Chapter 8: New Attributes

[Attention, Survivors. 8 hours remaining before the next trial.]

The voice echoed, cold and impersonal. The group had been walking in silence for the past hour after they left the diner, navigating the endless metallic corridors that stretched before them. Each step felt heavier than the last, their bodies exhausted but their minds unwilling to rest. The horrors of the first trial still clung to them, and none of them dared to speculate what awaited in the next one.

Zack looked up at the sky, where the holographic timer hovered, counting down each second. The map beside it flickered, displaying the route to the next venue. His brows furrowed as he recognized the way and the name of their next destination: 

The Northwood Medical Center. 

*Flashback*

The flashes of sterile white walls, the sharp scent of antiseptic, and the sound of hurried footsteps on the floor.

A particular night stands out. The ER had been a warzone of blood and chaos. The feeling of dried blood on his gloves, the shouting of nurses. A multi-car pileup had flooded the department with critical patients. He remembers Olivia standing beside him, exhaustion weighing down her features but determination burning in her eyes.

"Stay with me, Zack. If you burn out, who else am I supposed to suffer through this hell with?" she'd said with a smirk, nudging him with her elbow before diving back into the chaos.

Suddenly, a young girl had arrived in critical condition, his mother sobbing uncontrollably as Zack and Olivia fought to stabilize him. 'We've got this, just a little longer," Olivia had muttered, her voice steady despite the chaos. 

But minutes later, the heart monitor flatlined. Zack had clenched his jaw, unable to meet the mother's eyes as she screamed.

"Zack," Olivia had whispered, gripping his wrist. "We have five more patients waiting. We keep going."

And so he did. Because stopping wasn't an option.

It had been their routine. Long shifts, adrenaline-fueled nights, and moments where saving a life was the only thing that mattered. He had always believed they'd make it through anything. 

*End of flashback*

As Zack processes the weight of the memory, he clenches his fists. If the next trial was set here, that meant the System was throwing them into his past. But maybe... just maybe, that could be his advantage. He knew the halls, the supply rooms, the hidden corners where staff snuck away for a moment of rest. If the trial involved navigating the hospital, he could use his knowledge to help them survive.

He felt his stomach twist. It's like going home, but now…there was no home anymore. 

The hospital wasn't a place of healing. It was a battleground for survival.

—

Arya and Ellie were walking behind the group, a little left behind but they can still see them.

"So, Ellie, how do you know Carter and Mark?" Aria asked.

"Well, Carter is my neighbor and classmate from high school. We didn't talk much then, but now

we've been stuck in this nightmare together, and I guess that kind of forces you to rely on people," Ellie said with a small smile. 

"Mark, on the other hand, I met here. We ended up in the same trial, and... well, he saved me."

Arya raised an eyebrow. "Saved you?"

Ellie nodded, her fingers tightening around the hem of her shirt. "During our first trial, there was this 'thing'. I don't even know how to describe it. It wasn't human, but it wasn't fully a monster either. It was hunting us down, and I...I froze." Her voice lowered as she glanced toward Mark, who was walking a few feet ahead. "I should've died, but he pulled me out of its path at the last second. Since then, we've stuck together."

Arya studied her carefully. There was something in Ellie's voice, a softness when she spoke about Mark. A small smile tugged at Arya's lips. "And now you two are a thing?"

Ellie's face flushed. "W-what? No! I mean, maybe? I don't know. It's complicated."

Arya chuckled. "You like him."

Ellie sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "I mean, yeah. He's kind, protective, and I trust him. But is there even a point in thinking about that here? In this situation?"

"Wait, you said you were on the first trial where something was hunting you down? But that's not the trial we encountered…" she said, confused. 

"We were at the bridge, then a locked door, finally, we took down a monster, well, Jake did."

"So, we compete on different trials at the same time but end up in the same safe zone?" 

Ellie nodded, her brows furrowing. "That's what it looks like. We started with five people, but only three of us made it. Two didn't even last the first ten minutes."

Arya shuddered, her mind racing with the implications. "So the system isn't running just one trial at a time; it's testing different people in different ways at different times."

Ellie hesitated before saying, "And what if… what if not all trials are the same difficulty? What if some people have it worse than others?"

Arya's stomach twisted at the thought. That would mean the system was choosing who suffered more. But based on what? Their stats? Their roles?

"Whatever the case, we're all in the same place now," Arya murmured.

Ellie nodded, her eyes flicking toward Mark again. "And I'd rather not be alone in this."

Before Arya could respond, a sudden chime echoed in their heads.

[Attention, Survivors. Status Update Initiating.]

A sharp, sudden pain pulsed through their skulls. Arya let out a small gasp, clutching her temples. Jake winced, muttering a curse under his breath. Across the group, glowing holographic screens blinked into existence before their eyes.

But this time, the stats were different.

[Participant: Zack Martin]

[Role: Medic]

[Survival Rate: 90%]

[New Attribute: Adaptive Focus (Allows the user to maintain clarity and precision under psychological stress. Reduces the impact of illusions or distractions during trials.)

[Next Trial: The Illusion]

Zack inhaled sharply, scanning the information. New attribute? That was different. He had not received anything new after the first trial–just a confirmation of his survival rate and role. Why now?

He flexed his fingers, willing away the lingering discomfort in his head. Adaptive focus. It made sense. During the last trial, he'd force himself to remain calm under pressure, thinking critically instead of panicking. If the system was adjusting them based on their strengths, then this attribute was its way of acknowledging his ability to keep a level head. 

A rustling sound made him glance towards the others. 

[Participant: Jake Sanchez]

[Role: Combat Specialist]

[Survival Rate: 95%]

[New Attribute: Predator Instinct (Enhances combat awareness, allowing the user to anticipate enemy movements, even in distorted environments.)

[Next Trial: The Illusion]

Jake was rubbing his temples, muttering a curse under his breath.

[Participant: Arya Smith]

[Role: Engineer]

[Survival Rate: 87%]

[New Attribute: Structural Insight (Allows the user to analyze surroundings for weaknesses, hidden mechanisms, or inconsistencies in the environment, helpful for detecting illusions.)

[Next Trial: The Illusion]

Arya blinked rapidly, her expression tense.

[Participant: Ellie Cooper]

[Role: Scout]

[Survival Rate: 85%]

[New Attribute: Evasive Agility (Enhanced movement and reflexes, allowing quick reactions in dangerous situations.)

[Next Trial: The Illusion]

[Participant: Carter Allister]

[Role: Agent]

[Survival Rate: 94%]

[New Attribute: Berserker's Endurance (Physical pain tolerance increases significantly when in combat)

[Next Trial: The Illusion]

[Participant: Mark Evans]

[Role: Tracker]

[Survival Rate: 93%]

[New Attribute: Stealth (Ability to move undetected)

[Next Trial: The Illusion]

[Participant: Ambrose Vail]

[Role: Analyst]

[Survival Rate: 98%]

[New Attribute: Unyielding shield (Can withstand fatal blows once per trial before collapsing)

[Next Trial: The Illusion]

Mark, Ellie, Carter and Ambrose; everyone seemed to have gone through the same thing–but if they were seeing their own stats like last time, that meant none of them could see each other's updates. 

The hologram flickered before fading away. Silence settled over the group as they processed the new information. 

Zack took a slow breath. "Did… anyone else's status change?"

Jake grunted. "Something new popped up. Not sure what to make of it yet."

Arya hesitated. "Same here. I think we all got something added."

Zack's mind raced. If they had all been given new attributes, then it wasn't just a random occurrence. The System was evolving them, whether to help or manipulate them was another question entirely.

"We're being modified," Ambrose said, his voice calm but analytical. "The System is preparing us."

Zack studied him carefully. As usual, the man was unreadable, his tone composed, his expression neutral. There was no shock, no hesitation. But that wasn't enough to confirm anything. They all saw only their own statuses. If Ambrose had something different, there was no way to tell.

[Attention, Survivors. 7 hours remaining before the next trial.]

The voice snapped them back to the present. Zack looked up at the countdown still burning in the sky. Time was slipping away.

"We need to keep moving," he said, adjusting the strap on his bag. "We don't know what we're walking into, but if the System is giving us new abilities, it means things are about to get worse."

No one argued. With their heads full of questions and their steps heavy with uncertainty, the survivors walked towards the Northwood Medical Center towards whatever twisted challenge awaited them next.