Piter watched the plaza through the barrier.
Inside, dozens of people huddled together. The Interface hovered above them, calm and authoritative.
[Instruction 3: Do Not Leave the Safe Zone.]
The ground cracked.
A second later, the plaza floor collapsed.
Screams filled the air as people fell into darkness.
The barrier vanished.
Blood splattered the edges.
Piter didn't flinch.
"Tutorial casualty rate," he murmured. "Right on schedule."
His Interface flickered.
[Warning: You have avoided Scenario Participation.][This behavior is Not Recommended.]
Recommended.
That word again.
Piter turned away.
He knew what came next.
Punishment Scenarios didn't appear immediately. They watched first.
Measured.
Judged.
He walked toward the subway station three blocks away.
People were already flooding toward it, driven by panic and System prompts.
Last time, the subway Scenario turned into a slaughterhouse.
This time, Piter slipped into a maintenance entrance before the barrier dropped.
His Interface flashed red.
[Abnormal Behavior Detected.]
Good.
That meant he had their attention.
And attention was dangerous.
Piter descended into the dark, smiling faintly.
"Found me already?" he asked the empty tunnel.
The lights went out.