Tilus shouted through the noise. "I know a way out of this stage with no one having to kill each other!"
Faces turned toward him—some filled with fear, others with a flicker of hope. The chaos quieted, if only for a moment, as people listened.
"The condition to pass this stage is to kill a living being. It doesn't have to be human," Tilus continued, urgency in his voice. "There are insects and small animals around if you look carefully. Kill one of them, and you can clear the stage."
A few in the crowd looked skeptical, but Tilus pressed on. "I've already received the notification after killing an insect, and so have my friends. If you head to the north side of the park, there's an ant nest. That's your way out."
Slowly, the crowd stirred, some hesitantly searching the ground for anything small enough to kill. Tilus discreetly pulled out a small container with a few ants he had collected earlier and handed it to Violet and the elderly woman. "Kill the ant," he instructed. They hesitated, but did as he said, clearing the stage.
But Verismon wasn't finished with him yet.
"Well, well, well," Verismon's voice echoed again, laced with sinister amusement. "We have a little savior in our midst. How boring. You've spoiled my fun, Tilus. Let's make things more… interesting."
Dread crept over Tilus as Verismon's voice took on a darker tone.
"From this moment, the time limit for this trial will be shortened," Verismon announced. "You now have five minutes left to kill a living being and clear the stage. Oh, and one more thing—if anyone manages to kill Tilus, you will all pass the stage instantly. No need to hunt for insects. Just one quick death, and you're free."
Then a screen showing five minutes appear in front of their eyes and start to count down. A deadly silence fell over the crowd. Panic resurfaced, but this time, it was focused on Tilus. Eyes turned toward him—some wide with fear, others sharp with murderous intent. Tilus tried to persuade them but his words were swallowed by the fear and desperation thickening the air. Whispers flickered back and forth among the crowd.
"Hey, what if we could—"
"Yeah, why not? We had more people—"
"But do we have to? We could just kill the insects!"
"You idiots, we only got five minutes left, he said on the north side of the park, which is almost 5 minutes away!"
Tilus's mind raced. He couldn't fight them all even with them not having weapons, and trying to do so would only fuel Verismon's twisted game. Each one looking at him like a bunch of hyenas that want to run at him. He needed to hurry up and run. The tension in the air thickened, some still weighing their options, some had left to find the ants nest or any small insects they could find.
"Listen to me!" Tilus pleaded. "There's still a way out for all of us. Run to the ant nest now—there's enough for everyone!"
The crowd hesitated, but Verismon's cruel laughter cut through the air. "Tick-tock, Tilus. Time is running out."
"TIlus what do we do now ?" Jasmine voice shaking as she look to Tilus
"I will draw them off, you guys stay hidden, I will find a way out of this, I doubt they could catch up to me anyway" He said as he started to run toward the north.
As Tilus fled, a few started to run after him, around 10 maybe 15 had run after him. After 2 minutes running, He risked a glance over his shoulder.
Through the gaps between the trees, he caught fleeting glimpses. Ben roaring as he bulldozed through two men at once, Leon's lanky form twisting around a punch before throwing a fistful of gravel into an attacker's eyes, Jasmine crouched low with a rock in hand, hurling it around, a man got hit by the rock pissed off and ran at Jasmine. Then a shadow, a smaller, faster figure sliced through — Violet. Tilus saw her duck low, twisting the guy as he screamed in pain then she slammed a kick into their gut sending them backward.
Wait. Violet ?
He hadn't expected her, he had expected her to be more self-centered based on what he knew from the journal but well that is what the future Violet that he knows. Beside her was William throwing punches around just to get himself beaten right back and Ben had to come to save his ass.
"He is over here" Someone shouted and pointed at Tilus direction
Tilus stumbled away onto the stone path and froze. Hoàn Kiếm Lake spread wide before him, its dark surface rippling under the moonlight, the Turtle Tower glowing faintly like a ghost in the middle of the water. Lamplights lined the shore, casting long shadows across the ground. People was blocking three side of his path and with the lake was right behind him. He found himself in a dead end trap, the group began circling on him but most were still hesitating.
Tilus thought for a moment that he could run his mouth to buy time. However one man didn't hesitate—the same man who had attacked the grandmother earlier. A man that Tilus never thought he would see again; AJ. His eyes gleamed with bloodshot as he shoved through the crowd with a knife in right hand, while the guy left arm was gone from the last time he saw it.
"Out of the road, Tilus," AJ sneered, voice curling with venom. "You think you're a hero? Let's see how long that lasts."
Tilus look up at the timer above his head that Verismon had materialized
[Two minutes left]
Perfect.
"I'm not running anymore," Tilus said softly, eyes narrowing. His mouth twisted into a wry grin.
"Time's almost up, AJ."
"Is that so, then you just to die before that"
Tilus's heart pounded as AJ ran and lunged, the knife flashing in the dim light. He barely dodged the first strike, but the man kept coming, each swing more frantic and uncoordinated than the last. Tilus knew he couldn't keep dodging forever.
"You'll regret this," Tilus muttered, bracing himself for the next attack. He tried to access his inventory.
[Weapons from inventory and shops are prohibited in this Stage.]
This was ridiculous. How can AJ just freely have his weapon to attack in the open like this? Because that guy hid in his body and he put his weapon in inventory ? This is unfair.
Another slash. Tilus stumbled back, crowd pressing in tighter, the bystanders' faces twisted with a sick mixture of fascination and fear. No one wanted to get involved, but they were circling, cutting off Tilus's escape.
Damn it. Can't keep running.
He lashed out, boot connecting with a man who stepped too close. But that opening cost him.
"This is for my brother,"
What the hell is he even talking about?!
Tilus gritted his teeth. No time to unravel AJ's melodramatic grudge. He just needed to hold on — stall, survive, until—
[One minute left]
A plan sparked.
Tilus feigned a stumble, crashing to the ground, trembling hands fumbling for something in his back pocket. "P-please… don't…" he whimpered, eyes wide with faux terror.
AJ smirked, swaggering closer, knife raised high. "Blame your luck, kid. Too late for regrets."
NOW.
Tilus's hand shot up — pepper spray blasting straight into AJ's face.
"ARGHHHHH!" AJ howled, knife clattering to the ground as he clutched his burning eyes.
Tilus didn't hesitate. With a sharp, vicious kick, he nailed AJ right in the groin.AJ crumpled like a folding chair, gasping, wheezing. Tilus snatched up the fallen knife and pressed its cold edge right against AJ's throat.
"Don't even think about it," Tilus hissed, eyes blazing. "I can end you in an instant."
AJ's bravado cracked, voice hoarse: "You think you've got what it takes, kid?"
The knife bit into the skin just enough to draw a thin red line.
"Wanna bet?" Tilus growled.
The crowd fell into stunned silence.
But AJ wasn't done. Not yet. With a wild, animalistic snarl, his teeth sinking deep into Tilus's arm.
"AH—!" Tilus cried, instinctively jerking back, the knife slipping from his fingers.
"You think you can humiliate me?!" AJ spat, surging forward.
His fists slammed into Tilus, a brutal, chaotic flurry. Tilus reeled, pain blooming like fire through his battered limbs.
He can't go down here—!
Teeth gritted, Tilus pivoted, shoving back with all his strength. Their fists collided — a raw, messy exchange. AJ fought like a feral beast, each punch fueled by rage, each movement reckless. And over it all, loud and cruel:
[10 seconds… 9… 8…]
"You can't keep this up forever!" AJ roared, lunging once more.
Sweat and blood streaked Tilus's face. He ducked low, summoning the last reserves of strength, and slammed his knee into AJ's side, toppling him.
"Time's up," a voice echoed, cool and final.
AJ's body shuddered. His knees buckled. His strength drained like water slipping through broken fingers.
His lips parted, a flicker of something almost human crossing his face.
"…You fought well, kid…" he rasped.
Breathless, bleeding, Tilus stood over him, chest heaving, heart thundering.
He survived.
Verismon's voice crackled to life. "Interesting... I'll admit, Tilus, you're more resourceful than I gave you credit for. But don't get too comfortable. This… this is merely the beginning."
[Congratulations. You have survived the first stage.]