The air around me was thick, pulsating with a strange energy. The city—what was left of it—felt alive, as if it had become a part of this twisted game. Broken buildings stood like the remnants of a lost civilization, their skeletal frames choked by thick vines, and the jungle pressed in, suffocating the ruins. There was no comfort here, no familiar ground. This was a place where death could come in an instant, and the stakes were clear.
The Zodiac Hunt was in full swing.
We had been scattered. Separated. The sectors had been scrambled, mixing nationalities, personalities, and abilities into something that felt more like a battleground than a game.
I was no longer with Seo-yeon, Ji-ho, or Min-ji. No, now I was with new faces. Strangers.
As we moved through the ruined city, the stifling silence was broken by the soft hum of my system's interface. Jeeves flickered into view, his ever-present, annoyingly chipper voice ringing in my head.
"Oh, buddy, looks like we're getting to the fun part! By the way, let me explain something to you. The administrator set up a universal translator, so you can understand everyone—no matter their nationality or language!" Jeeves said, his voice as energetic as always. "So, don't sweat it. No awkward language barriers here! Isn't that handy?"
I blinked, my brain trying to catch up with the information. The others in the group hadn't spoken yet, but I realized I could already understand the muted hum of their voices, the faint sound of their foreign words registering clearly in my mind.
"Wait, what?" I muttered under my breath, still processing. "A universal translator?"
"Yup!" Jeeves confirmed enthusiastically. "The system has you covered. It'll let you understand anything your new teammates say. It's like a cheat code for communication—how convenient, right?"
I turned to the group, who were now looking at me, some wariness in their eyes, others more neutral. They weren't sure what to make of me yet, and the feeling was mutual. Still, I could tell they were all survivors, just like me, drawn into this hellish game. We had to work together. For now.
One of the figures stepped forward, a tall man with dark skin and short, tightly curled hair. His eyes were sharp, calculating, and he studied me carefully before speaking in a language I didn't recognize. His tone was low, full of intent. I could feel the weight of his words, though I couldn't understand them. His hand twitched near his side, a sign of readiness.
I looked to Jeeves for some clarity.
"Go ahead, buddy. Give it a shot, the translation should kick in!" Jeeves piped up.
I listened carefully, waiting for the translation to take effect. Then, to my surprise, his words came through loud and clear in my mind.
"Who are you?" the man asked, his voice heavy with suspicion. "You don't look like you belong here."
"Jin Park," I responded, my voice steady despite the undercurrent of nerves that still plagued me. "I'm here for the same reason you are. To survive."
His eyes narrowed, then his lips curved into a thin, knowing smile. "Let's hope that's enough."
He stepped back, and a woman beside him, shorter with sharp features and pale skin, gave me a once-over before speaking, her accent heavy. "I'm Lena. Russian. Let's just say... we're in this mess together. No one's getting out alone."
I nodded, feeling the growing tension among us. My new team was a mixture of different people from all walks of life. I noticed a few more faces, including a middle-aged man whose fatigued expression suggested a lifetime of hardship.
Another woman, this one with long, dark hair and a stoic expression, eyed me closely. "You're not much to look at, but we could use anyone who can hold their ground," she said, her voice flat but calculating.
The group was formed.
We had little time to get comfortable. The Zodiac Hunt was already in full swing, and there was no room for hesitation. We needed to find the Zodiac hearts, and the odds were stacked against us.
A faint growl echoed through the city—deep, rumbling, and filled with malice.
We weren't alone. The Zodiacs were out there, waiting.
"Time to get moving," Lena said, already pulling ahead, signaling the group to follow. "The sooner we find the first heart, the better. We've got no time to waste."
The rest of us quickly fell into line, our steps synchronized. The ground crunched beneath our feet as we moved deeper into the ruins. The jungle loomed around us, dark and oppressive, a constant reminder that the hunt was underway.
I took a breath, trying to focus. The city was filled with danger, but there was something about the silence that made everything worse. It felt like we were being watched. The very air seemed to vibrate with hostility.
Suddenly, a scream shattered the silence, followed by a series of growls. We froze, immediately dropping into a defensive formation.
"That didn't sound good," the middle-aged man muttered, his eyes darting to the shadows ahead.
I could feel my heart racing. The sounds of the jungle were no longer just distant whispers—they were closing in. The Zodiacs were here. And we had no idea what form they would take.
"Stay close," Lena ordered, her voice low but commanding. "This city is full of them. We need to keep our wits about us."
We continued forward, the shadows growing deeper, and the cries of other groups mixed with the eerie noises of the city. Every now and then, I would catch the faint glimmer of something watching us, but when I turned, it was always gone.
Then, the ground beneath us shifted. We had reached the center of the ruins—a massive square, once a place of trade, now a gathering ground for the game's horrors.
Suddenly, the air thickened, and a sound unlike any I had heard before echoed through the square. It was coming for us.
A Zodiac. But this one wasn't like the others.
It emerged from the shadows—twisted, distorted, its body a horrific fusion of man and beast. Its skin was charred black, as if it had been burned, and parts of its body were rotting. The eyes of the creature glowed a sickly yellow, and its mouth was stretched wide, filled with rows of jagged teeth that looked like they could tear through flesh in an instant.
It was a zombified version of the Zodiac—deformed, unnaturally grotesque.
The creature let out a low, inhuman growl, and we didn't hesitate. We attacked.