"Trial?" Everyone looked surprised upon hearing the word.
"Yes, a trial," Quinella nodded, then continued. "In short, it's a survival trial. Later on…"
She went on to explain the details. The full explanation was actually quite long, but Quinella summarized it, making sure to convey the key points clearly.
After about half an hour, she paused and asked, "Do you understand now?"
This time, no one answered. Their faces were tense and troubled. Quinella understood their feelings and didn't take offense. Instead, she stood quietly, giving them time to process everything.
'A trial, huh…' Shin muttered, narrowing his eyes.
According to Quinella, the trial resembled the survival tests often seen in movies—only much more brutal and unforgiving.
They would be transported to a place called Solmora. Once, it had been a vast world—larger than the Earth they came from.
But after an attack by the Void, that world was shattered, and Solmora is now just a fragment of what it once was.
That's where the trial would begin. They had to complete four main missions, along with optional side missions issued by an entity known as the "Administrator."
Failure to complete any of the main missions would result in immediate disqualification from the trial.
Murder between participants was strictly forbidden. Anyone who broke this rule would face severe punishment.
And finally, as Quinella explained, only ten people would be allowed to enter the world of Solira.
The remaining participants would stay in the Heavenly Palace, awaiting the outcome of the people tasked with the mission.
"Is there anything you'd like to ask?" Quinella's voice broke the silence.
Everyone snapped out of their reverie, but no one raised a hand.
"Then…" Quinella was about to continue when Shion suddenly spoke up.
"I have a question, Goddess."
Quinella's smile faltered slightly, but she didn't look upset. Instead, she replied calmly, "What is it?"
"Will there be a reward system for each main and side mission we complete?" Shion asked seriously.
"Oh?" Quinella's eyebrows rose slightly, a hint of admiration in her gaze. "Yes, there will be rewards for those who successfully complete the missions. Coincidentally, that ties into my next explanation."
Snap!
With a flick of her finger, a golden ball of light appeared in the air. It split into forty shards and shot toward each of them—including Shin.
A sharp pain struck them—brief but piercing. And when they opened their eyes, they were stunned by what appeared before them.
[Status]
Name: Shin Arthur
Age: 16 years old
Race: Human
Status: Alive
Level: –
Class: –
Talents: STR (C), INT (B), VIT (C), AGI (E), LCK (B)
Skills: Gluttony (FFF), Eyes of God (Unknown)
[Description:] He was a weak young man thrown into a strange world. The loss of his younger sister left him depressed and drained of the will to live. Objective: To save his sister.
'What the hell is this? A status panel?' Shin muttered, stunned.
He rubbed his eyes, unable to believe what he was seeing—but the golden panel floated persistently in front of him.
And he wasn't the only one—his friends were just as shocked, their eyes fixed on the glowing panels before them.
"Shit! This is a game panel! It's so cool!"
"Yeah! I've read fantasy novels where the main character gets one of these—and now I have one too! Damn, it's amazing!"
"Tsk! Things are getting serious. I can't wait for the trial to begin!"
Excitement spread quickly. The boys were quick to adapt to the system—most of them were seasoned gamers, especially in MMORPGs.
However, the situation was quite different among the girls. Many of them didn't even understand the meaning of the panels that had appeared. While a few did, they made up no more than five percent.
"I know you're all confused, but please listen first." Quinella's cold voice cut through the noise, silencing their chatter once more.
With that, she began to explain the status panel briefly and clearly.
In essence, the panel would be vital for completing the missions. Even if all ten participants managed to survive and reach the world of Solira, they would still need this panel.
The Name, Age, and Race columns displayed their basic identity, while the Status column showed their condition—whether they were alive or not.
The Level column reflected their growth over time. The Class column would be assigned later, based on each participant's talents.
As for the Talents section, it consisted of five core attributes: STR for physical strength, INT for magical ability, VIT for vitality or endurance, AGI for agility, and LCK for luck.
Each attribute was ranked across seven grades, from S (the highest) to F (the lowest).
Among these, only INT and LCK couldn't be increased. The rest could be improved through rigorous training—though progress would still be slow and difficult.
"That's how it works," Quinella continued calmly. "Also, this status panel is invisible to others, so don't worry—no one will be able to see your information."
Upon hearing that, everyone let out a sigh of relief. Of all the explanations, that was the one they had been waiting for the most.
After all, they were competing for a chance to be among the ten people selected to enter the world of Solira.
Sure, waiting safely in the Heavenly Palace sounded more reassuring—but who wouldn't want to explore a world beyond Earth?
While everyone else was excitedly exploring their status panels, Shin scratched his head in confusion.
His eyes fell on a girl standing about three meters away.
[Status]
Name: Melinda
Age: 16 years old
Race: Human
Status: Alive
Level: –
Class: –
Talents: STR (F), INT (D), VIT (E), AGI (F), LCK (D)
Skills: Water Ball (F)
[Description:] She was an average girl with an average appearance. Objective: Survive and be one of the ten survivors.
'What the hell is going on? Why can I see other people's panels?' Shin wondered, bewildered.
His gaze then shifted to Shion—and to his surprise, her panel appeared as well.
[Status]
Name: Shion Elaris
Age: 16 years old
Race: Human
Status: Alive
Level: –
Class: –
Talents: STR (D), INT (A), VIT (C), AGI (C), LCK (B)
Skills: Healing (S)
[Description:] She was born with extraordinary talent. Her healing ability ranks among the best of the best, and she is destined to become a Saintess. Objective: To be one of the ten chosen to enter the world of Solira.
Badump!
Shin's heart skipped a beat at the sight. He was stunned by the elegance of Shion's panel—but even more shocked by the realization that he could actually see it.
'Don't tell me…' he muttered, voice trembling as his gaze shifted to the skill listed beside his FFF-ranked Gluttony.
'That's… the reason?'