The clock timer hit zero, and it was time for another game. But since Andrew had already killed the host from the previous game, he felt a little excited to see what would happen next.
Would the system send another god? Or would things change early this time around and another creature be sent?
His questions were answered quickly when the sky split apart. But there was no god-like figure in the sky. Instead, a seven-foot-tall being stepped forward.
The man looked distinctively human-like but had a pair of sharp horns on top of his head and a long, intimidating tail. Scales covered parts of the creature's body, and Andrew instantly recognized that race as well.
'A Drake? The system sent those vicious beasts so early? Isn't that lucky for me?'
Gods were fickle creatures that followed the system and thought no one was above them. However, they were still beings that could be reasoned with.
Drakes were different. They only recognized strength and were brutish. They did not listen to reason, and the only way to get them to listen was either through the system or by overpowering them.
At this point, neither of the two options was possible. But the reason Andrew considered this lucky was because their presence meant there were many opportunities for him to face stronger creatures in games… and that also meant quicker level-ups.
"What is that? That is not a god…"
"It's a new creature again?"
The humans were confused to see that the creature that came out this time was not the same majestic presence from before, but something that looked vaguely closer to them. And then, the creature spoke.
"Tsk, so this is the so-called human race? What a weak and pathetic race. Listen, weaklings, you all have gotten lucky to have survived this far. But from here on, this game will test your real skills. If you cannot keep up, then you might as well just roll over and die now."
The creature yelled, and his words oozed authority. The pressure he was letting out was too much, and people were gasping as they felt the intense presence.
Even Andrew had to clench his fist and support himself against the wall to avoid kneeling immediately.
That pressure did not last long as the system interfered and issued the drake a warning. The drake immediately pulled the pressure back.
"Alright, looks like I have stalled a little too much, and now the system is bitching. Alright, let's start the next game. It's simple—survival of the fittest. Five of you will be thrown together randomly and have to take out the boss… as for the rest, figure it out yourselves."
The drake yawned as he clapped his hands, and the world around the humans disappeared.
Andrew opened his eyes, only to see the same forest from last time. But somehow, he was not surprised by this.
After all, drakes were not known to be creative. All of their games came down to fighting or domination. They were not a race known for their intelligence.
"It's good to see that these creatures have not changed. That will make it easier for me to hunt them down. For now, I should check what the game is this time."
The system window opened with the information about the game.
[Game 4 objective - Form a party of 5 members and head toward the world boss. Kill the boss as soon as you can to end the game]
[Warning: If the number of party members alive falls under 2, then the round will be immediately considered a failure. Keep yourself and your flock alive.]
Andrew read the message and then reread it before letting out a scoff of disbelief.
"There is no way the drakes put the last condition in place. They would rather see us all kill each other until only the strongest is left on top."
That being said… Andrew did recall that drakes had a strong bond with those they considered their 'pact.' So maybe the idea was not as far-fetched after all.
"Alright, this is enough goofing around. For now, I should focus on this game, or I might lose before I even start."
The map showed the key locations of the other participants in the same area as Andrew, and he decided to head toward the closest one.
According to the rules, he needed to protect at least one person if he wanted to clear this game.
He quickly reached the location of the dot on the map, only to see a female trying her best to run away from the monsters. The gun in her hand was unsteady, but she did her best to shoot at them.
The first thing Andrew noticed about her was that she was short, but not in an I-look-like-a-kid sort of way. She still looked like an adult and carried herself like one.
"S-Stay away… please, leave me alone."
The girl yelled as she tried to run, and Andrew immediately blasted the monsters chasing after her before jumping down.
"W-What happened… you saved me? Hey, aren't you… Mark Dawson? That rich and famous person…"
The girl quickly connected the dots together, and she even knew the identity of the body Andrew had taken over. She pushed herself to stand tall, but she still only came up to his shoulder.
"S-So, how did you kill those monsters? Did you use magic? Is this because of your profession? Can you teach me as well…? I-In return… I am a medical nurse. I might look like this, but I am already 25 and a certified nurse…"
The girl babbled, but Andrew only paid half attention to her. He was still keeping an eye out for monsters, and he could feel them getting closer by the second.
He could fight them, but he wanted to find the other people on the map before they fell victim to the monsters here.
"Hey, we don't have time for talking right now. We need to find the others before they become victims of the monsters. Can you run fast?"
Andrew asked the girl, and she blinked at him before nodding. But her short legs and unbalanced stats were not able to keep up with Andrew.
In the end, he had no choice but to grab her and throw her over his shoulder before continuing. He was not about to leave her behind because she was his insurance.
That turned out to be the right thing to do because by the time he reached the third dot, the others had disappeared from the map. He and the short girl were the only two people left alive in the forest.