The acrid and iron like smell of blood filled the air, each breath scraping Tae's throat like shards of broken glass.
His legs trembled beneath him, threatening to give out with every passing second. Blood trickled in a slow, relentless stream down his side, soaking into the already tattered fabric of his hoodie. His body screamed at him to collapse, to surrender to the weight of his exhaustion and wounds.
He couldn't.
The low rumble of a mechanism groaned to life, followed by the tortured screech of rusted metal. A door groaned open ahead, the sound dragging Tae's head up with sluggish effort. His chest heaved, each breath shallow and strained as he stared into the dim corridor beyond. Inconsistent lights buzzed faintly, leaving erratic shadows across the cold, uninviting space.
His first step forward felt like dragging leaden chains. The pain gnawed at his body, and grief lurked somewhere deeper—a feeling pressing down on his soul. His face betrayed nothing, a mask of detachment as he moved forward, inching into whatever fresh hell awaited him.
===
The room led to a sprawling maze, a nightmare of rusted chain-link fences and flickering, low-hanging lights. Shadows crept along the edges, alive in their silence, and the distant growl of something feral set his nerves on edge.
A mechanical voice crackled to life, dispassionate and cold:
"Welcome to the next challenge. You will be paired with a partner. Work together to survive. Reach the exit within thirty minutes. Rabid dogs roam the maze. Each of you will find one gun before you, both equipped with a single bullet. Use it wisely. Escape in time and survive. Fail, and all remaining dogs will be released."
The voice cut out, leaving a silence after it. Tae stood still, the words sinking in.
Thirty minutes.
A partner.
One bullet.
Footsteps approached from behind.
"Uh… hey. I guess I'm your partner."
Tae turned, his gaze falling on a wiry boy stepping cautiously into the room. He was smaller than Tae, his darting eyes betraying his nerves.
"I'm Min-soo," the boy offered with a nervous grin that didn't reach his eyes. "Let's stick together, yeah? I'm not... great with dogs."
Tae's golden-brown eyes narrowed, studying him. Min-soo's jittery hands, the way his gaze refused to hold still—it wasn't just fear. It was something else. Something deeper.
He's not scared, Tae thought, his face expressionless. not of the dogs atleast.
Actors always overplayed their hand.
He didn't voice his suspicions. Instead, he picked up one of the guns resting on the table before them, tucking it securely into his waistband. He gave Min-soo a curt nod and muttered, "Stay close."
===
The maze swallowed them whole.
Tae's system flickered to life, its dark gray and electric-blue interface overlaying his vision.
[ Terrain Analysis Active. ]
[ Optimal Route Identified: Right path. Maintain low noise. ]
Tae moved without hesitating—he still settled on the fact the panels were a hallucination, but if his unraveling sanity could be of assistance to him, why deny it? He Weaved through the rusted pathways with calculated steps. Red markers flickered faintly in the distance, warning of rabid dogs on the prowl. Blue lines mapped potential escape routes, each turn branching like veins in a body.
Behind him, Min-soo's hurried footsteps grated against his ears, far too loud in the stillness.
"Quiet," Tae hissed over his shoulder. His glare was met with a sheepish nod from Min-soo, who quickened his pace but lightened his steps.
The first dog came like a shadow given form, its matted fur and bloodshot eyes leaping from the dark. Its snarl ripped through the silence as it lunged, teeth snapping inches from Min-soo's leg.
The boy froze, wide-eyed and trembling.
Tae didn't hesitate. His hand found a rusted pipe propped against the fence. With a sharp clang, he struck it against the metal wall, the sound reverberating through the maze. The dog turned toward him, its feral gaze locking onto a new target.
"Run," Tae said, his voice calm and firm.
Min-soo stumbled but didn't fall, his movements startlingly smooth for someone frozen moments ago. Tae filed it away for later. There was no time to dwell on it now.
The dog lunged again. Tae swung the pipe with every ounce of strength he had left, the impact forcing the beast back. But it didn't stay down, recovering with a growl that seemed to shake the air.
Tae backed toward the narrow pathway, keeping the pipe raised. The dog hesitated, its ears twitching, then slinked back into the shadows.
Min-soo waited just around the corner, his hands shaking but his breathing steady. "Th-thanks," he stammered, though the gratitude in his voice felt hollow.
Tae's gaze lingered on him for a moment.
He had a thought.
But he didn't say it aloud. Instead, he turned back toward the maze.
———
In the observation room, Nine, the woman with silver hair leaned closer to the screen, her sharp eyes tracking Tae's every movement.
"He doesn't even flinch at the rabid dogs," she murmured, her voice laced with admiration and unease. "It's not just escaping them—it's like he's…"
The man beside her, shrouded in shadow, steepled his fingers beneath his chin. He watched in silence, the heaviness of his gaze seeming to pierce through the screen.
Finally, he spoke. "The boy isn't running from death…he has made acceptance with his end already," His voice was low, thoughtful. "He's hunting something."
The woman frowned, her curiosity piqued. "Hunting what?"
The man didn't answer.
He stayed quiet a while, then muttered "A death worth dying."
Back in the maze, Tae pressed forward, his system's guidance keeping him just steps ahead of the dangers lurking around every corner. But every step took its toll. His wounds burned, and the weight in his chest grew heavier.
[ Warning: Low health. Continued exertion will result in collapse. ]
Tae ignored the system's droning voice. Stopping wasn't an option. Not now. Not before he found it.
The profound end to his misery.
Min-soo's voice filled the silence, a nervous buzz of words. "Do you think we're close to the maze exit? I mean, it's been, what, ten minutes? Maybe less?"
Tae didn't respond. His focus was entirely on the glowing blue line ahead. But unease had at him. Min-soo's demeanor didn't add up.
[ Caution: Hostile presence detected in analyzed terrain. Red marker approaching. ]
The system's warning sent tension through Tae's body.
Another dog appeared, larger and more feral than the last. Its matted fur bristled as it stalked forward, teeth bared in a silent snarl.
Tae shifted into a defensive stance, gripping the rusted pipe tightly.
"Stay behind me," he ordered coldly.
Min-soo obeyed, but as the dog lunged, Tae caught a fleeting expression on the boy's face. It was gone as quickly as it had appeared, but it lodged itself in Tae's mind.
The dog slammed into him, its weight knocking the breath from his lungs. The fight was brutal, a flurry of snarls, blood, and desperate strikes. When it was over, the dog lay still, its body crumpled at Tae's feet.
Tae dropped to his knees, gasping for air.
Behind him, Min-soo stood with wide, innocent eyes.
Too innocent.