A large group of monsters surrounded us from all directions. Tension took hold of everyone, and they began looking around with suffocating anxiety.
Chris raised his trembling voice, fear clearly dominating him.
"We need to get out of here—now! We can't stay where we are any longer! Please, we have to move before they get any closer!"
He said it while looking at me with eyes filled with terror, his entire body shaking from intense stress.
Then he stepped toward Fry, speaking in a voice charged with fear and desperation, as if every word were a cry for help.
"What are we supposed to do? Please, tell us! I can't stand here without a plan! Every second we waste could be our last! Give me any instruction, any idea—anything that can save us from this situation… please!"
His whole body was trembling; I could almost hear his heartbeat from where I stood. And he wasn't alone—nearly half the team shared the same fear.
As for me, I wasn't far from them. I felt similar tension, perhaps slightly less.
If I hadn't known what was going to happen, my state would've been like Chris's—or maybe even worse.
Then Fry turned his gaze toward Chris, who was standing close to him, still trembling and waiting for an answer.
Fry's expression suddenly changed. He slowly drew his sword, as if every movement were calculated with precision. It looked as though his patience had run out…
He took a single step forward, and before Chris could even comprehend what was happening, he drove the sword straight into his stomach.
Blood poured out violently. Pure shock spread across Chris's face before the last word of his life escaped his mouth in a hoarse whisper:
"…What?"
Then he collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
Shock overtook everyone without exception. They stood in silence, staring at the scene that had unfolded before their eyes moments ago, their faces filled with confusion and terror.
One of them couldn't bear what he had seen and stepped toward Fry, shouting loudly, demanding an explanation.
"Why did you ki—?!"
He didn't finish his sentence.
His head flew into the air, and his body fell motionless to the ground.
Fry remained standing calmly. He adjusted his jaw slightly, then spoke in a quiet voice.
"Smiling all the time… is really exhausting. I got tired of all that acting "
He looked at us one by one, his eyes disturbingly calm, as if what he had just done were nothing more than correcting a minor mistake.
He spoke in a low voice, clear enough for everyone to hear.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Were you expecting something else?"
No one answered. The silence was heavier than the roars of the monsters surrounding us
.
Then he continued, slowly wiping his sword blade on Chris's blood‑soaked clothes.
"You're thinking right now… why, aren't you?"
"It's simple. I did it because, from the very beginning, I was planning to kill all of you… especially you two."
He then pointed his sword toward Zion and Lina and continued in a cold tone.
"You might become a threat in the future. That's why you have to die here."
Fry lowered his sword slightly, but his grip tightened as he spoke in a steady, unwavering voice.
"Don't take it personally…"
He lifted his gaze toward them, his eyes eerily empty.
"It's just a simple calculation. A world that leaves no room for emotion. Anyone with the potential to become a threat… is eliminated before becoming a real problem."
He took another step forward, the blade of his sword scraping against the ground with a faint sound.
"You only look at the present. I see what comes after it. I see the moment you might change, and the day you might stand on the opposite side."
He paused briefly, then added coldly,
"And we won't wait for that day."
A suffocating silence followed, as if it wasn't just the monsters drawing closer—but the truth as well.
"Make it easier on yourselves… resistance won't change the outcome."
Then he raised his sword again…
The monsters around us began to move, closing in, their sounds mixing with our tense breathing.
Our situation was getting worse with every passing moment. I looked around and saw that the members of our group were trembling entirely—except for three people: Zion, Lina, and Gina, who appeared calmer than the rest.
Then the monsters appeared in full force, their numbers so overwhelming that merely looking at them filled the heart with despair.
Suddenly, I heard Zion's voice.
"Lina, Gina—deal with the monsters. I'll handle him."
He then turned his gaze toward Fry, the source of the threat.
When Lina heard Zion's voice, she wanted to say something, but she stopped when their eyes met. She closed her mouth and said softly, "Alright."
As for Gina, she looked worried, but couldn't bring herself to say what she wanted, so she also replied, "Alright."
Then Zion turned his gaze toward Fry, drew his sword quickly, and rushed straight at him. They collided in a single instant.
"Shh—shsh—shsh!"
Sparks flew from the clash of their swords, and the ground shook beneath their feet. The air itself tore apart from the force of the impact.
Zion's arm trembled violently, forcing him to step back.
Fry shouted in shock, confusion clear on his face.
"What the hell is this? Aren't you supposed to be in your first year?"
He looked at his trembling arm, then stepped back toward Zion, as if cautiously reassessing the situation.
After a moment of deadly silence, Fry lifted his gaze to Zion, his eyes gleaming with cold intent.
"You must die today."