The group moved cautiously through the dark, uneven terrain, but the atmosphere was heavy with tension. Each passing second felt like an eternity as the faint blue glow of the global system's timer counted down.
[Time Remaining: 15 minutes]
Panic began to bubble up again as reality sank in.
"We're not going to make it…" whispered a young woman, clutching a broken stick as if it could protect her. "I can't do this. I'm going to die."
A man near her snapped, his voice sharp and trembling. "Shut up! If you give up now, you'll really die! We just need to kill one monster! ONE!"
His words didn't calm her; they only added to the growing hysteria.
Victor, standing on the sidelines, watched the chaos with a calculating gleam in his eyes. He stepped forward, his voice calm and composed, but dripping with subtle malice.
"Everyone, listen to me," he said, raising his hands as if to pacify the group. "We all want to survive, don't we? But let's face it—some of us are more capable than others. If we rely on the weak, we'll all die."
"What are you saying?" someone asked, their voice shaky.
Victor's lips curled into a thin smile. "I'm saying the strong should focus on fighting while the others… provide support or stay out of the way. It's only logical."
"But what about those who can't fight at all?" another person asked.
Victor shrugged. "If they can't contribute, why should we waste resources on them?"
The murmurs of agreement from a few desperate people were enough to spark an argument.
"Are you insane?" Rishitha snapped, stepping forward. "We're in this together! Sacrificing others won't save anyone!"
Victor turned to her, his expression condescending. "And what makes you the authority here, huh? Your fancy 'trap detection'? Face it—you've just been lucky so far."
Ragith, already on edge, snarled. "You talk big for someone who hasn't done a damn thing to help!"
Victor smirked, spreading his arms. "Oh, I'm helping—by telling the truth. Unlike you, I'm not pretending everyone here is equal. If we don't prioritize, we'll all die."
The argument escalated, voices clashing as desperation turned to fury.
Ragith suddenly exploded, his voice echoing through the cave. "SHUT UP! All of you!"
Everyone froze, startled by the raw emotion in his voice.
"You think you're the only one afraid of dying?" Ragith continued, his hands trembling as he clenched his sword. "My sister is out there somewhere, probably scared out of her mind, and I'm stuck here with a bunch of idiots fighting each other instead of the real enemy!"
His outburst silenced the group, but the tension remained palpable.
Erin, who had been silently observing, finally stepped forward. "Enough," he said, his tone cold and commanding.
He pointed to the timer glowing faintly in the air.
[Time Remaining: 10 minutes]
"We don't have time for this," he said. "Victor's right about one thing: we need to act now if we're going to survive. But sacrificing people isn't the answer. We fight together, or we die together."
Erin turned to Rishitha. "You said there's a monster lair nearby. How close?"
Rishitha swallowed hard, activating her Eye of Knowledge again. The glowing outline of a nearby cave entrance appeared in her vision.
"Two minutes away," she said. "Three shadow beasts inside."
Erin nodded. "Then that's our target. Fighters, you're with me. Non-combatants, stay here and protect each other. Ragith, can I count on you to keep them safe?"
Ragith hesitated but nodded, his grip on his sword tightening. "Fine. But if you die out there, don't expect me to clean up the mess."
As Erin led the fighters toward the lair, the remaining group huddled together, their fear palpable.
Victor, still smiling, leaned close to one of the non-combatants. "You know, they're not going to make it. If you want to survive, stick with me. I have a better plan."
The person hesitated but eventually nodded, their desperation overriding their judgment.
Back in the cave, Rishitha's heart pounded as the timer ticked down.
[Time Remaining: 5 minutes]
"This isn't just a story anymore," she thought, gripping her weapon tightly. "If we fail, we really die."
The final battle for survival was about to begin.
Erin led the group to the cave's entrance, the air thick with tension and the faint growls of the beasts echoing from within.
Rishitha's system chimed again.
[Location: Shadow Beast Lair]
Danger Level: High
Notable Features: Limited visibility, aggressive monsters, treasure within.
Erin whispered to the group, "Everyone, stay close. Don't make unnecessary noise. Rishitha, can your Eye of Knowledge give us a layout?"
She nodded, focusing on her skill. The outlines of the cave's interior appeared in her vision, glowing faintly.
"There are three beasts," she said. "One at the back, guarding what looks like a chest, and two patrolling near the entrance. If we take them one by one, we might have a chance."
Erin signaled the others to move quietly. They crouched behind rocks as the first beast, a hulking shadowy figure, came into view. Its glowing red eyes scanned the cave, but it hadn't noticed them yet.
"Now!" Erin hissed.
He lunged forward, his sword gleaming as he struck the beast's neck. It howled in pain, thrashing wildly, but Ragith quickly joined, driving his blade into its chest. The creature collapsed in a heap of dark mist.
[You have slain a Shadow Beast. 50 points awarded.]
The second beast, alerted by the noise, charged at them. It was faster than the first, its claws raking across the ground as it snarled.
"Watch out!" Rishitha shouted, shoving Erin aside as the beast lunged.
She swung her weapon, but the beast dodged, its claws grazing her arm. Pain shot through her, but she gritted her teeth, refusing to falter.
"Over here, ugly!" Ragith yelled, throwing a rock to distract it. As the beast turned, Erin darted in, stabbing it through the eye.
[You have slain a Shadow Beast. 50 points awarded.]
Rishitha collapsed against the wall, her breathing ragged. Mo Tang, who had been trailing behind to provide support, rushed forward, quickly applying healing salve to her wound.
The final beast, larger and more menacing than the others, roared from the back of the cave. Its presence sent chills down their spines, and even Erin hesitated for a moment.
[Enemy: Shadow Beast Leader]
Danger Level: Very High
Rishitha's system chimed again.
[Advice: Attack its weak point—its exposed heart when it charges.]
"It's heart!" she shouted. "Aim for its heart when it charges!"
The beast lunged, its massive claws raking the ground. Erin dodged to the side, slashing at its legs, while Ragith tried to distract it with loud shouts and thrown objects.
"Over here!" Ragith yelled, narrowly avoiding a swipe of its claws.
The beast turned, exposing its chest.
"Now!" Rishitha screamed, gripping her weapon tightly.
Erin leapt forward, plunging his sword into the beast's heart. The creature let out a final, earsplitting roar before collapsing into a cloud of dark mist.
The system chimed for everyone.
[Global Mission: Prove Your Value]
Status: Complete
Reward: 100 coins
Rishitha, Erin, and Ragith shared a moment of relief. But as they turned back to the others, their hearts sank.
The remaining group was in chaos. Victor had incited them to search blindly for monsters, leading to injuries and infighting. A few had already succumbed to their wounds, their bodies crumpled on the ground.
"Where are the monsters?!" someone screamed, clutching a makeshift weapon.
"We're going to die!" another shouted.
Victor, standing at the edge of the group, smirked. "Maybe if you had listened to me, you wouldn't be in this mess."
Ragith stormed up to him, grabbing him by the collar. "You manipulative bastard! People are dead because of you!"
Victor shrugged, unfazed. "And you think your little speeches are going to save anyone? Wake up, Ragith. This is survival of the fittest.
Mo Tang, pale and trembling, stood in the middle of the chaos, his voice breaking as he shouted, "Stop it! Fighting each other won't solve anything!"
But his words fell on deaf ears. The group's desperation had turned to madness.
Rishitha stepped forward, her voice cutting through the noise. "Enough!"
The group turned to her, their expressions a mix of fear and anger.
"We killed the monsters," she said, her voice steady despite her exhaustion. "The mission is complete. The timer is gone."
Some people sank to the ground in relief, while others stared at her in disbelief.
The system chimed again.
[Mission Complete. Remaining Participants: 268/300]
The stark reminder of their losses hung heavy in the air. Rishitha looked at the bloodied ground and the trembling survivors.
"This isn't over," she said, her voice firm. "If we want to survive, we have to stick together. No more infighting. No more manipulation. We move as a team, or we die."
Her words struck a chord with some, but Victor's smirk remained.
"Let's see how long your little 'team' lasts," he muttered under his breath.
As the group began to gather themselves, Rishitha's system chimed again, this time with a new message meant only for her.
[Hidden Mission Complete: Lead the Group Through Their First Trial]
Reward: ???
The glowing notification faded, leaving her with a single thought.
"This is just the beginning."