00:09:51
The timer glowed red on Aiden's wrist. Each second pulsed like a heartbeat.
He clenched his fists. His mind screamed to run, hide, do anything—but his body wouldn't move. Not yet.
Around him, others scrambled through their pods. Some were sobbing, others yelling in broken languages that were now perfectly understood. Everyone was in survival mode.
Aiden quickly scanned the contents of his pod:
- A dull, short blade
- A sealed food pack
- A thermal jacket
- A small red capsule labeled "Stamina+"
And a single card that read:
ITEM: Safezone Token (1 Use)
Effect: Grants temporary invincibility for 3 minutes. Cooldown: One-time use.
Safezone?
He didn't have time to figure it out. He shoved everything into a gray sling bag and tightened the straps.
A sound echoed behind him—heavy boots thudding on metal. A large man in a military jacket shoved past, grunting. His eyes were wild.
"Stay away from me!" the man barked at a younger girl who was crying on the floor.
Aiden stepped forward without thinking.
"Hey! Leave her alone—"
The man glared at him. "What? You wanna be a hero? It's kill or be killed, boy!"
He stepped closer. The air grew tense. Other players watched, some frozen, some backing away.
Aiden's heart pounded.
Then—
00:00:00
DING.
"ZONE ACTIVATED."
The floor rumbled. The chamber's walls flickered and shifted like a hologram. Then they slid apart—revealing the arena.
A metallic forest stretched in every direction, trees of steel and glass, glowing mushrooms, jagged rocks. It looked like someone fused a rainforest with a scrapyard and powered it with neon.
And then, a new voice whispered from their wristbands.
"Phase One: Survive the First Hour. Elimination Count: Uncapped."
The large man turned and ran into the forest without another word. The girl he threatened scrambled away, sobbing.
Aiden backed away slowly—until someone grabbed his arm.
It was the blonde woman. Rena.
"You're too loud," she said. "You draw attention. That's how you die."
He pulled free. "What do you want from me?"
"Survivors," she said simply. "I need ones who won't panic. You're on the edge. But not broken."
Aiden narrowed his eyes. "Why me?"
"Because you're not running. Not crying. And you stepped in."
He didn't answer.
"You can follow me," she added, turning toward the woods. "Or you can die in the open. Your call."
Aiden hesitated.
Then, in the distance—a scream.
Another. Two.
A red light blinked in the sky.
"Player #059 – Eliminated."
"Player #084 – Eliminated."
He made his decision.
"I'll go with you. For now."
"Smart," Rena said, not smiling. "Let's move."
They darted into the synthetic forest, shadows swallowing them.
The game had begun.
And death was only ever one mistake away.
---