Utopian System

Elio stood before the crystal at the entrance of the challenge.

His mind was recovering from the events that had unfolded.

The silence was shattered by the sound of the crystal's transportation.

The soldier, the lone survivor of the challenge, emerged from the crystal, his eyes blinking to adjust to the light. Before he could utter a word, he found himself trapped in a carbon barrier, courtesy of Brok.

Elio stepped forward, his voice as cold as ice. "Are you ready to die? Since you're alone, I want to hear your excuse now."

♢♢♢♢

A bit before the events that led to disaster...

While Zara and the main group discussed how to proceed with the newly discovered crystal, a murmur of discontent spread among a small group of soldiers.

They were part of Milo's batch, those whom Taron had been watching for their questionable attitudes.

"Do you see that?" one of them whispered, his voice laced with resentment and ambition. "This could be our opportunity."

Another soldier nodded, casting a furtive glance towards Zara. "If we get ahead, if we play our cards right, we could gain more power than Von Elio himself."

The idea spread among them like wildfire, fueled by poorly disguised frustration and envy.

"The book has always rewarded those who overcome it," a third argued. "Why would this challenge be any different? It could give us something that changes the rules of the game."

A more cautious soldier intervened. "But what if it's too dangerous? Von Elio has always taken the risk before..."

"He's always done what suits him," the first one interrupted, his voice bitter. "Don't you see? He claims to be different from the previous regime, but in the end, it's he who always remains more powerful than the rest."

The others nodded, remembering their frustration when they were denied the penguin despite reaching level 6.

"He told us it was to 'preserve resources,'" one mocked. "But doesn't he have all the invocations? Even level 7, it's 100 million damn it! Isn't he always one step ahead?"

"He says he takes risks to help us," another muttered. "But isn't that just another way to keep us dependent on him? To ensure he's always the boss?"

Deep down, they knew their logic was flawed. They knew Elio risked his life time and time again for the city, for them. But envy is a powerful poison, capable of clouding even the brightest minds.

"This is our chance to change things, to change the power structure," the group leader insisted. "To prove that we can also be heroes, that we can also be leaders."

The others nodded, the excitement of rebellion coursing through their veins. It was easy to forget the dangers when the promise of power was so close.

"But how will we do it?" one asked. "Zara and the others are right there."

The leader smiled, a plan forming in his mind. "We'll wait for the right moment. When they're distracted, we'll get ahead. Once inside the challenge, they won't be able to stop us."

The idea was risky, even reckless. But for these young soldiers, blinded by ambition and resentment, it seemed the only option.

"And when we return," the leader continued, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "we'll be the ones dictating the rules. We'll show everyone that power doesn't have to be concentrated in one person."

The others nodded, intoxicated by the vision of a future where they were in charge. They conveniently forgot all the sacrifices Elio had made.

The irony that they were planning to betray the person who had given them the opportunity to come so far completely escaped them.

♢♢♢♢

"Welcome challengers, gather a group of 5 and accept the challenge by touching the crystal at the same time. If a group wins, humanity gains control of the first half."

Zara was the first to speak, her voice cutting through the tension.

"A challenge? Like those in the book?"

"It seems so," Micah replied. "But this is different. It's... bigger I guess."

Lila, her eyes still fixed on the crystal, murmured: "If a group wins, humanity gains control... Control of what?"

"The deposit, I suppose," Aria replied.

Micah raised his voice above the clamor. "We need more information. What happens if we touch the crystal again? Will it tell us more about the challenge?"

Taron, still near the crystal, extended his hand once more. But before he could touch it, Zara stopped him.

"Wait," she said, her voice firm. "If this is like the book challenges, we need to be prepared. We don't know what awaits us on the other side. We must wait for Elio, he'll be absorbing cores for a few hours before he can go out to explore the surface. We can't make hasty decisions without him."

Her words were met with nods and murmurs of agreement from the majority.

Zara, satisfied with having communicated the message, took a few steps back, moving slightly away from the crystal.

The rest of the group, driven by curiosity, approached to examine the enigmatic crystal more closely. Their eyes scanned the shimmering surface, looking for clues about its nature and purpose.

It was at that precise moment when the group of conspirators saw their opportunity.

With a speed that no one anticipated, the five lunged forward. Taron, who was standing near the crystal, barely had time to register what was happening before being roughly pushed aside.

"Hey!" Taron exclaimed, stumbling, but his cry of surprise was lost in the confusion of the moment.

Before anyone could react, the five soldiers had already placed their hands on the crystal's surface.

The action was so sudden, so unexpected, that for an instant everyone was paralyzed by surprise. Zara was the first to recover, lunging forward with a warning cry, but it was already too late.

A flash of blinding light enveloped the five soldiers. When the glow dissipated, they had vanished, leaving behind only the echo of their bold betrayal.

When the five soldiers disappeared into the crystal, a stunned silence fell over the group. Taron, still recovering from the push, was the first to approach the crystal. His eyes widened in surprise to see that it now showed a mark: "5/5".

"Looks like there's a limit," he muttered, his voice tense with concern.

Taron, being the oldest in the group, stepped forward. With a determined look, he extended his hand towards the crystal, willing to risk once more for the good of all.

However, as soon as his fingers brushed the surface, luminous words appeared:

"The challenger limit is reached. Please enter on the opposite side or wait for the resolution of the ongoing challenge to enter with a new group."