Chapter 3:Kill to Advance

A new voice echoed in their minds—colder, darker, and absolute.

"Phase Two. Sacrifice Required. One life must be taken by your hand… or yours will be claimed."

The blood-drenched battlefield froze.

Ji-Hwan stood among corpses and rubble, gasping. His branch weapon dripped with demon ichor, fingers trembling. He turned slowly, scanning the surviving contestants. No one moved.

Then chaos.

Screams tore through the air as desperation detonated in real time. Teammates turned enemies. Friends lunged at each other with cracked blades and blind fury. The ground soaked deeper into red.

Ji-Hoon stood calmly atop a mound of corpses, his body smoldering with faint heat.

"Now the real game begins."

Ji-Hwan's eyes locked with his brother's.

"Is this what they meant by a trial?" Ji-Hwan asked, voice low.

Ji-Hoon smirked. "Not a trial. A purge."

Someone screamed to their left. Ji-Hwan snapped his head—two teens had ganged up on a third, stabbing her until her body went limp.

A loud ding sounded in their heads, followed by a flash of light, and one of them collapsed immediately after. The voice returned.

"Kill confirmed. Remaining soul unworthy—cleansed."

Ji-Hwan swallowed hard.

It's not just about killing. It's about killing cleanly.

Ji-Hoon gave a slow clap.

"Smart. You can't cheat the system. Only one kill… and it must be yours. Anyone else trying to coast off a group effort gets deleted."

A spike of fear stabbed Ji-Hwan's spine.

Nearby, a tall boy with spiked hair sprinted toward him with a crude axe, screaming.

Ji-Hwan pivoted, barely dodging the first swing.

"Don't make me do this !"

The boy came again, more aggressive.

Ji-Hwan slipped to the side, grabbed his attacker's wrist, and slammed the branch into his temple—once, twice—until the boy collapsed.

Ji-Hwan froze as a warm pulse traveled through his arms.

A heat—not from the branch, but from within.

A flicker.

Something just clicked.

He looked down at his hand.

It shimmered.

Only for a second.

Then it vanished.

"Looks like you're waking up," Ji-Hoon called out from the ridge, arms crossed.

More screams. More flashes. The arena was thinning fast. Where once dozens stood, only a small handful remained.

Ji-Hwan's breath hitched.

Is this really happening? Am I really doing this?

His fingers curled into fists.

I didn't want this. But wanting doesn't change a thing.

And then—it shifted.

The ground beneath them cracked apart, swallowing corpses and debris.

A stone coliseum rose from the depths, forming in seconds.

Smooth black tiles. Bleachers of bone. Flaming braziers.

The voice spoke again.

"Final stage: Prove dominion. The last one standing earns the Devil's Favor."

Without warning, the survivors—only ten now—were teleported into the arena's center.

Ji-Hwan stumbled, disoriented.

He looked around.

Ji-Hoon was already standing opposite him, grinning like a monster.

"Let's finish it," he said.

The bell rang.

No time to think.

A girl to his left lunged forward with twin daggers

Ji-Hwan ducked under her slash, grabbing her arm and tossing her into another charging fighter. They both fell.

He rolled, barely avoiding a spike of ice hurled from the right.

Screams echoed around him. Blood sprayed the tiles.

Powers were awakening left and right—electricity, shadow tendrils, even a boy who moved at blur-speed.

Ji-Hwan's chest pounded.

He didn't have his power.

Not yet.

He had instinct.

And pain.

And rage.

He grabbed a fallen sword and pivoted, catching another fighter off guard.

A swift strike to the thigh.

Elbow to the jaw.

Then—final stab.

"Kill confirmed."

The warmth returned.

Hotter this time.

Too hot.

His vision blurred slightly.

Then—clearer than ever before.

The arena was down to three.

A boy cloaked in blue lightning.

Ji-Hoon.

And Ji-Hwan.

The electric boy made the first move—bolting toward Ji-Hoon, lightning crackling across his limbs.

Bad choice.

Ji-Hoon didn't flinch.

He raised his arm.

A wall of fire erupted around him.

The electric boy's scream was short-lived.

When the flame vanished, only ashes remained.

Ji-Hwan's breath caught in his throat.

Ji-Hoon turned.

Now it was just the two of them.

"Hey, bro," Ji-Hoon said, stepping forward casually, his hands glowing red-hot.

"You did good. Better than expected."

Ji-Hwan clenched his fists.

"You're not going to make me fight you."

"Oh?"

Ji-Hoon smiled.

"You already lost."

He flung his arm forward

A massive fireball formed in midair, swirling with red and orange light like a miniature sun.

"Ji-Hoon, what are you doing?!"

"You'll understand soon."

The fireball crashed into Ji-Hwan before he could react.

It sent him flying, his body smashing through the arena wall like paper.

Dust and stone exploded outward.

Ji-Hwan hit the ground—hard—rolling for meters before his body finally stopped.

He couldn't breathe.

Couldn't move.

Couldn't believe.

Not you. Not you too…

Above him, through blurry eyes, he saw Ji-Hoon standing atop the arena platform, holding something in his hand 

A glowing red cube, pulsing like a heartbeat.

The wind howled.

Ji-Hoon raised it high.

Then, like shattering glass, he disappeared.

Ji-Hwan's eyes fluttered as everything went black.

The last thing he heard… was laughter.