Heavenly Unbound [A LitRPG System Survival]

Sam was hanging around with his team in the Central Plaza, waiting for the fairies to announce the next stage of the tutorial. The sun was nearing its peak, casting a warm glow over the bustling plaza.

"It's almost noon now," Eddie said, glancing around.

"Yeah," Michael replied, stretching lazily. "What do you think the next stage is going to be?"

Sam shrugged, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Could be a town defense event."

Eddie raised an eyebrow. "What does that even mean?"

Sam explained the concept, leaning casually against a nearby post. "It's where we'd have to defend the town or specific points from waves of monsters"

As he spoke, a fleeting thought crossed his mind. Is this world even real, or am I stuck in some kind of novel? The absurdity of the situation made him chuckle to himself. "Just hope I'm not the villain standing in the way of the protagonist becoming the strongest. That'd be awkward," he added with a light laugh.

Michael rolled his eyes. "You and your overthinking."

Before anyone could reply, a brilliant blue light flared across the ground in the plaza, radiating outward. Everyone's attention snapped to it as participants began appearing out of thin air, summoned one by one. The plaza quickly filled with people, a mix of awe and tension spreading through the crowd.

Sam scanned the growing mass, his eyes narrowing slightly as a group of fairies appeared in the air, their delicate wings shimmering under the bright sunlight. He immediately recognized one of them—Lilia, the fairy who guided his trial zone.

His gaze, however, lingered on another fairy who stood out among the rest. She had the largest wings, and her commanding presence made her impossible to miss. Her aura exuded authority, and even amidst the chaos, she seemed perfectly composed.

Noticing his gaze, the fairy turned briefly to meet his eyes. A small, knowing smile touched her lips before she shifted her focus back to the crowd.

She floated forward, her voice clear and commanding. "Greetings, participants. My name is Dora, and I am in charge of this stage of the tutorial." Her words carried effortlessly across the plaza, silencing the crowd instantly.

"I will now explain the second stage. This stage is called the Endless Abyss. You may have already heard about the Chaos creatures—beings vastly different from the monsters you faced in Stage 1. These creatures originate from the army of Antiexists, the sworn enemies of all existence. This stage will immerse you in the Endless Abyss, a special dungeon created by the system to contain Chaos beings.

"The Endless Abyss consists of infinite floors, each holding countless Chaos beings of varying tiers. Participants will descend into this abyss to defeat as many Chaos creatures as possible over the next 30 days. Be warned—once you enter, you cannot leave until the stage is complete and Survival Participants will be automatically teleported out."

She gestured gracefully as if punctuating her words, and suddenly a system notification appeared before everyone.

Ding!

[The Endless Abyss Leaderboard]

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"The Competition on the leaderboard will be worldwide for you Soul Being of your home planet, the stronger and higher-tier Chaos beings you defeat, the more points you will earn. For team efforts, the score will be distributed based on contribution."

Dora paused, letting her words settle in. The crowd whispered anxiously among themselves, the weight of her announcement sinking in. Her voice grew sharper, cutting through the murmurs.

"Participation in this stage is optional. However, let me remind you—if you fail to reach at least Tier 1, Level 30 by the end of the tutorial, you will be deemed worthless and... disposed of."

A ripple of unease swept through the crowd at her blunt declaration, but Dora remained unfazed. She continued, her tone steady and authoritative.

"Further details will be provided by the fairy assigned to your trial zone. The entrance to the Endless Abyss will open here in three hours. Prepare yourselves."

With that, Dora floated back, her presence commanding even in silence. The crowd, still digesting her words, erupted into murmurs and frantic discussions as participants began mentally preparing for the next stage.

Sam's eyebrows furrowed as he mulled over the term. Chaos beings...

The word itself carried weight, and everything he'd heard about them confirmed his unease. Unlike monsters—creatures born from corrupted or malevolent records—chaos beings were fundamentally different.

They had no minds, no desires, and no fears. They were driven purely by instinct—a relentless, all-consuming urge to annihilate all forms of life. This singular focus made them far more dangerous than any monster he had faced before.

Monsters, even at their most ferocious, had a sense of self-preservation. When the danger was too great, they would retreat, regroup, or avoid unnecessary conflict. But chaos beings? They didn't care about their own survival. They would willingly sacrifice themselves if it meant taking down their target.

This alone made them an entirely different kind of threat. Their disregard for their own existence translated into relentless, unyielding attacks that didn't leave room for errors or second chances.

Sam clenched his fists as he considered the implications. This wasn't just another trial; this was survival against creatures that wouldn't stop, wouldn't hesitate, and wouldn't fear him. If we're not careful, this could get ugly fast.

Sam turned to his team, his expression serious. "It's really dangerous this time. Does anyone want to step back?"

The more than fifty people who had been following him stood firm, their resolve clear. No one wanted to retreat. Sam felt a swell of gratitude and pride for their determination.

"All right, then," he said with a nod, "Let's get ready. We'll meet again 30 minutes before the entrance opens. Dismissed."

The team dispersed, each member preparing in their own way—packing supplies, sharpening weapons, or purchasing anything they might need for the trials ahead. Sam, however, had already stored everything he needed in his private inventory, leaving him with some free time.

He decided to make his way toward Fairy Lilia. She noticed his approach and immediately greeted him with a wide, almost nervous smile.

"Ah! You weird human! Ah, no, I mean... you great human! You really did an incredible performance," she stammered, her words clearly an attempt to please him.

Sam blinked, momentarily taken aback by the sudden 180-degree change in her attitude. "Uh... thanks for the compliment?" he said, unsure how to respond. "I actually have a few questions. Can you help?"

Lilia clapped her hands together eagerly. "Of course! You can ask me anything!"

Sam tilted his head, studying her for a moment before continuing. "I want to know how things are going to work inside the Endless Abyss. Is there any safe place in there? I mean, fighting continuously for 30 days sounds impossible."

Lilia nodded earnestly, her expression brightening. "That's a great question! When you enter the Endless Abyss, you'll start at the safe zone—a small, town-like area where you can rest. Chaos beings cannot enter the safe zones, so they're completely secure."

She raised a finger for emphasis. "Additionally, each time you descend to the next floor, you'll arrive at another safe zone. But!" Her tone grew more serious. "Once you step out of a safe zone, you can't go back inside. So plan carefully before you leave."

Lilia leaned closer, her voice dropping slightly. "And, food is going to be an issue. Chaos beings are poisonous, so you can't eat them"

Sam frowned slightly. "So how do we get food?"

"You'll need to find resource points scattered randomly across each floor. Every time someone picks one up, it'll respawn elsewhere. A single resource point will give you A Random treasure chest and 10 ration potions. Each potion is enough to keep you full for three days," she explained with a bright smile.

Sam relaxed, pleased with the information. "That's good to know. Thanks for explaining."

"Anything else you'd like to ask?" Lilia prompted, her wings fluttering lightly.

"How large are the floors?" he asked.

Lilia's expression became thoughtful. "The first Ten floors are 10 kilometers wide and long by Earth standards. The next Ten floors will be twice that size, and each subsequent Ten floors doubles the previous one. The deeper you go, the stronger the Chaos beings become. But be careful!" She leaned forward slightly, her tone dropping to a warning. "Chaos beings are incredibly dangerous."

Sam took a deep breath, steadying himself. He had one last question gnawing at his mind.

"Lilia," he said, his tone serious, "what's the reward for this stage? We're risking our lives here. It's only fair to know what we're fighting for."

The fairy's shimmering wings fluttered lightly as she tilted her head, offering him a small, knowing smile. "Ah, you humans always care about the rewards, don't you?" she teased, but her voice held no malice.

Sam crossed his arms, unfazed by her tone. "Wouldn't you?"

Lilia chuckled softly. "Fair enough," she conceded. "The rewards for the Endless Abyss depend entirely on your performance. Those who excel will earn Titles—powerful ones that reflect their accomplishments and enhance their abilities. Alongside that, participants will receive Soul Points, also based on their contribution and achievements."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Titles and Soul Points, huh? Is that all?"

Lilia's smile deepened, her expression cryptic. "Sometimes, what you gain isn't just what's handed to you, but what you discover along the way. Keep that in mind."

Sam's gaze lingered on her for a moment, processing her words. Titles and Soul Points were valuable, sure, but it was clear there might be more hidden opportunities within the Abyss.

"Thanks, Lilia," he said finally, nodding in appreciation.

"Anytime, Great Human," she replied with a slight bow, her wings glowing faintly. "Just... try not to die. I'd rather not see such an interesting participant get snuffed out too soon."

Sam smirked. "Don't worry. I'm harder to kill than you think."

As he turned to rejoin his team, her laughter, light and melodic, echoed softly behind him.

Sam sat cross-legged in a shaded corner of the Central Plaza, his sharp eyes scanning the crowd. With a calm focus, he activated his Heavenly Eye, observing the participants' progress and assessing their strengths. From what he saw, most of the crowd was still at Tier 1. Only a small number had managed to reach Tier 2, their energies denser and more refined.

He frowned slightly. So few Tier 2s... he thought. It's no wonder most people have decided to sit this one out.

From his observations, nearly 80% of the participants in the plaza had already resolved not to join Stage 2. They lingered in small groups, their faces showing relief or resignation. Sam couldn't blame them. For many, survival alone was an achievement. His own parents had declined to take further risks, content with their roles as healers.

When his team started arriving one by one, Sam greeted them with a nod, his gaze steady. Thirty minutes before the entrance was set to open, all fifty-five members of his group had assembled.

Standing amidst them, Sam addressed the team. "I spoke to the fairy earlier and got some useful information. Here's what we're facing," he said, detailing the structure of the Endless Abyss, the danger of Chaos beings, and the logistics of safe zones and resources.

The team listened intently, their expressions growing serious. Each understood the stakes. When Sam finished, he looked around and counted. Fifty-five of us, he thought, nodding to himself. "Alright," he said. "We're as ready as we'll ever be. Let's give it everything we've got."

The minutes ticked by, and soon, the sky above the plaza seemed to shimmer. The nine fairies who guided the trial zones floated into the air, their hands glowing with a crimson hue. Dora, the lead fairy, stepped forward, her voice ringing clear across the plaza.

"Participants, the time has come," she announced. In unison, the fairies raised their glowing hands, and a fiery red key materialized before each of them. Dora began chanting an incantation, her words resonating through the air.

The keys floated upward, unlocking invisible barriers in the space above. Then, with a crackling surge of energy, the Red Gate materialized, towering ominously in the center of the plaza. Its surface was alive with chaotic red and black energy, twisting and writhing like a living entity.

Ding!

[DUNGEON DETECTED]

Dungeon: The Endless Abyss

Tier: ??? [Level ???]

Type: Tutorial World Entry

Description: The Endless Abyss consists of infinite floors, each holding countless Chaos beings of varying tiers.

Objective: Survive for 30 days and defeat as many Chaos beings as possible.

Reward: Title: Survivor of The Endless Abyss, 10,000 Soul Points.

Warning: Once entered, the dungeon cannot be exited until the stage is ended.

The ominous hum of the Red Gate filled the air, casting long shadows across the plaza. Sam looked at his team, his resolve firm. "This is it," he said. "No turning back now."

Michael grinned faintly, a spark of determination in his eyes. "We've got this," he said.

Eddie let out a nervous laugh. "Let's hope it's not as bad as it looks."

The team gathered their gear, exchanging final words of encouragement. Then, as one, they stepped forward, ready to face the abyss.