Nilbog resumed walking, ignoring the prompt for a few moments. If the first Phase gave an advantage to those with battle-oriented builds, then this one relied on how resourceful you were—both in a tactical and resource way. Those that could rejuvenate their resources at an expedited rate could fight more. HP and STM weren’t the only resources—Mana and Life Force were the most common ones, though there were others Nilbog was not specifically aware of. Whatever someone needed to use their skills, really. Someone that only focused on fighting and did not bother cultivating skills that restored these resources would be at the disadvantage here.

Like Nilbog, who had little skills in the first place.

Currently, both factions sought to recruit the population into their ranks. They enticed people with pledges, which were basically contracts backed by the Game.

The Anima pledged more, but their pledges were exactly what Nilbog wanted to avoid. Battle is what he sought to escape from. Enlisting in the army and being sent from one death Mission under the command of his targets was the opposite of what he wanted.

On the plus side, it didn’t matter to Nilbog. There is only so much a person locked at level 20 could do. With each Phase, the vast increase to experience gain will cause everyone to power up much faster than him. Fighting was just pointless.

The Anima, while their victory was not preferable, would have the most numbers considering the “perks” they offered. He just had to count on people being dumb enough to fall for it, and from his limited time in civilization, Nilbog was confident they would not disappoint.

You have chosen the Anima!

You have become a soldier of the people!

Your faction is currently in control of the Third District while fighting for control of the Second District. You have little control in the First District.

To increase your contribution bar, you may:

1. Battle Ovalia The Iron-Eyed.

2. Battle Animus followers.

He left the shopping district, escaping what he hoped would be an influx of people seeking plunder. He needed to stray away from any contested areas.

The city was split into Districts. There was the Third, Second, and First District. Each subsequent District was smaller than the last, separated by heavily garrisoned bridges.

That left the First District, the smallest and the center of the kingdom, to be the safest from any outside threat. It was probably where the wealthiest lived.

For Nilbog the Third District was the safest. He would have gone there if he could, but he got to the Second District through a bridge. If Nilbog's hunch is correct, then they probably either Anima or Animus controlled by this point. They’ll draft him into their service and will probably imprison or kill him if he refused. He was getting the hang of their behavior—falling for that one would have been silly. He just had to find a corner to pass the storm in.

As he stuck to the sides and alleyways, Nilbog spotted a couple of groups moving together with an animated, blazing blue t-shaped helmet over their heads--the Anima symbol.

They had swords, spears, daggers, maces, and bows. It was unlikely that they spontaneously decided to travel together with a perfect set-up. They looked like the sort that trained together for The Games, having already gathered a party well before it even began. They were all Cubs, however. Ordinary people with common weapons that spent their lives making a living than training.

How would they even compete with rankers? While the experience and skill gain was significantly lower in the Pre-Game, rankers that had twenty years to grind would have built an advantage that would only grow further with the beginning of The Game.

Nilbog gave those playing-believers a wide breath, sticking to the sides and alleyways whenever he could. The only thing people like them could do well was craftsmen jobs, not fighting. This knowledge was so basic even Nilbog knew it.

He received a few sour glances for it, but the few contributions points he might have received for it was not worth the risk. He did not want to be drafted.

Besides, they stunk.

A boom made Nilbog jump to the side in an attempt to climb the walls. When he realized he wasn't in the forest anymore he looked up to the source.

Chunks of rocks, flames, blue beams, lighting, and tornadoes light up the dark skies. The scene fit the definition of "fireworks." Mages used Kinetic Energy to fly, causing the sky to become a heavily contested field. Those who didn't dodge the other side's projectiles bombarded the ground under them.

With a big nope, Nilbog altered his course. He quickly made his way from one building to the other, making sure to always remain under cover. Fortunately, his sense of direction did not fail him this time. He found giant, identically proportioned rectangular structures of stone-lined side by side. He went into the second one he found. Its door was broken, which hopefully meant it was already looted for anything of worth. He peeked around the corner, glad to see signs of battle.

It was unlikely that a place would be looted twice. Finding no one, Nilbog walked in. He bent down, touching the dark and purple blood on the floor with his fingertips.

Sticky but cold.

Considering the time of day, most of these apartments were filled when the Game began. Each building probably became a dungeon.

Those that stayed were mostly injured Anima followers, but the chance of Animus rogue groups praying on them was always present. The point value for the injured would be reduced, but a kill was a kill.

With that in mind, Nilbog tenderly stood up, wincing as his thighs burned. He walked past the corridors, glancing into the open and broken doors. He stayed away from the closed ones. He spied a few clean beds that his legs cried for, but he resisted the urge.

The second floor seemed safer. Not the first, where if anything bad happens he’ll have little time to react, and not the third or above, were he wouldn’t be able to jump off in-case things got really bad.

The biggest issue was that there was only one staircase, and it was all the way on the other side of the building.

He heard movement around him, but none of it seemed threatening. He did see a few people with tagged Anima icon. He nodded towards them, seeing them to be as badly injured as he was, but otherwise retained his space.

Half-way through, the line of rooms stopped, and instead, a large dining hall filled with people stretched out.

“Hey kid," an old man called to him from the side. He was a small, hunched Cub with a sword at his side.

Nilbog’s hands reached closer to his daggers, hidden in the pocket of his coat. His opponent was a Cub, the lowest rank, but that did not mean he was harmless.

“Easy there,” the man said, stepping back, putting a hand up. He smiled, too, raising his eyebrows in feigned surprise.

What could a kid like you do against me? He almost seemed to say. Two people being Cubs did not mean they were equal. Significant differences can still exist, especially between those that just became a Cub, and those that were just about to become a Wolf.

“Animus scum still roam these rooms, trying to kill the injured,” he said, nodding to a group of bodies in one of the rooms.

Behind him, the old, young, and the injured were huddled around the room. A few of them went around bandaging and feeding those unable to eat on their own. They had weapons of various kinds, some brooms from sticks, and others chipped swords and spears.

“If you would like, you can join us,” he said. “We have food and healers. It’s safer in numbers."

Nilbog shook his head.

The man shrugged and walked back to his group. “He didn’t wanna,” he said to one of the older ladies

“What?” she said, putting down her pot. She quickly glanced from Nilbog to the man. “He doesn’t look old enough for me. Tell him we have food.”

“If he don’t wanna then he don’t wanna,” the old man replied as Nilbog walked up the staircase.

They didn’t seem like bad people, but big groups made for large targets. Whatever they could do, he could do, and without the reliability or risk that came to being with humans, or having to deal with their hideous presence. Just being near them made his skin crawl.

The railing broke off, a few steps missing large chunks of concrete. Gritting his teeth, Nilbog began to climb the stairs, taking one at a time.

It was good that monster’s corpses disappeared after a while, otherwise this entire place would have been smelling purple.

After a quick peek, Nilbog entered the hallway. Its layout was identical to the one below him. He walked down the hall, taking a left turn at the end. The further he went the safer it was.

A woman's scream resounded in one of the rooms he was about to pass.

No, Nil, no. We’ve done this many times, and none of them turned out well. Keep walking. I have no business opening other people’s doors.

He lasted a whole three seconds before but he peeked through the ajar door.