Chapter 2: The Game Begins – A Dangerous Path

Scene 1: The Unexpected Summons

The bustling marketplace was alive with energy, a chaotic mix of voices, colors, and scents. Neon-lit stalls lined the stone-paved streets, merchants shouting about their rare wares—enchanted potions, legendary weapons, and mysterious scrolls. Players haggled, warriors tested their blades, and adventurers exchanged stories over sizzling food stalls.

At one of these stalls, two young warriors sat, enjoying a rare moment of peace.

"Lukashi, be honest," Anturo said between bites of grilled meat. "Are we here for something special, or just wasting time enjoying the scenery?"

Lukashi leaned back, a smirk playing on his lips. His deep purple eyes, glowing under the dim lanterns, held a dangerous glint. "Scenery? You still don't understand this game's real nature." His voice dropped, almost a whisper. "This isn't entertainment. This is survival. Every step we take will shape our fate."

Anturo scoffed, gulping down his drink. "Man, listening to you talk makes it sound like we're in some horror game."

Lukashi was about to respond when it happened.

The world around them froze. The flickering lanterns stopped mid-motion. The voices of merchants cut off, leaving only an eerie silence. The air itself felt heavy, pressing against their chests.

Then—reality shattered.

Glitching patterns overtook the sky, the ground cracked open, and streams of neon-green code spiraled through the air like fireflies. The very fabric of the world distorted and twisted as if the game had been hacked by some unseen force.

Then— darkness swallowed them whole.

Scene 2: Enter Aiko – The Duo Becomes a Trio

Lukashi's vision blurred as he regained consciousness.

He found himself standing in a colossal hall, its ceilings stretching so high they disappeared into darkness. Massive stone pillars lined the chamber, and eerie blue flames flickered in ancient torch sconces. The walls bore arcane symbols, pulsing faintly like a heartbeat.

A familiar figure stood a few feet away.

"Aiko?!" Lukashi's eyes widened in shock.

The girl turned, her golden eyes scanning their surroundings. Her long, silver-blue hair shimmered under the dim torchlight. "I was in the training grounds when the world… broke apart. The next thing I knew, I was here."

Anturo frowned, his hand gripping the hilt of his black katana. "So only selected players were brought here?"

Before they could process the situation, the air around them crackled with energy.

A deep, menacing voice echoed through the chamber.

"Welcome… to the real game."

A towering figure stepped out from the shadows.

Lord Lemra.

His presence was suffocating. His crimson eyes burned with unholy intensity, and tendrils of dark energy spiraled around his fingers. He stood tall, his golden staff radiating power.

His voice was both smooth and deadly. "The warm-up is over. Now begins the true challenge of survival."

With a sharp crack, he slammed his staff against the ground.

Holographic projections flickered to life above them, displaying terrifying creatures—armored knights with glowing swords, monstrous beasts with fangs dripping poison, and shadowy assassins lurking in the dark.

"To survive," Lord Lemra continued, his smirk widening, "you must fight."

The chamber trembled. The walls melted away, replaced by a swirling void of black mist.

Before they could react, the floor vanished, and they were sucked into an abyss.

Scene 3 : The First Battle Begins – Awakening the Hidden PowerThe Nightmare Serpent's Wrath

Aiko's power surged as the metal from the ground twisted and shaped into a massive javelin, crackling with blue electricity. With a swift motion, she launched it straight at the Nightmare Serpent.

The beast let out a piercing hiss, its crimson eyes narrowing as the javelin pierced its scaled hide, sending dark ichor spilling onto the ground. The wound sizzled, the very air warping from the creature's unholy energy.

But it wasn't enough.

The Nightmare Serpent reared back, its mouth opening wide, revealing rows of jagged fangs dripping with a venom so corrosive that even the air sizzled in its presence.

With a roar, it unleashed a stream of toxic breath, the mist turning jet-black as it surged toward the trio.

Anturo barely had time to react. "Shit—MOVE!"

The three scattered. The mist melted the trees on contact, leaving only charred husks behind.

Lukashi's Unnatural Skill – The Black Flash Awakens

Lukashi's heart pounded. He could feel it—something awakening deep inside him. His breath slowed, his grip on his black katana tightening.

Then—it happened.

A single spark.

It was small, barely noticeable, but in the next instant—the world slowed to a crawl.

The fog, the venom, the monster's movements—everything around him became clear, as if time itself had stretched.

A strange, whispering voice echoed in his mind:

"The Black Flash Lightning Blade... You are the chosen one."

His body moved on instinct.

With a single step, the ground beneath him shattered. He disappeared into the shadows, faster than lightning, his blade glowing with an eerie black energy.

The Nightmare Serpent barely had time to react before—

SLASH!

A black flash streaked through the battlefield.

Lukashi appeared behind the serpent, his sword raised, dripping with black flames.

For a second, nothing happened.

Then—a deep, jagged wound tore through the Nightmare Serpent's body. The beast's eyes widened in shock as dark cracks spread across its scales.

With a final, agonized screech, the Nightmare Serpent collapsed, its body disintegrating into fragments of code.

[BOSS MONSTER DEFEATED!]

A golden notification hovered in the air.

Lukashi exhaled, his hands still trembling. What was that power?

Lord Lemra's Revelation – The Game Becomes Reality

A slow, mocking clap echoed through the battlefield.

Lord Lemra stood atop a floating platform, his golden staff glowing with ominous energy. His crimson eyes glowed with amusement.

"Well, well… it seems you have passed." His voice was smooth, yet laced with a sinister edge.

Lukashi, still catching his breath, glared at him. "What the hell was that? Why did I feel like... I wasn't even in control of my body?"

Lemra chuckled. "Because you are special, Lukashi Forono."

He spread his arms, his golden robe flowing like smoke.

"The real test was never about winning. It was about awakening."

Lemra's voice turned cold. "From this moment on, the game is no longer just a game."

A holographic message appeared before them:

[SYSTEM UPDATE: THE GAME IS NOW YOUR REAL LIFE.]

Aiko's breath hitched. "No… This can't be—"

Lemra smirked. "Welcome to the true Game of Death. You must now fight not just to win—but to survive. There are monsters lurking in the shadows… and if you die here, you die for real."

Anturo's hands clenched into fists. "You bastard! You planned this from the start!"

Lemra only smiled. "Let the true war begin."

With a final snap of his fingers, he vanished into darkness.

The world around them shifted—the mist clearing to reveal a vast, desolate battlefield filled with broken swords, bones, and ominous shadows lurking in the distance.

Lukashi tightened his grip on his sword.

The real game had begun.

To be continued...