In the bustling streets of the city, Jiyoon-ssi and I continued running around the city amidst the chaos and all the fights going on. Despite some people attacking and attempting to kill us in order to pass the trial, we didn't kill them. We only knocked them out and let their fate decide whether they get killed while unconscious or let the others think they're killed already.
After more than three hours of running, we finally made it to a subway where there aren't a lot of people fighting. We made our way through and went to one of the train carts.
"This feels odd... Why is no one here?" I asked while keeping Jiyoon-ssi behind me in case something happens, I can use my skill to protect both of us.
"Maybe they're hiding in the other carts? I'm sensing some heat signatures and movements nearby." Jiyoon-ssi replied, and from her tone, I could tell she was cautious. I asked her if it was a sensory skill, and she replied with a nod.
"What skill did you get first?" Jiyoon-ssi asked with a smile on her face.
"It's a shield skill. Immune to any form of physical attack for a limited amount of time." I explained in the simplest way I could. Well, the description was simple, anyways.
"I see. That's super useful in combat unlike mine."
"We both have good skills. There are just some cons to it. Like mine, I can't sense a surprise attack so I can't activate my shield quickly. If we stick together, you can sense a surprise attack and tell me about it so I can activate my shield and protect each other."
"But, my skill has a limited area and has an interval of 5 seconds before I can detect again."
"Then, make sure to remind me as fast as you can."
"We'll head to this cart next."
"Wait, there's—"
Jiyoon-ssi's signal was too late to reach me and I was pulled inside the cart by a hand.
It was a dark cart with not a single light inside.
We felt a faint feeling of shaking, we knew the train has started moving and a few moments later, we were out of the tunnel.
There was finally some light and I was surrounded by a group.
One of them was protecting a child and one that was holding me was a man slightly taller than me, but he had a knife to my throat.
"Even a young child, turned into a murderer... Was he forced into this, or is he just a violent one?"
"Are you here to kill someone?"
He asked as the tip of the knife touched my neck and a small amount of blood ooze out of it.
I created a shield which pushed the knife away from my neck and grabbed the guy by his collar before throwing him.
He tried to fight back, but I didn't want to fight him.
"C-Calm down! I'm not here to kill anyone and neither is she! We've both passed the trial already. Look!" I tried to calm him down by showing my hand and he seemed to relax a little.
"Seems like we can trust you both a little. All of us here finished the trial." The man raised his hand to show it to me before the others followed his action.
I thought I was going to die there that my back and forehead is sweating profusely from how nervous I was.
"Minhyuk-ssi, are you alright?!"
The panic on Jiyoon-ssi's face could be seen clearly.
She must've not known what to do if I was killed and left her with no one to protect her.
"I'm alright, haha..."
No, I'm not. I was scared as fuck for a moment. I thought he the blade was going straight for my neck without stopping.
"Sorry, I couldn't sense them—"
"It's alright. Our skills are still weak since we haven't upgraded it yet."
"Get in here quickly and close the doors. There are people who hasn't passed yet at the last two carts at the back. Only ones who passed the trial can get in here."
"I'm Gang Chaewon. I'm one of the first ones to finish the trial here in the train before all of us here finished."
"I'm Cho Minhyuk, I also finished the trial a few minutes after it started."
"I'm Lee Jiyoon, nice to meet you."
"So, what skills did you two get when you awakened the system?"
"I got some sort of shield that can take shape of anything and protect me or anyone for a limited amount of time."
"I got a sensory skill."
"I see. Mine's something about enhanced punches for an amount of time."
"Wow... so useful." I said with a nonchalant tone to hide the fact that I was jealous that he got an attack skill rather than me who has a defense skill.
"Good thing you two didn't end up at the backmost cart."
"Hm? Is there something going on back there?"
"Yeah. There's... still some people who haven't passed the trials yet. As we speak, they might be killing each other."
"Anyways, the trial should be ending in a few more hours. I suggest you hide here with us until the end of trial when everything is safe."
"No, I don't think it guarantees our safety. All of us are only killing to pass the trial, but there might be people out there that could be taking advantage of the government missing to kill."
Before the man named Chaewon could reply to my answer, we all heard a loud banging of a door from the train cart we came from earlier.
"What's that?"
"Don't tell me—!"
I glanced at Chaewon and the other survivors inside the train cart and they had a shocked look on their faces.
The door was soon bust open and Jiyoon who was closest to it was almost grabbed, but I pulled her and Chaewon first.
There stood a crowd of people, mixed with lit and unlit symbols on their hands while a man stood in front of the group with blood all over his face and clothes.
"I'll make sure... you all die the most excruciating way possible..." He said with a smile on his face which creeped us out.