Chapter 7: The Mysterious Man and the Illusion

The entire hallway trembled as the two forces collided.

A shockwave ripped through the air, cracking the walls and shattering every window. The beast's massive claws slammed into the man's bare fists, and for a split second, it seemed like they were equally matched.

Then the man grinned.

*"Too slow."*

His fist moved so fast it was just a blur.

**CRACK.**

The monster's arm snapped backward, its bones bending at an unnatural angle. It roared, the force of its voice shaking the air, sending dust and debris flying.

But it didn't stop.

The creature's other claw swung out, faster than before, a blur of black mist and jagged edges. The man dodged just in time, the claw tearing through the wall behind him as if it were nothing.

My breath caught in my throat.

*"That would've sliced him in half."*

But the man didn't seem worried. In fact, he almost seemed amused.

*"Not bad,"* he muttered, shaking out his hand. Blood trickled from a shallow cut on his knuckles. He chuckled. *"Haven't bled in a while."*

The monster growled. Its body rippled and twisted, the shadows surrounding it warping as if it was struggling to maintain its form. Something was changing.

*"You're still standing? Impressive,"* the man said, cracking his neck. *"But you should've stayed down."*

**He moved.**

One moment he was still, the next, he was a blur, crossing the hallway in an instant.

His fist connected with the creature's stomach.

**BOOM.**

The force of the blow sent the monster flying across the hall. It crashed through the far wall, smashing through concrete, metal, and glass, before finally skidding to a halt in the ruined gymnasium.

Silence.

For a brief moment, I thought it was over.

Then—

A deep, chilling laugh echoed from the shadows.

I froze.

The monster rose.

But it wasn't just standing up. It was changing.

The air around it thickened as its body grew larger, its limbs stretching, claws sharpening, and its entire form shifting into something far worse. Its red eyes burned even brighter, and its mouth—if it could even be called a mouth—split open into a jagged, gaping maw.

I felt it.

The air grew heavier, thick with an oppressive pressure that pushed down on me. My knees wobbled as I struggled to stay upright.

*"Oh, great,"* the man muttered, shaking his head. *"A berserker form. Just what I needed today."*

The monster lunged.

**Faster.** **Stronger.**

The man barely dodged, his body twisting to avoid a massive claw that tore through the floor, leaving a deep gash in the concrete.

He clicked his tongue. *"Guess I should stop messing around."*

For the first time since he arrived, the man's posture changed. He wasn't playing anymore.

*"Alright, big guy,"* his voice was lower, calm now. *"You had your fun."*

He exhaled slowly.

And then—

His entire body ignited.

Not with fire. Not with light.

But with raw, pulsing force.

The air around him warped, rippling like heat off pavement, and the ground beneath his feet cracked under the sheer pressure radiating from him.

For the first time, the monster hesitated.

It looked… uncertain.

The man smirked. *"Let me show you how outclassed you really are."*

Then he was gone.

No, not vanished—he moved so fast I couldn't even keep track of him.

One second he was standing still.

The next—

He was behind the monster.

*"Game over."*

His fist collided with the creature's head.

**BOOM.**

The impact rippled through the air, sending a shockwave so powerful that the entire building shook. The monster's skull caved in with an audible crack.

Black mist exploded from its body, its form disintegrating on impact, leaving nothing behind.

By the time the dust settled, the monster was gone.

Silence.

I stared at the spot where the creature had been, then at the man.

He sighed, stretching his arms. *"Man, I'm rusty."*

Rusty?

That thing had nearly killed me, and he acted like it was just a warm-up?!

*"Oi, kid,"* he turned to me, his golden eyes sharp. *"You still alive?"*

I nodded, forcing myself to stay calm.

*"Good. Then listen up."*

He took a step forward, and suddenly—

Everything around me began to fade.

The ruined school, the shattered windows, the flickering lights—**all of it melted away.**

I stood in a vast, endless void.

The man's voice echoed through the darkness.

*"Listen, kid. This is just the beginning. These monsters are nothing. If you want to survive, you need to get stronger."*

And then—

Everything went black.

++++++++++++++++++++

I gasped for breath.

The pain in my shoulder was sharp. My eyes flickered open, and I felt the weight of reality settling back in. My hands gripped the desk beneath me. I wasn't in the hallway anymore. The familiar sounds of the classroom surrounded me. The distant chatter of students. The smell of chalk and old wood.

**It was all an illusion.**

The realization hit me like a ton of bricks. The monster, the fight, the man—none of it was real. It was all part of a simulation. My hands trembled as a new message flashed on my system window:

**[System Update: You are now back in the real world. The previous encounter was a simulation created by an external entity.]**

I tried to process it, but the pain was real. The exhaustion, the blood—everything from the fight felt too real.

But that monster… that man… it all seemed like a dream now.

I closed my eyes, rubbing my temples.

The system had warned me before. The "game" was only beginning.

I had to get stronger. If I didn't, I would never survive what was coming.

+++++++++++++++++++

Footsteps approached, pulling me out of my thoughts. I turned to see Jihee walking toward me. She stopped a few feet away, her eyes hesitant.

"Can we talk?" she asked quietly. "Privately. After school?"

I raised an eyebrow, her voice soft and apologetic. I wasn't sure if I could trust her again. The betrayal, the hurt—it ran too deep.

I couldn't trust her.

I opened my mouth to say no, but I hesitated. She had once been someone I trusted.

Her eyes lingered on mine, almost pleading. I could feel her sincerity, but I wasn't sure I was ready to forgive her.

I didn't know if I cared anymore.

But there was something about the way she held herself, the tension in her shoulders… **It made me hesitate.**

"Okay," I said, standing up. "But I'm warning you..." Her face brightened, a hopeful smile spreading across her lips. She nodded and returned to her seat.

As I sat back down, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The calm before a storm. Something was coming, and I wasn't ready for it.