I heard the message saying the status window can be accessed. It was something I was already knew would happen.
"Status window."
I muttered out the command and my information slowly entered my mind.
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[ « Soul Status » ]
Name: Kim Jakga
Age: 25
Star Contract: None
Main Attribute: ■■
Personal Skills: Rewriting ■■, Black Box ■■
Overall stats: Physique Lv. 1, Strength Lv. 1, Agility Lv. 1, Magic Power Lv. 1
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So this is my status window. The setting of the novel was similar to a video game. If the world has changed into the world of destruction, then all players should have attributes and skills.
I took notice of each and every one of my information. The first was the attribute. Attributes are classes unique to a character. They are basically the reflection of a player's personality or traits.
For instance, If I was a gamer before the scenarios, I will have the gamer attribute. It is a pretty good attribute that increases the player's adaptability in all games. It couldn't be compared to the Pro Gamer attribute though.
There was another attribute in my possession but it seems part of it was blocked from the eyes. I think I know what it is about. Maybe my information was blocked because it was related to my status as the reader of the World of Nightmares.
There was a good reason for my judgement. When I looked at my skills, I knew my line of thinking was correct.
What's going on? Why was my information blocked?
I thought it was strange.
Was there an error in the system? My skills doesn't even have a description. How was that supposed to happen?
More importantly, why hasn't that stupid fairy noticed yet?
From what I recall, even though that fairy was a cheeky brat, she was far too meticulous to overlook an error like this. Besides, the was absolute, therefore, an error shouldn't have been possible in the first place.
Next, I analysed my overall stats one by one. In the end, I frowned my brows.
My stats were utterly weak.
The average stats of a human was between Lv. 3 to Lv. 5 and the stats of a trained soldier in the military was around Lv. 8 to Lv. 10, yet mine were all Lv. 1?
It was almost laughable but it was not surprising.
After staring into the empty space for a while, I stopped thinking about it and activated one of my unique skills.
[Personal skill, 'Black Box' has activated.]
In the next instant, it felt like gears started turning in my head. My mind was suddenly flooded with information.
It was information about Songs of Nightmares.
It was everything including the 1999 chapters and the characters within the Songs of the Fall. They were all stored inside my head.
It took me less than a minute to find what I was looking for.
Found it. I stopped at the beginning of the work where that person first appeared in the hospital. Information starting flowing.
「 He killed the woman infront of him. There was no lingering guilt. The blood of the first victim dripped from the swiss knife.
He wanted for the world's destruction even if it was a passing thought. When the opportunity arrived, he made his move without hesitation.
The people shivered in fear at the overwhelming violence. His smile began to widen dangerously.
Everything was fleeting.
He looked at the people as if they were prey. After a while, the swiss knife moved and blood flew.
Afterwards, an eerie silence filled the hospital like a graveyard.
His name was... 」
Recalling that memory, I looked at the young man standing close to the bleeding woman.
He had a lean build and messy hair. Not to mention, his eyes contained an overwhelming amount of madness. Indeed, he certainly matched the description as stated in the novel.
[The character 'Shin Jinhyuk' has killed a living being.]
[200 coins will be given as compensation.]
[The character 'Shin Jinhyuk' has passed the scenario.]
[500 coins will be given as compensation.]
After hearing the announcement, the boy smiled. If he passed the scenario then that means that woman was dead.
"Haha! I knew it. This way works! Just in a video game, you get coins from killing people."
The young man spoke as if he hadn't just murdered someone's mother. From just hearing him speak, it was obvious that person had a few loose screws upstairs.
In a normal situation, no one would dare try killing someone like that in the open. At least, they will do somewhere private where the eyes cannot reach. But now the police was not coming and the door was blocked. It was the perfect time to commit a murder.
Everybody was shaken and no one had the courage to speak up. The young man was insane. They must be thinking something along those lines. However, I heard the voice of the doctor.
"You... How could you?!"
In response, Shin Jinhyuk answered with a a stern voice.
"Who's this bastard? Do you want to die?"
"...What?"
"You still don't understand the current situation?"
"What nonsense are you saying?"
Shin Jinhyuk pulled out a remote with a smile and switched on the Television above his head.
[Ahhhh! Somebody help!]
[Run away!]
[Damnit! Call for reinforcement.]
People were getting killed by monsters including the army. The destruction wasn't happening only in Seoul, it was happening all over the country.
"Do you see that? How do you expect the army to save us when they can't even save themselves? Nobody is coming to save us."
"W-What are you saying...?"
"Didn't you receive the message? We were ordered to survive by any means necessary. I'm sure you must have received it as well."
Doctor Kwangsun was unable to answer. Shin Jinhyuk continued speaking.
"I know what you all are thinking. Survive at any cost and kill? How can we do that? Only the most wicked scumbags can kill another person. But isn't our situation different? We're practically forced by a greater power to do their bidding. It can't be helped."
The crowd was growing more anxious by the second. I knew I had to intervene before panic fully set in.
"Everyone, listen up!" I shouted, stepping forward. "The situation is dire, but we can't lose our humanity. We need to work together if we're going to make through this."
"Work together? Have you lost your mind? Did you not hear what he said?" a man from the crowd yelled.
"Yes, I heard him," I replied calmly. "But that doesn't mean we turn on each other. The monsters outside are our enemies, not each other."
The room fell silent as everyone processed my words.
"He's right," Doctor Kwangsun finally spoke up. "We need to stay united in a situation like this. Can't you all see? This is what that demon wants, for all of us to kill each other."
"What are we trying to say?" A stranger asked.
"We'll hunt the monsters. We have the numbers. Although we lack firepower, we can come up with a strategy, make use of traps, strengthen our defence. Then...."
"Are you serious? This is not a game where we can just plan and win." A skeptical voice called out. It was Shin Jinhyuk.
He suddenly changed the channel on the television screen and a different video played out.
Bang, Bang, Bang—
"No way."
"Is that..."
The crowd muttered among themselves. On the screen, the military were being overwhelmed by the monsters. Indeed, all forms of weapons and strategies were useless against a monster horde.
Finally, Shin Jinhyuk spoke again.
"Do you now understand, the severity of our situation? How do you plan on fighting something like that? You want to kill an opponent that the military cannot defeat."
"T-That..."
"Face it. The world we know is coming to an end. That is the truth. Do you think you can survive while being held down by your morals?"
The people shoulders began to shake. Their morality was currently fighting against their survival instincts.
Suddenly, the system notification rang out loudly.
[There is only five minutes left for the trial.]
The people trembled at those words. They immediately realised the message behind those words.
「 If there is no killing in five minutes, everyone will die. 」
To hit the final nail on the coffin, Shin Jinhyuk smiled as if he was waiting for something like this. That bastard was in no danger since he had already passed the trial.
"So what will you do now? Will you stand still and die or will you kill to survive? I don't know which choice you will make but you don't do someyin five minutes, you will definitely die."
That was the final blow. The people looked at each other with different eyes.
「 If I don't kill then I will die. 」
They were all thinking about the same thing. When they heard Nam Jinhyuk's words, the thread of reasoning inside their head finally snapped.
The people began to move.
"Fuck! Come here."
A fat man grabbed a stranger and threw the first punch.
"Hey! Don't come any closer!"
"Ah fuck! I don't care anymore! Die!"
There was the second and then third. One by one, the people starting attacking each other aiming for the other party's death.
"Die! Die! Die!
"Aiiik!"
Some used their fists, some used any items their hands could find while others ganged up against one person. It didn't matter. It was all senseless violence.
Truly, humans were rather simple beings. If you put them in a tough situation, they will immediately turn to violence like wild animals.
"Shit, that bastard."
"Shouldn't we stop this?"
Angelica, who was holding my sleeve, finally spoke. Her delicate hands were shaking uncontrollably. It seems it was about time to move.
"Angelica, find somewhere and hide. The situation has spiralled out of control."
"Wh-What? W-Where are you going?!"
"Just do as I say. Quick! Hide!"
After forcibly pushing Angelica and hid her behind the register, I turned around and took a deep breath.
I looked around the crowd and studied their faces one by one There was someone I was looking for.
My target was not Shin Jinhyuk but I'll get to him later. If I fought him without a weapon then I'll definitely die.
Found him!
After spotting a familiar character in the background, I kicked the ground for a forward leap.
I avoided the people fighting among each other by moving side to side and then slammed into the back of someone.
"What? What are you... Eeeeok!"
"I'm sorry."
The man I crashed into fell to the ground and groaned. I quickly pulled the firearm hidden in his pants and walked away.
Moving through the crowd, I hid the item in my clothes. I didn't want anyone to see the what I was carrying or this battlefield will turn into a blood bath.
It was then I found myself facing Shin Jinhyuk and called out.
"You."
"Huh?"
Shin Jinhyuk turned his head when he heard me speak. Next, I spoke the words that I never imagined I would say for the first time.
"I shall kill you."
No matter what, I can't let Shin Jinhyuk leave this place. I had to make sure this hospital will be his resting place.