บท 26: Second Stage begins

[00.00 AM].

[Ding!!!]

A loud ding could be heard at exactly the very first second of the next day, the Second Stage of the First Realm began.

[CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TOP 10 MILLION PLAYERS THAT MADE IT TO THE SECOND STAGE. ALL PLAYERS THAT COULDN'T MAKE IT WOULD BE AUTOMATICALLY ELIMINATED AND KILLED].

[Stage Evaluation in progress...]

[Stage Evaluation completed].

[Stage Location: Lotus Land & New Claraville. Second Stage of the First Realm].

[Players in Stage: 10 million].

[Players needed for qualification into the next Stage: 5 million].

----------

This robotic voice sounded after a while, making various evaluations that visibly affected the surroundings.

Tyler was only standing in front of the Strider Station as he watched in amazement. He couldn't believe that someone like him could make it to the next Stage, and there were several reasons for him to thank his stars.

"So, millions of Players had just been wiped out in one go?" Tyler asked himself, wondering. However, that was the sad fact.

Those Players who didn't rank among the Top 10 million Players would be eliminated and killed both in the game world and reality.

Sigh...

"Well, it's kinda well-deserved. Only five people can actually escape this punishment."

"And I would be a part of them, no matter what," Tyler spoke with a serious expression, and entered his office.

However, Charlotte seemed to have something to say to all Players.

----------

[Let me go straight to the point.

In this Stage, there are higher chance of encountering strange events. In any way, Players might face highly frightening individuals or creatures that might cost them their lives.

This is why the theme of this Stage is tagged: Chaos.

You might encounter events that would make you quite confused or occurrences that might make you wonder... However, this might be just illusional... But, not all could be illusional.

For some Players, this might just be a slight indication of your battle move in the Boss Stage.

This is all I have to say for now... Till we meet again.

----------

"Theme of the Stage, Chaos?" Tyler shrugged.

"That's fucking crazy!" He commented.

He hadn't even made his first Class Duty on the new Stage, yet he had felt the aura of destruction and commotion all around.

"If the theme of this Stage is tagged Chaos, then what theme would be given to other Stages? This is just the Second Stage of the First Realm, and we still have a long way to go."

Tyler kept wondering as he went to bed...

On the other side of his mind were thoughts about Venus who he knew wasn't in a good state of health.

'I hope she would be fine... Not for any stupid purpose, but for me to capture her soon.'

Tyler said inwardly.

He only slept for a few hours as it was already almost dawn. When he woke up, he ordered Enzo to go with him to Ultra Square in the Northern Villages.

He had one useable Golden Portal Ring, and he didn't dare to use it. They used the aging Strider vehicle to get to Ultra Square and made their way straight to the Village head's abode.

The Northern Villages were more wealthy and developed than the Southern Villages. They managed to create various industrial and power supply structures without the aid of the government, and these made them one of the most independent indigenes in New Claraville.

They also had strong and skillful hunters who could slay low-ranked beasts, well, this had made their environment safer than the endangered Southern Villages.

Now, they discovered that some SS+-ranked Beasts had resided in one of the incomplete mining facility buildings, and had killed almost half of their workers.

The hunters were overwhelmed in this case, so their only hope for the eradication of these Terrors was the Striders.

Now, Tyler would have to slay considerable amounts of SS+-ranked Beasts.

Well, he knew that this was a matter of life and death. Of course, the Demonic Beast God was out of its brutality and attack power... It was tamed. With just battling the Horned Beasts, Tyler knew how deadly SS+-ranked ones would be.

And even though it was his life being at stake here, he couldn't decline the plea of the helpless residents of the Northern Villages.

"We have tried all we could, Officer, but we couldn't defeat these things. We couldn't even take one down," the village head said, sad.

"You don't have to worry, we will make sure we fix it," Tyler said, trying to fill some hope into the village head's heart.

Tyler and Enzo left for Ultra Square to take down the beasts. Tyler made sure he was with his dagger, enough Impulse Points to be used in activating Terror Zone, and his one-shot Strider revolver.

As soon as they got to Ultra Square, a systematic image showing "Ultra Square" on the air appeared above. These made Tyler believe that the higher the Stage, the more advancement of the technology system.

Everything becomes upgraded at every Stage, indicating the glory of elevation and advancement.

"Go that way, I'll take this path. Make sure you take down everything that doesn't look human," Tyler ordered Enzo as they parted ways.

******

"They keep increasing in number, and my Impulse Points are getting really low."

In the extreme inner section of the mining facility structure, Tyler and a group of SS+-ranked beasts could be seen battling for victory.

The Hangman was severely wounded in his chest, his black suit soaked in his blood.

'My chest hurts so badly. I have to escape.'

'But even if I choose to escape, they would still come after me. I can't withstand the force of their speed.'

Three Demonic Beast Gods, Four Collosal Panthers, and countless figures of Wood-skinned Apes almost made a circle around The Hangman, striking with the greatest force in their power to crush every part of his body.

Tyler had been shielding himself for hours, and now, he was utterly exhausted. He couldn't withstand the pain anymore... He was slowly losing his vitality, depressing.

'My heart seemed to have stopped beating, and it seems I have been smacked to the ground.'

'Oh Gosh... This Stage is just so difficult for me. I'm going to die so shamefully, and become forgotten forever.'

Tyler felt himself saying these words...

He couldn't even control his vision anymore. Everything in him seems to have been shattered by sharp curvy claws, and only what he could feel were harsh throbbing pains that would only drive his soul into the swamp of extinction.

However...

Just then, a loud bang was heard.

Then following it were several striking sounds.

Tyler couldn't react, but he knew that somehow, someone was there. Either to kill him or to save him.

The strikes lasted for long until they stopped, and fortunately, the growls of these beasts seemed to stop.

Tyler was stunned.

He tried to open his eyes to see who had just slayed all these deadly Terrors, and just before he could open his eyes, this savior zoomed away.

But...

"I think... I think I know her..."

"Y—yes, it's..."

"Ven..."