The young woman hesitated, her voice trembling. "W-What are you talking about? How can a monster be here?"
Rose's lips curled into a sly smile. "Oh, I just saw a spider over there," she said casually, pointing toward a shadowy corner.
The group burst into nervous laughter, the tension dissolving into fleeting relief.
Rose's voice softened, carrying a calm sense of purpose. "Since we're going to journey together—and we don't know how long we'll be stuck with each other—don't you think it's time we introduced ourselves and shared our abilities? I'll go first.my name is seo mu-rea.As you've seen, I can heal people, but only if their wounds aren't too severe."
Her thoughts, however, ran deeper. There's no way I'll reveal my full power. And I can't help but wonder… what fears they have?
Sungmin whispered in Rose's ear, "I should call you Ae-rea."
Rose glanced at him, catching the playful grin on his lips. She said nothing, but in her mind, a quiet thought lingered: Here he goes again, with his flirting.
Park Hyun Woo stepped forward, his smile a mix of pride and awkwardness. "That's a good idea. I'll go next. My ability is superhuman stamina—I can fight without needing rest."
Rose tilted her head, a playful smile curving her lips. "I'm jealous," she said lightly, though her gaze hinted at curiosity.
The woman who had saved Rose earlier introduced herself. "My name is Kim Na-ri. I'm 22 years old, and my ability is a resilient body. It lets me endure what others can't."
Another young woman followed, her eyes sharp despite her calm demeanor. "I'm Lee Hye-won, also 22. My ability is keen senses—I can perceive things most people wouldn't even notice."
A man with an easy grin stepped up next. "I'm Shin Young-jae. I'm 24, and I'm a weapon savant. Any weapon, any time—I know how to use it."
Sungmin's voice broke through next, drawing the group's attention. "I'll go next." He glanced briefly at Rose, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. "I'm Han Sungmin, 20, and a freshman in college. My ability is super speed."
He turned toward the quietest member of the group. "Yu-jin, your turn."
Rose rested her hand against her mouth, partially obscuring their face as she listened to their introductions and descriptions of their powers. Her expression betrayed no emotion—only a calm seriousness. Yet behind the shield of her hand, she bit her lip in frustration, her thoughts swirling.
Damn it. I'm so jealous.
They're so strong, while I collapse into a deep sleep after using just a sliver of my power.
A sly grin crept across her mind, hidden behind her stoic exterior. Since they're more powerful than I am, and they think I'm strong... maybe it wouldn't be so bad to use them.
Shin Yu-jin hesitated before stepping forward, a shy smile on her lips. "I'm Shin Yu-jin, also 20 and a freshman. My ability is improved jumping ability."
Before anyone could comment, Lee Hye-won stiffened, her expression darkening. "Wait."
The room fell silent, her words sending a ripple of unease through the air. Closing her eyes, she focused, and when she spoke again, her tone was grim. "More than fifty… maybe sixty B-rank monsters. They're heading this way."
Young-jae's expression tightened. "How far are they?"
"Four kilometers," Hye-won said, her voice trembling slightly. "At their speed, they'll be here in twenty minutes."
Panic began to swell, voices rising in fear.
"Guys, don't panic!" Sungmin's voice sliced through the noise, firm and commanding.
Rose stepped forward, her presence grounding them. "He's right. Panicking won't save us. Focus. Think."
The group huddled near the back door of the basement, struggling to form a plan. Rose turned to Hye-won, her eyes sharp and calculating. "Do you know what kind of monsters they are?"
Hye-won nodded, her face pale. "I can feel their legs—so many of them. They're like spiders, but bigger. Faster. Deadlier."
Rose's gaze darkened. Her voice was steady, but it carried a weight that silenced the room. "Ash Creepers," she said. "They're not just monsters—they're hunters. They mimic human voices and communicate telepathically. They'll try to confuse us, make us doubt one another."
A chill swept through the room as suspicion flickered in their eyes. The silence grew heavy, filled with unspoken fears.
'At first, I didn't understand how to wield the cards or see the visions they held. But now, after using them a few times, the details reveal themselves to me with striking clarity. I know the monster lurking within.'
Rose's gaze swept over the crowd, her face a mask of indifference, though her thoughts lingered on one person.
Sungmin flung the back door open, his voice tense and hurried. "Guys, we have to run!"
Park Hyun-woo, already scanning the alleyway, turned to the group. "Move out, one by one. The alley is dangerous, so stay alert. Keep your eyes open and be ready to fight at any moment!"
One by one, the group began to slip outside, their movements quick and cautious. Sungmin glanced back and saw Rose still lingering near the door. "Ae-rae, what are you doing? Let's go!"
Rose's gaze was steady, her voice calm but firm. "You go ahead. I'll follow."
As the last of the group made their way outside, Rose and Sungmin remained by the door. Without warning, Rose grabbed Yu-jin's hand and shoved her back into the basement. Before anyone could react, she slammed the door shut and locked it from the outside.
"Mu-rea!" hye won shouted, confusion and shock flashing across his face.
The others turned just in time to see what Rose had done. Their hearts clenched as the realization hit them like a cold wave. That wasn't their friend Yu-jin anymore.
From behind the basement door, Yu-jin's voice broke through, desperate and pleading. "Don't leave me! Please!"
Her cries twisted into something unnatural, her tone growing guttural and inhuman.
A blood-curdling scream echoed, and the sound of her body convulsing against the walls filled the air. Her voice warped into a horrific growl as her transformation completed. The stench of decay wafted through the cracks, and they could almost hear her body crumbling as she turned into an Ash Creeper.
The group stood frozen for a moment, their breaths hitching as the basement door rattled under the force of the creature's attacks. Rose's face remained stoic, but her hands trembled at her sides.
"Let's go!" Park Hyun-woo barked, snapping them out of their trance.
They didn't have the luxury to mourn or hesitate. A B-rank monster was far beyond their ability to handle, and with the sun sinking below the horizon, their chances of survival dwindled.
They ran. Each step felt heavier than the last, weighed down not only by the fear of the approaching night, but also by the sorrow of leaving someone they once called a friend behind.
As the others sprinted ahead, Sungmin turned back, his instincts screaming not to leave Rose behind. His eyes found her standing motionless, her gaze fixed on the chaos unfolding behind them. Without hesitation, he raced toward her, his movements swift and sure.
"Ae-rea!" he called, his voice cutting through the air, but she didn't answer.
Grabbing her wrist, Sungmin pulled her into his arms effortlessly, as though her weight was nothing against his strength. Before she could protest, he surged forward, his speed unmatched, the ground blurring beneath his feet.
For a moment, Rose was dumbfounded, the suddenness of his actions stealing her words. But as the wind rushed past her and the distant sound of splintering wood reached her ears, she understood. Her arms wrapped around his neck tightly, her heart pounding against his chest. She had no power for speed, no way to escape on her own.
From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of the Ash Creeper, its grotesque form bursting through the shattered door of the basement. Its inhuman scream ripped through the air, a chilling reminder of what they had left behind.
But Sungmin didn't falter. His grip was firm, his pace relentless. He carried her as though the world itself couldn't weigh him down. Rose, for the first time, let herself lean into his strength, burying her face in his shoulder.
She hated this—being weak, being a burden. Yet, as she clung to him, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, she felt something else.
Rose thought, "I am a shadow in a world of light—unseen, unknown, and lost to time. A stranger to myself, I no longer believe in the fleeting hope humanity clings to. Yet, within his embrace, there is a warmth, a sense of belonging, as though I've been known for a thousand lifetimes, as if, in this unfamiliar world, I have finally found my place.But I don't want to feel like this. I know that soon, they will all be gone, and I will be abandoned once again, left with nothing but their death and the emptiness they leave behind."