Promise

Screams echoed through the plaza like the ringing of a shattered bell. Panic spread like wildfire.

Some players dropped to their knees, hands shaking as they stared at the locked HUD. Others turned and ran, trying desperately to outrun the truth. They couldn't.

"It… it can't be," Michael whispered, his voice trembling.

His menu was open, but the Log Out button—their last connection to reality—was grayed out. Disabled. Permanent.

He tapped it again. Nothing. Again. Nothing.

"Michael?" Micha's voice was low, unsteady. "What's going on?"

Michael's hands dropped from the air in front of him as he backed away. "You really can't log out."

Micha blinked, staring through the glowing interface. "No. No way. This—this has to be a bug."

"Then why does it feel so real?" Michael's voice cracked. He turned to Micha, his eyes wide, full of dread. "Why would anyone do this? We have lives outside this game, families—school. Why trap us here?"

The weight of it began to crush him. His knees buckled, and he slumped to the ground.

"Was this… always John Ron's plan?" Micha muttered. "The creator of Deadlink… did he really mean to trap us in here?"

A girl nearby collapsed, long brunette hair falling over her face. She clutched her head, sobbing uncontrollably. "Please—someone—I have to get to my brother. He's only eight. He's waiting for me to log out!"

A boy punched the air in front of him, desperately trying to force the system menu open. "Open! Dammit—open!"

It didn't.

Around them, the crowd began to crumble.

Voices shouted. Some screamed. Others cried. A few simply stood still, hollow-eyed, as the reality sank in.

They were trapped.

Not in a game.

Not in some fantasy world.

But in a prison made of pixels and code—with the highest possible cost.

Life.

Tears rolled silently down Michael's face as he looked up at the violet sky, the world around him still beautiful despite everything.

But it was now a cage.

And somewhere, someone had turned the key.

Micha turned to Michael, expression hollow but determined. "We need to get stronger. Fast."

Michael nodded slowly, his mind spinning. "Yeah… because if we don't… we die here."

"Let's hurry and go to the next town there could be different loot and we can do side quests to earn exp." Micha said.

Michael's head was down, he had a disturbing look on his face.

Micha grabbed his shoulder "I know your scared but we got us."

Michael smiled "Yeah your right."

"Let's go then."

Day 2 — Floor 0 – Location: Eiron Village | Population: 3,206 Players]

It had only been one day since the incident—and since then, Michael and Micha had been grinding nonstop. Monsters, quests, escort missions… anything for XP and gear.

They had just arrived at the next village—Eiron, a sprawling settlement nestled between low mountains and glowing silverleaf trees. The shops here sold basic weapons and armor with decent durability, and after selling off some loot, they both managed to upgrade their gear.

[Player Status – Michael]

Level: 14

ATK: 17

AGL: 13

HP: 50/50

Gear Equipped: Iron-Edged Longsword, Worn Traveler's Coat [+10 Durability]

[Player Status – Micha]

Level: 16

ATK: 20

AGL: 16

HP: 59/59

Gear Equipped: Bronze Fang Daggers x2, Reinforced Cloak [+12 Agility]

The town square was bustling—more players arriving by the minute. Notifications blinked around the plaza as people opened trade menus, accepted party invites, and shouted about selling items.

Micha was clearly in the lead when it came to progress. Faster, sharper, more confident—it felt like Michael had somehow become his sidekick. And honestly? He didn't mind.

They stopped near the central plaza to grab a quick bite from a food stand run by an NPC merchant. Micha tapped the glowing icon above the vendor, and a radial menu expanded in front of him.

[Purchase Menu Opened – Select Food Item]

→ Basic Sandwich – 3 Iron Shards

→ Roasted Fish Wrap – 5 Iron Shards

→ Citrus Elixir – 2 Iron Shards

He tapped the sandwich and confirmed the purchase. Two wrapped sandwiches materialized in his inventory with a soft chime, and he passed one to Michael. They sat at a nearby wooden table, the in-game sunlight casting soft shadows through the canopy above.

Michael took a bite and blinked in surprise. "Wow… Even though this is a game, it tastes so real. Like, organic. Chewy. I can actually taste the garlic."

Micha grinned mid-bite. "Damn, you're right. That crunch? Props to whoever coded the food system."

Just then, a voice nearby caught their attention.

At the stall, a silver-haired player in a long black cpat was arguing with the NPC vendor. A gleaming obsidian katana was sheathed across his back.

"Come on, can't you let it slide? I don't have that much Iron," the player said, his tone tight.

The NPC, a clean-shaven man in chef's garb, responded in his programmed monotone. "I'm sorry, traveler. You must pay the required cost to receive goods."

"Tch. These damn NPCs… I'm starving here."

Before Michael could react, Micha stood up and walked over. "Hey, I got it. I'll cover his food."

The silver-haired player looked up, startled. "You sure?"

Micha nodded, and with a flick of his finger, opened his menu. A small window popped in front of him:

[Transfer 3 Iron Shards → NPC: Food Vendor] → Confirm?

The payment processed with a soft tone, and the NPC bowed slightly.

"Transaction complete. Here is your sandwich. Thank you for shopping with us."

Micha took the wrapped sandwich and handed it to the player.

The guy blinked, clearly caught off guard. Then he smiled. "Hey… seriously, thank you. I was down to 1 HP earlier almost died and didn't have the funds to regen. You just saved me."

"Damn, sorry to hear that. If you died, game over." Micha held out a hand. "Name's Micha."

The player shook it firmly. "I go by Ren. But most people just call me Flash. Nobody called me Flash—I just named myself that."

"Got ya. I should give myself a nickname too. Also—that's my best friend Michael, my day one." Micha pointed toward Michael.

"Wow, Micha and Michael. So similar. Wassup, Michael?"

Michael sat up and walked over. "Just trying to survive."

They all laughed.

Flash went quiet, then took another bite of his sandwich. "It all happened so fast. I got a little sister at home… it's just me and her."

Tears started falling from his eyes. "I hope she's okay." He slammed his fist on the table. "Fuck you, John Ron."

Michael placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know how you feel. I got a mom at home too. I know she's sick with worry."

"Yeah, I got my parents and two younger siblings. But we've got to live for them—and beat these 100 floors."

Flash looked up at Micha.

"Don't fight alone. We do this together. Find your friends."

Flash wiped his tears. "Damn, I needed that. Thank you. Let me friend you guys—so, you know, we can hang out."

"For sure," they both said.

They each opened their main menus with a flick of the wrist. A soft chime echoed as Flash sent a friend request.

[Friend Request: Flash → Micha | Michael]

→ Accept | Decline

Micha tapped Accept without hesitation. Michael followed a second later.

[Flash has been added to your Friends List.]

Flash finished the last of his sandwich and started walking away. He paused, then turned back to them.

"Hey, I'm under the Dreadnaught guild. We're going to clear Floor Zero so Floor One can be opened. Y'all wanna tag along?"

"Hold on—you mean Dreadnaught Rex? One of the beta testers? He's like… one of the strongest in the game, right?" Michael asked.

Flash chuckled. "Yeah."

"How are you in a top guild already?" Micha asked, raising a brow.

Flash smirked. "Just gave it my all and got recognized. You know, if you guys want to join, I can put in a word—but you need to be skilled too."

"Actually, I was thinking about making my own guild," Micha said casually.

Michael smiled.

"Me and Michael were gonna take over this game and reach Floor 100 together." Micha glanced at Michael. "And that's a promise."

Michael nodded. "Yeah, for sure."

Micha turned back to Flash. "Yeah—we'll tag along."

[Three Hours Later – The Core Tower Gates | Floor Zero]

The air was thick with anticipation.

A gathering of nearly a hundred players stood before the massive obsidian gates of the Core Tower, the final challenge of Floor Zero. The stone beneath their feet pulsed faintly with leyline energy, reacting to the presence of so many armed combatants. The tower loomed above like a sleeping giant—silent, ancient, and ominously still.

Most of the assembled players wore mismatched beginner gear, but the Dreadnaught Guild stood out like trained professionals—uniformed, heavily armed, and far more composed. They had formed a wide half-circle formation in front of the gate, clearly taking the lead.

At the center of it all stood Dreadnaught Rex.

A towering figure clad in steel-gray armor, his cracked faceplate barely hid the burning red glow of his visor. His heavy boots made dull thuds against the stone, and the air around him felt… heavier. Players called him The Juggernaut. A beta tester. The strongest known player in the game.

He stepped forward.

"Attention!"

His voice boomed across the field, cutting through the whispers and UI beeps. Every player stopped moving. All eyes turned to him.

"I thank all of you for coming here," Rex began, his voice like iron scraping stone, "even those who aren't a part of my guild. As a beta tester, I've defeated this boss before. I know what it's capable of. But together—with coordination and discipline—we will unlock Floor One."

A quiet murmur rippled through the crowd—excitement, nerves, fear.

At the back of the formation, Michael and Micha stood side by side, surveying the gathering.

Michael adjusted the strap of his longsword across his back. Micha leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed on the front lines.

"My second-in-command," Rex continued, raising one armored hand, "is Asura. You listen to her after me."

Asura stepped forward with calm, precise strides.

Her blonde hair was tied back in a high braid that danced slightly with the wind. Her skin was sun-kissed, and her sharp electric-blue eyes had faint pulsing rings around the pupils—an active sign of her Pulse Caster class. Twin energy revolvers rested on either side of her hips.

To Michael, she was mesmerizing.

He blinked and quickly looked away, feeling heat creep into his face. Was he seriously blushing in the middle of a boss raid?

Micha smirked, leaning toward him. "You think she cute."

Michael cleared his throat, flustered. "Man, I don't know what you talkin' about."

Asura's voice rang out, firm and confident. "My name is Asura. Thank you all for being here. Today, we move as one. We watch each other's backs. And we take down whatever's behind those doors."

There was a pause—then a chorus of weapons being unsheathed, shields raised, and spells prepped. The tension sharpened like a blade.

Michael exhaled slowly, eyes drifting up to the enormous black gate as it began to tremble. Something on the other side had awakened. The stone pulsed brighter beneath their boots.

A system message blinked across everyone's HUD:

[CORE TOWER – BOSS ROOM UNLOCKED]

Warning: Death in this zone is permanent. Proceed with caution.

Michael clenched his.

Micha stepped forward with a smirk, blades ready. "Let's clear this damn floor."