The Gods' Game

As Su Chen stood amidst the gathering forces, a deep tremor shook the very foundations of Blue Star. The air itself became thick and suffocating, pressing down on every awakened soldier like an invisible force of dominance.

The sky cracked open with a golden radiance, a tear in reality forming as ethereal figures loomed beyond the veil. These were no mere projections—this was a direct manifestation of the gods' will.

A voice, vast and unfathomable, mocking yet indifferent, resonated across the battlefield again.

"We have decided to play a game with you, little mortals."

The tone was filled with amusement, as if the speaker found the very notion of resistance entertaining.

"A game where you are the pieces, and we... the controllers."

A wave of chilling laughter followed, reverberating through the sky and across the land.

The soldiers stiffened, their very souls rattled by the sheer presence of the divine. Even Tier 4 and Tier 5 awakeners found themselves struggling against the pressure that pressed against their minds.

Su Chen's gaze darkened. His fists clenched.

"A game? They dare to treat this like entertainment?"

Before he could react further, the world shifted.

---

A World of Horror – The Gods' Illusion

Reality fractured like shattered glass. The clear skies twisted into a bloody red vortex, swallowing the sun in its wake. The ground beneath them melted into rivers of molten gold, twisting and reforming into the screaming faces of fallen warriors.

Then, the true horror unfolded.

All around them, countless corpses littered the ruined earth. Not just any corpses—their own.

Each soldier saw themselves, charred, broken, slaughtered, their eyes forever locked in expressions of agony.

The city of humanity had become a graveyard, and Blue Star was nothing more than a corpse-ridden wasteland.

A young soldier dropped his weapon, his knees buckling as he screamed.

Another clutched his face, trembling as his own lifeless eyes stared back at him from the ground.

Fear spread like wildfire. Even the strongest warriors felt their hearts sink into an abyss.

A soft, mocking whisper filled the air.

"Despair, mortals. This is your future. No matter how you struggle, this is where you will fall."

The illusion was too vivid, too real. It wasn't just a vision—it was a divine nightmare woven into their very souls.

Even Su Chen felt its weight.

But then—his lips curled into a smirk.

"Illusions? Is this all you have?"

His aura erupted, golden flames surging outward as his divine-tier energy shattered the illusion around him.

The red sky cracked, dissolving into fragments of golden dust.

The corpses vanished, replaced by the battlefield's true form.

Yet, before anyone could catch their breath, another voice whispered into their minds.

Not mocking.

Not cruel.

But something... unnerving.

"A game for you and us."

The words sent a cold shiver through every warrior's soul.

This wasn't just another god speaking.

This was something else. Something far more terrifying.

Su Chen exhaled slowly, his gaze sharp.

"A game, huh?"

His fingers tightened around his weapon.

"Then let's play."

But unlike the gods—he had no intention of losing.