THE NEW RULE

Owen had no idea how to use the power he had just acquired. His mind raced, but he quickly formed a plan. If the beast watching them was of a higher level than theirs, they would retreat. Sophie, still confused by the sudden events, hesitated.

"Just follow me and do exactly as I say," Owen instructed, stepping forward with determination.

Sophie nodded reluctantly. Owen took five deliberate steps and summoned all five knives he could control at his current level. The blades floated around him, shimmering ominously. He turned back and noticed a small creature lurking in the shadows, its piercing eyes locked onto them. Quickly, he flipped open his card to check the beast's details.

Level: 2

Difficulty: Easy

Owen analyzed the situation. The beast was just one level above them, but he had no proper training in using the knives. However, a notification suddenly appeared on his blue screen—a task update.

Task: Defeat the Beast

Reward: 150 EXP + 1 Health Potion

Owen's eyes lit up. They needed 250 EXP to level up, and this task would bring them closer.

"We can fight this," he murmured to himself.

Sophie's eyes widened as she caught sight of the beast. Fear crept into her voice. "Owen, I... I don't think we should—"

"Don't be afraid," Owen reassured her. "You can help me by freezing it."

"But... I can't freeze something stronger than my level," Sophie stammered.

Owen's heart sank. That meant he had no backup plan. The beast growled and took a step forward. They were running out of time.

Owen turned to Sophie and said, "Still, you should try once."

Sophie clenched her fists and summoned all her energy. A chilling gust surrounded her, and suddenly, the beast was encased in ice. It trembled, its movements frozen—but only for five seconds.

That was enough.

Owen lunged, knives whirling around him like a deadly storm. He slashed at the creature relentlessly. But just as quickly as it was frozen, the beast shattered the ice and retaliated. Claws tore through Owen's side, sending him staggering back. His health bar dropped to half.

Gritting his teeth, Owen refused to stop. He continued his relentless assault. With one final, calculated strike, his knife pierced the beast's core. It let out a guttural roar before collapsing.

Victory.

Owen's screen flashed.

+150 EXP

+1 Health Potion

He drank the potion instantly, feeling his wounds mend as his health replenished.

Sophie stood frozen in shock. "Owen… you looked completely different back there. How?"

Owen rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly shy. "I… I don't know."

They started walking again, the jungle stretching ahead of them, filled with unknown dangers.

---

Luna and Lian: Discovering Their Powers

Meanwhile, Luna and Lian had wandered far from the others. They walked in silence—Lian wasn't much of a talker.

Breaking the quiet, he finally said, "Should we check our power descriptions?"

Luna looked at him and nodded. "Yeah, you're right."

Both of them pulled out their cards, revealing their abilities.

Lian's Power:

- Telepathy: A psychic ability that allows the user to perform actions without physical effort. The ability bar determines usage time, increasing as the player levels up.

Luna's Power:

- Arjuna's Bow: Grants the power of the legendary warrior Arjuna. The user can wield a bow and arrow with increasing mastery. At the highest level, they gain access to 50% of Arjuna's power.

Luna and Lian exchanged glances.

"That's not bad," they said simultaneously, before continuing their journey in search of the others.

---

Mason's Encounter with the Strangers

Mason had gone even farther. As he walked, he saw a group of players standing in an open field. Curious, he approached. The strangers noticed him and smiled.

"Hey," Mason greeted. "Who are you guys?"

One of them stepped forward. "We're from Earth-121."

Mason's brows furrowed. "Wait… another universe?"

The players introduced themselves as SJ11, SJ12, SJ13, SJ14, and SJ15.

SJ13 looked puzzled. "But how are we communicating? We don't even speak the same language."

Mason thought for a moment before realization hit him. "It must be the system. The game must have given all players a universal language so we can talk."

SJ15, who appeared to be their leader, nodded. "That makes sense. Are you alone here?"

Mason shook his head. "No, my friends are here too. We split up to explore and find other players. Our plan is to form alliances and clear levels together."

SJ15's lips curled into a knowing smirk. "Oh, I see."

Just then, a deep, eerie voice echoed through the jungle.

"Hello, players. Hope you're doing well. The level will begin shortly. But there's one rule I forgot to mention earlier...

Only five players will pass this game.

Out of 25, only 5 can survive.

I think you understand now… the other players are not your friends. Good luck."

The voice faded.

Silence.

Mason's blood ran cold. He glanced around, suddenly realizing—he was alone, surrounded by five players from a different universe.

All of them stared at him, their friendly expressions gone.

SJ15 smirked. "Well… this changes things, doesn't it?"

Mason clenched his fists. He was trapped.

---

The Race to Save Mason

Miles away, Owen's Hear the voice and he realise suddenly "Mason is in danger" He thought.

"What?! He's alone." Owen gasped.

"We have to go now!" Sophie shouted.

At the same time, Luna and Lian hear the same voice and understand that Mason is in danger now as he is alone.

"What the hell?! This isn't fair—Mason's in trouble!" Luna exclaimed.

Lian nodded. "We need to reach him fast."

They all broke into a sprint, their hearts pounding.

Mason, meanwhile, took a step back as the five players moved toward him.

To be continued…