The Hellfire Sword Handle rests in my palm, deceptively plain. No blade. No glow. Just scorched black iron with faint red runes.
But I know its secret.
I feed a thread of mana into it — the handle warms, then ignites with a low fwoosh.
A blade of pure mana flares out — crimson-red, jagged at the edges, humming with raw unstable heat.
Hellfire Mana Blade: Active.
It's wild, inefficient… but deadly. This will have to do until I find the complete Hellfire Blade.
[System Notice: 20 minutes until the Second Trial begins.]
I open the Shop again, flip through basic gear. Flashy items draw attention — not what I want.
"Basic mask... here we go."
[Item Purchased: Low-Grade Concealment Mask – 1,000 points]
A black cloth mask materializes in my hand. Simple illusion enchantment. Makes me harder to remember. Perfect.
I strap it on and check my reflection in the steel wall. Masked, expressionless, a blur around the edges.
Then the announcement echoes again, that familiar, artificial cheer:
"Dear contestants…""Basdor here. Congratulations to the 1,016,000 players who passed the tutorial phase. You've done well to survive the opening. Now rest up — the Second Trial will commence in twenty minutes."
More passed than last time. A lot more.
Something's shifting.
I reach into my inventory, pull out a Strength Potion, and down it without hesitation.
[Strength +10 (Temporary: 15 Minutes)]
A warmth spreads through my limbs. Muscles tighten. Heartbeat steadies.
20 seconds left.
The room goes still — until a massive black door carves itself into the wall before me, opening without a sound.
Time to begin.
Trial Two: PvP EliminationParticipants: 5Objective: The first two contestants to exit the arena move on. All others will be terminated.
I step into a circular arena filled with trees, boulders, and natural cover. A simulation, clearly. The sky's dim, painted in digital twilight.
Four other players stand nearby, tense, sizing each other up.
Now's the time.
"System, activate Seeing Eye."
A ripple passes through my eyes. The world sharpens. Faint auras flicker around the players — like heatwaves. Their basic stats, threat levels, and recent activity flash beside them.
[Player: Seo Mira – Level 6]Stats: High Agility, Solid DefenseSkill: Iron Staff Form (Intermediate)Danger Rating: B+
She wears tactical gear and holds a long iron staff. Her stance is steady, trained. She's no amateur.
[Player: Hwang Jae-min – Level 4]Stats: Low Strength, High AccuracySkill: Rapid Fire Bolt (Low Rank)Danger Rating: C-
Thin. Jittery. Carries a crossbow that's too large for his frame. A coward. Likely to run.
[Player: Lee Dae-won – Level 7]Stats: High Strength, High ReflexesSkill: Dual Fang (Street Form)Danger Rating: B+
Burly. Scar down his cheek. Twin daggers. A brutal brawler — definitely dangerous in close quarters.
[Player: Min Su-ryun – Level 6]Stats: UnknownArtifact Detected: Psychic-Type RingDanger Rating: A-
Pretty face. Bright violet hair. No weapons. Smiles like she's already won.
Su-ryun's eyes lock onto mine. That smile doesn't waver.
"I see you've got something special," she says. "What are you hiding under that mask?"
I don't answer.
Seo Mira steps forward. "We need to form a temporary alliance. Eliminate the weakest, then sort it out after."
"Or," Dae-won growls, "we kill you first."
The system chimes:
[Commencing PvP Trial – Begin.]
Everything erupts into motion.
Dae-won lunges at Mira. Steel clashes against iron. Mira parries, counterattacks with trained precision.
Su-ryun and I circle each other, the air between us vibrating with tension.
"You're not panicking," she murmurs. "Everyone else is. But not you."
"I've done this before."
"Oh?" Her grin grows. "You're one of them, aren't you?"
I ignite the Hellfire Blade.
She stares, eyes wide. "That's not basic trial gear…"
"I know."
She throws a glowing orb — psychic pressure slams into me like a mental wave, trying to disorient.
But my Luck stat kicks in. The confusion effect fades before it takes root.
I dash in.
One slash — left to right. She dodges.Two — diagonal. It grazes her side.
"Damn it—!"
She retreats. I'm faster.
A burst forward, a spinning arc — I cut her ring hand clean off.
She screams.
"Wait—!"
Thrust.
The blade pierces her chest. Her eyes widen, lips parting — then nothing.
[Opponent Down – Min Su-ryun: Eliminated]
I turn toward the trees.
Jae-min's hiding. Just like I thought.
He fires his crossbow in panic. Misses.
I charge, shoulder-slamming into him. He hits the ground, dazed.
"I'm sorry," he gasps.
"I'm not."
Hellfire cuts deep.
[Opponent Down – Hwang Jae-min: Eliminated]
Mira and Dae-won are still locked in battle — bloodied, wounded.
Mira sees me coming. "Wait—let's work together—!"
Dae-won doesn't wait. He lunges at me, twin daggers flashing.
I block with the blade — but the impact stings. He's strong.
I kick him in the knee — he grunts, stumbles. I grab his arm and slam him to the ground.
Hellfire arcs down.
[Opponent Down – Lee Dae-won: Eliminated]
Mira limps away, blood leaking from her shoulder.
"You're… not human…" she whispers, stunned.
I walk toward her. Calm. Controlled.
"I lost that," I say coldly, "twelve tries ago."
Her eyes widen — not in fear, but understanding.
She tries to speak. I end it cleanly.
[Opponent Down – Seo Mira: Eliminated]
Only I remain.
A glowing portal opens in the center of the arena.
I walk through it without looking back.
A new room. Smaller. Clean. Concrete. A faint hum in the walls.
[System Update: PvP Trial Complete][Player: Crying Nut – 1st Place]
[Feat Unlocked: Arena Executioner – Eliminate All Combatants in PvP Trial]
[Feat Rewards:]—20 Bonus Stat Points—5,000 Additional Shop Points—Skill Scroll: Silent Step (Movement Type, Rare)
[Luck Modifier (2.4x) Activated → Bonus Upgraded: +48 Stat Points | +12,000 Shop Points]
[Total Gained: 48 Stat Points | 17,000 Shop Points]
I sit on the edge of the bed, breathing steady. My fingers flex.
"System," I say. "Assign all stat points to Luck."
[Luck: 43 → 91]
[Luck Tier Breakthrough: Passive Effects Unlocked – Increased Drop Rates, Rare Encounter Triggers, Hidden Events Available]
The moment the system confirms the breakthrough, I feel it — a subtle shift in the air around me. It's like the world is watching, waiting for me to move.
I sit on the edge of the bed, my breath slow, steady.
Outside this room, 1,016,000 other players are still alive.
Most of them are terrified. Desperate.
Many won't survive the next round.
Some might even be hoping someone like me will lead the charge — a hero with power, with resolve. Someone to rally behind.
But I'm not that.
I stare at my reflection in the steel wall — the mask still hiding my face.
"I'm not here to save other players."
"I'm here to save my world."
The room stays silent.
And that's all I need.