This is a Beta Test?! - A Literally Broken System

The damn monster's roar made subtitles appear in front of me as I moved. I didn't even have the time to look behind me as my instincts immediately told me to run in spite of my weaponry. A logical part of me wanted to stop and try to fight whatever this thing was, but my baser instincts were just far too strong for me to ignore.

Well, that part of me should suck it! I had power now, right?

Spinning on a dime, I trained my guns at the tentacle-looking monster. I felt my [Blanc and Noire] hum with power as they drew blood from my veins, ready to convert them into bullets the moment that I pulled the triggers.

[*ROROOAGAGHHG!!!!*]

The monster stopped in its tracks as I aimed down my sights. Its roars appeared as subtitles above its head as the black mess moved and gyrated in ways that looked like it was an affront to the beauty of this place. I didn't know why Guidance would make such a monster, but it's still clear that this was an enemy I had to kill.

Nice try, tentacles, but I won't be your food today.

[*Click! Click! Click!*]

[*NO COMBA-*]

[*NO COMBA-*]

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[*NO COMBAT ALLOWED IN STARTING AREA*]

Wait... What?!

[*Click! Click!*]

[*NO COMBA-*]

[*NO COMBAT ALLOWED IN STARTING AREA*]

My eyes twitched at small subtitles coming out of my pistols. Each time I tried pulling the trigger, a small 'click' sound escaped my weapons. At the back of my mind, I already knew that it meant I wasn't going to fire a bullet any time soon. But why in the hell was this place not a combat zone if there were enemies present like this?!

"Guidance?!"

*Y-Yes?*

"Why is this place a non-combat area if there's a monster present?" I sternly asked as I kept my weapons trained on the monster in front of me. "This is a monster, right!? Shouldn't I be able to kill it!?"

*W-well... I might've placed a-anti spawn camping measures...* the woman meekly responded from the void. *I-Isn't that a p-problem with most games?*

I took a few steps backward as the tentacle monster slowly inched forward, "Yeah? But didn't you stop and think about those that might want to just stay put and get acquainted with the controls!?"

This was bad. There was a monster wanting to eat me and I have no way of properly defending myself. How the hell should I know that the spawn area had anti-spawn camping measures in them?!

*Y-yes? But wouldn't most people leave the area in about an hour?*

I felt the monster undulate and writhe with anticipation as it slowly crept up to me, "Not if they're new to games like these, Guidance!"

Wasn't that like, game design 101?! Hell, even I stick around at the starting area whenever I get into a new game with different control schemes. If that was the norm for me when I was behind a keyboard, then what more when I was actually in the game with my flesh and blood entirely on the line?!

[*Click! Click!*]

[*NO COMBA-*]

[*NO COMBAT ALLOWED IN STARTING AREA*]

My fingers locked into place as I tried desperately to make my guns shoot something. Unfortunately, Guidance's droning recordings were the only thing I heard as she repeatedly told me that I can't defend myself in a non-combat zone. Meanwhile, the tentacle monster was inching ever so closer to me, as if it was gauging me somehow on how far it could even come close to me.

It was impressive A.I. if it wasn't trying to kill me.

"Guidance?!"

*I-I'll think of something!* The sound of her keyboard furiously clacking on in the background made for a piece of tense background music as she responded. *Just... run for now, okay?! That thing's built different!*

Huh?! "Okay then!"

Not knowing what the hell the dev meant for that undulating monstrosity being built different, it was for the better that I did run. Spinning on a dime, I couldn't even look back as I let my feet finally do what it was meaning to do earlier. Maybe I'd get to a threshold where I could actually fight back? Well, it was certainly better than just hoping that Guidance would fix this mess.

[*RORORAGHHGH!!!!*]

My eyes widened. I had a feeling that something's about- Oh crap!

Diving out of the way of an errant tentacle, I found myself rolling and tumbling on the grass as I fought desperately to keep myself upright. I knew I didn't have the prerequisite physical ability to- wait... I actually did it!

Rolling onto my feet, I quickly picked back up where I left off as I kept running towards god knows where. All the while, the tentacle monster was still hot on my heels as I heard its appendages wriggle about through the air. My legs kept on pumping as I ran, my eyes peeled as I stole a few glances every so often. One gun was always trained on the damn thing, but all I got was a clicking noise and Guidance's damn prompt ringing in my ear.

And why is this taking so damn long?!

"Anytime now, Guidance!"

I screamed into the void of the starry sky as I navigated what looked like a cross between a luscious green forest and a cave filled with mushrooms. With the starlight being my only source of illumination, what was probably the simple scenery of normal shrubbery became that much scarier. A part of me was practically jumping at every rustle that I made. And it wasn't even because of the normal fear of creepy crawlies that got me. No. It was the possibility that there might be more of these tentacle monsters hiding in wait in these bushes!

*I-I'm working as fast as I can!*

The background noise of Guidance's keyboard was being drowned out by my own breathing at this point as I ducked and weaved through each and every vine and branch I came across. With this thing rampaging behind me, I couldn't stop for even a single second, lest I got absolutely obliterated with my clear lack of combat options or even stats to possibly tank a hit. And without the assurance that I'll even respawn if I died, that just made it all the more important that I not die in what was obviously the opening sequence of the game!

*I-I got it...*