《The Nine Circles Tutorial - [LITRPG Apocalypse x Dante's Inferno]》 Chapter 1: The Gateway Chapter 1: The Gateway ABANDON ALL HOPE, YE WHO ENTER HERE. The ancient warning was carved into a massive stone gateway that loomed before Kade Brown, its weathered surface a stark contrast to the sterile white room surrounding it. Three monstrous statues adorned the archway: a leopard with spotted fur frozen mid-prowl on the left side, a snarling lion with a great mane atop the center, and a she-wolf with ribs visible through her gaunt form on the right. The beasts seemed to watch Kade with cold stone eyes as he tried to understand the situation. Just minutes ago, he''d been at his desk, working on his latest romance novel, the words refusing to flow as his deadline loomed. He''d glanced up at his window, contemplating whether another cup of coffee might help, when something caught his eye¡ªan oversized reptilian creature the size of a car running down the street below. Kade rubbed his eyes, certain the bizarre sight would disappear. His tired brain must be playing tricks after staring at the screen too long. Instead, a blinding light had engulfed him, and he''d found himself here, still clutching his pen. A translucent blue screen appeared in front of his eyes, floating in midair like something out of a movie. [Welcome, Human. Earth is under invasion by Agents of Chaos. You have been selected to undergo the Tutorial.] Kade blinked rapidly, half expecting the screen to disappear. It didn''t. He reached out to touch it, but his fingers passed through the glowing text as if it were merely a projection. "What is this? Who are you? Where am I?" he called out, his voice echoing unnaturally in the empty white room. The echo continued far longer than the acoustics of the space should have allowed. "Hello? Is anyone there?" This had to be a dream¡ªa surprisingly vivid one¡ªbut a dream nonetheless. After a moment, new text appeared on the screen: [I am the System. I have been deployed to assist humanity in this crisis.] Kade stared at the floating text. The term "System" reminded him of countless RPGs he''d played, which might explain the floating interface, but that did nothing to clarify how he''d gotten here or what was supposedly happening on Earth. "What exactly is this ''Tutorial'' and what are these Agents of Chaos?" He decided to play along until he figured out what was happening. "And how serious is this invasion anyway?" That lizard thing could have been a hallucination, right? [The Tutorial consists of 9 levels. Each level must be completed to proceed to the next. Complete all 9 levels to return to Earth with enhanced capabilities. Invasion threat can result in total planetary destruction. Detailed information about Agents of Chaos is restricted.] Total planetary destruction? Kade felt this was an exaggeration. He had neighbors who would relish the opportunity to shoot some oversized lizards. The System refusing to provide more information about the "Agents of Chaos" only added to his confusion. And what did "enhanced capabilities" even mean? Super strength? Magic powers? How could a regular guy like him develop abilities strong enough to fight interdimensional monsters? He''d never been exceptionally athletic or particularly brave¡ªjust a writer who''d settled for a comfortable but uninspiring life churning out novels he didn''t even enjoy reading himself. As if responding to his unspoken doubts, system notifications suddenly appeared: [New Innate Talent unlocked: Essence Absorption] [New Skill unlocked: Examine] [Access your Status to view your capabilities. The information is optimized for human comprehension.] "Status?" Kade asked skeptically. The moment he focused on the word, a new screen materialized before him, more detailed than the previous one: [Status] Name: Kade Brown Level: 1 Strength: 7 Dexterity: 5 Constitution: 5 Intelligence: 0 You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Wisdom: 0 Talents: Essence Absorption Skills: Examine The status screen looked like it came straight out of a game. Kade''s eye twitched at the sight of zeros beside Intelligence and Wisdom. How insulting. He hadn''t aced college, sure, but he did have a biomedical degree¡ªdespite those late-night gaming sessions that tanked his GPA. At least his strength seemed above average, probably from his regular gym sessions. When he focused his thoughts on the Intelligence stat, a small explanation appeared: [Intelligence: Total energy capacity for casting spells and utilizing magical abilities.] [Wisdom: Wisdom: Energy regeneration rate and efficiency of spell casting.] Not about brainpower after all. That made more sense, though having zero in both still wasn''t ideal for someone who might need to fight monsters. The System seemed to be telling him he had no magical potential whatsoever. Great. Curious about the rest, Kade focused on his other stats. [Strength: Strength: Physical power and force application.] [Dexterity: Speed, agility, reflexes, and precision.] [Constitution: Health, stamina, recovery rate from injuries, and resistance to damage and adverse conditions.] Standard definitions, just as he''d expected. Turning his attention to the Examine skill, Kade looked around the white room for anything to test it on. He tried the walls, floor, and ceiling, but nothing happened. The skill seemed to have limited functionality. He attempted to examine himself next, curious what the skill might reveal. [Kade Brown] [Human (Level 1)] Hardly illuminating. Frowning, Kade tried one last test, directing the examine skill at the floating blue interface itself. [System Interface] [Error: Cannot examine System processes] Worth trying, at least. This skill clearly had serious limitations for now. Kade shifted his focus to his apparent talent. [Essence Absorption] [A rare innate talent that draws universal essence from defeated foes. The essence appears as particles of light that flow into the user''s body, strengthening their core and accelerating growth. This talent forms the foundation of your potential advancement through the Tutorial. Kade''s eyes widened with recognition. This was like earning experience, the most fundamental mechanic in every game he''d ever played, now apparently translated into reality. This was what the System meant by getting stronger. But "defeated foes" had a much different meaning here than in a game. He''d have to actually fight¡ªpossibly kill¡ªfor power. As Kade finished exploring his status screen, a new notification appeared: [You have 5 minutes to decide. Enter the gateway to begin the Tutorial. Or remain here to be transported back to Earth and lose your status.] A timer appeared, counting down from five minutes. Kade pinched himself hard. The sharp pain confirmed this wasn''t just a dream. He jumped up and down, then pounded his fist against the wall. Every physical sensation felt real. This was actually happening. He weighed his options carefully. If the System was telling the truth, Earth was currently being overrun by monsters. Would he be safer back there? The modern military could probably handle some oversized lizards. Then again, a system capable of teleporting him across dimensions had told him he needed more power. These creatures had somehow bridged worlds to reach Earth, that alone suggested technology far beyond human understanding. If they needed special powers to fight these things, humanity was in deeper trouble than he''d first thought. Perhaps destruction of Earth wasn¡¯t an exaggeration. A chill ran down Kade''s spine as he stared at the gateway with its ominous message. Yet beneath the fear bubbled something unexpected¡ªexcitement. As a kid, he''d spent countless hours imagining what it would be like to discover hidden powers and save the world. He''d never imagined those childish fantasies materializing in adulthood. The timer ticked down to two minutes remaining. Kade paced before the gateway, weighing his options. Every sensation told him this was real, despite how ridiculous it seemed. Returning to Earth meant going back to a comfortable but uninspiring life, assuming society continued functioning with monsters running through the streets. And staying meant what, exactly? Nine levels of a "Tutorial" to gain "enhanced capabilities"? The term suggested something manageable, designed for beginners. His level might be low and stats unimpressive, but he could become stronger quickly, maybe even learn magic. The thought sent a surge of excitement through him. With ninety seconds left, Kade considered what he''d be leaving behind. Nothing he physically owned tied him down. He was single. His apartment, laptop, gaming setup¡ªnone of it mattered. Only his parents gave him pause. They would worry if he suddenly disappeared. But if Earth was truly being invaded, everyone was in danger anyway, including them. One minute remaining. Kade looked down at the pen still clutched in his hand. For years, he''d written stories about characters facing impossible odds¡ªthough usually for love, not survival. Now he was living the adventure he''d secretly wished for during those long nights of gaming. The potential danger was terrifying, yet exhilarating. With forty-five seconds left, a new worry struck him. What if he died in there? Real danger meant real consequences. But what if he didn''t go, and everyone on Earth died because he was too afraid to get stronger? That thought was worse than any risk to himself. At thirty seconds, Kade flexed his hand, feeling no different than he had that morning while making coffee. Yet according to his status page, he was already something more than human, with talents and abilities waiting to be developed. With fifteen seconds remaining, Kade took a deep breath and made his choice. He stepped toward the gateway, heart pounding in his chest. "I hope I don''t regret this," he muttered. Five seconds. He crossed the threshold. The stone archway seemed to stretch and distort around him as he passed through. Time slowed. The pristine white room behind him faded away, replaced by encroaching darkness. As the last tendrils of light disappeared, Kade felt his consciousness begin to slip away. In that final moment before darkness claimed him, the gateway''s message reverberated not as sound but as thought itself, burning into his fading mind: ABANDON ALL HOPE, YE WHO ENTER HERE. Chapter 2: Limbo Chapter 2: Limbo Kade woke to the cool caress of a breeze against his face. His head pounded, the ancient warning from the gateway still echoing in his mind. Abandon all hope. Had he made a terrible mistake? Too late to reconsider now. He pushed himself up from the surprisingly soft grass beneath him, taking in his surroundings with narrowed eyes. A thick gray fog hung in the air, restricting visibility to about one hundred feet in every direction. The landscape was a muted blend of gray and green, the grass underfoot verdant but somehow lacking vibrancy. Looking up, Kade found no sun, no clouds¡ªnothing. Just an empty void casting an unnatural twilight over everything. The dim illumination provided just enough light to see, but nothing more. This place was far from inspiring confidence. A blue notification pulsed at the edge of his vision. Kade focused on it, and the full message expanded before him: [Welcome to Tutorial Level 1: The Gateway (Limbo), a realm of endless fog and disorientation. Those who enter Limbo are doomed to wander without purpose, forever separated from both salvation and damnation. Time has no meaning here. Distance is an illusion. Only the worthy find the path forward.] [Main Quest: Discover the exit to proceed to Level 2] [The faithful shall be rewarded...EV#N @S TH3!R SH@... CORRUPTED DATA... F?R#D !N H3@VE... ERROR...] The corrupted text caught Kade''s attention immediately. He frowned and tried examining it with his skill, but received nothing useful. An all-powerful interdimensional System with bugs? Seemed more likely to be flavor text considering how sophisticated everything else appeared. Something to keep in mind¡ªbeing faithful is apparently good, whatever that means. The description of Limbo matched what he could see, endless fog and disorientation. The 100-foot visibility already felt suffocating. Kade was thankful he wasn¡¯t claustrophobic. "System?" Kade called out, hoping for guidance. "What am I supposed to do exactly?" He waited for the blue interface to appear with instructions as it had in the white room, but there was only silence. The System that had been so responsive before now seemed to have abandoned him entirely to this gray purgatory. At least the rest of the message and the main quest seem to indicate the main goal of this level. Easier said than done in a place where apparently "time has no meaning" and "distance is an illusion." Was this realm designed to be impossible to navigate? And what qualified someone as "worthy"? Kade hoped he met the criteria. This "tutorial" was nothing like he had expected. He had anticipated a gradual introduction, maybe a friendly NPC guide, some starting equipment, at least some indication of which direction to head. Instead, he got vague quest objectives and cryptic, partially corrupted messages. In every RPG he''d ever played, the tutorial was the easiest part, designed to teach mechanics and ease players into the game world. This was the opposite of that. Just thrown into the deep end and left to sink or swim. He examined his status window, hoping for something that might help, but nothing had changed from before. No new skills, no equipment, not even a map function. Just the same underwhelming stats and the "Examine" skill that had proven nearly useless so far. As he stared at his status pondering what to do, a new notification appeared: [Beginner Quest: First Blood] [Defeat your first enemy to begin your journey] Kade half expected and half didn¡¯t expect this. The initial System message gave off the feeling that no combat would be involved, only a navigation challenge, but that was inconsistent with the previous implications in the white room and the essence absorption skill. Kade was painfully aware he had no weapon and no special abilities. At least this counted as some sort of guidance from the now silent System. Defeat an enemy¡ªbut what enemy? What kinds of creatures lurked in this fog? In most games, the first enemy was something trivial¡ªslimes, goblins, rats, or wolves. Weak creatures designed to give new players a confidence boost and teach basic combat mechanics. But this wasn''t a game. Whatever he fought would have real claws, real teeth, real weapons. The thought sent a chill down his spine. He stretched his arms overhead, working out the stiffness in his shoulders. The pen that had traveled with him all the way from his apartment still rested in his pocket. At least he had that. He picked it up and started twirling it between his fingers, an old habit that now felt incredibly soothing. Lacking any better options or any idea on what to do, Kade picked a random direction and started walking. Better to explore than stay in one place and hope for the best. The fog parted before him only to close again behind, creating the unsettling impression that the landscape was being generated as he moved through it, disappearing once he passed. "Hello?" he called out, not knowing what he was hoping for, his voice sounding strangely muffled, as if the fog itself was absorbing the sound. No response came. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it The message was right¡ªtime was impossible to track. The unchanging twilight offered no hint of passing hours, and the featureless landscape provided no markers to gauge distance traveled. Just grass and flowers, then more grass and flowers. Sometimes green, sometimes grey. He was beginning to understand the difficulty of this tutorial. Internally cursing the System¡ªif he''d known it would be this difficult, he might have returned to Earth. Well, probably not. Despite everything, he felt a glimmer of excitement at his situation. After what felt like less than half an hour without encountering anything, Kade paused, doubt creeping in. His intuition was telling him that he should have met something by now like an enemy, and he swore that the patterns of flower and grass were changing, yet the message from System remained in the back of this mind. "Distance is an illusion." What if the fog was magical? What if even walking in a straight line would eventually lead him back to where he started? That seemed like a common plot point in stories¡ªtravelers walking for days only to find themselves back where they began. He needed to mark his path somehow. A rustling sound broke the silence. Kade froze, his hand reaching to pull up some grass and wildflowers to mark his path. The noise came again, closer this time, something moving through the grass just beyond his field of vision. He slowly rose to his feet, eyes straining to pierce the fog. A hunched figure emerged from the gray haze. Standing barely three feet tall, its sickly green skin was covered in warts and blisters. Long, pointed ears framed a face dominated by a wide mouth filled with jagged yellow teeth. Beady red eyes fixated on Kade with unmistakable malice. In its gnarled hands, the creature clutched a rusty, notched sword. A quick examine revealed a floating label appearing above the creature''s head: [Goblin Scout (Level 2)] For one surreal moment, Kade almost wanted to laugh. A short ugly goblin? Really? Truly a tutorial enemy if he ever saw one. But the sight of that very real blade in its hands quickly sobered him. If that sword cut him, he would bleed. The goblin let out a shrill war cry and charged. Adrenaline flooded Kade''s system. His muscles tensed, ready for fight or flight. The System wasn''t going to help, apparently. No helpful pop-up window. No combat guide. Nothing. He half believed that perhaps it would grant him powers once he got into his first fight. No such hope. He backpedaled from the advancing goblin, dodging a wild swing, the rusty blade whistling through the air. Another strike came, and Kade jumped back again, the tip of the sword missing his stomach by inches. The creature was surprisingly quick. His heart hammered in his chest as he weaved left and right, his eyes narrowing, locked onto the incoming blade. The adrenaline fogged his thoughts, reducing everything to instinct. In the back of his mind, it registered: he couldn''t just keep dodging. The goblin was faster than it looked, and eventually, it would connect. The creature pressed its advantage, leaping forward once again. Its blade caught the fabric of Kade''s shirt, tearing it without touching skin. Too close. Kade''s mind raced. In games, goblins were always low-level monsters with predictable attack patterns. This one had no such limitations. But it did have one weakness¡ªit relied entirely on that rusty sword. He needed to separate it from the weapon. That might give him a chance. He watched the goblin''s movements more carefully now, noticing how it gripped the sword with both hands during overhead swings, but switched to a single-hand grip for horizontal slashes. The next swing came at knee height. Kade jumped over it, and instead of continuing to back away, he saw his chance. The goblin was off-balance after its wide swing. He lunged forward, slamming into the goblin with his full weight, targeting its center mass just as it was recovering. The impact knocked the breath from his lungs, but more importantly, it sent the goblin''s sword flying from its grip, just as he''d planned. A horrid stench assaulted Kade''s nostrils¡ªa mix of rot, sweat, and something sulfurous. He wanted to throw up. The goblin thrashed beneath him, surprisingly strong for its size. Sharp claws raked across Kade''s arm, drawing blood. "Shit!" Kade gasped at the sudden pain. This was really happening. He was fighting for his life against a monster in another dimension. The goblin bucked upward, nearly throwing Kade off. Clawed hands reached for his throat. In desperation, Kade remembered his pen. He yanked it from his pocket and gripped it tightly, thumb hovering over the clicker. Click. The ballpoint tip emerged with a sharp sound that seemed impossibly loud in the moment. With a primal yell, Kade drove the pen deep into the goblin''s right eye. The creature released a high-pitched shriek, its body convulsing beneath him. The goblin''s claws raked frantically at his arms, drawing blood. But Kade didn''t stop. He yanked the pen free. Click. He retracted the pen tip and then¡ª Click. ¡ªextended it again, driving it into the monster''s other eye with even greater force. The goblin''s thrashing intensified, then weakened. Its mouth opened in a silent scream, yellow teeth gnashing at empty air. Click. Click. Click. Kade stabbed again and again, no longer aiming, just bringing the pen down wherever he could¡ªthe creature''s throat, its chest, its face¡ªuntil his arm burned with exertion and his hand was slick with dark blood. The goblin finally went limp beneath him, twitching once, twice, then stilling completely. A faint glow emerged from the corpse, particles of light drifting upward and flowing into Kade''s chest. Multiple notifications appeared: [Enemy Slain: Goblin Scout (Level 2)] [Essence Absorption activated] [Level Up! You are now Level 2] [You have 3 stat points to allocate] [Subquest Completed: First Blood] [Reward: Basic Healing Potion, 3 Faith] Kade rolled off the goblin''s body, collapsing onto his back and gasping for air. His entire body trembled as the adrenaline began to ebb. He lifted his hands, grimacing at the dark goblin blood coating them. The stuff had a faint sulfurous smell and was already getting tacky. Some had spattered onto his shirt too. Despite the gore, relief washed over him in powerful waves. The disgust at the blood couldn''t overshadow the simple fact: he was alive. Somehow, he had survived his first encounter with a creature that truly wanted to kill him. "The pen is truly mightier than the sword," he said to himself with a laugh. Never had that saying been so literally true. Thank god he''d had it in his pocket when he was transported here. After catching his breath, he pushed himself up to sitting position and wiped his hands on the grass. It didn''t help much. He turned his attention to the floating notifications still hanging in the air, trying to process the rewards and points he received. His status screen appeared when he focused on it, showing his new level and available stat points. Kade considered his options carefully, thinking through what might keep him alive longest in this hostile environment. [Status] Name: Kade Brown Level: 2 Strength: 7 Dexterity: 5 Constitution: 5 Intelligence: 0 Wisdom: 0 Faith: 3 3 available points to allocate Kade blinked at the unfamiliar stat. "Faith? That wasn''t there before." Chapter 3: Faith? Chapter 3: Faith? The examination of Faith revealed more details. [Faith] ["The faithful shall be rewarded..." A measure of the System''s recognition of your dedication. Faith may be collected through quests, achievements, and slaying powerful enemies.] "So it''s tied to that message," Kade mused, studying the mysterious stat. "But what rewards are we talking about?" The System offered no further explanation, unsurprisingly. It seemed he could only collect more Faith to find out. Frustrating, but not unexpected given how unhelpful the System had been so far. Out of curiosity, Kade attempted to allocate one of his stat points to Faith. The point hovered above the mysterious stat before returning to his available pool, refusing to register. He noticed the beginner quest rewards had been credited¡ªthe health potion safely stored in his inventory. When accessing his status screen, a new section appeared. [Inventory] [A personal dimensional space where System rewards can be stored until retrieved. Once removed, items cannot be stored again.] [Minor Healing Potion] [Restores health gradually over time. Additionally provides complete relief from hunger, thirst, and fatigue.] Clearly a valuable item given how Kade hadn¡¯t found any food or water sources in this realm. Kade examined the scratch on his arm. It stung, but hardly warranted using such a precious resource. Turning back to his available stat points, Kade considered his options carefully. Intelligence and Wisdom were immediately discarded, no point investing in spell energy without spells to cast. He briefly considered Constitution. In games, it usually provided more health and damage resistance. But looking at the rusty sword he''d taken from the goblin, reality set in. A few extra hit points wouldn''t stop steel from slicing through flesh. Better to not get hit at all. The recent fight flashed through his mind. If he''d been faster or stronger, he might have ended it sooner with less risk. Speed to avoid attacks, strength to end fights quickly, those seemed like the most pragmatic choices for survival. After weighing his options, he allocated two points to Dexterity and one to Strength. Better to avoid hits altogether and hit harder when he had to. [Status] Name: Kade Brown Level: 2 Strength: 8 (+1) Dexterity: 7 (+2) Constitution: 5 Intelligence: 0 Wisdom: 0 Faith: 3 He didn''t feel any immediate change in his body, no sudden surge of power or agility. But hopefully the System was working its magic in subtle ways. Kade retrieved the goblin''s sword, giving it a few experimental swings. It was crude and slightly bent, but surprisingly light and definitely an upgrade over his pen. Still, he couldn''t bear to leave the pen behind. He wiped the blood off and tucked it back into his pocket. The fact that it had served as his first weapon in this realm gave it sentimental value, if nothing else. Looking around, Kade tried to determine which direction to go. No further quests or guidance had appeared after the beginner one. He was truly on his own now. After the scramble of the fight, he couldn''t be certain which way the goblin had come from. The featureless landscape and swirling fog made it impossible to maintain orientation. The endless gray expanse stretched in all directions. How was he supposed to complete the main quest with absolutely no guidance? He remembered his earlier plan to mark his path by pulling up clumps of grass. Now with the sword, he had a better option. Kade knelt down and pressed the goblin''s blade into the soft ground, carving a deep X into the soil. Standing up, he nodded with satisfaction. At least now he''d know if he accidentally doubled back. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. With the rusty sword in hand, Kade picked a direction that seemed promising and walked. The constant sameness of the environment made his mind wander. What was the actual purpose of this "tutorial"? He''d been plucked from Earth, shown evidence of an invasion, and then dropped into this gray purgatory with almost no guidance. After about fifty paces, he stopped and carved another X into the ground. The System had been responsive in the white room, answering his questions and explaining the basics. Yet now it remained stubbornly silent, offering no hint or direction beyond the initial cryptic messages. If the System wants me to become stronger to fight these Agents of Chaos, Kade wondered as he continued walking, then why design a first level where I could potentially wander forever and die of thirst? That was another concern. He''d been here for what felt like hours, and while he wasn''t desperately thirsty yet, the absence of any water source was troubling. No streams, no lakes, not even morning dew on the grass. Using the health potion just to quench his thirst seemed wasteful when he might need its healing properties later. He paused to make a third mark, this one deeper than the previous two. A tutorial should teach, not just test. In games, the first level always introduced core mechanics gradually. This place seemed designed to frustrate rather than educate. Perhaps that was the point? Maybe this wasn''t about combat training but about developing problem-solving skills or persistence. The System had mentioned that "only the worthy find the path forward." What constituted worthiness in the System''s judgment? His current strategy made sense¡ªwalking in a straight line while marking his path was the most logical approach. It prevented doubling back and wasting energy. He carved a fourth X and continued forward. "There must be others here too," he reasoned aloud, his voice quickly swallowed by the fog. "The System can''t have just chosen me to save Earth." He thought back to the white room where the System had unlocked his essence absorption talent. The System had called it a "rare innate talent," not a unique one. Rare and innate implied others naturally possessed the same ability, which meant other humans with similar potential must have been transported here just like him. His mind flashed to the glowing particles that had risen from the goblin''s body after he''d killed it. The way they had flowed into him felt strangely natural, as if his body had always been capable of absorbing that energy. The immediate level up afterward¡ªwas that the physical manifestation of becoming stronger? Did the essence physically change him somehow? So many questions, not enough answers. "We''re probably all wandering around in the same fog, unable to see each other," he muttered as he made his fifth mark, taking extra care to make it distinctive. For a moment, Kade considered shouting to see if anyone would respond. But his earlier attempts at calling out had shown how the fog muffled sound just as effectively as it limited visibility. If others were here, finding them would require more than just making noise. Kade paused, rolling his shoulders to release the tension building there. If connecting with others wasn''t immediately possible, he needed to focus on what he could control. The corrupted message about faith suggested some kind of reward system. How could he continue to trigger quests and complete achievements to earn more faith? As he continued to move, lost in his thoughts, something nagged at him about his marks. He should be able to see at least one or two of them from here. The fog thinned momentarily, allowing him to see further than before, but his previous markers weren''t visible. Frowning, he decided to double back and check. The absence of his most recent mark struck him as impossible. The ground was pristine¡ªunmarked grass swaying gently in the perpetual twilight breeze where he was sure his X should have been carved into the soil. A chill crawled up Kade''s spine as he jogged back to where he was certain he''d made the previous mark, heart rate quickening with each step. Nothing. Just undisturbed grass, as if he''d never been there at all. Confusion and disbelief washed over him as he dropped to his knees, running his fingers over the ground. The soil felt cool and firm, showing no sign of disturbance. No blade of grass was out of place. With growing unease, Kade sprinted further back, checking each location where he''d carved his trail. All of them had vanished without a trace. It was as if his passage through this realm had been erased from reality itself, his attempt to impose order on this place rejected by the very fabric of Limbo. Determination hardened his features. He needed to test this directly. Kade drove the goblin blade deep into the earth, carving a dramatic X larger than his previous marks. Then he crouched, eyes fixed on the freshly disturbed soil. At first, nothing happened. Then, almost imperceptibly, the edges of the cut began to soften. The displaced dirt seemed to tremble, then gradually sink back into place. Blades of grass that had been severed slowly straightened, their broken ends reattaching before his eyes. Within minutes, the mark was completely gone. A new kind of dread settled over him as the realization crystallized. The environment was erasing his marks, healing itself as if rejecting his attempts to impose human order on its endless expanse. The System was fully committing to its theme of disorientation and lostness, just as it had implied in its introductory message. Kade ran his fingers through his hair, considering what to do. The disappearing marks didn''t necessarily mean he was walking in circles. The fact that he''d encountered the goblin suggested he must have wandered into new territory. More likely, the System simply didn''t want people to be able to orient themselves. There had to be a trick to navigating this fog, some secret not yet revealed. Perhaps it would come with more levels or information. For now, continuing to explore made the most sense¡ªrandom wandering might lead to something useful if he avoided backtracking. Kade pulled the pen from his pocket and twirled it between his fingers, the familiar motion helping organize his thoughts. His hand remembered the rhythm from countless hours spent at his desk. The simple action grounded him, a thread connecting this bizarre realm to his former life. The goblin encounter had shattered any remaining nonchalance. Kade moved with heightened awareness, his eyes scanning for movement, occasionally pivoting to check for threats approaching from behind. The goblin''s sword remained ready in his grip, its weight a reminder of the dangers lurking in the mist. It didn''t take long before something changed. At first, Kade thought he was imagining it¡ªa faint glow in the distance, barely perceptible through the thick fog. He stopped, blinking to make sure his eyes weren''t playing tricks on him. The glow remained, a soft orange luminescence beckoning through the gray haze. Kade tightened his grip on the goblin''s sword and moved forward, one careful step at a time, toward the mysterious light.