Daeven moved.
Not calmly.
Not confidently.
He ran.
His breath came out uneven, his chest tightening as pain spread through his ribs. Every step sent a dull shock through his body, reminding him that just minutes ago… he had been beaten half to death.
Damn it…
His legs felt heavy.
Too heavy.
Around him, people were screaming, pushing, colliding.
Someone grabbed his shoulder.
Don't go there! That path is unstable!
Daeven instinctively shoved the hand away.
Don't touch me!
The words came out sharper than he intended.
The man staggered back, startled.
Daeven didn't even look at him again.
His eyes were locked ahead.
On that slightly different square.
The one that hadn't flickered.
The one that felt… right.
But as he ran
A thought hit him.
Hard.
What if I'm wrong…?
His steps faltered for a fraction of a second.
Just a fraction.
But here…
That was enough.
The square beneath his foot flickered.
Red.
His heart skipped.
Shit.
He jumped forward without thinking.
His body barely made it to the next square as the one behind him vanished instantly.
A cold sweat ran down his back.
…I almost died.
His hands trembled.
Not from exhaustion.
From fear.
Real fear.
The kind that crawls into your bones and refuses to leave.
So this is Keyros…
It wasn't a game you could calmly analyze from a distance.
It forced you to move.
To risk.
To doubt.
A scream tore through the air.
Daeven turned his head.
A young boy—maybe sixteen—had frozen in place, paralyzed.
I… I can't… I can't move…
The squares around him began to flicker red one after another.
Someone help me! PLEASE!
No one moved.
No one wanted to be the one who made the wrong step.
Daeven clenched his jaw.
…Tch.
His body moved before his thoughts could stop him.
Jump!
The boy looked at him, panicked.
I said JUMP!
For a second
Nothing.
Then the boy pushed himself forward.
Too slow.
Daeven lunged.
He grabbed the boy's arm and yanked him violently toward him.
They both crashed onto the next square.
Behind them
Everything vanished.
The boy collapsed, shaking.
Th-thank you… thank you…
Daeven immediately let go of him.
Don't thank me.
His voice was low.
Uneasy.
I just didn't want to hear you scream.
It was a lie.
Or maybe not.
He didn't know himself.
The boy stared at him, confused.
But before he could say anything
The ground trembled.
Stronger this time.
Daeven's head snapped up.
The tower had moved again.
Closer.
Much closer.
And this time…
He could see it clearly.
It wasn't just flesh and metal.
It was made of bodies.
Twisted.
Merged.
Faces frozen in silent agony embedded into its surface.
Daeven's stomach twisted violently.
— What the hell is that…?
For the first time since arriving here…
He felt disgust.
Real, visceral disgust.
The tower shifted.
And suddenly
A part of it opened.
Like a mouth.
A deep, distorted sound echoed across the board.
Not a roar.
Not a scream.
Something worse.
Something… wrong.
Then
A notification appeared.
[ NEW CONDITION ]
[ THE WARDEN HAS AWAKENED ]
[ DO NOT BE SEEN ]
Daeven's heartbeat spiked.
…You've got to be kidding me.
Around him, people froze.
Some whispered.
Some panicked.
What does that mean…?
Don't be seen by WHAT?!
Daeven's eyes slowly lifted.
The tower…
was turning.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
As if searching.
As if…
looking.
His throat went dry.
…It can see us.
The boy next to him grabbed his sleeve.
W-what do we do…?
Daeven hesitated.
For the first time…
He didn't have an answer.
His mind raced.
Run?
Hide?
But where?
There was nowhere to hide on an empty board.
The tower stopped.
Silence fell.
Then
One of its embedded faces opened its eyes.
And locked onto someone in the distance.
A man screamed.
NO!
Too late.
A tendril shot out.
Fast.
Too fast.
It pierced the man's body and dragged him into the tower.
The scream cut off instantly.
Blood splattered across the squares.
The survivors broke.
RUN!!!
DON'T LET IT SEE YOU!!!
Chaos erupted again.
Daeven stood frozen for half a second.
Just half.
Then
Move!
He grabbed the boy's arm and pulled him along.
This time, he didn't hesitate.
Didn't overthink.
Didn't analyze every possibility.
He just ran.
Because for the first time since entering Keyros…
Daeven understood something simple.
You don't survive by being perfect.
You survive…
by not stopping Daeven ran.
Not with control, not with strategy, just instinct.
His grip tightened around the boy's arm as they moved from one square to another, barely keeping ahead of the spreading red flashes.
Behind them, screams echoed. Ahead… uncertainty.
Faster.
The boy stumbled.
I… I'm trying.
Daeven clicked his tongue.
If you fall, I'm not saving you twice.
A lie. And he knew it.
His chest burned, his legs felt like they were about to give out.
But stopping wasn't an option anymore.
Down.
The voice cut through the chaos, sharp and clear.
Daeven reacted instantly, dragging the boy with him as both of them dropped low.
A tendril shot past where their heads had been a second ago. Fast. Silent. Deadly.
That was close.
You're welcome.
He turned.
Two figures stood a few squares away.
Girls.
One stepped forward. Short black hair, sharp eyes, calm—too calm for this situation.
The other stayed just behind her. Long silver hair, pale face, hands trembling slightly but her gaze remained focused.
You're slow.
The black-haired girl spoke bluntly.
Daeven frowned.
And you talk too much.
A short silence passed. Then a faint smirk appeared on her lips.
Good. At least you're not completely useless.
The silver-haired girl stepped closer.
Are you okay?
Her voice was soft, careful. Her eyes moved over his injuries and her expression tightened.
You're hurt.
Still alive.
Barely, from what I can see.
The black-haired girl crossed her arms.
If you keep moving like that, you'll slow us down.
Daeven's eyes narrowed.
Us?
She pointed behind him. The collapsing board, the spreading red, the hunting tower.
You think you survive this alone?
Daeven stayed silent. He didn't like this—depending on others, trusting others.
But he looked at the tendrils tearing through distant players, at the ones disappearing one after another, at his own trembling hands.
Tch.
I don't take orders.
Good. I don't give them.
But if you want to live, follow the pattern.
Daeven's gaze sharpened.
You figured it out?
Part of it.
She pointed ahead. Several squares flickered in sequence, not random—delayed.
The safe zones shift depending on where it looks.
Daeven exhaled slowly.
So when it focuses somewhere, that area becomes unstable.
Exactly.
The silver-haired girl smiled faintly.
See? You're smart.
Daeven looked at her, then away.
Don't say that.
She blinked.
Why?
Because it means someone expects something from me.
A brief silence followed.
I'm Lyria.
And she's Kael.
The black-haired girl rolled her eyes.
Don't introduce me like I'm harmless.
Daeven nodded slightly.
Daeven.
Kael studied him for a moment, then nodded once.
Fine.
No handshake. No smile. Just acceptance.
The ground trembled again, stronger, closer.
The tower shifted.
Kael's expression changed instantly.
Move.
No hesitation this time.
They ran.
Not as strangers. Not as allies.
Just people moving in the same direction, trying not to die.
Daeven glanced sideways—at Lyria, at Kael, at the boy he was still dragging.
His grip tightened slightly.
Don't fall behind.
The boy nodded rapidly.
Okay.
For the first time since entering Keyros, Daeven was not alone.
And somehow… that made everything more dangerous.