Chapter Three: The Door of Ten

Linus stared at the grotesque creature before him, still unable to believe that nature could have created such an abomination. The longer he looked, the sicker he felt, prompting him to avert his gaze.

"So, from what you're saying," Linus began, eyes scanning the twisted environment, "humanity is on the verge of extinction due to this virus called Brightborn—its origins unknown. And in a desperate attempt to find a cure, people were selected to undergo this... project, to save what's left of humanity. Is that it?"

The Bunny Man nodded silently.

Linus didn't ask further, though his expression made his disbelief clear. It all felt far too convenient—like a rough story thrown together for desperate minds to swallow. Something wasn't adding up.

"What are we supposed to do, then?" Linus asked at last.

The Bunny Man walked forward, and suddenly, the space around them twisted, folded, and shattered like broken glass. Within seconds, they stood before a massive door—tall and wide, with a glowing inscription across it:

FLOOR TEN.

"At this moment," said the Bunny Man, "other groups across the Complex are hearing the same instructions I'm giving you. My apologies if your doubts remain unanswered."

He gestured toward the door.

"There are numerous routes that lead to Floor Ten. Your objective is simple: find a path that reaches it—before 168 hours run out."

Linus's eyes narrowed.

"This area is a safe zone," continued the Bunny Man. "Facilities—medical, food, rest—will be provided for the first 24 hours. After that, the safe zones will shut down, signaling that it's time to move. Tools and weapons necessary to face the obstacles ahead will appear in time."

In the blink of an eye, Linus was back in the crowded plaza. The Bunny—still towering, still cold—continued its announcement.

"I understand many of you are disoriented," it said. "But try. Strive. Fight your way to Floor Ten before the deadline. When time runs out… those remaining on the lower levels will face erasure."

The Bunny checked its pocket watch.

"Rest well. Eat. Prepare to move."

And with that, it vanished.

No further answers. No room for debate. Just silence.

Some participants immediately began pressing behind their ears—right for some, left for others. Linus, a natural lefter, instinctively pressed his left ear, and a holographic panel appeared in his vision—visible only to him.

[PROFILE PANEL]

Name: Linus Grey

Age: 17

Gender: Male

Status: HEALTH – Green

He tapped a side tab. Two options appeared: [Armory] and [Authority Status].

As expected, the armory tab was empty. Curious, he opened Authority Status—but the screen displayed only:

[UNAVAILABLE IN SAFE ZONE]

"It seems some of these features won't unlock until we leave," he muttered.

From what he'd gathered, the Complex was massive—an intricate labyrinth of floors, passages, and shifting environments. Fortunately, it wasn't just one Floor Ten; there were multiple across various branches. The challenge was finding any one of them in time.

Following the guiding arrows on the floor, Linus eventually found his way back to his room. Inside, something had changed.

A compartment near the wall had opened.

Inside was a set of gear—all white in color: a backpack, a water tank, a compact camping knife, black pants and a shirt, a pair of boots, and a lightweight jacket.

Linus stripped off the bland white uniform he'd worn since waking, tossed it aside, and dressed in the new gear. A soft chime echoed as a notification appeared in front of him:

[Would you like to change the color of your equipment?]

He didn't hesitate. He opened the preferences menu and tapped black. Within seconds, every item on him shifted to a sleek, matte black.

Satisfied, he packed the remaining items into his bag and exited the room.

Outside, he bumped into his neighbor—the same girl with dark brown hair and sharp amber eyes. She flinched slightly at the sudden meeting but said nothing. Her outfit was identical to his, except hers was tinted khaki tan.

She walked away without a word. Linus didn't mind. He followed, though this time, the arrows did not lead them back to the plaza, but to a new area.

A vast dining hall.

Long rows of metallic tables stretched across the chamber. Hot meals were already laid out. Dozens of participants had already begun eating.

"Who made the food?" Linus muttered under his breath.

Following the arrows again, he was guided to an empty seat. Coincidentally, his neighbor sat directly across from him. Neither acknowledged the other—they simply inspected their food in silence.

Linus stared at the bowl in front of him. A strange grey paste glimmered in the dish.

"What is this...?" he frowned.

Skeptically, he dipped his spoon in and tasted it.

"…Not bad. Despite how it looks," he admitted, swallowing the bite.

As he ate, a troubling thought crept into his mind.

"Why were we given knives?"

He looked around the room, his gaze shifting across the faces of other participants—some anxious, some calm, others unreadable.

"Is it for defense? Against what...? Creatures? Monsters?"

Then his eyes narrowed.

"…Or are we supposed to fight each other?"

His gaze drifted back to his neighbor. She ate slowly, her expression unreadable.

Suddenly, a voice echoed through the facility:

> [To all participants: the entrance is now open. Please prepare to move out.]

Linus placed his spoon down. The last of his warm meal was gone. He stood and walked toward the plaza with the others trailing behind.

No one said a word.

They left behind the plates—and possibly, their last proper meal.

As he passed his room, Linus didn't even glance inside. He had already turned it upside down looking for clues. It held no meaning.

Before him stood the door. The entrance to the path that would decide the fate of everyone here.

Linus's lips curled into a grin.

His light blue eyes fixed on the glowing doorway.

"Whatever lies behind this door… will decide the fate of humanity."