The Game Commences

Leon stood there gazing at the screen trying to better understand his unique skill. It seemed that his skill wasn't specialised for combat or at least not as a physical trait. He switched of his status screen after a few minutes of quiet contemplation and decided on scoping out his enviroment. He walked for miles on end until he discovered that at some point the terrain loops back to where he started.

He was quite confused as to what this trial entailed and how to complete it but he did not have to wait any longer until he received a pop up message telling him that another "player" so to speak had finished their personal trial. A leaderboard screen soon after appeared in front, recording the time of achievement and the player's name.

Unique Trial Completion

All Sever Leaderboard

1] Leon 2 days 37minutes 19 seconds

2] Aaron 7 days 21minutes 12 seconds

3] ------- ------------ ----------- --------

Leon was shocked to discover that he had been knocked out for nearly five days. Just as he was still processing his shock a sudeen beam of light fell onto the ground and as it faded it revealed the figure of a man possibly in his mid twenties. He looked just like an ordinary guy but nothing about his entrance seemed ordinary so Leon was hesitant to interact with him out of fear.

The guy seemed to be awfully confused by the sudden change of terrain so much so that he didn't notice that he was not alone until Leon started approaching him hesitantly. As soon as he noticed that he was not alone the mysterious figure clenched his fists and stood in a defensive manner ready to pounce. Before any serious confrontation happened something quite similar to the guy on the roof appeared in the sky above the two as if floating on air. As it opened its mouth to speak the duo suddenly reacted in gesture hinting towards closing their ears.

The being started laughing. Leon and the new guy were confused, they wondered if this was a trick for them to let their guards down or a sick twisted joke as they recalled the being they saw last before waking up in an uknown place. How did this being's laughter not make them writhe in pain as it did the night before the beginning. The being grinned and addressed them in cool milky tone. " It's always fun welcoming new participants, the undiluted fear always gets me every time. Ok enough with the jokes, on to business, you two are the first to complete Turn Zero within record time, a unique trial meant to make the transition easier and because of that you will be allowed the gift of information. Leon as the first to complete the trial beating the best ever record of completion since the tower's conception. You shall be gifted Level 1 access to the Akashic Records." And as soon as he said that a status window popped up to reveal that he had acquired a skill:

Akashic Records [ EX]

Level 1 Access [ Upgradeable]

( To access level 2 Access Achievement tokens needed [0/1000])

Description

Can access upto tier 2 information or skills in exchange for Achievement Tokens. Grants the rare skill Third Eye.

Skill Third Eye [Rare]

Can see hidden truths behind things. Consumes mana depending on how hidden the truth.

The being went on to state," Aaron as the runner up you shall be teleported to a private secure space where you will get the chance to ask me not more than three questions."

As soon as he finished they disappeared. It was then that Leon discovered that the guy from before to was Aaron the second place holder in the Leaderboard. This meant that Leon was not the only one in this situation and if so how many more had been taken, why were they taken and by whom. Was his family ok, where they somewhere connected to this place too and if so how can they get back to their normal mundane life. He wasn't completely certain about his dream theory to begin with but now he had more doubts. He wondered if his death in this foreign place would mean death in real life or if it would be his ticket out of this strange place.

The more he thought, the more confused he got. While in the middle of his existential crisis the Leaderboard started updating and more and more people started finishing and appering in the meadow.

It didn't take long for Aaron and the being to return but the look on Aaron's face spoke volumes. Aaron looked more distressed than he was when he left. What did he ask and why did the answers he got freak him out so much? Leon needed to get answers too but how?

The unusual being grinned as he looked at the Leaderboard updating. The more the Leaderboard updated the more crowded it got, and as more and more people started appearing a sudden message was shown on the leaderboard screen in the sky for all to see:

Creating multi severs.... assigning adminstrators for the first turn... speeding up synchronization process..... Updating system...

As soon as the words stopped appearing the ground started shaking as if it were splitting apart. People started disappearing and the leaderboard started updating faster and faster, then

*Silence*.

Everything stopped. The screen appeared, showing the words:

The quota has been met, failures will removed. Assigning players to random severs. Synchronisation has been completed. Let turn 1 sequence 0 commence. May the stars shower you with their favor.

Just like that, the game began.