The chaos hadn't stopped.
But Kael?
He was walking.
Casually.
A Shadow Crawler passed him.
Ignored him.
"…This is so unfair."
He stepped over a body.
Winced.
"…Okay. Still messed up though."
A group of survivors spotted him.
"HEY!"
"You! Why aren't they attacking you?!"
Kael froze mid-step.
"…Ah."
"…Here we go."
They rushed toward him.
Hope in their eyes.
"Are you using a stealth skill?!"
"Is it a class ability?!"
"Teach us!!"
Kael blinked.
Then pointed at himself.
"…Do I look like I know what I'm doing?"
"…Yes?!"
"…That's concerning."
A crawler suddenly darted past—
Right between them—
…and ignored Kael.
But slammed into one of them.
"AAAH—!"
Kael slowly stepped aside.
"…You see the problem, right?"
The remaining survivors stared.
Horrified.
"…It's not that I'm strong."
He tapped his system screen.
"…It's that I'm not worth attacking."
Silence.
"…That's worse."
"…Yeah," Kael nodded. "Emotionally? Definitely."
Another notification appeared.
[Tip: NPC units are not prioritized targets.]
Kael stared at it.
Then laughed.
"…I've been demoted by reality."
Kael's expression slowly changed.
"…Wait."
He looked at the monsters.
Then at the players.
Then back at himself.
"…So as long as I don't act like a threat…"
A crawler passed him again.
Ignored.
"…I'm basically invisible."
He grinned.
"…Oh this is dirty."
One survivor grabbed him.
"PLEASE HELP US!"
Kael looked at him.
Then at the monster behind him.
Then gently removed his hand.
"…I support you emotionally."
"…WHAT—"
The monster attacked.
Kael stepped aside.
"…Not physically though."
Kael moved carefully now.
Deliberate.
Controlled.
No sudden movements.
No attacks.
No threat.
He blended in.
Like background noise.
"…So this is how NPCs live."
He passed by a broken pillar.
Paused.
"…Wait."
Something felt… off.
A figure stood in the distance.
Not moving.
Not fighting.
Ignored by monsters.
"…Another one?"
Their eyes met.
The figure smiled.
Then vanished.
Kael froze.
"…Okay."
"…That's new."
FINAL COUNTDOWN
[Time Remaining: 00:00:10]
Screams faded.
Bodies stilled.
Kael stood untouched.
10…
"…I didn't earn this."
7…
"…But I'll use it."
3…
Silence.
[Night Survival Complete]
[Participants Remaining: 17 / 100]
Kael exhaled.
"…NPC, huh."
He looked up.
Toward the unseen top of the Tower.
"…Then I'll play the best background character this place has ever seen."
[Floor 2 Unlocked]