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POTLS - Chapter 6: Assessment
🕑 Added 2025-04-18 23:00:10 +0000 UTCDeath was never easy. It got worse every time. Even on the ninth time.
Paul's disintegrating gaze stared at the sky. Clouds drifted lazily, occasionally dissolving like his life, gradually disappearing.
The places that Portals led to seemed designed to remind Survivors that even with rebirth, they must first endure every kind of pain before returning.
The monsters didn't cleanly behead him, didn't stab his heart, didn't attack his aorta. Instead, they savored their meal like a lavish feast. Small chunks of flesh bitten away, blood sucked out, bones brandished as trophies.
Paul didn't know how long he had moaned and screamed as the razor-sharp teeth of the monster horde—including Blood Courtiers, Shadow Hounds, and Ghouls—tore into him. He heard the sound of flesh and skin ripping, their smacking lips, and smelled the putrid stench from mouths close to his face. He became numb.
Before this, he had struggled heroically. He hadn't collapsed immediately. Each slash, each thrust sent more creatures falling. [Blood Resistance] gave him some ability to withstand the Elite Blood Courtiers. But it wasn't enough.
If only I had [Holy Strike], he had bitterly lamented.
With that skill, he would have won, survived this night. He knew because he had witnessed the destructive power it gave David. They had been truly fortunate that time to achieve evolution. Yet, because team members' skills weren't synced, they still failed.
"Ew, so gross, Paul," Lina squatted, covering her face amid the feasting monster horde.
"Sigh, you tried hard enough. Don't blame yourself," Kate comfortingly patted his head.
"Plan more carefully next time," David stood at a distance, arms folded, still cold as ever.
Eventually, even the sensation of being torn apart became numb. Pain became a companion, death a guiding light.
When daylight rose to dispel the night and the strange red hue of the blood moon, he followed the white light flashing before his eyes.
The official end of this run in the Crimson Moon Estate map.
<<Notification>>
You have failed!
Try harder next time!
Lives remaining: 1.
Kindly wait for the final assessment!
<<End of Notification>>
Paul's consciousness drifted to an undefined space. Many Survivors had questioned and investigated this area, but none had truly found answers. Even Rank A Survivors couldn't pierce this veil of mystery.
Rumors suggested only when the first Rank S appeared might the secret behind everything be revealed. But no one knew when that day would come.
Here, bodies were reconstructed but couldn't move. Lying still like corpses in graves.
Having failed to complete the seven days, Paul wasn't immediately returned. The system placed unsuccessful Survivors here, waiting until the portal opening day. He couldn't see anyone, nor could anyone see him. Just complete darkness.
One could use this time to sleep or interact with the shop and system. That was all that could be done.
Everyone said this was the system's punishment for incompetent Survivors. Die too early and you'd lie here for the remaining duration. One day was bearable, but three or four days could drive someone mad from the boundless stillness. No one knew how time passed, making a minute feel longer than normal, an hour potentially lasting a whole day. This explained why psychological treatment sessions at the Survivor Support Center were always fully booked. Not everyone was tough enough to overcome the trauma from each portal jump.
Paul was affected similarly. It wasn't that he refused treatment; it simply didn't help. Who wouldn't want their life improved, even slightly? His burden accumulated from childhood to adulthood. He had grown accustomed to it, making instability a long-standing part of himself.
As David said, he lacked affection, connection, and hope. That's why he naively thought his team would become his family. The result after investing all his emotions was complete collapse. If not for thoughts of revenge and guilt, he'd rather die and be done with it all.
He agreed with the community's objection to calling people like him "Survivors" just because the system named them so. They hadn't survived anything. The name even brought bad luck, jinxing the whole process. It should only be used for high Rankers who had overcome challenges and proven worthy of the title.
Hunter, Delver, Drifter were proposed names but ultimately rejected. Leadership thought bearing the name "Survivor" would give individuals more confidence, motivating themselves to strive harder for survival.
Those people haven't even entered a Portal once, Paul always cursed. They simply don't want the hassle of paperwork and announcements. The strongest forces comprising B and A rankers already have names worthy of their reality.
Paul wandered in thought, wanting to sleep but unable. The system reconstructed bodies while optimizing them, making sleep more elusive than ever.
Gradually, whispers found him. He ignored them, whether Kate's desperate cries for help, Lina's painful moans, or David's heartbreakingly defiant silence.
He could only remind himself to seek revenge, absolute revenge. As for what came after, he dared not think. Planning life too far ahead always backfired, so he would only choose short-term necessities. Even his short-term goal required at least Rank D to attack Guild Crouching Tiger. To be certain, mid-Rank D was needed; for safety, Rank C would be necessary to handle the entire group.
Rank F to Rank E, Paul tried distracting himself. That means getting the first talent.
With each Rank increase, a Survivor received both stat points and a talent.
Stats for normal people—all Rank F—could never exceed 10. This conclusion came after compiling worldwide data. Rank E led to qualitative body changes, allowing individuals to surpass mortal barriers, becoming existences far stronger than ordinary humans.
The second reward was a Talent. Currently, there was no method to evaluate Talents that Survivors possessed. A Rank C becoming Rank B might receive a seemingly inferior talent, yet it could be essential for synchronizing with three talents from previous rank-ups. Special talent combinations made Survivors vastly superior to others.
[Scavenger] is a desirable talent, Paul silently hoped.
Humanity had made breakthroughs in research during the six months since Portals appeared. The Research and Development Department of the Portal Defense Initiative had published findings to assist Survivors. Most importantly, these related to Artifact crafting.
Artifacts could only be created using materials brought back from inside Portals. Through assembly and learning from The Shifting Arcana Library map, primitive Artifacts were created.
The Artifact allowing skill selection rerolls when leveling up—the one that scammed Paul's group—came from these manufacturing announcements.
Normally, death meant the system would strip everything; nothing could be brought in or out of Portals. Only with the [Scavenger] talent could Survivors bring out an item. According to statistics, about 25% of survivors received this talent. Now, an economy revolving around materials and Artifacts had become indispensable.
Paul wanted it because, despite being common, demand for the [Scavenger] talent remained high. He could earn money quickly while gaining protection from reputable groups.
Revenge didn't necessarily require his personal action. Once wealthy enough, hiring others to do his bidding was entirely feasible.
Finally, he sensed disturbance in the surrounding space.
The Crimson Moon Estate map run had concluded.
A series of incomprehensible characters appeared before him. Eventually, they displayed language he could understand.
//
You survived six days.
Requirement for a successful run: seven days.
You failed!
Based on your performance, your ranking among others is: 47/103.
Prize pool has been calculated and divided for each Breach Survivor.
You received 150 Essence and 150 gold.
**** Additional Notice ****
You are down to your last life.
The system deemed you incompetent Breach Survivor.
The system wants you to try harder next time.
Last Life Special Coupon granted to Paul Steele.
Use it wise, Breach Survivor.
**** End of Additional Notice ****
Assessment complete.
Opening Portal.
Transferring Breach Survivors.
See you next time!
//
