Newbie Apocalypse: Noob-Difficulty Tutorial

Inside the training grounds, I was met by a wide corridor, its walls covered with images of battle scenes and various creatures. As we moved forward, the noise of footsteps and muffled conversations grew louder. People walked silently along the corridor; some, exhausted by the trial, kept their heads bowed, paying little attention to their surroundings, while others discussed their experiences, shared impressions, and tried to understand what awaited them next.

The corridor led into a vast hall that was impressive, its dimensions staggering the imagination: wide walls stretched into the distance, and high arches seemed to support the very sky, creating a sense of boundless expanse. In the center of the hall were many rows of long benches, surrounded by an unusual green shimmer. This light emanated from thin lines that intertwined around the benches, creating intricate patterns and symbols. This shimmer was the product of ancient magic or technology I could not understand.

Above the benches loomed a massive platform made of dark stone, adorned with carvings of intertwining dragons and serpents, with shimmering emeralds inlaid at the base, giving it a sinister and majestic appearance. Atop this pedestal stood something large, resembling a dragon with a human figure. The creature radiated a powerful presence, its appearance both terrifying and mesmerizing.

The figure emitted a loud yet restrained hissing voice that echoed through the hall: “Take your seats on the benches!” This command was so authoritative and compelling that none of those present even considered disputing it. The creature's intonation implied complete submission, leaving no room for resistance.

I took a seat closer to this creature to get a better look at it, as it was too intriguing. Before me stood a tall woman, over two meters in height, with a toned body and prominent features that were impossible to overlook: muscular shoulders smoothly transitioned into strong, sculpted arms. A large chest, protruding forward, was supported by equally strong pectoral muscles, adding even more impressiveness to her appearance. A narrow waist contrasted with wide, powerful hips, emphasizing her athletic figure. Long, muscular legs, each muscle clearly defined under the scaly skin, demonstrated her strength and endurance.

Her skin was covered with fine, green scales, glistening in the light emanating from the pedestal, creating the impression that her body was adorned with precious emeralds. Behind her broad back were two powerful, leathery wings, like those of an ancient dragon, pressed against her body. A long tail, covered in the same green scales, slowly moved across the floor, leaving traces behind as if it were ready to pounce at any moment.

Eyes like those of a snake, with vertical pupils, stood out against the bright green irises that seemed to see right through me. Her gaze was cold and piercing, instilling a mix of fear and admiration. The woman's face was marked by strict features and a stern expression, her lips curving into a barely noticeable smirk, as if she knew something inaccessible to others.

As soon as my rear touched the surface of the bench, I felt a slight, pleasant surge of energy spreading through my body, like a warm, soothing wave. My life force, albeit extremely slowly, was returning, filling me with a sense of freshness and vigor that I hadn't felt in a long time.

I looked closely at the bench and noticed small runes visible on its surface, emitting a soft green glow. They were crafted in the form of intertwining vines and leaves, symbolizing life and regeneration. These ancient symbols seemed to pulse in rhythm with my heart, sending healing energy directly into my exhausted body.

Surveying my surroundings, I noticed other people also beginning to take their places. Their facial expressions shifted from exhaustion and despair to cautious hope. It seemed that the magical runes on the benches gave us all a chance to regain strength and find some peace after the harsh trials.

A long-haired girl passed by, and I immediately recognized her as someone who loved to help others. She sat on the next bench in front of me, practically at the nose of the creature on the platform.

Suddenly, for the first time, I realized how emaciated my body had become. Overcoming the trial had drained much of my strength. Ribs protruded under my skin, my muscles felt completely flabby, and the jumpsuit hung on me like a rag. I glanced at my arms; my fingers seemed thinner than before, and my legs trembled with fatigue.

I ran my hand over the bench, feeling the ancient symbols beneath my fingers, and allowed myself to fully relax, absorbing the healing energy. Even though this place was new and frightening, since it offered at least some brief respite, I knew it was necessary to make the most of it.

My gaze lingered on the prominent forms of this unusual woman, and as if enchanted, I imagined diving headfirst between those two delightful hills, drowning in their soft and alluring charm. In my imagination, I was already sailing in a sea of bliss, surrounded by the warmth and tenderness of her curves.

But suddenly she jumped up sharply, and with one graceful movement of her hand, she pierced a hole through my torso. Bleeding and losing consciousness, I slowly sank to the floor, feeling the world around me fade.Returning to reality, I noticed her gaze fixed directly on me. Quickly wiping the dreamy expression off my face, I tried to adopt an impassive look, as if I hadn't just mentally drifted away on the waves of her bust.

When the last person took a seat, the dragoness, as I had dubbed her in my mind, began her speech. Her dictatorial hissing voice, reminiscent of the ominous rustle of wind through ancient ruins, evoked such strong awe that even the most audacious and self-assured among those present dared not to interrupt her or insert a word of their own. The dragoness's eyes, sparkling with green lights, scanned the gathered crowd, and everyone felt they were under her intense, almost hypnotic gaze.

“I am your drill sergeant, sort of,” she snapped. “My name is Vargas. You will have to go through many trials, master your abilities, and come close to resembling a true warrior, or simply perish, which is more likely.” The dragoness's voice was cold and sharp, like the crack of a whip, and every sound she made seemed final and indisputable.

She paused, her eyes glinting in the light of the magical runes, and the hall was filled with tense silence. Continuing her speech, Vargas explained that each training zone was allocated a thousand people, who had to undergo harsh trials to prove their strength and endurance.

"There are countless Tutorials, and each of you likely noticed their variety when making the initial choice provided by the System," Vargas said, her tone implying that each participant had probably made an irreversible mistake in selecting the difficulty, ending up in this zone. "In your Noob Tutorial, there are a thousand training zones, each containing a thousand people—which is significantly fewer than in other Tutorials, but still quite a number. There are also multiple Tutorials with the same difficulty, after all your population is quite large.

"Noob Tutorial is quite special. An experiment, if you will. You were given a priceless gift: your Unique Ability was unlocked. But it's a heavy investment by the System—a debt you can repay only through death or by becoming someone worthy enough. That's why only lazy, cowardly scum are offered the chance to participate... those whose loss wouldn't affect your planet. With some rare exceptions."

Vargas hesitated slightly, glancing at those present with undisguised contempt.

"Were it not for the obligation to follow regulations," she continued with a sarcastic chuckle, "I wouldn't even bother telling you all this. Because before me sit living corpses."

Her words echoed through the hall, and everyone felt a cold sweat run down their spine. Vargas once again surveyed the gathered crowd, her snake-like eyes gleaming with sardonic pleasure at the audience's reaction.

After the first, most primitive and trivial trial, 186 people have already died, which only underscores the kind of rabble gathered here. The drill sergeant's announcement contained not a drop of compassion or pity for the dead—only cold numerical calculation. “Now your little circle of death has dropped to 814,” she declared.

"On each of the benches you're sitting on, magical runes are inscribed that slightly accelerate regeneration. This is necessary so that the utterly weakened participants who barely survived the trial can at least come to their senses and listen to my speech." Vargas shook her head dismissively, her snake-like eyes narrowing with disdain. “In tutorials with a lower difficulty—in all others, that is—similar places in the central hall have much more powerful runes, allowing for rapid and complete recovery. But in your deathtrap, this is not provided.

“In that direction lies the main corridor of the training grounds, at the end of which you will come across a fork with three doors. The left door leads to the Recovery Hall, a favorite place for all sorts of lazy bums, where you will find everything necessary for full rehabilitation and preparation for new trials." She pointed with her muscular, long arm to the left side of the hall, where the passage to the dark corridor was located. “There will also be special services that can be purchased with points. You will earn these points during the trials, for killing monsters, special achievements, and so on.”

“You can also spend these points at the Magic Card Emporium, abbreviated as MCE, or, as it is commonly called—the little shop accessible through the right door of the corridor. There, you will be offered a wide range of various cards for all occasions. As for the magic cards themselves, you will see them demonstrated a little later.”

“And if you go straight, then the only worthy place in this abode of weakness and worthlessness will open up to you—the Martial Arts Center. There, everyone can hone various combat qualities and mastery of abilities. In this place, you can find everything necessary for your own growth, if, of course, you have the spirit to take advantage of it.”

“Every sapient creature connected to the System, including you, has the opportunity to view their current status. To do this, you only need to mentally wish to see it.”

The dragoness fell silent, and everyone in the hall began to verify her words, as evidenced by their suddenly frozen faces and eyes staring into space as if at something invisible to others. Wasting no time, I too pondered my own status, and suddenly a wall of text appeared before my eyes.

Status Screen

Name: Jimmy “Sticky Master” Bagel

Race: Human

Rank: Etherless, F

Level: 9 (46/50)

Free Attribute Points: 4 (Experience: 28%)

Strength: 9

Agility: 8

Constitution: 8

Mind: 12

Spirit: 9

Rune slots: 3/3

Ability: Lord of Duct Tape, Rank: F (22%)

Total points: 132, Current balance: 132

Number of living participants in Training Zone #442: 814

Indeed, only 814 remain; Vargas did not deceive. I wonder how one can increase the rank and what benefits it will provide. I would like to know more about the meaning of the listed attributes, and have so many questions—this uncertainty irritates me. I noticed a small question mark icon at the top of the panel, and after thinking about how to open it, the image automatically changed to a new one with explanatory information:

Information Screen

Brief reference for each item:

Race: In the universe, there exists an infinite variety of different races. For differentiation, identification is given to each intelligent creature according to its current genotype.

Rank: It determines the number of runic slots, the number of attribute points required to gain a level, and how many free points can be earned per level on the experience scale. For humanoid intelligent beings, rank is directly tied to their Ether Control Stage, with each stage having a specific name, rather than just being labeled by its corresponding rank letter. Rank F - Etherless (3 slots, 5 attribute points for each level), Rank E - Awakened (5 slots, 7 attribute points for each level), Rank D - Tempered by Aether (7 slots, 10 attribute for each level), and so on until Rank A and beyond. The higher is your rank, the higher are your attributes at the same level, making you stronger than other creatures of a similar level but with a lower rank. This makes earning XP faster, as defeating lower-level opponents yields fewer experience points.

Level: Depends on the total number of attributes and the current rank. For example, an Etherless (F rank) human with 10 in each of five attributes would be level 10. Levels are raised by increasing your attributes, which can be done either by training or by spending Free Points.

Free Attribute Points: Awarded for completing tasks, overcoming challenges, or killing creatures. The higher the level and rank of the slain creatures, the more experience can be gained from them. Points can be distributed in any way.

Strength: This refers to physical power, primarily the direct strength of muscles and tendons and the ability to withstand physical exertion.

Agility: This measures the speed of reaction and the development of the nervous system, reflecting the speed of signals traveling from the brain to other parts of the body.

Constitution: This refers to the durability of muscles and joints and the overall health of your body, increasing your survivability and resistance to attacks and physical status effects.

Mind: This represents the analytical aspect of consciousness, primarily responsible for the power of spells and magic. It also correlates with your mental capabilities and memory. The more intelligent a being is, the faster it can develop this attribute through training. However, increasing it doesn’t necessarily make you smarter or improve decision-making.

Spirit: This reflects the emotional aspect of consciousness. When using magic, it boosts your magical capacity, allowing for prolonged use of spells and skills, as well as providing resistance to mental status effects. Spirit is also linked to emotions, imagination, intuition, and wisdom. While a rich imagination or wisdom can make it easier to train this attribute, raising it won’t automatically make you wiser or more imaginative.

Rune slots: determine the limit occupied by magical cards and innate abilities. The higher the rank, the greater the number of slots.

Mentally praising myself for the attentiveness that allowed me to notice the icon and fully familiarize myself with all the indicators, I questioned where to allocate my current free points. I had no idea what might await me in the next trial and which characteristics might become more useful. After some consideration, I decided to hold off on making a decision.

I looked around and saw that many were still sitting with frozen expressions, studying something. How long had they all been like this? In some ways, Vargus was right; a lot of trash had probably gathered here. Although not everyone can be as gifted as I was. After all, who else could fix everything with duct tape and nothing else? Only a rare genius like me.

After waiting for us to check our status screens, the dragoness continued speaking, “Similarly, you can view the statuses of other people, but they will be available in a more concise format, containing limited information about the person, including: name, level, rank, and ability of the participant.”

Now everyone present in the hall began to look around, studying the others. I was no exception; I checked the status of the man sitting next to me with thick sideburns:

Luka “Wolverine” Santos

Rank: Etherless, F

Level: 12

Ability: Steel claws, Rank: F

I was struck by the fact that he was 3 levels higher than me. What the hell, was he a professional athlete in the past? Shaking my head, I searched with my eyes and quickly found the person who had impressed me the most during the first trial:

Name: Emilia “Ether Eater” Lawrence

Rank: Awakened, E

Level: 15

Ability: Child of Ether, Rank: D

Awakened? Damn, she managed to advance to a new rank just after the first trial. And her ability is already at the D rank, no wonder she took the first place even while spending time helping others. Level 15? That’s crazy, was she a world champion or some genius back on Earth? It turns out her attributes are much higher than mine. I wonder if she has already spent her free points, or were they initially this high? That can't be possible! She’s just a girl, at the very least her Strength should be below mine, right? She’s fairly athletic, though. Damn it.

Slightly upset, I reviewed a few more statuses of various people, and at best found those who had the same level as mine, not counting the levels of several teenagers. I waited, frustrated, for the reptile's speech to continue. What I also noted was how each person had a moniker in the middle of their name.

“So. Returning to the topic of points received for the trial, I will now announce the results. In third place in your league of losers is Mr. Declan “Ash” Hughes, with a score of 304 scarab kills. As a reward, you receive a magical Common card of F rank.

In the hall, the light seemed to dim for a moment, and from the ceiling, as if from an invisible spotlight, a human was illuminated with a soft glow. I recognized him as the young man who, from the very first seconds of the trial, began hurling scorching embers. If he was already quite thin before, now he resembled a living skeleton. The skin clung tightly to his bones, and his face appeared to have aged by a decade, covered in deep wrinkles with gray hair sprouting. Despite this, he carried himself confidently and casually accepted the attention of eight hundred people.

Opposite Declan, a small object appeared in the air, surrounded by a faint glowing halo. It was a magic card, hovering in front of him and slowly rotating. Its edges shimmered slightly, creating a magical effect. Declan reached out his hand, and as soon as he grasped it, the card seemed to dissolve in his palm. After a couple of seconds, however, the boy's face darkened slightly, expressing a barely noticeable discontent.

“Ah yes, the Etherless have only three rune slots, and in your case, they’re all occupied by your Unique Ability. Naturally, you can’t remove it from the slot like you would with most cards. Therefore, you will have to be patient until your Awakening, bronze mister. Second place, with a result of 351 dead insects, goes to Felix ‘Palette’ Reynolds, who also receives a card, but of Common E rank.”

Now the spotlight shifted to the opposite side of the hall, illuminating another participant.Felix was quite different from Declan. Tall and slender, with long fingers and chestnut hair falling over his shoulders, he looked like an artist who had accidentally ended up in this trial. His face expressed thoughtfulness and calmness, and his eyes glowed with an inner light. Around him, a card appeared in the air, also surrounded by a radiant halo, but this halo was more intense and bright. Of course, I reminded myself that everyone was here because they were lazy, just like me. But unlike them, I was justified in my desire for safety, after all my life was too precious to risk the 1% chance of death in the Very Easy Tutorial, wasn’t it?

Even from a great distance, I could see that the common E rank card had a more complex and intricate pattern on its surface, likely symbolizing its higher value and power. Felix unhurriedly extended his hand and allowed the card to settle into his palm. He smiled slightly, accepting the reward with visible satisfaction.

Such a show-off for someone who ended up in this Tutorial, I smirked to myself.

Looking at his status, I noticed that he was already among the Awakened:

Name: Felix “Palette” Reynolds

Rank: Awakened, E

Level: 11

Ability: Virtuoso Creator, Rank: E

And his level is so low as well! What a loser, didn’t he notice that some people already reached level 15? I thought with amusement, for a moment forgetting that my own level was even lower. Second place, my ass!

“First place and the insect exterminator nomination goes to Emilia ‘Ether Eater’ Lawrence. With a huge lead over second place, she scored 548 points for killing scarabs while managing to save the lives of many participants. Who would have thought that among you trash there would be such a selfless human with outstanding ability... As a reward, she is awarded an Uncommon D rank card,” pronounced the dragoness, fixing a pair of her perceptive eyes on Emilia.

The light from the ceiling illuminated the girl sitting in the first row. Not expecting to find herself at the center of everyone's attention, she blushed instantly and became embarrassed. A magic card appeared before her, which she quickly took, eager to escape the spotlight. The light went out, and the hall returned to its normal lighting.

“Of course, besides the prize places, there is also a general list with all the surviving participants and the number of points they have collected.”

A long list of names appeared before my eyes, accompanied by numbers. The top 10 stood out slightly thanks to a soft, shimmering backlight, while the top 3 shone with bright colors corresponding to bronze, silver, and gold. I found my name in 12th place with a score of 132 points. Not a bad result, considering the total number of participants, right? Yes, I'm pretty good.

After scanning the list a bit more, I closed it and looked at the dragoness. Vargas continued to stare intently at Emilia. “Girl, why are you even here? What did you tell the System?”

Emilia, stunned by the unexpected address, was speechless for a moment and stared silently at the dragoness. The sergeant-instructor patiently awaited a response.

Finally, the girl gathered her strength and replied, “I said I want to save humanity.”

Hearing such a hilarious answer, I was overwhelmed with emotion. I burst into loud, almost hysterical laughter, to the point where tears flowed and my stomach ached. There were some rare chuckles from here and there, but I drowned everyone out and drew attention to myself. Most people gave me unfriendly and even hostile glares, especially those saved by the girl. Emilia herself looked at me with… pity. Which was way more annoying than if she got angry.

Vargas, noticeably irritated by my reaction, said loudly, “Is it funny to you, Mr. Useless, possessing some idiotic ability related to duct tape and miraculously surviving the first trial? If I were you, I wouldn't be so cheerful, considering you're one of those unlikely to survive the next trial.”

Her words sent shivers down my spine, and I instantly fell silent.

“If I had my way, I would have killed everyone here except Emilia, the only worthy person in this gathering of rabble. Unlike you trash, she’s here for a lofty goal, not because she’s cowardly or greedy. And the ability she unlocked is… special, to say the least. Speaking of the upcoming trial,” Vargas changed the topic, “it will be divided into three stages, and all participants will need to form groups of three. But since the current number of survivors is 814, someone will be unlucky, and one of the teams will consist of only one person. I wonder who will be so unfortunate? Could it be someone with a trash ability and a loud mouth?”

Dragoness gave me a smug look, unmistakably hinting at who was being talked about.

At that moment, a sudden noise came from the right side of the hall. A thin man of pre-retirement age jumped up from his seat, his face flushed with rage. He began shouting at his neighbor, spitting saliva in every direction.

“Have you lost your mind, Bill?!” the man opposite of him exclaimed.

“Helping out like a friend, huh?” the old man shouted. “All you could think about was how to grab more points for the bugs, you greedy bastard, the screen showed how many more you have!”

His opponent, trying to remain calm, silently looked away, pretending it didn't concern him. But when an object suddenly materialized out of thin air and flew past his head, resembling a pot, he jumped up and shouted back, "What are you doing, idiot? Do you think your stinking dishes will protect you if I decide to turn you into a pancake?"

Above the first man's head, a multitude of objects resembling pots, pans, and spoons began to swirl. His face contorted with rage, and it seemed he was ready to explode. The second man's fists began to enlarge, transforming into massive weapons ready to crush anyone who stood in his way.

As soon as these two rushed at each other, the tension in the hall rose, as if the air had become heavier. There was a light pop, like the sound of a bursting bubble. In front of all the onlookers, they began to dissolve into the air, like figures of smoke carried away by the wind. Their outlines flickered, breaking into tiny particles that swirled in the air, forming intricate patterns. The smooth, almost mesmerizing movements of the particles created the illusion that the men's bodies were not just disappearing but transforming into something ethereal and beautiful. Within a few seconds, there was no trace of them left, only a faint glow hanging in the air, like a memory of what had happened here. The scene, full of anger and threats, vanished as quickly as it had arisen, leaving the hall in silence and bewilderment.

Vargas, deriving indescribable pleasure from the spectacle, hissed contentedly, "Ah yes, I almost forgot to tell you one important rule. It is forbidden to attack other participants. Anyone who breaks this rule will be assimilated into the system, like this sweet couple. Now there are 812 of you left, which means someone will undergo the trial not alone, but in a pair. This will certainly give them some chance of survival, but I wouldn't build any illusions. Only the worthiest of you will be able to survive this Tutorial."

The worthiest, you say? But the System had a completely different opinion. That there's only one survivor. Something tells me that this woman is aware of everything, just not sharing it with others. The cunning witch gives people false hope. Although maybe even that is better than the realization of one's inevitable demise; who knows? And based on everyone's reaction, it seemed that the System didn’t expose the truth to them, either. Or perhaps it just tried to scare me with a lie?

“That's all. You have eight hours to fully recover for the next trial and to split into groups. I advise against wasting time. Dismissed!”

With these words, Vargas majestically turned and headed to the opposite side of the hall. Her enormous, powerful wings spread slightly, creating a gentle breeze, and her scaly skin glistened in the torchlight, enhancing her imposing appearance. The dragoness was truly intimidating; every scale and every muscle in her body spoke of strength and authority. Her tail glided smoothly across the floor, leaving a slight trail behind, and her clawed paws moved with incredible grace despite their massiveness.

As Vargas passed through the rows, some participants instinctively stepped back, turning their heads to avoid her gaze. I, on the other hand, took the opportunity to admire her from behind while she couldn't see me. Sure, she was muscular, but also proportionate and feminine—just the way I liked. For some reason, I was always drawn to tall women. Too bad my chances with her weren’t just zero; they were in the negatives.

Reaching the massive, rune-inlaid door, Vargas stopped, turned, and surveyed the hall one last time. Without a word, she opened the door and disappeared into the shadows, leaving only the faint sound of the closing passage behind.