I stared at the screen intently, trying to comprehend the string of words displayed there.
Leaderboard
A tightness filled my chest.
My mind swirled with questions, crashing into each other without finding answers.
What is this?
Rankings? A competition? For what purpose?
Tension crept in like a venomous snake, biting slowly but surely.
It made the already suffocating atmosphere even worse.
Outside, the rumble of rain mixed with relentless thunder echoed, pounding the earth mercilessly.
The wind howled, bringing with it the sound of cracks and creaks that rattled the protective walls of the safe zone.
"Leaderboard..." I whispered unconsciously.
The word felt heavy on my tongue, like an unavoidable threat.
I wasn't the only one shaken.
The tension was so real, you could almost touch it.
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From the corner of the room, a man from Dirga's party finally spoke, though his voice trembled like a leaf caught in the wind.
"Does this mean... we have to compete against each other?" he asked, his gaze fixed on the screen, as if searching for answers behind the cold, blue glow.
Dirga stood tall.
His gaze was sharp, but beneath his calm exterior, there was a shadow of worry he couldn't completely hide.
"It's uncertain," he said, his voice steady but firm.
"But most likely... yes."
Silence fell over the room once more, filled only with the sound of heavy rain outside.
His gaze swept over the bleak scenery—the massive waves crashing relentlessly, the darkened sky, and lightning splitting the void like a blade.
Dirga stood, his eyes drifting toward the darkness beyond the safe zone.
"But this isn't just about us inside the safe zone," he continued.
"It's about what's out there. Whatever it is, we need to be ready."
The man swallowed hard, his face turning even paler.
"Out there?" he repeated, his voice barely audible.
The tense moment was abruptly interrupted by Bram's gruff voice.
Leaning casually against the wall with a rifle in hand, he grinned mockingly.
"Hah! What's there to fear?" he said, full of misplaced confidence.
"Competition or not, we're strong enough. Stop being paranoid, Dirga."
Dirga didn't react.
His gaze remained calm but icy.
"Bram," he said slowly, his voice carrying weight,
"Your arrogance will only lead to ruin."
Bram let out a small laugh but didn't respond further.
This wasn't the first time Bram dismissed Dirga's decisions, and I knew Dirga wouldn't waste his energy addressing it.
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I was about to stand, my body trembling with tension that was now unavoidable.
Preparation—we needed to get ready immediately.
But just as I moved, a sudden, overwhelming dizziness hit me out of nowhere.
The world around me spun so fast it felt as though I was trapped in a wild time machine.
My body lost balance, my legs shaky and unsteady.
In an instant, it was as if my body no longer belonged to me.
"What... is this..." I muttered, trying to grab the nearest wall to keep myself from falling.
But the pain grew stronger, forcing me to stagger, my body feeling completely alien.
My mind went blank, a void, before everything shifted in a flash.
When I opened my eyes, the world around me felt different.
I was no longer standing on solid ground.
Instead, I was floating in the air.
My body felt weightless, as if I were a feather carried by the wind.
Just like that time.... was this a Vision?
Below me stretched a silent sea, reflecting the dim light of a gray, sunless sky.
There was no sound, no wind.
Only emptiness surrounded me, until finally, a familiar sight slowly emerged from the darkness.
I floated in the air, my body as light as a feather.
Beneath me, the silent sea spread out, reflecting the dim light of a gray sky untouched by sunlight.
No sound. No wind.
Only a suffocating silence, leaving me adrift, detached from everything I knew.
But what truly caught my attention was the large, ruined structure in the middle of the water.
The ruins looked hauntingly familiar, carving a deep sense of dread in my heart.
No... it couldn't be.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to move closer to examine it.
As I floated lower, any doubts I had vanished, replaced by a cold chill creeping down my spine.
It was our base. Our safe zone.
But now, all of it was destroyed, no— gone.
The building lay in ruins, unrecognizable, submerged in water that slowly washed away what little remained of life there.
"This isn't possible... this can't be happening," I whispered again, my voice barely audible.
I floated closer, my eyes scanning the wreckage.
I was searching for something—a sign of life, any trace that could give me answers to what had happened.
But there was only debris. Nothing moved, nothing remained.
I swallowed hard, tears welling up in my eyes.
What had happened?
Diego? Ayla? Where are you?
What could have destroyed our safe zone like this?
Suddenly, my eyes caught something that sent a shock through my chest.
Emotion—there was life!
I moved closer and saw someone leaning against a broken wall.
His body was covered in wounds, both legs pinned beneath rubble.
I froze, unable to believe who I was seeing.
His body was battered, and his legs were crushed under the debris.
His messy black hair, his pale face.
"Bram?" I could hardly believe my eyes.
I tried to move closer.
Bram looked gravely injured.
His breaths came in ragged gasps, and his trembling hands struggled to support his body.
The rifle he always carried so tightly was now lying nearby, covered in dust and blood.
I studied his face more closely.
I felt a profound sadness, something rare and unfamiliar.
The Bram I knew—whose emotions always burned—now seemed extinguished, hopeless.
He looked fragile.
"What happened to him?" I whispered, more to myself than anyone else.
But before I could find any answers, my vision suddenly blurred.
Everything around me began to fade, like ink dissolving in water.
I tried to hold on, but the force was too overwhelming. Everything grew darker, hazier.
"No... not now! I need to know what happened!"
But before I could cling to consciousness, his voice broke through.
Bram's voice, filled with despair, echoing in the void.
A voice heavy with sobs, reverberating through the emptiness.
Bram's voice of hopelessness.
"You're too selfish..." the words trembled with pain, regret cutting deep into each syllable.
"Who's selfish? What does he mean?" my mind screamed, but it was already too late.
The darkness consumed everything, and his voice grew fainter, leaving only an inescapable void.
And in that darkness, I heard one final sentence, a sentence that now echoed relentlessly in my mind.
"I should've been the one to die..."
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My consciousness slowly returned, like waking up from a nightmare that drained every ounce of energy.
But the sensation was far more vivid—and far more terrifying.
My body felt weak, as if my life force had been siphoned by something unseen.
The exhaustion wasn't just physical; it ran deeper, attacking my very soul.
I could feel it in every heartbeat, in every breath I took.
I had been trying to stand earlier, but my vision spun violently.
Before I could stabilize myself, my body collapsed onto the floor with a loud, resounding thud.
THUD!
The sound echoed through the room, which had been filled with tense conversation just moments ago.
Suddenly, everything fell silent.
I could feel their stares—sharp with shock and concern—piercing me from all directions.
"KAI!!" Diego's voice broke through, filled with panic that hit like a wave.
He jumped from his seat in a rush, his movements frantic as he hurried toward me.
Not far from me, Ayla quickly followed.
Her face was lined with worry, but her movements remained steady and assured.
She helped me sit up, her hands carefully supporting my back as though afraid I might collapse again.
"Kai, what's wrong? What happened?" Diego's voice cracked, heavy with concern.
His eyes bore into me, searching for answers to what had just occurred.
"I... I'm fine," I rasped out, my voice hoarse.
Even to my ears, my words sounded weak, and my body continued to tremble uncontrollably.
My vision was blurry, but I could still see the worry etched on their faces.
"Fine? You're pale and sweating!" Ayla cut in, her voice trembling, unable to hide her fear.
She immediately extended a bottle of water toward me.
"Drink this."
I nodded weakly, reaching out with a trembling hand to take the bottle.
The cold water slid down my throat, but I knew it wouldn't be enough to chase away the emptiness consuming me.
I knew something was wrong.
Everything I had just seen—that vision, the ruins, Bram injured—it all had to mean something.
But I wasn't ready to talk about it, not even to myself.
I wasn't ready to talk about it.
I turned my gaze toward Bram, watching him silently.
My eyes couldn't leave him.
The images from my vision flashed back—the destroyed building, his wounded body.
I tried to push the thoughts aside, but in my mind, Bram remained, his face etched with despair.
Bram met my gaze with a sharp, mocking glare.
"Why are you looking at me like that, kid?" he said, his tone laced with irritation.
I hesitated, searching for the words to explain the chaos swirling inside me, but my voice barely came out.
"Ah, sorry... I'm just... tired, that's all." My reply felt hollow, even to myself.
Diego, who had been standing tensely the whole time, could no longer hold back.
"Tired? Tired from what, Kai? You—"
Before Diego could finish, Ayla quickly placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him before the situation escalated further.
"Diego," Ayla said gently but firmly,
"Give him some time. Kai clearly isn't in a state to answer questions right now."
Diego sighed, his worried gaze fixed on me.
Though he nodded, I could feel the tension in his body, as though he desperately wanted to help but didn't know how.
Ayla sat down beside me, gently placing a hand on my shoulder, grounding me with her presence.
"Kai, if something's wrong, we're here for you," she repeated softly.
I nodded slowly, though my mind remained a tangle of confusion.
"Thank you, Ayla. I just need... a moment."
I forced a small smile, even though it felt far from genuine.
But amidst the quiet, Bram spoke again, his tone colder than before.
"Hah, what kind of drama is this?" he sneered, his voice laced with disdain.
"If he's that weak, he shouldn't even be here in the first place."
His words added to the tension already hanging heavy in the air, making the room feel even more oppressive.
Finally, Dirga, who had been standing silently, stepped forward with slow, deliberate steps.
Every movement seemed to add weight to the charged atmosphere.
"Bram," Dirga said, his voice low but sharp with authority,
"If you have nothing useful to say, it's better to keep quiet."
Bram lifted his head, his gaze defiant as he looked at Dirga, but this time, he didn't say a word.
He merely scoffed, turning his face away.
No further words were exchanged, only an oppressive silence that hung thick in the air.
I forced my body to stand, though my legs were still shaky.
I knew we didn't have much time left.
"We need to prepare," I said seriously, my eyes shifting between Ayla and Diego.
My voice was heavy with determination, even though it still carried traces of exhaustion and tremors.
Time was running out.
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00:00:30
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Thirty seconds left.
We all stood in a line at the edge of the safe zone, like soldiers waiting for the fall of an unseen enemy.
This place used to be a peaceful beach, with gentle waves and a soft breeze carrying the salty scent of the sea.
Now, all of that was just a memory.
What stretched before us was pure chaos—angry waves raging as if they wanted to devour everything, torrential rain pouring relentlessly, and winds howling like bloodthirsty creatures.
Only the safe zone shielded us from it all.
Above us, the sunlight illuminated only this small area, as if heaven itself was offering a fragile glimmer of hope.
But that hope felt delicate, like a single candle fighting to stay lit in the midst of a storm.
Diego clutched a bamboo shield he had crafted himself.
Though it looked simple, I knew how much time and effort he had poured into making it.
"At least I have something to use," he had said earlier that morning, finishing it with a proud smile.
I knew he didn't just make it for himself but for all of us.
In my hands, I gripped a sharp piece of metal we had shaped as best we could for close combat.
The cold, heavy weight in my hand was a stark reminder that this wasn't just a dream.
Ayla, standing next to me, held a similar weapon.
Her small hands trembled slightly, though she tried her best to hide it.
The metal felt cold in my hand, almost as if warning me of the danger we were about to face.
Bram, armed with his rifle, looked like a seasoned war veteran ready to return to battle.
The others stood ready with their weapons as well.
Ayla stood beside me, her eyes locked on the scene outside.
Her face was pale, and though she tried to appear calm, I could see the unease in her uneven breathing.
"I have a bad feeling about this," she whispered, her voice trembling.
Her words were nearly drowned out by the sound of the rain and waves, but I heard her clearly.
I stayed silent for a moment, staring at the massive waves crashing against the boundary of the safe zone.
"What do you think," Diego's voice broke the silence.
He turned to me, his eyes filled with a rare expression of worry.
"What do you think we're going to face this time?"
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing mind before answering.
"Maybe…" I gazed blankly at the chaos unfolding ahead, searching for answers in the madness.
"Something we could never imagine."
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Cosmic Announcement -
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Phase 2 is about to begin!
The Water Race will soon join in the new era. Prepare yourselves!
A mandatory mission will be assigned to every party and individual, both inside and outside the safe zone.
The Heart of the Safe Zone will be randomly selected from individuals within the safe zone.
Your task is to protect the Heart of the Safe Zone from Outsider attacks (creatures or individuals from outside the safe zone) who have been assigned to destroy it.
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Phase 2 Rules:
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Heart of the Safe Zone:
Each safe zone will have a Heart.
The Heart will be an individual randomly selected and cannot refuse this role.
They will receive a special mark that makes them visible to all Outsiders within a certain radius.
The Heart can move, but it must always be protected by the guardian team.
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If the Heart is successfully protected until time runs out:
All points earned from defeating Outsiders will be multiplied by five, providing a huge advantage to the safe zone's inhabitants.
If a Heart attempts to destroy itself or is killed by a safe zone inhabitant, they will face a severe penalty of instant death, and their safe zone will immediately be declared a failure.
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If the Heart is destroyed/killed (failure):
All safe zone inhabitants will receive a mark for 24 hours and will become the primary targets of Outsiders.
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Rewards and Penalties:
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Outsiders:
Earn 100 points if they successfully destroy the Heart.
Earn additional points based on the number of safe zone inhabitants they defeat.
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Safe Zone:
Earn points for each Outsider they successfully defeat.
Additional points will be given based on the difficulty level of each Outsider.
Bonus x5 points if the Heart is successfully protected until the end of the time.
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Cosmic Announcement -
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Global Leaderboards for Parties and Individuals are now open!
Leaderboards will rank participants based on the points they have earned.
For the Individual Leaderboard, points are calculated based on each player's personal achievements.
For the Party Leaderboard, the points of all members in a party are combined to determine their rank.
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Suggestion:
Work hard to get into the Top 3 on the Leaderboard.
The rewards you'll receive will be extremely helpful in the future!
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Silence.
We all read the announcement in utter stillness.
No one said a word.
The sound of crashing waves and falling rain became the backdrop, amplifying the tension.
My breathing felt heavy, as if the air around us was growing thinner.
But it wasn't over yet.
Another message appeared—and this time, it shattered what little composure I had left.
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You Have Been Chosen as the Heart of the Safe Zone.
Make sure to survive until time runs out.
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My eyes widened.
Time seemed to stop.
A cold chill crept over my skin.
I stood frozen, reading the message over and over, desperately hoping it was some kind of mistake.
But the words remained there, clear and undeniable.