The glow of those eyes was the only warning.
They burned in the tunnel like twin lanterns, molten-yellow, unblinking. The shape that followed was worse than memory.
The beast stepped into the weak fluorescent light of the metro carriage. Taller than a man, hunched forward, its body matted with dark fur streaked by veins that pulsed faintly like black fire. Its jaw split wide into a snarl that seemed too big for its skull. Drool dripped from its fangs, sizzling when it struck the floor.
The air recoiled around it. Every breath grew heavier, as though oxygen itself resisted being near the creature.
A scream tore from the passengers. Some pressed against the sealed doors, pounding with their fists. Others covered their children, sobbing. One man threw his backpack in desperation; it bounced off the beast's shoulder and fell with a dull thud, useless.
Above their heads, cold text blinked in unison.
[Time Remaining: 29:47]
The timer had begun.
Ravi did not move. His heart raced, but his mind was steady. He had seen this before—had lived through this scenario once, had failed it once. He knew how easily fear could kill faster than claws.
He also remembered something else.
The flicker of corrupted text.@Unknown_Origin: I gave you another chance. Don't waste it.
Last time, no one had helped him.Last time, he had died choking on his own blood while the scenario ticked away.
This time, someone was watching.
The beast lunged.
Its movement was too fast for its size blurring forward, claws sweeping for his chest. Ravi twisted sideways, instincts sharpened by déjà vu. His pipe swung upward in a brutal arc, smashing into the side of its skull.
The crack of metal on bone echoed through the carriage. Sparks flew.
The beast staggered a fraction, then straightened. It hadn't even flinched.
Someone screamed. A man near the door tried to squeeze past the blue barrier as if desperation could make it break. The beast's claw lashed out, slicing through him. Blood splattered across the seats. He collapsed, clutching what was left of his leg. His screams drowned the carriage.
Everyone froze.
Text scrolled coldly in their vision:
[Warning: Party morale is dropping.][Hint: Complete the objective or face elimination.]
"Morale?!" a woman shouted hysterically. "What the hell does that mean?!"
Ravi's voice cut through, steady, sharp."It means if you don't fight, you die."
The beast roared again, saliva hissing on the floor. It lunged straight for him, jaws wide enough to crush his skull.
Ravi stepped into the charge, jamming the pipe between its jaws. Teeth shattered, fragments flying. The stench of blood and bile hit him full in the face. He twisted hard, bracing his foot against its chest. Bone creaked.
Still, the thing pushed forward. Its strength was relentless.
Around him, the passengers only cowered. Waiting. Hoping someone else would act first. Just like before.
The timer bled away seconds.[Time Remaining: 28:56]
Ravi growled. His muscles strained, every inch burning."Move!" he shouted. "Form a circle! If it gets past me, you're next!"
But no one moved. Fear pinned them like insects to glass.
He grit his teeth. Fine. If no one would act, then he would.
The beast roared again, snapping its broken teeth against the pipe. Ravi wrenched free and slammed the weapon sideways across its jaw. The impact cracked bone this time, forcing the creature back a step.
From the corner of his vision, the text flickered again.
@Unknown_Origin: Prove you deserved this regression.
Ravi's jaw tightened. Regression. That was the word for what had happened this second chance, this return to the beginning. Whoever or whatever this @Unknown_Origin was, they expected him to prove himself worthy of it.
The beast advanced again, claws raking sparks from the steel wall.
Ravi spat blood from his lip and raised the pipe. "Fine. You want proof? Then watch closely."
He lunged first this time.
The clash shook the metro. The beast swiped, claws slicing air where Ravi's head had been a moment before. He ducked, pipe thrust upward into its ribcage. The sound of cracking bone reverberated through the carriage.
It reeled, snarling. But it wasn't finished.
It never was.
The passengers watched in stunned silence. Some trembled, some whispered prayers, some simply stared. None moved.
But Ravi's eyes burned with something different. Not fear. Not despair.
Resolve.
Because this time, he wasn't dying here.