far too busy. They found Esha asleep in a chair, her one arm lazily draped over her stomach.

The moment Veda spotted her, the little Salamander leapt down, curling up directly on Esha's lap. This caused her to stir, blinking awake.

"There you are. What took you both so long?" she yawned.

"The usual. People always want my help with stuff." Drishti rubbed at her head. Esha stroked Veda absentmindedly, her fingers running over the Salamander's smooth scales. Then, with a smirk, she looked up.

"So what are we doing? Have we decided on the Farmer's punishment yet?"

"Castration," Veda chimed in.

"Finally, something we agree on." Esha grinned.

"I have the perfect knife for the job." Drishti groaned.

"Okay, enough jokes. It's been a long day." She dropped into a chair opposite Esha, rubbing her temples.

"You look exhausted, Drish. I'll let Samira know you need a massage later."

"That would be amazing," Drishti replied, already looking forward to it. Then she turned back to business.

"Anyway, Veda still refuses to let us tell Joe about her, so here's my letter." A folded letter appeared in Drishti's hand, and she tossed it to Esha, who caught it effortlessly. Then, it disappeared into her storage. For a moment, Drishti just watched her friend, her eyes drifting to where her arm used to be.

"How are you, Esh?" she asked quietly.

"I know you pretend nothing gets to you, but… how are you?" She didn't need to elaborate. Esha let out a loud breath before answering.

"I still get ghost itches sometimes. But I've adjusted. I barely even remember it's not there anymore." Her tone was light, but Drishti knew the truth ran deeper.

"I'll be okay." Drishti believed her. Esha was strong and more adaptable than almost anyone she had ever met. But that didn't mean she wasn't worried about what lay ahead.

"I'm always here when you need to talk," Drishti said.

"I know. I'd be lost without you three." Esha smirked, shaking her head. They smiled, letting the moment settle between them. Then, they caught up for the rest of the day, talking, laughing, and preparing for what was to come. __ Joe sat somewhere in the middle of Madagascar. It had taken him five days to find out where he was; the island was almost entirely devoid of humanity. Only a few small camps remained. Joe had decided to stay.

The sheer abundance of Beasts here made it the perfect place for one last push, a final stint of levelling before the Resource Grab. He wanted to reach level 50 before the two-week limit was up. Not just for the stats. From everything he had heard, level 50 came with a major power-up. A Class or Profession evolution. Either he would get a choice, or, more likely, the system would choose for him. Either way, he needed it. Eight days in. He had only gained one level in his Class and one in his Profession. He frowned.

At this rate, he seriously doubted he could hit level 50 in time. Maybe he should try one more Random Teleportation. It would be risky. At least here, he could focus on his profession. The last thing he wanted was to get thrown into some brutal fight just days before he was needed to help his world. What if he landed in South America? No. It was better to stay here. Better to focus on alchemy and his Nature skills. He exhaled and put his head down. It was time to make a thousand pills.

__ Two days before the Resource Grab tournament. Alice entered the office where the Divine Sword had been holed up for the past three days.

"Still nothing?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

"Nothing," Malcolm groaned, rubbing his temple.

"No response, not one message. Who just ignores everyone like that?"

"Maybe he's busy." Malcolm let out a long sigh. Alice hated seeing him like this. But, if she was being honest… It was good that he wasn't always getting his way. These past few weeks, he had become insufferable. The number of people trying to curry favour with him had been increasing almost daily. She placed a glass in front of him.

"Here." Malcolm took it without looking, downing it in one gulp, then immediately grimaced.

"Eackk… What is this?" He choked.

"Something to clear your head. Now go shower, you haven't left that chair in days." Malcolm sniffed himself and recoiled. Without another word, he stood up and headed to his room. Finally. Alice exhaled. That man only had one mode: work, work, work. That was one problem solved. If only she could figure out the other one. The third Progenitor. For the past two weeks, he had been completely invisible. No sightings. No reports. Not one message.

Even when someone had pinned his name on the Resource Grab message board, hoping for a response, nothing. Malcolm had been desperate to contact him after learning the man had killed thirty-nine Gate Boss Beasts. But finding him? Impossible. Alice herself was intrigued. The mysterious Progenitor. He clearly had some crazy teleportation skill that let him vanish across the world instantly. Every time they received reports of him entering a country, he was already gone.

Every attempt at making contact had ended in failure.

"Who are you indeed, Mr Mysterious?" She muttered to herself.

"Thinking about you know who again?" A voice sounded from behind. Alice turned, a smile forming as Felicia approached.

"Yes, I just can't help it," Alice admitted.

"You read the reports. Everyone said he was the most handsome man they had ever seen."

"Looks don't make the man," Felicia rolled her eyes. Alice laughed.

"But they do help."

"Anyway, did you finally get Malc out of the office?"

"Yes, I had to all but poison him to get him to go take a shower." Felicia raised an eyebrow.

"Poison?"

"That hangover drink Gus has for breakfast every day," Alice replied. Felicia made a face full of pity for anyone forced to drink that vile concoction.

"How'd you even get him to take that?" Alice's eyes flashed with mischief.

"He didn't even notice what he was drinking until it was too late." Felicia nodded. That made perfect sense.

"Everything else ready for our departure?" Felicia asked.

"All set. Are you excited for our first trip off-world? Even under the circumstances."

"Honestly, I'm terrified. What if we lose? You read what happens." Alice nodded grimly. She had read it. They were two days away from being teleported off-world, thrown into a battle tournament that would decide the fate of their entire planet. It felt unreal. She also didn't want to admit that she was terrified. All she could do now was hope and pray that the Progenitors were strong enough to pull them through. __ Twelve hours before the Resource Grab was set to begin.

Global System Message Congratulations, World 43, on your representative selection. Voting has closed. The final 20 representatives have been chosen. They are as follows: Progenitor Hakeem, Progenitor Kairos, Progenitor Joe, Gao YuanYuan, Esha Bakshi, Désira Ngolo, Felicia Price, Alice Taylor, Diego Castillo, Song Weilong, Divine Sword Malcolm, Ryuhei Matsuda, Gus Jones, Eddie Garcia, Malik Yoba, Zhang Zhehan, Toni Servillo, Max Riemelt, Luo Yinxi, Hu Yitian.

All representatives will have a countdown added to their status screens and be teleported off-world at the time displayed. Good Luck, World 43. One hour before teleportation. Joe emerged from his pond, washing off two weeks' worth of grime and dirt. He exhaled deeply. He felt much better now. Despite all his efforts, he had fallen short of his goal. He had pushed as hard as he could, but in the end, his Profession had only reached level 49. So close… He sat down, closing his eyes. For now, he would meditate.

Enjoy these last few moments of peace. In a flash of light, twenty people teleported off-world simultaneously. This also happened on three other worlds, currently vying for integration. The main difference between the world's representatives was that the twenty people of World 43 were all filled with fear and trepidation, while the representatives of the other worlds were not; their eyes sparkled with greed.