My Weird Internship

For a few moments, the lift floated between dimensions, drifting aimlessly with Irvan inside. The soft, mechanical hum of the lift created a calming rhythm, and Irvan closed his eyes, trying to ease the tension from the quiz he had just faced. He let his mind wander, thinking about the strategies ahead, his friends, and the challenges they were bound to encounter.

When Irvan opened his eyes again, the lift doors had already parted. He stepped out and was immediately greeted by the sight of his friends, engaged in lively conversation in D'Lobby. Their chatter came to an abrupt halt as they noticed Irvan's return. Smiles and laughter erupted among them, and Zane quickly took charge with his usual cue.

"Alright, folks, on 1…2…3…"

"Damn you, Irvan!!!" they shouted in unison, their voices ringing with a mix of mockery and pride. A few even flashed middle fingers, but all in good humor, their faces lit with grins.

Irvan could only smile broadly, feeling a warmth in his chest at their welcome. "I know you all love me," he said with a laugh, attempting to diffuse any lingering tension.

Mr. Pope joined in the laughter, observing his students with a fondness that matched their own camaraderie. "Alright, guys," he said, wiping away a tear of mirth from the corner of his eye, "shall we get started?"

"Started with what?" Zane asked, a touch of confusion lifting his brows.

"Building a nation, you fool!" Mr. Pope replied with his signature grin, a blend of warmth and authority.

The students began to gather around Mr. Pope, a renewed sense of purpose burning within them. They knew that the next task was the greatest and most important: constructing their own country within this game world.

"You can begin," Mr. Pope said, his tone firm yet brimming with hope.

The screens surrounding the room shifted again, now displaying the map Irvan had drawn, along with several tables of information about their country that needed to be filled in. The categories included the name of the country, the form of government, the dominant race, customs, and more. Each table that appeared on the screen seemed to radiate a challenge, beckoning them to fill it with their visions and aspirations.

"You're free to follow the script or create something entirely your own. I won't interfere with this part. So, enjoy your time. Oh, and there's an AI assistant at your disposal. Just call out 'Zoe, I need help,' and she'll be there to assist you," Mr. Pope continued.

They were all taken aback, excitement coursing through their veins. One by one, the students approached the screen and the information tables, their eyes gleaming with enthusiasm.

"I'll take care of the country's name," Alvin announced as he rushed toward the table labeled 'Country,' with the number '1' displayed above it.

"It seems like this is the guideline," Chen remarked, standing next to Alvin, his gaze keenly focused on the screen.

But before Alvin could type in the name, Zirly abruptly shoved him aside. "Ligmation? What kind of name is that?" she scoffed, quickly deleting Alvin's entry with a swift, decisive motion.

"Guys, we need to decide everything together," Erika ordered, her tone firm, trying to cut through the growing chaos.

However, it seemed none of them were listening. They were all too engrossed in filling out the tables according to their own whims, creating a whirlwind of confusion and disorder among them.

"Damn, they're not listening to you, Erika," Irvan remarked with a smirk, noticing the mayhem unfolding.

Erika clenched her fists in frustration, her face flushing with anger. "We're not going to succeed if everyone acts like this," she shouted, but her voice was drowned out by the cacophony of heated discussions escalating around her.