Chương 15: Chapter 14 - The Arena (V)

July 31, 2024 - Headquarters of the United Nations, New York, US A tense silence enveloped the room following Viktor's words. Dr. Lee glanced at Elena, unsure whether to intervene or not. After an awkward moment, Elena broke the silence.

"We are not in a rush, Marshall, and each of the points discussed here deserves thorough deliberation."

"I understand, Madam Secretary-General," Viktor responded with a smile.

"But I believe we should have the complete picture before delving deeply into any single point. Otherwise, we risk following unnecessary paths and wasting time on discussions that may lose relevance as new information is introduced."

He paused, then continued, "We might even delude ourselves into thinking we are the ones bestowing power upon those who return, or as they are known on the internet: The Returnees, while in reality, it is The Tower itself that grants them strength and skills beyond their normal capacity. If these abilities continue to grow, they may very well surpass what is humanly possible. Who knows, maybe the next superhero movies won't need CGI at all," he chuckled. Elena's grin was sharp.

"Well, Marshall, that's a valid point. If you are so keen to show us the full picture, why don't you continue the meeting? Let us all know what you've discovered so far and what you believe should be done." Viktor's smile faded slightly, but he maintained his composure.

"Certainly, Madam Secretary-General. As you wish. So, where should I start?" He paused, looking at everyone seated at the oval table.

"Oh yes, let's begin with the end of the first trial. Specifically, how to pass the test known as The White Room." He glanced at Elena.

"Do we have any display here with access to the web?" An imperceptible frown crossed Elena's face.

"Yes, we do," she replied. Viktor remained seated and called over a technician with a wide smile on his face.

"Can you please search for the popular streamer, SkibidiTester, and his video: The White Room?" The technician gave Viktor a puzzled look, then glanced at Elena, who sighed and nodded her head. The technician quickly connected the display screen to the internet and brought up the streamer's channel. The screen then showed a young streamer going through the first test. He displayed several recorded videos of people in a featureless white room, looking around in confusion.

The streamer narrated different behaviors observed during the test, showing how participants reacted to the emptiness.

"The White Room is like, this insane endurance test," the streamer began, his tone animated. Clips played of people pacing, sitting in silence, or examining the walls for any hint of an exit.

"Watch how they start to lose it," he continued, fast-forwarding the footage to show increasingly frantic and desperate behavior. Then, the streamer paused.

"Now, this is where it gets wild," he said, showing the appearance of a knife in the room.

"A lot of them, totally overwhelmed by the isolation and pressure, use the knife to end it all." He showed recordings of several individuals doing just that. The streamer's voice grew more serious as he displayed even more disturbing footage.

"Some don't use the knife on themselves right away but start doing other messed up stuff." The screen showed individuals bashing their heads against the walls, cutting themselves, and writing on the walls with their own blood.

"The psychological toll of the room really pushes them to their breaking point."

"But check this out," the streamer continued, his tone lifting, "those who resist the urge to give up and hang in there for fifteen hours—five hours after the knife shows up—get a surprise." The screen displayed a participant waiting, resisting the torment. After the elapsed time, a staircase appeared, leading to the next room.

"They've basically aced the test by showing insane mental strength and endurance," the streamer concluded. The unsettling footage left a heavy silence in the room.

"Well, that is it for the first test. Nothing out of the ordinary there. I just wanted everyone to clearly see what the test was and how to pass it. Let's move on to the next test," Viktor said. He looked at the technician and smiled.

"Could you proceed with his next video: The Cage?"

"Pardon, Marshall, but there is something I didn't quite understand about the first video," General Reed interrupted.

"Besides the fact that I barely understood what this person was saying, I mean, was it even English? In any case, I am wondering how he managed to gain so many recordings of the happenings in The Tower. Is he perhaps an agent of yours disguised as a civilian?" A cough was heard in the hall, and several attendees glanced sideways, trying to contain their smiles after the question from the old general.

"Ahem," Viktor coughed slightly, hiding his mouth behind his hand. After composing himself, he stared at General Reed seriously.

"Pardon, General. As I believe I mentioned at the start, this person is a streamer, completely unrelated to the military. Additionally, I can assure you he is by no means Russian, but actually a young Canadian streamer, and the confusing language is a product of the so-called slangs. As for gathering the recordings, I must say that a phenomenon like this travels fast on the internet. Based on verified data, it seems the links started appearing just after The Tower emerged.

That means millions of people have seen it. Some watched the live feed on their PCs and may have recorded it on their mobile phones. These videos are then uploaded to the web, where some select ones end up in the hands of popular YouTubers and other streamers through their fans or contacts. This is, well," he grinned and couldn't contain the chuckle this time, "how the internet and social media work nowadays." This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

"I see," General Reed said, still with a slightly confused expression.

"And where can we get this data?"

"It will be made available after today," Elena suddenly interrupted.

"We have gathered extensive recordings on most of the participants, and even now, they are actively being monitored and recorded. We will make this easily accessible to all those present today and related organizations. That is one of the points we will discuss later on after," she glanced at Viktor, "our dear Marshall finishes."

"Thanks, Elena," he smiled.

"And General Reed, there is that, and well, there is another streamer who created a public database with thousands of recordings accessible to all. I can send you the link later." General Reed looked disoriented but ended up just nodding his head.

"Well, after the brief interruption, let's continue," Viktor said, staring at the technician." The Cage, please." Alonso stared at the purple ring, torn between the staircase and the fight. The creature waited, challenging him. He knew the danger—another fight, if it followed the same pattern of increasing difficulty, could be fatal. His mind raced with doubt and fear. Was this a test of temptation? To lure him with the prospect of more power but present an impossible challenge?

Or was it a necessary step to gain the strength needed for the trials ahead? He sighed deeply.

Cursing his thoughts, he felt a familiar pull from within—a voice from his past. His gamer instincts kicked in; he had always been relentless in his pursuits. Completing every scenario 100%, never stopping until he reached the top. Whether it was a video game, a hiking trail, or a sheer rock face, he pushed through every obstacle, no matter how many tries it took.

Memories flooded his mind: the long nights spent conquering virtual worlds, the satisfaction of reaching every summit, the thrill of pushing beyond his limits. This was no different. He would not back down. Not now. He glanced at the staircase again, a flicker of doubt still lingering. What if this was the right decision? What if the next trial was even more difficult, and the strength from this orb would be necessary? His grip tightened on his sword as he calmed his breathing.

Determination etched on his face, he walked to the edge of the circle, each step filled with purpose. He stared straight at the creature, feeling a mix of fear and exhilaration. This... this would be the true battle. This... was the true test. The decision was made. No turning back. Alonso took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was to come. The fight would be fierce, but he would face it head-on. For him, there was no other way. He had to finish this floor. He stepped in. The creature lunged.

Alonso parried, their swords clashing with a deafening ring. He countered with a swift slash. The creature deflected and struck back with lightning speed, its mouth seemingly twisting into a grotesque grin. He ducked under the horizontal cut and slashed upward, but the creature blocked and spun, delivering a brutal kick. Alonso staggered, pain flaring through his ribs, but he pushed forward, launching another attack, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The creature was relentless.

Each strike was faster, harder, each clash of steel sending shocks through Alonso's arms. He felt himself weakening, his movements slowing. A cut opened on his arm, blood streaming down, then another on his leg, his muscles screaming in agony. He was on the defensive, struggling to keep up, each step back a desperate bid for survival. The creature's blade found his shoulder, slicing deep. He cried out, almost dropping his sword. He was losing.

The creature sensed his weakness, pressing its advantage with a savage flurry of blows. Alonso's arms felt like lead, his parries growing weaker. His sword was knocked from his grasp, clattering to the ground, leaving him defenseless. Desperation clawed at him. He staggered back, wounds covering his body, each movement sending waves of pain through him. Blood dripped from multiple gashes, making his vision blur and his limbs heavy. The creature charged, its blade flashing menacingly towards his throat.

This was the end… His mind suddenly turned blank. There was nothing. Alonso's head moved instinctively to the side. The blade passed less than an inch from his skin. It was hard to think. He was dizzy. Everything shut down: no sound, no pain, nothing. His body stepped back and twisted. A diagonal cut did not manage to touch him. The creature kept attacking, but his body dodged. What is this? He felt it. He could see it. Another slash was avoided. It was… slow.

He stumbled back and pivoted on one foot, just avoiding a downward slash. As the creature attacked, it tripped over his leg and fell out of the circle. It disappeared. He fell to the floor from the recoil. What happened? He felt like he did when he took those strong pain relievers in the hospital. It was the same as back then—everything hard to see, all dizzy and turning. But… there was something else. What? His eyes were heavy. He stared around and saw an orb on the floor. Would this help?

He stretched out his hand, and it was absorbed into his skin. Stage 1 - 0. 576% He was tired. His eyes slowly closed and he fell asleep.