Haku's sharp eyes narrowed as he watched the figures come into focus. They were scorpions—perfectly normal in appearance, except for one thing: they were the size of cows.
"They're real…?" Haku muttered, his voice low and cautious.
The scorpions skittered forward, their massive legs clicking against the ground with terrifying speed. Each movement was precise, predatory, and relentless.
Haku quickly assessed the distance. "They'll be on us in like two minutes," he said sharply. "Get ready!"
One of the scorpions leapt forward, faster than expected. Haku raised his pistol instinctively and fired. The bullet struck its mark, shattering the scorpion's head.
He exhaled sharply, his grip tightening on the pistol. _That was pure luck…_ he thought, his sharp gaze flicking to the advancing swarm.
"Wait… these aren't holograms," one of the six players muttered, their voice trembling with fear. "They're real!"
The revelation sent a wave of panic through the group. No one moved, their fear keeping them frozen in place as the scorpions charged closer, their massive pincers snapping menacingly.
Haku didn't hesitate. "We need high ground!" he shouted, his voice cutting through the paralysis. "Everybody, follow me!"
But no one moved. The rest of the group remained frozen, their fear locking them in place as the scorpions drew closer.
"Mey!" Haku called, his voice cutting through the tension.
She jolted as if waking from a nightmare, her eyes locking onto him. Without hesitation, she ran after him, the two of them heading up the hill together while the others stood paralyzed in fear.
We need to go up to the nearest hill
Haku and Mey sprinted toward the hill, their breaths sharp as the scorpions closed in. Haku glanced back at her. "Try to shoot while we—"
Before he could finish, Mey raised her pistol and fired twice. Both shots hit their marks, taking down two scorpions with precise headshots.
Haku blinked, momentarily stunned. "What the…" he muttered under his breath before raising his own pistol and joining her, firing at the advancing swarm as they ran.
Haku and Mey reached the top of the hill, their eyes quickly scanning the breathtaking green landscape around them. Below, nearly 100 massive scorpions swarmed across the field, their speed relentless as they closed in on the group still frozen at the base.
The rest of the group finally began to move, their panic breaking their paralysis. They stumbled toward the hill in a desperate attempt to escape, but the scorpions were faster, their sharp legs tearing through the grass as they closed the gap.
Despite the danger, no one dared to fire their weapons—fear had frozen them once again. Haku and Mey were the only ones taking shots, their pistols steadily bringing the numbers down.
90/100 Remaining.
As the scorpions drew closer, one of the players tripped, his scream piercing through the chaos. A massive scorpion pounced on him instantly, its stinger impaling him before he could even try to get up. His body went limp as blood stained the grass beneath him.
The others stopped briefly, their faces filled with terror as they watched the brutal scene unfold.
81/100 Remaining.
"Mey, don't look!" Haku called out sharply, his tone commanding but steady.
Mey clenched her jaw, forcing herself to focus on the scorpions. She raised her pistol and continued firing, her shots precise and unrelenting.
Behind them, the rest of the group erupted into panicked screams, their voices filled with fear and desperation as they scrambled to make sense of the chaos.
The Crazy Guy, standing near the back, let out a thunderous roar that silenced the panicked cries for a brief moment. He turned to the remaining players, his expression twisted with rage.
"If you don't start shooting those damn things, I'll kill you myself!" he barked, his voice dripping with menace.
Terrified by his threat, the remaining players finally raised their weapons and started firing. Their shots were shaky and unfocused, but it was enough to take down a few of the scorpions.
The scorpions, however, continued their relentless advance, their sheer numbers overwhelming the group despite their efforts.
50/100 Remaining.
The Crazy Guy's sharp eyes scanned the chaos and caught sight of something horrifying. A few scorpions had stopped their charge, their massive pincers tearing into the body of the fallen player at the base of the hill. The creatures weren't just killing—they were eating. Their jaws crunched loudly as they tore chunks of flesh and bone apart, green blood dripping from their mandibles.
Meanwhile, Haku and Mey firing relentlessly at the advancing swarm from the top of the hill. In front of them, the Crazy Guy and the remaining five players were scrambling up the hill, their pace frantic as the scorpions closed in from below. The creatures were relentless, their sharp legs digging into the earth as they rapidly gained ground.
The Crazy Guy's twisted grin stretched further as a brutal idea sparked in his mind. Without a moment's hesitation, he seized two trembling players by their collars and hurled them down the hill.
"Here's your damn distraction!" he bellowed, his voice booming with cruel amusement. The scorpions swarmed instantly, pouncing on the screaming players with vicious precision. Throwing his head back, he laughed like a madman. "Bon appétit! Pahahahaha"
The scorpions swarmed the two players at the bottom of the hill, their massive jaws tearing into flesh as the desperate screams were quickly silenced. The distraction worked—the rest of the scorpions momentarily halted their climb, their focus entirely on devouring the bodies.
"Keep shooting!" Haku called out sharply, his voice cutting through the chaos. Mey nodded, her aim steady as she continued firing at the creatures still advancing toward the hill.
The remaining players climbing the hill stared in shock, their faces pale and their eyes wide with horror. None of them could process what they had just witnessed, their minds paralyzed by the sheer brutality of it all.
Despite the brief distraction, the scorpions resumed their advance, their massive forms relentless as they climbed the hill.
37/100 Remaining.
Haku's sharp eyes scanned the chaos, calculating their next move. Turning to Mey, he spoke firmly but calmly. "Trust me. When I say now, do exactly what I do."
Mey nodded, her face tense but determined.
The group with the Crazy Guy finally reached the top of the hill, just as the scorpions closed in from all sides.
Haku's sharp voice cut through the chaos. "Now!" he shouted.
Without hesitation, he grabbed Mey's arm and sprinted down the left side of the hill. "Don't stop running!" he called over his shoulder. "Get to the other side!"
Mey followed closely, her breathing ragged as she struggled to keep up, but her grip on the pistols remained steady.
As they sprinted down the hill, Mey's exhaustion began to show. Her pace slowed, and her breaths grew heavier.
Haku's sharp eyes caught sight of a fallen player's corpse just a few steps away. Without breaking stride, he skidded to a stop, crouched low, and snatched the weapon from the ground.
He turned to Mey, shoving the pistol into her hands. "Here. Cover me."
Mey took the weapon with both hands, nodding as she steadied her breathing. She turned back toward the scorpions chasing them and fired. Her shots were sharp and precise, slowing the closest ones down just enough.
Meanwhile, Haku sprinted toward another fallen body a few meters away, grabbing another weapon from the ground.
As Haku grabbed the second weapon, the scorpions began to reach the top of the hill where the rest of the group stood. Chaos erupted as the creatures descended on them, pincers snapping and stingers striking with deadly precision.
Haku glanced back briefly, his sharp mind processing the scene. I was right. They're targeting the larger group. Getting away from them was the smartest move.
The Crazy Guy, standing near the edge, opened fire wildly, mowing down both scorpions and players alike. His maniacal laughter echoed as he shoved another player forward, using them as a shield.
From their position at the bottom of the hill, Haku and Mey fired relentlessly at the scorpions above. The creatures descended rapidly, their massive forms relentless and terrifying.
Haku glanced at Mey as she dual-wielded her pistols, each shot landing with near-perfect accuracy. How the hell is she this good? Even with two pistols, she's hitting every damn target.
He refocused, raising his pistol and firing alongside her, their combined effort steadily thinning the swarm.
The scorpions' numbers dwindled rapidly under their assault.
9/100 Remaining.
Above them, chaos reigned at the top of the hill. The remaining players screamed in panic as scorpions overwhelmed them one by one. Blood and broken bodies littered the ground, the hill now a scene of pure carnage.
Haku's focus remained sharp, his pistol aimed at the scorpions still advancing. But his attention was drawn momentarily by the Crazy Guy at the top of the hill.
The man let out a roar of defiance, swinging his pistol like a club and smashing a scorpion's head with brute force. Yet, as he turned to laugh, a stinger from behind pierced into his back. The Crazy Guy froze, blood spurting as the scorpion injected venom into him.
Haku quickly aimed and fired, killing the scorpion before it could strike again.
Haku and Mey stood at the base of the hill, catching their breath as silence fell over the battlefield. Their eyes moved upward, taking in the gruesome scene.
The hill was covered with the bodies of dead scorpions, their legs twisted and broken. Among them lay the lifeless forms of the other players, blood soaking the grass. Only three were left standing—Haku, Mey, and the Crazy Guy.
At the top of the hill, the last scorpion collapsed, its stinger still dripping purple venom from where it had struck the Crazy Guy.
0/100 Remaining.
The Crazy Guy reached over his shoulder, grabbing the massive stinger, and ripped it out with a sharp motion. Purple venom oozed from the wound, but he didn't seem to care. Instead, he threw his head back and laughed—a loud, wild sound that echoed across the battlefield.
His veins, already bulging, swelled even more, their faint purple hue making him look even more monstrous.
Haku narrowed his eyes, watching from below. He's completely lost it…
Beside him, Mey muttered under her breath, "What kind of psycho is this guy?" Then, after a beat, she added, "Maybe if he eats a scorpion, he'll finally calm down."
Haku glanced at her, almost surprised, but a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
The Crazy Guy's laughter continued as he stood at the top of the hill, his body shaking with adrenaline and madness, towering over the wreckage.
The door opens again
The Final Stage beginns...