The entire world froze, and, as if it had always been there, the ethereal being reappeared out of thin air.
[Your race is utterly hopeless.]
He snapped his fingers, and all the monsters currently rampaging in China turned to ash, drifting slowly into the horizon.
[This is one of the lowest-level monsters in existence, and you still somehow failed to kill it. This shows that your species as a whole is incompetent. These Ogres might be at E-grade, but they are still near the bottom of the grade. The only monsters weaker than this are F-grade, which are basically too weak to even count.]
[Almost every other world, now part of 'Ascension,' used this time to prepare. They built fortresses in strategic places, researched the nature of the threat they faced, and put aside differences to assemble alliances in preparation for the Game's commencement.]
[But you have spent this time doing nothing whatsoever, and almost managed to die in the preparation phase. Even when your own kind was at the risk of extermination, none felt obliged to lend a hand.]
Though the ethereal figure had no facial features, it was quite obvious that he was extremely annoyed.
[Remember this, humans, there will be no other chances. Next time you fail to stop the forces invading your world from the rifts, it will signal your end. God has no need for useless wastes of space in his quintessential game.]
[I really do not have enough time to squander on puny creatures such as yourself, so I'll keep it short. Tomorrow will commence the awakening process, as I mentioned last time.]
[With the start of the first phase, whoever is able to awaken will have the ability to pick the attributes they wish to have from a selection of ten. Some exceptional cases, or those lucky enough, will receive more than ten options, and some could have special attributes that lead to them being given unique classes.]
[Since the attributes you choose will decide which class you receive from the system, make sure to pick attributes with synergy. Remember, you are all limited to picking five attributes at the start, other than the four basic attributes, but you are able to receive more later on, which can further evolve your class. More will be revealed later as your race advances.]
[Then, with the beginning of Phase One, portals like the one you have just experienced will appear all around the world. You must kill whatever is inside within seven Earth days, or the other dimension will synergise with this world's energy signature, allowing the beings inside to cross over to your planet.]
[These portals will have grades ranging from F-rank and upwards. But for now, rifts will only range from F-grade to D-grade.]
After hearing all this, every person on Earth felt utterly hopeless, considering that a whole country had failed to clear one gate.
[You do not need to fret yet.]
The being continued in his normal monotonous voice, but it was enough to give everyone a glimmer of hope.
[After the awakening, almost everyone who awakens will only be just a bit weaker than one of those monsters, and will be grade F. You will get stronger as your grade increases, and this will happen when your level reaches a certain threshold. Each time you level up, you will receive an attribute point, and your class will improve if you are able to hit level or grade milestones.]
It seemed quite vague, but since most people had no clue as to what was happening right now, it was clearly overlooked.
[You gain experience by killing monsters and clearing dungeons; some dungeons will allow you to gain extra rewards.]
[The strength of the monsters in the rifts will increase with time, so it's imperative to keep getting stronger to keep up. The grade of the rifts will increase to include grade B rifts in only a month's time, so make sure to be prepared.]
[When your race reaches a certain threshold, the monuments will also open. They hold monsters and challenges much more advanced than you are currently able to manage, so you will have to get much stronger before attempting them.]
[But clearing a monument will give the challenger magnificent rewards that greatly improve strength, so be the first to do so, as they disappear after being cleared once. For the time being, I suggest you stay away if you do not wish for certain death. Even guarded by an impenetrable barrier, the mana alone can be lethal for the likes of you.]
[Finally, and most importantly, there is the Tower, which your whole species will have to work together to conquer. The Tower is of unknown origin and holds immense power. Climbing it will allow the first person to clear all 100 floors to Ascend. To aid in this process, one will be able to receive blessings from Gods once they reach A-grade, and naturally, you will be chosen based on your strength and potential.]
[…]
He continued on for quite a bit longer, explaining everything in a bit more detail; however, most people just stared with a blank look on their faces as if they were in a trance.
[Well then, I will be looking forward to seeing your progress. Slacking will lead to death, so please, continue your pathetic struggling...]
[Goodbye.]
After all the explaining, the being seemed visibly worn out as he turned translucent and disappeared.
Though humanity was still shaken to its core, there was now a glimmer of light ahead—a way to salvage their future.
In preparation for what was to come, governments all around the world started laying the foundation for a society full of awakened humans. Awakened societies and associations were created everywhere, both to keep the awakened in check and to increase the power of their respective governments.
Though millions went to sleep anxious and paranoid, there was a glimpse of excitement in the eyes of others.
Many didn't find the peace of mind to sleep at all, waiting all night for something to happen. Some lay still in bed for hours, doing nothing, while others watched the news for the latest updates.
With every channel covering the recent incidents, there was literally nothing else on TV, even if they wanted a distraction.
Though they mostly rambled on about the events, they did give one useful piece of information:
Whatever happens tomorrow will change everything.