Dog- eat- dog
Shin had faced countless life-or-death scenarios, but this one felt different. His past battles were fueled by adrenaline and instinct, but this time, he faced a real knife. A cold, sharp blade that glinted in the faint light, and Shin's mind went blank. He stared at the knife, his thoughts paralyzed. How would he escape this?
His gaze slowly drifted to a rock, roughly the size of a water bottle, lying on the ground. Without thinking, he snatched it up and swung, connecting with the attacker's face with a sickening crunch. The man stumbled back, screaming "My eye!" as he clenched his eye socket. Shin stared at the bloodied rock, confusion etched on his face. "I took his eye off," he muttered, his voice barely audible.
The boxer's weak-looking friend charged, knife gleaming, eyes burning with malice. Shin froze, paralyzed by fear. The seconds ticked by like hours as he waited for the inevitable.
Just as the attacker was about to strike, a stranger intervened, stabbing him in the back. "Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you," he said, pulling out his knife. "I'm Raymond, nice to meet you."
A light beam hit Raymond, and he turned to Shin with a cold smile. "Shot, it might be my time to go. You coming, or gonna stand there and die?" He pointed at the boxer, still clutching his ruined eye socket. "Kill him."
Shin hesitated, his gaze locked on the boxer's pleading face. Hypocrite, he thought. "I hate hypocrites more than anything," he spat, stabbing the boxer's other eye. The man let out a choked scream as Shin's rage boiled over. "Good," he said, grabbing the rock and bashing him repeatedly, his movements fueled by a mix of anger and desperation.
The field fell silent, the only sound the boxer's ragged breathing. Even Raymond watched, unblinking.
A window popped up: "Soul Shard obtained. Continue? YES/NO"
Shin's eyes clouded with regret as he stared at the boxer's lifeless body. "Why did I kill him? I'm... a murderer."
Raymond shook his head. "No, you're not. This place is dog-eat-dog. You eat, or get eaten. You're a survivor."
The timer ended, and Alison reappeared, a cruel smile spreading across her face. "Humans are entertaining. You disobeyed. I told you I'd handle you myself."
She snapped her fingers, and the heads of those who hadn't been hit by the light beam exploded in a spray of blood and gore. The field froze in shock, the survivors' faces pale and stunned. Raymond remained calm, his expression unreadable.
Alison turned to the survivors, her smile growing wider. "Congrats, Dreamers. Here's what's next..."
To Be Continued