Luna hit the ground, barely in time to put out her left hand to smooth the landing, gun still clenched in her right hand. Concrete scraped her palms. The smell of dust and metal filled her nostrils.

  She pushed herself up, weapon trained on empty air, finger off the trigger but ready. Her eyes swept the space in two seconds: warehouse, massive, high ceiling with fluorescent lights that hummed with power despite every light in LA seemingly going dark moments ago. Dimly lit boxes at the other side of the room. Industrial steel tables arranged in rows. And people—dozens of them—appearing out of thin air in flashes of light that seared afterimages into her vision. Most were more lucky than her—being released in a straight position rather than falling.

  "What the fuck!" someone shouted.

  "Where—how did—"

  "Maria? MARIA! Where's my wife?!"

  Luna recognized some of the voices. Marcus from maintenance, appearing ten feet away and immediately falling on his ass. Two of the night housekeepers, clutching each other and crying. The parking attendant whose name she couldn't remember. Steven and Roger materializing near the far wall, Steven's face white with shock while Roger's eyes were already scanning for exits.

  And there—Mia, stumbling as she appeared, her eyes wide and searching until they locked on Luna.

  "Lu!" Mia rushed over, nearly tripping. "What's happening? One second I was on the bus and then everything went dark and now—" She grabbed Luna's arm, fingers digging in. "Where are we?"

  "I don't know," Luna said, scanning the warehouse. Most of the faces were strangers. Hotel guests Luna had checked in but never really looked at. A businessman in an expensive suit, already jabbing at his phone. A young couple in their twenties, the woman sobbing into the man's shoulder. An older Asian woman around her mid-fifties with black hair pulled into a severe bun, standing ramrod straight despite the chaos. A Black man covered in tattoos—Derek, she remembered his name from a difficult check-in—who looked more angry than scared.

  Fifty people, maybe—they moved, making the counting harder. All confused. Some terrified.

  "My phone's dead," the businessman announced loudly. "Completely dead. Anyone else?"

  A chorus of confirmations. Luna didn't bother checking hers—she already knew.

  "Okay, everyone stay calm!" That was Jorge, the parking attendant, trying to take charge. "There has to be a rational explanation—"

  A sound like a gong being struck inside Luna's skull cut him off. Luna flinched, gun swinging up reflexively before she caught herself. Not a threat. Not external. The sound came from inside her head.

  Around her, everyone reacted the same way—hands flying to temples, faces contorting in confusion and surprise.

  Then words appeared in the air. They were just... there. Overlaid on reality itself in translucent blue text that somehow demanded attention, impossible to ignore.

  [SYSTEM INTEGRATION INITIATED]

  [WELCOME TO THE TUTORIAL]

  [PLANET DESIGNATION: EARTH - TIER 0 WORLD]

  [SAPIENT POPULATION: 8,127,493,621]

  [INDIVIDUALS WITH SUFFICIENT POTENTIAL FOR THE GIFT: 567,924,353 (7.02%)]

  [INTEGRATION PROTOCOL: STANDARD PLANETARY ASCENSION]

  Silence crashed over the warehouse. Everyone stared at the floating text.

  "This is a prank," Steven said, voice hollow. "This has to be a prank. Roger, did you put something in my—"

  "I didn't do anything to your drink, my man," Roger cut him off, still scanning the warehouse methodically. "But look around. We were just teleported. Whatever this is, it's real."

  "Real?" The businessman laughed, a sound edging toward hysteria. "Floating text and teleportation? That's not real. That's not possible!"

  The text continued, indifferent to human denial:

  [Earth has been claimed by the Grand Integration. You fall under the Sanctum System domain. All sapient species within the System must work together to face mutual threats, but are free—and rewarded for—to compete for power.]

  [You will undergo Tutorial to prepare for your world's transition to an Aether-rich environment.]

  [The Sanctum System exists to help you adapt to Aether—the fundamental energy of higher reality. Your world has been Aether-depleted for millennia. Now that changes.]

  [Upon Integration completion, Earth will face Rifts—portals to broken realms from which monsters and hostile entities emerge. Only those with Classes can close these Rifts and protect your world. You'll also be connected to your closest Integrated Realms—and their inhabitants, be they ally or foe.]

  [The Tutorial will give you a chance to grow your power before Earth is filled with Rifts. The one thousand of you who complete the Final Trial will become Chosen, and have a chance to become the backbone—and potential Lords—of your Realm.]

  "Monsters," Mia whispered. Her grip on Luna's arm tightened. "Did it just say monsters? Real monsters?"

  Luna didn't answer. She was reading, absorbing, trying to reconcile impossible words with impossible reality. Her logical mind screamed that this couldn't be happening. Texts didn't float in midair. People didn't teleport. Monsters weren't real—except for human-shaped ones, that is.

  But another part of her—that quiet, deep part that had always felt slightly wrong, slightly disconnected from the world around her—whispered: Finally.

  The thought disturbed her more than the System message.

  "This is insane," Derek announced. He'd moved toward one of the walls, testing it with his fists. "Completely damned insane. Someone let us out!"

  "I don't think anyone's listening," the older woman said calmly. She stood with perfect posture, hands folded in front of her, studying the System text like it was a particularly interesting museum exhibit. "The message seems quite clear. We've been selected for something."

  "Selected?" The businessman's voice climbed higher. "I didn't sign up for any of this! I have a meeting in Tokyo tomorrow! I have—"

  "Look," Jorge interrupted, pointing toward the far end of the warehouse. "What are those?"

  Luna's attention snapped to where he was pointing—a place with the boxes. Her hand automatically moved to her holstered gun.

  Cages. Rows upon rows of metal cages, each about six feet to a side. Before the message they had been covered with dim mist, but now nothing hid what was inside them...

  Things moved. Small shapes with greenish skin and too-long arms. Yellow eyes that reflected the fluorescent lights, and primitive clothes of fur. Luna counted—had to be at least fifty cages, matching the number of humans, if she had counted them right.

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  One of the creatures noticed the humans staring and pressed against its cage bars. It hissed, revealing needle-sharp teeth in a too-wide mouth.

  "Oh god," Mia breathed. "Oh god, what is that?"

  Goblin.

  The word arrived in Luna's mind fully formed, like she'd always known it. Luna had never seen a goblin in person before—only in movies, maybe games Dad had been playing—but looking at the creature left no doubt about what it was.

  "Those aren't real," Steven said desperately. "Those are animatronics or something. Special effects. This is all—"

  The System text floated:

  [FIRST TRIAL: UNDERSTANDING YOUR WEAKNESS]

  [Objective: Eliminate all hostile entities (0/50)]

  [Time Limit: 30 minutes]

  [Phase 1 begins now. Duration: 5 minutes.]

  [Know this: Your old weapons are obsolete. Your old world was Aether-depleted—a Tier 0 environment where such weapons functioned adequately. In Aether-rich environments, natural laws change.]

  [You may test the provided weapons on the restrained entities to understand the gap between your former existence and what comes next.]

  [All creatures who can channel Aether possess natural defenses. Learn this truth now, before it kills you.]

  A timer appeared: 05:00... 04:59... 04:58...

  Luna's eyes tracked to the metal tables she'd noticed earlier. They weren't empty anymore—and she hadn't noticed when they materialized. Weapons. Dozens of them. Handguns, rifles, shotguns. Boxes of ammunition stacked neatly.

  "Are they serious?" Sam said quietly. It seemed he was here, too. He'd moved closer to Luna and Mia before they noticed. Luna noticed how his presence relaxed Mia, even if only for a moment. "They want us to shoot those things?"

  "They're in cages," Mia protested weakly. "They can't even fight back. That's just—that's murder."

  "They're monsters," Derek snapped. He was already moving toward the weapons. "You heard the message. Eliminate hostile entities. That's what those things are."

  "We don't know that," Mia said. "Perhaps—"

  "Perhaps nothing." Derek grabbed a shotgun off the table and pumped it, the mechanical sound loud in the tense silence. "I'm not waiting to find out if they're friendly. Anyone else want a gun before I find out if these things bleed?"

  That broke the paralysis. People surged toward the weapons table. Some grabbed guns immediately, faces grim. Others hung back, uncertain. The businessman took a pistol with shaking hands. Steven grabbed a rifle awkwardly. The young couple just held each other, refusing to participate.

  Luna stayed where she was. She already had a gun. She didn't need another one.

  "Lu?" Mia was staring at her. "What should we..."

  "Let's watch first," Luna said. "Learn."

  Roger had acquired a Glock 19, checking the magazine with practiced ease. "Smart," he said, nodding toward Luna. "Let the eager ones test the waters. Who knows—maybe those cages aren't actually locked."

  It was a grim thought—but not an unrealistic one. For a moment, Luna imagined the slaughter that would ensure if Roger was right, and shuddered.

  Derek was already taking position in front of the nearest cage. The goblin inside hissed at him, chattering in a language that sounded like nonsense, its voice was surprisingly low. It was also small—maybe four feet tall—and emaciated. Ribs visible through patchy green skin. One arm hung at an odd angle, clearly broken.

  It looked pathetic, but also quite hungry. Luna wondered what was its diet—assuming it ate human flesh was a tad too hasty. Maybe it was vegetarian... okay, maybe not with those teeth.

  "Let's see how tough you really are," Derek muttered, raising the shotgun.

  "Wait," Mia called out. "They just talked, maybe we can understand—"

  Derek fired.

  The blast was deafening in the enclosed space, but not as loud as Luna had expected—probably dampened by the System in some way. Luna's ears rang a little, but her eyes stayed locked on the goblin.

  The creature jerked back—recoiling from the sound and the threat, but unharmed. The shotgun pellets sparked against something invisible, then fell to the cage floor, flattened and spent. Not one had touched the goblin's skin.

  Complete silence.

  Derek stared at his shotgun like it had betrayed him. "What the Hell?"

  "Some kind of force field," Sam said. "It has to be. Like in Star Trek, or—"

  "Shoot it again!" someone yelled. "Maybe it was a fluke!"

  Derek pumped the shotgun and fired. Same result—pellets striking an invisible barrier and clattering uselessly to the floor. The goblin cowered but remained untouched.

  Three more people opened fire with rifles. Bullets sparked against the unseen shield, ricocheting dangerously. One nearly hit Jorge, who dove for cover.

  New text appeared:

  [Educational Moment: All creatures who can channel Aether possess an Aether Shield—a natural barrier that deflects kinetic attacks. This shield's strength varies based on the creature's power and available Mana reserves.]

  [Your conventional weapons struggle against even the weakest Aether Shields. This is why Tier 0 civilizations struggle during Integration.]

  [Note: Aether Shields aren't invincible. You should just try harder... much harder.]

  "Trying harder, you say?" Roger pondered. "Everyone with a gun, pick one goblin and fire together. On my count."

  Six people moved into position at the nearby cage—though they weren't the only group, some others moved towards another one further away, but still glanced at Roger's group of six. Derek with his shotgun, Roger with the Glock, three others with rifles, and Marcus from maintenance who'd grabbed a hunting rifle. They all aimed at the same caged goblin. Luna and other onlookers palmed their ears.

  "Three... two... one... fire!"

  Six weapons discharged simultaneously, all aimed at the creature's heart. In the enclosed, echoing shell of the warehouse, the combined muzzle blasts didn’t just sound like gunfire; they sounded like a physical explosion. Mia doubled over, clutching her head, as the thunderous percussion seemed to vibrate the very marrow of their bones.

  This time, the invisible barrier flickered... The goblin shrieked as bullets punched through—not all of them, but enough. Blood sprayed. The creature clutched its chest, stumbled, and collapsed.

  And yet, it wasn't dead.

  Even with six simultaneous hits breaking through its shield, the goblin was still moving, still breathing, trying to crawl toward the back of its cage.

  "Keep firing!" Derek shouted.

  More shots. The concentrated barrage finally overwhelmed the shield completely. The goblin twitched once, then went still.

  Heavy silence fell again.

  "Six shooters," Sam said quietly as he fixed his glasses with a finger. "It took six people shooting at the same time to kill one. And we have to kill fifty."

  The math was brutal and obvious. Fifty goblins. Fifty humans, many of whom weren't in the right state of mind or simply couldn't shoot. If it took six people per goblin...

  "We can't kill them all," Roger said, his tone surprisingly calm.. "Not in five minutes. The math doesn't work."

  "Then what?" Steven demanded. He was gripping his rifle tight enough to make his knuckles white. "We just give up?"

  Luna was watching the System message. The timer showed three minutes and forty seconds remaining. But she already suspected what came next—and it wasn't a massacre some expected, but something more excited. Perhaps...

  "The System said our old weapons are obsolete," the older woman said. She'd moved closer, studying the dead goblin with clinical interest. "Which implies we'll receive new ones. Or new capabilities."

  She voiced out Luna's thoughts exactly. The System didn't say it put them here for slaughter. No, they weren't the prey here.

  "You sound pretty calm about this." Derek frowned at the woman, still holding his gun.

  "Panic accomplishes nothing." She turned to face the group. "My name is Margaret Chen. I'm a retired trauma surgeon. I've seen people die before, and I've seen people survive impossible situations. If we want to be in the latter category, we need to think."

  "She's right," Luna said. "Keep testing. Learn what we can."

  They did. For the next three minutes, the group experimented with different approaches. They discovered that five shooters could kill a goblin if they maintained fire long enough. Four couldn't quite overwhelm the shield consistently. Distance also mattered—if they were too far, even six shooters weren't enough, which wasn't good news.

  There were other groups that didn't stay idle, either—three in total. Luna didn't participate in the shooting as she didn't exactly want to kill helpless creatures who couldn't even fight back. Mia and Sam shared her sentiments, though for different reasons. If her assumption was right, there was not much point in even trying to use guns, as they would be provided with something much better.

  By the time the timer hit one minute, eight goblins lay dead in their cages. Forty-two remained, watching the humans with yellow eyes that held far more intelligence than Luna was comfortable with.

  "This is wrong," Mia said quietly. She'd stayed close to Luna the whole time, observing with discomfort. "Lu, this is really wrong. They're living, thinking things and we're just—"

  "They're going to try to kill us," Luna said. "As soon as they are free."

  The System wasn't going to keep the goblins caged. This was a Tutorial, a test. And the demonstration was over.

  The real trial was about to begin—starting with the System fulfilling its promise of "real power."