And then, in a single moment.
As if they had all agreed beforehand, everyone started running in the same direction.
Noticing the movement, an explosion erupted close by, but it only struck a hapless skeleton.
«Everyone, run! We'll be fine as long as we get out of their range!»
Caleb fired a few warning shots with his pistol.
But the bullets from a normal handgun couldn't penetrate a player's equipment.
Caleb thought grimly.
'She's in danger.'
Amid the chaos, he had picked up on one crucial piece of information.
The goal of their mysterious attackers.
They were after one person — the strongest member of their group.
The reason was probably related to who she truly was.
«Did you really think you could escape?»
At that moment.
Catching a whiff of gunpowder, Caleb instinctively rolled aside. He tucked into a quick breakfall, correcting his posture, and as he raised his guard, a man in a white mask appeared before him.
The masked man walked toward him slowly, snapping his fingers.
BOOOOM!!
«S-Save...!»
One of the fleeing group members was caught in the blast and died instantly.
Caleb swallowed hard and leveled his spear at the enemy.
A heavy, suffocating silence.
It was a long while before the masked man finally spoke.
«Now there are only two of us left.»
«What?»
«It's been a while, Detective Caleb.»
«...You know me?»
Like a fuse catching fire, something flared in front of Caleb's face.
It was too late to dodge. He crossed his arms in front of him just in time to shield himself from the worst of the explosion.
«Khack...!»
Sparks flared all around him.
The pain hit immediately, but there was no time to rest.
Ducking past another flickering flame, he hurled himself aside.
A chain of explosions chased him relentlessly.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOOOM!
'Damn it... he's toying with me.'
Caleb realized — the enemy was deliberately missing, driving him into a corner like a hunter herding prey.
There was no way out.
«You run like a cockroach.»
BOOOOM!
Gasping for breath, Caleb sprinted down the twisting hallway.
He dove behind the nearest pillar and gripped his spear tighter.
Running wouldn't solve anything.
He looked down at his weapon, the blue gleam shimmering faintly along its shaft.
Wavecatcher's Spear.
A shutdown reward item, level 80 grade — its attack power was indisputable.
Though Caleb was only level 47 and couldn't fully wield its abilities, it was still better than the standard tutorial gear.
With this, he could at least deal some real damage.
Footsteps echoed slowly down the corridor.
«Do you like hide and seek, Detective?»
Leisurely, almost playful steps.
Random explosions bloomed through the air as the masked man drew closer.
Using the sounds to gauge the distance, Caleb knew the chance would come soon.
'His ability is explosions.'
Considering how many blasts he had triggered without breaking a sweat, his rank had to be high.
C-rank? Maybe even B-rank?
No doubt about it — he was strong enough to rank among the upper-tier players.
'But still...'
Caleb wasn't exactly weak, either.
A survivor of the Normal difficulty.
An "experienced player" who had once played Exodia 1.
He wasn't a legend, no — but he had powerful shutdown rewards, and he was tough.
Besides, he had been a cop.
Had fought on the frontlines of crime until just recently.
He wasn't planning to die so pathetically in a place like this.
Clomp.
The footsteps drew closer.
The instant Caleb sensed the enemy entering striking distance—
He charged, spear gripped tightly in both hands.
'No matter how strong his ability is, he can't trigger an explosion at point-blank range!'
Unless he was willing to blow himself up, too.
But—
«Such a shallow move.»
BOOOOOM!!!
Flames exploded right in front of Caleb's face.
He leapt backward with all his might, rolling across the ground again and again.
Blood spilled from his lips as he forced himself up.
«Damn it...»
His face burned.
His whole body felt as heavy as wet cotton.
He had never expected to feel so powerless.
Through the blurring edges of his vision, the silhouette of the masked man came into focus.
The man spoke.
«Still don't recognize me?»
«...»
«Disappointing. You've gotten rusty while I was gone.»
His voice, dripping with mockery, didn't sound disappointed at all.
The masked man let out a screeching laugh, like nails on a chalkboard.
It was grating.
Irritatingly familiar.
Had he seen him before? Somewhere?
Frowning, Caleb dug through his memories...
And then it hit him.
«You... no way...»
«Finally recognized me? Detective Caleb, Violent Crimes Unit 2, Stoneveil City Police Department?»
The masked man casually lifted his mask, revealing his face.
The moment Caleb saw him, memories exploded through his mind like a thousand flashbulbs.
«How... How are you here? You were supposed to be—»
«Locked up in prison? Yes. But as you can see... I escaped.»
Snap.
Caleb gritted his teeth so hard they cracked.
«...Sam.»
The masked man — no, Sam — grinned wider.
«That's the look I wanted to see! That's more like the Caleb I remember.»
Sam.
A death row inmate.
A serial killer Caleb had barely managed to catch, after months of relentless pursuit.
A monster who had butchered seven victims, his crimes so brutal that even hardened detectives had flinched.
A textbook psychopath.
And now — here he was, a player.
If he had truly become one, then it made all too much sense why he was launching indiscriminate attacks on people.
Monsters didn't need a reason.
'Don't tell me... all of them are escaped convicts...'
A nightmare scenario flashed through his mind.
Hundreds of criminals, freed from prison, armed with player abilities, roaming the world.
'...Shit.'
Caleb cursed aloud, thinking about the disaster that might follow.
And Sam — still as relaxed as ever.
Just his explosive ability alone was practically cheating... and there might be more like him out there.
The worst possible outcome.
Caleb bit his lip hard.
The heavens must have abandoned us.
Giving scum like him the power of a player...
As despair gnawed at his mind—
«Oh, look. A new face.»
A sudden voice broke through the air.
Caleb's eyes widened as he looked toward the newcomer.
Since when had he been standing there?
«Hey, excuse me. Mind if I ask you something?»
Another man stood casually beside Sam.