Pain was a familiar friend to Zane. The kick that slammed into his torso, the crack of his skull against the wall, he welcomed it all with detached interest. His only reaction was a silent smile no one noticed.
After all, today was the day his perfect plan would finally begin. He just had to endure the usual bullying one more time.
Then, as if to mock his efforts, the sky spoke into the bones of every living being. The ground itself trembled beneath his feet.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Attention: All Players.
A critical system error has been detected.
Your ability trees are currently under revision.
Tutorial stage has been extended to 14 days.
Difficulty: [EXTREME]
Reward multiplier: 3x
Survival is now your top priority.
Good luck to all potential Tower Rankers.
Screams erupted as the entire school descended into chaos. No one could verify the source of the ominous voice which made the entire situation more unsettling.
Zane slowly picked himself up. Unlike the others, what he felt wasn't fear, it was intense, soul-deep annoyance.
"Just which idiot thought today of all days was a good time to set the world ablaze?" He frowned as he whispered.