In a small town of Paraiso of some backward country. A Humble–unfinished home was standing strong, looking plain and reeking an air of poverty.
Inside this humble abode, a simple dish was being prepared at the table. Made by two beautiful teenage girls.
"Brother...let's eat. The dinners is ready!"
"Big bro, don't keep us waiting! My stomach is grumbling from hunger already...Hurry up!"
The two girls knocked at the thin plywood door, calling out the person who was inside the room, who look like busy with something.
In the table, there are three dishes: a white plain rice, a cooked–canned sardines and a scrambled egg.
"Okay! Okay! Elly, Kayla. I get it already! Stop banging my door or it would break!"
Then the plywood door creek opened, showing a disheveled and haggard man inside. Dark circles swelled below his eyes, while his eyes were redden like he was on drugs. He is Micheal, the breadwinner of this small family.
Yawn!
Michael yawned, as he staggered towards the crude table.
"Bro...you look so beaten up" Kayla, smiled mischievously. Wanting mock his current condition but held it in.
"Hah... My boss is treating me like I was a cheap robot. Piling me up with mountain of task, while expecting me to finish it all in just a day? What a bastard! At least he should give me a rise" Michael sadly sigh, voicing out his displeasure as he sat down.
He want to quit this more like a slavery than an online job, but the problem of how he'll going to sustain this family of his keep echoing inside his mind, everytime he thought about quitting.
"Brother, don't think too much. For now let's eat." Elly smiled as she appeared behind Michael, massaging his temples as she did. She knows how much stress her brother were into, and want to help him even for a bit. Well, at least not to become an another source of problem like Kayla.
Then the trio then began to eat their modest meal, while they're at it the two girls talked about their experience in the senior highschool today.
Michael who is chewing down his food, listen attentively to their rants. He really like this modest life to last forever, being with his family and watching them reach the level he didn't reached.Unfortunately, this happy occasion would not last long.
While Michael was eating, something appeared before his eyes. Flickering in the air as it manifested out of nowhere, infront of him.
It's a virtual panel!
[Congratulations human, you've been chosen as one of the Aspirant!]
[The 9th Aspirant batch of Earth to enter the Ascendant Trial. Now, you have 15 seconds to prepare before you'll be transported into the trial space.]
[15]
[14]
Michael was flabbergasted at the sudden information he received, making him freeze at place for a couple second before he was jolted back to reality.
He stared deeply at the two girls with knowing eyes, like he knows what was about to happen to him.
The two girls stares back at him. Their face contains multiple emotion: shocked, horror, and confusion as they look at the glowing symbol at the back of Michael's hand which was gived them the idea of what's about to happen.
The mark of "Trial Chosen". Glowing in azure glow can be seen at the back of his hand. A mark that symbolize the chosen few of the system, to participate in trials of Aspirants in the location called Trial World, which was a random world chosen by the system to conduct it's trials.
An opportunity to rise to the top of the world and become an Ascendant, wielding power unimaginable to comprehend. While also being a death sentence if you ever fail.
[...]
[9]
"Bro..." Kayla, felt a mix of emotion. Her eyes become teary as she look at Michael.
This maybe the last time they would see each other, so Kayla cannot help but sob.
Everything happened so sudden that the duo: Kayla and Elly doesn't know what to do and how to react. They where just eating their dinner, then an unfortunate news showed up.
Never does it crossed their minds, that their beat up brother would get chosen by the system so suddenly.
"If ever I don't go back early, there's a money hidden below my drawer. And I have savings in my online bank, the PIN is ####." Michael pinch their checks while smiling before he gives them a tight hug.
As the time was rapidly approaching zero, he patted them on the head, as if to say goodbye.
[5]
"You two... keep on studying hard even when I'm not here. Don't you dare to give up on your dreams, or I'll beat you two up even when I'll die!" Michael warned, showing his fist like he was about to beat them.
Soon his figure become blur, turning into small light particles that disappeared into the unknown.
[2]
[1]
"Goodbye...!"
[0]
The girls were frozen from their position for a moment before they broke down crying. Their beloved brother was gone, taken by the trial ground of the system. As for whether he'll go back from that trial, it's up to fate.
...
[Welcome Aspirants to the World Of Trials!]
The mechanical woman voice greeted everyone that appeared before an apocalyptic world.
Here, the sun and moon was crimson red. Where the environment was gloomy, tense, and thick with the smell of blood that lingered around, still fresh.
Everywhere you look, there's only dried earth, bloody scenery, and deathly silent. The view are enough to showed everyone how dangerous this place maybe.
[You have 10 minutes of immunity from every sort of harm, before the trial would officially begin. Aspirants, spend this time wisely and adapt to your new environment...]
[9 minutes and 59 seconds...]
"Where am I?"
"Is this the trial world? Why do it looks like this?"
"Base on the past experience of the Ascendants that survive the trial, as what was teached in senior highschool education curriculum. The more battered and torn the trial world is, the harder and dangerous the trial would be!"
"So you mean that we're on a difficult trial world?... The f*ck?"
"Why I've been chosen? God why?"
"I just want to lay on my bed all day, but alas!"
"Isn't it good to be chosen by the system? Becoming an ascender, and rise to the top of the world. Killing monster and being a hero of the nation?"
"You need to survive first, dork head. The fatality rate of an average trial averaged to 50 to 60 percent. And now, we still don't know if this trial is one of them, as this place looks like a bad deal, we can only brace ourselves for the worst."
"..."
Crowd of a thousand humans gathered in the open field they've got transported into. Still disoriented by the teleportation, it cause them to feel like throwing up.
While their faces were mixed with anticipation and trepidation as they chat and look around. They where hopeful about the future as a new batch of Ascendants.
The people here comes from different country and use different languages making communication with one another a bit difficult, but there are still those from the same country meeting each other. Even do they all are different, they all have one thing in common.
And it was the mark of a trial chosen, a symbol of Aspirants that was about to undergo their trial.
Amongst this crowd, there was one quiet individual. Listening to their conversation like a bastard eavesdropper.
It was Michael. He just got transported here, the same time others, and now he was doing his best to adapt to his new reality. Right now, he lacked basic information about the trial grounds and the system overall, now he was trying his best to gather it from people that may know a thing or two.
Unlike most of these guys that surely entered higher education, or may be a descendants of an Ascendant.
A college dropout like him surely lacked at many aspect other than searching for online jobs an hustling around, he knows none.
"What are your abilities guys?"
"You mean the ability we gained as soon as we become aspirant?"
"Yes! You can check it out when you think about 'status' in your head. You can see your initial attributes and ability there."
"I don't have one! Damnit, this is a scam!"
"Not everyone can naturally awaken their ability. It's all based on luck and once talent"
"Don't fret guys, you don't need an innate ability to become extraordinary. You just need to pass the trial and choose your profession "
"..."
After hearing a critical information from the crowd, he immediately tried it out. Calling 'status' in his mind. Then moments later, an azure blue panel appeared before his eyes...