The silence after the announcement was suffocating.
The same walls that once showed nothing but filth and blood now shifted and unraveled, revealing a massive dome—a vast field stretching wider than anything they had seen inside their cages.
For the first time, there were no chains on their wrists. No weapons aimed at their heads. It almost felt strange… normal, even. A mix of comfort and dread that sent their instincts into confusion.
"Survivors, welcome to your next cage—ah, I mean next stage. From this moment on, you will stay inside one of the dormitories. Each dorm has a name, and each name reflects the trial that awaits those who reside there."
"These are the dormitories you will be assigned to: Dorm Aegis, Dorm Talon, Dorm Hydra, Dorm Obsidian, Dorm Chimera. We will not tell you what each test is. That is for you to discover… and for us to observe."
Uneasy glances rippled among the survivors. Whispers rose like restless insects—some thought the names sounded cool, some were nervous, others flat-out hated the idea of being caged again.
Odysseus gave a mocking laugh.
"Names? They just polished up the word 'cage' to make it sound better. A cage is still a cage. Dress it with gold, call it after gods or monsters—it's still the same prison."
These survivors had defeated the strongest monsters in their own cages. They had killed their apex predators. But the terrifying part wasn't the thought of facing another beast—
It was being forced to live alongside others who had done the same.
The dorm names lit up one by one, glowing ominously across the dome.
Dorm Aegis. Dorm Talon. Dorm Hydra. Dorm Obsidian. Dorm Chimera.
Nexar's eyes swept across the crowd, memorizing faces, analyzing expressions, as though he were already preparing for predators hiding behind human shapes.
Odysseus chuckled dryly.
"Five monsters in a room. Twenty in a dorm. Doesn't sound like survivors to me. Sounds more like lab animals thrown into different boxes."
The speakers crackled again. The scientist's voice sliced through the uneasy murmurs.
"Nexar. Your assigned dorm is…"
Nexar stepped forward slowly, waiting for the verdict. Dozens of eyes followed him. Some widened in intimidation, others hardened with fear. No one wanted him in their group, and a few secretly wanted to see where he would be caged.
"Nexar, proceed to Dorm Chimera."
Gasps filled the air. Survivors stiffened. Some exchanged nervous glances, while others muttered under their breath:
"Chimera… that sounds like a monster's dorm."
"Of course they'd put him there. Where else?"
The hall fell into silence. No one dared imagine what awaited behind Chimera's door.
Odysseus looked at Nexar, his expression unreadable.
"Looks like a perfect fit for you, Nexar."
Nexar barely reacted. He simply nodded once, blood still crusted on his face, and smirked as his gaze locked onto the glowing door of Dorm Chimera.
"Let them call me a monster. A name doesn't change the cage… but it changes the predator inside it."