Yun Ha-jin stood among the panicked crowd inside the small supermarket, the familiar fluorescent lights flickering overhead. Outside, chaos unfolded as people ran and screamed, their desperate attempts to survive the impossible situation in vain. Ha-jin's hands gripped a grocery cart as he tried to steady his racing heart.
Suddenly, a high-pitched, mechanical voice cut through the noise like a blade.
"Survivors, welcome to the First Scenario!"
The Dokkaebi appeared in the air, its impish face grinning from beneath its tiny, spiked helmet. Its body glowed faintly, suspended above the chaos outside, floating just beyond the supermarket's reinforced glass doors. Ha-jin had read about these creatures in "Three Ways to Survive the Apocalypse"—the overseers of the scenarios, sadistic beings who delighted in watching the suffering of humans.
"Kill one or more living organisms within the next 30 minutes," the Dokkaebi continued, its smile widening. "Those who fail to comply will be… disqualified."
As the Dokkaebi said this, a shimmering barrier formed over the entrance of the supermarket, sealing the group inside. The exit was now completely blocked, and it was clear: no one was getting out until the scenario's condition was met.
The survivors inside the supermarket were stunned into silence. A few moments ago, they had been huddled together, barricading themselves against whatever nightmare lay outside. Now, the true horror of the situation became clear.
"What do we do?" one man whispered, clutching a makeshift weapon—a broom he had picked up earlier. His hands trembled as he glanced nervously around the store.
"We have to kill something," a woman replied, her voice shaky. She looked around the supermarket, clearly searching for some loophole, some way out. "Maybe… maybe if we kill a rat or—"
"There's nothing here!" another person interrupted. "No animals, nothing but us!"
Panic started to settle in as the survivors realized what the Dokkaebi's scenario really meant. They would have to kill each other.
Yun Ha-jin stood in the back of the supermarket, listening to the rising tension among the group. His heartbeat had finally steadied, but his mind was racing. He had known this moment was coming the moment the Dokkaebi appeared, but hearing it out loud was different. He didn't want to face it. He had spent his whole life avoiding conflict, blending into the background, pretending to be weak. But now, he could no longer hide.
The demon inside him—the dark, ruthless persona he had created to cope with years of loneliness and rejection—began to stir once again. Its voice was soft, almost a purr.
"You know what you have to do. If you don't act first, someone else will."
Ha-jin's eyes scanned the group in front of him. Some were beginning to whisper among themselves, their eyes darting from person to person, as if weighing their options.
"They're weak," the demon whispered. "They're all waiting for someone else to act. You're different."
Ha-jin swallowed hard, his gaze falling on the broken shard of glass lying on the floor a few feet away. It was from a shattered display case, no doubt broken during the panic. The light above flickered again, glinting off the sharp edge of the shard.
"Pick it up." The demon's voice was more insistent now. "You'll survive. You always do."
His hand twitched. He didn't want to listen. But at the same time, he couldn't deny the truth. The scenario required them to kill. It didn't matter who or how. The only rule was survival.
Ha-jin took a slow, deep breath. The Fourth Wall, one of the abilities he had inherited from Kim Dokja, hummed softly in his mind, allowing him to remain detached, calm, and rational. Emotions didn't matter here. All that mattered was surviving this scenario. And to do that, he had to act.
He crouched down slowly, his fingers curling around the shard of glass. Its sharp edge bit into his skin slightly, a reminder of the weight of the decision he was about to make. He could feel the eyes of the others on him, but no one moved.
"That man, the one with the pipe." The demon whispered, directing his gaze to a burly man standing near the front of the group. He had been the first to take control earlier, barking orders and trying to keep everyone calm. Now, his grip on the metal pipe tightened as he glanced around nervously, realizing the danger he was in.
"He'll kill you if you don't kill him first." The demon's voice was cold, unfeeling. "Strike now."