章節 2: Chapter I: Tutorial

After several minutes of deep breathing to calm his anxiety and avoid hyperventilating, Gino sat on the cold, filthy ground, his eyes staring blankly at the grey wall in front of him. His pupils seemed to play the first messages presented by the Forge System over and over again.

The intuitive system, as if following his will, paused its explanation, allowing Gino to process his current situation. After all, the young man found himself in an unknown and alien place, apparently alive after having assumed he was dead, with some sort of game-like interface embedded in his mind, talking to him about a fictional world he vaguely recalled seeing in internet videos.

The sheer amount of stimuli and surprises his mind had to process in such a short time was overwhelming.

The pause to collect his thoughts and calm himself allowed him to deduce and understand what was currently happening. Even though he had more questions than answers, he managed to piece together the information he had been given so far.

Taking one last deep breath, he sat up straight and thought to himself, 'First things first: it seems I'm alive. I don't even know if I'm in my own body or what the hell is going on, but I'm alive.' Raising his hands, he saw nothing unusual that he hadn't seen during his nineteen years of life.

Even in the shadows cast by the tall buildings around the alley, he could make out his usual skin tone and the same scar that ran across the middle of his knuckles on his right hand.

'But why am I naked?' Immediately after seeing his hands, he noticed his bare legs. He was startled that he hadn't felt anything up to that point or even noticed his lack of clothing. His hands quickly tried to cover his private parts while his eyes scanned his surroundings cautiously, noticing for the first time that the alley opened onto what appeared to be a street with some tracks.

On the grey walls, he noticed old posters and signs in a language he couldn't recognise.

Searching through the rubbish around him, he found a fairly long piece of paper and something resembling cardboard. Without caring about the dirt on them and only brushing away insects, Gino covered himself with both while cursing, 'I can't believe I woke up naked in god-knows-where!'

As he let his frustration flow through his mind, his eyes drifted back to the street and the view of the towering cluster of buildings. The fantastical yet decaying vista reminded him of something.

Reading the system messages again, he rested his back against the wall. 'This says Warhammer 40,000. Am I really in that place? But how? Isn't it supposed to be fiction?' As his mind tried to rationalise the most obvious and evident, he found it impossible to understand how he was in this situation.

The city around him, with its clear, gloomy, and decadent atmosphere, reminded him of the images that appeared repeatedly in the videos he recalled watching about the dark and grandiose universe that is Warhammer 40,000.

Although he was just an onlooker and not involved in tabletop gaming or the hobby, Gino had been intrigued by the massive scale of the conflicts, the dark setting, and the vast amount of lore it contained. A franchise present for so many years boasted thousands of books telling hundreds of stories, all waiting to be discovered and enjoyed.

'If I really am in Warhammer, I'm screwed. I have no chance of getting out of here sane and sound.' Gino immediately lamented, clenching his fists tightly. His mind and concern were fixed on the very dark and uncertain present, as well as his situation back in his city. 'What the hell happened to me? Do Mum and Dad know I'm here? Are they alright?' His family was of primary relevance in his thoughts and worries.

'In Warhammer 40,000, someone like me really has nothing to do. I don't even know what the hell I'd do against Chaos or the constant threats of this universe.' Looking sideways towards the street and tracks, he observed vehicles passing by occasionally while trying to come to terms with his situation.

Ordinary humans like Gino were cannon fodder and mere numbers in Warhammer, with people like him dying by the millions every day without notice or glory, perhaps in the most cruel and horrific of conditions. Even so, death was mercy; living and surviving in the grimdark universe of Warhammer was a daily ordeal bordering on a feat. Only with luck could he find himself on a relatively stable and peaceful world where he might eke out a life.

Looking again at the pop-up windows of the Forge System, Gino understood that the key to learning much more about his situation and having any chance of survival lay in this enigmatic system that, according to itself, had chosen him.

'Apparently, and according to this system, I am a psyker... which is hardly good or comforting, knowing that at any moment, my head could explode, or I could be possessed by a bloody daemon.' Releasing a long sigh and feeling extremely frustrated, Gino continued his analysis. 'The good thing is that, according to the system, I can level up... although I haven't seen any window showing my stats.' Perplexed, he looked at the pop-up windows but still found no sign of this.

Opening the tabs, he came across a map with a green arrow that seemed to represent him. On the large map of the planet, he read several hundred, if not thousands, of names of different geographical locations. However, the most important was the apparent name of the planet: Aurelian Prime.

The next map, the regional one, contained data on the local system and the subsector to which Aurelian Prime belonged, called the Ixtael Subsector. Looking at the galaxy map, with its millions of names that Gino assumed were planets, he was able to make out the map of the Imperium of Man, realising that he was currently in a sector called Ixaniad, one he personally did not know, in the Segmentum Obscurus.

The Imperium of Man, being so vast, was divided into five different Segmentums for better bureaucratic management. With Holy Terra at the centre and heart of it all was the Segmentum Solar. To the north was the Segmentum where Gino apparently resided, home to the feared and malevolent Eye of Terror — Segmentum Obscurus.

To the west of Terra was the Segmentum Pacificus, which, despite its name suggesting it might be more peaceful, was far from so.

To the south of Terra was the Segmentum Tempestus, a place frequently ravaged by Ork hordes.

And to the east of Holy Terra, representing the largest of the Segmentums, where every remote space was filled with danger and death, was the Segmentum Ultima.

'The only thing I know for sure is that no matter where I am, in any of these Segmentums, I'm screwed.' As Gino thought to himself, he swallowed hard.

'Wouldn't it be ideal to get to Terra somehow? I think I would be safer there, and I could find out what the hell I'm doing here and how to get back home...' As Gino set this goal for himself, he ignored a significant fact that anchored him to his current situation.

Warhammer 40,000 was set in the 'real' universe 40,000 years into the future. This meant that it was more than likely that there was no way to return to the Earth he knew, because Terra today was a completely desolate world, covered with ecumenopolises and home to trillions of humans currently residing there.

This fact loomed over his consciousness, but Gino made the effort to ignore it entirely; he needed to cling to some hope.

Exploring more of the system's tabs, he came across several ship plans that were greyed out and unable to be clicked, while other tabs had the same message:

[•Complete the tutorial to receive the Beginner's Gift and access the different functions of the system.]

Reading this, he sighed and muttered to himself, 'If I'm not mistaken, this system seems to grant me the ability to have spaceships and other types of buildings or vehicles... at a third of the materials needed? But what good is that going to do me?' Pressing his fingers to his temples and eyes, Gino wanted to let out a growl of frustration.

At first glance, the system seemed utterly useless, especially in his current situation. 'Although perhaps that Beginner's Gift might have something useful...' Gino thought hopefully, deciding to proceed with the tutorial and allow the system to continue explaining its functions.

*DING*

___________________[•Forge System•]___________________

[•In the grim and dark 41st millennium, the Imperium of Man is on the brink, besieged by its many enemies. That is why you, dear Forge Lord, have been chosen to lead humanity to a better future and endure the apocalypse that is approaching. The Forge System will arm you with the best the Imperium has ever offered throughout its history, allowing you to carve your path among the stars and claim your place as the ruler of the galaxy.]

[•The system also provides you with an unparalleled advantage across the galaxy—one that, if you play your cards right, will make your survival a certainty. As Forge Lord, it is your destiny to command the fleets of the Imperium, and therefore, the system has blessed you with the trait of [Incorruptible], allowing you to explore and wield your psychic powers without fear of any repercussions or daemonic possession.]

______________________________________

Gino's eyes widened, his mouth slightly agape. Even with his limited knowledge of Warhammer 40,000, he knew how incredibly advantageous—almost broken—this ability granted by the system was. To possess a freedom enjoyed by only a handful of individuals across the galaxy, including the Emperor of Mankind himself, was beyond belief.

___________________[•Forge System•]___________________

[•The Forge System extends this blessing to every member of your ships, stations, platforms, and faction members who have sworn loyalty to you. Those who follow the Forge Lord are destined for absolute greatness, free to impose your will across the galaxy.]

______________________________________

"No fucking way..." Gino murmured, his voice breaking as he felt his body freeze, the words echoing in his mind. From what little he understood about Warhammer, he realised that the [Incorruptible] trait essentially made him an extension of the living Emperor, if not better.

"With this... with this, I really do have a chance to survive in this universe." A faint glimmer of hope flickered in Gino's heart as he felt some strength return to his body.

For several more minutes, Gino sat there, listening attentively as the system continued to explain its functions in great detail throughout the tutorial.

Yet, near the end of the tutorial, as the system finished its explanation, Gino attempted to communicate with it, hoping to voice some of his doubts and questions. So far, the system had not explained how he was alive or how he had arrived in this place.

But the system never answered any of his queries. As if it were a pre-recorded message, it only paused when it sensed that Gino wished to stop the explanations.

'The system mentioned several abilities that would certainly be useful in a universe like this, but it has yet to reveal if there is any stats menu or ways for it to help me enhance my personal strength and other physical or psychic attributes.' Frowning, Gino felt a bit uneasy about this fact. Given that the system granted him abilities that would make him a high-value target for future enemies, it seemed logical for him to want or expect the system to provide a way to increase his own strength and ability to defend himself.

So far, however, there had been no sign of that.

*Ding*

————————————<•>————————————

[•Now that the functions of the system have been explained to you, it is time for you to embark on your adventure and take control of your destiny. Remember that the tools provided by the system are unmatched across the galaxy.

As explained, you now have the freedom to use all the basic capabilities of the system. Therefore, the following has been unlocked for you to start building as needed:

[•Blueprints: The following basic plans have been unlocked and are ready for construction:

(▪︎Tier I Military Vessel = Sword-Class Frigate)

(▪︎Tier I Military Vessel = Falchion-Class Escort Destroyer)

(▪︎Tier I Military Vessel = Cobra-Class Escort Destroyer)

(▪︎Tier I Military Transport = Thunderhawk Gunship)

(▪︎Tier I Civilian Vessel = Goliath-Class Cargo Hauler)

(▪︎Tier I Civilian Vessel = Magma-Class Mining Barge)

(▪︎Tier I Civilian Transport = Stalwart-Class Bulk Hauler)

(▪︎Tier I Civilian Shuttle = Arvus Lighter)

•This marks the end of the Tutorial! Please check your inventory to take a look at your rewards. Make sure not to summon them in a dangerous environment.]

________________________________________

With a hint of impatience after reading several system messages, Gino heard several alert bells ringing in his mind as he prepared with some anxiety and anticipation to see what the Beginner's Gift would offer him.

The system's final message surprised him slightly, but seeing that he was the only one currently present in that dark alley, Gino was not too concerned. Rubbing his hands together and praying to God that he had received something that could help him, Gino opened the alert messages.

However, once he read what the system had bestowed upon him, his anxious and expectant face transformed into a pale expression of disbelief and loss.

His hands trembled as he raised them slowly, while his heartbeat quickened, and he exclaimed unconsciously, "...This can't be real..."