Sehuan stared blankly at the three boxes floating before him, each glimmering with an otherworldly light. His eyes were cold and calculating as he considered his choices.
"Are the rewards still the same as I remember?" he muttered under his breath, his voice a low rumble of suspicion.
With a slight hesitation, he reached out and selected the box on the right.
[You received Beginner's Kit x 1 | Rank: S]
"Damn... so they aren't the same," he muttered, a mix of disappointment and relief coloring his voice. "At least it's an S-rank. Could've been worse."
Without warning, a blinding flash of light enveloped him, and he felt a sudden lurch in his stomach as he and the other participants were transported back to the gymnasium. The air was thick with tension and the scent of sweat and fear.
"Welcome back!" the demon's voice boomed, dripping with mock cheerfulness. "Glad to see y'all still breathing. Damaged, sure, but alive nonetheless. Anyway, here's your daily rations for joining the fun."
A bottle of water and a medium-sized bag of food were thrust into Sehuan's hands. He quickly rummaged through the bag, his stomach growling with anticipation. But before he could take a bite, the demon's grating voice cut through the air.
"You, what's your name?"
The demon's face twisted into a grotesque grin, eyes glinting with cruel amusement as it loomed over Sehuan, waiting for an answer.
"Sehuan," he replied, his tone flat, unreadable.
The demon giggled, a disturbing sound that sent chills down Sehuan's spine.
"Sehuan, eh? Since you were the first to step up willingly, I've got a special treat for you. Hold out your hand."
Cautiously, Sehuan extended his hand. The demon placed a small, ornate box in his palm, emblazoned with the image of a weapon.
"A weapon box already? Looks like my luck's turning," Sehuan thought, his lips twitching into a slight smirk.
"There you go, kiddo," the demon sneered. "Keep the crowd entertained, and you'll be seeing a lot more of me."
The demon slithered back to the center of the room, its gaze sweeping over the fearful crowd.
"Listen up!" it bellowed. "Your lives now belong to the Gods who watch over you, craving entertainment. Each day, you'll face a wave that needs at least five participants. Those who play get to eat; those who don't, well... you get nothing. Sweet dreams, kiddos."
With that, the demon vanished, leaving the room shrouded in a heavy silence, punctuated by hushed whispers and the stifled sobs of the terrified.
Wasting no time, Sehuan tore open his Beginner's Kit and the weapon box. The rewards glowed with a faint, mystical light as they appeared before him:
Personal Room | Rarity: S
A private space where the user can sleep, cook, and clean in solitude.
Fighter's Glove | Rarity: D
A pair of gloves that grants the user +5 DMG, with an additional +2 DMG for unarmed combat.
"Not bad," Sehuan muttered. "Could be worse."
He activated the Personal Room item, and a door materialized on a nearby wall. He pushed it open and stepped inside. The room was small but functional, resembling a modest apartment with a bed, a compact kitchen, a fridge, and a bathroom.
"This... this is actually really good," he said, a rare note of satisfaction in his voice.
Memories of his past life in this twisted game flooded back—days when he had to share cramped spaces with other desperate classmates, days when he had to choose between raw, inedible food or starvation.
As he lay down on the bed, a sudden knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. Sehuan opened it to find a group of five huddled together, their eyes wide with desperation.
"Can I help you?" he asked, his voice devoid of warmth.
One of them, a thin, nervous-looking boy, spoke up. "Can we join you? Please?"
In his past life, Sehuan would have agreed without hesitation, welcoming anyone who needed help. But now, his heart was hardened.
"No," he said flatly, closing the door in their faces.
He returned to his bed, feeling a strange sense of lightness in his body as he slumped down. A familiar, mocking laughter echoed in his ears.
[I like what I saw, kid. Keep this up.]
Sehuan wanted to scream at the voice to shut up, to leave him alone, but his lips wouldn't move. His voice was gone.
When he awoke, it was 4 AM. He checked his phone, then slipped out of his room. The gymnasium was filled with the huddled shapes of students sleeping fitfully, some curled up in groups for warmth, others crouched in corners, clutching themselves tightly.
Sehuan headed to the restroom, even though he had his own, to see how the others were coping. As he expected, no one in their right mind had tried to sleep there. He did his business quickly, washed his hands, and as he was about to leave, he heard quiet sobbing from one of the stalls.
"Please... someone, help me..."
He ignored the plea, feeling nothing but a cold pity. Sympathy was a luxury he could no longer afford.
On his way back to his room, he spotted a familiar face: Dave, sleeping in one of the corners. Rage flared in Sehuan's chest, a visceral urge to kick him in the face. But he restrained himself; causing a scene now would only create more trouble.
As he was about to step back into his room, a voice whispered from the shadows.
"Hey, behind you."
Sehuan turned to see a male student lying on the floor, his eyes hollow with exhaustion.
"What?" Sehuan asked, his tone sharp.
"I was just wondering... why did you run straight at those things? Weren't you scared?"
Sehuan glanced down, a flicker of his old self surfacing. "Fear? No... not anymore. Fear won't help you survive here."
The boy said nothing, just nodded and turned back over, closing his eyes.
Feeling a pang of hunger, Sehuan returned to his room and rummaged through the food he'd been given earlier. He found some beef jerky and pemmican. The food was tough, chewy, and dry, but the solitude of his room made it more bearable.
He woke again at 11:55 AM, unsure if the next wave was set for noon or 1 PM. He stepped outside, ignoring the hostile stares of those who had gone without food or sleep.
Sehuan took a seat on the bleachers, watching the survivors. Many were sharing their meager food supplies, while others showed off their loot from the last wave.
"Hey, man," a voice called out, shaky and weak.
Sehuan turned to see a boy clutching his stomach, his face twisted in pain. "Can you spare some food? I haven't eaten since yesterday. Please, I'm starving."
Sehuan felt a twinge of pity, but it was quickly squashed by cold pragmatism. "No. If you want to eat, join the next wave."
The boy's face contorted with anger, and murmurs of discontent rippled through the crowd around them.
"Dude, come on, at least share what you've got," another voice demanded. "You've got your own room, extra rewards..."
Others chimed in, their voices a chorus of resentment. "Don't be such a jerk." "We're all in this together." "You're just being selfish."
Sehuan's expression hardened. "If you all want to eat, then participate. If not, shut up and starve. Your survival is your own problem, not mine."
The crowd's grumbling grew louder, their faces a sea of anger and frustration. Before things could escalate, the demon reappeared in the center of the gym, its voice cutting through the noise like a knife.
"Alright, quiet down, idiots!" it barked. "It's 12 PM, time to entertain our gods. I need at least five volunteers."
Sehuan pushed his way through the crowd, stepping into the center while those who had jeered at him moments ago shrank back, watching with a mix of hatred and envy.
"If you don't want to starve, then step up and fight," he spat. "Otherwise, stay at the bottom and continue looking up, fucking leeches."