The stone statues took their first steps forward.
THUD.
The heavy impact shook the dust from the pillars. The giant warrior statues—holding halberds, broadswords, and massive maces—began to march toward the kneeling survivors, their crimson eyes locked onto their prey.
"T-They're coming!" one hunter screamed, scrambling backward on his hands and knees. "We can't just lie here!"
"Stay down until I say so!" Jinwoo shouted, scanning the outer ring of the temple.
His eyes darted past the blood-stained floor, searching for the key to the second rule: Praise the God.
There—along the circular perimeter—sat stone statues holding non-lethal objects: a harp, a flute, a drum, a lyre, and scroll tablets.
"Listen to me!" Jinwoo called out, his voice sharp and unyielding. "The second commandment is 'Praise the God'! When you stand up, run straight to the statues holding instruments! Do not go near the ones holding weapons!"
"Instruments?!" Mr. Song gritted his teeth, his veteran instincts kicking in despite the absurdity of the request. "Are you sure, Jinwoo?"
"Trust me! If you stand near an instrument, it will play music and stop the attackers! Move—NOW!"
Jinwoo pushed himself off the ground and bolted.
The moment his body stood upright, the nearest armed statue swung a colossal battleaxe toward him with a sickening wind-shear sound.
SWOOSH!
Jinwoo threw his body into a desperate roll. The stone axe slammed into the marble where he had been a split-second prior, shattering the floor and sending sharp stone shrapnel digging into his arm.
"Ugh—!"
Wincing at the sharp pain, Jinwoo pushed past his limits, sprinting straight toward a statue holding a giant stone harp.
Behind him, chaos broke out.
Mr. Song sprinted toward a statue holding a flute. As he approached, the stone figure raised its fingers to the instrument, and a soft, echoing melody drifted through the cavernous hall. The giant warrior chasing Mr. Song instantly froze mid-swing, its crimson eyes dimming.
"It worked!" Mr. Song gasped, turning back. "It actually worked!"
Another survivor, a young hunter named Kim, panicked as a mace-bearing giant stepped toward him. Blinded by fear, Kim ignored Jinwoo's warning and sprinted toward the nearest statue—a figure holding a massive book, not an instrument.
"Kim, no! Not that one!" Jinwoo screamed, throwing his weight against the harp statue's base.
The book-holding statue stared down cold and motionless. It played no music.
CRUNCH.
The giant mace smashed down from above, flattening Kim instantly.
"DAMN IT!" Jinwoo cursed under his breath. He had tried to guide them, but panic in a dungeon was a monster of its own.
Meanwhile, Jinwoo reached the harp. The moment he stepped beneath its shadow, the stone strings plucked themselves, pouring a serene, beautiful chord into the air. The warrior pursuing him halted, returning its blade to its side.
One by one, the remaining four survivors made it to instrument statues.
The echoing melodies blended into a strange, haunting hymn that filled the Cartenon Temple. The giant warriors retreated step by step, returning to their original positions along the walls.
High above, the God Statue's glowing eyes faded back to dull stone, and it sat down once more upon its massive throne.
Silence returned to the bloody hall.
Out of the original party of seventeen hunters, only five remained alive: Jinwoo, Mr. Song, Chu-Hui and two younger hunters trembling uncontrollably.
Mr. Song looked across the room at Jinwoo, his eyes filled with absolute shock and respect. "Jinwoo... you saved us. How did you know all of this?"
Jinwoo wiped a mixture of sweat and blood from his forehead. "I read the inscription... and analyzed their movements. But it's not over yet."
Suddenly, the center of the room quivered again.
RUMBLE.
From the floor around the elevated central altar, an ominous altar ring ignited. A brilliant blue ring of fire erupted, encircling the pedestal.
The final commandment had begun.
"The final test," Jinwoo muttered, his eyes narrowing as he stepped away from the harp statue. "Everyone, gather at the center altar!"
As the survivors cautiously approached the flaming circle, five small blue flames detached from the main fire, floating around the perimeter—one for each survivor present.
Mr. Song frowned, looking at the floating flames. "What is this? A timer?"
"Yes," Jinwoo answered, his mind racing.
'In the original story, the statues slowly walk toward the altar. To keep the doors open and survive, everyone had to stand inside the circle while the flames extinguished one by one. But the moment someone runs out the door, the door begins to close...'
Jinwoo looked back toward the entrance of the temple. Beyond the open doors, he knew Ju-Hee was waiting in safety.
As if answering the altar's call, the outer statues surrounding the room turned toward the center once again and began marching inward with slow, rhythmic steps.
THUD. THUD. THUD.
The two young surviving hunters broke under the pressure.
"I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE!" one screamed, bolting away from the altar straight toward the open exit doors.
"Wait! Don't move!" Mr. Song warned, but the hunter paid no attention, sprinting across the threshold and out into the dark hallway. The massive stone doors instantly creaked, sliding inward by a few inches. One flame on the altar extinguished.
"The doors are closing!" the other young hunter yelled. Panic seized him, and he too turned and ran, fleeing out the gate. The doors clicked shut further, another flame going out.
Now, only three remained at the altar: Jinwoo, Mr. Song, and Chu-Hui.
"Jinwoo, Mr. Song," Chu-Hui whimpered, tears spilling down his blood-stained face. "My wife... she's pregnant. I... I can't die here."
Mr. Song placed a hand on Chu-Hui's shoulder, his voice heavy. "Go, Chu-Hui. Run while the doors are still open."
Chu-Hui bowed deeply, sobbing. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry!" He turned and sprinted through the remaining gap in the doors.
Another flame vanished. The stone doors were now only half-open.
Now, only two were left: Mr. Song and Sung Jinwoo.
The giant stone statues were now merely ten paces away, their shadows looming dark over the altar.
"Jinwoo," Mr. Song said quietly, drawing his sword. "I lost my arm's length of hunters today because of my foolish leadership. I should stay. You have a family to take care of—your mother, your sister. Get out of here."
Jinwoo looked at Mr. Song. In the original timeline, Mr. Song had tried to sacrifice himself here, too. But Jinwoo knew how the System evaluated candidates.
It didn't want someone who gave up. It wanted someone who looked death in the eyes and chose to conquer it.
"No, Mr. Song," Jinwoo said softly, stepping in front of the older man. "You're going out."
"What?!"
Before Mr. Song could react, Jinwoo grabbed him by his vest and used every ounce of his remaining strength to shove the veteran hunter out of the altar's circle toward the shrinking doorway.
"Jinwoo, stop! What are you doing?!" Mr. Song yelled, staggering back.
"Look after my family if I don't make it," Jinwoo smiled faintly, his eyes glowing with a dark, sharp resolve. "Now GO!"
Mr. Song hesitated for a fraction of a second, tears swelling in his eyes. Seeing the determination in Jinwoo's gaze, he grit his teeth, turned, and dove through the narrowing gap of the main doors.
BOOM!
The massive double doors slammed shut completely, sealing the Cartenon Temple off from the outside world.
The final blue flame on the altar flickered... and went out.
Absolute darkness enveloped the room for a single second—before the torches burst into a terrifying, blood-red glare.
Jinwoo stood alone in the center of the altar.
Surrounding him were dozens of towering stone monsters, their weapons raised high above his head, ready to crush him into dust. The massive God Statue looked down from its throne, its stone hand slowly raising its broadsword to deliver the final strike.
Jinwoo didn't flinch. He didn't drop to his knees. He raised his chin, staring straight into the giant's crimson eyes.
"I died once in my past life as a nobody," Jinwoo thought, his heart pounding in rhythm with his soul. "I won't die as the weakest in this one."
The sword descended like a falling mountain.
PING!
Time suddenly ground to a complete halt.
The giant blade froze mere millimeters above Jinwoo's forehead. The red flames in the room paused mid-flicker.
A sleek, glowing neon-blue interface window materialized out of thin air, floating directly in front of his vision:
[ QUEST NOTIFICATION ]
[ Secret Quest: 'Courage of the Weak' completed. ]
[ You have satisfied all conditions to become a 'Player'. ]
[ Will you accept the re-awakening contract? ]
[ WARNING: If your heart stops beating within 00:02:00, your qualification will be revoked permanently. ]
[ YES / NO ]
Jinwoo looked at the glowing blue text, a genuine, confident smile breaking across his face for the very first time.
"Took you long enough," he whispered.
He raised his hand and pressed [ YES ].