2025-10-26 19:35:07
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CHAPTER 30 — A NIGHT-MARE
The sound of shuffling shouldn't be as terrifying as this with scraping sounds growing louder from deeper within.A wave of creatures poured around the corner as dozens moving with jerky gaits. Human-like but wrong, with rotting skin revealing chitinous exoskeletons beneath. Their pale yellow eyes glowed as they coordinated with clicking sounds that made my teeth ache."Oh God," Vira breathed.Nothing told us what the next line of action was. We fled as hybrid horrors erupted from silk prisons and the chittering horde closed in. Narrow corridors became nightmare obstacle courses of debris."This way!" I shouted, but the building seemed to shift—passages leading to dead ends, rooms appearing from nowhere.Mutants shrieked behind us. Some skittered along ceilings like spiders, others bounded across floors with powerful legs cracking ancient stones.We burst into the room to get Little when we froze in our tracks. Standing there was another participant right on top of Little whose hand
CHAPTER 29 — A QUIET NIGHT
Kae,” a familiar voice called out to me “Kae? Are you awake?” My drowsy eyes slowly opened to see Cent's face hover above me. Shocked, I grumbled myself out of the daze.” What are you doing here, Cent?” I asked “You're not supposed to be here.”“I came for you” he replied, his face still fixed in the same place Came for me? "Why?" “Because you promised! I don't want you to give up. Remember that we're all waiting for you." Cent's voice cut through the swirling darkness of my dream, calm but desperate. “Are you going to break your promise?” Vivi asked who appeared beside Cent, leaning closer to see me. Both of them reached for me with small hands that seemed impossibly far away."You said you'd come back," Vivi whispered, tears streaming down her face. "Don't let us down.""I won't," I tried to say, but my voice came out hollow, distant. "I'm trying—""The monsters are coming, Kae," they said in unison, their voices echoing strangely. "And you'll soon align with them."I jolted
CHAPTER 28 — CAVED IN
Aside from the muffle sound of the steam monster, the only thing we could hear in here were our ravaged breath. Everyone was panting heavily we could feel the warmth breath spilling from our lips. "Is everyone alright?" I asked, falling flat on the dirt ground with a throbbing pain in my head like it's pounded after being torn apart. "I am." Jabari replied "Me too." Little followed "So what's next?" Vira coughed. "Anything that has to do with an enclosed place isn't where I want to find myself in." Vira was right. From what I've experienced so far, the worst thing one can do is trap thyself inside something with no escape routes. "So we have to keep pushing." I said, raising up. Tobi grumbled. "I was literally on my feet for hours, can't we at least rest for a few hours?""Tobi—" I was in mid-sentence when he continued "Fine, one hour.""We can't afford to waste any more time in here." I crouched before him and stretched my hand towards him. Tobi mumbled a few words I could
CHAPTER 27 — HEAT AND FIRE
The panic spread through the participants like wildfire."What in the world was that thing?""Oh God, we're all going to die!""Someone do something!"I watched everyone transform from triumphant celebration into terrified animals in seconds.Some were already backing away from the tree line, others were frozen in place, and a few were actually looking at me with desperate expectation."Do you have any clue what that was out there?" one of them asked me as he looked too terrified to look ahead.I shrugged. I simply had no idea what was out there, but I didn't want to get anywhere near the trees.Plus, the system kept giving me the same warning to stay away from it, so I would. Hopefully, there would be shield zones that would activate in this next trial.Keyword: Hopeful."Even if you don't, you killed the first one, right? The second time should be easier," another survivor chimed in.Many took it upon themselves to bestow on me the sole responsibility to kill off whatever abominatio
CHAPTER 26 — FALSE VICTORY
I was seen as a threat, and honestly, it felt good Seeing how Bitus's goons intercepted me before dragging me closer to him was a good idea to draw me closer to my target, unsuspected. When I was near enough, I pulled out the flamethrower and blasted the highlighted slot number.Sparks flew, electricity crackled, and the barrier shattered like glass.Chaos erupted as the crowd turned on me. "You're going to get all of us killed!" someone screamed."Now we are all going to die!" another lamented. As some were panicking, wondering what they are going to do, others were after my heads. Well, I won't blame them, but I can't be the one holding by the thread. Plus, I don't want Bitus to feel like he has won. I don't want to see it.Animal cries echoed from the forest. "What the he—," Tobi whispered as hordes spilled out.I rejoined my team, returning Vira's flamethrower. We circled around Little, weapons ready."I hope you know what you're doing," Vira grunted, blazing at the mutant."W
CHAPTER 25 — THE ONLY ONE
Bitus lifted a crimson-stained blade, pointing it at my chest. More sword than knife, its metal caught the filtered light menacingly.My mind raced while my body froze. Outside meant death from prowling mutants. Inside wasn't looking better."Choose," Bitus said coldly. "Ten.""Why target me?" My voice cracked. "I never—""Nine."He ignored me, dark eyes fixed on my face."Eight. Seven. Six."How much blood did this psychopath want? My enhanced senses flooded me with useless data."Five. Four. Three."I couldn't move. My decision came through paralysis rather than choice.When he reached zero, he knew the choice I made.Without warning, he swung viciously. My enhanced reflexes saved me—I dodged by milliseconds, the blade whistling past my ear."Next time, you won't embarrass me," he snarled, raising the weapon again.My hand shot up, gripping his wrist to stop the strike. The mutants weren't stopping soon, trapping me with this maniac.His elbow drove into my ribs.White-hot lightning
