The night, a thief, had stolen its cloak of darkness, replaced by the harsh light of a new day.Rose stood sentinel by a shattered window, its gaping maw patched with a flimsy plastic sheet. Through it, she glimpsed the girl from yesterday, the one who wove melodies with her flute, walking by. Rose watched, a silent observer.
The girl was a canvas of midnight; long, raven hair cascaded down her back, framing eyes as dark as a moonless night. She was clad in a dress the color of shadows, a stark contrast to the world fractured around them. Then, another young woman appeared, her brown hair and eyes a reflection of the earth itself. Clad in practical attire of shirt and pants, she approached Rose, a basket cradled in her arms.
"Here," the woman said, her voice a gentle brook, "Mr. Choi Hyun Seok sent some food for you all."
Rose didn't know who Choi Hyun-seok was, but the faint recognition tugged at her—he was the man from last night. Still, there was no reason to ask.
Rose studied the woman, Kang Da Young, her name a whisper on the woman's lips. A thought, sharp as a shard of glass, pierced Rose's mind. In this world, just like the last, brown and black dominated the human palette. Gone were the days where hair and eyes mirrored the very essence of one's bloodline. Da Young smiled, a beacon of warmth in the desolate landscape.
Rose gave a slight nod, her expression a mask of unreadable calm.Da Young departed, leaving Rose adrift in a sea of contemplation.
Rose began walking toward Sung-min, the weight of her thoughts pressing down on her. Last night, the world had been cloaked in darkness, a night consumed by fear and chaos. But now, in the daylight, everything felt broken—shattered beyond repair. The building, the people, the very air they breathed—it all felt fragile, like it could collapse at any moment. People couldn't even reach the second floor. Inside, they had a small convenience store, providing them with food for now, but it was little comfort.
Rose's mind lingered on last night's words—defiant, desperate. She had vowed to destroy him before the creatures could strike. But now, in the cold light of day, the truth settled heavily in her chest: She had no power—not enough to kill a single superhuman, let alone the ones hunting them. Can a warrior kill another warrior? she thought, the question gnawing at her.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice—sharp and sudden. "Rea—"
"Mu-rea!" Rose spun around, startled, to find Park Hyun-woo standing before her.
"What are you thinking?" he asked, his voice laced with a mixture of concern and curiosity. "You're just standing there, lost in your thoughts.What troubles you so deeply?"
Rose blinked, the fog of contemplation clearing. "Ah, here," she mumbled, thrusting the basket towards him.
Sung-min appeared beside them, nonchalantly pulling out a sausage and a piece of bread from the basket. He chewed, eyes gleaming with mischief.
"How long do you think this place will stay safe? Those B-rank monsters found this building last night. You don't think they'll come back?"Rose asked, her voice edged with doubt.
Sungmin gaze hardened, his voice icy. "Of course they will come back," he said, the words cutting through the air. "But don't worry. Like last time, I can scoop you up and run." He winked at her, a mockery of levity in his eyes.
Rose sighed, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. "Talking to you is a waste of time," she muttered, walking away. She grabbed a piece of food for herself, then sat down next to Hye-won.
While eating, Rose's gaze drifted to Hye-won. Her voice was cold, cutting through the silence. "Do you hear anything?"
Hye-won chewed slowly, her voice calm yet unwavering. "Of course I hear. But in this building, there are no creatures."
Then, in a breathless instant, the status screen appeared before Rose's eyes, sharp and unyielding.
[Quests: Survive the Monster's Attack (Current Quest)
Objective: Defeat the monsters to survive.
Reward: 5 Coins and access to experience points for leveling up.]
The words hung in the air like a threat, and before Rose could fully process them, Hye-won's food slipped from her trembling fingers. Her eyes widened, lips parted in shock. "There's a horde on the third floor," she whispered, voice laced with disbelief. "How—how could they be here just in a second ?"
The status screen flared once more, its message harsh and final:
[They will break in if you do not leave. Time remaining: 3 minutes.]
A cold fire ignited within Rose. She stood, her pulse a steady rhythm of defiance, and handed Hye-won her food. Her voice was steady, unshaken. "Which rank are they?"
[Status Screen: F-Rank creature]
Rose's mind sharpened, the pieces falling into place. F-rank monsters... but why now? Why so soon?
The others, scattered across the second floor, were beginning to realize the danger, their fear rising like smoke.
Grabbing her hammer, Rose charged toward the stairs. "End Time Oracle Deck," she murmured, a command more than a plea. Her hand glowed with the raw power of the six cards that materialized, their presence like an omen. The Serpent card pulsed, its dark energy magnetic, pulling her in. Without hesitation, she seized it.
She opened her eyes.
[Stamina: 95]
The door to the stairs was locked.
Sung-min and the others rushed to her side, eyes wide with confusion. Sung-min grabbed her arm, his voice tight with panic. "What are you doing, Ae-rea?"
Rose turned, her gaze unwavering, her words cutting like a blade. "I must. If I don't, they'll break in. And I will not let that happen."
The others stood in stunned silence, as though they were watching someone they didn't recognize—someone they didn't understand. As though she was just protecting them.
Choi Hyun-seok stepped forward, his voice dripping with disdain. "If you think F-rank monsters are easy to kill, you're already digging your grave. And a woman like you? Alone? What can you possibly do? Death will find you first."
Rose's eyes blazed with fury, a fire that could melt steel. She shoved Sung-min's hand away with a force that sent him stumbling back, her voice low and steady, but burning with conviction. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing this for myself. I know the price of stepping into battle."
Her lips curled into a smile, bitter and dangerous. "There's nothing more pitiful than a man who underestimates a woman's strength. People worship power, not weakness—whether it's in a man or a woman. They long for heroes to save their heroines, but they fail to realize that some of us aren't waiting to be saved. I'm not the damsel, and I'm not the savior. I am the force that will shatter everything in my path."
Without a moment's hesitation, she raised her hammer and struck the lock. The sound of metal shattering echoed through the room, sharp and final. She stepped forward, breaking through the door, and into the unknown.
Sung-min hesitated for a heartbeat, his mind racing.
Sung-min didn't hesitate out of fear for himself—his hesitation was for her. For a fleeting moment, he wondered if she could bear the weight of what she was about to face. But then he saw it—the storm in her eyes, fierce and unrelenting. Resolute, he turned to Choi Hyun-seok, his gaze cold and cutting, as if to say: She isn't alone, and she never will be.