Chapter 1: The Game Begins

It was a Monday like any other. The hum of distant traffic, the usual buzzing of screens, and the faint murmur of conversations filled the air. Ren sat on the cold bench in his prison cell, staring at the walls that had become all too familiar. Three years. Three years he had spent in this place for something he didn't do. The memory played over and over in his mind—the fight, the punch, and the betrayal of his so-called "friend."

Ren had always kept to himself since then. He had learned the hard way that in this world, trusting people could get you thrown behind bars—or worse.

He glanced out of the small, barred window, catching a glimpse of the gray sky. Just another day, he thought. That was when it happened.

A screen. A glowing, translucent screen appeared right in front of his face. For a split second, Ren thought he was hallucinating, the isolation finally getting to him. But the sound of shouts from the other cells, guards scrambling through the halls, and the sudden buzz of fear told him he wasn't the only one seeing it.

"Greetings, human. You have been chosen as a Player."

Ren's eyes widened. The screen flickered, lines of strange text scrolling faster than he could read. Player? Chosen? What is this? he thought. His heart raced, confusion flooding his mind.

"You will have five minutes to prepare before accessing the system. In the near future, a minimum intelligence stat of 10 will be required to survive. Please choose one of the following starter abilities."

Beneath the message, five options appeared, each glowing with an eerie light.

1. Natural Instinct. 2. Adrenaline. 3. Fireball. 4. Flash Step. 5. Illusion Clone.

Ren's mind raced. He had no idea what any of this meant, but one thing was clear—he had to choose, and fast. Five minutes wasn't a long time. His instincts told him to pick something that could keep him alive, something that would help him in dangerous situations.

The words "Adrenaline" caught his attention. His pulse quickened. He remembered all the fights, all the times his body seemed to move on its own when he was in danger. If he had learned anything in this place, it was that survival often came down to instinct and speed.

Without hesitation, he selected Adrenaline.

The screen flickered again. "Ability selected. You will be teleported shortly."

The words hung in the air, and before he could even begin to make sense of what was happening, his cell began to shift. The walls blurred, the ceiling stretched, and the cold, hard ground beneath him seemed to vanish. Ren's stomach lurched as his vision went dark, the feeling of weightlessness engulfing him.

The darkness gave way to blinding light, and when his eyes adjusted, he found himself standing—no longer in his cell, but in a vast, open space.

Thousands of people surrounded him, all wearing the same confused expression, some still in their uniforms, others in casual clothes. The murmur of questions and panic filled the air, people shouting for answers, but no one seemed to know what was going on.

Ren stood frozen, his heart pounding in his chest.

But what kind of game was this?

For what felt like hours, Ren stood in the same spot, watching the chaos unfold around him. People were talking in frantic tones, asking each other questions no one seemed to have answers to. Some were crying, others shouting, but no one knew where they were or why they had been chosen.

Slowly, groups began to form. People started breaking away, wandering off in different directions as if the answers they sought could be found just by moving. Ren took in a deep breath and decided it was time to move too. Standing in one spot wasn't going to do him any good.

He walked for what seemed like miles, his mind racing with questions. Where am I? What is this place? What's the point of this game? As the minutes passed, the confusion slowly turned to frustration. He had chosen Adrenaline as his skill, but he still didn't know what it meant, or how it would help him survive.

Then, a sharp whistle pierced the air, yanking him out of his thoughts.

Ren turned to see a tall man approaching him, a smirk on his face. His clothes were rough and worn, and he walked with the swagger of someone who had seen his fair share of trouble. "Hey, you," the man called, his eyes locking onto Ren's. "Prisoner, huh? You look good."

Ren's brow furrowed. He knew exactly where this conversation was going, and he wasn't in the mood for it. He turned away and started walking off, shaking his head. "I'm not gay," he muttered over his shoulder, hoping that would be the end of it.

It wasn't.

The man's footsteps grew faster, his voice turning cold. "What did you say to me?" The next moment, Ren felt a hand on his shoulder, jerking him backward.

Without thinking, Ren spun around, his instincts kicking in. A fist flew towards his face, and Ren ducked just in time. The world seemed to slow down. His vision sharpened, his pulse quickened, and his muscles tensed like coiled springs. He felt a surge of energy, his body moving faster than he had ever thought possible.

The man lunged at him again, this time with a knife. Ren sidestepped the blade, grabbing the man's arm and twisting it behind his back. A guttural scream filled the air, and before Ren knew what he was doing, he had his arm wrapped around the man's throat, squeezing tightly.

The fight was over in seconds.

The man's body went limp in his arms, and Ren let him drop to the ground. His chest heaved as the adrenaline slowly drained from his system. He stared at the man's lifeless body, the weight of what he had done settling in. I... killed him.

But before he could even process the gravity of his actions, a cold, robotic voice echoed in his mind.

Ding. Player has leveled up. To enter your system, say 'system. +1 Strength.

Ren blinked in shock. The man's death felt so... surreal, and now the system was rewarding him for it? He glanced around, but no one seemed to have noticed the fight. With a sigh, he began walking away, trying to shake off the unease creeping up his spine. What kind of world had he been thrown into where killing someone increased vour strength?

"System," he muttered under his breath, curious.

A glowing screen appeared before him, displaying his stats.

Name: Ren

Level: 2

Intelligence: 12

Strength: 9

Agility: 10

Magic: 5

Health: 120

Defense: 6

Skill: Adrenaline

Points: 3

His heart raced as he stared at the screen. This was real. Somehow, he had gained a level just by killing someone. His strength had increased, too.

Ren closed the screen and kept walking. He didn't know where he was, who had put him here, or what this "game" truly was, but one thing was clear: survival was the only rule.

And he was ready to play.

Ren stepped outside the cave, stretching as the crisp morning air hit his face. His stomach rumbled, reminding him he hadn't eaten since the night before. As he walked through the nearby trees, he spotted a strange-looking apple hanging from a low branch. It seemed to shimmer in the early light, with a faint glow around it—almost magical, like the rare items from the games he used to play. Without thinking much, he picked the apple and tucked it into his pack, figuring he'd examine it later.

He continued wandering, lost in thought, when he saw a figure up ahead. At first, the man seemed ordinary, hunched and staring at the ground. But as Ren drew closer, the man's face lifted, revealing a look of pure bloodlust. A shiver ran down Ren's spine as the man locked eyes with him.

Instinctively, Ren took a step back, but it was too late—the man's expression twisted into a grin, and suddenly, a flash of light exploded around him. Ten identical figures emerged from his body, each moving in perfect sync as they began to circle Ren. Before he could react, the figures all switched places with dizzying speed, surrounding him in a blur of movement.

"Adrenaline, Level 2!" Ren shouted, feeling the surge of power fill his limbs. He lunged at one of the clones, aiming a punch right at its face, but his fist passed through the figure like smoke. Caught off-guard, Ren felt a sharp kick connect with his jaw, sending him sprawling backward. Stars burst across his vision as he hit the ground, pain radiating through his head.

Gritting his teeth, Ren looked up, scanning his attackers. Most looked identical, but his eyes locked onto one with a subtle difference—a flicker of color in his eyes, like he was the real one. Ren leaped up and swung a kick, hoping this was his target, but once again, his foot phased through the figure, throwing him off-balance.

Realizing he couldn't win this fight, Ren made a split-second decision. He turned and bolted into the trees, running away from the cave to keep the others safe. The clones gave chase, their footsteps thundering behind him, but Ren pushed himself harder, weaving through the dense forest until he spotted a glint of water ahead.

Without hesitation, Ren dove into the water, letting the icy rush engulf him as he hit the surface. The impact jolted him, and he felt a stinging pain as his head connected with something sharp beneath the water. Dazed, he watched as blood swirled from the wound, dispersing in dark red tendrils.

As he floated there, barely able to keep his eyes open, a bitter thought crossed his mind. Is this really how it's going to end.