Darkness grew tired of me. Strength returned to my eyelids, and unconsciously, they opened.

The light hurt my eyes. I didn’t want to wake up. Waking up meant thinking again, and thinking would drag me back to that alley.

Barry’s face flashed through my mind, and my heart ached with a sharp, squeezing pain. I can’t do this right now. Please, don’t. I pleaded silently.

You left him there to die, a second voice whispered, my own voice, devoid of mercy.

You don’t know that. Maybe he’s alive, I argued back.

Did you see him again? the voice asked, dripping with irony.

That doesn’t mean he’s dead. And it’s not my fault.

You were the one running... as you always do. Who are you leaving behind this time?

I squeezed my eyes shut. I wasn’t surprised by how cruel I could be to myself. Even after years of rationalizing, it never hurt any less.

I needed something to force the feeling away, even if only for a few hours—or with luck, a few days. Yes, I just needed to focus on something else.

When I opened my eyes, Tress’ face hovered above mine, her yellow eyes locked on me. She was singing.

The system didn’t translate her song, so I just lay there, unable to understand a word of her strangely melodic language but appreciating it all the same.

I could feel my fingertips twitching, my breath growing deeper. I knew where I was—in the safe room. And yet, it felt as though I’d been transported somewhere else entirely, a place with less pain and suffering.

I could smell the earthy scent of mud after a rainy day, feel the cool dew falling on my face from a tall tree. In the sky, instead of the sun, I saw Tress, her presence calming my body and soul with patience and compassion.

“Wake up. You’re safe now,” she said in English, a smile lighting up her face as I felt myself being drawn back to reality. All that remained of the spiritual forest from moments ago was the sweet aroma lingering in my nostrils.

“I thought I was alone in the cold... bleeding to death.” The words slipped from my mouth like melted butter from a spoon. I couldn’t stop them.

“You’re not alone, mate,” Elk’s voice came from another corner of the room.

“I was praying for you,” Mary’s voice added. She sounded far away, and her tone hinted that she’d been crying not long ago.

“You’re healed now,” Tress said softly, brushing a lock of hair from my forehead and wiping it with a loincloth. “This room did part of the job, but someone else was watching over your safety.”

I slowly sat up, feeling a bit dazed but otherwise fine. My shirt beneath the chest armor was soaked in blood, and the sleeve was in tatters, but there were no wounds or scars on my body.

We were in an exact replica of the last safe room we’d entered. A table with a banquet on top, chairs around it, a red sofa, and a large monitor.

Mary sat on a chair, her hands clasped beneath her chin. When I looked at her, she sighed in relief. Elk was lounging on the sofa, his legs crossed and a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“I told you he’d be fine,” he said calmly, resting one hand on his head as he leaned his elbow against the sofa’s arm.

“After he got the potion,” Mary retorted. “Even I started believing then.”

“What potion?” I asked.

“Check your notifications,” the myriad said, rising and moving to a chair near Mary.

Congratulations, you’ve gained a sponsorship. Silver chest arriving in…

3…

2…

1…

Congratulations, you’ve received a Medium Health Potion.

Read message attached?

[Y/N]

I clicked yes, and the message appeared. It was from the same person who had given me my chest armor.

Dear Zach,

You were more than brave fighting those wargs. I’m proud of you. I can’t write much since your life is in the balance, but I wish you a safe recovery.

With love, Xharx, daughter of Xharx.

I closed the message and smiled. If there were cameras watching us, I had no idea where they were, so I just looked up and muttered a “thank you” to whoever Xharx was.

It was a strange realization, knowing someone from a completely different species—or so I assumed—was watching and cheering for me. No matter how sick this game could be sometimes, there was still some good in it, even if it came from third parties and not the actual organizers.

“And you were healing me too?” I asked Tress, who shook her head.

“I was just soothing your heart. You were losing too much blood. While the room healed you, your heart kept pumping harder and harder, as if you were reliving the fight against the wargs again and again.”

It was worse, I thought, as images of Barry lying near death on the ground and the woman bleeding out next to him barged into my mind.

I shook my head, forcing the thoughts away as I got to my feet.

“How long have we been here?” I asked, sitting on a chair and grabbing a cup of water.

“Five minutes or so. We’re safe,” Elk added, his eyes closed in a weak attempt to get some rest.

Deciding to finally check the TV hanging above the food table, I searched for a button on the back. After a few frustrating seconds, I found the power button and pressed it. The television flickered to life.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

I heard the scrape of a chair and turned to see both Elk and Tress with their mouths agape, their eyes shining.

“We don’t have this type of technology back home,” Elk muttered as the TV began to display footage of our last fight against the wargs.

“Isn’t this magic?” Tress asked, her voice mystified.

“No, it’s not. This is pretty standard back on Earth,” I said, noticing Mary trying to stifle a chuckle at their awe. She covered her mouth with one hand, but the others were too engrossed to notice.

On the screen, we valiantly fought the wargs—or at least, most of the time. It wasn’t hard to spot moments where we faltered, stepped back, or looked absolutely terrified as death loomed closer. The footage showed the fight from different angles, making the wargs look even more menacing and numerous than they had seemed in the moment.

The camera moved dynamically, capturing each of us in turn, as if an invisible cameraman had been running through the chaos to film us. It felt like we were part of a blockbuster movie. Now, I understood why people loved watching this so much. It was almost as if we were some kind of modern gladiators.

Even with the fear stamped on our faces, by the end of the fight, we looked damn badass.

I watched with a fair amount of dismay as I pushed Tress away from the maw of the Alpha Warg. I hadn’t realized how close she was to dying in that moment, but if I hadn’t intervened, she wouldn’t have had a face anymore.

Instead, I lost half my neck in the process and kept pushing and pushing the door to close.

The footage ended with Tress cutting the head of the Alpha Warg with a single motion and us collapsing onto the floor of the safe room, the camera capturing the moment the door shut behind us. The once-dynamic shots transitioned to a static angle. Only a few wargs remained in the room, sniffing the bodies of their fallen companions and pacing in slow, aimless circles.

As the fight replayed on the screen, I remembered the last message I’d received before falling unconscious.

I checked the system, and the message replayed in my mind:

Ding! Congratulations! You have slain Alpha Warg F5.

Ding! Congratulations! Your soul core has been upgradedYour Soul Core has upgraded.

Calculating…

General Rank upgraded.

Constitution upgraded (2).

Strength upgraded (2).

Magic upgraded.

Mana upgraded.

Speed upgraded.

New Stats:

Subject: Zach Walker

Race: Human (Earth)

Class: Mage, Rogue

Merged Class: Undergoing calculations

General Rank: F5

Constitution: F5

Magic: F4

Mana: F4

Speed: F3

Strength: F4

You achieved Rank F5. You may now select a new shard skill.

Choose:

Common - [Lightning Hook]

Rare - [Lightning Momentum]

Common - [Stealth Strike]

I had not only leveled up and reached F5, but I’d also gained access to a new shard.

Focusing on the skills, additional lines of text appeared:

Common - [Lightning Hook]

Creates a bolt of lightning in the user’s hand. Upon connecting with any surface, a rope will form, linking the hook to the user. Ideal for mages wanting to draw enemy attention or warriors with magical affinity.

Rare - [Lightning Momentum]

Creates a burst of lightning beneath the user’s feet. This spell is versatile and can be used to escape, close the gap between the user and an enemy, or deal damage with strategic use.

Common - [Stealth Strike]

Attacking an enemy without being detected charges your weapon with mana, enabling a massive blow. A staple skill for assassin aspirants.

I read through the descriptions a couple times, but the choice was easy for me.

The hook seemed useful, but it was better suited for someone with greater strength—maybe Mary. It could help me engage in battle, but it’d be harder to use for repositioning.

The [Stealth Strike] was a safe option, greatly improving my ability to deal massive damage to unsuspecting foes. It paired well with my critical strike ability, but it was too situational. I could pick it later, but not now—not before facing a boss we wouldn’t be able ambush. We’d be walking straight into the monster’s den, nullifying what could have been a valuable skill.

So, I chose [Lightning Momentum]. The versatility of having a mobility skill that could also deal damage when used cleverly gave me the confidence to pick it.

The other two options disappeared, and I watched as my shard slots updated. I still had several empty slots to fill: two common, two rare, two epic, and one legendary.

Glancing back at the TV, I noticed the fight had ended again, and a few others had entered the circular room.

Three figures appeared—myriads armed with staffs, bows, and spears. They exuded confidence, ready to take on the four wargs left in the room.

“Did you get a new skill, Elk?” I asked, keeping my eyes on the screen.

“Yeah. You too, right? I can summon a ring of fire around me—or anyone I want to,” he said nonchalantly, his eyes still closed.

That was a solid spell. It could be used both to protect him and to trap and potentially damage an enemy.

Elk’s skillset and mentality paired well with mine. We could both deal significant damage, and now, with our utility skills, we had the tools to create even more chaos on the battlefield.

The myriads in the room nearby had just dispatched the wargs and were sprinting toward the stairs leading to the boss room. Before I could wonder if the door would close, the system’s voice interrupted my thoughts:

The 70th group is already facing the floor boss. Rush, competitors. Your chances are stretching thin.

On the screen, the staircase remained as it was before, waiting for someone else to enter. Apparently, there was no limit to how many groups could use the entrance.

“I guess we better move.” I got up and started toward the stairs. Elk lazily shifted on the couch, opening his eyes ever so slowly. Mary didn’t seem any more eager to fight. The only one who followed me instantly was Tress.

“I guess you didn’t foress my near death,” I muttered.

She smiled.

“No, I didn’t. But I knew you’d live. We’re going to face whatever’s up there together.” She placed a firm hand on my shoulder. I stared at her, trying to read her expression, to catch something she wasn’t saying.

“Any tips?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Unfortunately, the wind didn’t whisper it all to me. It’s just bits and pieces. I know you and Elk are the key to our success today, but I can’t tell how the next fight will end.”

“Or what we’ll fight?”

At that moment, her smile faltered, twitching ever so slightly.

“What?” I pressed.

“The wind told me, ‘The beast with too many eyes waits for you.’ I don’t know why, but the thought unsettles me.” Her voice sounded more human than ever, lacking its usual confidence.

“I thought you didn’t experience fear,” I said, genuinely curious. Even recognizing the irony of the situation, she seemed somewhat shaken.

“It’s not fear. You know when you wake up in the middle of the night and feel like you’re in a different place, only to realize you’re just on the wrong side of the bed?” I nodded, and she continued, “That’s how I feel when I can’t understand what the wind is trying to say.”

She smiled again and gently squeezed my shoulder. “But everything always falls into place in the end. You’ll see, Zach.”

“I hope so.” I tried to draw some of her confidence into myself but failed as flashes of memory clawed at my mind.

“Some scars disguise themselves as closed wounds, Zach, but when you rub your finger over them, you can still feel the torn flesh beneath. And it hurts, as if it’s fresh—”

“I know, Tress. Thanks for the help.” I cut her off before she could continue.

Yeah, there were wounds still open in me. But I didn’t have the means to close them right now. Talking wouldn’t make them heal.

I climbed the steps while Tress remained at the bottom. I didn’t look back.

I wasn’t going to try to close old wounds today.

I’d cut new ones into whatever creature stood before me.