The heat never relented.
It pressed against their skin, seeped into their lungs, a furnace that turned breath into ash.
Hae-won staggered to his feet, leaning heavily on Arin's shoulder. His chest throbbed where phantom wounds ached, his arm burned from holding Do-hyun's weight, but he forced his body to obey.
The wasteland stretched endlessly—red rivers, black towers, the constant sound of chains grinding against stone. Somewhere far above, faint light bled down through cracks, but it did not reach them.
[ Second Scenario: Endure four days. ]
[ Sub-objective: Establish Dominance. ]
[ Failure Condition: Collapse of protagonist path. ]
The words burned across the air, visible only to them.
Do-hyun hissed through his teeth, clutching his leg. "Dominance? What the hell does that mean—"
"It means exactly what it says," Seong-wu cut in, voice cold, echoing too loudly in the cavernous wasteland. His golden aura flickered against the black stone. "This scenario doesn't allow for two protagonists. One of us has to be cast down."
The group went silent.
Arin's hand on Hae-won's arm tightened until it hurt. "That's not— That can't be the only way!"
Seong-wu's gaze slid to her, cool and sharp. "The system doesn't care what you want. It only cares what is. You should know that by now."
Hae-won felt laughter claw at the back of his throat. Bitter, broken laughter. So this was the script's design. Not just survival, but blood against blood.
"Then I'll rewrite it." His voice came out low, rough. "Even if it breaks me."
The words cracked something in the air—faint, like glass under strain. For a heartbeat, the wasteland itself flickered, as though reality shivered under his defiance.
The others noticed.
Do-hyun's eyes widened. "What… what was that? The ground—it shook—"
But Seong-wu's expression darkened. He stepped closer, golden light casting his shadow long against the scorched stone.
"You really are dangerous," he said quietly. "You don't even understand what you're holding, do you? That power of yours—it's not strength. It's instability. And instability drags everyone else down with you."
Hae-won wanted to answer, but before he could, the system tore through the silence again.
[ Scenario Update. ]
[ Trial of Chains will begin in six hours. ]
[ Objective: Secure a stronghold. Those without will be consumed. ]
The black towers groaned in the distance, chains rattling louder, as if the world itself stirred in anticipation.
Do-hyun cursed under his breath. "We don't even have time to argue—"
"No." Seong-wu's blade gleamed, golden light sharpening along its edge. His voice was iron. "We do. Because by the time the trial begins, one of us won't be standing."
Arin gasped. "Seong-wu—stop—"
But Hae-won only met his glare, blood rising in his throat, sanity fraying with the echo of five hundred deaths screaming in his skull.
If this was the script—then he would tear it apart.
Even if the chains dragged him to madness.The heat never relented.
It pressed against their skin, seeped into their lungs, a furnace that turned breath into ash.
Hae-won staggered to his feet, leaning heavily on Arin's shoulder. His chest throbbed where phantom wounds ached, his arm burned from holding Do-hyun's weight, but he forced his body to obey.
The wasteland stretched endlessly—red rivers, black towers, the constant sound of chains grinding against stone. Somewhere far above, faint light bled down through cracks, but it did not reach them.
[ Second Scenario: Endure four days. ]
[ Sub-objective: Establish Dominance. ]
[ Failure Condition: Collapse of protagonist path. ]
The words burned across the air, visible only to them.
Do-hyun hissed through his teeth, clutching his leg. "Dominance? What the hell does that mean—"
"It means exactly what it says," Seong-wu cut in, voice cold, echoing too loudly in the cavernous wasteland. His golden aura flickered against the black stone. "This scenario doesn't allow for two protagonists. One of us has to be cast down."
The group went silent.
Arin's hand on Hae-won's arm tightened until it hurt. "That's not— That can't be the only way!"
Seong-wu's gaze slid to her, cool and sharp. "The system doesn't care what you want. It only cares what is. You should know that by now."
Hae-won felt laughter claw at the back of his throat. Bitter, broken laughter. So this was the script's design. Not just survival, but blood against blood.
"Then I'll rewrite it." His voice came out low, rough. "Even if it breaks me."
The words cracked something in the air—faint, like glass under strain. For a heartbeat, the wasteland itself flickered, as though reality shivered under his defiance.
The others noticed.
Do-hyun's eyes widened. "What… what was that? The ground—it shook—"
But Seong-wu's expression darkened. He stepped closer, golden light casting his shadow long against the scorched stone.
"You really are dangerous," he said quietly. "You don't even understand what you're holding, do you? That power of yours—it's not strength. It's instability. And instability drags everyone else down with you."
Hae-won wanted to answer, but before he could, the system tore through the silence again.
[ Scenario Update. ]
[ Trial of Chains will begin in six hours. ]
[ Objective: Secure a stronghold. Those without will be consumed. ]
The black towers groaned in the distance, chains rattling louder, as if the world itself stirred in anticipation.
Do-hyun cursed under his breath. "We don't even have time to argue—"
"No." Seong-wu's blade gleamed, golden light sharpening along its edge. His voice was iron. "We do. Because by the time the trial begins, one of us won't be standing."
Arin gasped. "Seong-wu—stop—"
But Hae-won only met his glare, blood rising in his throat, sanity fraying with the echo of five hundred deaths screaming in his skull.
If this was the script—then he would tear it apart.
Even if the chains dragged him to madness.