Chapter 4

I took a deep breath, calming myself down as I struggled to process what I was seeing. "This is... unexpected," I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. I reached up to touch my cheeks.

As I gazed into the mirror, my reflection stared back at me, a stranger's face with features I didn't recognize. My body, too, was different - the shape, the size, everything. I felt like I was looking at someone else, a person I'd never met before.

I stood frozen in front of the mirror, my eyes locked on the reflection staring back at me. But something was off. The person in the mirror was a boy, with messy dark hair and dark brown eyes. I, on the other hand, was a girl.

I looked down at my body, and it was still mine, but when I looked back up at the mirror, the boy was still there. It was as if the mirror was reflecting a different version of me, one that I didn't recognize.

I jolted awake, my heart racing as I sat up in the dimly lit room. The familiar walls and cold air.

"Ugh… what a strange dream." I muttered, gently rubbing my eyes.

Meadow's voice echoed through the room, breaking the silence. "Goodmorning, everyone! To help you all to start the day off right, I've prepared a simple but nourishing breakfast. Warm milk and a freshly baked bread!" He smiled, holding out trays with steaming mugs and a baskets filled with crusty loaves enough to feed 110 people in the tower.

To my surprise, Kang-ho and Eun Ae approached me, their faces filled with concern. "Hey, you should come with us to get some food," Kang-ho said gently. Eun Ae nodded in agreement. "We're worried you might not get any if you don't come with us. You can be a bit... shy because you're not familiar with any of us, and we don't want you to go hungry."

I pondered for a moment, wondering if I should address them as "uncle" and "aunt" as they had suggested. "Hm, should I really call them that?" I thought to myself. For a moment, I felt no doubts for them.

"Sure, uncle and aunt!" I exclaimed, smiling brightly. "I'll come with you!" Maybe I was just a person who trusted people easily, but there was something about them that put me at ease.

Minutes have passed, we found ourselves at the front of the line, and Meadow handed us each a warm crusty loaf of bread and a steaming mug of milk. "Enjoy your breakfast!" he said with a smile. Uncle, Aunt, and I exchanged grateful glances, and then we made our way to a quiet corner to savor our simple but satisfying meal.

"Aunt, are you pregnant? I blurted out, even if I knew the truth, I still have to ask to make sure.

Eun Ae's face lit up with a warm smile. "Oh, yes, I am," she replied, gently cradling her belly. "I'm due in about two months, actually."

"Woah! congratulations." I showed them my bright smile.

As the last of us finished our breakfast, Meadow's voice rang out, filled with excitement. "Now that everyone us fueled up and ready to go, let's get started with our first round, shall we?"

'First round, huh?" I thought to myself. 'We're done with the tutorial stage, but I have a feeling this is going to be a bit dangerous than before.'

Meadow's expression turned firm, and he began to explain the details of the first round. "Let me tell you the details. Everyone will be divided into 11 groups, and each group will be teleported to a different area. The twist is that each are will have it's own unique sey of monsters, and I'm sure you can guess that some of them will be extremely powerful."

I was suddenly teleported to a new location with 9 other girls, all teenagers. I felt a wave of relief wash over me, grateful that I wasn't alone and that my companions seemed relatively harmless.

I glanced up at the status window, and my eyes widened as I read the area's title.

[Manananggal's Lair]

Description: A terrifying creature from Filipino folklore, the Manananggal is a bloodthirsty demon that can separate its upper body from its lower half. It preys on pregnant women and unborn children, using its sharp fangs and claws to drain their blood.

"I know that much but a Manananggal, seriously?"

[Mission!]

Rescue Sylvia

Save the pregnant woman, Sylvia, from the clutches of the Manananggal. She is being held captive in the nearby village. Be cautious, as the Manananggal is known to be ruthless and will stop at nothing to claim it's next victim.

"Fuck. We're so fucked." I muttered.

To be continued...