The chapter begins in a dimly lit high school cafeteria, filled with the laughter and chatter of students. Amid the crowd, a boy named Zack, pale and unassuming, sits alone at a corner table. His presence is unnoticed, a shadow in a world that has relentlessly tormented him. For five long years, Zack has endured cruelty—mockery, humiliation, and physical abuse—from nearly everyone in the school.
But today is different. Today, Zack's hands shake not with fear, but with anticipation. Beneath his baggy hoodie, he feels the cold, metallic weight of a gun, hidden but ready.
As the doors to the cafeteria swing open, a group of bullies enters, their loud voices drowning out the ambient noise. Zack's eyes narrow, locking onto the group's leader, a towering boy with an arrogant smirk. The laughter around Zack grows louder, sharper, cutting into him like shards of glass. His breath quickens as memories of every cruel word and beating flood his mind.
When the bully spots Zack, his grin widens. He points, and the group erupts into laughter. They approach Zack's table, ready to torment him again. But before they can reach him, Zack stands, pulling the gun from his hoodie with trembling hands.
The cafeteria falls silent, a hush of disbelief sweeping over the crowd.
"Not so funny now, is it?" Zack growls, his voice steady but cold.
The bully freezes, his smirk faltering. "Zack...what are you doing? Put that thing down, man."
Zack's lips curl into a twisted smile. "Five years. Five years of hell. You thought I'd just take it forever? No. Not anymore."
Without another word, Zack pulls the trigger. The shot echoes like thunder, silencing the cafeteria as blood splatters across the tables. The bully collapses, lifeless, as screams erupt from the crowd.
The scene descends into chaos. Students scatter, tripping over chairs and tables in their frantic attempt to escape. But Zack doesn't stop. He moves methodically, firing shot after shot, laughter bubbling from his lips as blood stains his clothes and the once-bright cafeteria floor.
His laughter grows louder, more unhinged, as the bodies pile around him. Blood drips from his face and hands, pooling at his feet.
"This...this is freedom!" Zack shouts, his voice echoing in the eerily quiet room. His eyes gleam with a dark, unsettling light as he surveys the carnage.
Just as he's about to fire the last bullet, a dark energy engulfs him, wrapping around his body like a cocoon. The blood on his skin begins to shimmer as the world around him distorts.
Zack vanishes from the cafeteria in an instant, leaving behind a scene of horror and death. When he opens his eyes, he finds himself in the desolate, shadowy world of the Game of Death. The air feels heavy, and a chilling voice echoes in his ears.
"Welcome, Zack. You have proven yourself worthy. Your hatred, your pain, your thirst for blood—it fuels this world. Here, you will find more like you. Kill or be killed. That is the rule."
Zack smirks, his laughter returning.
"A world where I can kill freely? This is perfect. I'll show everyone...no one can stop me now."
The Host materializes before him, its shadowy figure towering over Zack.
"You have potential, Zack. You may yet rise to the top of this game. But beware—there are others who will challenge you. Monsters worse than yourself."
Zack grips the gun tightly, blood still dripping from his hands.
"Good. Let them come. I'll kill them all."
The chapter ends with Zack's twisted laughter echoing across the dark world as he takes his first steps into the Game of Death, his mind consumed by hatred and bloodlust. His arrival sets the stage for a confrontation with Aryan, Selena, and John, each of whom must face the unrelenting chaos Zack brings.