Soo-jin crouched low, her breath ragged, and her muscles taut with readiness. Around her lay the remnants of her battle: mannequins scattered across the ground, their limbs bent at unnatural angles. She wiped the sweat off her brow with the back of her hand, her gaze flicking around the dimly lit room for any sign of more movement.
Her makeshift weapon—a sturdy pipe she had scavenged—hung loosely in her grip, the metal surface dented from repeated impacts. Soo-jin had been fighting alone for what felt like hours, though it was likely no more than minutes. Time warped in the heat of the fight, every second stretching as she'd ducked, swung, and dodged.
As the adrenaline slowly ebbed, she finally noticed the note taped to the chest of the last mannequin she had taken down. Leaning forward, she yanked it free, her eyes scanning the blocky handwriting.
"Congratulations. A Fighter must stand firm on their own. You are the team's vanguard—the war starter. It's your job to hold the line, create openings, and ensure your allies can retreat if needed. Remember, strength and resilience define you."
Soo-jin let out a sharp exhale, the words sinking in. The test wasn't just physical; it was designed to remind her of the essence of her role. She had always known Fighters were crucial in NexaRealm, but this real-world simulation made it feel much more personal.
"Stand firm on my own, huh?" she muttered, running her fingers along the dents in her pipe. "Easier said than done."
Soo-jin straightened her back, forcing herself to take slow, steady breaths. She wasn't one to back down, even when the odds seemed stacked against her. That was why she had chosen to play as a Fighter in NexaRealm in the first place. The role wasn't about glory—it was about grit.
The room fell silent again, save for the faint hum of machinery in the walls. For a moment, Soo-jin let herself hope that she had cleared this stage. Maybe, just maybe, she would find the others soon.
But the faint click of gears turning shattered that illusion. From the corners of the room, new mannequins emerged, their blank faces eerily reflecting the dim light. Soo-jin tensed, gripping her pipe tighter.
"Of course, they'd throw more at me," she muttered, a defiant grin tugging at her lips.
The mannequins moved differently this time—faster, more coordinated. They advanced in pairs, forcing Soo-jin to shift her stance constantly, her movements fluid yet precise. She didn't let herself think too far ahead. Instead, she focused on each mannequin as it came, her pipe a blur of motion as she struck, parried, and countered.
The pipe vibrated in her hands with every impact, and her arms screamed in protest, but Soo-jin refused to falter. Each swing of her weapon was deliberate, each step calculated. The mannequins weren't real opponents, but they moved with an unsettling unpredictability that made them feel alive.
As she smashed through the last of them, Soo-jin's chest heaved with exertion. Her fingers ached from the relentless grip on her weapon, but she allowed herself a small smile.
Another note fluttered to the ground, dislodged from the final mannequin. Soo-jin crouched to pick it up, reading the new message.
"Resilience isn't just about strength. It's about adaptability. A Fighter who can adapt will always find a way to prevail."
Soo-jin folded the note and slipped it into her pocket. "Message received," she said quietly.
The door at the far end of the room unlocked with a soft hiss, and Soo-jin moved toward it with cautious optimism. She didn't know if the others were waiting for her on the other side, but she felt a surge of determination. Whether she faced another test or finally reunited with her teammates, she would meet it head-on.
This wasn't just about playing a role in a game. It was about proving to herself that she was more than capable of standing strong, even when she was on her own. And when she finally met up with the others, she would bring that same strength to the team.
The door slid open, and Soo-jin stepped through, her eyes scanning for what lay ahead.
Soo-jin braced herself as the next door slid open, revealing a sight that made her stomach drop. The room ahead was packed with mannequins. They weren't moving on their own, but they hung suspended on wires, arranged in a way that made them look like a swarm poised to descend upon her. It was overwhelming—more than she'd ever faced alone.
She swallowed hard and tightened her grip on her pipe. "Alright, let's do this," she muttered to herself, stepping into the room.
The moment her foot crossed the threshold, the mannequins began to move and launched toward her with startling speed. She barely had time to react, swinging her pipe in wide arcs to knock them away. One collided with her shoulder, sending a sharp jolt of pain radiating through her arm. She gritted her teeth and pressed on, smashing each one that came her way.
"Why is it always me?" she grumbled, ducking under a flying mannequin and countering with a powerful upward swing.
The mannequins kept coming, their numbers seemingly endless. Soo-jin's movements grew slower, her strikes less precise as exhaustion set in. Her breath came in ragged gasps, and her arms felt like lead.
"This is it," she thought as a fresh wave of mannequins hurtled toward her. There was no way she could handle them all.
But then, something unexpected happened. The mannequins veered off course, flying to the side as if an invisible force had grabbed hold of them. Soo-jin blinked in confusion, her grip on her pipe loosening.
"Need a hand?"
The voice was calm, almost amused. From the shadows, a figure stepped forward, his hands moving in intricate patterns as though he were pressing keys on an invisible keyboard. Soo-jin's eyes widened as she recognized him.
"Baek-hyeon!" she exclaimed, relief flooding her voice.
Baek-hyeon smirked, his gloved hands still moving. The remaining mannequins hovered mid-air before crashing harmlessly to the ground.
"Took me a while to find you," he said, stepping closer. "But it looks like I showed up just in time."
Soo-jin straightened, still catching her breath.
"What the hell is that?" she asked, pointing to the gloves he was wearing.
"Pretty cool, right?" Baek-hyeon wiggled his fingers, and a nearby mannequin twitched as if pulled by invisible strings. "Found these a few rooms back. They let me control objects. Like a Mage in NexaRealm—crowd control and all that."
Soo-jin raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed.
"That's... surprisingly fitting."
"Figured you'd say that," Baek-hyeon replied with a chuckle. "Now, what do you say we finish clearing this room together?"
She nodded, gripping her pipe again. With Baek-hyeon by her side, the mannequins didn't stand a chance. He controlled their movements, sending clusters of them crashing into walls or pinning them in place, while Soo-jin focused on taking down the ones he couldn't grab.
The two worked seamlessly, their coordination almost instinctive. For a moment, it felt like they were back in NexaRealm, strategizing and executing a flawless combo.
As the last mannequin fell, Soo-jin let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
"That was... intense," she admitted, leaning on her pipe for support.
"Welcome to the party. Let's hope the next room's easier," Baek-hyeon smirked.
With a shared sense of accomplishment, they moved toward the exit, ready to face whatever came next. Somewhere on the other side of the obstacle course, Joon-ho, Min-jae, and Jin-kyong were fighting their own battles. Now, with Baek-hyeon by her side, Soo-jin felt more confident than ever that they'd all make it through—and reunite as a team.
As they stepped into the corridor leading out of the mannequin-filled room, Soo-jin noticed something unusual about Baek-hyeon. Normally, he was the quiet type—the guy who stayed in the background, avoiding too much attention. But now, he seemed... different. There was an energy about him, a spark in his eyes that Soo-jin hadn't seen before.
"You're surprisingly chatty today," she remarked, glancing at him as they walked.
Baek-hyeon shrugged, but the faint smile tugging at his lips gave him away.
"I guess I'm just... excited. These gloves are incredible. It's like I can feel the connection when I move something. It's... empowering, you know?"
"Is this your way of saying you've always wanted to be a Mage in real life?" Soo-jin raised an eyebrow, half-smiling.
"Maybe," he admitted with a sheepish laugh. "It's just... in NexaRealm, being a Mage means relying on others to protect you while you cast your spells. It's more about precision than brute force. But here, I can do something. Like really help."
"You've always been helpful, Baek-hyeon. You're just realizing it now," Soo-jin's smile softened.
He chuckled, his hands flexing slightly as if testing the gloves again.
"Maybe. Or maybe it's these things making me feel more useful."
"Whatever it is, I'm glad you're here. Those mannequins were starting to get on my nerves," Soo-jin said, nudging him lightly with her elbow.
As they approached the next door, Baek-hyeon paused, looking more serious.
"You think the others are doing okay?"
"They're fine," Soo-jin replied confidently. "If anything, they're probably wondering where we are. Let's catch up to them and make sure we're all together for whatever the lecturers throw at us next."
Baek-hyeon nodded, his usual shyness flickering back for a moment before he took a deep breath and straightened his posture. Together, they pushed open the next door, stepping forward into the unknown.
With every step, Baek-hyeon felt a little less like the quiet Mage who hung back in the shadows and a little more like someone who could truly make a difference.