BEYOND THE FIRST DOOR
800 Words
White light swallowed everything.
Patrick felt his body being pulled through an endless tunnel.
The sensation lasted only seconds.
Then his feet touched solid ground.
The light disappeared.
Patrick opened his eyes.
And froze.
He stood in a ruined city.
Ancient skyscrapers stretched toward a dark sky.
Broken roads crossed the landscape.
Vehicles covered in rust sat abandoned everywhere.
The place looked dead.
Completely dead.
A cold wind blew through the empty streets.
Patrick wasn't alone.
The other ninety-nine participants had also arrived.
Scarlet stood nearby.
Several elite participants immediately began surveying the area.
Others looked confused.
A notification appeared before everyone.
---
FIRST DOOR TRIAL
Welcome, Participants.
Phase One: Survival
Participants Remaining: 100
Objective: Survive 7 Days
Reward: Access to Phase Two
Failure: Death
---
A wave of nervous whispers spread through the crowd.
Seven days?
In this place?
The notification continued.
---
Additional Rule
Participants May Eliminate Each Other.
---
Silence.
Then the whispers stopped.
Everyone slowly looked around.
Suddenly, every participant became a threat.
Scarlet smiled.
"Now this is interesting."
Patrick didn't share her enthusiasm.
A loud roar echoed through the ruined city.
The sound shook nearby buildings.
Several participants flinched.
Then another roar answered from the distance.
And another.
And another.
The city wasn't empty.
Something lived here.
Something big.
The notification flashed again.
---
Warning
Nightfall In 2 Hours
Survival Probability During First Night:
12%
---
The crowd erupted.
"Twelve percent?!"
"That's insane!"
Patrick's stomach tightened.
Eighty-eight percent of participants were expected to die on the first night.
This wasn't a trial.
It was a m******e.
A man wearing blue armor stepped forward.
"We should form groups."
Several participants immediately agreed.
It made sense.
Strength in numbers.
Unfortunately, Patrick noticed something.
Nobody was inviting him.
In fact, many were avoiding him.
The Watched One.
The Key Holder.
The person attracting the Watchers.
Nobody wanted to be near him.
Elena wasn't here.
Adrian wasn't here.
Patrick was alone.
Scarlet approached him.
"Looks like nobody wants you."
Patrick forced a smile.
"Thanks for pointing that out."
The woman laughed.
"You should join my team."
Patrick blinked.
"What?"
That was unexpected.
Scarlet crossed her arms.
"I want to keep an eye on you."
There it was.
Patrick knew there had to be a catch.
Before he could answer, his Golden Instinct activated.
Danger.
Extreme danger.
He immediately looked upward.
Something moved on a nearby rooftop.
Fast.
Very fast.
A shadow.
Watching.
Patrick narrowed his eyes.
Then Observation activated automatically.
---
Unknown Creature
Threat Level: Fatal
---
His blood ran cold.
The creature suddenly leaped.
A participant screamed.
The monster landed among the crowd.
Chaos erupted instantly.
It stood nearly three meters tall.
Black skin.
Long claws.
Glowing red eyes.
The creature tore through armor as if it were paper.
One participant died before anyone could react.
Then another.
Blood splashed across the street.
Panic exploded.
"Run!"
People scattered in every direction.
More shadows appeared on nearby buildings.
Dozens.
Hundreds.
The monsters had been watching them the entire time.
Waiting.
The first night hadn't even begun.
And participants were already dying.
Scarlet drew her weapon.
A crimson spear appeared in her hands.
She moved like lightning.
One strike.
A monster exploded.
Patrick's eyes widened.
Now he understood why she was Rank 12.
She was terrifying.
Another creature charged toward him.
Patrick barely dodged.
The monster's claws missed his throat by inches.
His heart pounded.
This thing was trying to kill him.
For real.
Golden Instinct activated again.
Patrick instinctively stepped left.
A second monster crashed into the spot where he had been standing.
His new talent was saving his life.
A notification appeared.
---
Golden Instinct Level Up
Level 2
---
Patrick didn't have time to celebrate.
The city suddenly shook.
Every monster stopped moving.
The surviving participants froze.
Something was coming.
Something much worse.
A deep horn echoed across the ruins.
The sound seemed ancient.
Powerful.
Terrifying.
Even the monsters looked afraid.
The sky darkened.
Clouds gathered above the city.
Then a giant shadow appeared beyond the buildings.
Patrick's eyes widened.
The thing was enormous.
Larger than skyscrapers.
Larger than anything he had ever seen.
A notification appeared.
---
World Boss Detected
The Guardian Of The First Door
Threat Level: Impossible
---
Scarlet's confident smile vanished.
For the first time, she looked shocked.
The giant creature stepped into view.
The ground trembled beneath its feet.
Every participant stared in horror.
Then the Guardian slowly turned its head.
And looked directly at Patrick.
A new message appeared.
---
Special Condition Triggered
The Guardian Has Recognized You
---
Patrick's heart nearly stopped.
The Guardian opened its mouth.
And spoke.
"Prince..."
Why did the Guardian call Patrick "Prince"? What forgotten royal bloodline is connected to his past, and why does every powerful force seem to recognize him before he recognizes himself?
- Writer
