The End As You Know It

Han Taejin felt the subway floor rattle as an unsettling silence descended over the car. Just a moment ago, it had been full of everyday chatter. Now everyone was frozen, staring at the floating text in front of them.

[Scenario 1 – Survive for 30 Minutes]Objective: Eliminate a hostile entity.Penalty for Failure: Mass Execution.

No one spoke. A teenager clutched her phone, pressing every button in panic. An office worker in a wrinkled suit tried swiping at the phantom notification. Taejin's chest tightened as he read the words again.

Survive.

He'd read a fair share of game-like stories, but seeing these lines in actual space—this went beyond fiction. He glanced around, taking in the range of shocked faces: wide eyes, trembling lips, hands gripping seats for balance. The train lurched, and overhead lights flickered. Another message appeared:

Constellations have begun observing this scenario.Some appear disappointed. They want drama.

A chill settled into Taejin's spine. He didn't know what these "Constellations" were. Some watchers, maybe. Something told him that they weren't friendly onlookers.

The car screeched, slowing to an unnatural halt between stations. The lights continued flickering, as if the power struggled to stay on. People stood from their seats, pressed to the windows. Outside, darkness filled the tunnel in both directions.

Taejin swallowed, pushing himself up with stiff legs. He was twenty-seven, scraping by in a dead-end job. Usually the worst part of his day was deciding which ramen flavor to pick for dinner. But this? This was madness. A second window popped up, tinted red:

Monsters detected.Warning: Hostile presence inbound.

"Monsters," someone muttered. "This is some twisted prank, right?"

But the next moment, the overhead lights died entirely, plunging the train into shadow. A single emergency bulb blinked overhead, painting every face with a sickly glow. Taejin's pulse hammered as a hiss echoed from the far end of the car.

Metal screeched. The door connecting to the next carriage trembled. A monstrous snarl rumbled from beyond it.

A man in a baseball cap stepped forward, lifting the fire extinguisher off the wall. "Stay back!" he called, voice shaking. Another quiet rasp came from the other side of the door, accompanied by a foul stench.

Taejin's mouth went dry. He edged away from the center, pressing his back to a seat. He'd grown up reading about apocalypse scenarios—zombies, alien invasions, virtual reality gone wrong. Those always felt fun in fiction. Now, he found no thrill in facing an event that spelled possible death. He felt numb, as though the ground had crumbled beneath him.

A faint clang. The door at the far end banged inward, forced open by something strong. People gasped. Taejin could barely see, but a shape slithered through, hunched over, joints moving with an inhuman stiffness. The baseball cap man aimed his fire extinguisher as if it were a shield.

A pale light from a single overhead lamp caught the figure's silhouette. Its skin was cracked, twisted, the shape of a humanoid face contorted into a sneer. Its eyes glowed a dull red. The thing sniffed the air and let out a guttural screech.

Fear radiated through the passengers in waves. Taejin's palms were damp. He forced himself to look down at the phone in his hand, half-expecting no signal. As though reading his mind, a new notification flickered across his vision:

You have been granted access to the Status Screen.Name: Han Taejin. Role: [Undefined].No Class Assigned.Base Stats: All E-Rank.

No class. Minimal stats. He felt a pang of helplessness. The monstrous figure lunged at the baseball cap man, and the crowd screamed.

Blood sprayed. The man's yell cut off, replaced by horrified shrieks from the others. Taejin's stomach lurched as he saw the creature sink its crooked teeth into the man's shoulder. Warmth pooled under the overhead lights. This was no game. This was savage, and it was real.

He clenched his fists. Was there a way out? Everyone was pinned in the narrow car. The connecting door behind him seemed sealed. Some men tried to yank it open, but it refused to budge. The automated system might have locked all doors except the broken one up front.

Taejin scanned his environment, desperation fueling him. A single emergency hammer hung near the window. He glanced at it, then the reinforced glass. Could they break through? Possibly. But that left the monster free to kill whoever couldn't escape in time.

He heard another gurgling scream. The baseball cap man collapsed. In a flash, the monster whirled, setting its sights on a trembling woman. She scrambled back, nearly tripping on stray bags. Taejin's chest felt tight, his heart pounding with an odd blend of horror and adrenaline.

Then came a cold realization: the scenario demanded an elimination. One monster, many survivors. If the group could take it down, maybe the system would let them live.

"Hey!" Taejin shouted, stepping away from the row of seats. His voice wavered. "We have to stop it. We outnumber this thing."

No one answered. The woman's shriek cut through the silence as the creature leapt. Taejin jerked forward on instinct, reaching for something—anything. His eyes locked on a loose steel pipe lying near a seat, probably broken from the overhead rack when the train lurched. He lunged, grabbed it. Fear spiked in his veins.

A single question hammered in his mind: Can I even fight this demon-like thing?

It towered a full head taller than him, muscles bulging through shredded clothing. But it was just one. And if they did nothing, it'd tear everyone apart. Taejin swallowed and raised the pipe.

The creature pinned the woman to the floor. Her eyes rolled in terror. Taejin roared—part anger, part desperation—and swung. He struck the monster's side. The pipe rattled with impact, jarring his arms. It felt like hitting a boulder. The creature snarled and snapped its head around, raw fury in its eyes.

Taejin realized he was next.

The monster lashed out with a clawed hand. Taejin jerked back, the tips of those claws shredding his shirt. Pain flared across his chest. He staggered, forcing himself to remain upright. He managed to keep hold of the pipe.

Behind him, a few other passengers seemed to gather scraps of courage. A lanky teen grabbed the broken fire extinguisher. Another young man lifted a seat cushion like a shield. They inched forward, shaky but determined to help. Taejin exhaled, relieved he wasn't alone.

"On three," Taejin hissed at them, sweat dripping into his eyes. "We rush it together."

They nodded, fear etched on their faces. Taejin counted down with a trembling breath. Then they charged.

The teen slammed the extinguisher into the monster's back. The creature roared, momentarily lurching forward, giving the pinned woman room to scramble away. Taejin took that opening and brought the metal pipe down on the monster's shoulder. A crack—though whether bone or metal, he couldn't tell. It howled.

With a jerk, it spun around, elbow smashing the teen's chest. The boy crashed into a seat. A savage blow, but it bought Taejin precious seconds. He raised the pipe again, but the monster swatted him aside like a rag doll. His back slammed against the train doors, pain flowering across his spine.

The creature closed in. Taejin's vision blurred. He forced himself to stand, gripping the metal pipe with raw knuckles. Someone behind the monster—an older man—plunged a broken bottle into its side. Blackish fluid spurted from the wound. The monster bellowed, turning in a rage.

Taejin seized that moment. He swung the pipe as hard as he could at the monster's exposed neck. The impact landed with a wet crunch. The creature froze, lips peeled back in a gruesome snarl, then collapsed, limbs twitching. Taejin stumbled, panting. The monster lay still, a puddle forming beneath it.

No one moved for several heartbeats. Then a system chime rang in Taejin's ears:

Target Eliminated.Scenario 1 Cleared.+50 ExperienceSkill Fragment Obtained: [Basic Strike]

He blinked at the words. His ears rang with exhaustion and shock. Around him, the subway car smelled of blood and fear. A soft whimper rose from the survivors. The teen clutched his ribs, wincing. The woman who'd been pinned was sobbing in a corner, blood staining her blouse. The older man with the broken bottle stared at his trembling hands.

For a moment, Taejin questioned if they'd truly won anything. One monster down. Countless traumatized people. The overhead lights flickered back on, harsh white revealing the carnage in detail. Taejin swallowed bile at the sight of the baseball cap man's body.

Then the next system prompt appeared:

You have advanced to Level 1.Distributing stat points.Strength: E → DAgility: E → DVitality: E → DIntelligence: EFree Points: 0

A faint warmth spread through Taejin's limbs. It felt like he could breathe easier, stand more steadily. The pain in his chest dulled. He touched the torn fabric where the monster's claws had grazed him. The cuts were still there, but not as crippling as he expected.

He wasn't alone in seeing such changes. The teen's eyes were wide. "I... I just got a weird message. Something about leveling." A small bubble of hope hovered in his expression.

Taejin noticed the others checking phantom windows in front of them. Some wept in relief, others stared blankly, as if the harsh truth was only beginning to set in.

The older man, still holding the broken bottle, whispered, "We killed that thing... Are there more?"

Silence stretched. Taejin steeled himself. "We can't stay here and wait. That door is broken open—who knows what else is roaming these tunnels."

He tried to speak calmly, though his pulse pounded. "Let's move toward the next station. Maybe the next car or walkway leads out."

People shuffled in uneasy agreement, stepping over shattered glass and the dead monster. Taejin took a moment to kneel by the teen with bruised ribs. "Can you walk?"

The boy nodded, flinching. "I'll manage."

"Name's Taejin," he said, offering a hand. The teen introduced himself as Won, voice shaky. Taejin helped him up. He scanned the rest of the small group that had formed—maybe eight survivors who looked capable of walking. Some were wounded. Everyone seemed lost.

They worked their way through the broken door, leaving the bloodstained car behind. The tunnel's gloom swallowed them. Flashlight beams from phones offered scant illumination. The station was a hundred meters away, if the typical tunnel layout hadn't changed. But if reality was rewriting itself with game mechanics, he couldn't be sure of anything.

He half-expected to see more monsters shambling through the darkness. The group moved slowly, each step echoing. Now and then, the system flickered new messages in his peripheral vision:

Constellations remain watchful.Some find your cooperation surprising.They wait for bigger challenges.

A knot twisted in Taejin's stomach. It felt like they were participants in a reality show for cosmic voyeurs. The idea ignited a spark of anger. Did these watchers enjoy seeing people mauled?

After a tense trek, the glow of station lights appeared ahead. Taejin exhaled relief. It might be safer there—or maybe it was overrun. They had no choice but to find out.

They entered the station platform. Cracked tiles, flickering fluorescents, and scattered luggage lay abandoned. A few twisted lumps on the ground confirmed that more violence had happened here. Taejin forced himself not to look too closely at the bodies. He just had to keep people moving.

A new system prompt popped up for everyone:

[Scenario 2 – Domain Intrusion]Objective: Secure the Station.Reward: Access to the Safe Zone.Failure: Station Overrun – Survivors Exterminated.

An invisible weight pressed on Taejin's shoulders. Another scenario, more death threats. He tightened his grip on the metal pipe he'd carried from the subway. Even if they were terrified, they had to try.

"Get behind the turnstiles," Taejin said, voice hoarse. "We can use them as barricades if something comes. Won, check if any security gates still work. Maybe we can lock them."

People dispersed, searching for anything useful. Taejin spotted a shuttered convenience booth. He kicked the door. It was locked. After a moment's hesitation, he slammed the pipe against the handle until it broke. Inside, shelves held bottled water, some snacks, a first-aid kit. Not much, but enough to treat minor wounds.

His hands shook as he worked, wrapping a bandage around the teen's bruised ribs. The entire time, he expected monstrous shrieks echoing from behind. But only a heavy hush filled the station.

He double-checked the system prompt:

Scenario 2 – Domain Intrusion"Monsters will arrive in waves. Survive the assault and eliminate the wave leader to claim the Safe Zone."

So that was it. Survive a wave-based assault. Dread coiled in his gut. They had eight people who'd barely taken down a single monster. Now more would come, and presumably something bigger at the end.

As the group gathered behind the turnstiles, Taejin's mind raced. Could the station's layout give them an advantage? If the wave leader was forced through a narrow approach, they might funnel the creatures into kill zones, or at least slow them enough to fight. He scanned the station's main corridor—two large staircases leading up to the street. If they blocked them somehow, it might trap the monsters. Or maybe the monsters would come from underground. There was no guarantee.

Footsteps sounded from behind the barricade. Taejin stiffened, pipe raised. A familiar voice called out, "Wait, don't attack!"

A woman emerged. She was around Taejin's age, hair tied back. She carried a metal baton and had dried blood on her sleeve. "You're human?"

He lowered the pipe, exhaling. "Yes. We're survivors from the train. You?"

She glanced at them, relief in her eyes. "Park Goeun. I got separated from others, ended up here. I heard noises." She surveyed the ragtag group. "This scenario... looks bad."

He couldn't argue. She joined them behind the turnstiles, knuckles white around her baton. Taejin felt an odd flicker of comfort—one more fighter might help, if she had the nerve to stand her ground.

The overhead lights dimmed further. The station's speaker system crackled. A single line boomed across the empty halls:

The wave begins in 10 seconds.

Taejin's heart pounded. "Positions!" he shouted, trying to project confidence. He stationed the teen, Won, to the left, Goeun to the right, and others along the barrier. The older man from earlier clutched his broken bottle. A shaky college student brandished a broom handle. Not exactly an army, but the alternative was certain death if they gave up.

A rattling echoed from the corridor. Something crawled along the walls. Then the monstrous shapes came into view: hunched figures with glowing eyes, twisted limbs, an array of snapping fangs. Two, then five, then more. At least ten creatures, hissing as they advanced.

Goeun's voice trembled. "How are we supposed to—?"

"Focus!" Taejin barked. The horde surged forward, leaping onto the turnstiles. The barricade slowed them slightly. "Attack together!"

Metal clanged as the creatures smashed into their makeshift defense. Taejin swung his pipe at the first monster climbing over the bar. He caught it in the shoulder. It snarled, falling backward into the cluster behind it. Another creature lunged from a different angle. Goeun struck it with her baton, teeth clenched. The teen, Won, grit his jaw and rammed the extinguisher into a creature's torso.

Blood and screeches filled the air. One monster managed to slash across the older man's arm. He let out a cry, stumbling. Another passenger jumped in, stabbing the monster's flank with a sharpened mop handle. Taejin saw black fluid splatter across the tile. The smell churned his stomach.

They fought like cornered animals. No technique, no training—just raw desperation. The turnstiles buckled under the weight of so many twisted bodies. One by one, the creatures started dropping, overwhelmed by the group's combined fury. Taejin felt his adrenaline spike. Every strike he landed seemed more confident than the last. He risked a glance at his Status Screen mid-battle:

Strength: DAgility: DVitality: DLevel: 1Experience: 60/100

He needed more to survive. Another monster launched itself over the barrier, but Goeun kneed it hard. Taejin slammed his pipe down on its head, finishing it off. A final shriek signaled the wave's last monster collapsing. Heavy breathing echoed among the survivors.

Wave 1 Cleared.Rest period: 2 minutes before Wave 2.

Two minutes. That was their reward for winning by a thread? People sagged against walls, some retching, others crying. Taejin's arms trembled from the constant swinging. He looked around, counting bodies. They'd lost one more person—a middle-aged woman who hadn't been able to dodge a lunge. She lay crumpled near the shattered vending machine, eyes vacant.

He clenched his jaw, guilt and rage swirling. They had to keep going.

Blood dripped down Goeun's baton arm, a fresh cut on her shoulder. Taejin tore a strip from a nearby advertisement poster and pressed it against the wound. "We have to hold on," he murmured. "If we clear all waves, we can unlock some kind of Safe Zone."

She nodded weakly, swallowing tears. "Will there be an end?"

He glanced at the system prompt:

Remaining Waves: 2Final Wave Leader Approaches.

Yes, there was an end: a final wave. Another voice joined them. Won coughed, still holding the battered extinguisher. "We can do this... together."

Taejin nodded, forcing a steadiness into his voice. "No one fights alone. Watch each other's backs. Two waves left. Let's make it count."

Time crawled. In the last seconds before the second wave, they scavenged any blunt objects. The older man found a half-broken metal sign that could act like a shield. Taejin swallowed water from the convenience store stash, ignoring the metallic taste. Exhaustion weighed on him, but the flicker of adrenaline kept him upright.

Then the station lights flickered again. A deeper growl rumbled from the corridor:

Wave 2 – Elite Creatures Spawned.

Elite? Taejin tensed. Three large shapes lumbered forth. They looked like the first wave's monsters, but bulkier, with elongated claws and spines bristling along their backs. The group braced themselves.

"Stick to the plan," Taejin hissed. "We all strike as soon as one crosses the barrier."

The first Elite crashed into the turnstiles with savage force. Metal bars tore free from the floor. The barricade that had served them so well gave way in a shriek of bending steel. Taejin's eyes went wide. No more funnel advantage—they were wide open.

The monstrous figure lunged. Taejin dodged aside, jabbing the pipe at its ribs. His blow landed, but hardly phased the creature. Goeun darted in, baton smashing into the monster's knee. It staggered. The older man swung his makeshift shield, slamming into the beast's flank. It roared, lashing out with claws that scraped across the man's chest.

Taejin aimed a strike at its face. The creature flung out an arm, knocking him back. Pain shot through his shoulder as he hit the tile. Another Elite roared behind them, tangling with Won and the rest. Chaos erupted, the group scattered.

Strength: D+[Skill Learned: Basic Strike Lv.1]

A faint surge coursed through Taejin's muscles. Something in him snapped. He rose, ignoring the burning in his body. He gripped the pipe with both hands. A sliver of system instinct told him how to focus that surge into a single blow.

He lunged forward, letting a raw shout tear from his throat. The monster turned, red eyes blazing, and raised its claws. Taejin swung downward with everything he had. The pipe connected—this time, it felt like a direct channel of power. The Elite's skull cracked from the impact. It collapsed, twitching.

He gasped, adrenaline surging. The prompt glowed at the edge of his vision:

You used [Basic Strike].Monster Defeated. +40 Experience.

He had no time to celebrate. Another Elite was rampaging near the turnstiles, sending broken metal shards flying. It pinned Goeun by the collar. Taejin dashed in, jammed the pipe into the creature's spine. It hissed, letting Goeun drop. She swung her baton at its head while Taejin struck again, the combined hits bringing it down.

The final Elite roared behind them, but the older man and two others tackled it at once. Won forced the extinguisher under its chin, pressing upward to keep the jaws from snapping closed. Taejin darted behind, delivering a Basic Strike to the monster's back. Each blow chipped away its life. The creature sagged to its knees, and Goeun finished it with a baton strike to the temple.

Gasps filled the station. Another wave done. Two survivors coughed, one nursing a severe cut on her leg. The older man had blood dripping from his chest, but it looked shallow. Taejin tasted iron in his mouth, realized he'd bitten his lip. He spat, trembling in every limb.

Wave 2 Cleared.Final Wave Leader Arrives in 30 seconds.

They had barely half a minute. Taejin pressed a hand to Goeun's shoulder. "Check your stats," he rasped. "If you leveled, maybe you can heal up some or get stronger."

She nodded, face pale. He noticed she had a shaky message screen in front of her, eyes flicking over it. Taejin did the same, praying for more points:

Level Up: 2 → 3Strength: D → CAgility: D → CVitality: D → CIntelligence: EFree Points: +2

He allocated the free points into Vitality, hoping to endure another monstrous hit. A quiet rush soothed the bruises across his torso. Not fully healing, but enough to stay standing. Then the station speaker crackled once again:

Final Wave Leader has arrived: The Ripper Beast.

The platform shook as something colossal emerged. A monstrous figure, twice the size of the previous Elites, crawled up from the darkness of the tunnel. Its limbs were elongated, each hand tipped with curved claws that scraped the floor, leaving deep grooves. Rows of jagged teeth jutted from a twisted jaw. A guttural hiss filled the air, vibrating in Taejin's bones.

He saw the absolute terror in his companions' eyes. Yet, they formed up around him. The older man gripped the shield. Goeun tightened her battered baton. Won swallowed hard, extinguisher raised. They were battered and afraid, but they stood together. Taejin's breath caught in his throat.

The monstrous beast lunged. Taejin dove aside, rolling on the tiles. The station's walls shook with the creature's impact. He scrambled up, heart thundering. They had no barricade left. No easy plan. Just one chance at a combined assault.

Goeun and Won struck from either side. The beast whipped its tail, knocking them sideways. Taejin rushed in, channeling Basic Strike into a powerful blow. His pipe slammed the monster's arm, but it merely snarled and swung around. He twisted away, avoiding a direct slash that could've carved him open.

The older man flanked the creature, bashing it with the shield. It roared and raked him across the torso. The man collapsed, blood staining his shirt. Anger boiled in Taejin's chest. He tightened his grip on the pipe, ignoring the screaming in his muscles.

He circled behind the Ripper Beast, searching for an opening. Goeun and Won pestered it from the front. They inflicted minor cuts, but none that slowed it. The creature reared, preparing a savage lunging slash. Taejin saw the telltale flex of its hind legs. If that blow landed, it could kill them both.

Gritting his teeth, Taejin sprinted forward, hopped onto a broken turnstile, and launched himself at the beast's back. Before it could strike, he slammed the pipe into the side of its head, channeling every ounce of strength. The metal weapon bent from the impact. The beast screeched and flailed, crashing into a row of benches.

Goeun lunged, baton cracking into the monster's exposed neck. Won jabbed the extinguisher nozzle into its face, releasing a burst of foam that blinded it momentarily. Taejin seized the chance. He dropped the ruined pipe, grabbed a loose shard of metal from the floor, and drove it into the beast's throat.

A sickening crunch. Black fluid gushed out. The Ripper Beast thrashed, limbs clawing at the ground. Taejin held tight to the shard, pushing deeper until the monstrous thing finally stopped moving. Silence.

He slumped to his knees, breath ragged. Around him, the group stared at the fallen creature, eyes wide, tears brimming. Then the station lights flared, stable at last. A final system prompt hovered:

Scenario 2 Complete.Safe Zone Unlocked.+200 Experience.

Taejin's battered body ached in every spot, but he let out a shaky breath, relief mingling with shock. They'd done it. The older man was gravely injured, but still alive—others rushed to patch him up. Goeun knelt by Taejin, pressing a hand to his shoulder with a tired smile. He saw her lip quiver.

Level 4 Achieved.Allocation recommended.

He barely processed it. All he knew was they had a moment of safety, however temporary. The overhead sign flickered from red to a soft green. A single message scrolled across the station's digital display: "SAFE ZONE – REST HERE. NEXT SCENARIO IN 12 HOURS."

Taejin sagged with relief. They could breathe. They could treat wounds. They had survived the impossible. But he suspected the game had only just begun.

He locked eyes with the battered survivors. No one needed to speak. They understood that more threats waited beyond these walls. Yet for now, the bloodshed paused. The station belonged to them—this fragile haven carved from a twisted new reality.

He forced himself to stand, ignoring the tremors in his limbs. "Everyone... gather up," he called out, voice raw. "We'll rest. Then we figure out our next move."

A hush fell as they huddled near the convenience booth, battered and alive. In his peripheral vision, Taejin noticed a faint notification about Constellations awarding "Coin tips" to certain players who stood out. He clenched his fists, refusing to see himself as some performer dancing for sadistic gods.

He looked at the flickering sign, telling him the next scenario loomed in twelve hours. A sour weight coiled in his gut. This was no one-time crisis. Reality had changed. System windows, monsters, and forced survival trials... They were in a war against an unknown force.

Taejin's gaze swept over the group. Goeun met his eyes, a spark of renewed grit on her face. Won tightened bandages on a companion's wounded arm, determined not to lose anyone else. The older man lay on the floor, wincing but alive, giving Taejin a weak nod of gratitude.

Yes, Taejin thought. He might be powerless in the grand scheme, but he wasn't alone. If the system insisted on turning life into a brutal game, they'd figure out how to endure. Together, they'd hunt for answers, level up, and stand against whatever came next. Even if gods watched from afar, expecting them to fall.

He clenched his jaw, ignoring the dull ache in his ribs. One scenario ended, another on the horizon. No room for fear. The station felt like the eye of a storm that promised more terror to come.

But for the first time, Taejin recognized a spark within himself that refused to break. If the system wanted players, they'd get one ready to tear their illusions apart. He would see this twisted game to its core—and fight until no more innocents died for someone else's sick entertainment.

He drew in a ragged breath. Then, in that moment of quiet, a faint beep heralded a new system prompt:

Main Scenario – Prelude unlocked.World-level changes imminent.

Taejin stared at the words, pulse hammering. Imminent changes. More devastation on a scale he couldn't fathom. He glanced at Goeun, Won, and the others. They'd all seen it. A silent understanding passed between them.

Their short rest would end too soon. Outside this Safe Zone, the city likely drowned in chaos. Other survivors fought for their lives, or fell victim to these monsters. And above everything, the watchers lurked, eagerly awaiting the next act. Taejin's grip tightened on his battered weapon.