"Attention all Samsaras, the Samsara Space will close in five minutes."
The system broadcast echoed across the space, its mechanical tone carrying a final warning.
Five minutes.
That was all the time left before everyone would be forcibly ejected back into the real world.
Upon hearing the announcement, many Samsaras chose to log off immediately, vanishing one by one. But just as many wore expressions of dread and despair.
They were the ones trapped in the hell dimension. Once they returned to reality, they would once again face the endless tide of terrifying hell creatures.
In Samsara Space, not everyone was strong.
Countless people lived quietly in the safe zones, never daring to venture far. Compared to ordinary civilians, they were only slightly better off. Against hell creatures that were nearly impossible to kill, they had almost no chance of survival.
"What do we do? If I log out, I'm dead for sure!"
"My real-world body is inside a vampire bat nest. I only just managed to open Samsara Space to escape—this time, I won't survive!"
"Heh… I already spent all my Samsara points tonight. Ate well, drank well, enjoyed myself. Even if I die now, I'll die satisfied!"
"Won't the government do something? Aren't they supposed to protect us?"
"At this point you're still relying on the government? Forget it. The only ones who can save us are the experts on the leaderboards."
"I don't want to die yet! I—I haven't even held a girl's hand!"
A chorus of grief and fear filled the space, the cries and laments blending into one another. The sheer number of people trapped in the hell dimension was staggering.
Hearing those desperate voices, Fenric's classmates unconsciously felt a bit more fortunate.
At least they weren't helpless. At least they had someone like Fenric with them—a real powerhouse who gave them a chance to survive.
"Good thing we have Fenric here. Otherwise, we'd really be finished."
"Yeah. Without him, we wouldn't even have made it into Samsara Space."
"If we survive this wave, we all owe Fenric a huge debt."
"Debt? Come on, isn't it only natural for him to save his classmates? Honestly, Fenric's been so stingy. He didn't even add us as friends after coming in here. What an attitude, acting like he's above everyone."
"I don't even want to argue with a selfish fool like you."
"Zhouan, what's that supposed to mean?"
"Pretty clear, isn't it? Or are you too dumb to get it?"
"You little—are you looking for a fight?"
"What? Hit me, then. Go ahead. I'll just tell Fenric what you said earlier. Let's see if he still bothers saving you when we're back out there."
"You—!"
"Enough!" The class monitor cut in before the quarrel escalated further. His expression was stern. "Now isn't the time for pointless arguments. Out there, we're all grasshoppers tied to the same rope. Zhouan is right—Fenric doesn't owe us anything. Liang, what you just said? Don't ever let Fenric hear it, or you'll drag everyone else down with you."
He swept his gaze across the group. "And one more thing: once we're back in the real world, you all listen to Fenric's commands. Staying alive comes first."
The reminder quickly sobered the group. Whatever personal feelings they had, nobody was stupid enough to deny the truth. Survival mattered most.
At that moment, Fenric was standing beside Belle.
"Yuhan, once we're out, stay close to me. Don't run off."
Belle nodded obediently. Her lips parted as though she wanted to say something, but hesitation flickered in her eyes.
Fenric caught it and smiled. "What is it? If there's something on your mind, just say it. There's no need to hold back."
Belle hesitated for a moment before finally speaking. "Fenric… I have a few close friends. Could you… could you look out for them too?"
Though she kept boys at a distance, Belle was popular in her class. She had several good girlfriends and classmates she didn't want to see perish.
Fenric thought for a moment, then nodded. "Gather them together once we're outside. There are too many people for me to protect everyone, but taking care of a handful shouldn't be a problem."
Belle's lips curved into a small, relieved smile. She hadn't meant to burden Fenric, but she couldn't simply watch her friends die.
After a pause, she added softly, "Fenric, if things get dangerous… please don't push yourself too far. Protecting yourself comes first."
"Got it."
As soon as he replied, the countdown hit zero. Red light enveloped them, pulling them out of Samsara Space.
"..."
When Fenric's vision cleared, he was back in the dim, scarlet-tinted hellscape once more.
Around him were hundreds of students and a scattering of ordinary citizens who had survived by sheer luck. The massive skeleton beast from before was nowhere to be seen, likely burrowed underground after losing its prey.
"Fenric!"
The class monitor hurried to him. "Everyone's depending on you now. We'll follow your instructions. What should we do next?"
Fenric gave him a glance. "Wait for the signal."
"Signal? What signal?" another boy asked. His tone was neutral, but many faces turned pale at his casual way of addressing Fenric.
The monitor had spoken with respect, yet this boy Liang—spoke to Fenric as though they were still equals.
Fenric himself didn't mind. As long as no one insulted him outright, he saw no reason to care. But others were less forgiving.
"Liang, mind your tone!" the monitor snapped.
"What? I just asked about the signal. What's the big deal?"
Before the argument could flare again, Fenric raised a hand, silencing them.
"When rescuers arrive, they'll fire a flare. Once you see it, run in that direction with everything you have. Until then, keep watch on the sky and notify everyone the moment a signal appears."
His classmates nodded quickly, tension easing now that they had a plan.
Fenric then turned to Belle without hesitation. He ignored the looks from the others and called, "Yuhan, come here."
Belle blushed but whispered a few words to her close friends. To everyone's surprise, all of them followed her to Fenric's side, their faces alight with excitement.
"Fatty, you too," Fenric said, waving Jitto over.
Jitto beamed with pride as he waddled over, clearly reveling in his privileged spot near Fenric.
The meaning was obvious.
Fenric had no intention of hiding it—these people were under his protection first.
Immediately, envy and jealousy rippled through the crowd as eyes fell on Belle's group.
Then Liang opened his mouth again.
"Fenric, what's that supposed to mean? We're all your classmates. You can't just play favorites!"
Several others nodded in agreement, their emotions stirred.
The monitor groaned inwardly, clutching his forehead. He knew Liang had always been spoiled, tactless, and blunt to the point of stupidity. But to spout something like that here, of all times…
It was sheer selfishness, plain and open.