Max's eyes snapped open, his breath hitching as blinding white light consumed his vision. His head pounded, his chest heaved, and his throat burned as if he'd been drowning moments ago. Panic gripped him, and he bolted upright, his gaze darting frantically.
Where was he?
There were no walls. No ceiling. No floor. Just an infinite expanse of white. Yet he stood on something solid, though it felt like nothing was beneath his feet. The silence was suffocating, pressing against his ears, amplifying his every ragged breath.
Who am I?
The question echoed in his mind, bringing no answers. He tried to grasp at memories, but there was nothing. Just a hollow void where his past should have been.
A soft chime broke the silence. He flinched, stumbling back as a translucent window materialized before him, glowing faintly in the empty air:
[Welcome to The End. Would you like to skip the introduction and start the first tutorial?]
He stared at the words, confusion twisting his expression. What…? His voice trembled as he spoke aloud, testing the sound. "What does that mean?"
The silence returned, heavy and oppressive. He hesitated, his hand twitching, unsure of what to do. A faint whisper echoed in the recesses of his mind, urging him forward.
'That Max guy told me to press the 'yes'...'
Without understanding the situation, he said, "Yes."
The window flickered, vanishing only to be replaced by another message:
[Tutorial Mode: Hell. Will you start the tutorial?]
His stomach dropped. "Hell?" he whispered. Fear clawed at him, but there was no escape. The emptiness stretched forever. "I don't… I don't understand."
Yet, something inside him stirred. An instinct buried deep within told him to move forward. He clenched his fists, teeth grinding as he forced the word out. "Yes."
Darkness swallowed him.
When the world returned, he was standing in a massive arena. The ground beneath him was rough and sandy, littered with jagged stones. Crimson light bathed the air, emanating from a sky that churned like boiling blood.
A deep, guttural growl echoed across the arena. His heart raced as a massive gate at the far end creaked open. From the shadows emerged a creature that made his blood run cold—a towering, sinewy beast with scales like blackened steel and glowing red eyes.
Above its head floated jagged, blood-red text:
[Lesser Demon]
His legs locked, terror rooting him in place. "What the hell is this?" he choked out, voice barely audible.
The lesson demon roared, the sound splitting the air like a thunderclap. A cold, mechanical voice spoke in his mind:
[Trial Commencing. Objective: Defeat Your Opponent.]
Before he could process the words, the demon lunged.
Pure instinct kicked in, and he threw himself sideways. The ground where he'd stood shattered under the demon's claws, sending shards of stone flying. Max stumbled, his breath ragged, panic surging through him.
The demon turned, its glowing eyes locking onto him. He scrambled backward, barely dodging another swipe. His body felt clumsy, uncoordinated, like it wasn't his own. Or more like his mind and body were working in disarray.
The beast closed the distance in an instant, claws raking across his chest.
"SWISH-!"
Pain exploded through him.
"A-ARGHH-!"
He screamed, collapsing to the ground as blood poured from the deep gashes.
"ARGH-!"
"Arg..."
Darkness crept into the edges of his vision, and the voice returned:
[You failed. Would you like to try again?]
His mind reeled, the agony leaving him breathless. But the voice repeated, cold and unyielding:
[Would you like to try again?]
Something inside him stirred. A faint ember of defiance burned against the overwhelming fear. Gritting his teeth, he forced out a single word: "Yes."
The world reset.
Max lost count of how many times he died.
Each time, the demon tore through him.
Each time, the voice brought him back.
And each time, he learned.
His movements grew sharper, his reactions faster. The fear that had paralyzed him began to fade, replaced by grim determination and growing numbness to the feeling of pain.
He didn't know why he kept saying "yes." He didn't even know who he was. But he couldn't stop.
After about 70th or 75th reset, he stood facing the demon, his chest rising and falling with measured breaths. His shirt was shredded, his body covered in bruises and cuts, but his eyes burned with resolve.
The demon lunged.
This time, he didn't flinch. He sidestepped and drove his fist into the creature's side. A sickening crunch echoed as the demon stumbled, roaring in pain.
Max didn't let up.
He followed through with a kick, then a flurry of punches, his body moving as if guided by instinct.
The demon staggered, its once-menacing form crumpling under his relentless assault.
With a final surge of strength, Max leapt onto its back, driving his hand into its chest. He gripped its heart, feeling it pulse weakly in his grasp.
"ARRRH!"
With a roar of his own, he squeezed.
"GAR-!"
The demon let out a final, guttural groan before collapsing.
"Huf... Huf..."
Max fell to his knees beside it, blood dripping from his hands. His chest heaved as exhaustion threatened to pull him under.
A new message window appeared:
[Congratulations! You have cleared the First Tutorial.]
Max blinked, barely able to focus on the words. His vision blurred, and he swayed, but he forced himself to read.
[Rewards Calculated:]
10 End Points
10 Attribute Points
Skill: Demon Slayer (Basic)
Item: Lesser Demon's Fang
Item: Lesser Demon's Blood
Skill: Demon Destroyer Fist (Standard)
Special Reward: Timeless Enigma's Favor (Unique Passive)
Achievement: Tutorial Maniac
[Would you like to return to reality?]
He stared at the glowing words, his body trembling. Slowly, he nodded. "Yes."
Warm light enveloped him, washing away the pain, the exhaustion, the blood. When it faded, he stood tall, unscathed, his strength restored. He flexed his fingers, marveling at the newfound power coursing through him.
But there was no time to dwell.
Another window appeared:
[Stage 0 has begun. Teleporting to Stage 0.]
Before he could react, his body dissolved into light, the world around him vanishing. As he was pulled into the unknown, a final message lingered in his mind:
[This is your last End. Embrace the finality of the cycle.]