He felt a sense of déjà vu in the surrounding darkness.
Because he was falling. Again.
There was no wind brushing against his face, yet he could still perceive the sensation of plummeting. He couldn't help but feel frustrated by everything that had happened. Just when he thought it was over, something new always began.
First, he had to deal with that place called the Araf. And now, he was falling into Hell.
He didn't know if this was some anomaly unique to him or if every dead person went through the same ordeal. If he had known he'd have to endure this much struggle, he wouldn't have taken his own life. Sure, his life had been terrible, but at least it was a world he understood. At worst, he could have drowned himself in alcohol or drugs and found a way to pass the time.
But now, he was trapped in supernatural chaos, unable to predict what would come next. Tossed from one place to another, completely out of control.
Annie turning out to be a monster had also shocked him. Among all the possibilities he had considered, that wasn't one of them. If there had been a monster inside the cabin all along, then what was the point of the whole "don't touch the door" rule?
The mission he was given had started to lose its meaning.
Or at least, that's what Arda thought.
In reality, Annie being a monster hadn't put him in danger. All he had to do was follow the rules and avoid touching the door, and he would have survived. But he had let himself get caught up in the moment, and that had led to his death at Annie's hands. It should have been a simple task, yet the dilemmas he faced had brought him to this point—his own demise.
And now, Arda was falling into a place even worse than the Araf. A place where he would be truly tested. A place filled with endless chases.
At least in the Araf, he had some idea of what he needed to do. But now, he was falling into the unknown.
As he plunged downward, he waited calmly.
This fall was even longer than the last one.
Finally, a light appeared in the distance.
As he descended toward the light, he braced himself.
This time, he wouldn't be caught off guard.
The moment he passed through the light, his surroundings changed.
He was standing on solid ground.
Even though he had prepared himself, he was still shocked by what he saw.
"Is this… the world?"
Before him lay a city that looked as if it had just emerged from a war. What had once been grand buildings were now in ruins, aged and crumbling as if they had been abandoned for a century. Roads that had once been solid asphalt were now barely visible beneath layers of dust and dirt. Traffic lights had toppled over, trees were dead, and the sky—once a brilliant blue—was now covered in a crimson haze, as if seen through a distorted camera filter.
As Arda observed the scene, something about it felt familiar.
In the distance, he spotted an enormous structure. Faded, oversized letters were still attached to its facade, though one of them had fallen off, leaving an awkward gap in the word.
"Cender Hotel?"
And at that moment, Arda understood. This was Antalya.
He couldn't make sense of it.
How had this beautiful city ended up like this? Had World War III broken out?
No… even a war couldn't have left it looking so ancient and untouched. It was as if no human hand had touched this place for a hundred years. It felt like the aftermath of an apocalypse.
IIIIIIIII
Welcome to Hell, lost one!
You are being punished for failing your mission! Here, you will be hunted by countless demons! Painful deaths await you! Have you ever been eaten alive? Or had your head ripped off and stuck onto a cow's body? Don't worry! You'll experience all of it, one by one!
Does that sound terrifying? It doesn't matter! After a little suffering, you'll be brought back!
I see this is your first time here. That means you only need to die ten times! After that, you'll earn another chance and return to the Araf!
But that's not the only way. Even if you're a pathetic and powerless human, you'll be given another option!
If you manage to kill just one demon, you can return to the Araf! That is, if you can even lay a finger on one—hahaha!
Does that sound too difficult? How about an easier alternative? Kill one human, and you can return to the Araf! Of course, if you can bear the consequences…
Mission: Return to the Araf
Conditions: Die 10 times / Kill 1 Demon / Kill 1 Human
⚠ Warning ⚠
For each human you kill, the Sin Bank will fill. The more sins you accumulate, the harsher your punishment will be the next time you fall into Hell.
IIIIIIIII
As the sudden text disappeared from his sight, Arda took a deep breath, finally understanding his situation.
It seemed this abandoned, ruined place really was Hell. But it wasn't what he had expected. Instead of fire and brimstone, Hell looked like a shattered version of his own world.
That actually made sense to him. Even in the real world, the streets were already filled with demons in human form. Now, it was simply reflected in the physical realm.
He didn't know what kind of demons lurked here, but he was certain the ones from his world had been just as terrifying.
"Even with all the gambling I did, I never actually harmed anyone. I can't believe I ended up in Hell."
Running a hand through his hair, he scanned the text again.
The words "die ten times" sent a shiver down his spine. People might think about death from time to time, but very few ever truly imagine the pain that comes with it.
Arda had experienced death once.
The feeling of his throat being crushed, his breath being stolen, the sensation of plummeting from the sky… it had been agonizing.
And now, he had to go through that ten more times? Just thinking about it filled him with fear.
It wasn't that he was afraid of death.
He just didn't want to suffer pointlessly.
So, he considered the other options.
Killing a demon seemed absurd. He had never even killed a chicken, let alone some supernatural entity. When he thought of demons, his mind went back to the shadowy creature that had lurked near the cabin. If Annie hadn't intervened, he wouldn't have had a clue how to fight it. There hadn't even been a tangible body to attack.
The other option—killing a human—seemed… strangely appealing.
Dying ten times was out of the question. Killing a demon was impossible. But killing a person… that was easy. A single, well-placed punch could do it.
Of course, it wasn't ethical. But this wasn't the real world. There was no one here to judge him.
Still, he wouldn't kill just anyone. Only the bad ones.
After all, this was Hell, right? What good person would end up here?
As Arda weighed his choices, another message appeared before him.
[Seal Broken]
[You Have Acquired a Skill]
[Gluttony]