Thoughts loop in my head like a curse.
What else is it hiding from me?
The system, this damn thing that keeps dragging me back, doesn't show everything. I know it. There's more beneath the surface. More I can't see yet.
It's mocking me with what little it shows.
My eyes sting. My hands shake. My heart is still racing from my death.
I'm so tired.
For a moment, I want to stop. To just let it end, to let the darkness take me for good.
But her voice echoes in my head.
Nia.
"NO!" My voice cracks. "I promised her I'll come back. I WILL survive."
How, though… is still unclear.
I need to come up with a new strategy.
First though, I'm getting out of this room. I'm sick of this ragged bed.
This is my third time walking into the main area. I'm earlier this time, so no one else is here—well, obviously except Kai. The same woody scent fills my lungs, damp smoke clinging to my throat.
I'm so sick of this.
Kai glances up from the fire.
- Kai: "You're finally awake. You took your time."
"Yeah…"
The silence that follows is thick. It seems like he's focused on cooking the food, but I can't help but feel like we're both waiting for the other to say something. A few minutes pass before I decide to speak.
"Kai? Do you… have any family?"
His expression softens a little, a small smile forming. The firelight flickers against his jaw.
- Kai: "Yeah. I got two younger brothers."
"That's it? What about your parents?"
- Kai: "Dad died a while back. My mom… couldn't handle it. She kinda just… left."
He says this with a look of melancholy written on his face.
"…Sorry for asking."
- Kai: "It's alright. We manage on our own."
The silence returns, heavier this time, stretching until I think the conversation's over. Then, he looks back at me.
- Kai: "What about you? Any siblings?
I hesitate before answering.
"…Yeah. I have a younger sister. Her name is Nia."
- Kai: "Anyone else?"
My throat tightens, but I force the words out anyway.
"Mom and Dad are… busy. They work and stuff."
Kai nods, accepting it without question. I wish it were true.
For a second, the crackle of the fire shifts—turns into the harsh scrape of a chair on tile. My grandfather's voice, sharp and bitter, cuts through the memory.
- Grandfather: "Useless. Couldn't even stay alive for your own children."
My heart races, my hands digging into my palms until I feel the sting. Warmth seeps between my fingers—blood. I force myself to breathe, to unclench, to shove the memory back into the dark where it belongs.
I look at Kai.
His words came out steady, unflinching. No hesitation. No shame. Just the truth.
How does he do that?
Meanwhile, I'm sitting here choking on lies, pretending my parents are just "busy."
Garbage.
That's what I am compared to him.
He eventually tells me to wake Isabella and Lena.
I drag myself to the room they're sleeping in, the same one as before.
As I enter, Lena's snoring fills the space. They are both curled up, breaths even, faces softened by the dim firelight spilling through the cracks.
I stop beside Isabella's bed. My hand hovers for a second, but I don't shake her awake. I just… stand there. Watching.
Her chest rises and falls in a steady rhythm. Strands of hair spill across her cheek, and even in her sleep, there's a faint crease between her brows, like she's fighting something I can't see.
For reasons I don't understand, the weight in my chest loosens. The noise in my head quiets. For once, I'm not thinking about the system, or dying, or the lies I've told—I'm just staring at her.
And that's when Nia slips into my mind again.
That same stubborn furrow, like she was always holding a grudge even though she wasn't. My throat tightens.
I ball my fists at my sides.
I couldn't protect Nia. I'll never forgive myself for that.
But maybe… maybe I can protect Isabella.
It's not a plan. It's barely even a thought. But it's something.
If I can't be the one who wins… then I'll fight with everything I have to keep her safe.
After the same events unfold yet again, we find ourselves back in the boss room.
And I still have ZERO idea what to do. Fantastic.
Suddenly, the air feels colder. The lights feel dimmer. My body tenses up as I hear those dreaded words for the third time, except now, I know exactly where they come from.
- System: "First, you must prove your resilience."
The knight's armor scraped against the stone floor. Every step was a drumbeat in my chest. This time, I won't freeze.
For a third time, the beast swings his sword down on Kai's head. He manages to block it, shattering the shield in the process.
I look over to Isabella. She's pale, trembling.
Terrified.
"Isabella. Don't panic. We can handle this! Just focus on healing the injured."
I break into a sprint as I say this. Her reply is barely audible.
- Isabella: "…Ayden?"
The knight prepares his second attack.
- Kai: "This is gonna hurt!"
"I KNEW YOU'D DO THAT!"
Before the attack can land, I lunge and tackle Kai out of the way. The blade crashes into the floor, shards of stone spraying across the room.
Fuck! That was too close.
- Kai: "Thanks for that. You good?"
"Yeah, barely."
A thought hits me as I replay the last run in my head. I glance up, seeing Blair charging at the boss from the side.
My voice tears through the air.
"NO! HE'S GOING TO GRAB YOUR ARM!"
She twists mid-lunge, narrowly avoiding the knight's grasp. Her blade connects with the left joint, grinding metal on metal. The knight roars, swatting her away. She slams into a pillar, crumpling against it with a strangled gasp. Pain shoots through her shoulder.
I rush forward, adrenaline squeezing my chest, all while shouting at Isabella.
"Isabella! Heal her now!"
Blair's already forcing herself up, but Isabella's magic rushes over her, closing the worst of the damage.
I seize the opening. There—a gap where its armor overlaps at the ribs. I thrust with everything I have.
THUNK.
My weapon meets the armor with a dull, sickening thunk. For a heartbeat I think I've landed a good hit. Then the edge gives. The hilt shudders in my hand and the blade shatters like glass.
Heat floods my palms. I drop the useless wreck and look to see the beast swinging its free arm in my direction.
I barely get my arms up before it backhands me across the room.
The impact slams me into a wall, bouncing me off the stone before I collapse to the floor.
"AGH!"
The air is shot out of my lungs as I gasp for air, in pain.
Isabella rushes over, panic in her voice.
- Isabella: "Oh my God! Ayden, are you alright?!"
I struggle to get words out.
"…I'm …fine. How's Blair?"
- Isabella: "She's okay. Just resting."
I look over to see Blair, uninjured, laying down facing the ceiling.
Suddenly, pain courses through my body as I try to move.
- Isabella: "Here. Stay still."
She extends her open palms towards me and begins speaking.
- Isabella: "Soothing Aura."
All my injuries and pain vanish, the scratches and bruises healing as though they never existed, leaving only the dirt and grime on my shirt.
Physically, I feel better, but mentally I'm still a wreck.
Come on, think! What do we do?
My vision blurs. My heart won't slow down.
He's still overpowering us.
No weapon. No plan. Tired and scared, I'm running out of options.
Shit!
Restarting is my only choice now.
My fist grips my shirt as my body trembles.
I don't want to die. Not again.
There has to be something. Anything!
Out of nowhere, a green status screen flickers to life in front of my face.
——————————————————————
STATUS SCREEN
Name: The Warden
Level: 5
Species: Death Knight
[ATTRIBUTES]:
Strength: 12
Speed: 5
Perception: 6
Intelligence: 4
Vigor: 14
[SKILLS]:
No additional information available
[WEAKNESSES]:
Elementals:Fire, Water
Structural: Joints in the armor, Gap in the eye slits
No additional information available
——————————————————————
Huh? What the hell is this? Its stats?
The Warden. My skin crawls just reading the name.
It doesn't matter.
I can use this.
I look to Lena, she's in a daze.
"LENA! USE YOUR SKILL AND AIM FOR ITS JOINTS!"
- Lena: "Okay!"
The Warden crashes down, sparks erupting where molten flame chewed through its joint. Its growl rattles my teeth.
"Christy! Now! Hit the other joints!"
- Christy: "On it!"
She darts in, her sword flashing like lightning. Her blade digs into the gaps of the armor — shoulders, elbows, knees — each strike ringing with precision. The monster swings wide, trying to crush her, but she dances back just in time, boots skidding across the stone.
The knight's helm snaps toward me, its red eyes locking on like it knows. My blood turns to ice.
It raises its massive blade.
He's aiming for me!
- Kai: "AYDEN, MOVE!"
Kai barrels in, intercepting the strike with his sword. The clash sends a shockwave through the room, Kai's teeth bared in a snarl as the sheer force drives him to one knee.
The knight presses down, the edge biting closer. Kai's sword groans, cracks running up the steel.
"Lena! Do it again!"
Her eyes go wide. Sweat streaks her forehead, but she raises her hands anyway.
A second bolt of fire slams into the Warden's side, forcing it back a step. The pressure eases on Kai, but Lena collapses to her knees, chest heaving.
- Lena: "That's… I can't—"
The knight lurches toward her.
"NO—!"
Thankfully, Blair appears in a blur, shoving Lena aside as the Warden's arm comes crashing down. She plants her foot against its armor, springboards up, and drives her knife straight into the eye slit.
A screeching wail bursts from its helm. The monster reels, clawing at its own face. Black smoke pours out of the cracked visor.
Isabella rushes to Kai, light glowing at her fingertips.
- Isabella: "You'll be okay! Healing Aura!"
Golden warmth floods his body, mending the bruises blooming under his skin.
The Warden staggers, limping, armor sparking and leaking shadows from half a dozen weak points. It's breaking apart, but still not down.
Christy flips her sword in her grip and lunges. In a single, fluid motion, she carves through the remaining joints, one after another, until sparks shower the ground.
The Death Knight freezes. Its sword clatters uselessly to the stone. For a breathless moment, it just… kneels.
Then, with a groaning crack, the Warden topples forward and slams into the ground, lifeless.
His corpse lies still, its armor already flaking into ash. For a long moment, none of us move. The only sound is our own ragged breathing.
Then Kai lets out a laugh, the most hearty one yet, while pointing at the body of the beast.
- Kai: "HA! SCREW YOU!"
I'm left baffled.
"We… we did it."
Christy takes a seat on the floor, grinning slightly. Blair slides down the wall, exhausted from the fight.
Even Lena, still trembling on her knees, manages a weak smile. Isabella claps her hands to her chest, relief washing over her face.
The tension in the chamber lifts. For the first time since stepping foot into this nightmare, we're not running, not screaming, not dying.
Just breathing.
But before the victory can sink in, the chamber rumbles. A new door grinds open across the room, stone splitting to reveal a staircase spiraling downward. Cold air wafts up, carrying the scent of dust and rot.
Kai scowls at it.
- Kai: "Ugh. Give us a break man. This better be an exit."
Suddenly, a blue prompt pops in front of all of us.
——————————————————————
STATUS SCREEN
Congratulations, you are the first to defeat 'The Warden'.
Exit is currently unavailable.
Current Floor: 4
Nearest Floor Exit: 5
——————————————————————
The happiness drains from their faces one by one.
Kai's grin falters into a glare.
- Kai: "What?!"
Isabella's hands fall from her chest, trembling.
- Isabella: "But that's just…"
Blair spits at the floor.
- Blair: "Disgusting."
Lena hugs her knees, voice breaking.
- Lena: "I'm seriously so tired…"
Tears brim in her eyes, catching the faint glow of the torches.
The weight of despair presses over us all. That fragile victory, the first real spark of hope, is ripped away just as quickly as it appeared.
But my shock isn't the same as theirs. Because another screen flashes across my vision—one only I can see.
——————————————————————
STATUS SCREEN
You have Proven Your Resilience. There remains 2 more tests.
Reward:
+ 1 attribute point for each stat
+ 1 skill of user's choosing.
——————————————————————
A pit opens in my stomach. My chest feels hollow.
So it's true. The system really is testing me. Watching me.
My fists clench until my nails dig into my palms. I want to scream, to tear the screen apart, but it just hangs there. Silent.
Fine. What are my choices?
The skill list scrolls into view:
——————————————————————
STATUS SCREEN
Skills to choose from:
Fortification
Weapon Profiency
Resilience
Awareness
Light Step
——————————————————————
My vision lingers on each one. Any of them could help me.
But my gut clenches when I see it.
Resilience.
I almost laugh. Of course that's what it offers me. As if it's mocking the fact that all I've been able to do is get back up again and again, bleeding, terrified, broken.
My teeth grit.
"…Fine. I'll take it."
The prompt blinks, then vanishes. A new heaviness settles in my chest, but I'm not afraid.
If the system wants resilience, then resilience is what it'll get.