23/10/2030

The weekend is quiet. Han Juho was sitting on the sofa in his apartment, phone in hand, his eyes fixed to the small screen. He was rereading his favorite novel called Villain Overkill, which he discovered ten years ago, or precisely a decade ago, when he was still a high school student.

Back then, it was one of the most exciting and promising fantasy stories that he had always been waiting for every week. But the updates stopped suddenly, making him and countless other fans hang on the cliffhanger.

"Ten years..." He muttered, scrolling past 360+ chapters, stopping at the last update. "If only the author is still active, maybe the novel already has an ending or at least an explanation."

His gaze fell on the final line of the last chapter... the same sentence that he had read over and over since 2020, back when he was stuck at home during the pandemic. Each time he revisited it, an ache always appeared in his heart. No matter how much time had passed.

For years, Juho hold onto that hope, like a fool who refuses to let go, scrolling through the forums for news, checking the site regularly, rereading each chapter to reignite the excitement.

Each visit deepened his ache of disappointment. The author had vanished, and their last update on Outstagram had been a handwritten note explaining their hospitalization. They had promised to return once they recovered, but to this day, there were no updates. Leaving behind questions and speculation among the readers.

It wasn’t the first time this had happened. The same author had written a virtual-reality-themed novel, how had that one ended again? Oh right, it didn’t. He’d been waiting for that one too, though not as much as his all-time favorite. Writers really know how to ghost their audience, didn't they? If only there were a special group for abandoned readers.

Despite that, he couldn't bring himself to let go. Villain Overkill was different. The world-building was rich, the characters flawed, but that only made them feel more human, and the protagonist's struggles made one feel as if they were part of the story. How could he let go of a story that left such a big impression on him?

Yet, every time he reread the betrayal scene. Where the protagonist's closest friends, the people he trusted the most, abandoned him at a time of need. Juho's chest always tightened as he read it for the umpteenth time. It felt too raw, too cruel. How could anyone betray a friend so easily, especially in such a devastating world?

Juho sighed deeply and put his phone on the coffee table. His mind drifted to his own dreams, buried beneath the harsh truth.

"Writing a novel..." Juho whispered bitterly to himself. He had dreamed of it once, a long time ago. But life always had a way of crushing dreams. Especially after watching his family struggle financially in his youth, that once hopeful dream felt more distant than ever.

He closed his eyes for a moment and shook his head, pushing the thought aside and reminding himself that it was all in the past now. Just as he was about to reach for his phone, a sharp sting shot through his hand. He hissed and reflexively threw it hard to the ground, instantly regretting it as it hit the ground with a thud.

"Great," he muttered, slapping his forehead as he imagined the damage on his phone right now. "Just what I needed."

Just as he was about to pick up the phone again, he felt an unnatural vibration coming from outside. He hesitated, glancing toward the disturbance, but before he could investigate. A sudden noise came from his television. He froze, his heart skipping a beat as the screen suddenly came to life, even though he hadn't turned it on.

It wasn't a show or a commercial. It was an emergency government broadcast. The emblem of the Republic of South Korea appeared on the screen, followed by a serious-looking man sitting on a podium.

"Attention, citizens of the Republic of South Korea." The man began, his expression firm. "This is a national emergency broadcast. A global cyber attack has occurred, resulting in massive data corruption. Online systems, including critical infrastructure, have been severely compromised. The event appears to have been caused by an unknown force."

The camera cut to another location, high above, a zoomed-in footage of a large monster rampaging through an urban area. Juho recognized it immediately, is that Seoul?! Was that the reason why he seemed to hear many strange noises in the distance?

Screams filled the background of the television. Then the camera flickered again, showing a figure in a black hood moving like a shadow through the city. Holding a bloody crowbar, its face was hidden, and its presence was unusually calm amid the chaos.

"Reports indicate that many areas have been invaded by unidentified creatures." The officer continued, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the edge of the podium. "Additionally, there are reports of a mysterious individual in a black hood, confirmed at multiple locations and believed to be moving quickly between areas. This person, often seen carrying a crowbar, has been observed attacking innocent lives. Citizens are strongly advised to remain cautious when leaving their homes and to avoid any suspicious individuals."

Loud sirens begin to wail in the distance, Juho grips his knuckles tightly. He tried to control his fear, he had never heard a siren in person in his 25 years of life, and he admits that it sounds very frightening, something that causes a growing anxiety as the broadcast continues.

"We urge you to stay tuned and wait for further instructions. Please prioritize your safety and cooperate with local authorities. The Republic of South Korea is currently in contact with international allies to address this crisis. Until further notice, keep on the alert, and most importantly, stay safe."

The broadcast cuts to a motionless screen, showing an emergency number and an instruction for citizens to follow.

Data corruption? Monsters? Someone in a black hood? This sounds like something out of novel. No, this has to be some kind of prank, right? But there it was, right in front of him.

The loud sirens blaring outside made it impossible to ignore. Juho narrowed his eyes as something suddenly crossed his mind, ‘‘Wait, what about the novel? The stories... Did they've been affected too?’’

He tried to calm himself down and went to pick up the phone on the floor. He brushed it lightly to make sure it was okay and unlocked his phone, expecting to find the novel where he left off. Instead, it's now back to the home screen. He frowned and reopened the light novel site, somehow, it loaded slower than usual.

After a few moments of waiting... It was empty, there were no recommendations for plenty of novels like he had always seen before, only a blank page, but there's still a search bar. Hesitant, he types in the title that has been on his mind: Villain Overkill

As he hit enter, the website loaded, and what appeared next made his heart race, his worst fear took place before his eyes:

"The novel you are looking for is unavailable."

"Huh?" Juho was shocked as his eyes darted back to every word on the screen, hitting the refresh button repeatedly. But no matter how many times he tried, the result remained the same.

His heart pounding as his mind tried to process that Villain Overkill is gone on the website. For a moment, he couldn't tell whether the frustration in his chest was real or if he was just imagining it.

His fingers trembled as he gripped the phone tighter, he's been so sure, so careful, so paranoid that he'd kept a backup. He had always expected something like this to happen many years ago. But never truly believed it would happen.

"Who would have thought?" He murmured with a hint of disbelief. His lips curved into a small smile as he continued to scroll through his files. There it was, his carefully preserved copy of Villain Overkill in FDP. A total of over 3,429 pages.

Juho's body shook slightly with joy, and he covered half of his face with one hand as he chuckled for a moment. "Thanks to my paranoid self," he murmured, relieved that his favorite novel hadn't disappeared in the pile of lost data. Although technically it is gone, if not because of the backup.

But despite these precautions, he does not solve the larger problem. The continuation of the story is something he can't control, and it depends entirely on the recovery of the broader data system.

So even if the author decides to come back one day and update the story, it won't be possible until the corrupted online data is restored.

The government announced that a large amount of data had been compromised. Juho hoped that was all that happened, but the question is... Who in their right mind would dare to do something like this on a global scale?

---Boom

Juho was snapped out of his thoughts and cursed under his breath. What else is this? He first adjusted his glasses, then went to the window and peered through the glass.

It looks like chaos is formed outside. People were screaming, their desperate cries for help echoing in the air, but no one was coming to save them.

He swallowed hard and slowly backed away. His breath caught in his throat as he saw a body collapse in the distance, some of them struck down by a figure in a black hood. Wait, black hood?

A frown slowly formed on his forehead as his mind struggled to process the bloody scene before him. "What the...?" he muttered to himself, his heart quickening as he wondered if this was the person that appeared on television? Would they notice him next?

Suddenly, the figure turned their head abruptly, as if they felt someone's eyes staring at him.

The figure tilted its head slightly, its gaze cold and sharp, but a slight grin was visible on its face, though unclear. They walked slowly, their footsteps unhurried, as if threatening him.

Juho's breath hitched by the action, a shiver runs down his spine, and he immediately crouches down and looks at his hands, which are trembling at the mere sight.

His heart almost dropped. He shouldn't have jinxed it in the first place. Juho stiffly shifts his position to sit on the floor and stares at his room with a mixture of emotions, fear, disbelief and a touch of helplessness. This is more serious than he thought.

He gave his cheeks a few hard slaps to make sure that this was just a dream, but all that remained was the pain on his cheeks, which showed that all this was not a dream. It was a reality.

He stared at the phone in his hands, his mind racing as the realization hit him. The event, the chaos, the sirens, even the figure in the black hood were eerily familiar. They matched the opening chapter of Villain Overkill. This wasn't just a random attack, it was right out of story.

Juho closed his eyes and thought about the absurdity of the situation, wasn't the protagonist of Villain Overkill also reading a novel that came true, with exactly the same circumstances as what was happening now? In other words, was he reading a novel about someone else who read a novel that also became reality?

He was confused by the words that seemed to be spinning around in his head.The idea was so ridiculous that he didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

As the sirens outside grew louder, he took a deep breath and decided to step outside to see for himself. When he opened the door, he was greeted by the sight of people running in fear.

His eyebrows furrowed, he couldn't help but become anxious as well, although he didn't show it. Juho closed the door behind him, locked it first and took his time walking towards the stairs.

He only walked on the edge, a bit worried as people ran from the upper floors, pushing each other. Their footsteps filled his ears, deepening his unease.

He walked down from the seventh floor to the first floor, each step feeling heavy as the chaos unfolded before him. By the time he reached the bottom, almost fifteen minutes had passed. He didn't dare to rush, especially after he almost tripped down the stairs when someone bumped into his shoulder.

When he reached the bottom floor. What happened next hit him hard. A woman was crouched on the floor, her body shaking as she held someone who seemed to be her friend's lifeless body with bloodstained hands. Another was crying in terror, while a man desperately searched for a place to hide.

Juho's heart ached, but he forced himself to keep moving, trying not to let the panic cloud his mind.

‘‘This chaos... It's not random,’’ he thought, staring down at the blood on the ground. The story he knew so well now interfering with his reality, and it's just the beginning of all things that are going to happen next.

•

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To Be Continued...

Han Juho rushed out of the apartment lobby, knowing it wouldn't be safe to stay there much longer. Around him, buildings were already crumbling, some on the verge of collapse.

His mind was spinning with questions. Could it really be a monster? Like the ones from the novel? The thoughts were ridiculous, almost impossible, yet the chaos said otherwise.

His thoughts scattered as he was stopped by a scream. He turned toward the sound and spotted a woman frozen in fear, holding on to an elderly woman who seemed to be her grandmother. And behind them... a monster in the distance?!

The monster loomed large, its strange appearance twisting in a way that made him shiver.

"This is so absurd..." Juho cursed under his breath. He scanned the crowd to see if anyone would help, but no one even turned their attention to them.

He gritted his teeth, conflicted between the instinct to run away and the desire to help. At first, he considered ignoring them, it wasn't his responsibility, besides, it might slow him down and put himself in danger. But even as that thought crossed his mind, another part of him was reluctant to leave them behind. The guilt would eat him later, and he would make sure he avoided that.

After scanning his surroundings, Juho went to pick up a piece of debris and threw it at the monster. Despite the distance, he managed to land a headshot! A small grin appeared on his face, he had never been so proud of himself until now.

Then, without a word, he turned and fled from the scene. Who cares? He already did what he could, now, all that matters is that he needs to run away first!

As he ran, he shouted to the people around him, urging everyone to get away as quickly as possible. He felt a little embarrassment but quickly pushed the thought aside. If he didn't warn them to move, it'll be more hard to push through the panicked crowd.

He didn't know where he was running now. This was the craziest thing that had ever happened to him. His heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to explode, and his legs were shaking as he forced them to keep moving.

A decade ago, he had been known as the fastest runner during school events, at least until his senior year, and somehow, his body still remembered the rush to outrun whatever came his way, especially when skipping school with his friends (professionals only, do not attempt).

But even with that past experience kicking in, he was on the verge of collapse. Was this monster having a crush on him?!

Juho risked a glance over his shoulder, and his heart sank as he saw the monster trying to push through the crowd, targeting him. It probably vengeful because of the debris he had thrown?

After what felt like an eternity, the sound of heavy footsteps slowly faded away. Juho's breathing was shallow and rapid as he stumbled into an alleyway, leaning against the wall to steady himself. The dust in the air irritated his throat as he struggled to inhale.

'Did it finally give up? Did I really outrun it?' Relief washed over him, though his heart still pounded in his chest, refusing to calm down.

Unfortunately, that relief doesn't last as long as he wanted. Suddenly, a loud crash erupted from above, making him flinch. His stomach sank, he didn't even have time to enjoy his relief. Chaos was chasing him everywhere he went.

Juho glanced upward, his breath catching in his throat. A swarm of drone-like machines descended, slamming into the building with precision. Some targeted civilians and seemingly unleashed chaos wherever they landed.

He shake his head in frustration, unable to comprehend what was happening. As if the monster wasn't enough, now these drones were the ones causing destruction. It almost felt like this was some kind of coordinated attack.

A lot of debris fell to the ground as Juho tried his best to avoid it, he could hear faintly echoing screams in the distance and a fire burning in some areas. Everything turned into extreme chaos.

Turns out, monsters aren't the only reason these buildings are collapsing. Drones, a part of technology, seems to be playing a role as well. But the most confusing question is, where did they come from?

The air is thick with dust, and the sound of sirens echoes everywhere. People shoved past each other, their faces filled with fear, as some fell and tripped, crying for help.

Juho couldn't stop running, at least not yet. His chest burning with every step he took, fear crept at the edge of his mind as he wondered if his family was safe now.

He barely registered where his feet were taking him. The chaos around him consumed everything. Then dizziness hit, and strange pressure filled the air, making it harder to breathe.

Juho staggered forward, his knees almost buckling as his vision blurred. He coughed, reaching out one hand to steady himself against the rough surface of a nearby wall.

For a brief moment, the chaos seemed to pause. The drones that were previously attacking nonstop a moment ago seemed to have stopped as if there were someone who controlled them.

"What? What is this...?" Juho mumbled, rubbing his eyes with a trembling finger.

Nearby, a man's panicked voice broke through the silence. "Can someone explain what's happening?!

His frantic movements drew attention as he shoved away a friend who tried to calm him down. "Get off me!" he snapped, his eyes darting around in panic.

Juho, for a split second, was taken aback by the interaction. The man seemed too overwhelmed to accept help, and honestly, who could blame him?

The sun shone down over the burning city, and Juho shielded his eyes from the harsh sunlight, his breathing still unsteady. But for some reason, the air felt heavier.

Just then, Juho's attention was drawn to the commotion around him. People were shouting and nervously pointing towards the sky.

"Look! Up there!" someone cried out,

Juho squinted through the haze, adjusting his glasses as he followed their gaze. At first, he thought it was another drone or some kind of monster. But then he froze.

It wasn't a machine. It was... a person?

No wings, no wires that are usually used in a film, no machine holding them up. Just a figure floating in the sky, wrapped in a flowing cloak of light silk, untouched by the chaos below.

A sharp, high-pitched laugh echoed across the ruined city. Making everyone present turn their eyes toward the sources.

A haunting smile spread across their lips as they examined the broken world like a twisted stage created especially for them. Their skin was pale, almost glowing, contrasting with the blue-black hair that framed a striking, sharp, glass-like face.

Juho couldn't tear his eyes away. The figure above tilted their head slightly, as if surveying the chaos with amusement. Even from this distance, their presence was magnetic and... otherworldly.

The figure clapped their hands and spread their arms wide, as if embracing the chaos. "Welcome, my dear guests," they purred, their voice oddly warm. "Before we begin today's... activities, it would be rude of me not to introduce myself."

They paused, letting the silence make everyone hold their breath, their eyes glimmering with amusement. With a graceful motion, he placed a hand over his chest, relishing the moment. "Lucian Caelum," he finally said, each word leaving from his lips with elegance. "A pleasure to be your host in this delightful pandemonium."

With that, Lucian chuckled, a low, sinister one. A lazy smile appeared on his lips as his gaze swept across the crowd. "I trust the journey has been... thrilling."

"But this..." He pointed to the confusion all around him. "Is only the beginning. Shall we dive deeper into this beautiful nightmare together?"

His rich and resonant laugh lingered in the air, as if he took pleasure in the fear it caused.

Juho frowned, a chill running down his spine as the eerie laughter echoed around him. His skin tingled, and a heavy feeling settled in his chest.

But he stayed put, narrowing his eyes. "And here I thought today couldn't get any weirder," he muttered, barely masking his unease with sarcasm.

Hold on a second, he looked up at the man once more. This moment felt strangely close to something he had read before. He recalled the host's dramatic entrance in the novel, the flair that had captivated both the characters and the readers. He certainly remembered him.

That ominous presence, the grand entrance, the chilling laugh. It was all too familiar, like what he'd read in Villain Overkill.

A wave of dread twisted in his stomach as he realized he was no longer just a reader. He was now part of the story he'd once only read on his phone. The line between fiction and reality grew thinner, and he couldn't shake the feeling of being trapped in a nightmare.

•

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To be continued...

The sound of applause echoed across the sky after Lucian's grand entrance, reaching every corner of the world. The most unsettling part? No one was clapping, and that sent chills down everyone's spine.

As Juho is still trying to process what just happened, a blank blue screen suddenly appeared right in front of his face. His eyes widened, and he looked around at the people nearby, wondering if they were seeing it too.

"Hey, you see that?" he asked a man wearing a mask not far from him. The man, surprised that Juho had spoken to him, quickly nodded with a serious expression.

"Yeah, I saw it. I think everyone did, just by looking at their faces," the masked man replied.

Lucian, with an expression of twisted satisfaction, watched the reactions of the humans below. Their confused and frightened faces amused him every time, he could barely contain his amusement.

"Enough with the chitchat and listen carefully. That is, if you don't want to die..." He paused dramatically before continuing, "I will present the first trial-the question of life and death, witnessed by our dear audience from outer space!"

Juho and the masked man beside him exchanged frowns, speechless by this seemingly unbelievable nonsense before them.

Just as Lucian finished speaking, the blue screen in front of Han Juho flickered like a broken TV, and a strange wave moved across its surface. The emptiness was replaced by a message, then another, almost like a live chat-but there was something about it that felt weirdly off.

...[System Message]:...

..."Welcome to the trial, new players of planet Earth. The ordeal will commence shortly. Please prepare yourselves."...

The words appear in the air. Juho’s eyes darted up and down, his brain scrambling to make sense of the system message in front of him.

"Trials? Players?" he muttered under his breath, the words feeling foreign on his tongue. His thoughts feel heavy, unable to keep up with the sheer absurdity of the situation.

Then came a chaotic chat, clearly from the audience that Lucian refered to, flashing across the screen:

[Your.distant.brother]: "... Huh? Why's everyone around here so tiny? Have I joined the land of the mini-humans by mistake?"

➥[LucidLunatic]: "Nope, that's just your ego making you feel taller than you are."

[♡TheEsteemedAdmirer♡]: "Wait, wait, wait-hold up, is this a brand-new survival program? And the host here is our Lucian?! Where do I sign up？？？"

[Hail_the_king57]: "Just hoping I don't get bored out of my mind... Is there anyone interesting here?"

Juho blinked, his mind racing. Not a car, though. He held back a groan, realizing he'd somehow landed in... what, exactly? Some twisted game set up by Lucian himself? Or a system straight out of some fantasy manhwa?

He shook his head and sighed. Next thing he knew, he'd be seeing power levels flashing above people's heads or some ridiculous HP bar. "Great," he muttered under his breath, "as if my life wasn't complicated enough." A little chuckle came out of his mouth as he thought about how ridiculous all of this seemed.

But seriously, this wasn't how he remembered reading. In Villain Overkill, there was just Lucian, orchestrating chaos with that eerily beautiful voice of his. And... someone else, maybe lurking in the background. No system, no this thing similar to live chat, just Lucian and his hauntingly twisted game. So why was he getting system vibes now?

Juho sighed, eyeing the empty air around him. "If I start hearing level-up sounds, I'm out."

. . .

"What's wrong, my dear player?" A familiar voice whispered right beside his ear, sending a jolt through him.

He turned to look up and was startled to see Lucian, who had seemingly appeared from nowhere. The noise around Juho momentarily faded as Lucian's smile grew, as if nothing serious was happening.

Lucian spoke again, adding to what he said before. "I see you have a lot on your mind, huh?" He chuckled lightly, a sound that sent shivers of both fear and embarrassment through Juho. "Don't worry about trivialities, and just keep those beautiful eyes on me. Watch closely. Everyone here is excited, just like you. Isn't that true?"

Juho swallowed hard, trying to shake off the mix of fascination and dread bubbling within him. Excited? Sure, if by excited it means terrified out of their minds. Unless he meant... Wait—were those strange game usernames written across the screen?

At the far right of the screen, it reads. "Player_ke9QSgPF", Juho blinked, the weight of the name sinking in, leaving a strange tension in his chest. Player again? He didn't like where this was going.

But before he could even process what was happening, the screen flickered and changed again.

...[System Message]:...

..."Warning: The trials will soon begin. All players advised to pay close attention to what will be displayed on the system."...

Those messages appeared again. So the trials were about to start? Juho's heart pounded as he tried to calm down. 'It's starting now?' He thought, panic began to set in. But Lucian had said this would involve a question—so why did it feel like something far worse was coming?

"...?!"

The screen flickered again, and a line of text appeared.

...___________________________________...

...[QUESTION] [TRIALS 1.0]...

...>|| "What's 1 + 1?"...

...Rewards: Honor (scaled by speed and accuracy of response)...

...Penalty: Death...

...Remaining time: 59 minutes 55 seconds...

...___________________________________...

The question seemed simple at first glance. But the more Juho thinks about it, the more he thinks that something about it feels... off. As he stared, the possible answer appeared in his mind, could it really just be "2" or was there something else?

Juho blinked, his mind scrambling to make sense of it. The words lingered on the screen, daring him to respond as a timer began ticking down, adding to the pressure.

Lucian, who had been beside Juho moments ago, had disappeared, but his presence still remained on the edge of Juho's consciousness. It was enough to keep Juho on edge, a reminder that Lucian's watchful eyes were never far—even if unseen.

Around him, the air buzzed with murmurs—frantic whispers and panicked voices. Some argued in low tones, others fidgeted nervously, while a few shouted or ran around, desperate for answers.

A chill ran through him, but an idea appear into his mind, and his eyes darted toward the masked man nearby, who looked equally lost in thought, his gaze fixed on the screen, brows furrowed in concentration. He seemed... confused, maybe even as unsure as Juho was.

Why not discuss it? Juho wondered. His mind comes with a possibility. That's allowed, right? After all, this is a matter of life and death.

Juho approached him directly, getting straight to the point about these trials that he wanted to discuss together. The masked man didn't seem to mind Juho's straightforwardness, though there was an unmistakable weight lingering in his gaze.

"Hm, do you have any idea what is going on here?" Juho asked after a moment of hesitation, trying to ease the awkwardness of not knowing each other yet.

The man turned to Juho, a flicker of tension in his eyes. "No idea," he admitted, his voice low. "But... this question doesn't feel right. It feels like something's off."

Juho's gaze returned to the screen, an uneasy thought forming in his mind. "So... we need to talk about it," he said, almost to himself. If this was a question of life and death, every second counted.

As he and the masked man debated for the possible answer, Juho's mind jumped through numerous possibilities.

"What if the answer is 11... or perhaps a window?" The man mused.

As for Juho, he tapped his forehead repeatedly, eyes closed as he tried to piece together his own theory. "What if it's... something more symbolic?" He said slowly, as if voicing his thoughts would make them clearer. "Like, maybe it represents the beginning of possibilities, suggesting that a simple arithmetic problem can be the first step towards learning math, logic, and beyond that."

The man looked stunned, his mind spinning as he tried to make sense of Juho's deeper and maybe slightly overcomplicated interpretation.

"What you said is... pretty complicated. How did your brain even come up with that theory?" he asked, rubbing his temples in disbelief.

Juho just grinned, giving a casual shrug as if it was no big deal. "I don't really know. We just have to consider all the possibilities, right?"

"But complicated or not," the man continued, narrowing his eyes at the screen, "it feels like a trap. Overthinking it might make us miss the obvious."

As the timer continued to count down, Juho felt the pressure build. With each tick, the air thickened with tension, a reminder of the danger to come.

[29 minutes 21 seconds remaining]

"Half an hour left," he murmured, anxiety creeping into his voice.

[♡TheEsteemedAdmirer♡]: "Oooo they're close to the cut-off time! Wonder who'll figure it out first..."

[LucidLunatic]: "Tick tock... not that any of them would know, of course."

[MyNo000xis]: "Earthlings, lol. They’re always this slow, huh?"

Juho stared at the cryptic messages, the chats as unfathomable as hieroglyphics. Others around him wear expressions of confusion or muttered in low voices, looking from one face to the next as if someone, anyone, could explain it all. But no one spoke up. Everyone seemed equally lost.

Juho's mind raced with possible answers, but nothing felt certain. Fear crept into his stomach, even one wrong move could result in disaster.

"We can't just guess," Juho murmured to the masked man, whose name is still unknown, because they still don't have the time to know each other properly in this turmoil, his voice barely above a whisper. "Whatever this means, we need to be sure."

A deafening silence settled around them as the timer loomed over their heads.

[20 minutes 01 seconds]

[20 minutes 00 seconds]

[19 minutes 59 seconds]

The timer's numbers flashed erratically. Then, with a sudden, nauseating jolt, the time dropped-plummeting faster than he could process.

[5 minutes 00 seconds]

[4 minutes 59 seconds]

[4 minutes 58 seconds]

Juho's heart seized. Panic spread through the sea of people around him, eyes wide, breaths catching in collective horror. How had they lost so much time?

"We're down to four minutes?" someone choked, their voice shaking.

Juho felt a cold sweat trickled down his back. Each tick of the clock now felt like a countdown to disaster. Focus, focus... His hands were clammy, his mind racing. They had no time left for careful planning, they had to act.

All around him, whispers turned into frantic shouts, some people rushing to answer, desperation etched across their face. It was chaos.

From above, Lucian observed the scene with a smirk, clearly savoring every bit of the fear below. "Oh, how delightful. I thought you'd be more efficient at using your time," he taunted, his voice dripping with mockery. "But it seems you're intent on savoring every last... second."

•

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...To be continued....