Echoes of a Crafted World

It's been a few days since the master of this world—the Player named Nèvalis—logged out. During that time, I've done nothing but push my body to its limits: push-ups, sit-ups, squats, running, and swordsmanship drills.

[Swordsmanship Level 1 → Level 2]

The moment the system notification appeared, I dropped to the floor, panting, using the time to rest. Thanks to Greg, I understand a few things now. According to him, every time the Master logs in, he summons a new batch of people. While the new batch undergoes initiation, the main party is used to raid the deeper floors of the Tower.

Greg was from that main party. He told me they reached the tenth floor... but they were wiped out. He's the only survivor. Despite clearing the floor, he suffered trauma, and he lost everyone he fought beside—his closest comrades, all powerful.

From what I've gathered, this world functions like a game. The Player is seen as a god, or as they call him here, the "Master." The system refers to me as a "Character." Every Character is ranked. Right now, I'm rankless. Greg, on the other hand, is a Two-Star Rank.

"Status Window," I murmured.

[Character: Elion Solmir]

Level: 2

Rank: None

Ability: None

Skills: Swordsmanship Lv.2

"Each time I level up, I feel stronger," I thought. "But it seems my strength is still bound by my level. So, all I can improve through training is stamina and skill level."

While lost in thought, the system chimed again.

[Prepare. The God has arrived.]

[Player Nèvalis Logged In.]

The blue sky darkened into a purple hue, and a glitching screen-like barrier appeared high above. Behind that shifting veil was a colossal silhouette.

"I was right," I muttered. "I'm inside a game."

The silhouette—massive, indistinct—appeared to be tapping on the screen.

[Character Gotcha]

[The Player Summons Five Characters]

[Gotcha will reset in 24 hours]

[The Characters are all Rankless]

The Player scratched his head.

"Judging by that reaction, he didn't like the result," I said.

This was strange. According to Greg, the Master only logs in to summon people and initiate raids. But now the system says he has to wait 24 hours for the next batch. That could mean one of two things: either the Player rarely logs in... or time flows differently here than in his world.

The Fairy reappeared and guided the new batch of characters, handing them weapons—just like she did with us.

[Creating New Party Completed]

[Raiding the First Floor of the Tower]

---

In a blink, the new batch—including me—was teleported to the forest again.

[The "New Batch" party is now taking the First Floor Mission]

[Mission: Goblin Subjugation]

[10/10 Goblins]

"This is... a forest?" someone muttered.

"What the hell is happening? How did I get here?!"

I sighed. "Listen, we need to kill the monsters. Ten goblins will appear. If you want to live, follow orders!"

"Follow who? You? Who even are you?! We got dragged here against our will and now we're being forced to kill something?! This is nonsense!"

[Characters are rebelling against the order.]

And then, the goblins appeared. Ten of them, snarling and armed.

I glanced at the sky. The Player was watching. His silhouette tapped the glitchy screen.

[The Player received the message: Characters are rebelling.]

[The Player is now creating a new order.]

[Character 'Elion' must complete the mission alone. He will be rewarded upon returning to the lobby.]

"Shit," I muttered. I knew what would happen to the others.

My so-called party turned and ran the moment the goblins charged. I didn't follow. Instead, I tightened my grip on my sword.

But then Elion didn't mind them and focus on fighting the Goblin, One of them leap forwards to Elion but he manage to twisted his body and dodge the attack, then he countered with a slash, killing the Goblin.

Then more and more, the Goblins are coming towards to him, but Elion can see their movements, he dodge and dodge then slash and slash killing them, one by one, until there's only one of them.

Elion cut the legs of the Goblin, looking in the Goblin, there's a sudden thought that comes in Elion's mind.

"I'm f*cked up, when did killing become so easy for me, even though this is a monster, I feel a little bad for killing it, but I have no choice, I too also want to survive", Elion said, as he slashes the neck of the Goblin.

[First floor completed]

Mvp Elion

Elion level2>>3

---

All fo them came back in the lobby, and then the Fairy appear again infront of them.

"All of you, come to the laboratory!", The Fairt shouted.

But then, one of the man in new batch rush forward to attack the fairy, "you b*tch, what did you do, why did we get dragged here in this nonsense place", he said as he swing his axe.

Then the Fairy sighed, extending her arms and uses some magic, then the body of thean exploded.

Then the others are not brave anymore, they did as they're told, going in the laboratory.

"What will happen to us now, I'm scared, I'm sure that my kids are waiting for me", a man that looks old and fragile said.

Elion felt bad, but he couldn't do anything, even though he wants to rebelled or fight against the fairy, he can't do anything because he's currently weak.

Elion was instructed to go inside, then the other follow, they are standing inside of a chamber in opposite sides,

Then After sometime there's A flash of searing white light exploded between them, not blinding, but revealing — as if reality peeled back to expose the framework underneath. The air folded, crackled, and glitched, fragments of space and code stuttering like a system about to crash. Their bodies flickered in and out, outlines twisting, blending, bleeding color and form into each other.

One soul screamed. The other whispered.

They were being synthesized, the one who came out in the laboratory was Elion, he looks fierce after experiencing that.

[Elion level 3>>4]

And then one by one, the same thing happened over and over, until the five people disappear.

[Elion level 4>>8]

After the synthesis, Elion experience something weird, a fragments of memories of those who are used to make him stronger.

The memories of a man who's working in a farm so he can feed his kids, a man who's selling some fish and saved some money to pay for his mother who have sick, a man who was framed up kn crime he didn't do and was in jail, more and more.

That experience driving him crazy, though he knew those are not his memory, but he felt their feelings.

This makes him certain, Elion wants to get stronger not because he needs to survive, but he need to escape from this place and learned the truth behind this tower and then faced the player.