Voices echoed faintly in Alan's ears. His eyes were tightly shut at first, tears clinging to the corners, but he slowly forced them open with a groan as his gaze drifted around. Darkness greeted him—nothing but an endless stretch of black.
The place was silent… unnaturally silent. The air carried a stale, ancient smell, like a long-forgotten dorm abandoned to time for years.
Alan slowly moved his hands across the ground, his fingers brushing against strange markings carved into the surface.
"Where am I…? What just happened?" he muttered to himself.
He pushed himself up unsteadily, and the memory returned—the moment Tuna betrayed him at the cross. The realization hit him like a wave, anger surging through his chest.
"Damn it!"
He slammed his hand against a nearby wall he hadn't even noticed in the darkness.
"How could she do that to me…? That bitch…"
Tears slipped down his face as he struck the wall again and again, his voice trembling with fury.
"I'll make sure she pays for this."
But then a sudden thought struck him.
"Wait… why am I not dead?" he whispered.
His eyes narrowed as confusion flooded his mind. "Or… is this where dead players end up?"
Questions began racing through his head, one after another, each more unsettling than the last. He quickly checked his body. Aside from the pain and exhaustion, he looked completely fine—as if nothing had happened.
Well… almost nothing.
His left pinky finger was still missing, the wound cleanly sealed where it had been severed.
Just as the realization settled in, the system suddenly activated again.
DING!
<< SURVIVAL GAME: PENALTY PHASE >>
[ Defeat all Monstrous Beasts to Ascend to the First Floor ]
The faint glow of the system screen reflected across the dark surroundings, casting pale light over the environment—and over Alan's tense face.
"Penalty phase?" Alan muttered under his breath.
His eyes narrowed as he stared at the floating text.
"It's more like a trial phase for players who didn't make it to the cross…"
But something about it didn't sit right with him.
"Still… why would someone like Michael Lee allow a circumstance like this?"
Alan's gaze hardened, suspicion creeping into his thoughts.
"What exactly is he planning?"
Alan turned the question over in his mind again and again—until suddenly, the answer clicked.
"Of course…" he chuckled, a quiet laugh escaping his lips, as if he had just outsmarted the system itself.
"Only a hundred players are allowed to stay on a cross… and there are ten crosses."
His eyes narrowed as the numbers lined up in his head.
"That means…"
He let out a slow breath.
"It wouldn't make any sense if, out of more than eight hundred thousand players, only one thousand survived the second phase."
Alan also realized something else—his survival had been guaranteed, just as it had been for the other players who had fallen back in the second phase.
He began to move cautiously through the darkness when, suddenly, a soft blue light flickered to life. Candles mounted on sconces along both sides of the walls illuminated a path ahead, casting eerie shadows that danced across the corridor.
Alan paused for a moment, suspicion tightening in his chest. Is this a trap? he wondered.
But with only one path forward, he had no choice but to proceed.
The walls on either side were covered in ancient carvings. Some depicted men being devoured by monstrous beasts, while others showed warriors standing victorious over the same creatures, their weapons raised in triumph.
Soon, Alan stepped into a massive circular chamber, the candle sconces forming a glowing ring around the perimeter. From different gates, five other players entered the same space.
They paused, eyes scanning each other warily—three males and two females.
The group exchanged surprised glances, equally stunned by the size of the chamber and the coincidence of their meeting.
"What… what is this place?" one of the females asked, her voice trembling with fear.
The other female collapsed to her knees, tears streaming down her face, muttering words so faint and choked that Alan could barely hear them.
Just by observing her, Alan could tell she was likely traumatized—abandoned or betrayed by a boyfriend, a parent, or someone very close to her.
On the floor, three circular lines were etched into the surface: one outer ring, a second inside it, and a third nested within the second.
From the darkest corners of the chamber, a low growl echoed, vibrating the very floor beneath their feet. The scent of decay hung heavy in the air.
DING!
<< PENALTY PHASE >>
<< INSTRUCTIONS >>
[ 1. The penalty consists of two rounds ]
[ 2. All players must ascend both rounds to reach the First Floor ]
[ 3. For each Beast defeated, experience points will be shared equally among players ]
[ 4. BETRAYAL IS ALLOWED ]
Alan swallowed hard. What the fuck… betrayal? Alan's mind raced. If betrayal is allowed… I'll have to watch everyone's back and front at the same time. One wrong move, and it's over.
[ Penalty Phase Begins in 5 seconds ]
[ 5 ]
Their weapons materialized instantly in their hands. Alan had honestly been wondering where his blades had disappeared to.
[ 4 ]
The male with the spear gave a nervous glance at the others. "Don't… don't get too close. You don't know who might stab you in the back first."
Alan gripped his Dual-Blades tightly, knuckles whitening. Showing no reaction although he panicked inside.
[ 3 ]
Sweat rolled down his cheek instinctively as tension tightened every muscle.
[ 2 ]
Blue flames flickered to life in the three circles surrounding them—there was no way to escape.
[ 1 ]
"What… what does this mean?" the spear wielding player stammered, glancing back with terror painted across their face. "There's no retreat! Damn this game… I hate it!"
[ 0 ]
[ Let the Penalty Phase Begin ⚔️ ]
"Let's work together to win this," the male with the battle axe said, his voice trembling slightly. "If we cooperate as a team, we can make it. Is that alright?"
Alan noted the determination in his stance—despite the fear, he seemed the bravest among them.
The two women nodded immediately, their eyes betraying a mix of dependence and fear.
Alan's eyes darted frantically across the chamber, searching for any sign of their opponent, when a sudden scream cut through the air.
"Up… above us… monster! It's up there!" a female wielding a one-handed sword shouted, her voice trembling and words barely coherent.
Alan instinctively followed her gaze. Through the dark, crumbling ceiling of the ruins, two glowing red eyes stared down at them.
It was a massive fox, towering over the group, clutching a long sickle with a jagged, black-edged curve.
"Holy shit… it's huge," the spear-wielding male stammered, his legs shaking as violently as his eyes. "We're dead… we're all… dead."
A tense silence fell over the group—until the battle axe wielder spoke, his voice firm. "We can do this. Believe in yourself."
Without warning, the beast lunged downward, raising the wicked curve of its black-edged sickle from beneath its cloak.
[ Emperor Fox ]
[ Level: 50 ]
[ Rank: C ]
[ Mode: Professional ]
[ Total EXP: 100 ]
Alan's eyes widened as he scanned the beast's stats on his screen. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. This monster was ten times stronger than him—and the worst part? It moved on its feet, fully upright, ready to strike.
Before Alan could even think or form a strategy, the wolf vanished from its stance, disappearing into the shadows. His eyes darted left and right frantically. Where did it go?
A sudden, piercing scream drew his attention. He spun around to see the battle axe wielder—who had been so brave just moments ago—holding the female player with the one-handed sword in a futile attempt to protect her.
Her head had been severed, rolling across the bloodstained floor. The scent of iron and smoke clawed at Alan's nostrils, mingling with the coppery tang of spilled blood.
"The fox went after him… and he used her as a shield?" Alan thought, his stomach twisting. That's… pure evil. I need to stay on guard. There's no difference between him and Tuna.
The battle axe wielder swung his weapon with a forceful motion, forcing the fox to momentarily retreat.
"What's the problem, guys? Why the long stares?" he asked, his deep voice echoing through the chamber. A sinister smile spread across his face. "The game rules cover everything," he added, his tone chilling, "including betrayal."
My enemies are clear now, Alan thought grimly. This isn't just about winning alongside your allies… it's about surviving long enough to hope you won't be backstabbed.
The spear-wielding player lunged at Alan, grabbing him. "What are you—"
Before he could finish, a blade slashed through his chest. It was the fox's sickle, swift and deadly.
The dying man gasped, blood trickling from his lips. "Forgive me, kid… but this… is the only way to survive in this game."
Alan's vision blurred, shock and disbelief washing over him.
His single life point plummeted to zero in an instant.
[ LP: 0 ]
Alan's senses went numb. The world around him faded into nothingness. All he could hear was the spear wielder's cruel, mocking laughter—and the desperate cries of the only remaining female player in the ring.
So this is how they want to play… like Tuna… kindness is foolish. Alan chuckled, a cold, humorless sound. I've been calm for too long… but now I understand.
He let himself hit the floor, every fiber of his body ready to react.
Three seconds, one life point… Time Loop. Focus. Predict the fox's strike pattern. Don't blink.
"Time Loop… Activate."