Chapter 2

  Hardcore Reality Check

  White.

  Nothingness in every direction.

  He brought his hand up, and pinched his cheek.

  “Ouch.. At least I can move..”

  Just as the fear of being stuck in some sort of purgatory started to creep in, the screens hit him like a slap.

  Evaluating entities' starting stats…

  He barked a laugh that echoed disturbingly forever.

  “Five years of hating cardio finally bites me in the ass… if only I knew...”

  A deep crevice formed between furrowed brow.

  “Eh, who am i kidding, I still wouldn't have ran.”

  He took in his stats.

  “And apparently the universe grades on a curve.. wonder if the average is ten.”

  Evaluating entities' innate traits, if any…

  “Guess the gym was worth it.”

  Axiom Discovered!

  ‘It’ almost seems excited that I have an axiom?

  Emotional damping, huh?

  “That's a shame.”

  No familiar entities in your area.

  Would you like to group with unknown entities?

  Unknown entities? I can't stand people I don't know.

  “Hell no.”

  Affirmative.

  Hell Requested.

  Grouping Declined.

  Calculating Difficulty...

  Welcome to Hardcore.

  Advance. Overcome.

  “Hardcore? Um. Shit.”