[attr="class","notdonescroll"]

[break]
Have to. Because they were in a party or something like that. Adam narrowed his eyes, but there wasn’t much else to be said about the subject because the pair were already heading upward.
[break][break]
Adam saw the warning too, the… Boss Area. He looked at Vincent when the man asked him some questions, but before he could answer, another voice sounded from nearby.
[break][break]
The brunette looked up, seeing the strange group that had suddenly appeared. He didn’t say anything either but gave a slight nod when asked if they had cleared the two floors. The middle-aged man was out of breath, and there was a woman just as terrified and an old man who was wounded.
[break][break]
Turning his head where the man pointed, Adam sounded a small grunt of confirmation. Vincent was being mainly silent as well.
[break][break]
What was the guy thinking? Adam didn’t care enough to find out. A group of new people had just arrived, people that Adam hadn’t seen in action or proved themselves any kind of capable.
[break][break]
“If you can fight, then follow.” Adam said. “If you can’t, stay out of the way.”
[break][break]
He turned to Vincent. “We’re going to have to rely on your weapon,” he said, motioning to the spear, “my ability only works when I’m being targeted, so I’ll have to serve as bait and draw the boss out.” He continued.
[break][break]
“I’ll use my ability when he gets close, but it likely won’t be enough to take him out if he is the boss.” Narrowing his eyes again, he looked at the group that had arrived. “If you have any useful abilities, say them now.” He said coldly.
[break][break]
“He’ll be vulnerable when he gets burned. That’s your chance to attack.” Adam concluded, looking to Vincent once more. This was their plan. At least, it was the only plan being offered at the moment. He waited for the silverette to provide another, but if he wasn’t going to, it was best they prepare to enter the boss’s room.

---

From the Ashes cooldown 2/3 posts

[attr="class","landimgbg2"]

[attr="class","landbod2"]
[break]

Upon Vincent and Adam partying up, there would be a small notification window in their party settings. A synergy effect had been added.[break][break]
Name: Black and White [break]
Effect: Increases player's [VIT] by 10%. Increase healing effectiveness by 10%.[break][break]
But then another joined. A simple man, wielding a makeshift weapon and seemingly no knowledge on how to fend for himself.
[break][break]
Seems the two of them would be better. But who knows, they might have use for a meat shield with a mop.

[break][break]

— — — ⚠ — — —

[break]
[break]

— — — ⚠ — — —

[break][break]

Once crossing the digital threshold, they would find that the scenery of the stairwell would change, like it was a concealing lens when they were outside of the area. Now they could see the truth. Blood stained walls, peeling paint and nails jutting out of the steps. A putrid smell permeated the air, and the sound of scuttling could be heard in the walls, along with the occasional bump. [break][break]
Upon carefully navigating their way up the stairwell and to the higher floor, they would find no ceiling but instead the rooftop going under renovation. It was fenced off, so it was hard to see what was beyond the building they were on, but there was smoke coming from the world around them, the distant sounds of screaming and cars screeching...[break][break]
But the most important part was the issue before them. There were piles of garbage and rubble dotted around the rooftop, wooden planks being carried on the backs of giant rats, working together in orderly lines like construction workers. At the back of the rooftop in the centre, underneath a rusted shed with no front, was a much larger pile of rubble, with dead bodies poking out of it. Atop of the rubble was a broken chair, and a sizeable rat with a paper, gold crown atop his head. He sat with his legs crossed, tail curled up and in his grubby hands. He squealed at the sight of three new players.[break][break]
"To arms, to arms!" It jumped up on his throne, pointing out his tail like some kind of baton, "Arise brothers and sisters, take down these foul beasts that dare invade our lands! Eat the flesh, eat the bone! Hell, even eat the clothes!"[break][break]
With that, the giant rats with the occasional wooden planks strapped to their backs would start rushing out of their marching order and towards the trio. A quick rush, easily outnumbering the three. This time, they had makeshift armour on their backs too, the first wave of attack while the rat king perched on his silly little pile.

[attr="class","landtag2"]adam fujiwara Vincent Cross

[attr="class","landimgbg2"]

[attr="class","landbod2"]

The silver haired man grimaced as their party synergy disappeared. He caught glimpse of Adam's disproving glare yet simply shrugged it off; it's not like a small percentage increase would've had any notable effect at their current level and state. Instead, he focused on the situation at hand.

[break][break]The rooftop was an absolute hellhole. It was his first time seeing actual glimpses of what had been going on outside. It truly was armageddon. Across the other side of the rooftop sat the self proclaimed Rat King on his throne of rubble and scraps. Surprisingly enough, it was capable of speech.

[break][break]With a rallying speech, the Rat King's army of rodents came rushing in. They were very much like those they had fought before, except this time, they had planks of wood tied and strapped against their backs, serving as makeshift protection. Vincent had confidence in his own ability to fight. He had leveled up quite a bit, and compared from when he started, it was already enough for him to notice that something had changed.

[break][break]He knew what he must do; he had to open a path for Adam, just as they have discussed. Vincent reared his spear with one hand, aligning its shaft along his arm, ready to intercept the incoming hoard. With one swipe of his spear, he was able to cut open a single rodent, spraying its blood to those among its group before falling limp. The other rodents winced and hesitated to further advance against Vincent as they wiped off the blood that covered their faces.

[break][break]

[break][break]Testing his strength after previously pouring his stats onto power, Vincent gave another rat a vaulting double kick with the help of his spear with which he vaulted with, sending it flying straight towards the Rat King itself. The crowned rat hissed as it was hit by the airborne rodent, almost knocked off of its throne. Out of frustration, it pounded its tiny fists against the rubble that made the heap for its throne.

[break][break]"Insolent cretins! My ratfolk! What are you all waiting for!? Destroy them!" The lord of rodents commanded. Giant rats facing Vincent were properly conflicted, unable to effectively weigh who they feared most; Vincent or their King. At the end of the day, they were a pack through and through. Albeit hesitantly, all four rodents facing Vincent at the time prepared to further their advance.

[break][break]

[break][break]Level four. Vincent furrowed his brows and shot a grin at his opponents, dumping four points towards speed and the remaining one to his defense. He was ready to take them all. "I'll clear the path, Adam." He said pointing towards the Rat King with his spear. "Al, make sure he doesn't get hit until then!" He added, with which the middle aged man nodded his head to.

[attr="class","landtag2"]adam fujiwara

[attr="class","notdonescroll"]A talking rat.
[break][break]
Somehow, that wasn’t the most incredulous thing that had happened that day. So, Adam supposed that he would just have to accept it. This Rat King was notably smaller than its giant counterparts, the struggle would be to get close to it while he was on the pile of garbage.
[break][break]
Vincent was good at what he was doing, and despite the absurdity of the situation, the trio was making progress. That was until the next stunt the Rat King pulled off.
[break][break]

[break]
“What the-” But Adam didn’t have time to finish his sentence as suddenly the group was surrounded by rats all coming from everywhere. Adam tried kicking some away, but he wasn’t fast enough to keep up, but it didn’t matter anymore as the rats all suddenly exploded. Adam yelled out, stumbling a bit as noxious green gas filled the area.
[break][break]

[break]
Adam staggered he felt sick and weakened. It was like his health was being drained away…
[break][break]
Health. Health like vitality.
[break][break]
Like their synergy bonus! But it didn’t exist as long as that third member was there. The man was struggling too, but there was nothing Adam could do unless… The moment came, it was time to make a decision.
[break][break]

[break]
“Eject!” Adam yelled, and suddenly a chimed notification flew past his face, asking him to confirm if he really wanted to do so.
[break][break]
“Yes!” Adam yelled again, then to Vincent as he fell to his knees. “Vincent!” Adam shouted the silverette’s name, and a familiar holographic screen would pop up in front of him.
[break][break]

[break]
Adam was breathing hard, struggling to stay up. He saw the edges of his vision curling to black. He wanted to vomit again, but there was nothing in his stomach, so the muscles pulled and churned and did somersaults inside in his guts.
[break][break]
God, he hoped Vincent would make the right decision.

[attr="class","notdonescroll"]Adam hadn’t been at proper ‘full health’ when they had entered the boss room. He’d been thrown to the ceiling by Vincent, bitten by rats, and shaken by a stick of dynamite. While he had taken the small health pot, it had been a meager help… not to mention that the man unknowingly had a relatively low vitality stat. In short, Adam was already quite low on health and there was little reason to think the youth could last much longer under a ‘poisoned’ status effect.
[break][break]
So, when he was calling for Vincent to eject the man for health, Adam knew he didn’t have much time left.
[break][break]
What happened next was a blur.
[break][break]
He did get a surge of strength, but it simply didn’t last long. He felt as if his own life was draining out of him.
[break][break]
The man revealing himself as some sort of doctor? Not a real doctor, but a plague doctor with potions?
[break][break]
And then he smashed the vials on the ground.
[break][break]
Anger rose in Adam’s chest as he saw their likely only hope being smashed. How could anyone be so selfish? He knew it. He knew it. He never could rely on anyone, not again, not anymore. In this world, even in the new one this system had thrown him into, people were only concerned for their survival.
[break][break]
Adam had proven it. The stranger had more than done so. And Vincent?
[break][break]
The pretty boy was likely no better.
[break][break]
Adam stood up, fighting against his clumsy limbs that felt like nothing but dead weight. Nothing else was driving him except pure hatred, pure vile emotions that made his heart feel heavy and empty. He reached out, falling to his knees, only being able to grab the middle-ager by the bottom of his shirt.
[break][break]
“You fucking… bastard…” Adam said between heavy breathes, gritting his teach before letting go.
[break][break]
He had no strength. His vision was still fading, and it seemed like the world around him was flashing red.
[break][break]

[break]
No shit. Adam thought.
[break][break]
But then, another notification flicked across his field of view.
[break][break]

[break]
Adam immediately knew what the man was talking about. The antidote, precious left of it, was still in a small puddle left on the ground. If Adam wanted to live, he would have to.
[break][break]
He practically fell to the ground, barely able to catch himself with his arms. Vincent continued to encourage him to do so, promising something like he had a plan.
[break][break]
Adam realized the only thing he could do was trust him.
[break][break]
Just barely holding his face above shards of glass and a puddle of the antidote, Adam stuck out his tongue and tried desperately to get some of the liquid into his mouth.
[break][break]
Immediately, he felt another surge of strength, and this time, it stayed and didn’t drip away! Adam was still struggling to get to his feet but looked on as the middle-aged man looked at them both in disgust.
[break][break]
“Just how desperate are you freaks?” The man cried but decidedly ignored the pair this time around. He charged in recklessly towards the Rat King, by himself, with his half of a stick as his only weapon.
[break][break]
“Fuck… him.” Adam said, still breathing heavily, but then he looked to Vincent, nodding once.
[break][break]
He would trust him, if only this once.

[attr="class","notdonescroll"]This was their new plan. Adam could work with that. There was little else for him to say, except nod in agreement.
[break][break]
Against all other odds, he did give a slight half smirk at the suggestion that Vincent would let Adam ‘deal’ with Al. It was less than ideal, but whatever. They had a Rat King to kill. Though, it looked like the ill-thought plague doctor was also going to go after the boss. If not for the desperation of killing the beast, but for the glory of doing so.
[break][break]
Being half dead and in a life or death situation and the man decided that glory was the most important thing.
[break][break]
What a fucking bastard.
[break][break]
But at least Vincent and Adam had each other. Or Adam had Vincent, he’d been too reliant on the man already, and Adam didn’t like it. It wasn’t like him, putting his life in the hands of a stranger. He hated that sort of thing. Yet, he had no choice now as he had already taken the spear the man had passed to him.
[break][break]
Adjusting his grip, Adam tensed, ready to be let go and be thrown down. He lifted the spear, putting his momentum into the fall so he could aim carefully, and spoke the Rat King itself, which was a relatively easy target to spot atop his pile of trash.
[break][break]
But just as he reached him, Adam saw out of the corner of his eye, Al Dolter came rushing forward, not for the rat but for him. Was this their last challenge?
[break][break]
It was, for this time, it was Vincent who would rise. Quite literally, as Adam saw blur of the man take a leaping dropkick on the poor plague doctor.
[break][break]
Adam didn’t have time to think otherwise. Grabbing the spear with both hands, and he stabbed down at the rat with all his might! He tensed again, ready for a reaction because as soon as he would get one, he would activate his ability.

[attr="class","notdonescroll"]
Adam stabbed into the rat hard twisting the spear around in the creature’s abdomen for good measure. But it just wasn’t purely enough. Adam tensed seeing the rat open its mouth, green gas gurgling in open jaw…
[break][break]

[break]
Adam did. And suddenly, Vincent came from almost nowhere the makeshift broom handle weapon in his hands as he landed the killing blow.
[break][break]
Standing back, Adam looked at the notification of the boss’s defeat. He turned to Vincent, now nearly collapsed on the floor. After their victory, a disturbing sense of quiet filled the room. Blood pooled on the floor, dripping between pieces of trash and other rat bodies. Adam breathed out, un skewering the spear from the lifeless corpse of the rat king.
[break][break]
It’s done. Adam thought.
[break][break]
But also, it wasn’t.
[break][break]
There was still Al Dotler to deal with. Even with Vincent’s efforts to stop the man, he was still alive, struggling at the moment to stand up. Adam inclined his head, seeing Vincent’s messages pop up one after another. He could deal with him if he wanted to, and he had the spear. Adam’s grip on the polearm tightened as he flicked the blood off.
[break][break]
But then, he abruptly threw the spear back to Vincent.
[break][break]
Instead, he grabbed Al Dolter by his dirted shirt nearly lifting the man off the ground. Adam had figured right, he was much stronger than he should have been. [break][break]Muscles tensed tightly as he gripped at the man’s shirt, fire in his dark eyes as he spat out words of venom.
[break][break]
“I know you,” Adam started, “I know people like you, selfish, ungrateful, self-serving bastards who watch out only for themselves.”
[break][break]
“In fact, I’m just like you.” Adam continued, pulling suddenly on the man’s shirt, causing the poor middle-ager to falter. “But the difference between us, is that I’m stronger now.”
[break][break]
And with that, Adam threw the man down on the floor, watching as he groveled in fear of the youth. “I won’t kill you because I’m not the one you need to fight. We live in a new world now, one where strength means survival. Strength… by any means necessary…”
[break][break]
He turned toward Vincent, narrowing his eyes, but his gaze didn’t last as he turned back toward the man, kneeling down to his level. “So, if you want to live, fight and survive. If you don’t, then you’ll die.”
[break][break]
“And I’ll be there as you cringe and crawl through the dirt, being pulled down by your inability as you get left behind. Because people like you, don’t survive.”
[break][break]
Adam finished, standing up and away from the man. As soon as he was done, a whirl of pixels and binary code surrounded him and the rest, transporting them to the place they had been before or… perhaps nowhere at all.
[break][break]
The tutorial was done.

[break][break]