Chapter 11: Sanctuary

Two days had passed since Rob's last respawn, and he was still alive—barely. His body ached from constant running, his stomach growled from days of eating nothing but grass and leaves, and his mind was frayed from the relentless stress of survival. But he was alive, and for now, that was enough.

His most recent encounter had been the stuff of nightmares. A bipedal monster, towering and grotesque, had chased him through the forest. It looked like Bigfoot, except with two massive deer horns protruding from its head. Its roar had sent shivers down Rob's spine, and its speed had nearly cost him his life. He had run until his legs felt like they were on fire, his stamina pushed to the absolute limit.

Just when he thought he was done for, salvation came in the form of another monster—a massive, T-Rex-like creature that barreled out of nowhere and attacked the bipedal beast. Rob didn't stick around to see who won. He scrambled up a tree, his heart pounding as he clung to the branches, praying the T-Rex wouldn't notice him.

For hours, he stayed there, too terrified to move. Eventually, exhaustion overtook him, and he dozed off, his body curled awkwardly against the tree trunk. When he woke, his stomach was growling louder than ever. He plucked a leaf from the tree and chewed on it, his face scrunching up at the bitter taste.

"A goat would be proud of me," Rob muttered, tears welling up in his eyes. He wiped them away angrily, refusing to let the virtual reality break him. "I'm not dying here. Not like this."

Then, he heard it—a soft pssst from below. Rob froze, his eyes darting around until he spotted a figure hiding in the bushes. It was another applicant, a woman dressed in a grass loincloth and leaf undergarment that barely covered her. She waved at him, her expression urgent but friendly.

"Hey, you," she whispered. "Come here."

Rob hesitated, his instincts screaming at him to stay put. But the thought of being alone again was too much to bear. Slowly, he climbed down from the tree, his muscles protesting every movement.

"Come with me," the woman said, her voice low. "There's a sanctuary nearby. A safe place for us. Come on."

Rob followed her, darting from tree to tree as they moved through the forest. His heart raced with every step, but the woman moved with confidence, her eyes scanning the surroundings for danger. After what felt like an eternity, they arrived at a cave entrance, hidden behind a thick curtain of vines.

Rob stared at the cave, his jaw dropping. "I never thought something like this existed," he said, his voice filled with awe.

The woman grinned. "Well, they found me, too. Story short, one of us found another, and then we found this cave. It's safer if we stick together."

She led him inside, and Rob's eyes widened at the sight. The cave was dimly lit with torches, their flickering light casting long shadows on the walls. Dozens of applicants were scattered around, some naked, others clothed in makeshift leaf outfits. A few were tending to small fires, while others sat in small groups, sharing stories or simply resting.

Rob looked down at his own naked body and sighed. "Guess I'm underdressed for the occasion."

The woman chuckled. "Don't worry. Most of us started out the same way. You'll figure something out."

Rob followed her deeper into the cave, his unease growing with every step. "Do you think the evaluators will let this slide?" he asked, his voice low. "I mean, if we're all hiding here, won't they just send a wave of monsters to flush us out?"

The woman laughed dryly. "I hope not. But they said survivability, right? I guess this counts."

Rob wasn't convinced, but he didn't argue. For now, the sanctuary was a welcome reprieve from the horrors outside. He found a quiet corner to sit, his body sagging with relief as he leaned against the cave wall.

As he closed his eyes, he couldn't help but wonder how long this peace would last. The virtual reality had already thrown so much at them—what else did it have in store?

The sanctuary cave was a far cry from paradise. Though it offered safety from the monsters roaming outside, it was damp, cold, and dimly lit, with only the faint glow of torches to push back the darkness. The air was thick with the scent of sweat and earth, and the constant murmur of voices echoed off the stone walls. Rob sat against the cave wall, his stomach growling as he watched the other applicants move about. Food and water were scarce, and the group had quickly learned that survival here required more than just luck—it required cooperation.

But cooperation wasn't always easy.

"Hey, Rob," a voice called. It was the woman who had led him to the cave. She was dressed in a grass loincloth and leaf undergarment, her hair tied back with a vine. "We're heading out to forage. You in?"

Rob nodded, pushing himself to his feet. "Yeah, I'm in. Anything's better than sitting here starving."

The foraging party consisted of five applicants, including Rob and the woman, whose name he learned was Lina. They moved cautiously through the forest, their eyes scanning the ground for anything edible. Rob had already learned the hard way that not everything in this virtual world was safe to eat. The memory of the radiation field that had disintegrated his body still haunted him.

"Over here," Lina called, crouching beside a patch of wild tubers. "These are safe. I've eaten them before."

Rob helped her dig up the tubers, his hands caked with dirt. "How do you know so much about plants?" he asked.

Lina shrugged. "I used to work in a botanical garden. Never thought it'd come in handy like this."

The group gathered as much as they could carry, filling makeshift bags made from large leaves and vines. As they worked, Rob noticed a few applicants lounging near the cave entrance, watching them with disinterest. One of them, a scrawny guy with a lazy smirk, called out, "Hey, save some for us, will ya?"

Rob clenched his jaw but said nothing. Lina, however, wasn't as patient. "If you want food, get off your ass and help," she snapped. "We're not your personal chefs."

The guy rolled his eyes but didn't move. Rob shook his head, muttering under his breath, "Some people."

Back in the cave, the foragers distributed the tubers and berries they had gathered. The group had established a system of sharing, with those who contributed more receiving larger portions. It wasn't perfect, but it was fair—or at least, it was supposed to be.

"Hey, that's my share!" a voice shouted, breaking the relative calm. Rob turned to see a hunter, a burly man with a makeshift spear, arguing with one of the lazier applicants.

"You took more than your fair share last time," the lazy applicant shot back, his voice whiny and defensive. "I'm just balancing it out."

The hunter's face turned red with anger. "If you're not going to help, at least don't steal from those of us who are!"

The argument escalated quickly, with both men shouting and gesturing wildly. Rob stepped in, trying to mediate. "Hey, calm down. We're all in this together, remember?"

But the tension was too high. The lazy applicant lunged at the hunter, his fist swinging. To everyone's surprise, his hand phased harmlessly through the hunter's body, as if hitting a hologram.

"What the hell?!" the aggressor shouted, staring at his hand in disbelief.

A calm, mechanical voice echoed in their minds: "Physical violence between applicants is prohibited. Please resolve conflicts peacefully."

The cave fell silent for a moment, then erupted in nervous laughter. Even the hunter couldn't help but chuckle. "Guess the system's got our backs," he said, shaking his head.

But the underlying frustrations remained. As the group settled down to eat, Rob overheard a group of foragers gossiping about the lazy applicants.

"Did you see him? Just sitting there while we're out there risking our lives," one forager muttered, gesturing toward the scrawny guy near the entrance.

"He's like a parasite," another added. "We're doing all the work, and he's snoring in the corner."

Rob didn't join in, but he couldn't deny that he shared their frustration. Survival in this world was hard enough without carrying dead weight.

Water was an even bigger challenge than food. The group relied on a nearby stream, but accessing it was dangerous due to the risk of monsters. A rotating team of applicants fetched water while others stood guard. Rob took his turn one afternoon, his heart pounding as he filled a makeshift container from the stream.

"Hurry up," the guard whispered, his eyes darting around nervously. "I don't like how quiet it is."

Rob nodded, his hands trembling as he secured the container. Just as they turned to leave, a low growl echoed through the trees. The guard froze, his spear raised. "Run," he hissed.

Rob didn't need to be told twice. He sprinted back to the cave, the container sloshing in his arms. When he arrived, he was greeted with cheers and relieved smiles. The water was boiled over a small fire, making it safe to drink. It wasn't much, but it was enough to keep them going.

Despite their efforts, resources remained scarce, and tensions continued to rise. The lazier applicants became the subject of gossip and ridicule, their lack of contribution a constant source of frustration. Rob tried to stay out of the drama, but even he found himself growing impatient.

"Why do we even let them stay here?" he asked Lina one evening as they sat by the fire. "They're not helping. They're just taking."

Lina sighed, poking the fire with a stick. "I don't know. Maybe because kicking them out feels wrong. Or maybe because we're all just trying to survive, even if some of us are better at it than others."

Rob didn't have an answer to that. He stared into the flames, his mind racing. Survival in this world required more than just physical strength—it required mental resilience, too. And right now, he wasn't sure how much more he could take.

The debate was cut short when a loud roar echoed through the forest. The cave fell silent, every pair of eyes turning toward the entrance. The sound was deep and guttural, sending shivers down Rob's spine.

"What was that?" someone whispered, their voice trembling.

No one answered. The group exchanged uneasy glances, their faces pale with fear. Whatever had made that sound was close—and it was coming their way.