The walls loomed over me as I stepped into the new sector, their jagged edges gleaming faintly under the dim, unsettling light that bathed the entire area. The faint hum of the maze still vibrated through the air, but now it felt more like the pulsating heartbeat of something alive—something far more ancient and dangerous than anything I had encountered before. Each step I took seemed to echo, a reminder that I wasn't alone. That, if I wasn't careful, something would be on my heels soon enough. The maze had separated us, and now I was alone.
The heavy silence that followed the separation from my team pressed in on me, like a physical weight. Seo-yeon, Min-ji, Ji-ho—they were no longer beside me. I couldn't hear their footsteps, couldn't catch a glimpse of them. I had been thrust into a world of strangers, and as I walked deeper into the sector, I felt the sting of their absence more sharply. We had survived the maze together, each one of us pushing through the trials as a team. But now, we were each scattered, separated by walls that I couldn't even see.
Alone.
I tried to push the thoughts aside, but they lingered, gnawing at me. The team I had come to rely on, the faces I had grown used to seeing at my side—gone.
There was no time for weakness, though. I had to keep moving.
I exhaled sharply, the weight of the maze's oppressive atmosphere pressing down on my shoulders. Fatigue from the trials still clung to me like a second skin. My muscles were sore, my chest tight, and every breath seemed to catch in my lungs. But the world didn't stop for that. I had to keep going, because the moment I hesitated, the maze would make sure I never had the chance to try again.
As I walked deeper into the new sector, I felt the change in the air. The walls around me were less manmade, less artificial than before. The stone beneath my feet felt raw, jagged, as if the entire sector had been carved out of some ancient rock. The air had a heaviness to it, an almost oppressive weight that made each step feel as though it carried more consequence.
Where am I? I thought, my mind racing as the environment around me became more alien. There was no warmth here, no light at the end of the tunnel—just the eerie glow that seemed to emanate from the walls themselves. I couldn't see the sky, couldn't see anything beyond this endless stretch of jagged stone and warped light.
I turned my attention inward, focusing on the interface that flickered to life in my mind, the familiar feeling of Jeeves buzzing in the back of my skull.
"Welcome back, buddy!" Jeeves chimed in, his voice high-pitched and annoyingly cheerful as always. "Looks like we're in for a real treat. I'm sure you'll love this next bit. But before we dive in, let's check out your new stats!"
I couldn't help but wince at the sound of his voice. Jeeves was still floating around in front of me, as ridiculously upbeat as ever. His monocle gleamed in the dim light, and his butler outfit—complete with an oversized bowtie—was absurdly out of place in this deadly environment. Still, I couldn't deny that his hyperactive presence offered some comfort. If anything, he reminded me of home. Even though he was just an interface, a projection of the system, his ridiculousness was something I could latch onto, a small familiarity in the chaos of my new reality.
"Alright, alright, Jeeves," I muttered. "Show me what you've got."
"With pleasure!" Jeeves sang. "Let's take a look at your new interface, and then we'll dive into the real fun."
The interface flashed in front of me, and the familiar stats appeared on my vision screen. But something was different this time. The numbers had changed, and the entire layout felt more refined, more detailed. It wasn't just the basic numbers anymore; there was more context, more depth to what I was seeing.
[Information Sight]
Current Access: 5%
Name: Jin Park
Type: Human
Ability: Basic Information Sight
Rank: F
Recommendation: Current situation: Caution recommended. Proceed with care and avoid unnecessary confrontation until further data can be gathered.
I stared at the F-rank next to my name. I wasn't surprised, but it still stung. F-rank—the lowest of the low. It meant I wasn't a threat, not yet. I was nothing more than a data-gatherer, incapable of doing anything but scanning and analyzing.
"F-rank?" I muttered to myself, my frustration bubbling up. "I'm barely even worth a second glance."
"Look at you!" Jeeves continued with his usual enthusiasm, clearly oblivious to my mood. "F-rank, huh? That's the lowest rank! But hey, everyone starts somewhere!" His cheerful voice made it sound like the lowest rank was a badge of honor. "You're just starting out, but hey, it's a start!"
"Great," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "I'm a bottom-tier data collector."
"Oh, don't worry! You'll get there, buddy," Jeeves continued, his voice still chipper. "With a little more experience, you'll be shooting up the ranks in no time! Baby steps, right?"
I sighed. Experience—that was the key. I was still learning, still weak, still not powerful enough to make a difference in this twisted game. I had a long way to go.
Jeeves bounced around in front of me, clearly oblivious to my frustration. "Don't worry! Everyone starts somewhere. Just wait till you get some real battle experience, and I'm sure you'll shoot up the ranks!" He grinned, though it looked ridiculous with the monocle wobbling in front of his floating face. "Now, come on, buddy, let's get ready for the big game. You've got this! I believe in you!"
I couldn't help but let out a soft laugh despite myself. Jeeves' boundless energy was absurd, but it was starting to become a comforting distraction. The absurdity of it all kept me grounded, if only for a second.
Before I could respond, a loud click echoed through the room. A heavy metal door slid open, and the cool, emotionless voice of the administrator interrupted my thoughts.
"Welcome," he said, his eyes scanning over us as he walked into the room. His uniform was simple, a dark, utilitarian design that made him appear even more imposing. There was no hint of warmth, no attempt at comfort. His presence was suffocating, like the calm before a storm. "I am your administrator for this sector. I will be overseeing the first official game."
His words hung in the air like a guillotine, heavy with the weight of what was to come.
I tried to steady my breath, but my heart was already racing. Something about him felt wrong—like he wasn't just another player in this twisted game but a mastermind pulling the strings. His gaze swept over the gathered participants, cold and calculating. He didn't look at us as humans. We were just pieces to him, pawns in a game he controlled.
I felt my system hum again, a low flicker as my ability kicked in. Without thinking, I activated it. My gaze scanned the administrator—part of me needed to know more. Part of me needed to understand who or what he was.
[Information Sight]
Name: Phantasmal Overseer Gaius
Type: Entity
Ability: Sector Mastery—The ability to control, manipulate, and alter the environment and participants within his designated sector. This includes setting rules, adjusting challenges, and monitoring survival rates.
Rank: Unknown
Recommendation: Hostile environment detected. Proceed with extreme caution.
The scan came back with unsettling results. His rank was unknown, and his ability was far more than I had expected. Sector Mastery—he wasn't just an administrator. He was a god of this sector, able to manipulate every inch of the environment, control the participants, and determine the very rules we played by. His ability wasn't just to manage—it was to shape. He was a puppet-master pulling the strings of our fate.
The administrator turned his cold gaze on us again, making my heart skip a beat. "Before we begin," he said, his voice flat and devoid of emotion, "there are 100 participants in this sector. That means 100 chances to succeed. But, as always, not all of you will survive. Only those who meet the challenge will proceed."
The words hit me harder than I expected. 100 participants. We were no longer alone. We weren't just facing the maze or monsters—we were facing each other, thrown together in this twisted, merciless trial.
He looked at each of us, pausing only slightly on me before moving on, his gaze as dispassionate as ever. "Your task is simple. You will be split into smaller teams, and you will hunt the Zodiacs. But these creatures are no longer just prey. They are your opponents. Each of them holds a Zodiac heart. Retrieve all 13 hearts to proceed."
I swallowed hard, my throat dry. The rules seemed simple enough, but the air around me felt thick with something darker, more dangerous. The Zodiacs weren't just creatures to hunt—they were the hunted and the hunting would be just as deadly.
"If you fail to gather the hearts, or if you die along the way, you will be eliminated," the administrator continued, his voice cold and methodical. "You may proceed."
With that, the door behind him opened fully, and we were thrust into the unknown.
Jeeves appeared in front of me again, bouncing with excitement. "Oh, this is going to be good, buddy! Just remember, if you need anything—and I mean anything—I'm here! You can even ask for a snack. It's not like I don't have the capacity for it, you know?"
I didn't have time to respond, already stepping forward as the others began to move.
The Zodiacs were out there. The hunt was about to begin.