Seyun stood, his legs trembling, as the weight of the recent battle settled over him. The scorched earth beneath his feet felt unsettlingly cold now that the adrenaline had begun to wear off. He tightened his grip on his sword and glanced at the path ahead—there was no turning back, not after everything he’d been through.
The Administrator’s words echoed in his mind: *“The true test lies ahead.”*
Seyun exhaled, forcing himself to take a step forward. He couldn’t think about what had happened with Hana and Kaito—he had to focus on what was coming. The gods’ game was far from over, and each trial was designed to push them to their limits. He needed to stay sharp if he wanted any chance of surviving.
Suddenly, the air shimmered around him, and a familiar voice broke the silence.
"Seyun!" Hana’s voice pierced the stillness, and the shimmer before him expanded into a portal. A moment later, Hana and Kaito emerged, both looking disheveled but alive.
Seyun’s eyes widened. "You—how did you—?"
"We found a way back," Kaito panted, leaning on his knees for support. His eyes were wide with exhaustion but filled with determination. "The Administrator... they didn’t seal us in. We found another portal that brought us to you."
Hana ran forward, throwing her arms around Seyun in a tight embrace. Her grip was firm, her breath shaky. "You idiot! You weren’t supposed to sacrifice yourself!"
Seyun stood still for a moment, processing the fact that they had returned. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around Hana, his expression softening. "I thought you both made it to safety."
"We did," Kaito said, standing up straight. "But the game isn’t about safety, is it? It’s about survival—and not just for one person. We’re in this together, whether the gods like it or not."
Seyun sighed, pulling away from Hana. "You shouldn’t have come back for me. I could’ve handled the rest on my own."
Hana stepped back, frowning. "Handled it on your own? How many times do we have to tell you that you’re not alone in this? We’re a team, Seyun."
Kaito nodded in agreement, his expression hardening. "We’ve made it this far together. We’re not abandoning each other now."
Seyun glanced between them, his jaw tightening. He had been ready to face the rest of the game alone, but now... now he had to rethink everything. He couldn’t afford to let emotions cloud his judgment, not with the trials ahead.
"Fine," Seyun said finally, his tone resigned but grateful. "We’ll face whatever comes next together."
A sudden chill swept through the air, and the ground trembled beneath their feet. The three of them looked around, bracing themselves for whatever new challenge the gods had in store.
The Administrator’s voice echoed through the air once more. "The next trial awaits, players. You have all proven your strength, but now you must prove your resolve. Proceed to the Abyss."
Seyun’s eyes narrowed. "The Abyss?"
Without warning, the ground beneath them cracked open, revealing a dark, swirling vortex. The pull of the abyss was strong, and it tugged at their feet, dragging them closer to the edge.
"Looks like we don’t have a choice," Hana muttered, stepping back as the ground crumbled beneath her.
Seyun nodded, gripping his sword tightly. "We jump. Together."
Kaito swallowed hard but nodded. "Together."
Without hesitation, the three of them leapt into the abyss, the darkness swallowing them whole.
---
The sensation of falling was disorienting, and the void around them felt endless. Seyun tried to keep his eyes open, but the darkness was suffocating, and all he could hear was the sound of his own heartbeat pounding in his ears.
After what felt like an eternity, the three of them landed hard on a cold, metallic surface. Seyun grunted as he hit the ground, quickly rolling to his feet. Hana and Kaito were beside him, both shaken but alive.
"Where are we?" Hana asked, her voice echoing in the vast chamber they had fallen into.
The room was massive, its walls made of cold steel, with strange runes glowing faintly along the edges. At the far end of the chamber stood a large gate, covered in chains and glowing with an eerie light.
Seyun’s eyes scanned the room. "This must be the next trial."
Kaito frowned, glancing around. "But where’s the challenge? It’s too quiet."
The silence was unsettling. There were no creatures, no traps—just the gate at the far end of the room, almost daring them to approach.
Suddenly, a low growl rumbled through the chamber, and the temperature dropped dramatically. The three of them instinctively raised their weapons, bracing for an attack.
From the shadows, a massive figure emerged—a hulking beast, covered in thick, jagged armor. Its eyes glowed red, and its claws scraped against the metal floor as it approached, each step reverberating through the chamber.
"It’s a guardian," Seyun muttered, his grip tightening on his sword. "The gate won’t open unless we defeat it."
Hana took a step forward, her bow drawn. "We’ve taken down worse. Let’s end this quickly."
Kaito moved beside her, holding his dagger in a defensive stance. "Stay sharp. This thing looks tough."
The guardian let out a deafening roar, its massive form lunging toward them with terrifying speed. Seyun raised his sword just in time to deflect the creature’s claws, but the force of the impact sent him skidding back across the floor.
"Damn it," Seyun hissed through clenched teeth, his arms shaking from the force. "It’s stronger than I thought."
Hana fired a volley of arrows at the creature, but they barely pierced its armored hide. The beast roared in anger, swinging its claws toward her, but Kaito darted in, slashing at its legs to distract it.
"We need to find a weak spot!" Kaito shouted, dodging the creature’s massive tail as it swung in his direction.
Seyun’s mind raced as he scanned the guardian’s form. There had to be a vulnerability—a way to bring it down. His eyes locked onto the glowing runes on the creature’s chest, pulsing with energy.
"The runes!" Seyun shouted. "Aim for the runes on its chest!"
Hana nodded, drawing another arrow. She focused her aim, waiting for the perfect moment as the creature turned toward her. With a deep breath, she loosed the arrow, and it struck the guardian directly in the center of the glowing runes.
The creature let out an ear-piercing shriek, stumbling back as the runes on its chest flickered and dimmed. Seyun saw his opportunity and charged forward, his sword raised high.
"For the gods’ game, huh?" Seyun muttered under his breath. "I’ll show them a real fight."
With a powerful swing, Seyun’s blade connected with the weakened runes, shattering them. The guardian let out one final, agonized roar before collapsing to the ground in a heap of metal and ash.
The gate at the far end of the chamber creaked open, the chains falling away as the eerie light faded.
Seyun lowered his sword, panting heavily. "That... was too close."
Hana and Kaito rushed to his side, both of them grinning despite their exhaustion.
"We did it," Hana said breathlessly, relief washing over her face. "We actually did it."
Kaito clapped Seyun on the shoulder. "Looks like we’re still in the game, thanks to you."
Seyun smirked, though his expression quickly sobered. "This was just the beginning. The Administrator warned us—the real test is still ahead."
Together, the three of them approached the open gate, stepping into whatever nightmare the gods had planned next.