"Where are we?"
Asked Maya, turning her head left and right.
Under their feet was solid ground; not a single stripe of grass could be located near them.
The trees were empty and bare, but the weather was moderate.
Afore them, there were seven paths.
They had been teleported into a new world. Seven people were sent to a random location, without much assistance from the Crospeya as to what they have to do.
[Watcher 'Eye that Holds a Grudge' is stroking his head.]
Few system panels appeared, individually being received by the seven people.
[Game: 3rd
Information:
Safely escape to the central city of war. A maximum of three people can choose a single place to the central city of war. You have three days. Each day the monsters will grow stronger than before.
Map: ▪
Failure: Turned into a Parasite Slave.]
This was the bare minimum information compared to what Author had in his mind.
The first thing they had to do was to select people for three groups.
There were seven people, and they could make three groups of two people or two groups of three people. While one must walk a different path all by himself.
"I will take Joseph with me." Said Jaran.
"I will go with Clyseus." Said Canny.
A group of three was better than two, since they will have a higher chance of surviving.
"Go with Clyseus." Author said Maya.
At first, he didn't want it. Even though they had made an oath, Author was skeptical about him. Aside from that, he could be a bad influence on Canny. No one knows what he put in the boy's mind.
Unlike Clyseus, Canny was still developing his powers.
"And have an eye on him. Other than that, you already know what you have to do."
Maya nodded and took out the pocket notebook, rechecking her own little plan.
She had amended Author's plan. Adding her own little spice.
"There's still one thing I'm not getting. If we are not allowed to touch those things, then how do we defeat them?"
"Fire… as long as you burn their bodies, they will die." Author said.
"They are vulnerable against fire. That's what I saw so far in the future."
Author wasn't giving them explicit information. But the problem was, where would they be getting fire?
"Since we need this."
He handed over twelve lighters to Maya and told her.
"Give them to others too. Find a material that could be ignited and use it against them. Not only that, but they wouldn't approach you if there's fire near you."
This information wasn't enough, Author thought.
Although Maya had her protective barrier, and Canny, along side Clyseus. They were never at threat if the stronger one didn't appear.
It was Amani, Joseph, and Jaran.
The trio didn't have enough power. Amani was still weak, and Joseph was learning and enduring the aftermath of creating many creations. And Jaran was lacking more things; he was still on rookie-level.
Overall, they were decent, but having another advantage wasn't bad at all.
Another problem for them was the elevation of the monsters' levels as the days progressed.
Furthermore, Author will be alone.
He might have information on what he had to do, but it didn't stop him from worrying. The depth of his situation was severe.
One wrong step, and he's down the hill.
"Good luck, old man." Said Canny, waving his hand.
Author took a deep breath and looked at the track.
[Watcher 'Golden Moon Light' is questioning if you have chosen the right path?]
[Watcher 'Hero of Hundred Worlds' wonder resides at the end of that path.]
Author strolled. A few steps, they were all visible to each other, until their paths distanced themselves from each other.
All of them turned into tiny objects in motion.
***
Everything was at peace; the greenery was back on the ground. Grass swayed in the breeze, and the trees that bore fruit had rustling dried leaves.
"The path is much longer than I had expected." Said Canny.
"Can't we just fly this place?"
Canny pointed at the map on the system's screen. At the center of the map was a red dot; that was their final destination, and the yellow dots were them, and a blue dot was interposed between the two dots.
There was no threat, and once they soared in the sky. No one would reach them.
Canny looked at Clyseus, who had his hands behind his head.
"I wouldn't mind a little Joy of the Sky tour. What about you?"
Clyseus looked at Maya.
She kept a straight face, walking elegantly. Her mind was filled with different thoughts.
She gazed at the notebook and then shifted her eyes at the path.
"It's here."
She pointed at the nearby city. It wasn't far, appearing on the horizon.
As they approached the city. At the entrance were two long logs standing vertically with a wooden board draped over them.
[Welc-me to the Liv–g l-nd.]
"Ironic, isn't it?" Said Clyseus, staring at the board.
"I guess. Everybody has their own time to live and die. They are only prey to the universe of cosmos." Maya said.
Canny stroked his hand, finding how strangely they were able to talk to each other, like before was all just acting.
"It will be a piece of cake for me."
"Canny,"
Maya turned to Canny with a frown on her face.
"Be on guard; there's no telling when they will pounce on us. Don't let them touch you. Or else you will become like a zombie."
"Zombies! No way, real zombies!" The boy was excited.
A living dead. The third game was simple.
Surviving for three days was the end of the third game. However, they had to survive while dealing with the monsters.
"When the third day arrives, we won't have to worry about being infected," Maya said.
It was only up until the second day. Once the monsters were fully grown, they wouldn't be able to turn other people into monsters.
For now, they had to deal with whatever they found in this city.