Ryuto stood at the gates of Labyrinth High, the imposing structure looming before him like a fortress. It wasn't just a school—it was an institution built on mystery, danger, and competition. The labyrinth that sprawled beneath its grounds was as much a part of the school as the classrooms and dormitories. Freshmen were expected to dive in, face the maze, and survive. It was the ultimate trial, the one that determined your worth in this strange, unforgiving place.
Today was his first day.
He wasn't nervous—he never got nervous. But the sheer weight of the situation pressed down on him. A new beginning, a new set of rules, a new game to learn. He'd been to many schools before, but nothing like this. Here, everyone had their eyes on the labyrinth, their futures tied to the outcome.
"Ryuto! Are you coming, or what?"
He snapped out of his thoughts, turning toward the voice. A group of students were already walking ahead, heading into the school. Ryuto knew they were just like everyone else—eager, excited, unaware of the game they were about to enter. His eyes swept over them, taking in the mix of personalities: the overconfident jocks, the quiet bookworms, the eager faces of those who didn't yet know how the world worked here.
He didn't care to join them.
With a slow, deliberate step, Ryuto turned his back on the group and headed inside alone. He'd always preferred it this way. People were distractions, and in a place like this, it paid to keep to yourself. The labyrinth didn't care about friends, about teamwork, or about loyalty. It cared about one thing: survival. And that's what he intended to do—survive, and then control the game.
As he passed through the grand entrance of the school, his eyes flickered to the massive bulletin board plastered with announcements, schedules, and the names of the top-ranking students. The labyrinth would be his testing ground.
The first day was always a blur, but Ryuto didn't need to remember all the details. What mattered were the rules. The factions. The points. The prizes. The consequences. Students didn't disappear from Labyrinth High for no reason. They were failures.
He wasn't about to be one of them.
The labyrinth was still a mystery to him—an unpredictable maze of shifting corridors, deadly traps, and strange creatures. But one thing was clear: it was the heart of the school, the place where everything would be decided. The students who couldn't navigate it? They became irrelevant.
As he walked into the classroom, Ryuto took his seat at the back, his mind already racing through possibilities. He wasn't interested in making friends, and he didn't care about the social politics that would unfold. He had his own game to play, and it didn't involve anyone else's rules.
"Welcome, freshmen," the teacher greeted, a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "This is Labyrinth High, and you are now part of the ultimate test. Your first lesson: the labyrinth doesn't care who you are. It only cares if you can survive."
Ryuto leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. The game had already begun.