Reality Check

Ryo emerges from the forest, panting and covered in sweat. He clutches the berries tightly, his mind a whirlwind of confusion and guilt. He spots a group of Scrapers gathered near the starting point, their eyes wide with

Fear and uncertainty. A large screen appears in the sky, displaying a countdown with only a few minutes left.

The Manager's voice booms across the field:

"Time is up. Those who failed to gather the required number of Scrap Berries… will face elimination."

Ryo's hands shake as he holds up his berries for inspection. The screen flickers, and the names of the Scrapers who completed the task appear in green. His name is among them. He breathes a sigh of relief, but it's short-lived. He glances over at the remaining names, highlighted in red — names of those who failed.

Suddenly, the ground trembles. Dark tendrils rise from the soil, wrapping around the feet of those in red. They scream and struggle, but the tendrils tighten, pulling them down into the ground. The sounds of their cries are drowned out by the earth swallowing them whole.

Ryo watches in horror, realizing this is what the Manager meant by "erased." The field is unforgiving, merciless, and every task comes with a life-or-death consequence.

As the last of the failures disappear, the Manager's voice returns, colder than before:

"Congratulations to those who survived. Remember, only the strong, the clever, and the ruthless will make it out of the Crap Field alive. Prepare for your next task."

Ryo feels sick. He looks around at the remaining Scrapers — some are crying, others are shaking, and a few, like the scarred man, are eerily calm. He knows he's crossed a line. He's no longer a mere observer of a fantasy. He's a player in a deadly game, and he has to adapt quickly if he wants to survive.

He thinks about the woman in the forest, the blood pooling around her head, and the look in her eyes. He feels a wave of guilt, but he shoves it down. There's no time for regret. If he's going to make it out of here, he has to keep moving forward.

"Grow stronger," he mutters to himself. "No matter what."

The chapter ends with Ryo looking up at the sky, where the dark clouds swirl ominously, signaling that the next challenge is already on its way.