The golden screen hanging above System World flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then...
The words began to change.
No one looked away.
Not Sam.
Not Ben.
Not even the children hiding behind their parents.
Every Commander...
Every Base...
Waited.
---
HUMANITY'S FIRST TRIAL
Objective: Prove Yourself Worthy to Lead Humanity.
Trial Duration: 30 Days
Analyzing All Active Commanders...
Please Wait...
---
A heavy silence settled over Base 101.
Sam folded his arms.
"So..."
"It's judging us."
Inside his mind...
Rex answered.
Correct.
Every Commander receives a Trial based upon their achievements, military strength, population, leadership, and overall Base development.
Sam frowned.
"So the stronger you become..."
"The harder the Trial."
Correct.
---
The screen flashed again.
---
Analyzing Commander...
Sam Martin
Commander Confirmed...
Class Confirmed...
Base Confirmed...
Population Confirmed...
Army Confirmed...
Military Assets Confirmed...
Commander Evaluation...
Calculating...
Calculating...
Calculating...
---
Everyone held their breath.
The refugees looked terrified.
Ben tightened his grip around his shield.
George stopped hammering.
Even Leon stared upward without blinking.
Finally...
The System finished.
---
COMMANDER EVALUATION
Commander: Sam Martin
Class: Necromancer Commander
Base: 101
Base Development: Excellent
Military Strength: High
Population Stability: Excellent
Resource Production: Excellent
Army Morale: Excellent
Leadership Rating:
A
---
A murmur spread through the fortress.
"An A?"
"That's good... right?"
Sam looked toward Rex.
"Only an A?"
Rex answered calmly.
An exceptional score for a newly established Commander.
However...
Higher evaluations exist.
Sam smiled.
"So there's still room to grow."
---
The screen shifted once again.
The letters turned crimson.
---
TRIAL DIFFICULTY
S-RANK
---
The smiles disappeared.
Even Ben looked uneasy.
"S-Rank..."
George swallowed.
"That doesn't sound friendly."
Sam sighed.
"I had a feeling."
Inside his mind...
Rex spoke.
Congratulations.
Sam rolled his eyes.
"I don't think congratulations are appropriate."
The System has officially recognized your potential.
Failure will now carry severe consequences.
---
Another notification appeared.
---
HUMANITY'S FIRST TRIAL
Primary Objectives
✓ Defend Base 101
✓ Protect the Civilian Population
✓ Maintain Food Production
✓ Expand Your Territory
✓ Eliminate Regional Threats
✓ Keep Commander Sam Martin Alive
---
Bonus Objectives
□ Rescue Additional Survivors
□ Discover Hidden Dungeons
□ Form Three Commander Alliances
□ Defeat an Elite Corruption Lord
□ Reach Level 25
---
Hidden Objectives
???
---
George scratched his head.
"I hate question marks."
Leon crossed his arms.
"They usually hide the best rewards."
---
Then...
The entire sky changed again.
---
REGIONAL COMMANDER RANKINGS
Updating...
Updating...
Updating...
---
One by one...
Names appeared.
Most remained hidden.
Only the rankings could be seen.
---
1. ???
2. ???
3. ???
4. Sam Martin — Base 101
5. ???
6. ???
7. ???
...
27. ???
---
The entire fortress exploded with excitement.
"Commander!"
"Fourth!"
"You're fourth!"
"We're one of the strongest Bases!"
Ben couldn't stop smiling.
"I knew we'd be near the top."
Sam wasn't celebrating.
"There are still three Commanders ahead of me."
Rex answered.
An appropriate observation.
---
Far across System World...
A woman wearing silver armor looked toward the glowing sky.
A crimson cape fluttered behind her.
A dragon-shaped spear rested against her shoulder.
She smiled.
"So..."
"Another Commander reached the top five."
A notification floated before her.
---
Commander: Elena
Class: Dragon Knight
Regional Rank: 2
Trial Difficulty: A-Rank
---
"I'll be looking forward to meeting you..."
"Sam Martin."
---
Thousands of kilometers away...
A frozen wilderness stretched endlessly beneath a gray sky.
A massive man stood surrounded by enormous wolves.
His beard was coated in frost.
The ranking screen reflected in his eyes.
---
Commander: Bjorn
Class: Beast King
Regional Rank: 1
Trial Difficulty: SS-Rank
---
He laughed loudly.
"So..."
"I finally have worthy prey."
The wolves howled toward the sky.
---
Elsewhere...
Deep inside an enormous city of gears and steel...
Machines operated without pause.
Steam filled the streets.
A young man adjusted a pair of mechanical goggles.
His eyes stopped on one particular name.
---
Commander: Atlas
Class: Mechanic
Regional Rank: 3
Trial Difficulty: S-Rank
---
"A Necromancer Commander..."
"Interesting."
"I hope you survive."
---
Back at Base 101...
One final notification appeared.
Unlike the others...
Its letters were blood red.
---
SPECIAL TRIAL RULES
Commanders may encounter one another during Humanity's First Trial.
Trade is permitted.
Alliances are permitted.
Competition is encouraged.
Hostile engagements are permitted.
Commander Deaths are Permanent.
Base Conquest is Enabled.
Destroyed Bases may be occupied by other Commanders.
The strong will rise.
The weak will disappear.
---
Silence.
No one celebrated anymore.
Everyone understood exactly what the System meant.
This wasn't just a battle against monsters.
It was a competition...
To determine who would lead humanity in System World.
Sam slowly looked beyond the walls of Base 101.
Somewhere...
Twenty-six other Commanders were looking toward their own horizons.
Some would become trusted allies.
Some...
Would become his greatest enemies.
Sam slowly drew his sword.
The blade reflected the golden light covering the sky.
He raised it high above his head.
His soldiers looked toward him.
"So that's the game."
He smiled.
"Then let's show System World..."
"Why Base 101 will stand at the very top."
A deafening roar erupted from every soldier.
"FOR BASE 101!"
Even the Skeleton Warriors raised their weapons toward the heavens.
Inside Sam's mind...
Rex spoke one final sentence.
Humanity's First Trial...
Has officially begun.