Chapter 1: The Hall
Pain. A deep, all-consuming ache surged from every part of my body.
The wail of sirens still echoed in my ears,mixed with the screams of pedestrians—a chaotic soundtrack to the end.
My vision was washed in a thin, red haze.
Li Xia's eyes snapped open. He sat up as if electrocuted, gasping for air.
The pain,the noise, the blood—gone, as if they had never happened.
An illusion?A nightmare?
He paused, looking down at his hands. Something was wrong.
He remembered leaving work,heading home… but where was this?
Thick fog surrounded him, swallowing everything but the clothes on his back.
Slowly,memories from before he blacked out began to surface.
The roaring dump truck,swerving at the last second to plow into a small restaurant instead.
Just another accident.
Wait…why did he think 'just another'?
Li Xia rubbed his face, confusion setting in.
More memories flooded back.
The elevator that had plummeted.The billboard that had torn loose and crashed down. Each time, he had miraculously escaped.
He remembered now. After surviving so many 'accidents,' he'd considered buying paper offerings to burn for his ancestors.
Luck had never been on his side.If it wasn't his long-gone family watching over him, he couldn't explain it.
But how did he gethere?
The fog in his mind began to clear.
The dump truck smoldered.The ground was littered with glass and debris. A crowd stood with phones raised, performing a silent, modern ritual.
The sirens grew louder as a black sedan screeched to a halt nearby.
The window rolled down,revealing a woman with a beautiful face twisted by madness and despair. She raised a pistol.
A gun?
He was shot?He died? So this is the afterlife?
Who was she?Why did she want him dead? To open fire in the middle of the city…
What kind of trouble could an ordinary office worker,two years into his job, whose only hobbies were gaming and writing guides, possibly attract?
Before Li Xia could piece it together, the final memory struck.
Time seemed to freeze as the woman pulled the trigger.The gas leak from the ruined restaurant finally reached its limit.
In the deafening explosion,he was thrown into the air.
An endless white light bloomed before his eyes,and new memories, foreign and intrusive, implanted themselves in his mind.
"The Transcendence… The Hall?"
As if a switch flipped, the surrounding fog boiled and surged, violently scattering in all directions.
[You are now a Provisional Agent. You will participate in the Hall Trials. Upon completion, you will become a full Agent.]
[Due to the use of the special item 'Provisional Agent Credentials,' this trial cannot be refused. A rating of 'Good' or higher is required.]
Li Xia didn't respond, silently examining the new memories.
Provisional Agent Credentials?What was that?
No matter how hard he tried,he couldn't recall ever using such a thing. He shelved the doubt for now.
He had a vague premonition that the woman's reason for killing him was likely connected to these'Credentials.'
The Hall was familiar, like the infinite loop stories he'd read. It required Agents to travel between worlds, complete tasks, and earn rewards.
After a moment,Li Xia asked the most critical question.
Why does the Hall need Agents?
The system reacted strongly.
The fog churned wildly.For a moment, Li Xia thought it wouldn't answer.
Each world operates on a set timeline. Intervening at key junctures, or participating in these events, grants an opportunity for Transcendence.
Altering a world's path can bring great danger and backlash. Only unique individuals can participate.
Agents are these unique individuals. The Hall needs the opportunity for Transcendence.
Li Xia understood. This was just employment. A company and its workers.
His unease settled.A simple transactional relationship was more reassuring.
[Question resolved. Provisional Agent, the trial will now begin. Prepare yourself.]
Li Xia took a deep breath and stood.
The trial couldn't be refused.The Hall didn't state the consequence, but Li Xia could guess.
Death.
Besides,why refuse?
A subtle thrill spread through his chest.His body trembled slightly.
He used to love traveling,seeing new sights, trying new things.
But after his parents were gone,their ashes in cold jars, he stopped.
Grief isn't a storm;it's a permanent dampness. The familiar parts of life only triggered memories, so he hid at home, in games.
Only by escaping into vast,fictional worlds could he quiet the past.
A life like that…wasn't it meaningless?
"I accept the trial!"
The fog surged like a stormy sea. Text scrolled before his eyes.
For the Agent's comprehension, the Hall's systems have been formatted to a familiar interface.
This trial is a teaching simulation. Participation is solo and will not affect reality.
[Through this trial, you will learn the fundamentals, acclimate to a new world, and execute a complete intervention.]
This trial will assess comprehensive ability.
To aid understanding, your status will be quantified based on your subconscious preferences.
[Notice! Notice! Notice!]
This is an assistive interface only. Your body is not being converted into data!
[Transmission commencing!]
A sensation like a severe hangover hit him. His vision blurred and doubled.
The humid air carried a pungent,fishy stench that churned his stomach.
This travel method needs work.
Rubbing his temples, the first things to come into focus were two bars in the lower left of his vision—one red, one blue.
Of course.His subconscious preferred a game-style display.
His vision cleared, and his heart lurched.
He was in a small room.A small iron pot hung in the center over long-dead embers.
Several corpses lay scattered on the floor,mouths agape, their pale faces frozen in terror.
Their insides were spilled,tangled and soaking in dark, congealing blood.
Li Xia suppressed his nausea and fear, holding his breath as he struggled to stand.
The blood on the floor shimmered,emitting a faint red light that formed clear, strange characters.
Location: Saitama
[Difficulty: Normal]
[Transcendence Aura: 0% (Determines final trial evaluation. Can be acquired during the trial.)]
[World Introduction: Legends say that when the sun sets, demons emerge to devour humans. Conversely, there are also demon slayers who hunt these creatures.*
*A millennium ago, a demon named Muzan Kibutsuji appeared. The Demon Slayer Corps, who risk their lives to eradicate demons, was born.*
*Fate intertwines. A thousand-year feud approaches its final confrontation.]
(This world is a virtual projection. It will not affect the true timeline.)
[Trial Completion Requirement: Acquire any one Breathing Style (Water, Thunder, Flame, Stone, Wind, Sun)]
[Time Limit: 15 Days]
[This is a projected world. Milestones locked.]
[Note: Your appearance has been temporarily altered. It will revert upon leaving this world. You have been granted local language comprehension.]
[Note: Due to difficulty balancing, your natural healing rate has been increased by 200% for this trial.]
[The trial begins!]
[Current Mission: Survive Until Sunrise]
[Mission Reward: ??? (Determined by performance rating)]
Demon Slayer…
Li Xia's gaze sharpened.He understood now.
The mission was simple:survive until sunrise.