"We thought it was a magic trick, but he never returned. He doesn’t answer the phone either," said one of Fern's friends.

Chapter 5 – Tutorial (Survivor) - 5

"AAAAAAHHHH!!"

Vesper's eyes snap open as he sits up, his sweaty, oily face ghostly pale. He pants, his hand trembling as it grazes his neck, twisted 180 degrees.

Gradually, his vision adjusts to the dim light, revealing the night suburb and his bare, skinny legs. As clarity returns, his heart sinks: he's back on the suburban road.

"Was it all a nightmare?" he wonders aloud, his wide eyes scanning the surroundings. He checks the cold concrete road first, then turns to gaze at the one-story house. It's still there, but the walls and the Altar of Sacrifice have vanished.

Before he can voice his disbelief, a massive billboard materializes, delivering a stark message:

<YOU DIED>

<Congratulations. You have failed the trial for first time. The tutorial stage will penalize you according to your performance.>

<What is the ability that you can't live without while pursuing your dream of a streamer? These answers come from heart. The Judges will randomly pick one following choices: Your eyes, voice, ears, arms, legs, face, or life…>

Vesper stands, staring at the billboard in confusion. He tries to speak, but his voice fails him, his vocal cords silent. Determined, he gathers his strength to utter a single word.

"KR-KR-KR-KR-KR-KR-KR-KR."

Vesper sounds like a ghost in a movie as his voice stutters in his throat. Only wind comes out. 

At that moment, the billboard reminds him of the rules again. 

.

7. The default setting of this tutorial zone is non-lethal. In the event of death, players are resurrected but must restart all stages.

7.1 Each resurrection incurs a random penalty. Effects accumulate.

7.1.1 Penalties include debuffs, status reductions, and organ removal, which can only be lifted upon completing all three tutorial stages.

7.1.2 Certain curses may result in permanent death or monster transformation, leading to disqualification and eternal entrapment within the realm.

7.2 All items are lost upon death, except stored items in the storage chest. Skills, credits, and attributes are retained.

.

Realizing the dire situation he's in, Vesper purses his lips, lowers his head, and sighs. He blundered, and now he's paying for it - his vocal cord busted due to the penalty.

<You 24 have hours to select a trial ground within the suburb. All basic necessities can be found in straw shack at end of road.>

<Please note: The Supreme Protector and the Judge respect your freewill. If you choose to withdraw from trial, we will send home. However, applied penalty not be removed, lose all memory of this world.>

Vesper questions whether the gods are cruel or merciful. It's clear that going home isn't an option; he'd lose his voice forever, essential for his streaming career.

"I'm going to keep going!"

<Very well. When you're ready, you can enter any building's perimeter to initiate the tutorial trial. Good luck.>

Vesper's hands tremble with regret for not ending the first round when he had the chance. He vows not to be greedy next time.

*GROWL*

His stomach roars again, his throat parched. Attacking the trial while starving is foolish. 

He heads toward a small shack in the middle of the concrete road. Inside, he finds three bottles of water, three pieces of dried bread, and a roll of toilet paper on a bamboo bed. Underneath, a plastic potty for seniors is hidden.

Looking at the toilet, Vesper grimaces. With no choice, he sits on the unstable bamboo bed and eats the hard bread. Then, he lies down, attempting to sleep.

…

Seven hours later, Vesper rises from the hard bed, rubbing his sore elbows and back.

*GROWL*

Once again, hunger gnaws at him. Vesper smacks his forehead, regretting eating all the bread last night. He stands and exits the house.

Stepping outside, Vesper gazes at the sky.

15:46:15

That's the time remaining before the trial ground plunges him into hell once more. But time isn't his only concern.

Despite the passage of time, the sky remains dark, devoid of stars. No signs of human or animal life in sight.

Looking down, Vesper spots three pieces of bread and three bottles of water on the ground. The entities indeed keep their promise of providing necessary sustenance.

Without hesitation, Vesper devours the bread and rests for two hours to recuperate. After attending to personal matters, he sets out for another adventure.

Returning to the previous house, Vesper approaches the front yard. Stepping onto the driveway triggers the reappearance of a mysterious billboard, confirming his return.

<Will you retry the first trial? The rules remain same, but locations of runes and spawning entities will change.>

Vesper closes his eyes, focusing. After five minutes of deliberation, he confirms his decision.

'Do it!'

The billboard vanishes, replaced by the Altar of Sacrifice. A storage chest emerges from the ground.

Learned from past mistakes, Vesper wastes no time. He rushes into the house, cautious of potential monsters lurking within.

Navigating through the darkness, Vesper scans the living room. Despite the dimness, he discerns the outlines of objects. He spots a green rune crystal near the coffee table but disregards it for now.

Without bothering with light switches, he moves cautiously, eyes scanning for ambushes. Unlike before, he enters the baby's room first.

Inside, the furniture remains unchanged, but the rune placements have shifted. Only one small rune lies beneath the infant bed.

Vesper retrieves the rune. Instead of taking it to the altar, he presses it against his chest and commands.

'Consume!'

Once again, a strange, soothing sound fills his mind, presenting him with choices.

<You have consumed a rare 1st-grade rune stone.>

<You may choose one effect from the following options:< p>

1. Temporarily increase dexterity by 1 for 10 minutes.

2. Permanently increase dexterity attribute by 0.5 points.

3. Obtain one 1st-grade smudge stick.>

Vesper flinches at the mention of a smudge stick. In one of the games he played, it was a ghost-warding item. Lighting the stick would generate smoke, temporarily driving away pursuing ghosts—a vital item for survival.

Though tempting, Vesper prioritizes permanent growth and selects the second option.

[You have chosen the second option.]

Suddenly, his legs and stomach area ache. His muscles bulk up by a quarter of a millimeter, a tangible but subtle change that Vesper keenly senses.

'I wish I could see my status attributes. Shame.'

Vesper mentally notes to inquire about his status attributes from the billboard later. Refocusing, he scans the room, determined not to get sidetracked.

"KIHIHIHIHIHIHI!"

While searching the baby's room, Vesper hears the nostalgic laughter of the spider lady emanating from outside the house. He realizes she's patrolling on the rooftop, knocking a few roof tiles to the ground as she moves.