Despite the fact that the entire room was filled with people who were pained by what had happened, they still paid attention. After all, most of them still wanted to enter regardless of their tiers and powers.
"The first few parts you already know—levels and Soul Energy. Within the God’s Trial, certain things possess forms of energy. For instance, a monster there... killing it will give you a soul fragment. Depending on your tier, you’ll get more or less per kill of similar monsters.
Gathering these soul fragments to a certain level allows you to level up, which in turn means growth in general. You’ll understand that when you are inside the Trial.
Your levels are a determinant of your strength, and most people aim for level one hundred. That is the main goal. For some, level one hundred takes five years; for others, only a few months." He said that line but refused to say that it was about tiers, like he didn’t want those of lower tiers to feel bad at all.
He was being considerate in a very hurtful way, and he knew that, but still couldn’t help it.
"There is more than level one hundred, but you’ll understand that yourself when the time comes.
As for Soul Energy, everyone here already knows that. It’s the force, essence, power that we awakened use—the source of your ability and how you’ll survive. The more yours grows, the more you can use your ability. Some of your abilities are more passive, and that allows you to use less of it.
These are all the important things about the system I showed you. And that’s all you basically need to know before entering. Any other research you want to make is up to you. Gather as much knowledge and resources as you need.
Oh, and one crucial reminder, technology from here does not work in the Trial. No phones, guns, tanks, or anything can work there. Inside the Trial exists its own ecosystem, so learn to adapt and thrive.
That will be all. Tomorrow by noon will be entry, and all of you that have decided to stay and join will enter the God’s Trial. The moment you enter, no new awakened can enter, and none of you can leave until the completion of the Trials." he said, allowing the gravity of the issue to sink in. "You can all leave now, you are dismissed."
The entire room burst into noise, the disappointed people crying out, those that were excited ready to go. Aren just stood there, watching as everyone left, and then he turned to leave, but before he could move out, he noticed Captain Alex talking to the B, A, and S tiers.
’I guess that’s what you get for being the tops—special attention. After all, the fate of the world rests on the shoulders of people like that.’ He thought to himself and then walked out of the room.
[.....]
Inside the taxi home, Aren sat leaned back in the chair, his eyes looking outside as they passed through the busy streets. The driver was a middle-aged man with a funny mustache and small eyes.
He looked at the rear-view mirror and then spoke, "Hey kiddo, you seem down. I’m guessing your awakening didn’t go too well," he said. His voice was smooth for someone his age.
Aren turned his eyes to the man, looking at the mirror as well. "Hmm, yeah," he said.
"Oh, I see. Well, there is a life outside the Trial—living normal, doing normal stuff. I got an E lightning mage, and even then I refused to go. I was scared as shit. I didn’t want to die. I had seen videos of someone using CGI to recreate what a battle against an average monster inside there looked like.
It was terrifying, so I didn’t go. I had a life I wanted to live, things I wanted to do, so going to throw away my life wasn’t worth it." He said and then went silent for a few seconds. He took a deep breath and then spoke again. "And not a day goes by that I don’t regret not going."
As he said that, he caught Aren’s attention. He looked at the man.
"I’m living the life I wanted now, the safe life, the peaceful life. No risk of death, no thrill, no growth, just here. Sure, I might have died in the Trial, but I would have gone out with a bang, calling down freaking lightning and more.
Hahah, I still have dreams about it, but at the end of the day, that’s what it is now, dreams." He said and then lifted one hand up slightly and looked at it. "I should have chased the dream earlier."
Aren listened to every word the man said, and for some reason he began thinking of the dreams that he had been having. He could easily tell that those dreams had something to do with the Trial.
’Chase my dreams? Should I really do that? I am weak as hell and will probably die if I do that. But then again, do I really want to live this life that will be a slightly better version of what I had on Earth? Is that really all I am good for—suffering and pain without fighting back?’ He asked himself, clenching his fist.
’If I can survive the Trials, my family here will live a long and good life, happy and without issues, everything provided for them. I’ll be able to do things that I wasn’t ever capable of doing before.’
He looked outside again. ’If I die, at least they’ll mourn me, and I’ll die doing something, right? That’s it. I’ll go. I don’t want to die, it scares the shit out of me—but what scares me even more is a repeat of what I lived on Earth.
So to that end... I’ll not die. No matter what happens in the Trial, I’ll find a way out. Even if it means to sell my soul or whatever, I’ll find a way to rise for once in my life.’