The dagger in Justin's hand still felt warm from the blood of the creature he'd just killed.
It wasn't some lightweight game item—this thing had weight, balance, a dark bronze finish, and a serrated edge that glinted faintly under the tower's white sky.
It was real. Like everything else in this cursed world.
[Weapon Equipped: Bronze Dagger]
[Basic Damage: 15 – 20]
[Effect: Minor Bleed]
[Durability: 100/100]
He turned it over in his hand once. It was simple—but it was his.
A faint chime echoed again in his ears, followed by his system's calm voice.
"Level 2 achieved. You've been granted access to your basic skill tree. Would you like to unlock your first combat perk?"
Justin straightened, his breathing more steady now.
"Show me."
A new window blinked open in front of him.
[Skill Unlock: Tier 1 Available]
Choose One:
Shadow Step (Passive): +10% Movement Speed when undetected
Precision Kill (Active): Deal +50% damage on critical strike (Cooldown: 20 seconds)
Adrenal Surge (Passive): Temporarily boosts speed and reflexes by 30% when HP drops below 30%
He didn't hesitate.
"Shadow Step."
In a world where everyone was trying to survive, speed and silence would be his weapons.
[Skill Acquired: Shadow Step]
[Passive activated]
The moment the skill synced into his system, something shifted in the soles of his feet—like his body had just synced more tightly with the world around him. His steps felt lighter. His stance more coiled, like a spring ready to snap.
He exhaled slowly.
Then looked up at the obsidian gates ahead, now slowly grinding open.
Floor 1 had just begun.
Beyond the gate lay a jagged field of broken stone, twisted trees, and shadowy movement between ruins. Other players were already spreading out, fighting, screaming, or dying. Some stuck together in shaky groups. Others tried to run solo.
Justin moved on instinct.
Silent. Focused. Low to the ground.
He passed two players locked in combat with a crawling beast—fangs snapping, limbs like armored spiders. One of the players shrieked as a claw tore across his shoulder. Justin didn't stop.
He had no allies. No one to protect. Not yet.
Just himself… and the dagger in his hand.
"Target ahead. Level 3 threat. Vulnerable when attacking."
Hakuda's voice echoed calmly in his head. Justin followed the signal.
The creature was ugly. Humanoid, but malformed—gray flesh, massive jaw, blood-slick claws. It stalked between stone pillars, sniffing.
Justin crept behind it, steps soundless.
Shadow Step activated.
He lunged.
The dagger slid into the beast's lower spine. It howled and twisted, but Justin was already moving—ducking low, rolling behind, slashing its Achilles in a blur.
It fell with a crash, snarling.
Justin didn't blink. He drove the blade into its throat, once—twice—until it stopped moving.
[Enemy Defeated: Cave Ghoul]
[+30 XP]
[Loot Acquired: Leather Wrap Armor (Common)]
[HP: 82 / 100]
[XP: 80 / 100]
He stood, chest heaving. Blood sprayed across his coat. It didn't bother him.
A few more kills, and he'd level again.
An hour passed. Maybe more. Time had no real meaning here.
He stalked the battlefield like a ghost—striking from the shadows, avoiding direct confrontation, taking calculated risks. He unlocked Level 3, then Level 4, adding "Precision Kill" to his skill set.
He'd looted a pair of worn boots, a basic throwing knife, and enough coins to buy a beginner's ration kit from a merchant node hidden in a corner of the floor.
Hakuda guided him silently, efficiently. The AI was like a second mind—non-intrusive, but always watching.
"Efficiency rating increasing. Your kill rhythm is adapting to optimal tempo."
"I'm not trying to impress you," Justin muttered under his breath.
"You're not. You're trying to survive. Impressive by default."
He allowed a small smirk.
That was fair.
Just when Justin began to think the worst was over, the system shifted.
The sky above dimmed.
The floor beneath him trembled.
Then came the announcement:
[FLOOR BOSS APPEARING: "GUTREND THE CARNIFEX"]
[REQUIREMENT: Must defeat or survive for 15 minutes to proceed]
[WARNING: This boss is 8 levels higher than your current level]
Justin's eyes narrowed.
Eight levels?
This wasn't a boss—it was a massacre waiting to happen.
Across the map, players began running. Some screamed for help. Others hid behind ruins, clutching rusty weapons or huddling in groups of three or four.
Justin didn't run.
He crouched atop a broken stone archway, dagger in hand, eyes fixed on the distant roar that shook the sky.
Then he saw it.
Gutrend wasn't just a monster—it was a titan. Ten feet tall. Dual axes dripping black tar. A jaw full of rusted nails. Its chest glowed with runes pulsing like a heartbeat.
It was headed straight for the center of the field—where the players were.
Where the weak would die first.
Justin could've run. Could've hidden. Waited out the timer.
But then he saw a familiar shape through the dust.
A girl. Slender. Wielding a chain weapon that danced through the air like a whip. Fast, precise—graceful even under pressure.
Matilda.
The Ballerina.
She was surrounded by fallen players, bleeding from her leg, yet still fighting—her chain wrapping around a beast's neck before yanking it down and stabbing it mid-spin.
Justin's jaw tightened.
He didn't know her yet.
But he would.
And he wouldn't let her die.
( To be continued...)