The descent was a whirlwind of limbs and blind friction. In its desperation, the beast sank its claws into my shoulder and side; I didn't feel a cut, but a searing tear that stripped flesh from muscle like wet parchment. The steel railing punished my spine halfway down—an impact that threw us apart with violent force. As the monster vanished into the darkness of the pit, my body bounced off the concrete of the second landing with a dull thud.
That impact emptied my lungs. My chest collapsed, and oxygen became an unattainable luxury; I barely managed an agonizing wheeze as my diaphragm locked up. An electric buzzing numbed my senses. I tried to move, but a violent spasm shook my torso, reminding me that my shoulder was now a ruin of deep, burning gashes. The heat of my blood soaked my side and flowed rapidly over the cold cement. Each breath shot a white-hot sting through my ribs—the unmistakable sign of a fracture. I lay there, reduced to a heap of exposed nerves and involuntary tremors, listening to the sound of my own life hitting the floor, drop by drop.
[One minute and fifty seconds remaining].
My vision blurred; the background screams and the boy's voice faded into the distance. I was a fool for playing the hero, I thought as the sound died away. My health bar was falling and the infection bar was rising at the same rate my breath was fading. Just as I closed my eyes, I heard the sickening sound of flesh being torn apart.
[One minute and forty seconds remaining].
[Level Up: 1 -> 4. Status reset and recovery complete.]
[ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: FIRST BLOOD. Unique achievement skill unlocked.]
"Hey! Snap out of it and get up! Your reckless move actually worked."
I pushed myself up with effort. Although my body was technically healthy thanks to the system, the echo of the pain still lingered beneath my skin.
"No...!" I tried to catch my breath, but the phantom pain tightened around my chest. "I didn't plan it that way!"
[One minute and thirty seconds remaining.]
"Then move! Keep going—we're out of time!"
He didn't wait for my answer; he just kept climbing. The girl's eyes were glazed, and her paleness betrayed the severity of the bleeding. I ran to catch up with them, biting my lip to ignore the memory of my nerves being shredded only minutes ago.
[One minute and twenty seconds remaining.]
We kept climbing. The boy was gasping, his breath ragged from exhaustion. When we reached the doors of the next level, I took the initiative.
"Almost there. Let's share the weight," I said, taking one of the girl's shoulders to ease his burden. "You'll be fine. Just hang in there..."
Her condition was critical; her eyes were out of focus, and a sickening purple liquid was oozing from the bite wound. I exchanged a quick glance with the young man; we both realized that the real time remaining was much less than what the counter indicated. I expected him to leave her to her fate, to drop her to save himself, but he didn't. He let out a sigh heavy with resignation, and we redoubled our efforts. Behind the doors, the screams of other players formed a symphony of terror; some barked useless orders, while others begged for a salvation that would never come.
The sound of flesh being ripped away, followed by agonizing shrieks, stretched my nerves to the limit.
[One minute and five seconds remaining].
We reached the end of the stairs and burst through the door. Hundreds of players were fleeing in a panic through the main hallway, heading toward the various exit galleries. The crowd converged from other laboratories and emergency routes, creating absolute chaos. The place was a swarm of Scavengers; some were tearing into players, sinking their jaws into shoulders and necks to inject that purple venom while devouring their flesh.
[Fifty-nine seconds remaining].
A piercing shriek froze us in our tracks. Out of pure instinct, I let go of the girl. The floor vibrated beneath my feet, and the groaning of the ceiling warned of the imminent disaster: the structure collapsed onto several players, while debris grazed past us. Out of the dust and chaos, a monumental creature emerged.
It lowered its flat head with terrifying slowness. Multiple circular orifices opened across it, revealing red eyes, each plagued with smaller pupils that moved independently and erratically. Its jaws, which stretched almost to the ceiling, gaped wide to display rows of teeth like steel spikes. At the sight of it, even the Scavengers' smiles vanished for the first time.
[LVL 20. Executioner] [Fifty seconds remaining].
Another shriek snapped us out of our paralysis. Dozens of tentacles sprouted from its maw, precisely impaling both players and Scavengers. The despair became tangible; the crowd screamed and ran while the creature continued its butchery, focusing its attack on those emerging from the most distant entrances.
The most unfortunate tripped and were buried under the human tide; their bones cracked with a dull sound as their screams died out beneath the footsteps of their own comrades.
"We're almost there! Don't get distracted!" The boy's voice brought me back to reality.
[Forty seconds remaining].
He pushed forward with agility, dodging people and sticking to the wall with the girl on his back. Thanks to the boost from my level up, I reached him in seconds and helped him support her. I began to shove anyone who stood in our way with all my strength. It felt unfair, almost cruel, but it was the only way to get out alive.
[Thirty seconds remaining].
I watched the scene out of the corner of my eye as we moved forward. The Executioner focused on annihilating the stragglers and blocking the path for those already wounded on the ground. The Scavengers, like hunting hounds, pursued any trace of movement. I tried to help some of the fallen, lifting them with my free arm so they could keep moving, but many had fatal injuries. Their tear-filled eyes, pleading for a salvation that didn't exist, went dark as the monsters pounced to silence them forever.
[Thirty seconds remaining].
The exit was only twenty meters away. The boy was drenched in sweat, his exhaustion now palpable.
"Run! I'm a higher level, I'll carry her!" I yelled.
He hesitated for just a moment, but sensing the determination in my eyes, he ran toward the goal with all his might, occasionally glancing back.
"And you—don't give up... we're going to make it."
My new strength far exceeded what I had before, but exhaustion was accumulating with alarming speed.
[Twenty seconds remaining]
Time was running out, and my muscles protested every movement. The exit was only a few meters away.
"See? I told yo—"
A sudden impact cut me off and slammed me into the ground. The weight was familiar: a Scavenger had tackled me. I heard the whistle of air as its jaws snapped shut, followed by the metallic click of its teeth. Fortunately, the boy blocked the attack with his weapon and shoved the creature back far enough for me to scramble up. I gripped the metal bar and, out of pure instinct, landed a sharp blow to the monster's head, sending it reeling onto its back.
The young man ran and reached the safe zone. He had kept his promise; he had saved me.
[Ten seconds remaining]
I grabbed the girl by the arm and dragged her with the last of my strength.
"Don't give up..." My voice cracked, but I didn't take my eyes off the timer.
[Eight seconds remaining]
"Come on, we can make it!"
I saw the anguish on the boy's face; we were only a few meters from safety, but my energy reserves were bottoming out. The girl was making a superhuman effort, trying to stay on her feet while dragging herself forward with a willpower that made my heart ache.
[Six seconds remaining]
The goal was almost tangible. I prayed to any deity that would listen that the Scavenger wouldn't return—that nothing and no one would interrupt our escape. I didn't dare look back; my mind could only process one objective: getting out.
[Four seconds remaining]
We were right there. My body shook violently under the weight of the effort. Suddenly, I felt a sharp shove that threw me off balance and propelled me with force into the safe zone.
[Two seconds remaining]
I spun around instantly. She was on the ground, her emerald eyes flooded with tears and a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on her lips.
[Exits blocked. Enemy level reset complete.]
I read her lips with a clarity that turned my blood to ice: It's too late for me.
I jumped to my feet and tried to go back, but it was in vain; an invisible barrier blocked the entrance completely. Desperate, my face bathed in tears, I watched as a horde of Level 60 Scavengers surrounded her in seconds.
Resigned, she gave me one last look filled with gratitude before letting herself go completely.
"No! Please, no!"
I watched in horror as her hair was swallowed by rows of sharp teeth. I saw them tear her body apart and her eyes close forever. I screamed until I lost my voice as I watched them suck the life out of her until the very last drop.
I collapsed onto the floor, cursing my own weakness and the day I decided to buy this damn game. But above all, I cursed myself for not being able to save her.