" Preparing for the unknown"
A window appeared before my eyes.
---
[CONGRATULATIONS]
You have cleared Round 1.
You have been granted a reward. (It will take time to be delivered.)
---
Before I could even process the message, another window popped up.
---
[TIME UNTIL NEXT ROUND: 02:29:21]
---
I let out a deep breath.
It was over—for now.
My body, tense from the last hour of madness, slowly began to relax. My breathing steadied.
But then—it happened.
The ones who failed...
They died.
Right in front of me.
One by one, people collapsed—some screaming, others too weak to even react.
Their bodies twisted, their faces frozen in terror. Blood pooled beneath them.
The smell of death filled the air.
I stood there, unable to look away.
This was real.
The Messenger's voice rang out again—this time, in a lighter, almost playful tone.
"Now, now~ you all have some time to prepare! Use it wisely, don't waste it, okay? You fools."
Even without looking, I could feel her mocking smirk.
I understood clearly.
There was no time to mourn, no time to hesitate.
I had two options:
1. Rest and find supplies for the next round.
2. Find allies and weapons.
I clenched my fists.
I needed to move.
The second round was coming.
And this time... I wouldn't just survive.
I would fight.
---
I entered the cafeteria again, but this time, I moved slowly and carefully.
If someone found me, I'd be in trouble.
I slipped into the storage room and immediately began searching.
Water. Food. Weapons.
Anything that could help me survive.
After a few minutes of digging through shelves, I found a large knife—sharp, slightly rusted, but usable.
I tucked it inside my hoodie and moved on.
But I wasn't done yet.
I needed to know more about this "sector."
More importantly—I needed to find its boundaries.
The Sector's Edge
After a while of cautious movement, I finally found it.
A massive, glowing yellow wall.
It stretched endlessly in both directions—a transparent barrier, flickering with strange energy.
I slowly stepped forward, reaching out—but stopped.
Words.
Symbols.
They were etched into the wall, flowing like liquid fire.
But the language—I couldn't read it.
It wasn't Japanese.
Maybe Urdu? Maybe Sanskrit?
I had no idea.
The letters twisted and moved, like they were alive.
"What... is this?"
I tried to follow them, but there was no beginning.
No end.
Just an infinite mantra, pulsing within the wall.
And something about it made my skin crawl.
I reached out to touch the glowing wall.
But before my fingers could make contact—
"Don't touch it."
A voice whispered into my ear.
I froze.
Quickly, I turned toward the source of the voice.
A man. Or maybe a woman?
It was hard to tell at first, but they were clad in armor, floating in the sky.
As they descended, I saw them more clearly—a man, dressed in silver-black armor, a faint aura flickering around him.
He landed smoothly in front of me and spoke in a calm, but firm tone.
"You want to die? Then go ahead and touch it."
I swallowed hard. "What happens if I do?"
The moment I asked, his expression darkened.
"Don't even think about it." His voice sharpened.
"Who gave you permission to ask?"
A strange, cold pressure radiated from him. It wasn't as suffocating as the Messenger's, but it was still intimidating.
I instinctively took a step back.
Then, just as quickly as his anger appeared, he calmed down.
"Wait. Come here."
Hesitantly, I stepped closer.
"So, tell me—how did the first round go for you?"
I hesitated. "It was… okay."
But my voice betrayed my fear.
The man smirked. "Don't panic. I'm not going to kill you. But be a good boy, okay? I can still hurt you if I want."
I didn't dare reply.
Before I could even process his words, he asked again.
"So, what's your name?"
"Kuroda Shin."
"Hmm… and what about your family? Friends? A girlfriend? Did they survive?"
His voice was laced with mockery.
I clenched my fists. "I don't have anyone."
Silence.
Then—
He laughed. Loudly.
"Oh! Don't worry—after these games, everyone will be like you."
His words sent a chill through my spine.
"After the game, you might find your freedom. You just need to survive these 15 days."
I was still trying to process what he meant when he continued.
"I like you, kid. My name's Alex Straw."
He grinned.
"If you survive, we'll meet again. And when that happens—I'll treat you to something nice. So just chill, kill, and survive."
And just like that—he vanished.
I stood there, confused.
What just happened?
What did he mean?
"Everyone will be like me?"
My mind was racing with questions, but before I could think further—
---
[TIME UNTIL NEXT ROUND: 1:56:09]
---
Time felt strange.
Was it moving slowly? Or was my mind just too overwhelmed to process it?
I wasn't sure anymore.
I kept my gaze fixed on the glowing wall.
But this time, I noticed something.
Two people.
A middle-aged man—probably in his 40s—and a young girl, even younger than me.
They stood on the other side of the barrier, studying it carefully.
"Are they searching for something?"
A way out? A weakness in the wall? Or… were they looking for family members?
For a moment, I thought about approaching them.
But then—my attention shifted.
And what I saw filled me with rage.
And guilt.
I forced myself to look away.
Then, suddenly—
The time window that had been floating before my eyes vanished.
But just as it disappeared—
A much larger window appeared in the sky.
Its text was clear, cold, and unforgiving.
---
[TIME UNTIL NEXT ROUND – 01:22:34]
---
"Only an hour left..."
I took a deep breath, trying to focus.
I had tasks to complete.
I needed allies.
I needed to find capable people.
But before I could even gather my thoughts, something echoed in my mind.
Alex's voice.
"Everyone will become like you."
"Just chill, kill, and survive."
His words haunted me.
"What did he mean?"
"How many more people will die?"
"How many?"
What should I do?
What would the next round be like?
Would it be like a novel or movie—where we have to fight monsters?
Or worse…
Would we have to kill each other?
Or maybe… it would be something else entirely.
Something far worse.
I exhaled sharply, pushing away the thoughts.
I needed to focus.
I glanced around, trying to understand the people in my sector.
That's when I noticed her.
A young girl.
She looked terrified.
Her small hands trembled as she clutched the hem of her fashionable sweater.
People were approaching her, trying to reassure her.
"This is just a game."
"Don't worry, you'll be safe."
Lies.
But she wanted to believe them.
Then—
A man stepped forward.
A handsome guy with sleek black hair, dressed in a sharp office suit.
He knelt in front of her and spoke in a gentle tone.
"Don't worry. Everything is fine, okay?"
And just like that—
The fear in her faded.
She relaxed.
Maybe it was his confidence.
Or maybe she just wanted someone to believe in.
"She must be from a rich family."
I wasn't sure why, but that thought crossed my mind.
Maybe it was because of her clothes.
Or maybe because of the way she expected someone to save her.
But then I shook my head.
"Why am I even thinking about them?"
"Why do I care about their past?"
I was wasting time.
I needed to focus.
I needed to prepare.
Because the next round was coming.
And I had a feeling—
It would be nothing like the first.
[ Time until next round – 00:55:45 ]
I exhaled.
For some reason, I felt... calm. Too calm.
The fear, the tension—it was gone. My body had forgotten the screams, the blood, the deaths. It felt unnatural, like this was just another ordinary day.
But it wasn't.
I clenched my fists.
"What's happening to me?"
I should feel something—guilt, fear, regret. But there was nothing. Was this shock? Or was I... changing?
I shook my head. No time for that.
The next round was coming.
[ Time until next round – 00:42:10 ]
I needed allies.
Wandering alone was dangerous, and if the next round was anything like the first, I couldn't afford to be alone.
I spotted a young man around my age—Aoki. He had red hair, a short beard, and a sharp but friendly face. He was with his girlfriend, holding her close, whispering something to keep her calm. He looked like a kind guy, someone who might be willing to work together.
I approached him.
"Aoki… do you want to team up?"
He glanced at me, and immediately, his face hardened. His eyes drifted to my bloodstained hoodie, my hands still smeared with dried blood.
I could see it in his expression—fear, doubt, distrust.
He didn't even respond. He just pulled his girlfriend closer and took a step back.
I sighed. I couldn't blame him.
Everyone had seen what happened in the first round. The deaths, the desperation. No one was willing to trust a stranger, especially someone covered in blood.
I tried asking others, but it was the same. Rejection after rejection.
And time was running out.
[ Time until next round – 00:00:10 ]
The air grew heavy.
Everyone had gathered near the giant glowing timer, their faces filled with uncertainty and fear. Some whispered prayers, others stood frozen, gripping whatever supplies they had managed to collect.
10 seconds…
My heart pounded. It felt like standing at the edge of an apocalypse.
5…
Cold sweat dripped down my back.
3… 2… 1…
A blinding light erupted from the sky.
Then, she appeared.
The Messenger.
Glowing like a fallen star, her very presence was overwhelming. The pressure in the air was suffocating, like a storm waiting to break loose. I couldn't even see her clearly—just a radiant figure floating above us.
Then, her voice echoed, cold and amused.
["So, is everyone ready?"]
Silence. No one dared to answer.
She chuckled, her laughter filled with cruel amusement.
["Good. Let's begin. The second game is here… and after this round, only 75% of you will remain."]
A chill ran down my spine.
75%...? That means 25% will die.
I clenched my fists.
The first round was just the beginning.
Now, the real nightmare was about to begin.
The Messenger's voice was unexpectedly sweet, almost playful, as she announced:
"The second game is simple… a dice game."
A dice game?
I stood there, frozen, as confusion spread across the crowd. Murmurs filled the air, people whispering among themselves. No one had expected something so... ordinary.
But was it really?
A small, glowing dice suddenly appeared in my hand. It was warm, pulsing faintly as if it were alive. The numbers 1 to 6 were clearly marked on its smooth surface.
I glanced around. Everyone else had one too.
What did this mean? How was this supposed to decide life and death?
Then, the Messenger spoke again, her voice dripping with amusement.
"Come on now, don't just stand there looking scared. It's just a simple roll… but of course, whether it's easy or not depends on your luck."
A chill ran down my spine.
Something about her tone made it clear—this was no ordinary game of chance.