Chapter 1 – The First Step
The city streets buzzed with life, but for Kairo, everything felt the same. The same routine, the same places, the same meaningless conversations. At 18 years old, he had no real direction—just another face in the crowd, moving through life without a purpose.
But everything changed that night.
It started with a shortcut.
The sun had long since set when Kairo left his part-time job, the glow of streetlights casting long shadows over the pavement. His usual route home was boring, and for once, he decided to take a different path. A narrow alleyway between two abandoned buildings seemed faster, and he stepped inside without a second thought.
Then the world shifted.
One moment, he was walking on cracked pavement, the smell of the city in the air. The next, everything went silent. The alley stretched on endlessly, the buildings warping into strange stone structures covered in glowing symbols. A heavy fog rolled in, and suddenly, the space wasn't an alley anymore.
A single line of text appeared in his vision, floating in midair.
[You have entered the Infinite Trial.]
Kairo stopped in his tracks.
"The… what?"
Another message appeared beneath it.
[First Floor: Trial of the Initiate]
[Objective: Survive for 5 minutes]
Then the ground shifted beneath him. The solid pavement vanished, replaced by ancient stone tiles, cracked and worn with age. He stumbled, barely keeping his balance. Looking around, he found himself standing in a massive circular arena, its edges disappearing into the mist.
Then he heard it.
A deep, guttural growl.
Kairo turned slowly, his heart pounding. Emerging from the mist was a beast unlike anything he'd ever seen. Its body was a fusion of bone and muscle, like a creature built from both a wolf and a reptile. Its eyes glowed with a faint red light, locked onto him with a hunger that sent chills down his spine.
[Beast Identified: Ravager Hound]
[Threat Level: Low]
"Low?!" Kairo hissed, taking a step back. The creature was twice his size, its fangs bared in a snarl. How the hell was that low?
The moment he moved, the beast charged.
Instinct took over, and Kairo threw himself to the side, barely avoiding the creature's snapping jaws. He hit the ground hard, pain flaring through his shoulder. The Ravager Hound skidded to a stop, turning toward him again.
Another message appeared.
[Tip: Running won't save you. Fight.]
Kairo gritted his teeth. "Easy for you to say…"
His hands tightened into fists. He didn't know where he was or how he got here, but one thing was certain—if he didn't fight, he'd die.
The beast lunged again, and this time, Kairo was ready. He dodged to the side, but instead of running, he lashed out with a punch. His fist connected with the beast's head, but it felt like hitting a solid wall. Pain shot up his arm, and the creature barely flinched.
Bad idea.
The Ravager Hound swung a massive clawed paw, and Kairo wasn't fast enough to dodge. The impact sent him flying, his back slamming against the stone floor. He gasped, pain flaring through his ribs.
[3 minutes remaining.]
Three minutes? He wasn't going to last ten seconds at this rate.
His mind raced. He needed a weapon, something to even the odds. Looking around, he spotted a rusty metal pipe lying near the edge of the arena.
The beast charged again.
Kairo rolled to the side, grabbed the pipe, and swung with all his strength. The impact cracked against the creature's head, making it stagger back with a pained snarl.
It worked.
His mind snapped into focus. He could fight. He just needed to be smart about it.
The Ravager Hound shook its head, recovering, but Kairo didn't give it a chance to attack. He gripped the pipe tightly and rushed forward, swinging at its legs. The beast yelped as the blow connected, knocking it off balance.
[1 minute remaining.]
Kairo was breathing hard, sweat dripping down his face. His arms ached, but he couldn't stop now.
The beast lunged again, and this time, he was ready. He ducked under its claws and drove the pipe into its eye, pushing with everything he had.
The Ravager Hound let out a horrible, ear-splitting howl, then collapsed.
Silence.
Then—
[Trial Complete.]
The mist around the arena began to clear, and Kairo gasped for breath. His arms felt like lead, his body covered in bruises, but he was alive.
A new message appeared.
[You have survived the First Floor.]
[New Status Unlocked.]
A panel of glowing text materialized in front of him.
---
[Name: Kairo]
[Level: 1]
[Strength: 5]
[Agility: 6]
[Endurance: 4]
[Skills: None]
---
"Status screen?" Kairo muttered. He had played enough RPGs to recognize the setup.
Another message popped up.
[You may exit now. If you return, you will resume from the Second Floor.]
He stared at the text. He could leave—go back to his normal life as if nothing happened. But…
His gaze drifted toward the fallen beast. The thrill of combat, the adrenaline of survival—he had never felt anything like it before.
Then another message appeared, one that made his heart pound.
[Warning: You are not the only challenger.]
His breath caught.
Not the only one?
Somewhere out there, others were climbing these floors, facing the same trials, maybe even racing toward something bigger.
Kairo clenched his fists.
He could walk away.
Or he could step forward, face the unknown, and uncover the truth behind the Infinite Trial.
His choice was clear.
With a deep breath, Kairo looked at the glowing gateway that had appeared before him.
And without hesitation—he stepped forward.
---
End of Chapter 1
To be continued-