Preparing For The Future (I) : Getting Started

"So, what's up?" Nehar asked after reaching near to two of his ragtag group of teammates.

 Three of them looked at him with puzzled faces.

 "We really don't know what's going on. Suddenly all of us heard a voice when we were inside the house and then we got pulled here through some light. And now, we are seeing a blue colored screen hovering in front of us and various Class details in it. What's actually going on Nehar? Is this all real or are we hallucinating?"

 Nehar laughed softly after hearing Amelia's voice.

 "Whatever happened was real. And what will be happening is also real. None of you are hallucinating or those thousands of people who are currently standing with us in the middle of the road."

 Amelia, Grace, and his uncle stared at him intently. 

 "And as for those bluish screens and various Class choices that you are seeing, they are also real. Just understand and acknowledge the fact that the current Human civilization in Edoria has collapsed. And in front of us, there is a new world, where Strength reigns supreme. The sooner you realize this truth, the better."

 Grace asked him in a worried voice, "Are you telling us that this is happening all over the world? And not just here?"

 Nehar only nodded his in affirmation.

 His uncle, who was listening to every word till now, suddenly interrupted, "I refuse to believe this. How can this happen all over the world? Surely not the Governments will sit back and watch all of this? Don't worry, I think the Government will send help as soon they can, all we need to do is to make contact with them."

 Nehar looked at his uncle.

 The man is still standing after getting beaten by him thoroughly.

 Although it was not for his own resilience, it was possible only for the System.

 When the white light teleported him here, it must have performed a general healing so that he can at least stand and face the challenges of the Tutorial Phase properly.

 Nehar chuckled internally.

 His uncle didn't have the slightest idea that he was currently standing in front of them due to the System's grace and goodwill.

 He only answered, "If that's what you believe, then feel free to do so. Try to contact the Government for help by any means possible." 

 Both women scrutinized him carefully.

 From his voice, it sounded like he already knew no Government help would come for them.

 His uncle replied, "Of course I will do so. Come with me, the two of you."

 He asked the others to join him and he started to leave, but soon stopped in his tracks.

 "Why are you two not coming?"

 He looked over his wife and his first-born and only daughter and to his surprise; they didn't bother to follow him and stood beside his nephew obediently.

 Nehar also took note of the situation.

 He thought internally.

 So they are not idiots. They at least know whom to trust in this situation.

 His uncle looked over sternly and noticed the smug look on his nephew's face.

 His face contorted in rage as he yelled, "You…you are forcing them to stay with you, right?"

 Nehar denied his accusations while smirking.

 "Why would I do that?"

 His uncle was visibly enraged looking at him denying the obvious.

 "Do you think I am a fool? You suddenly became rowdy, took my two years' worth of savings, and blew them away, then you came home and suddenly started beating me without any restraint in the world and even now you are manipulating my daughter and my wife to stand against me. Do you think I don't understand your intentions?" he screamed.

 Nehar thought about replying, but before he could say anything, Amelia beat him to it.

 "Father, it's better for us to stay with him. He at least has a general idea about what's going on. If you can contact any Government sources for help, we'll gladly follow you. Till then, we will wait here with him."

 Seeing his daughter taking a stance against him, he was bewildered. 

 Amelia was fuming in rage inside because of earlier when Nehar slapped her again and again for intruding into his business, but she understood it was better to stand with him now.

 Nehar didn't comment anymore.

 "Don't think this is over Nehar. The Government will send help and soon this all will be over. Watch out then how I will deal with you", he started leaving after declaring his stance.

 Nehar called him out this time.

 "Are you threatening me?" 

 His uncle stopped in his tracks when he heard the chilly voice.

 When he looked back, he saw a pair of cold, emotionless eyes looking straight at him.

 He didn't know why, but he felt a sudden urge to run away from him as far as possible in this instant.

 But he couldn't do it before the watchful eyes of his wife, daughter, and all the people nearby who were sneering at him, having fun while watching the family drama unfolding in the middle of the street.

 "I…I was not…"

 Before he could even finish, he heard the cold voice again, "Do whatever you want. But never cross the line again. This time you will regret it."

 Nehar started walking away after saying his piece without bothering to look back.

 Grace and Amelia looked at each other, and then at the man who got threatened, shook their heads in resignation, and started to leave that place as well.

 All this happened and the man stood there like an idiot.

 He could not even retort against his teenage nephew when he threatened him about the consequences.

 His confidence and influence were quite overwhelming.

 He looked around and saw people had already started gossiping about his misfortune at the hands of that brat.

 He swallowed up his rage and left, while promising to himself, "This is not the end. See, how I will trample all over you with these newfound Classes and their powers. I will make your life hell this time Nehar. Just as I did before."

 Amelia was following her aunt and her brother maintaining a steady pace.

 She looked over his brother's back, broad and unmoving, like a mountain.

 She didn't know how he got all this confidence but when she saw earlier beating his father like a dog, she understood quite clearly his brother was quite skilled.

 Was all those confident talks because he has some skills?

 Huh, I wonder.

While thinking about all this, she looked over her step mother from time to time.

 She knew, she was following her brother as she felt it would be better to follow him.

 But what about her?

 Why is she following him too?

 Amelia remembered quite vividly that this woman didn't try to stop Nehar when he was beating her father.

 She was his wife, but still, she just watched and obeyed his words like a machine.

 And even now, she didn't protest against his decisions and started following him obediently.

 She didn't speak a single word to her husband.

 What the hell was going on?

Something must have happened between them which she didn't know.

 I have to know what happened between them.

 I don't know why, I feel her vibes quite different from before.

 It's as if…

 Amelia didn't dare to complete her thoughts, as she feared them.

 She stopped thinking and followed them while looking at the Classes over the Class chart, as she still hadn't chosen a Class to start.

 ---

 Nehar stopped walking after arriving at one side of the road.

 The place was not as crowded as before, so he stopped there.

 Grace and Amelia also stopped in their tracks and looked at him.

 "I guess I owe you two some explanations. After all, you have followed me here, so it's my responsibility to let you know about some pointers."

 Both women looked at him cautiously and nodded their heads.

 "Well, the first thing is our civilization has collapsed as of now. The world around us has changed and it will continue to change in the future too. No Government help or help from the Military would come here, as they are in the same situation now as of us."

 Nehar stopped talking and took a look at them.

 They seemed convinced by his explanation.

 He started speaking again, "The bland mechanical voice you heard, it was of the System's. Now, what is this System, and what was all about the Initiation and Tutorial, right?

It's the same as the history of our planet. The world now is being controlled and governed by the System and it will be the same in the future too. Though the System would not stop us from doing anything we like, we have to follow its orders from time to time. You can say it's like an omnipotent AI God, who has taken control over our planet. 

 To survive in this new world, we have to prove ourselves. And the best way to prove ourselves is through survival and repeated battles. And that's why the System has provided all of us with some Classes to strengthen ourselves before the Tutorial Phase. We have to survive, fight, and progress in the Tutorial through multiple battles. Remember, those battles will not be simple. We'll have to fight zombies, monsters, and many other creatures. And you should remember one key point; if you die then it's over. Although it looked like a game, it's not. If you die, your existence will be completely erased from this world. So, try not to die."

 Nehar stopped talking after delivering quite a long speech.

 He gave them time to contemplate everything he said.

 After a minute, Amelia asked, "And how do you know all about this? None of us knows all this, right?"

 Grace nodded her head too.

 "It's my secret. If you are to survive the upcoming disaster and follow me to the end, then one day I might be generous and tell you. How about it?"

 Amelia harrumphed.

 This man was always like that.

 "You are already aware of all these. You even knew when everything would start. So, why did you choose us in particular? If you are planning to a have team for your future path of battles, it would be better to search for people who have some proper combat experience or soldiers. We don't have any previous battle experiences, so why us, Nehar?"

 Nehar looked at his aunt.

 As usual, she was quite sharp.

 "Well, I involved you two with me because I need something from you two."

 When Nehar answered her question, Grace flinched unknowingly. 

 She could not help but think about those little interactions they had over the day.

 Did he choose me because of that?

 Is he interested in me?

 But this is so wrong, I shouldn't get myself involved in this amoral relationship.

 But then, why did he choose Amelia too?

 Don't tell me, he plans to have both of us in this kind of relationship?

 No, no, no. I have to stop him from doing this. We are his family, he shouldn't think about doing that.

 "I need help in my journey and I need some people who will follow me and my orders without raising a question. I want that from you two. If you agree, then welcome to the Team and even if you don't, it's fine for me. I have already prepared myself to walk alone from the very beginning."

 Nehar answered truthfully.

 He needed some allies, even if this was only the Tutorial Phase.

 He was about to do something that would require some powerful companions.

 He would trust these two women rather than trusting anyone else in this matter.

 Nehar looked at Grace and saw she was flinching and shivering while thinking about something else.

 "Aunt Grace, what's the matter? Do you wish to back out?"

 Hearing his voice, Grace became more unsettled.

 She was sure that he wanted something amoral from them.

 But now, she didn't know what to think.

 "No, I will not back out."

 Nehar nodded his head, "What about you, Amelia?"

 "I…I will also follow you."

 "Are you sure? You could've followed your father, you know?"

 Amelia scoffed at him.

 "You know very well even if I was to follow him he would pester me about you and her", she pointed her finger towards Grace.

 "So, for now, I think I'll follow you. As for the future, I'll decide when that time comes."

 Nehar chuckled softly.

 "Well, that's fine with me."

 Nehar joined hands with them, as he started formulating a plan in his mind.

 If they follow me well, I will turn them into powerhouses.

 I will need much more power and variables to counter the threats in the future.

 It would be better to prepare some wildcards from the beginning.