12 Hours Later
Aiden woke to the sound of synthetic birdsong and a low hum vibrating beneath the earth. His body ached from exhaustion, and the safezone's protective shimmer had long faded. Rena was already awake, sitting cross-legged beside a pile of scrap metal, sharpening her blade.
"You survived your first phase," she said without looking. "Congratulations. Most don't."
Aiden sat up slowly. "That makes me feel...great."
Rena actually smirked. "You'll need that sarcasm to survive this one."
Just then, the sky above flashed red.
PHASE TWO INITIATED – THE HUNT
Objective: Eliminate or Avoid Assigned Target
Target Identity: UNKNOWN
Surveillance Active
Bonus Reward: Hunt Bonus (Optional)
Aiden's wrist device buzzed violently. A new icon appeared:
You Are Being Hunted.
"What the hell…?" he muttered.
"You're not just surviving anymore," Rena said, finally standing. "Now you're prey. Or predator. Possibly both."
Across the zone, everyone received a target—chosen at random. Identities hidden. Every move now recorded, every encounter a gamble.
Aiden scanned his interface. He had no name. No face. Just a silhouette and a rough distance indicator.
"So if I kill them… I get a bonus?" Aiden asked.
"Only if you're still alive afterward," Rena replied. "Most players? They don't hunt. They hide. But the real killers—they see this as their moment to rise."
Nearby, the others regrouped.
Amara stood, cleaning blood from a new blade. "Someone attacked Takumi during the rest cycle. He's alive, but barely."
Lila clutched her side. "I heard voices… people laughing. Like it was a game to them."
"It is a game," Rena snapped. "To them. To the ones watching us."
"Who?" Aiden asked. "Who's watching?"
"I don't know," Rena said. "But I intend to find out. And I'll kill them just like I killed everyone else in my way."
Amara turned to the group. "We need to set traps. We're not just surviving now. We're being tested. And they want blood."
As if to confirm her words, the skies flickered again:
Player #078 Eliminated – Hunted by Assigned Target
Blood Rule Modifier: Stalker Zone Activated (Sector D3)
The world itself was becoming a predator.
Aiden's heart pounded. His instincts screamed at him to run, but there was nowhere to hide.
In Phase Two, trust was thinner than air.
Every step he took might bring him closer to his killer—or his prey.
And this time, someone was hunting him.
---