SYSTEM ASCENSION

"You’re one of us."

Yvonne’s hand went around Elias’s arm gripping him tight.

"I am not one of you!"

He leaned back and shrugged.

"We’re not called The ring, except from someone from Torzi, and high ranking as well. What family do you represent?"

She frowned. "Not your business!"

He shrugged it off.

"I have said mine. Next."

"Lisa and Laura. B rankers," Laura waved. "I use fire and she uses Ice."

"That’s straightforward," Quil nodded.

"Roche. B rank," he stretched his hand out, and a spike shot out of his palm. "I can harden surfaces."

"That’ll come in handy." Lisa nodded.

This time, only Roche’s eye caught the raised brow of Elias, but he ignored it.

"Now, you two," Quil glanced at Elias and Yvonne. "Would you mind adding your names, cause we didn’t hear it."

"Yvonne...A ranker," she muttered.

"Wow! You’re on par with Quil!" Laura clapped.

"Hmph!" She tugged a string of her hair behind her ear. "My ability is called "scream"."

The quad exchanged glances.

"Scream?" Laura raised a finger.

"It works with sound. I would burst your ear drums if I scream."

They all subconsciously moved back.

"So basically. It’s sound." Quil nodded. "You were the one blasting our ear yesterday."

She glared at him.

Finally, all eyes drifted to him.

"Elias. Ability, creation." He bluntly stated. Shadow swirled around his hand and a dagger sprout into existence. "I can create any weapon."

"Wow..." They all whispered.

"When I saw your yesterday, I thought you summoned it," Quil took it from him and observed it. "To think you actually created it."

He passed it to Roche, who was reaching for it, before tilting his head.

"But, it’ll require an insane amount of stamina to pull this off. You don’t look..."

"What is it?!" Yvonne snapped in Elias’s place.

"Nothing." He raised his hand.

"And vital energy too," Lisa added. "Your vital energy and stamina determines how many you can create, and how sturdy it can be."

She slightly leaned forward.

"That being said, what is your rank?"

He slowly tilted his head.

"S."

All active stopped immediately. Not just the team, but whosoever that heard that an S ranker is among them.

"He’s S rank?"

"That one?"

"We should have recruited him."

"Now..." Quil chuckled softly. "You’re an S rank?"

"Master said it." Yvonne confirmed.

"We got a hot cake on our team. Who knows if we’d be targeted or not." Roche muttered, still staring at the dagger.

Elias really didn’t get it. To him, being an S ranker means no playtime, more restraints, more needles, more time in the tub. He hated it.

"That was unexpected, but good enough." Quill nodded. "Second problem. I think the first reward is to rage bait us."

The atmosphere shifted slightly.

"Some Null are still roaming, and we have no idea how much are out there, so we can’t go out," he began to explain. "The game like system who brought us here has been silent since yesterday. Who knows how much longer we’d have to sit."

"You’re saying we’ll be fighting for food soon." Roche whispered.

"I think so." He nodded. "for now, let’s limit the number of slices we eat, and see how long we can hold out."

The group agreed to Quil’s plan.

And so it began.

Time was agonisingly slow, and the people began to grow restless under the scorching sun.

By day three, others tried scouting Quil and Elias.

By day four, little fights were happening. Hunger began to settle in, and desperation grew.

The fifth day was worst. The number of players began to drop, in their safe zone, or the one in the other side. Some couldn’t handle the situation and gave up. Some committed suicide and some began to rob off others.

The system began to give general notifications.

[Clifton Nas]

[Kill count: 01]

[Edward Drmo]

[Kill count: 02]

[Cadia Cole]

[Kill count: 01]

....

[Kill count: 05...]

....

[Kill count: 03]

It was none stop. But among all this names, one stood out from the other safe zone.

[Natalie Naya]

[Kill count: 36]

All this while, Elias’s team were safe in their little space. No one dared to approach a S rank with ill intent.

***

A week went by, and the time began to run out too. First was the twin, then Yvonne, and Roche.

"I think this will end soon." Quil muttered at the end of the seven days. "Except if whoever playing with our feelings really want us dead."

Yvonne’s stomach growled. She slumped over Elias’s arm.

"I’m gonna die..."

Elias who didn’t look a bit tired glanced outside. It was night and no Null were in sight.

He glanced back at the wretched another him, then with a lazy gesture, he called them to gather closer.

As soon as they did that, he subconsciously opened the inventory and his own reward popped out.

All jaw dropped.

The water pouch was halfway, but the bread had not been touched.

"You didn’t have anything?!" Quil almost yelled.

"It stinks." Elias replied.

For a moment, they stared at him like servants serving a food to their master only to be rejected because of something petty.

"Take it." Elias passed it to Quil.

Then he stood up and walked away.

"Wait! Where are you.. "

He had already gone out of the barrier.

"Five!" Yvonne sprang up. Quil caught her hand before she could move.

"I’ll go."

He put the bread and water in his inventory and ran after Elias, outside the safe zone.

’She called him ten. So those numbers are names?’

"Elias wait!"

The zone shimmered softly as he popped out into the darkness. "Where are you going? It’ll be fully dark soon!"

"Go back." Elias replied.

"I can’t do that." He went around and stopped Elias. "You’re the ace of our team."

"I’ll be back before dawn." Elias walked past him.

"But..."

"Go back Quil."

Quil watched walk away, before yelling after him.

"If you die, I’ll kill you!"

Elias didn’t reply.

He stood for a moment before returning to the safe zone.

As soon Quil was gone, another voice invaded Elias’s mind.

"I don’t like that guy. He’s suspicious." Mona muttered.

"I know."

"Now...what the hell were you doing?! Many vitals went to waste before your eyes, and you just let it happened. Those sweet vitals!"

No reply.

"Elias!" Mona snapped. "We’re starving!"

"I’ll fix it." Elias replied, like he was sooting a pouting child.

"What? Go over to the second safe zone and kill everyone? That Natalie Naya will make a good meal. I love tainted vitals!"

"I thought you hated it."

"I love any vital that comes from a human."

Elias wasn’t listening. He continued to head towards his destination.

"Wait! Were are you going?! We need..."

Mona quiet down as soon as his caught sight of where Elias was headed.

The Null pit. Where they had dragged a lot of people into.

"Playing it smooth huh?" Mona smirked.

"Alright, let’s have a feast."

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