Soryn turned to look at Serenya. Her face was pale and eyes wide open filled with worry.
He didn't say a word, his eyes looked around his surroundings. Everyone around them was silent, frozen, staring blankly into the air.
Hmm… it looks like everyone can only see their own system window or whatever this i. for now lets call it system window. He thought.
After few seconds. He shifted his attention back to his screen.
Author… what is this power? he thought, frowning. I've never read anything like this in novels. I thought we'd get something like fire, water… or other powers like in every story I've seen. But this… this I can't even understand.
A soft voice reached him, almost brushing against his ear.
"Soryn… what are we going to do?" Serenya whispered, her voice trembled slightly.
He looked at her and forced his voice calm, steady.
"Don't worry. We'll get through this. First… let's make a team. It says we need three members."
A small, reassuring smile curved over his lips.
Her fearful expression softened, just slightly.
They locked at each other eyes for a moment, and in that silence… a new window suddenly appeared in front of them.
[ Do you want to make a team with player Serenya?
a) Yes
b) No
0/3 members ]
Without hesitation, both of them selected "Yes."
Immediately, a shimmering portal opened in front of Soryn.
[1 member remaining]
"Hmm…" he murmured, tapping a finger lightly against his chin, deep in thought.
"One more… who should we get?"
As Soryn scanned the crowd, his eyes flickered anxiously. Around them, the tension in the air was suffocating. People were running, shouting, some even falling to their knees, crying and begging for someone to team up with them.
Their faces were twisted with fear, wide eyes staring at the sky or at their own system windows.
So many people… but I can't make a team with everyone, he thought, rubbing his temple with one hand.
His heart started to race faster and faster. The seconds were slipping away.
Suddenly, he leaned closer to Serenya, raising his voice just enough to carry over the chaos. "Oh… I almost forgot. What's your ability?"
Serenya flinched slightly at the sudden volume, stepping back just a little, her hands trembling.
"Oh… sorry," he said quickly, waving a hand. "I didn't mean to startle you."
She took a shaky breath to calm herself and answered softly, "I… I have ice abilities."
"That's… nice," Soryn said, forcing his voice calm, though a hint of urgency remained.
"Then we should find someone with a different ability than yours." He said.
"What about you? What do you have?" she asked. The worry in her eyes fading more and more a both of them continue to talk.
"I have *****." He said looking back at her.
Serenya leaned her head slightly, cupping her ear. "What? I did not hear what you said."
He leaned closer, his lips brushing near her ear. "I got *****."
"I… I can't hear what you're saying!" she shouted, pulling back instinctively.
His eyes widened in disbelief. What… she can't hear my ability? Panic prickled at the edge of his mind.
Out of nowhere a chilling, metallic voice suddenly echoed across the city, carrying over the screams and chaos.
"10 minutes remaining."
"Oh no… we don't have much time," he muttered, his fingers tightening around hers.
He gripped her hand firmly, and without another word, began moving through the throng of panicked citizens, eyes scanning desperately for a teammate.
"Don't you think we should just team up with anyone?" Serenya asked, her voice no longer trembling.
"No," he replied, shaking his head, his gaze moving through the crowd with sharp precision. "We don't know everyone… and they could be dangerous."
As they were moving his eyes suddenly froze, widening. His mouth opened slightly in shock.
No… it can't be…
In front of them stood a man with messy white hair and broad shoulders. He wore a long, dark blazer, and a gleaming, pure white sword rested on his left hand.
As Soryn tried to process what he saw, another man ran toward him, shouting, "Mr. Kaidan! I'm here!"
"No… no way," Soryn murmured under his breath. His hand tightened around Serenya's, and his mind raced.
"What is it?" she asked, looking at his Puzzled face.
"How… how is this possible?" he whispered, bowing his head and striking his own face with a fist, screaming in frustration.
The crowd around them blurred as his thoughts spiraled.
"Stop it! Soryn! What's wrong? Everything's alright!" Serenya shouted, trying to hold his arms. Her hands shook as she gripped his shoulders, her eyes wide open with worry.
Minutes passed before he finally stopped. His chest heaved as he dropped down on his knees.
"Are you… alright?" she asked softly.
She moved closer to him.
He looked slightly up as blood trickled from his nose, and she quickly pulled a tissue from her pocket, pressing it gently against him.
"What were you doing? Look at your nose…" she whispered, concern etched deep in her voice.
"Sorry," he muttered, his voice hoarse.
"Just… let me find us a teammate, okay?" she said as she rose up to her feet, brushing herself off.
He nodded slightly but no word came out of his mouth.
They were about to move when a man approached them.
"Miss… do you want to join us?" The man said.
Soryn lifted his head. It was Kaidan, standing just a few meters away.
Serenya glanced at Soryn, then back to Kaidan. "Sorry… I'm already teamed up with him," she said firmly.
Kaidan looked at Soryn for a long moment. His eyes glanced at him as if he was sure that she was alone or was it something else that Soryn did not understand.
Then, slowly, he stepped back a few paces, bowed slightly, and said, "Sorry for wasting your time. I should find someone else."
As Kaidan walked away, Soryn didn't speak. He exhaled sharply, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Sorry… we wasted a lot of time," he said to Serenya. "Let's find our third teammate."
A cold, mechanical voice echoed again through the city again.
"3 minutes remaining."
The panic escalated. People around them screamed and shouted, clawing at each other, desperate to find partners before time ran out. The air was thick with fear, the ground trembling beneath them, the sky still cracked and purple.
In the chaotic crowd, Serenya's eyes caught sight of a small figure standing alone.
A boy, no older than ten, wearing a brown coat over a blue pair of jeans, wandered nervously among the panicked citizens. No one seemed to want to acknowledge him. People shoved him aside, muttering curses under their breath.
One man even shoved him hard, spitting out, "Fuck off, you fucker!" The boy didn't respond, only blinked up at the world with wide, innocent eyes.
Serenya's heart tightened at the sight. She turned to Soryn, her voice trembling slightly, "Can we… take him in? Please?"
Soryn's eyes followed her gaze. The boy's small form seemed fragile in the chaos.
A slow, firm nod escaped him. "Let's take him," he said, his voice calm.
A smile broke across Serenya's face, and she ran toward the boy, her steps quick but careful not to startle him. The boy flinched, stepping back instinctively.
Then he moved closer and said with small innocent voice.
"I… can I… join your team?"
Serenya knelt slightly, smiling gently. "Of course. Why not?"
The boy's face lit up. Relief and joy spread across his features as he whispered, "Thank you… I'll try my best. I'll even fight monsters!"
Serenya blinked, tilting her head in surprise. "Wait… what are you talking about? Who said you'd have to fight monsters?"
The boy's voice quivered slightly. "But… everyone else… they said I'm just a kid. I can't fight. No one wants me."
At those words, Soryn's and Serenya's hand tightened instinctively. Their blood boiled, a quiet fury simmering beneath his calm exterior.
Those bastards… Soryn thought.
He moved closer to the boy, lowering himself to meet the child's gaze. His hand reached out, resting gently on the boy's head, ruffling his hair slightly in a comforting gesture.
"Don't worry. We'll take care of that. You're safe with us. By the way… what's your name?"
"Isaya," the boy said simply, looking up at him.
"Just Isaya?" Serenya asked softly. "What about your family name?"
Isaya shook his head, eyes glinting with a quiet sadness. "I don't have any family."
Before anyone could respond, the cold, mechanical voice echoed across the city once more, cutting through the terrified murmurs like a knife.
"20 seconds remaining."
Without hesitation, Soryn pressed the command on his system, inviting Isaya into their team.
[3/3 members completed. You have completed your task.]
The moment the confirmation appeared, the city was ripped apart by a deafening horn. The sound was so piercing, so filled with menace, that screams erupted from every corner.
And then… the Lagger head appeared once more, floating above the city like a shadow draped over every terrified soul. His lagging face split into a grotesque, mocking grin as he spoke in a voice that seemed to scrape against the bones of everyone below.
"So… I think you guys had fun. But now… let's begin the real fun."
As his words faded, the sky darkened further. A glass-like box formed above the city, inside of which grotesque, unimaginable monsters hovered.
They weren't anything any of them had ever seen—twisted shapes, claws too long for comfort, eyes that seemed to pierce straight into one's soul. The very air around the box seemed to hum with danger.
With a sharp whistle from the Lagger head, the glass box vanished, and the monsters began to drop toward the city.
Oh… this is bad, Soryn thought.