Martial Online.

"Boss, it's me, Nosferatu." He spoke with a humbling tone. "Subject 1126 asked for another shot of medicine. His ringing has gotten worse."

"…" The voice on the other side of the phone stayed quiet before a voice came: "He's been using the headset for longer periods. If this continues, he'll kill himself."

"He said he'd limit his playtime." Nosferatu smiled. "However, I'll keep an even closer eye on him. Of course, we won't want our new slave to die so soon."

"Is he feeling suspicious yet?" The voice asked.

"It doesn't seem like it." Nosferatu said. "He still thinks the ringing is the only side effect."

"I see." The voice said, "I'll have to visit the Land of White soon. The payment is late…"

"Oh, the mercenaries failed to pay?" Nosferatu chuckled. "Death for them, then."

"I am giving them one last chance…" The voice said coldly. "Keep me posted about Moriarty, and also, have you found another target?"

"Yes, I think I have." Nosferatu replied with a glint of excitement in his eyes and took out a picture from one of the shelves.

It was a picture of a purple-eyed man with a handsome countenance.

"His name is Jesse Rothsmith." Nosferatu said with a sly smile. "After I found out that this person is Moriarty's teammate, I sought him out, and I think he is a good fit for our 'Slave Program'."

"Very good." The voice seemed to approve of the choice. "If they qualify, seek him out in Loch City and show him the power it can give him. If he doesn't, go to where he lives."

"Yes, master." Nosferatu said with a humble smile. "No one can resist the allure of this incredible power."

The call was then disconnected.

Nosferatu pocketed the shell phone and laughed. He looked back at the mess he had created, with broken headsets scattered about.

"I suppose I need to create another one for this 'Ambrose', but well, soon he'll just be another subject of our ever-growing army of super slaves."

…

"And, 1111." Zadkiel stopped in front of a door that was an ordinary-looking brown door with a gold door knob.

It looked exactly the same as the other thousand doors in the hallway.

Ambrose and Julian watched as Zadkiel put his hand on the door knob and slowly turned it.

The door creaked open, revealing an ordinary bedroom with a door to the bathroom and a curtained window that didn't show anything except the misty outside world.

They entered the room and closed the door behind them to ensure their privacy and not have other players come scooping around.

"Uh, Julian, check the bathroom, and I'll check this area." Zadkiel pointed at the area around the bed and started searching for any clues or hidden objects.

Julian nodded and headed to the bathroom to investigate any potential leads.

'I guess I'll just check things by myself.' Ambrose looked around and went to check the shelves first.

"Hmm…" Zadkiel muttered, and he was about to move the bed out of the way, but then he heard something on the ceiling.

As he turned to the ceiling, a small string dangled down, catching his attention.

"What's this…" He wondered, reaching up to grab it.

He pulled the string down, and suddenly, a trapdoor opened, revealing a hidden attic space above.

A ladder descended from the opening and thudded against the floor.

Ambrose and Julian turned around, and their eyes widened in pleasant surprise. They didn't expect there to be a hidden attic!

After Zadkiel climbed the ladders, he was instantly followed by Julian and Ambrose.

The attic was dusty with old furniture and cobwebs. It looked like an ordinary attic, but they then saw something that wasn't very ordinary.

There was a large pearl resting on a velvet cushion in the center of the room. It was huge and shimmering with an otherworldly glow.

They approached it, and as they reached out to touch it, a bright light shot across the attic, and the pearl started to show images on its smooth surface.

It showed a world with hundreds of islands, each floating in the sky and filled with lush forests and vibrant wildlife. It had buildings made of crystal and streets paved with gold, standing tall and shining under the radiant sun.

However, then everything changed as the sky turned red and ominous dark clouds rolled in.

All the islands were engulfed in darkness, shrouding the once-

vibrant land in an eerie silence. In that moment, screams came from all directions, and figures covered in blood and wielding weapons of iron and blood emerged from the darkness.

They clashed weapons with a ferocity that seemed otherworldly. The sounds of battle and agonizing cries had now overtaken the once-calm environment.

In the end, every island only had one survivor, bathing in the triumph of their merciless victory.

At that moment, the large pearl cracked open and turned very dim.

Ambrose, Zadkiel, and Julian sat down to reflect on the images they saw.

"We're going to fight on one of those islands." Zadkiel said, and he crossed his arms with a frown. "However, is it against each other or those figures that emerged from darkness?"

"It looks like all the teams are separated into those islands." Julian said. "It didn't look like all the teams had their own islands. I counted around 20 different floating islands, so approximately 500 teams would be on the same island."

"It's basically a battle royale." Ambrose said with a frown. "Its players against other players, I would believe so."

"…" Zadkiel tapped his feet against the floor, but then a small piece of paper fell from the tiny gap in the ceiling and fell on his lap.

"Huh, what is this?" He curiously checked it out and widened his eyes in shock.

Julian leaned closer to him, and after seeing the context, his eyes narrowed.

Ambrose raised an eyebrow and asked. "Can I see?"

Zadkiel turned to him and moved the piece of paper in his hand as if he were contemplating something.

Ambrose narrowed his eyes. 'Don't rip the paper.'

But then Julian took the piece of paper from Zadkiel's hand and handed it over to Ambrose.

"I was just kidding." Zadkiel threw his arms up in the air and laughed.

Ambrose nodded in gratitude and looked at the small piece of paper with great interest. It was a short sentence, but it was enough to put his mind in disarray.

[Choose one skill]

"It looks like every player can choose one skill for the next round." Zadkiel laughed. "Very interesting."

"…" Julian frowned and started thinking about what skill to choose.

'What will I choose…' Ambrose frowned.

'Immorality? It could save me at one point.

'Slash of the Six Worlds? I would need a weapon for it, though.

'Can I choose to get my Inner Power back? It would be very useful.

'Maybe I could choose Formlessness?

'So many choices. I need to think this through carefully.'

"Anyway." Zadkiel took the piece of paper and destroyed it. "Ambrose, you can tell Moriarty, but do not tell anyone else. This is the only advantage we will have over others."

"I know." Ambrose nodded, understanding the importance of their secret.

"Good." Zadkiel approached the ladder and started climbing down.

"Good luck in the second round." Julian nodded briefly before following Zadkiel down.

Ambrose also left the attic, soon departed the room, and fully closed the door down.

He slowly made his way down the hallway, keeping his footsteps light to avoid drawing attention.

'What skill should I choose? I need to talk with Moriarty, and perhaps we can strategize it to our fullest advantage.

'The next round will be battle royale, it seems.'