*****{ F.P. POV: Gautam }*****

*Crack!* *Crack!*

As the sound of something cracking was heard, I turned to my sister and nodded my head.

Understanding the meaning behind my gesture, she ran off to the area with trees.

"Everyone, get up we should get going!"

Shouting at the group of people beside the pond, I grabbed the sturdy stick I had been using as a bat.

"Hey, Suraj you got the fishes right!?"

At my question Suraj just nodded his head, patting the 'pouch' on his wrist.

The said pouch was my innovation. Just put a knot at your vest's base, next spread some leaves over it, put your things inside which in our case are the fishes. Then tie the whole thing with a knot at the top and bingo! Your pouch is ready.

Well, I hadn't expected the always silent Suraj to volunteer his vest for the job. But... He has the biggest vest in the group so it does make sense.

Looking at the bulky Suraj more than two heads taller than me carrying a club as effortlessly as my stick I couldn't help but wonder, I am 5 feet long and am considered tall, then Suraj who is more than two heads taller than me and is so bulky must be considered a... giant, right?

"Che! Hey kid, I told you not to carry the fishes didn't I?"

Looking at the protesting uncle, I couldn't help but sigh at his question.

We had this talk before.

"Did you just sigh at me? Did you forget how we got in trouble last time thanks to your 'genius' idea?"

"The wolves were attracted to us because of the fishy smell we were walking with."

As the second uncle supported the claim of the first uncle I decided to explain my reasoning again. They just want to ensure the safety of the group, so voicing their complaints is obvious.

"Listen, first and second uncle, we need to be prepared. We don't know what to expect next, every time a safe zone has appeared the next one took longer to appear."

During the three times, a different safe zone has appeared, each gap between the appearance has grown longer than the one before.

"And besides since the wolves are attracted by the smell of fish we can just use them for an escape. Not to mention we have our Suraj here."

I stated my points to the two uncles, hoping to ease their worries.

"Che! Kid how many times do I need to remind you, I am not your 'First uncle'."

"Neither am I 'Second uncle'. The one who created us wasn't so lazy as to not even give us a name, like some side character."

The first uncle and second uncle voiced their complaints.

I couldn't help but smile at them.

"Sorry, the foreign names are a little difficult for me to pronounce. Isn't it the same for you Suraj?"

The uncles just clicked their tongues turning around, not before muttering...

"Cling to the big gorilla as long as you can kid."

"Hey! His name is Suraj, he isn't-"

"Gautam!"

Before I could correct them, my sister called out my name.

Turning around I looked at my annoyed sister. Huh, why does she look annoyed?

"Sigh..."

"Sigh..."

Both, my sister Tanya and Suraj sighed at the same time.

"Huh, why are you guys sighing?"

Looking at my confused expression both Tanya and Suraj looked at each other putting a helpless smile.

What's up with them?

"Nothing, I just wanted to inform you that we are ready."

Tanya said sighing for yet another time, I stopped wondering about my sister's sighs any further, looking at the group of ladies standing behind her.

"Well, gather your weapons guys the safe zone will disappear any moment now."

The 56 members of the group each grabbed their sticks, waiting for the safe zone to disappear.

Quest Information.

-----------------------------------

Quest Information:

Description: You had been granted another chance to live, prove that you are worthy of this chance by completing the objective.

Objective: Survive for three nights.

[42:01:31]

Rank: N/A

Rewards: 1} Access to System!

2} Entry in Tutorial!

3} Extra rewards based on performance!

-----------------------------------

Looking at the timer under the objective, I remember how we woke up at the clearing, and have been travelling from one safe zone to another ever since.

Though we found some wolf monsters in the way we manage to beat them, Suraj beat them to be exact.

Then there was the problem with hygiene, thankfully Tanya came up with the idea of using the area with trees as the toilet.

A red hue was spread in the sky, the sun about to touch the west horizon lighted the fluffy clouds in red and orange colour.

Making it look like the 42 hours we spent was nothing.

A cold breeze passed through fluttering my hair, I lifted both my hands taking a deep breath immersing myself in the refreshing feeling, I looked at the group standing behind me with a confident smile.

"Ready for another adventure guys?"

"Yes!"

"We are!"

"Let's go Gautam!"

I got loud answers filled with enthusiasm, from the group.

A few ladies folded their arms looking at me with strange smiles.

I too returned their smile with my smile.

And... they looked away, why are their faces all red? Hmm... It must be the sun.

"Sigh..."

"Sigh..."

My sister and Suraj sighed at me yet again. I had long given up wondering why they keep sighing at me.

I looked at the count down as the number of minutes and second reached zero.

*Shatter!*

And the barrier shattered like all the ones before.

However unlike before...

*Zooom!* *Zooom!*

Beams shot up in the sky at the same time.

"Huh?"

The thing that surprised me however wasn't the fact that there was no delay this time, but rather the colour of the beams...

"Why is it yellow, this time?"

"Not to mention that it's so... many."

"Well, that proves our 'genius' leader's statement 'the number of safe zones appearing is decreasing' wrong."

"You, shut up first uncle! What's your problem with Gautam you have been trying to prove him wrong from the beginning."

"Hey, my name is not first uncle! Don't start calling me that like our genius leader."

"What's your name then? I'm sure you don't even have one, because you are a third-rated side character."

"That's..."

Before the discussion turns into a conflict I clapped my hands to bring the attention of the group to me.

"All right everyone, how about we take a look at the safe zone? If it's normal like the one we know then... good!"

«A starler is watching you.»

«A starler is watching you.»

Pausing for a moment I looked at the people listing carefully to me. I choose to ignore the system messages I have been receiving since the appearance of second safe zone.

"If it's something dangerous, like a monster's living in it, then we just need to retreat. After all the quest is about surviving not entering the safe zone."

"What about the wolves roaming around?"

"Yes what about them, you don't expect us to fight them, do you?"

Hearing the questions of uncle first and second, I smiled.

"Of course not! We will avoid them or use the fishes as a distraction, if they aren't distracted, we can just climb on trees and wait for the countdown to end."

Both the uncles didn't say anything else, nor did anyone else.

"Since no one has any problem let's head to our destination."

I walked to the beam nearest to us followed by Suraj and sturdy, the group walking behind them.

The low branches and leaves along with the darkening sky were reducing ours visibly. As we passed through the trees, no one said a single word.

Are they tensed because of the change in the barrier's colour?

"Hey Gautam, what do you think is this 'Tutorial'?"

My sister asked out of the blue.

I ponder over the matter for a moment, too have been wondering the same question, judging by the things so far...

"I think they would teach us how to fight and stuff, it is a tutorial after all."

"Why would they do that?"

The always silent Suraj asked in his heavy voice, if he hadn't told me that he is 20 years old I would have thought that he is an uncle from the army.

"Who knows, to fight monsters maybe?"

"Like the main characters in anime?"

A new friend of mine James asked injecting in our conversation, though I don't mind.

"Maybe? Like... they made the stage to prepare the people for monsters we would be facing later."

"Wow. Sounds cool."

"Hehe. You guys were teenagers, right? That explains your heroic fantasies."

"Oh, it's good to have a young mind."

As James was exclaiming in admiration some people from behind teased us.

"Oh, is that so. Then how about you the 'experienced' people share your opinion."

"Very well then, listen carefully I think that after this we would be taught some management skills in the tutorial, and then we would be chosen by our respective gods to work under them."

"Oh! That's a sound theory, Leo! So that's what the guy meant by people above watching."

"Oh god! I don't want to do more work again."

"Haha..!"

As we walked in the almost dark forest, the tension once present in the group was gone, as they voiced their opinions and laughed at some amusing ones. Even the always gloomy uncle first and second actively participated in the conversation.

*Yelp!*

The bright atmosphere however was broken by a pain-filled yelp of a wolf.

I raised my hand at the group, and the waves of laughter died down. Looking beside me I nodded at Suraj and held my stick tightly.

Suraj walked ahead holding the thick log in both hands.

Passing through a tree he stopped at his track. And didn't move any further.

"What's the matter Suraj?"

There was no response.

A little worried I nodded at my sister and walked toward Suraj.

Grabbing his shoulder I was about to shake him awake when my eyes landed to the side understanding why Suraj was frozen...

Five wolves were lying down or rather their carcass were laying down with holes. The blood flowing from their bodies died the ground red. Standing in the middle of this puddle a boy, around my age was retrieving a spear from Wolf's body.

The boy had black hair and an angular face his clothes were covered with cuts, especially at his right shoulder, giving a peek at his toned body.

Pulling the wooden spear out of Wolf's body he turned to us, his black eyes scanning us.

Suraj standing beside me tensed up, lifting his club ready for an attack.

Putting my hands on his shoulder I walked past him towards the boy.

Standing a step behind the puddle...

"My name is Gautam Raj, 18 years old. I died with my sister in a car accident. Nice to meet you...?"

I introduced myself extending my hands for a shake.

As I did so, I could hear two sighs behind me. Which I choose to ignore for obvious reasons.

The boy walked towards me, fresh blood dripping from his spear.

I couldn't but gulp in fear, but stood my ground.

He arrived in front of me. Just when I was starting to find the silence awkward...

"My name is Tommy, no last name."

Standing upon the puddle of blood, with dead carcasses laying behind, he gave a smile which for some reason looked dangerous.

Grabbing my hand he lightly shook them.

Feeling something wet I looked at my hands...

And for the first time in my life...

"As for how I died?"

My hands were...

"There was a fire, a big one."

Covered in blood.