After thinking it over for a while, Lucas politely replied to the official account: "Give up the qualification."
"Even if I'm not participating, it's important to be polite..." he muttered.
After confirming his decision, Lucas closed the private message panel.
"There are still two days until the next match..."
He lay back down on his bed, breathing deeply.
"I need to keep my spirits up..."
The Thriller Competition was set to begin in a month. During this period, players who had successfully qualified for the Thriller Contest were granted special privileges. They didn't need to enter any copy games and could focus solely on preparing for the grand event.
Then, a flurry of notifications began to pop up:
> [Your favorite player Lucas has started a live broadcast. Click here to watch.]
> [Players you collected... are going live...]
> [Live Broadcast: Player Lucas]
Someone blinked at the screen.
"Wait, did I just see Lucas's name...?"
"Lucas??? Why is he broadcasting right now? Doesn't he get a whole month off from the games?"
Viewers flooded Lucas's livestream, eager to see what was happening. Within seconds, his live room exploded with spectators, hitting thousands in under a minute.
Lucas himself was a little surprised when he saw the system alert:
> [Player Lucas has started a live broadcast...]
He blinked, confused. "Aren't live broadcasts usually triggered only after entering a dungeon?"
He didn't dwell on it. He was already standing at the game login entrance, preparing as usual. Calmly, he pressed the familiar "Start Game" button, waiting for the system to assign him a copy.
But the expected interface didn't load.
Instead, a new prompt appeared:
> [You are already a participant in the Thriller Competition. Are you sure you want to enter a game during the exclusive preparation period?]
Lucas paused.
"But... I gave up my qualifications," he murmured.
And then he clicked [OK].
Viewers watching the stream were left speechless.
"Did he just say he gave up his qualification?!"
"I can't even get in no matter how hard I try, and he just tossed it aside like that?! What kind of logic is that?!"
Someone shouted, "Wait! Check the list again! His name is still there!"
"Maybe the system hasn't updated yet... But can the system even force a player to participate after they withdraw?"
"Such a shame. I really wanted to see what Lucas could do in the main competition."
As people debated, some began mocking him:
"The real reason he gave up is simple: he's scared. He knows the competition is packed with high-tier players. He'd just be cannon fodder."
Someone quickly snapped back, "How about you qualify first before mocking someone else?"
The mocker fell silent, folding his arms with a dismissive snort.
Meanwhile, the live stream stats continued soaring:
> [218,531 people are watching the live broadcast of Supernova player Lucas.] [139,764 people have gifted him points.] [Lucas's popularity ranks fifth in the current copy.]
Then came another series of system messages:
> [Welcome player Lucas to the Thriller Game.] [The dungeon is being randomly selected based on your last game rating...] [Loading copy...] [Copy Name: Forbidden Zone] [Level: None] [Mode: Death Mode (Special)] [Waiting for players: (1/50)]
"Death mode???"
A ripple of shock spread through the viewers.
"DEATH MODE?! Are you serious right now?!"
A newer player blinked in confusion. "What is 'Death Mode'? Never heard of it."
Veteran players started explaining solemnly:
"Death Mode includes two main objectives: a survival mission and a death mission."
"It's basically a kill-or-be-killed challenge. You don't get levels because... well, most don't survive it."
"Why is this even still in rotation? I thought Death Mode was discontinued."
Faces in front of screens grew grim. This was no ordinary match.
Lucas remained calm, reviewing the rules the system provided.
"Two parallel objectives... This won't be easy."
A 50-player death match. This 'Forbidden Zone' dungeon had no public record, making things even more mysterious and dangerous.
"Oh no... Lucas's luck is absolutely awful!"
With a frown, Lucas whispered, "I give up my qualification, and the system throws me into this?"
He picked up a kitchen knife from the virtual inventory and sighed. "I have to stay alert from the moment I enter."
Then came another system message:
> [Players can choose to adapt the character's appearance in Death Mode. Adapt?]
Lucas clicked [Adapt].
> [Adapting role...] [Waiting for other players: (16/50)... (46/50)... (50/50)]
> [Player entry complete. Wishing all players a happy game.]
Darkness enveloped him. A wave of dizziness followed.
When Lucas opened his eyes, he had barely adjusted to the environment before another prompt appeared:
> [System: Players, confirm your number.]
He felt a tingling sensation on his wrist.
Looking down, a bloody number slowly formed: 16.
> [Main Mission: Survive for seven days.] [Death Mission: Eliminate your target player.] [Target: Player No. 2.] [Warning: Death equals elimination. Failure to eliminate the target equals elimination. Eliminating the wrong person also equals elimination.]
"Oh ho ho ho... it's started," someone whispered in the chat.
Lucas had officially entered the deadliest version of the Thriller Game... and there was no turning back now.
-----------------------------------
Visit our Patreon for more:
Get membership in patreon to read more chapters
Extra chapters available in patreon
patreon.com/Dragonscribe31
-----------------------------------------------------