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[ Player Name: Alan Smith ]
[ Age: 18 ]
[ Weapon: Dual-Blades ]
[ EXP: 300 ]
[ Rank: C ]
[ Level: 60 ]
[ LP: 100 ]
[ Mode: Professional ]
Rank C? Tuna thought the moment she saw Alan's profile.
That's impossible.
He had jumped all the way from Rank F to Rank C. The gap between those ranks wasn't small—it was enormous.
As his hand held hers firmly, she could feel the difference. His grip carried far more strength than the last time they had met. Something about him had clearly changed.
He used to be slim and slightly scrawny, only a little taller than most. But now his build looked different—stronger. His shoulders were broader, and faint lines of muscle showed through his black shirt. He looked like someone who had been pushed far beyond his limits.
It seemed the Penalty Phase had truly hardened him… and matured him in a harsh way.
What did they go through in there? she wondered.
As they continued walking toward the First Floor, Tuna could no longer hold back the questions in her mind.
"Hey… umm… what was the Penalty Phase like?" she asked hesitantly. "None of you looked happy about winning."
Alan remained silent for a moment. Memories flashed through his mind—the Shadow Beast, the Emperor Fox, and the teammates who had died during the Penalty Phase.
"This is a life-or-death game," Alan finally replied calmly.
"Is it something to feel happy about?" he asked.
His answer caught her completely off guard.
"No," she replied uncertainly, struggling to find the right words. "It's just—"
"Forget it," Alan cut in immediately. His face showed no irritation at all.
"Some things are better buried than remembered," he said coldly.
Then he began walking faster, pulling her along by the hand with sudden force.
"Hey, that hurts—slow down a little!" she protested.
But as she looked at him, she noticed something.
Even though Alan's face showed no emotion anymore, he was biting down hard on his lower lip—so hard that it began to bleed.
It was the only sign she could see that something—or someone—had pushed him to the edge of anger.
After several minutes of walking, they finally arrived at the First Floor.
Alan's eyes widened slightly as the new environment unfolded before him.
Above them stretched a bright blue sky filled with drifting clouds and warm sunlight. Green grass swayed gently with the wind, and in the distance stood tall castles, houses, and towers. Trees dotted the landscape, and animals wandered peacefully through the fields.
NPCs moved about the gardens—some alone, some as couples, others as families—going about their lives as if nothing was wrong.
It looked just like the fantasy worlds from the games Alan used to play. Since the beginning of the Death Game, the sky had always been crimson, with a haunting red moon looming overhead. Seeing a place with a calm sky and a normal horizon felt strangely comforting.
"It's lovely," Tuna said, admiring the view. "It almost doesn't feel like a death game."
To her, it looked more like the famous Heaven's Arena she had always known from TV.
Alan, however, felt uneasy. The place was beautiful, yes—but beauty could hide danger. A peaceful beginning could easily turn into something darker, like night following a bright morning. While he was still thinking about it, a screen suddenly appeared in front of every player, displaying an announcement.
DING!
[ You have earned 50,000 Gold ]
[ Each player can now own a residence called a "Safe Zone" ]
[ Map of all areas has been provided to each player ]
[ All players are strictly advised to be at the First Stage Entrance tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM ]
[ Guild formation begins today ]
[ Player abilities have now been unlocked ]
[ Note: No Daily Quest Today ]
Several players stared at their screens in excitement. The amount of Gold was just enough to start a new life in a game world.
"Whoa! Time to get myself some NPC beauties," one player laughed. "I'm spending the night at the bar."
Without hesitation, he started heading toward the location marked on his map.
Some players began moving around the area, loudly calling out for others to join their guilds.
A man carrying a shield and sword, a hidden weapon strapped to his side, approached Alan and Tuna with a friendly smile.
"Hey guys, would you like to join my guild?" he asked. "It's going to be called the Lion Heart Guild. I'm telling you, it's going to be something great. You can trust me."
Alan's eyes immediately shifted to the man's weapons, studying them carefully before returning to his face. His expression remained unreadable for a moment before he finally spoke.
"Thank you, sir," Alan said calmly, "but I think I'll be fine on my own." Tuna had no choice but to decline as well.
"I understand," the man replied with a shrug. "Alright then, I'll see you both at the first stage tomorrow. Hopefully you're still alive by then."
He gave them a casual wave before walking away and disappearing into the crowd.
Alan walked with Tuna through the market square, observing NPCs as they sold goods and interacted naturally with players.
"This really feels like a fantasy world," Alan said quietly to himself, his eyes brightening just slightly. He let out a small chuckle—something Tuna immediately noticed.
"What's so funny, Alan? Just moments ago you were completely serious," she said, trying to read his expression.
"It's nothing," he replied. "It's just… this world looks too real to believe." He scratched the back of his head briefly. "Why don't we go secure a residence for ourselves?"
"Yeah, great idea," Tuna agreed. "We should hurry before dawn. Let's meet back here at this same spot, okay?"
"Sure," Alan replied, giving a small wave before turning his back and walking away.
As he moved through the market, his thoughts drifted deeply. He kept wondering what Michael might be planning.
I don't understand any of this, he thought. Why create a world filled with fantasy if he knows it will lead to so much killing?
They were scheduled to meet at the First Stage Gate by 8 a.m. Alan wasn't completely certain why, but he felt strongly that something important would happen there. There might be something inside that can help me understand this game… something like a patch.
Following his system map, he arrived in a residential district filled with houses. His eyes scanned slowly across the area—small homes, multi-story buildings, and large mansions—until one structure caught his attention.
His steps slowed. His mouth opened slightly in disbelief.
He walked toward the building cautiously, as though unsure of what he was seeing. It was his home from Earth—the ash-colored exterior, the white interior walls, the red roof, and the cotton-white design details. It looked so identical that for a moment, he thought he was staring at the real thing.
Why is this here? he wondered as he finally reached the doorstep. This is exactly like my home back on Earth. No differences at all. Who built this? When he tried to open the door, a button immediately appeared on his screen:
[ Register Home ]
He tapped it once, and more options appeared. Alan let out a frustrated sigh and continued tapping, trying to understand what it meant.
[ Input Owner's Name: ..... ]
[ Owner's Password: ... ]
Alan entered his name and typed the password: "Smith House."
After a brief pause, a notification appeared.
[ You are permitted to own this Residence ]
[ Safe Zone Activated ]
He opened the door and stepped inside. The interior looked almost identical to his home on Earth, with only slight differences—subtle details that reminded him of how it had appeared when he was younger.
The programmer who designed this must have visited my home many times when I was a child, Alan thought. His mother had been one of the creators of Heaven's Arena twenty years ago. Perhaps she had influenced this design… maybe even intended for it to be included in the game.
Without wasting time, he rearranged the interior to match the way he had always wanted it. When he finished, he stepped outside, locked the door, and left the Safe Zone behind.
As he headed back toward the market, passing through the bread district, an elderly woman standing inside a bakery suddenly stopped him. She was an NPC. Smiling warmly, she waved him closer. Alan approached the shop, and she said kindly, "Young man, you look hungry.
Let me get you something to eat."
"Oh… sure. I'd appreciate that," Alan replied, finally realizing how hungry he truly was. Since the Death Game began, he and the other players had been fighting nonstop without meals.
She returned with four pieces of bread and some creamy butter.
"Here you go, boy," she said gently.
"Thank you very much, ma'am. How much does it cost?" Alan asked politely, reaching for his system to access his gold.
But she quickly shook her head.
"Don't worry about payment. It's free for today, alright?" she said as she carefully packed the bread for him and handed it over.
"Thank you," Alan replied. "Next time, I'll treat you to a drink."
She smiled. "Come back anytime."
With that, Alan continued on his way.
As Alan returned to the spot where he and Tuna had agreed to meet, she was not there yet. He decided to wait—but before he could settle, a loud scream pierced the air.
His expression changed instantly. He ran toward the direction of the voice, following it through the quieter section of the market. When he arrived, he saw Tuna surrounded by three players, who were grabbing and harassing her.
He quickened his pace and moved closer.
"Leave me alone, you jerks!" Tuna struggled as they held her tightly.
"Let's have a little fun, shall we?" one of them said with a mocking grin. "We're not going to live long anyway. This is a death game with a 0.03% survival rate. Chances are you won't survive the next stage."
He leaned closer and licked her cheek.
Alan immediately grabbed the player's shoulder.
"Leave her alone," he said firmly. "She's with me."
Tuna quickly broke free and ran to Alan, fear clearly written across her face.
The three players, driven by desperation and greed, ignored Alan's words. Without hesitation, they drew their swords.
One of them stepped forward, pointing his blade at Alan.
"This is your final warning. Hand over the girl, or you'll die. Unless you want to die by the blade of an A-rank player."
Alan gasped internally.
An A-rank? he thought.
His hands trembled slightly, though his face remained completely emotionless, giving away nothing. He understood immediately that, in a direct confrontation, he would be at a disadvantage. And worse still, this part of the market was isolated—no witnesses, no help nearby.
It was a dangerous situation.