I found myself seated in the middle of a brilliantly lit, featureless room, scratching my head in utter confusion. Moments ago, I had heroically pushed a lady and her daughter out of harm’s way. In the blink of an eye, I was soaring through the air, courtesy of a speeding car. And now, here I was, in this strange place, feeling thoroughly baffled.

The room stretched out before me in an expanse of sterile white, its walls seamless, giving the illusion of infinite space. The floor beneath me was cool and glossy, reflecting the intense light that seemed to emanate from nowhere and everywhere at once. There were no windows, doors, or discernible light sources—just an overwhelming, almost oppressive brightness that made it hard to keep my eyes open.

My eyes darted around, scanning for any sign of an exit or anyone who could shed light on what was happening. The stark whiteness nearly blinded me. I squinted, shading my eyes with my hand, desperately hoping to catch a glimpse of something—anything. The air hung still, eerily silent, amplifying the sound of my breathing and the rustle of my clothes.

Suddenly, a booming female voice echoed from all around me, jolting me to my feet. “Welcome, Akira Sakamoto.”

My heart pounded, and I spun around, searching for the source of the voice, but there was no one in sight. “Who’s there?” I called out, my voice reverberating in the vast emptiness. “Show yourself!”

“I’m what you call the System,” the voice replied, sending a shiver down my spine. “No need to be alarmed, Akira Sakamoto. We have teleported you here among others to play a game.”

I blinked, trying to process the words. “Wait, what? A game?”

The voice softened almost sympathetically. “Yes, a game called the Fortress of the Fallen; the conquest of a hundred floors in the ten realms of Hyakujuu no Ansokusho.”

My eyes widened as a blue holographic screen appeared before me, followed by a brief video clip showcasing the lands of Hyakujuu no Ansokusho and its inhabitants. I gaped at the spectacle, my jaw practically hitting the floor.

The System continued its explanation: “You will be tasked with eliminating monsters, known as Red Creatures or Akai, alongside other Blue Players, called Aoi, like yourself. With the help of Green Players, or Midori, you must clear all one hundred floors. Succeed, and all Aoi Players will return to their world, with the top achievers receiving substantial rewards. Additionally, there are other creatures, designated as Yellow Creatures or Kiiroi Ikimono, which may exhibit either aggressive or passive behaviors.”

I opened my mouth to ask what the rewards were, but the System cut me off with a firm tone.

“Be warned, however—if you are eliminated in the game, you will die for real.”

“What!” I exclaimed, my voice cracking in disbelief. “I refuse to play this absurd game!”

“Understood,” the System replied coldly. “Prepare for elimination, Akira Sakamoto. Please confirm.”

“No! No! No! I was just kidding!” I blurted out nervously, raising my hands in surrender.

“Please refrain from making jokes during the explanation, player Akira,” the System reminded firmly.

“Hai!” I responded sheepishly, bowing slightly to the holographic screen. Since when did an AI threaten players with death for refusing to join its gaming system? Frustration gnawed at me as I tried to make sense of it all.

“Do not fear, player Akira,” the System said, its voice calm and reassuring. “To maintain fairness between the players who have been in the game earlier and those in the later batch, we will provide you with ample training.”

Fairness? Training? The words echoed in my mind, and despite the situation, I felt a flicker of hope. “What do you mean by that?”

“You will undergo a Tutorial phase in an environment alike to Hyakujuu no Ansokusho, with similar quests and objectives. However, there will be no Aoi players or Midori human players and their settlements, but there will be Midori players from other races. You can interact with them and request their help if your prestige with their races is high enough according to their liking. In the Tutorial phase, you can level up your strength, proficiency in your chosen warrior class, acquire skills, and accumulate rewards during your progression.”

“I see,” I nodded in understanding, rubbing my chin thoughtfully.

“Please note,” the System continued, “time is irrelevant in both the Tutorial phase and the Live game. You may stay and train for as long as you wish in the Tutorial phase, even if it takes hundreds of years.”

“Which idiot would want to stay in a life-threatening game for hundreds of years?” I murmured, shaking my head at the absurdity.

“If you get eliminated once during the Tutorial phase,” the System added, “you will be teleported back to a staging area where all the Aoi Players in your batch gather before commencing the live game together. The level you achieve, as well as the stats, skills, and rewards you earn, will also be carried forward.”

That’s understandable. If I revert to my initial stage, what’s the point of the Tutorial phase, then?

“Now, let us begin with the attribute and class selection.” The System added.

I nodded eagerly, my heart drubbing with a mix of excitement and trepidation.

“Please note the following information,” the System advised.

***

Dark—Ankoku no Monsutā (Monster of Darkness)

Light—Hikari no Monsutā (Monster of Light)

Both Attribute are Denote as Akai Creatures

1st—10th: Goblins, all Dark

11th—20th: Lizardman, majority Dark

21st—30th: Orcs, all Dark

31st—40th: Undead, all Dark

41st—50th : Dark Elves, majority Dark

51st—60th: Vampires, all Dark

61st—70th: Giants, Even

71st—80th: Dragons, Even

81st—90th: Angels, majority Light

91st—100th: Demons, all Dark

***

“For the Light attribute, your power level is double that of the Ankoku monsters. Vice versa, if you select the Dark attribute, your power level is double that of the Hikari monsters. If it were the same attribute, your power and the monster will be even. Also, you cannot change your attribute during the Tutorial phase and the Live game, but you can change it only once when you are in the staging area.”

My gaze narrowed as I read the instructions, nodding my head a few times.

Isn’t it obvious? Selecting the Light attribute will give me a significant advantage since most of the monsters in the game are Dark attribute.

“Please select your attribute, player Akira,” the System instructed.

Without hesitation, I pressed the Light attribute selection button on the screen. A soft chime confirmed my choice.

“Now, we will proceed with the class and subclass selection. Please read the guides for the Player Status before your selection.”

Eagerly, I focused on the screen that was flashing before me. I rubbed my chin thoughtfully, leaning closer to read it. “Hmm, let’s see...”

***

Player: 

Level: 

Class:

Subclass:

Title:

Health Points (HP): 

Mana Points (MP):

Main Stat 

Strength (STR): 

Dexterity (DEX): 

Wisdom (WIS): 

Charisma (CHA): 

Intelligence (INT): 

Luck (LCK):

Free Stats Points:

Overall Prestige (P): +120% (Max +1000%)

***

The System began its explanation. “Once you allocate your free stats points, the changes will be permanent. If your overall prestige value reaches below negative ninety percent, you will be registered as an Akai player and you will be deemed as a criminal. Only after you return to a positive value will you revert to an Aoi player.”

After a brief pause, it continued. “Once you select your main and subclass, we will assign default stat points based on your life in your world. If you are good in sports or track and field, you will get high stats points for Strength and Dexterity if you select the Blademaster and Tanker. And if you have knowledge in the field of medicines and select Support, your default stats points in Intelligence will be high. So please choose your class wisely.”

The complexity of the main stat made my head spin, but I knew each decision would shape my journey in the Fortress of the Fallen. The pressure of choosing which stat to focus on gnawed at me, each option presenting a tantalizing possibility for how I could evolve and survive in this reality gaming world.