《Fight the System》 1 - First Contact A trail of blood had led the hunters right to their prey. Although their trap clamped its iron teeth into the mutant bear¡¯s leg, this one was even larger than other specimen. When they had arrived, it had shrugged off the wound from metal clamp, treating it like a scratch. Almost twice the size of a normal female specimen, its height was more akin to a house, not to a living creature. Even so, the giant beast hadn¡¯t stood a chance against the hunters. Several dozen spears stuck out from the bear''s thick, black fur. One had been lodged in the beast''s cheek. Almost half of the shaft had disappeared into the mouth cavity and its soft flesh. Angled up, it had scrambled the monster¡¯s brain and sealed its fate. Around the creature, the leaves of autumn the autumn forest had almost disappeared, together with the trees they had fallen from. Only several broken tree stumps and some timber remained. The long battle had created a new clearing in the forest. Although the bear had been a fierce opponent, it had never proven worthy for the experienced hunters. Still wary of a potential retaliation, careful steps brought the two Troari hunters up to their dying prey. Despite their small size, all Troari were excellent hunters, but these ones more so than most. The male''s long, scaly fingers held onto his spear with great force, ready to strike should the bear rise up one final time. Just before he came into striking distance, the sound of a broken twig in the distance gave him pause. Every animal had fled from the battle of the giants and left the forest deserted, so what could have made that sound. His powerful claws pushed him off the ground, a safe distance away from his prey. Yet when he scanned the surroundings with his reptilian eyes, he failed to find the source of danger he felt in his heart. For the first time since he had become a true hunter, he was unsure of his own senses. ¡°Did you hear it too?¡± he asked his hunting partner as he closed in on her. ¡°I heard it too,¡± she confirmed, while both of them scanned the fallen forest before them. ¡°There it is again.¡± This time he heard the crinkle of leaves. Something closed in on them with measured and even steps, making no attempt to hide its presence. With the refined intuition of beasts, no prey would return to their scene of combat until after they had left. Even the scavengers would stay distant until the smell of the hunters had disappeared. Since no normal predator would move with such careless noise, only one option was left. This was an enemy. Out of the trees stepped an ape-like, bipedal creature. Apart from the long hair flowing down its head, it was almost without fur. Yet it wasn''t naked, since its body was covered by worn-down armor metal armor. ¡°But... I heard the humans were extinct,¡± his partner whispered, with a tremble in her voice. ¡°Please direct your complaints to the extinct specimen before us.¡± Although the male hunter tried to joke, his voice was tense as well. This was no surprise, since he was old enough to have lived through the last great war against the humans almost a century ago. Even at their lowest, the humans had put up a fight worthy of their great rivals. In truth, humans were monsters far beyond the mutant bears, superior even to the Troari. If they had been united from the start, there was no telling which species would have come out the victor in their struggle. Any survivor of the old wars would be a seasoned warrior and not easy to deal with. True enough, the creature was massive even for a human specimen. Twice as tall as the tallest Troari, and three times as wide, its bulging muscles moving under its simple leather armor. The missing eye as well as all countless other scars all over his face and hands told tales of its many battles. Even so, this human was still dwarfed in size by the mutated bear. They had already taken down one prey today, so what difference would one more make? Without a need for coordination, the two experienced hunters split up and began to encircle the creature from both directions, ready to deal with their newest foe. Out of nowhere, the human jumped out as if its weight had been a joke and closed the distance like a blur. The male hunter was dead before he could even lift his spear.
[You have gained 5240 XP]
[Level Up]
¡°Haaah, pointless.¡± Although he had questioned the second hunter for a while after he had taken down the first, Layne hadn''t really learned much of anything in the process. At least she had known the position of the nearby hunter settlement, so for now he had a direction to head in. ¡°Well, I''m still getting stronger, if nothing else.¡± Layne pulled his sword out of the hunter''s head. The wet, scaly skin clung to the weapon, but its hold was no match for Layne''s sheer force. Though he called it a sword, the thing was really just a giant slab of enchanted metal. As time went on and his strength had grown, most weapons could no longer withstand the force of Layne''s strikes. Something like this, thick and uniform with no weak points, was about the only weapon still able to hold out under his blows. For now, he decided to take a short break and move on after dinner. Under his mental command, dry twigs and leaves swirled up and combined into a pile, before a concentrated burst of energy turned the heap into a bonfire. With a precise mana cut, a piece of meat was pared off the giant bear''s bones and transported over the fire, where it began to hover and rotate. When Layne had arrived, the bear had still been alive, but it had died at some point during his interrogation. While he waited for his meal to finish, the weary warrior sat down in front of the flames, his back against a sturdy tree stump, snapped off in the violent battle between hunters and bear.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. As always when he had the time, Layne looked down on his hands, a reminder of his past. The little burn on his right ring finger had come in the third year after the apocalypse, when he had fought his first hunter magician. Back then, the sudden appearance of magic had been a huge deal, though of course not half as big as the appearance of the hunters themselves. There was a deep, triangular cut at the base of his left hand, as if someone had tried to fell it like a tree. This was one of the many wounds he had received in the last great war of humanity, in his battle against the king of hunters himself. Had he had a mirror, he could have seen the same types of wounds all over his body, scars from a lifetime of endless combat. Still, so long as he breathed, humanity would not be lost. His hands balled into fists of determination, before he calmed down again. Anger was good, and important; it would drive him on through adversity; but for now, food took priority. Can''t commit genocide on an empty stomach. Before he could check on his bear meat, a swirl of unknown energy appeared between him and the fire. Ambush! How did the magician trick his senses? Before he even stood, his sword had already flown into his hand. He created some distance from the tree before he took his stance. If the enemy was dangerous, he needed some room to work. Yet when the energy disappeared, he was surprised to see a human. Not only that, it was a woman. Before the apocalypse, her appearance might have placed her in her twenties. Smooth, young skin, clear eyes, long, wavy hair and an outrageous figure hidden under her long, clean dress. This wasn''t the appearance of a human of this world. She was too clean, and too perfect. Whatever this thing was, it certainly wasn¡¯t a person. ¡°Who are you!?¡± he growled as his muscles tensed. ¡°Player Layne, allow me to introduce myself.¡± Unfazed by his pressure or his sword, the strange woman bowed. ¡°My name is Alana. I am the administrator in charge of earth during round one.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± With a smile, the woman pointed her index-finger in his direction, and Layne heard the old-familiar voice in his head, the one he had grown to hate.
[You have received the title ''One Who Has Met God'']
¡°As you can see, I am the one in charge of the system, as you call it.¡± No more words were needed. Layne''s feet shot him off the ground and left two craters behind in the soft soil. When he landed again, he was already halfway past the woman''s position. From his acceleration and the pivot of his legs, he drew all of his power and slammed his sword into the creature''s torso. Yet the blow went right through her body and carried Layne with it. He caught his own power with a roll and turned to his enemy. ¡°Since your race has suffered so much, I can understand your frustration with the system. However, this form is nothing but a projection. Even I myself am no more than a messenger and hold no responsibility for the plight of your people. I believe I do not deserve your ire.¡± Rather than answer, Layne just charged her again. This time he fired a blast of pure energy from his hands. Even if she was incorporeal, this would still wipe her out. The enormous ball of light swallowed her and carved a line of death several kilometers long through the forest. Yet after the light faded, the woman still stood there atop the gouged earth, unaffected. ¡°Please stop, player Layne. You cannot harm this projection no matter how hard you try. After all, the same system that bestowed your powers has also created this image. Rather than curse the system, you should be thankful we have released your planet¡¯s life force and channeled it to you. How else could you have lived such a long life?¡± For a moment he just stared at her with resentment, but then he understood what she meant by ¡®life force¡¯. ¡°The XP,¡± he realized. ¡°Indeed.¡± She nodded. ¡°Before, the life force of the earth was only used to create souls for the newly birthed. However, after this world¡¯s power was released, it enabled this incredible gain of force. A boon presented to your people by the great creator.¡± After a few seconds of contemplation, Layne righted his posture and let out a tired groan. ¡°So what do you want?¡± He had no good feelings about the system. Even though it had made him strong, it had also brought with it the hunters, and humanity''s downfall. ¡°I am here to officially inform you about the defeat of humanity. Once you surrender, the first round competition can be concluded.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± Layne was baffled first, then he felt his anger bubble up again. Was all of their suffering nothing more than a game for some gods? ¡°Normally, the round one competition is meant to continue until all participants of one race are eliminated. This time however, you have proven to be a real headache for us. Not only are you still alive after over a century of waiting, you have also grown far too strong. With your current power, you will not be eliminated any time soon. Thus, we are willing to make an exception.¡± ¡°You''re expecting me to just lay down and die so you can get on with your game?¡± he asked in a deep growl, as his stance lowered again, ready for battle. Of course it was a pointless gesture, but old habits died hard. ¡°Of course not. Your survival is the exception I spoke of. We will allow you to continue living if you wish it. You will be able to continue your life, undisturbed, here on earth. All you need to do is declare your defeat and promise you will no longer attack the Troari, the winners of the competition.¡± ¡°We haven''t lost. Not yet. So long as I''m alive, I can just go and kill all of these bastards by myself.¡± A grim, manic smile formed on Layne''s face, forged by centuries of torment. For the first time, he could see a reaction on the woman''s face. He would have been fine with anger, fear, or revulsion, but she only looked sad. ¡°Participant Layne, alone, you cannot do anything. Even if you could kill every Troare, your race is doomed. You are alone. The last human female on earth died ten years ago.¡± His grin turned dull as the reality sunk in. However, his determination soon returned, as it had done countless times before. ¡°And I''m supposed to just believe that?¡± ¡°You do not need to believe me. Please think about this yourself, think carefully. When was the last time you have met another human?¡± Even now, the sadness on her face didn''t fade, but it only made him more angry. He didn''t need someone''s pity, even less so that of a monster. Whatever this thing had planned, he wouldn''t play along. ¡°No idea, but it doesn''t matter. You and your system fucked us over one too many times. I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s inconvenient for you, my goals won''t change. I won''t stop until that hunter king bastard is ripped to shreds, together with his entire brood.¡± 2 - The Beginning of the End As autumn made way for winter, gold and red colors had turned to brown and gray. Though of course, the weather had little influence on Layne¡¯s footsteps. Although his enemies were close and the world hostile, to him it was just another day. ¡°So, why are you still here anyways?¡± Though Layne talked to Alana, his eyes focused on his weapon. As he picked at the frayed edges, some more of the old metal blade crumbled and fell to the ground. After centuries of use, even the magic metal wouldn''t hold out much longer under his power. Soon, it would be time to exchange for something sturdier, though Layne had no idea where he should be looking for it. ¡°Don''t you want me here?¡± Alana replied in a chipper voice. ¡°No, I''m glad you¡¯re around. If you didn''t come by from time to time, I probably would have forgotten how to talk by now.¡± Ever since their first meeting in the forest, Alana had kept showing up on occasion. Although he had been cold at first, some company was better than none at all. For centuries, the administrator had been his only companion... apart from the occasional scaled prisoners. Still, even their new friendship would change nothing about his determination. ¡°I wonder... why didn¡¯t you ever ask me this before? We''ve been together for so long now. weren¡¯t you a little bit curious about me?¡± As always when she was having fun, Alana''s feet left the ground and she began to circle around Layne like a butterfly. ¡°What''s the point in asking?¡± Layne shrugged. ¡°Since you wouldn''t answer any of my questions about the system, I thought you wouldn''t answer anything personal either.¡± ¡°So why ask now?¡± ¡°It was rhetorical. I was more talking to myself.¡± ¡°About why such a beauty would stay with some dirty, grunty guy for so long?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Layne laughed at her audacious boast, even though he already knew that the administrator had only chosen her form because it would be easier to communicate with the last human like this. ¡°I can still answer, you know?¡± Her hands crossed beneath her chin, she floated in front of his face. Although Layne was suspicious, he still nodded. He was curious, after all. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Normally, the administrators aren''t allowed to interfere in the first two rounds. Not only are there way too many worlds to take care of, too much interference is also detrimental to the purpose of the system.¡± ¡°Which you won''t talk about,¡± Layne replied dryly. ¡°I can''t. Sorry about that.¡± For a moment she looked like she meant it, but her previous casual vigor returned right away and covered up the truth. ¡°A projection like mine is rarely allowed in the first place, so be happy with what you get. I wouldn''t even be here if there hadn''t been an exception on earth.¡± ¡°The exception is me, huh?¡± he stated. ¡°That''s right. I''m here to resolve an issue in the first round proceedings, that issue being you. Humanity has lost, and you know it.¡± ¡°I don''t know anything.¡± Layne had really wanted to avoid this topic. It always led straight into arguments between them. ¡°When did you last see another human?¡± she probed. ¡°Maybe they''re all hiding somewhere. The world''s a big place.¡± ¡°Did I ever lie to you?¡± This time, Layne had nothing to say in reply. He knew that she was right, but how could he give up based on just a few words? He had fought for humanity all his life. If he gave up now, what would all the suffering have been for? ¡°Why are you so stubborn? Do you even remember who you''re fighting for at this point?¡± As Alana spoke, she once again showed that sadness he had seen the first time they had met. But being pitied didn''t make him feel any better, so Layne only snorted in response and sped up his footsteps. ¡°Why continue to fight?¡± she asked again, sorrow in her voice. ¡°Why continue to suffer?¡± ¡°Even if I¡¯m the only one left, we can still win if I kill all of them,¡± a grim Layne replied. ¡°In the last second, seven Troari eggs hatched. And again. And again.¡± Alana snapped her finger with every passing second. ¡°Even if they were lined up in a row in front of you and you never stopped, you still couldn''t kill them faster than they are reproducing. To them, the common cold is a worse killer than you are. The war is over, and the humans lost.¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°So you just expect me to just lie down and die?¡± he repeated his mantra from the past. For a while they continued to march through the hills in silence. There was an uncomfortable tension between them as Alana only ever stared at his face, while he only ever stared forward, away from the administrator. In the end, the human broke first. Layne sighed and made his first concession for as long as he could remember. ¡°Actually, I don''t need to kill all of them, if that¡¯s impossible. That way, the birth rates aren''t a problem anymore. There''s just one guy I need to take care of, no matter what. Only one left.¡± ¡°The king of hunters,¡± she guessed. ¡°Why?¡± He thought back to the days when he had been happy, when there had still been hope where now only bitter resolve remained; he thought back to his parents, his teacher, his battle companions... her. He had forgotten the faces of even his closest friends centuries ago, but he still remembered their names, as well as the vague feeling of warmth they had brought him. His endless fight was for them, for all the people who had died under the attacks of the hunters. ¡°I need to get revenge for that eye of mine,¡± he said at last and hid half the truth away in his heart. ¡°Today''s the day.¡± When he stepped over the last hill, his enemies were already in formation. Lined up before him stood an army of hunters, millions strong. These were the bravest and greatest warriors in the world. All of them - from various factions - had come together to take down a single monster, the greatest and most elusive prey the hunters had ever faced. And in their center, protected by an armor of shiny gold, stood the strongest of their race, their proud king. This was it, the greatest battle for the Troari ever since their victory over the humans. However, to Layne it was just another day. Today he would get his revenge, and destroy his old enemy. As his grim face widened into a manic grin, the worried Alana spoke up again. ¡°We¡¯ve also talked about that before. You can kill any one individual, but the king of hunters is taboo for the system. Without him, the tribes would fall into disunity, and the system needs the Troari united for the next stage.¡± ¡°That sounds like someone else¡¯s problem.¡± For a moment, Alana hesitated, before she continued in a sad voice. ¡°If you insist on going after him, the system will do everything to fight you. As a core figure of the Troare race, I am mandated to keep their king alive at all cost. You won¡¯t be able to kill him. Not now, not ever.¡± Unperturbed, Layne shouldered his weapon and took a step past the administrator. Although he hadn¡¯t expected the king of hunters to be this hardy, it didn¡¯t make much of a difference. His alternative plan would work just fine. ¡°You know, I''ve been thinking about some of the stuff you''ve said over the years. I get that you''re supposed to stay quiet about the system, but centuries of talking and you''ll let slip a thing or two. So here''s my personal theory: If my XP are the energy of the planet, and the same energy is needed to form life itself, won''t I be able to win if I just keep killing until I''ve sucked up all of the XP?¡± ¡°You would destroy your own world?¡± Alana rushed after him. ¡°So what? It''s technically still a win,¡± he said with a shrug. When the administrator caught back up, she appeared distressed, rather than sad or disappointed. ¡°Please don''t do this. Tell me it''s a joke. If you don''t tell me right now, you won''t give me a choice but to act against you. You know I don''t want that.¡± ¡°I don''t care,¡± Layne said in the coldest voice he could muster. Of course he cared, but once his words were said he had to go through with them. He had always been a man of his word, for as long as he could remember. ¡°Listen, I just negotiated a new deal with the higher-ups, that''s why came here in the first place. If you stop now and surrender, I can guarantee that you''re transformed into a Troare, just like them. That way, you won''t be left alone on this world, and you could start a new life. With your strength, it would be easy for you to become a great hunter among them, maybe even a leader.¡± ¡°No thank you.¡± ¡°Why!?¡± she cried out. ¡°You always say how much you respect the hunters! Why do this to yourself, to all of them? Whoever you''re trying to avenge has been gone for so long, your actions help no one. Least of all you.¡± ¡°I do it because it''s what the system doesn''t want,¡± he grinned. His revenge had never been aimed at the king of hunters, or his species. Rather, he had always hated the system that had forced them to become enemies. A long time ago, he had disassociated Alana''s name from his misery. He really didn''t want to equate her with her employer, but now he hardly had a choice anymore. [You have received the Title ''Enemy of the Gods''] Before he could even understand his new title, he saw Alana''s tears. ¡°Why would you tell me that? Now I have to stop you. I now have the authority to directly interfere with the life force transfer on earth... and I am forced to use it against you.¡± ¡°But you''re just a projection, so good luck with that.¡± With a sad smile, Alana looked at him for a second, before she turned her back to him. ¡°Do your best, and fight hard.¡± With that, she disappeared. Only a moment later, Layne saw her form on the opposite side of the battlefield, next to his sworn foe. He could feel the enormous energy filter into the golden bastard''s body as she loaded the king of hunters up with titles and special privileges. His face a mask of indifference, Layne grabbed his sword tighter and stepped ahead. A few more morsels of magic metal fell off the decrepit thing, but it was still good for one last fight. That day, the king of hunters and a third of his warriors managed to escape with their lives. From then on, the two would meet again and again, until the end of time. 3 - The End of the Beginning Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. He had heard those words somewhere before, though he couldn''t remember where. Cold wind blew dust into Layne''s bare face, but he didn''t care. Over the years, he had gotten used to the harsh sting of the wind, and it couldn¡¯t harm him anyways. His eyes remained open, only focused on the strange, spiral tower in the distance. Once, it had been the greatest construction in the world, the height of hunter architecture. Now its crumbling ruins lay on the side, half-covered in ashes. Yet even at this point, the building¡¯s walls protected the only living creature left on this world. All other life had long eroded, be they animal, hunter or plant. In the process, the air itself had become toxic, but Layne didn''t mind. His lungs hadn''t drawn breath in eons. This was it, the end of the world. At last, he would have his revenge. His anger shaped his hands into vicious claws. He still remembered a time when he had used a sword, but now his hands were the best weapons in the world. Soon, they would commit their final sin. As he waded through the cold ashes, an old friend appeared before him. ¡°It''s been a long time, Layne. How have you been?¡± Her form flickered. Now that the world had run out of life force, there was little left to support her projection. ¡°Alana.¡± His voice sounded clumsy and throaty, alien even to himself. Another thing he had barely used over the millenia, except for the rare moments when Alana had visited him. ¡°You look good. You''ve really slimmed down,¡± she said. ¡°The muscles just got in the way.¡± Before he had mastered the use of life force, he had used his size for many things, but at some point, all the weight had become nothing but a burden. Now, his body was made up of the world''s force itself, so there was no reason for bulging muscles anymore. ¡°I''m glad you''re well still. Soon it will all be over.¡± She smiled, but there was still that unspoken sadness stuck between her brows. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I''ll probably be punished for my failure, but I hope we can meet again. Go finish your work, you deserve your rest.¡± Her final words spoken, her form flickered out of existence, without so much as a goodbye. When Layne stepped on the floor of the spiral tower, the stones crumbled into dust between his feet. At this point, there was nothing left to hold this world together. If it hadn''t been for the pull of gravity, all of it would have been turned into a cloud of dust in space. As he entered what remained of the main hall, he saw his old enemy, his eternal target: The king of hunters. The proud warrior had aged quite a bit since their last meeting. Once, he had been a great fighter, and his peers had considered him an immortal. Now, even Layne - member of a different species - could see his age. His once brilliant golden scales had turned a dull beige, desiccated and cracked. Even worse, there was no fight in his eyes, none of the defiance or anger Layne had always seen within. Yet there was also none of the despair he had hoped to see. Their milky blue was the color of a frozen lake, still and deep. ¡°I have been waiting for a long time, slayer.¡± Without a word, Layne walked the last steps of his journey, as slowly as he could. He had waited a long time for this moment, more time than he could fathom. He would make sure to savor every second. ¡°On your way here you have taken countless lives, countless innocents. You didn''t even spare the plants, or the bacteria. I wonder, was it worth it?¡± The hunter''s voice didn''t sound angry, or desperate, only curious.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Killing you will be the best thing I''ll ever do,¡± Layne replied, provoked by the hunter''s casual tone. ¡°Do you even remember why you kill things? What was the point of it all?¡± A derisive snort answered the senile hunter. Even the names of his old friends had long disappeared from Layne¡¯s memories. Now, he didn''t even have that vague feeling of warmth left. But how could he admit it to his foe? Besides his rage, what else did he have? ¡°You could have been one of us, why would you not agree? Why insist on this pointless battle?¡± the hunter probed again. ¡°You know what you did, you deserve it.¡± ¡°To tell you the truth, I cannot remember, not for the life of me. After every lost battle I tried to understand your hatred, but it has been far too long. That young king who wronged you died a long time ago, swallowed by oblivion.¡± ¡°His body''s right there. I''ll bring it to its master.¡± With his guttural voice, Layne sounded more like the monster than the one before him. ¡°We both deserve this, you know? To suffer like this? I was too weak to let go until it was too late. You are too weak to forgive, even until the very end. Now all our efforts will be as worthless as the dust around us. What have we achieved?¡± ¡°I am the strongest man in the world,¡± Layne insisted. ¡°And once you kill me, you will be nobody. We are the last ones left. No one will remember your name, no one will know you ever existed. You will sit here, on a lonely rock in space, until you burn through all your power and join the rest of us among the dust.¡± ¡°So what, you expect me to forgive? After everything!? Then who pays for the end of my people!?¡± As Layne''s voice boomed through the hall, the dust around him escaped and formed a crater in the process. Above, the roof collapsed into nothingness, freeing up the view on the endless stars above. ¡°Both our people have ended.¡± The hunter stared up at the sky. ¡°Now we are not even a footnote of history. Just another untold tale. If you wish to fight me-¡± With a swish of his hand, the hunter formed the last bit of his energy and shaped the ashes before him. Between the enemies, a game board appeared. ¡°-we can do so in a more civilized manner. How about a game?¡± ¡°...you want me to play games with you?¡± Layne frowned, as his claws clenched harder. ¡°Have you lost your mind after all this time?¡± ¡°Or you could kill me right now, smash apart the board, and have this entire world all to yourself.¡± For another eternity, the two stared at each other, until Layne sat down without another word. After a few seconds, he looked up from the game and to his enemy. ¡°I don''t know how.¡± There was no shame when he admitted to his faults. Even with eons of time, what man could know everything? ¡°Really? I heard chess used to be a human game. How peculiar. Though it matters little. Let me teach you, old foe.¡± Atop a cold ball of dust in the emptiness of space, mortal enemies sat around a chessboard and moved the pieces in silence. Layne never looked up from the game. Though he was absorbed by the promise of victory, defeat followed after defeat as time dragged on. When a pawn turned to dust in his hands, he knew that its energy had passed on, and its host along with it. Layne was alone.
[Stage One complete.] [Congratulations! Humanity is declared the winner!]
[ERROR: Insufficient energy to initiate Stage Two]
[Skipping Stage Two Humanity is declared the winner by default]
[Transferring all surviving winners to Stage Three.] [Please stand by...]
And then, all life on earth was gone.