"Those two looked like they could be trouble... I need to leave now before they notice me."
Sayda turned around and tried to leave the area without making any noise. But after only three steps forward—
CRACKKK!
He had stepped on a branch.
His body stiffened instantly, and sweat started to form on his forehead. His heart raced.
"Shit, where the hell did that branch come from? Please, please don't let them hear it..."
He kept moving, one careful step at a time. But as he walked, a shiver ran down his spine. It felt like two pairs of eyes were staring right at his back. A voice suddenly called out behind him.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Sayda turned around slowly.
One of the men was steadily pulling his sword from its sheath while gripping the hilt. Sayda's face turned pale. Instinctively, he raised his voice.
"Wait!"
SLASH!
Everything was engulfed in darkness.
———
"You fool! Why did you cut his head off?! ... You..."
"You're aware that killing without Kaelar's consent is prohibited!"
Blood seeped into the ground beneath Sayda as his head rolled across it. The man who killed him sneered in return.
"What? Kaelar's consent? If you don't tell Kaelar, he won't know. Recognise?"
"Tch..."
The man who did the killing stood still, staring at the lifeless body in front of him. Sayda's blood dripped from the tip of his sword. The other man stepped forward, glaring.
"You... always act like this. Killing without hesitation or thought."
"So what?"
The killer scoffed.
"You!!!"
The second man looked away, biting his lip. His eyes trembled.
Suddenly the killer spoke again.
"Calm down. This is why I hate going with you..."
———
His consciousness floated in an abyss... devoid... until— SNAP! A jolt in his spine propelled him back into existence.
Sayda's eyes snapped open.
Shocked.
His breath caught, as if he had just emerged from a nightmare that left him gasping.
"I... where am I?"
His eyes wandered, trying to make sense of his surroundings. All of a sudden, a flashback hit him: a blade racing toward his neck just before everything went black. He instinctively grabbed at his neck, as if to confirm his head was still attached.
"My neck... hhh... fuhh... thank God my head is still here."
Sweat began pouring down his forehead.
"What the fuck was that... Was that real?"
His head bowed, his face showing disbelief. Had he truly been beheaded? Was it real or just an illusion?
Then something struck him.
"Yeah, that's right... my palm..."
He instantly raised his right hand, and the number engraved on it was...
9
His brows furrowed.
"Nine? What does it mean? Did I really die?"
"Damn it!!"
He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Everything had happened too fast for him to process.
"Shit... Fuhhh, relax, Sayda..."
Suddenly, a voice echoed nearby.
"WE'RE REALLY GOING TO DIE!!!"
Sayda flinched. That voice sounded familiar.
"This voice?"
Without hesitation, he ran toward the sound coming from the bushes behind him and—
"That person?!"
His gaze was drawn to one of their bloodied swords.
"Dammit... so it's true that I died."
He looked around and realised he was back at the spot where he first arrived.
"What... why am I alive... here, of all places?"
"CALM DOWN. HEY, LISTEN TO ME..."
The second man seemed panicked, his body trembling.
"We're going to die... Kaelar... Kaelar will hunt us to the very pits of hell."
The killer tried to soothe him.
"Hey Zauran... Look at me, Zauran... Look into my eyes... We're not going to die. Kaelar will never know... as long as neither of us says anything. Understand? So calm down."
"B... but how about the First Rank? What if he's watching us from the sky? Hey... Zagar... I think someone is watching us... Is that him?"
The killer grabbed his friend's shirt.
"Hey... Stop freaking out and calm the hell down. Don't let your mind wander. Nothing is watching us."
Then shoved him back down.
Sayda, watching from a distance, was stunned.
"What's going on?"
"Ughh... Don't think, Sayda... I need to run before I die again... That guy is dangerous."
Sayda clenched his fists.
"I can't stay here... If I wait too long, I might really die again."
He turned and began to sneak away, carefully keeping his steps silent. But just as he was about to escape—
Sniff, sniff...
"Hey, do you smell that?"
Zagar's voice rang out. Sayda's heart stopped. He froze and held his breath.
Zauran started sniffing.
"Don't tell me he's still alive? …No, no way! I saw his head drop!"
Zagar's tone sharpened.
"Then how do you explain that smell just now?"
Sayda bit his lip.
"They're suspicious... I need to get away. Now."
But just as he tried to move again, his foot caught under a thick root hidden beneath the leaves. He stumbled slightly, and the rustling leaves made too much noise.
Zagar turned toward the sound.
"There! Someone's there!"
Sayda didn't wait. He bolted.
Zauran yelled, panicked.
"Zagar!! I told you! We're being watched!!"
Zagar hissed.
"Shut up and follow me!"
Sayda ran as fast as he could, desperately trying to escape.
"What the hell are they... Are they human? How can they smell me?!"
Zagar and Zauran arrived at the place where the sound had come from, but Sayda had already fled.
"Empty?"
Zauran's tone turned strange.
Zagar sniffed the air.
"No... Someone's definitely been here. He's close... follow me."
"Haa...haaa…haa..."
Sayda was breathless, running weakly, eyes scanning left and right. Then he spotted a giant tree to his left.
"There it is!"
Without a second thought, he rushed over and slipped behind it.
"Haa...haa...Fuhh..."
Panting, he muttered to himself.
"W...wait a damn minute... That's right... I'm inside the game. What if they're just levels I have to beat?"
"No... no, this feels too real. The blood, the pain, that blade... I felt it. I died!"
He looked at his shaking hands.
"Shitt... What do I do now... Come on brain... work!"
SRKK!
Suddenly—
"Wait here, Zauran."
Zagar's voice echoed.
"He's here."
"What?"
Zauran sounded doubtful.
"Use that damn nose of yours, Zauran."
Sniff sniff...
"Ahh, they might know I'm here... Faster, think, Sayda, think..."
Sayda knocked his forehead with his knuckles, gritting his teeth.
"Come on... It's just a game, right? I've played through worse than this... This is no different."
He inhaled deeply.
"I'll fight... That's it... I'll fight... Now, how do I attack them?"
Sayda turned slightly to peek out from behind the massive tree. Zagar and Zauran had their backs turned. Sayda narrowed his eyes.
"Perfect... I'm going to ambush them."
"Chest 'knife'"
POFFP
A knife appeared in his hand.
"This is my chance."
Sayda dashed forward, blade drawn, ready to strike. Just a few more steps and he'd hit Zagar's back—until...
TINGGG!!
Sayda's eyes widened in disbelief. At the last moment, Zagar turned with a grin and deflected the attack.
"Wha...?!"
"THERE YOU ARE... little rat!"
Zagar's voice rose in excitement, like a hunter who had just cornered his prey.