The city was dense, covered by towering, silent buildings. No birds flew across the sky. There was no sign of life. Everything was still, as if its inhabitants had vanished. And yet… the atmosphere, the air, the buildings, the ground beneath their feet — it all felt too real to be a virtual world.
Beneath the shadow of one of the colossal buildings, five players stood together: Alya, Otakura, Takimira, Sasha, and Revild. The silence was so thick that their glances screamed louder than words. The building's door creaked softly in the wind.
Leaning against the wall, body relaxed but eyes tense, Revild looked up at the sky. His blue eyes drifted into the clouds — and with them, his mind slipped into the past.
---
[Two Years Ago]
The street was packed with cars speeding by. In front of a school, students boarded a yellow school bus. Revild, dressed in black, with elegant posture and a serious expression, waited on the other side of the road.
Then he saw him — Haruto, his little brother, just 8 years old. The boy dashed across the street, smiling brightly, running toward his brother's arms.
"Big bro! You came!" Haruto shouted, excited.
But he tripped on a rock. He fell to his knees in the middle of the street.
"Ugh… ahhhhhh!"
Haruto whimpered, trying not to cry. Revild clenched his teeth and ran toward him.
"Haruto! Are you okay? Your knee's bleeding… hang on, I'll call a taxi. I'm taking you to the hospital!"
He pulled out his phone, fingers rushing to dial emergency.
"No need, bro... I'm okay!" Haruto said, forcing a smile. "No matter how many times I fall... you'll always be there to lift me up, right?"
---
[Present]
Revild clenched his fists, biting his lip. He had sworn to himself — he wouldn't rest until he saved his brother.
Alya subtly noticed his tense hands. Silently, she stood and dusted off her skirt.
"I know it's not really my business, but... can I ask why you joined the game?" Her voice was firm, posture upright, trying to be respectful.
Revild only sighed, not even glancing at her.
"We're not here to make friends. We're here to form a… temporary team." He stood up. "So I have no reason to share my personal life."
Coldly, he began to walk, throwing one final sentence behind him:
"The game won't beat itself. Let's go."
BANG.
Otakura stretched slowly, narrowing his eyes at Revild.
"You think you're the boss just 'cause you beat one demon? Acting all tough..." he muttered with disdain.
Revild didn't respond, didn't even look back. His gaze was fixed ahead, as if seeing something beyond the endless buildings.
Sasha tried to speak, but no words came out. She simply followed Revild in silence.
"Idiots…" Otakura muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets and spitting to the side.
Takamira, full of energy, was hyped about the Elixir hunt. Overflowing with confidence, he grabbed Alya's shoulders and asked:
"So, you asked Revild that... are you into him?"
Alya pushed his hands off with force.
"It was nothing. I just wanted to understand."
"Hmmm... female curiosity, huh?"
"My dad used to order me around constantly. When I saw so many people joining this game, I thought, 'Why not?' I didn't join for the money. I just thought it'd be fun to play with so many people."
Takamira laughed.
"Haha! That's the creepiest and most random reason I've ever heard."
"Shut up and move your damn legs before I break your face!" Otakura snapped, still annoyed by the chatter.
Everyone hurried to catch up to Revild. But midway, he suddenly stopped and turned to the left.
"Oh great, now what? You stopping again? Who do you think you are, huh?!" Otakura complained.
Revild ignored him. He glanced briefly at Otakura, then fixed his gaze on a specific point to the left.
"Whoever you are, show yourself."
His voice dropped into a chilling tone.
"Impressive…" said an unfamiliar voice. "You spotted me, even with my presence completely suppressed. That's interesting."
Koloris appeared. His figure shimmered as the invisibility magic dissipated. He smiled ambiguously, licking the curved blades in his hands.
Revild stared him down coldly. Otakura grit his teeth, ready to explode.
---
[Top of Another Building – Moments Earlier]
Everything looked tiny from above.
Sora lay sprawled, his face bruised and his body covered in welts. Blood trickled from his mouth, and his breathing was barely audible.
"Thanks… really…" he murmured, before losing consciousness.
Nina cradled his head in her lap. She raised her hand and whispered:
"Sacred Light. First Stage: Wound Heal."
Her palm glowed golden. The light wrapped around Sora's neck, slowly mending the injuries. But he remained unconscious.
Nina ended the spell. She closed her eyes for a moment… and remembered.
---
[A Few Minutes Earlier]
She was walking with Goto, Elias, and two other players. They were heading toward the tallest building in the city. Suddenly, the ground trembled.
BOOM… BOOM…
"What the hell is happening?!" Goto shouted, barely holding himself up.
"Stay here. I'll be right back," Nina said.
"You're abandoning us?!" Elias asked, trembling.
But before they could stop her, Nina teleported away. The group froze. Elias bit his fingers in panic.
---
At the rooftop, Nina reappeared with a soft burst of air.
Far below, she saw someone being hurled from a building — Sora. His body hit the ground, lips barely moving in a silent plea.
Ris emerged next, rushing at absurd speed to deliver the final blow.
Huff… huff…
Nina inhaled deeply. She teleported again, appearing between Ris and Sora at the very last millisecond.
"Sacred Light: Tenth Stage!" she shouted.
Two swords of light formed in her arms, crossing into a defensive stance.
BOOOOOOM!
The explosion of light hurled Ris backward with violent force.
---
[Present]
Nina yawned, stretching her arms, with Sora's head still resting in her lap.
"Whoever that guy was... my whole body was shaking. If I hadn't teleported in time, we'd be dead."
---
[Elsewhere in the City]
The air was heavy. Blood covered everything. Nemor stared at the corpses of the players he had just slaughtered. His red hair was stained — not with his own blood, but theirs.
Barzar watched in silence, eyes scanning the horizon.
"Weaklings shouldn't even exist, right?" Nemor said with sarcastic amusement.
"They are strong. But maybe you... you're just too strong. That's why no one can keep up with you," Barzar replied seriously.
In an instant, the wind roared.
VRMMMMMMMM—!!!
An insane vibration tore through the air. Ris appeared out of nowhere, materializing like a burst of death itself. The sound of his arrival crackled like lightning through the sky.
He grinned, a shimmering dagger in hand.
Barzar froze for a moment, eyes wide.
Nemor, on the other hand, smiled with excitement.
> "This is gonna be so good…" he thought, eyes gleaming.