ã€ŠPendulum (Corporative Supernatural LITRPG)ã€‹


 Chapter 1 - Nowadays, its called an Interview

    ¡°What about Morgana?¡± Minerva asked, chanting on her mind: It¡¯s for the money. The money, the money¡­

    Michael didn¡¯t look up. His cheek was pressed against the cold surface of the table, his face pale and strained, and his sunglasses were down next to him. In any other situation, Minerva might have teased him about it ¨Ccalled him a dramatic shit or something¨Cbut now wasn¡¯t the time for this.

    ¡°Last mission didn¡¯t go well,¡± he muttered, his words sluggish, like each one cost him a couple of bills. Keeping his eyes closed, he let out a long, weary sigh.

    What a guy. If not were for the long two years working together¨C

    ¡°You expected something different?¡±

    Forget it. She still wanted to punch him. Her scowl deepened. ¡°You¡¯re joking. She¡¯s ¨Cshe was the best of the batch. We got her¨Cwhat, three weeks ago?¡± Her eyes flicked to the calendar on the wall, the dates circled in red screaming back at her. ¡°What could¡­?¡± Her expression darkened as the shards clicked into place. ¡°Wait. Don¡¯t tell me¡­ the dino psycho job?¡±

    Michael hummed, his eyes drifting shut as if he could let himself sleep off the conversation.

    Minerva took that as a ''yes, go and cry a little''. She dragged a hand down her face, her fingers trembling slightly. For a brief, blissful moment, she imagined what it would be like not to give a damn about any of this. To walk away and leave the mess behind.

    The cafeteria had a killer strawberry latte and chocolate cake combo she could treat herself to. Maybe she could even check out the new arrivals at the store. Today was Tuesday. Sora should¡¯ve stocked something fresh, right? A cute dress, a lovely cashmere sweater, perhaps even new boots without those damn heels Lacerta managed to convince her to buy last time.

    She let out a long sight.

    Sadly, it was only whimsical thoughts.

    She was paid to take care of this, and although it didn¡¯t include ¡®caring¡¯ Minerva was still too much human.

    What a damn shame.

    ¡°The best of the batch¡­¡± she muttered under her breath, the words bitter on her tongue.

    A beat of silence stretched between them.

    ¡°What happened?¡± she finally asked, half¨Cexpecting Michael to have fallen asleep.

    ¡°Same old story,¡± Michael said, his voice flat. ¡°She pulled the short straw. Last tour guide.¡± He yawned, barely bothering to cover it. ¡°Poor lass.¡±

    Her jaw tightened. ¡°Let me guess. The bus got stuck in front of one of thekings?¡±

    Michael gave a slow, almost imperceptible nod. ¡°Yeah. Lorenzo said she couldn¡¯t get the shield in time.¡± His voice dropped to a near whisper, as if speaking too loudly might summon the memory of what happened. ¡°At least it was quick.¡±

    Minerva stared at him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it¡­¡± Michael said, his mouth half¨Ccovered by his hand. ¡°Accidents happen, Min.¡±

    Yes. They did happen, didn¡¯t they? She loosened her knuckles, then asked, ¡°Who else?¡±

    "The last rookie from Delta¨CN. Got eaten at midnight, I think. But Lorenzo¡¯s last minion got the pictures so¨C¡° he shrugged.

    "Did you notice? We¡¯ve lost most of the new recruits in the last three months. The others aren¡¯t better but,¡± she pressed her lips, and shook her head. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll write to Santa about getting more recruits.¡± Minerva closed her eyes as she leaned back in her chair. Soft cushions, but not an ounce of comfort.

    ¡°Delta¨CN gets priority this time,¡± Michel pointed out. When she let out a not¨Cso polite words, he added, ¡°could be worse."

    Minerva snorted. ¡°Back to overtime.¡±

    ¡°At least the pay¡¯s decent,¡± he said, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth even when his eyes barely stayed open.

    ¡°At least we get paid,¡± she shot back, her own smirk mirroring his.

    Even when she left and went back to the rest of the paperwork, the thorn on her heart persisted.

    Perhaps there could be a way to get some good recruits this time. She hadn¡¯t wanted to cash that favor so soon but -it was for Delta-M¡¯s good.

    P ¨C P ¨C P ¨C P

    The soft whir of machinery filled the space as the elevator began its ascent.

    Luca caught his reflection in the mirrored wall¨Ca small frown, a slightly out of place tie on his blue suit. Loosening his expression, his fingers fixed tie as he counted the seconds. Each one brought him closer to the thirty third floor. It was there, at that moment, staring at his cold face, that the hesitation he¡¯d been suppressing since days ago began to stir up.

    Still time to get out.

    The thought flashed through his mind with crystal clarity. He could press the button, go back down, slip away.

    Go home.

    Go home ¨Cand let his younger brother die. Last piece of his family ¨Cno exactly, pointed out an inner voice he knew very well, and Luca scowled. His grip tightened on the edge of his tie, his knuckles whitening before he forced himself to a long, deep breath.

    Turning back was a no¨Cno. The debts had been already accumulated. Even if ¨Cif Shawn woke up or not, he still had to pay the creditors. Victor had already showed a great restrain in those last months, and if he didn''t hurry up, he would end in some convenient pit. But such amount of money could only be earned through illegal gigs, a lottery prize or¡­ a high risk job.

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    Luca straightened his tie and squared his shoulders, his reflection staring back at him with a cold countenance.

    Of the three possible paths, the last one was the winner, especially since he had got the email two weeks ago ¨Cand recalled those old, buried memories. It could be said that among the others he was the only one putting his foot inside the mouth of the beast knowing the risks.

    Pendulum¡­ was even more dangerous than working in the mafia. But, at the same time, the rewards had no glass ceiling. Their conditions were unmatched, especially the salary. It had to be said that for someone with a resume filled with part¨Ctime jobs across various sectors, it was more than a top¨Cnotch opportunity.

    More than enough to pay off the debts. More than enough to keep his brother in the hospital¨Cand heard this¨C even if Luca didn¡¯t make it out alive.

    He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly.

    Thirty¨Cfour seconds gone.

    The elevator chimed softly, and a cheerful voice announced:

    ¡°Thirty¨Cthird floor. Thank you for accompanying us.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Luca muttered under his breath as he stepped out. Pendulum¡¯s AI was more advanced than anything he¡¯d encountered elsewhere. Calling it a ¡°machine¡± felt like calling his new job ¡°a bit risky¡±¨Ca gross understatement.

    A long corridor stretched before him, its paneled wooden walls a warm hue of red. At the far end stood a door, its polished wood gleaming under the delicate white lights. The gold¨Ccarved letters on its surface read:Office 010.

    Luca¡¯s mind flashed back to a post he¡¯d seen online¨CAt Pendulum, if it looks like gold, it is.The company spared no expense, and the door was a testament to that. But then, being the number one across almost all the sectors, they did have a couple of zeros on their bank accounts.

    As he approached, he couldn¡¯t help but calculate some costs. The door alone probably cost more than a year¡¯s worth of his brother¡¯s hospital bills. Hell, if he died at the island, his coffin would likely be worth enough to keep his brother alive for another year.

    Good. It was the best of the worst cases, right?

    He knocked once, gently, and then pushed the door open without waiting for a response. It swung open soundlessly, revealing a stunning skyline that stretched endlessly beyond the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows. A massive table dominated the room its surface a deep, polished red wood with faint, golden embellishments. Why wasn¡¯t this in the mansion of some old¨Cmoney family instead of a corporate office?

    Again, Pendulum¡¯s decoration team had a certain particular liking.

    The office wasn¡¯t empty. Around the table sat eight other people¨Cfive women and five men¨Call sharply dressed and radiating a quiet steel. Or pretending, at least. Their eyes flicked toward him as he entered, a trace of curiosity quickly replaced by indifference, or, some cases, a subtle sense of hostility.

    So, they are my ¡®competence¡¯.

    Luca closed the door with the same care he¡¯d opened it and chose a seat in the corner, away from the others. The table was large enough to accommodate sixteen.

    Of course, no one sat at the head.

    His eyes wandered, taking in the room. The office was sparsely decorated, but the table was a work of art¨Csolid, thick, and undoubtedly expensive. He kept his hands on his lap, resisting the urge to touch it. Beyond that, there was not even a screen for displaying any kind of presentation, or even a painting decorating the blinding white walls.

    He took a subtle glance at the people, and to his surprise, a familiar face caught his attention.

    Him?

    It was impossible not to recognize one of the most celebrated boxers of the past decade¨Ceven for someone like Luca, who barely followed the sport. The gym near his house had a poster of the man, and the scandal that had ended his career last year had made headlines for weeks.

    Most importantly, his name had been part of the memories he got two weeks ago.

    Something to take care, thought Luca, without changing his expression. Becoming a meat shield wasn¡¯t on his list of wishes for that year.

    The others applicants were less recognizable ¨Cexcept the curly¨Chaired woman, which Luca noticed was barely containing her nervousness. She was quite fit like the rest of them, but seemed to be more built for a race than holding her won in a fight. Everyone there was one of the two cases. It wasn¡¯t surprising¨Cthe job listing had emphasized ¡°good physical fitness¡± as a requirement.

    Of course, none knew why it was so important nor that this wasn¡¯t the main requirement.

    The door opened again, and every head turned.

    A woman entered, her presence immediately capturing their attention. She wore purple butterfly¨Cframed glasses with gold trim, her eyes obscured but her smile poised and well¨Cpracticed. Luca knew her ¨Cor at least, knew her information.

    Roxana Santos. But that was her ¡®corporative identity¡¯ ¨Cin Pendulum¡¯s real HQ she would be known as ¡®Mariposa¡¯.

    ¡°Good morning, everyone,¡± she said, voice smooth over the sharp click of her heels. ¡°Thank you for accepting our company¡¯s invitation. You may call me Miss Santos. I will be conducting your Interview today.¡±

    A murmur of polite greetings followed. Luca joined in, though his stomach tensed up, twitching with nervous anticipation.

    Miss Santos was the carbon copy of her image on the forum. Most importantly, she was the one who would push them to their first encounter with what Pendulum had been dealing with ¨Cthe Mysteries. And, beyond that, she was one of Them. That thought this made his pulse jump a bit.

    She placed a thick red folder on the table and retrieved a stack of thinner ones. ¡°Before we proceed, there is a formal requirement. Due to the nature of this position, you will need to sign a confidentiality agreement.¡± She began distributing the documents. ¡°This is a standard procedure, as the role involves access to sensitive company information.¡±

    A ripple of unease spread through the room ¨Cbut Luca didn¡¯t change his expression too much, already having expected this but no willing to stand out for the wrong matters.

    ¡°A confidentiality agreement? Already?¡± someone muttered.

    ¡°But we¡¯re not even employees yet,¡± another man pointed out.

    Miss Santos remained unfazed. ¡°That''s correct. However, participation in this interview process requires compliance with company protocols. Signing is entirely voluntary, but those who choose not to will be unable to proceed further. As I¡¯m sure you understand, Pendulum cannot risk exposing proprietary information.¡±

    Silence settled over the room, but only for a splint second. While some hesitated, others opened their folders without a second thought. Among them were the boxer, a young man who looked like he¡¯d just graduated high school, and the curly¨Chaired woman who began reading with intense focus.

    The ruffling of pages spread on the air.

    Alright. First things first. After taking a quick glance at the pages, no finding nothing stranger, he signed on the last one. There you go.

    Now, there were only two ways out of this.

    ¡°Thank you all for your cooperation and interest,¡± Miss Santos said, her tone warm but businesslike. She pressed something on the table, and with a faint mechanical sound, wooden panels slid open in front of each applicant. A pair of goggles emerged, their metallic blue frames gleaming under the light.

    Murmurs of astonishment spread through the room.

    The goggles were sleek and glassy, emblazoned with the Pendulum logo in a golden hue. They looked so expensive that anyone would felt a pang of anxiety. What if someone broke them? Not even selling their organs on the black market could cover the cost.

    Ha. The irony alone would kill Luca.

    ¡°Go ahead, don¡¯t be shy. Try them on,¡± Miss Santos encouraged. ¡°These are the latest version of our last VR equipment, the same model used by the gaming companies we collaborate with.¡±

    Luca picked up the pair in front of him. Despite their size, they were surprisingly light¨Clikely made with Pendulum¡¯s proprietary metal.

    As he put them on, his vision was instantly engulfed in white. A simple message appeared:

    Welcome to Pendulum, Mr. Olsen.

    Judging by the murmurs around him, he wasn¡¯t the only one with a personalized greeting.

    ¡°Excuse me¨Cthis job¡­ could it be about¡­?¡± a woman¡¯s voice asked, her excitement palpable.

    Luca felt a pang of pity for her.

    She doesn¡¯t know.

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain your responsibilities later,¡± Miss Santos said, her tone firm but not unkind. ¡°However, you should know this job isn¡¯t for the faint of heart. You¡¯ll be walking a razor¨Cthin line, balancing above a shark¡¯s open mouth at midnight.¡±

    Her words weren¡¯t empty. If anything, Luca thought they didn¡¯t go far enough.

    ¡°But you¡¯ll learn for yourselves in the Technical Test.¡±

    A creeping sense of foreboding settled over him, stimulated because of what he knew, but there was no time to dwell on it.

    Miss Santos¡¯ voice cut through the tension.

    ¡°It begins now. Good luck to you all.¡±

    A bell¨Clike sound echoed through the room, and everything went black.

 Chapter 2 - And this is obviously a Technical Test (1)

    A slow, rhythmic dripping sound pulled Luca back to consciousness. His head throbbed, a dull ache spreading through his skull as he blinked his eyes open. Fuck. I wasn¡¯t expecting this. The world came into focus in fragments ¨Cblurred and disorienting¨C accompanied by a faint smell of combustible and solid ground under his bottom.

    [Welcome to Pendulum, Mr. Olsen]

    The message materialized out of thin air before him, a white stripe with black letters, before fading away. It was the same message he¡¯d seen only an instant ago ¨Cbut now it carried a particular weigh.

    ¡®Welcome¡¯ indeed.

    Headache dissipating little by little, Luca raised a hand to his face, noting the absence of the goggles he¡¯d worn before. His fingers trembled slightly as he scanned his surroundings, his gaze darting around his surroundings. He was crouched behind a white van, its bulk offering him cover. Beyond it, the street stretched out under the glow of ugly streetlights.

    The neighborhood was quite shady, a row of simple houses, six of them, their wooden doors cracked and unglazed windows barred like at the end of the world. Narrow alleys snaked between the properties, and there were a couple of cars scattered in the street. Surrounding this, the skyline was worn out trees and distant mountains. But there was no escape that way.

    Unless, of course, you could pass through the thick, impenetrable wall of fog that sealed off the ends of the street.

    Although he expected something akin to this, living it himself was a whole different level.

    Luca¡¯s pursed his lips. He was lucky, in a way. He had a clear view of the area and some cover to work with. Others weren¡¯t so fortunate. A man lay face down in the middle of the street, still, his body sprawled in front of the house at the other corner, before a red car. Not far from him, a woman stood frozen under a streetlight, her face pale and her eyes wide with terror. She sat there like a statue, far from the excitement she had showed before all this.

    There was no hint of the remaining eight.

    Even as he tried to remain calm, his heartbeat pounded in his ears like a drum. What a headache. This dammed ¡®Technical Test¡¯ was too similar to some old experiences. He forced himself to move slowly, quietly. No sudden movements. No standing up. No running. No screaming. He had one goal here, the same etched on the corner of his vision:

    [Main Task: Survive for 45 minutes]

    Yeah. That.

    The implication was clear, even for someone slow to react. If Pendulum was asking them to survive, it meant something was coming for them.

    As if on cue, a mechanical snarl sliced through the (fake) calm of the night. A sharp, metallic sound. Luca¡¯s eyes snapped to the corner of the street, where the tip of a chainsaw gleamed under the yellow streetlight. Thick, dark liquid dripped from its jagged teeth, pooling on the asphalt below.

    The chainsaw was gripped by a leather¨Cgloved hand. Its belonged to a towering figure¨Ca thing that might, might have once been human. Once. But the same could not be said now. No anymore.

    A dirty brown jacket hung from its broad shoulders, the fabric saturated with dark stains that looked wet under the light. Around its neck hung a makeshift necklace: lumpy, meaty orbs strung together. But ¨Con closer inspection, they weren¡¯t just lumps¨Cthey were human ears. Ah. Trophies.

    No one with more than a finger of common sense would dare to fight that.

    So, hiding is the only way, then, thought Luca, as if he hadn¡¯t been prepared for this the instant he saw where he was. This setting was familiar to him, after all. And that killer ¨CLuca knew about him, even if it had been only on the pages of a web.

    Chainsaw Man stepped into the street, his heavy boots crunching against the gravel. He paused under the streetlight, his head tilting languidly, like a predator catching the scent of its next meal. His face¨Cpartially obscured by a rusted, reddish plastic mask¨Cturned toward the darkness, scanning the street.

    No, Mr. Chainsaw knew exactly what it was doing.

    The hunt had begun.

    From his hiding spot, Luca¡¯s eyes grew sharper as his mind raced. Chainsaw Man hadn¡¯t seen him yet ¨Cand wouldn¡¯t do if he wasn¡¯t careless. But ¨Che glanced at the others: the man still lying motionless in the street, the woman frozen under the streetlight.

    In truth, now it was when what Pendulum needed from the applicants shone. M¨Clevel. Even an additional 0.1 could meant the difference between those who could adapt would understand what needed to be done, and those who weren¡¯t even awake. The former would be taken; the latter, well¡­ they were no enough.

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    Luca pressed his lips together, his mind racing. Chainsaw Man¡¯s footsteps grew strident, each one heavy and deliberate, shaking the ground beneath him. The harsh sound of the chainsaw being dragged against the ground accompanied him. For now, it was still around twenty meters ahead but¡­

    Staying put wasn¡¯t an option.

    Slowly, carefully, Luca backed up to the space between the van and the house¡¯s wall. There was a door near it ¨Cbut before he could even try to reach and open it, a faint sound reached his ears. Someone had locked it. He didn¡¯t dwell on it, and hiding himself better, watched as the massive figure became more and more defined. The necklace of ears swayed with each step, and his eyes seemed to focus only on his prey.

    The frozen woman finally stirred, her body shuddering as if waking from a trance. But it was too late. Chainsaw Man was already closing in, his chainsaw roaring to life with a deafening crackle. The woman¡¯s eyes widened, her mouth opening in a silent scream as the blade came down to her, and raised her hands to cover her face. She couldn¡¯t even try to flee away.

    Luca looked away as the sound of tearing flesh and a spine¨Cchilling scream echoed through the street. Pendulum¡¯s report would surely mark her as ¡°lacking.¡± Their judgment held little sympathy: waking up too slowly was the same as not waking up at all. But then, ¡®dying¡¯ now was better than really losing their lives later. And even if it was a traumatic even, they wouldn¡¯t remember about this later.

    Mmm. It was a bit too sad to suffer such agony for free anyway.

    Well. This was something no one could help. A genetic factor so to speak. Better to use the brief distraction to find a better place to hide.

    [Ten Applicants remain.]

    The message flickered in Luca¡¯s mind, pointing out the end of that poor woman. At least there was one small mercy: this was just a tutorial. No one would die. No losing limbs, or pieces of soul.

    A ripping sound echoed on the night.

    Luca¡¯s mouth twitched. That ¨Cwell. The killer did like his trophies, didn¡¯t him?

    Make sure you don¡¯t end like that.

    Keeping his body low, Luca crept toward his next goal, making his best attempt to melt in the shadows. Chainsaw Man¡¯s back was still turned¨Cfocused on his crafting moment of the day. Good. Now, on his case, the black sedan parker the next house was what he wanted reach. It wasn¡¯t ideal cover¨Csmaller and less concealing than the van¨Cbut it would have to do

    He reached the end and crouched behind it, keeping his breath under control, and peered around the edge. Meters passing the van, Chainsaw Man was occupied, his heavy footsteps echoing as he closed in on the next victim¨Cthe man still lying unconscious in the street.

    The low roar of the chainsaw, idling but ready to act, echoed quietly. Chainsaw Man loomed over the unconscious man, slowly raising the chainsaw. For a moment, it seemed like the end was just like that. But then, in a burst of surprise action, the man twisted violently, rolling aside just as the chainsaw¡¯s bit into the ground where he had been. With a scream, he scrambled to his feet and leapt into the street, passing by the red car.

    Although his prey was ¡®running away¡¯, the killer didn¡¯t chase.

    Instead, the killer let out a laugh¨Ca sound so twisted and animal it made Luca¡¯s skin crawl. He would love to said he had never heard something like this but settled with not wanting to repeat the experience. Because ¨Cthis wasn¡¯t a laugh born from a human throat; it was the sound of something shattered, too sharp and drowned in blood and hunger to be.

    It reverberated through the air, slicing through the silence and slithering into the corners like it was its own home.

    Luca felt it in his bones, a cold, primal fear that made his throat thigh for a splint second.

    To provoke such reaction on him¡­

    Well, he thought, breathing in, so that¡¯s your skill.

    After reaching the thick mist, the man turned back and tried to reach the nearest house. But Chainsaw Man wasn¡¯t done. With a sickening whirr, he yanked the cord of his weapon, and the chainsaw roared to life, its jagged teeth gleaming like freshly spilled blood under the streetlight. Swinging the blade in a wide arc, this motion was all what he needed.

    There was no time to scream for the man. The chainsaw tore into his back with a wet, visceral crunch, slicing through flesh and bone as if they were napkins. Blood erupted in a cherry spray, painting the street and the blade. The man¡¯s body convulsed, his limbs twitching uncontrollably as if his nerves were still trying to flee, before he crumpled to the ground like a discarded puppet.

    [Nine Applicants remain.]

    Chainsaw Man approached the mangled corpse and stood there, his shadow stretching long across the blood¨Csoaked pavement. The chainsaw¡¯s engine idled, its low growl filling the night as he yanked the blade free from the remains, and shook it, scattering blood and flesh as it were a tablecloth with leftovers from the previous meal. Then, he crouched, and took his price.

    Luca looked away for a moment, his stomach twisted with discomfort ¨Csome time had passed since he had faced such carnage. But he couldn¡¯t afford to dwell on it.

    Two had already fallen, and there were still twenty¨Cfive minutes left.

    As the killer occupied himself with picking up his trophies, Luca was able to walk to the door of the house. Slipping inside, even if a big part of him wanted to, he didn¡¯t lock it. Technically, it could buy him enough time to flee ¨Cbut it would bring the killer¡¯s attention to that place.

    The house was ill lit, with only the light only coming from the streetlamps outside. The big wardrobe at end, just in plain sight, drew his attention the moment he slipped in. How convenient, thought Luca, taking a look at the rest of the place. Near him, To the right of the entrance stood a sink and a cabinet tucked into the corner, and beyond that a dining table for two.

    A door stood at the end, less than two meters from the wardrobe.

    Turning around, he took a few cautious steps toward the window and peered out into the street.

    The yellowish streetlights illuminated Chainsaw Man¡¯s hulking form as he turned, his head tilting slowly, like a predator sniffing the air for its next round of food. His gaze lingered on three different points¨Cthree houses, that one, that next one, and¨C

    For a splint second, it felt like those dead¨Clike eyes looked towards his direction.

    Then, with a low, guttural chuckle, Chainsaw Man made his decision and began to move. His heavy boots thundered against the pavement as he resumed his hunt. Each step was deliberate, coldly calculated, and on his gloved¨Chand, the dammed weapon purred.

    Luca¡¯s eyes sharpened, feeling his muscles growing tense.

    Is he coming to¡­?

 Chapter 3 - And this is obviously a Technical Test (2)

    Is he coming to¡­?

    The thought barely formed in Luca¡¯s mind before it was answered. No. Not towards him. Chainsaw Man turned, his heavy boots scraping against the asphalt as he walked toward the house where Luca had first ¡®woken up¡¯.

    Ah. The locked house.

    The killer raised his weapon against the blocked entrance. With a roar, its jagged teeth tore through the door like it was nothing. Wood splintered and exploded inward, the sound echoing through the night. Chainsaw Man stepped inside, his massive frame silhouetted against the dim light spilling from the street, crushing the fragments under his boots.

    Luca stayed crouched by the window, his body pressed against the wall. Then ¨Csomething happened. The door at the back of the house opened, and someone came inside. The person ¨Ca woman, apparently¨C didn¡¯t eve glance around but stumbled straight to the wardrobe, yanking it open and climbing inside.

    At the same time, the noises of destruction came from the house next to them.

    Was ¡®she¡¯ hiding in the hallway and then came inside due the killer? Could be. However ¨Cthat person hadn¡¯t assessed the room, hadn¡¯t looked for better hiding spots or potential threats. Hadn¡¯t even noticed him, when he moved from crunching to standing against the door.

    In their line of work, that kind of oversight was a death sentence.

    Chainsaw Man wouldn¡¯t be fooled for long. And when he realized the house was empty, he¡¯d come back. Luca¡¯s eyes flicked to the wardrobe, then to the door. Well. He couldn¡¯t stay there and wait for death like her. But running away so carelessly wasn¡¯t an option either.

    Options, options.

    A scream resonated outside. Luca¡¯s eyes widened when the back door opened again, this time without any consideration, and then slammed shut. This new person was quite scrawny but had some hidden muscles as he yanked open the wardrobe doors. When he noticed it was occupied, he clenched his teeth and closed it again.

    Luca raised his eyebrows.

    The man¡¯s eyes widened when he saw him next to the door, and a thousand of thoughts seemed to cross his face. With a gesture of his hand, Luca pointed the kitchen cabinet. The message seemed to be get ¨Cbut it was soon clear that he didn¡¯t trust on him. What an expressive fellow.

    No insisting, Luca peered out the window. The street looked empty.

    Thud, thud, thud.

    The footsteps¡­ seemed to come from the other side of the wall. The alley.

    Out of the corner of his eyes, Luca caught the movement of the baby¨Cfaced man, who moved quickly towards the front ¨Cstraight to the kitchen cabinet. Ah. So, he taken the risk. Good for him. It was less obvious than the giant wardrobe just on plain sight of both doors.

    As the man closed the cabinet door Luca¡¯s mind raced. He cracked the door open just the tiniest, and the instant he heard the chainsaw roar to life, he slipped out, closing it softly behind him a split second before the back door exploded, shattered. When the chainsaw deaccelerated and the sound of wood being crushed under a boot reached his ears, Luca finally moved from beyond the entrance.

    Out of sight of the killer, Luca sneaked towards the recent abandoned house. The front door was in splinters, the wood scattered across the entrance like the remains of an explosion. He had to step carefully, avoiding the rubbish, without sacrificing too much speed.

    As he stood inside, the first clear thing was the wardrobe. Open wide but untouched. The back door, however, had been shattered.

    So, that was the noise. No the wardrobe but the door. How interesting.

    Something was slammed open ¨Cand a scream followed it. Luca¡¯s eyes grew sharp, and he reached the kitchen cabinet an instant later. The space was cramped, the stench of dampness wasn¡¯t quit faint, but it was better than being in the open in a house without doors.

    To be able to make easier the noises outside, he didn¡¯t close the door completely.

    The rising pitch as the chainsaw accelerated, followed by a buzzing, even high¨Cpitched whir when it sliced through something, someone shouting and screaming in between¡­

    Well. It was quite clear what was happening.

    [Eight Applicants remain.]

    There you go.

    As the seconds passed, another door shattered in the distance, the sound unmistakable. It should be the front door. Luca stayed quiet and silent, listening. The thud, thud, thud became louder as the killer passed near ¨Cand for a moment, it stopped. He had the feeling it was looking inside this house. But then, the noise grew lower, distant.

    Chainsaw Man had left towards another direction ¨Cprobably attracted for other locked door.

    Seconds later, Luca emerged from the cabinet, careful not to make sound. He peered out from the window above the cabinet, cautiously. The van occupied a big portion of the view, which was both good and bad. However, he still could see Chainsaw Man if he moved and spied from the corner, looking through the window of the house and the window of the van.

    So Mr. Chainsaw was walking towards the house directly across the street.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Luca¡¯s mind flashed back to earlier, when the killer had paused, his head tilting as he surveyed the area. Mmm. He¡¯d looked at that house before choosing this one, where he stood right now. The chances were someone had blocked the door.

    [30 minutes left.]

    As the message flashed in Luca¡¯s mind, more welcome the other kind, the thought about how there was also the small matter of the end appeared on his mind. Although he knew more or less what would happen, he had to find the clues find or it wouldn¡¯t count.

    While Chainsaw Man busied himself again, demolishing another door, Luca seized the opportunity. Slipping toward the back door¨Cor what was left of it; that guy could make a killing in the demolition business if he ever got tired of, well, actual killing¨C Luca suddenly stopped before leaving. His eyes caught something on the floor. A ring handler, barely visible in the light that reached the back.

    A scream pierced the air, sharp and fleeting.

    [Seven Applicants remain.]

    Mr. Chainsaw would be still occupied for a bit more of time.

    Crouching, Luca grabbed the handler and pulled. The floor groaned as a hidden panel shifted, revealing a small, dark space below. The sound of rusty mechanisms grated against his ears, but he didn¡¯t have time to dwell on it. The space was too dark to see clearly, except for a faint glint just within arm¡¯s reach.

    Mmm. It looked like another hiding spot, although he wasn¡¯t so sure he could really fit in there. But that thing¡­

    If this were any other situation¨Cany other place¨CLuca might have hesitated more. But this was the Tutorial. ¡®Risks¡¯ were part of the game. He stretched his hand into the darkness, his fingers brushing against something warm bur foggy. It felt like reaching into the heat of an open oven, but there was nothing solid to grasp.

    [You¡¯ve found a Gem.]

    Luca¡¯s eyes widened. He knew what it meant. Such a precious opportunity was rare, especially on the Tutorial ¨Cthe ¡®Interview¡¯ as they call. He would find what it was later ¨Che hoped it was what he was thinking, please let it be that one¨C but for now, he let the spark of satisfaction on his chest spread through his body. Everyone loved advantages.

    A scream echoed on the night.

    Luca¡¯s eyes grew sharper as he glanced back toward the shattered door. The heavy, predatory footsteps were growing louder again.

    The movement came beyond the door¨Cat the front of the house. His pulse quickened as he carefully closed the trapdoor, trying to muffle the sound. But the rusty hinges betrayed him, letting out a low, grating screech that seemed to scream ¡®I¡¯m here¡¯ in the now¨Cquiet night.

    He kept his breathing under control as heavy footsteps reached his ears.

    Chainsaw Man was nearby.

    Too close.

    He could hide on the trapdoor ¨Cmake more noise, take some risks, right?¨C but he didn¡¯t. Luca slipped out through the shattered back door, stepping into the alley. Half of it was swallowed by darkness and the faint glow of the streetlights spilled onto the pavement, casting a game of shadows over the other half. The silhouette of the killer loomed near the entrance of the house Luca had just left.

    Crouching low, Luca pressed himself against the wall, and walked slowly towards the end as the killer moved inside the house. The heavy footsteps grew louder, accompanied by the noise of a mix of smaller fragments and larger chunks shifting around and breaking underfoot with sharper sounds.

    There were no windows from where none of them could look outside from the house or inside from the alley. Reaching the end, Luca encircled and crunched down, glued to the house, making sure his shadow wouldn¡¯t betray his position.

    Then, he waited.

    Finally, Chainsaw Man appeared on the back door ¨Cit was obvious due the noise of the wood shards under his boots. The shadow stretched to the end of the house. Luca could touch it if he wanted. He settled in simply looking at it, quiet. Very quietly.

    The chainsaw¡¯s idly grow echoed on the alley but the killer didn¡¯t step out. Luca soon heard him inside the house.

    Taking his chances, he slipped in the alley again, taking the way towards the back door. But stayed out until the heard Mr. Chainsaw getting out the house, and peering in, saw a hint of the tainted jacked as the killer left.  He seemed to be heading toward the other end, and he had the feeling it was house at the far corner¨Cone of the spots he¡¯d fixated on earlier.

    After going to the front to look out for the killer confirmed this notion.

    Now he had some time, Luca turned around and fixed his attention in the table. There was a piece of newspaper left there, as a random detail. But in an empty place like this it drew certain attention when you could afford to look over the place. Picking it up, he turned the paper at the light.

    ¡®Brutal Murders Shock Neighborhood: Five Families Slaughtered in One Night¡¯ said the title. The picture under it showed a familiar street of dirty little houses with two cars parked. Not more information could be acquired as the rest of article was blurred.

    There must be in other house¡­

    He let the newspaper on the same spot it had been and turned around, listening. Mr. Chainsaw was still in the other ¡®zone¡¯. Reaching the window, he saw the killer at the other side of the red car, its figure impossible to conceal with such low vehicle.

    Where to go? His eyes flicked to the house next door. The man was still hiding there, wasn¡¯t he? He had no heard anything that contradicted this. Even if not, going there wasn¡¯t an option. Instead, he crossed through the messy entrance and snuck to the white van, using its bulk as cover. The familiar hum of the chainsaw filled the air, followed by the sickening crunch of wood being torn apart. Breaking down another door ¨Cthat guy had his theme.

    Luca¡¯s breathed in, carefully. As Chainsaw Man disappeared into the house, he seized the moment. Darting across the street, quick and silent, he slipped into the house. The entrance was a minefield of splintered wood, but he sorted it quite beautifully, avoiding stepping in the fragments. Well. Almost. But even if he stepped in one, the sound wasn¡¯t so strong as he expected.

    As he stepped inside, a mix of blood and urine hit his throat like a punch. His stomach lurched, and he clamped a hand over his mouth, fighting back the bile rising in his throat. No corpse was immediately visible, but at the far end, where the wardrobe should have been, there was only a mess left of shattered wood, torn fabric, and dark stains pooling on the floor.

    Fuck. He couldn¡¯t say that this was how he expected. Well, not his own reaction at less.

    Pressing his nose into the crook of his sleeve, Luca picked up another newspaper from the table and moved toward the back door ¨Copposite to the ruined wardrobe. There was nothing better than building heat resistance than basking in the sun, right? He crouched low, his eyes scanning the room as he waited, every muscle tense. Ready to sprint off if necessary.

    But, nothing happened. No screams came from where Chainsaw Man was right now. No struggle or the roar of the chainsaw.

    He opened the newspaper and let it on the floor, squinting his eyes. It was the same one than in the other house, but the picture was blurred and the title only had ¡®Brutal Murders¡¯ left. Despite this, there was some information among the rest of the article; 22.30 PM and 23.10 PM.

    The heavy footsteps outside shifted, the crunch of boots on asphalt growing louder.

    Luca tilted his head, listening quietly. It seemed that the killer was coming towards this side of the street ¨Cbut not where was him. He let the newspaper on the floor and pried open the back door. It slid a tiny bit open under the sound of the low rumble of the chainsaw so he didn¡¯t fear about this. Peering out, no coming out, he saw Chainsaw Man walking across the street.

    The killer was heading toward the house at the other corner of the street, the one in front of the red car. Lika a bulldozer, it stepped in the bodies on his way without hesitation, but the noise was barely audible over the low rumble of the engine.

 Chapter 4 - And this is obviously a Technical Test (3)

    Well. It looked like a perfect opportunity to leave.

    Luca slipped out, moving quickly but carefully toward the adjacent house. This wasn¡¯t like the other cases¨Cthere was no direct connection between the two buildings. The other two houses should be ones with the same alley. Well. It didn¡¯t matter. He reached the end, and peered out at the direction where had seen the killer going.

    So, breaking through another door, preoccupied with his own grim business¨Cnot here, thankfully. The way that Luca preferred it.

    Slipping into the next house through the front door¨Cstill intact, its hinges groaning softly as he pushed it open and closed it behind him¨Che took a moment to scan the room. As his back pulsed, he took the moment to stretch, feeling the stiffness in his bones. Even in a younger body, the strain of constant tension and crunching was taking its toll. He wasn¡¯t made to bend down.

    The room was quiet. A newspaper lay sprawled on the table, its edges curled and yellowed. The wardrobe in the corner and the door across the room were untouched. No signs of forced entry, no bloodstains, no chaos. It didn¡¯t seem like the killer had visited this house.

    Luca moved toward the newspaper and picked it up, but before he could do more than take a look at the picture, the footsteps outside of the alley made him stall. The sound was too faint to be from the killer. Another applicant, then. When he looked back at the newspaper, he didn¡¯t found anything important beyond the image.

    He left the newspaper where it was and slid toward the window, crouching low. The low hum of an engine still rumbled from the house diagonal to this one, but the street itself was unnervingly quiet. No movement. No shadows. It made him wonder, if seven people were still alive, where were they?

    Luca turned away from the window, considering hiding in the wardrobe for a while. But a sudden shout cut through the night, sharp and furious.

    ¡°Asshole!¡± a woman¡¯s voice snarled, loud enough to carry across the street and into the houses.

    Luca¡¯s head snapped toward the sound. Through the window, he found the culprit¨Ca woman sprawled on the ground, half on the sidewalk, half in the alley. The killer loomed over her, his silhouette frightening against the dim yellow glow of the streetlights.

    The chainsaw roared to life, its guttural, ominous growl drowning out the frantic footsteps pounding against the asphalt. Someone was running, crossing through the alley next to this house.

    The glint of the chainsaw as it rose coincided with the sound of the back door creaking open. As Luca turned his head, he saw him. A husky, familiar figure slipped inside and bolted straight for the wardrobe. The man barely had time to hide before a high¨Cpitched scream tore through the air¨Conly to be cut off abruptly, leaving a tense, suffocating silence in its wake.

    [Six Applicants remain.]

    How surprising. The boxer had used her as a distraction, sacrificing her to buy himself time.

    Of course he did it. This man ¨CManed Wolf¨C was a parasite. He clung to others, using them as meat shields, sacrificial pawns to extend his own survival. The kind of person who would do anything to stay alive, no matter the cost. The sheer number of lives lost because of him had cemented Maned Wolf as one of Luca¡¯s least favorite characters, and now, it was someone he didn¡¯t want to deal with.

    Luca¡¯s eyes grew colder. Who would¡¯ve thought this man would hand himself over on a silver platter?

    No time to waste. He opened the back door and stepped outside, closing it softly behind him ¨Cand locking it.

    As he slipped back into the house next door, tucked into the corner of the street, the low growl of the chainsaw reached his ears. Faint. Distant. Not close enough to worry about¨Cyet. Instead, he took a moment to survey the room.

    And then he saw it.

    Under the table, half¨Chidden in the shadows, a familiar face stared back at him, framed by a mane of wild curls.

    Ah. It was her.

    There was no reason to exchange words.

    Luca gave the heroine a curt nod and moved toward the table, picking up the newspaper. Tis one was different from the others, it had some clear fragments of the article. Investigators suggest a ¡®blurred¡¯ device could have been used... the hour should be past the 23 pm, reaching the 23.20 before the killer ¡®blurred¡¯¡­ and nothing more.

    Well. This has to be the core of all the ¡®clues¡¯, right?

    [15 minutes left.]

    Only a third of the time was left.

    So, it should be already 11 P.M.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    Luca set the newspaper back on the table and slipped toward the back door, his ears tuned to the sounds coming from the house next door. Soon enough, the unmistakable crash of a door being broken echoed through the night, followed by a heavy impact. Then came the rougher sound of footsteps on the pavement¨Clighter than the killer¡¯s¨Cbefore the heavier, deliberate tread of the chainsaw¨Cwielding maniac followed.

    Luca cracked open the door just enough to peer outside. The boxer was sprinting toward the van, with Mr. Chainsaw trailing behind, though not as close as Luca would¡¯ve expected. The killer¡¯s pace was slower, almost methodical. It reminded him of his old cat. The boxer disappeared behind the van, and the killer followed suit, vanishing from view.

    Frowning, Luca considered the scene for a moment before closing the door softly. His eyes flicked to the curly¨Chaired woman, who was now slipping into the kitchen cabinet. A good choice ¨Cfor now.

    Rising to his feet, Luca stretched his back, feeling the tension in his muscles. He moved to the back door again, opened it silently, and stepped outside, closing it behind him with barely a sound. The cool air, dragging the smell of blood, brushed against his skin as he crouched low and made his way toward the red car parked nearby. Circling the hood, he positioned himself at the corner, his gaze fixed on the van and the house beyond.

    The boxer burst out from the alley, his eyes wide and his mouth open as he bolted toward the van again. This time, the killer was still hot on his heels, chainsaw raised and gleaming under the faint light. Even though the killer was slower, the fact that he hadn¡¯t thrown the chainsaw was curious. Was he enjoying the chase so much?

    The boxer circled the van, his movements desperate, and then sprinted toward the house at the front¨Cthe one adjacent to where the heroine was hiding. If, by some absurd twist of fate, he managed to reach that house and the heroine tried to save him, Luca would probably break into a fit of laughter. And maybe lose half his hair from the sheer ridiculousness of it all.

    The chainsaw¡¯s roar split the air, its mechanical growl drowning out everything else. A scream followed¨Csharp, piercing, and abruptly cut short.

    [Five Applicants remain.]

    Wait. The back door had been locked from the outside.

    What a fucked¨Cup thing fear could be. And did.

    Luca pursed his lips, carefully circling the car until he reached the side of the street. The moment he heard the tearing sound that signaled another ¡°victory,¡± he slipped toward the house at the front. Someone seemed to have just left the building, closing the door behind them. They hadn¡¯t noticed him as he crouched next to the kitchen cabinet, his movements silent and deliberate.

    While the entrance had been torn to shreds, the wardrobe and the back door were untouched. More importantly, something glinted on the floor under the streaming faint light ¨Ca handler of the size of his palm. This was a good sign. It meant he wouldn¡¯t have to go far in the final minutes.

    Clang!

    The sudden noise echoed through the air, closer than before. Someone had crashed into a trash can. Luca¡¯s eyes darted in that direction just as a young man stumbled into the room from the black door. It was the same guy from earlier. This time, the baby¨Cfaced man noticed him, his expression shifting from recognition to caution as his eyes flicked behind Luca¨Ctoward the kitchen cabinet. He glanced at the wardrobe for a moment but seemed to avoid it.

    So, this one was smarter.

    Luca gave him a curt nod and stepped aside, pressing himself against the wall. There was no reason to fight him, not when he had a perfect spot to hide.

    The young man hesitated, shooting him a wary glance before slipping into the kitchen cabinet. Meanwhile, Luca moved toward the back door, next to the trapdoor. The noise outside indicated that Mr. Chainsaw had returned to the street and was heading this way. Without wasting a second, Luca pulled open the trapdoor, feeling a flicker of regret when he found nothing inside. Still, he slipped in, closing it softly above him.

    Was hoping for a second reward too greedy?

    Thud, thud, thud.

    The footsteps grew louder, drowning out the low rumble of the chainsaw. Luca held his breath as the wood above him creaked under the killer¡¯s weight. The sound was suffocating, and the space felt too small, too constricted; his heartbeat spiked as the bear¨Clike man walked directly above him, the wood trembling with every step.

    You¡¯ve grown too soft, he chided himself.

    His fingers clenched the fabric of his jacket, knuckles turning white. He counted the seconds with the vibrations ringing in his ears. Then, the chainsaw¡¯s engine roared to life, its mechanical buzz slicing through the air as the blade cut through something. It felt so close. So, so close like it was cutting through him.

    A low, guttural noise escaped the killer¨Csomething that might have been disappointment if Luca¡¯s Monsterish could be believed. The chainsaw hit the floor with a heavy thump as the killer let it fall, dragging it behind him as he made his way to the front door.

    Crunch... snap¨Ccrackle... scrape¡­

    The sound grew fainter as the killer moved away, his presence receding slowly.

    Only when the noise was distant enough did Luca let out a faint sigh of relief. Gently, he pushed the trapdoor open and peered out. His eyes landed on the wardrobe. Well. Its remains. It hadn¡¯t put up much of a fight, judging by its splintered state. Truly, Luca didn¡¯t know how the chainsaw hadn¡¯t cut through the wooden door¨Cor the trapdoor, for that matter. But the gods he didn¡¯t believe in knew he wasn¡¯t about to complain.

    Emerging from the hidden space, he closed the trapdoor softly behind him. His back ached, perhaps feeling the age of his soul. Slowly, he approached the wall, pressing himself against it as he rose to his full height. He stretched his arms over his head, letting his poor back rest for a moment. A fleeting, but welcome relief.

    Just then, the kitchen cabinet opened.

    The young man whose name he didn¡¯t know stepped out, his expression one of surprise as he saw Luca there. His eyes darted around and then to the floor. It was obvious when he saw the trapdoor. They widened¨Clike a child seeing Santa Claus for the first time. It was such a familiar look that it sent a pang of pain through Luca¡¯s chest.

    Not the time for melancholy and regret now, buddy.

    Shoving the ache into the back of his mind with the easiness of practice, he made his way toward the window. Outside, the dim light of the streetlamps revealed nothing¨Cno hulking figure, no glint of a chainsaw. The killer was nowhere to be seen.

    Luca frowned, his ears straining to pick up the familiar growl of the chainsaw. But the night was eerily quiet, save for the faint sound of footsteps behind him. He turned just in time to see the young man opening the trapdoor, his movements quick and deliberate.

    For a moment, Luca felt a flicker of surprise, though it didn¡¯t last long.

    There goes my plan A, thought him, and then glanced back at the street, squinting.

    Where was Chainsaw Man?

 Chapter 5 -And this is obviously a Technical Test (4)

    Where was Chainsaw Man?

    The answer came almost immediately.

    The killer emerged from the house next door, his massive frame silhouetted against the dim light. He tilted his head, scanning the area like a predator searching for prey. Luca dropped to the floor, his body tense, his mind racing like a comet streaking through the night. He only relaxed when the heavy footsteps began to move away. Risking another glance, he saw Chainsaw Man approaching the last house on that side of the street¨Cthe only one left with an intact front door.

    But not for long.

    With a single swing of his chainsaw, the killer tore the door apart, the sound a deafening roar that could¡¯ve woken the dead bodies scattered across the street. And¨Cmost importantly¨Cthe action was quicker than before. Far quicker.

    [6 minutes left.]

    Ah. Right.

    Now that his Plan A was out the window, it was time to leave the house. Luca glanced toward the other houses he knew had trapdoors, but he hesitated. Time was running out, and it wouldn¡¯t work if someone else was already inside. He did want to pass ¨Cwould pass¨C but no through such means. It seemed there was no other option but to go with Plan D.

    The noise of destruction from the corner told him the killer was occupied for now. Seizing the moment, Luca slipped out of the house, careful to not attract attention at that last moment, and crossed the street. The dead body of the betrayed woman lay less than two meters from the entrance¨Cbut it was nothing compared to how close the man¡¯s corpse was to his goal.

    Even though they weren¡¯t really dead¨Cthis was all a simulation, after all¨CLuca felt a pang of unease as he stepped next to the bodies. He crouched next to the hood of the red car, then dragged himself underneath it. The stench was overwhelming, a mix of oil, rust, and something far worse. The shadow cast by the car¡¯s bulk provided some cover, and the ¡®barrier¡¯ at the side worked. The smell was a minor price to pay, right?

    He stayed quiet, his breathing shallow, as Chainsaw Man emerged from the house. From there, he could only see a fragment of his body ¨Cbut it was better than nothing. Luca frowned when the streetlamps on his side flickered. Soon, the remaining five followed suit, their light sputtering and dying one by one.

    The killer didn¡¯t pause. Luca watched as he reached the van, yanked open the barn door, and then¨C

    The streetlamps exploded.

    [5 minutes left.]

    As the message ran on his mind, someone screamed under the engulfing darkness. Surprised. Surely terrified. Most importantly ¨Ca bit too fucking close to him.

    The killer didn¡¯t stop hunting. Of course not. How would he? If this was a situation of his design.

    The chainsaw¡¯s blade dragged across the ground, its low rumble cutting through the silence. The heavy footsteps, the growl of the engine¨Cthey were the only ways to track the man now. The lack of vision seemed to heighten Luca¡¯s other senses, sharpening his hearing and amplifying the stench that clung to the air. It was almost unbearable, but he forced himself to stay still. Silent.

    Counting the seconds inwardly, Luca waited. And waited.

    Mr. Chainsaw didn¡¯t come straight to here, where the scream had sounded. The killer toured the houses. The noises of his destruction grew distant and then closer as he approached the direction of Luca¡¯s hiding spot. The killer stomped on wood shards, crushing them under his heavy boots, and trashed something in his path. But amidst the echoes of destruction there was something different.

    A faint, lighter sound reached Luca¡¯s ears. He tilted his head, straining to listen. It came from the alley¨Cright next to the car. There was the person who had scream before. And ¨Chis eyes widened as it became clear that they were crawling on the ground toward him. No, wait. Toward the car.

    Luca pressed his lips together in displeasure. Come on.

    The person circled the vehicle and stopped at the level of the hood. Were they really thinking the killer wouldn¡¯t see them there?

    Wood crunched under the killer¡¯s boots, and the chainsaw scraped against the concrete as it was dragged along the sidewalk. The noise grew louder. Closer. Someone swallowed audibly, their fear palpable even in the darkness.

    As the killer reached the end of the alley, it became clear that the applicant wasn¡¯t going to move anywhere. At any other time, in any other situation, their persistence might have led to survival. But not here. Not now.

    Luca pressed his forehead against his sleeve, covering one ear with the fabric to muffle the inevitable blast of the chainsaw¡¯s engine.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    Fuck. He ended covering his other ear for pure instinct, encircling his head with his arms, and pressing them against his jacket and skin. If Pendulum didn¡¯t cover ear damage, he¡¯d resort to becoming a pyromaniac and dancing on the ashes of their damned island.

    The sharp rumble of the engine didn¡¯t last long. Neither the scream. It barely had time to escape the person¡¯s throat before they were silenced. Luca couldn¡¯t see how it happened, but he could hear it¨Cthe sickening sound of the blade cutting through something soft, then something harder. A crackle. A thud.

    [Four Applicants remain.]

    The body slumped to the ground.

    For a moment, the only sound was the echo of the message and the thud ringing in Luca¡¯s ears.

    Then Chainsaw Man stepped onto the street, passing over his recent victim without a second glance. Was him following a pattern? It seemed so, as he moved toward the front house, passing by the car without stopping. Which was great for him. Really. Even if it meant he was now surrounded by two corpses.

    Looking on the bright side, it meant double protection.

    Yay.

    Now would be the perfect time to lose his sense of smell.

    As Mr. Chainsaw stomped into the house, faint footsteps reached Luca¡¯s ears from the direction the killer had just left. Someone must have read the newspapers besides the heroine, right? Someone had to know that the darkness wasn¡¯t an opportunity for them. Right? Right.

    Something crashed in the distance, accompanied by a scream. The alley on the right side¨Cthe same one where the killer had been lurking. But with such chaos, how could nothing happen?

    Thud, thud, thud.

    The heavy footsteps returned, followed by the crunch of wood shards and the sound of something¨Cor someone¨Cbeing crushed. Then, the chainsaw roared to life again.

    Lady Luck made her capricious appearance¨Cand nothing happened.

    No death notice.

    [30 seconds left.]

    Time had fled in those last minutes. Luca was sure that wasn¡¯t normal, but he wasn¡¯t about to complain. Someone else, however, clearly was. The killer let out a guttural roar that pierced the night sharper than his own blade. The chainsaw¡¯s engine revved violently, and then the heavy footsteps stomped away¨Ctoward the other side of the street.

    Glass shattered. Once. Twice. Then three times. Four.

    If the lights were lit, the scene would be surely a show about wreckage and limitless violence.

    He recalled the picture he¡¯d seen earlier. The cars had looked trashed, their windows all broken. When he¡¯d thought about hiding under one, the only thing that mattered was that they were present in that image. Now, as the killer¡¯s rampage continued, he stretched himself flat under the car, pressing as close to the ground as possible.

    The footsteps grew louder, someone crunched under the killer¡¯s boots, and the chainsaw¡¯s engine roared like a beast. It happened quickly, without pause. Glass shattered above his head, shards raining down onto the pavement next to the sidewalk.

    Luca counted the last seconds, tense as a string.

    Five.

    Glass shards clinked against the ground, scattering like shards.

    Four.

    The killer stomped on the body to Luca¡¯s right, the sickening crunch of bone and flesh muffled by the sound of more windows breaking.

    Three.

    Chainsaw Man turned, his heavy boots scraping against the asphalt as he moved toward the van.

    Two.

    There was a loud impact¨Clike something massive crashing against metal¨Cfollowed by the slam of a door.

    One.

    Light flashed in the middle of the street, blinding and sudden. The van¡¯s engine roared to life, tires screeching as it accelerated into the darkness.

    [Main Task ¡°Survive 45 minutes¡± has finished.]

    Fucking hell.

    [Congratulations, you¡¯ve survived.]

    The words flashed in Luca¡¯s mind before all his senses blurred together, twisting and pulling him into unconsciousness.

    For an unknown stretch of time, the world was nothing but white¨Can endless void that stretched in every direction he could look at. It was as if Luca was suspended in nothingness, frozen in a stupor after the last overwhelming second he could remember.

    Then, just as he began to regain his mental clarity a blue screen materialized in front of him. Black letters started to appear ¨Cin plain English, at first sight. But anyone would think otherwise.

    [Congratulations, Mr. Olson.]

    [You¡¯ve fulfilled the E¨Crank mission ¡®Survive for 30 Minutes¡¯ inside the 1¨Cstar world ¡®Red Night.¡¯ Reward: 7. Mission Points. Performance marked as ¡®Excellent.¡¯ Reward multiplier: x5. Total: 35.]

    [You¡¯ve fulfilled the F¨Crank Hidden Task ¡®The Killer Design¡¯ inside the 1¨Cstar world ¡®Red Night.¡¯ Reward: 2 Mission Points. Performance marked as ¡®Good.¡¯ Reward multiplier: x3. Total: 6.]

    [Total Mission Points: 41. |EXP granted: 500 EXP.]

    [You¡¯ve obtained the following achievement: [Unseen]. Corresponding Trait granted: Stealthy.]

    [You¡¯ve obtained a [Gem]. Inside, the Perk: Night Vision has been discovered.]

    [Current Mystery Level: 0.9 (Normal: <1.1).]

    [Your evaluation has finished. Score: 97% (High).]

    His attention focused on the middle of the screen. [Unseen] meant that no enemy had seen him along all the round ¨Ccrunching had given him good results, thank you, my poor back¨C, so it wasn¡¯t a surprise to get ¡®Stealthy¡¯. It was a good starting one, especially when it was impossible to confront or defeat your opponents in a fight like on the early times.

    That Perk, on other hand¡­ Night Vision wasn¡¯t so rare as Self¨CHealing or Fire Breath but the fact that had emerged on the Tutorial was. Besides, the combination of Stealth and Night Vision pointed him toward an obvious path¨Cone that didn¡¯t bother him too much, that¡¯s right, but even so. He didn¡¯t want to be the design of anyone, be an alien AI¡¯s or a cosmic horror god lurking on the shadows.

    This job was like a visit to the park, uh? Sadly, even if he wanted to leave, it would be impossible to send a resignation letter. Only thinking about it sent a wave of chills through his soul.

    Why had he had signed that contract?

    Ah, right. The rewards¡­ that was what mattered. That was what made it worth it.

    Like the 41 Mission Points! If Pendulum followed their little routine of ¡®thrown them money so they are willing to thrown their lives¡¯, then they would give him around 40 bucks in real¨Cworld currency. This amount equaled a whole year of salary, scraped together from three part¨Ctime jobs and weekend gigs. And this was just the Interview!

    And all he¡¯d had to do was crouch for forty¨Cthree and a half minutes, spend the last five next to a couple of corpses, nearly going deaf, and wishing he¡¯d been born without a sense of smell.

    For 41k?

    Sign me up for the next war.

 Chapter 6 - Results (most importantly, rewards)

    Luca barely had time to blink¡ªcould he blink? Wasn¡¯t he just slumped with his eyes closed, floating unconscious?¡ªbefore an explosion of white light engulfed him, leaving him disoriented and far from fine. As he found himself coming back to his body, colors began to bleed into his vision, undefined shapes at first.

    His eyes struggled to adjust to the sudden shift, and at the same time, he became aware of the itch in his eyes¨Can irritating sensation that made him rub them. Only when he finally lowered his hands, relieved that he didn¡¯t feel like clawing his eyes out anymore, did he take in his surroundings.

    He was in the same place they¡¯d been before¨Cthe white walls, the large table in the center. But now, only three other people were slumped over the table, their faces pressed against the polished surface. The curly¨Chaired woman, a black man, and the baby¨Cfaced man. Applicants. No¨Csurvivors, like him.

    Luca¡¯s gaze lingered on the woman. At least I¡¯m sure one of my coworkers won¡¯t be a problem.

    That was rarer than one might think.

    As he glanced around, his mind worked through the information he¡¯d seen before waking up, now with a clearer sense of focus. Most of it aligned with his expectations¨Cexcept for the Mystery Level. He¡¯d anticipated something higher, given some personal circumstances, but 0.9 wasn¡¯t bad. Fewer questions, fewer complications.

    Except for the 97%.

    Let her have a 97.1%, he thought. His gaze lingered briefly at the mop of curly hair before drifting to the door.

    It was closed, likely locked from the outside if he had to guess. But the wall to his left was floor¨Cto¨Cceiling glass, offering a breathtaking view of a cloudless blue sky. They couldn¡¯t have lost the entire morning, then. At least, he hadn¡¯t. The others, however, looked like they were still deep in whatever dream¨Cor nightmare¨Cstill held them. How curious.

    ¡°Good evening, Mr. Olson.¡±

    The voice came from a speaker in the corner of the room, crisp and professional. Luca turned his head toward it and gave a curt nod.

    ¡°Please wait for Lady Boss. She¡¯ll give you an explanation about the Interview,¡± the voice continued, a hint of amusement creeping into her tone. ¡°It¡¯s been a lot, hasn¡¯t it?¡±

    Luca¡¯s mouth twitched, the ghost of a smirk playing on his lips. He raised his hand and made a so¨Cso gesture.

    ¡°Oh? That¡¯s great, then,¡± the voice replied, softer now. Almost conspiratorial. ¡°You¡¯ll do well in this job.¡±

    Before Luca could respond, the sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway, growing louder as they approached the door. The conversation was over.

    ¡°Hello again,¡± Miss Santos greeted as she stepped into the room, her professional smile polished to a blinding sheen. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re already awake. The others should be stirring soon, so let me get the presentation ready.¡±

    Luca gave her a curt nod, his expression unreadable. He did notice the slightly out¨Cof¨Cplace locks in her golden hair and the faint lack of breath in her greeting¨Cbut there was no reason to point that out, of course. Instead, he looked at the ¡®sleepy beauties¡¯ and noticed they were starting to show signs of life.

    Their eyes fluttered open¨Conly to snap shut again as they groaned and shielded their faces from the light. It seemed Luca wasn¡¯t the only one who¡¯d felt the lingering effects of that blinding explosion. Which, truth be told, was it really necessary?

    ¡°Welcome back,¡± Miss Santos called out, her voice flying over the groggy murmurs. She stood at the head of the table, tall and glamorous, her notebook resting neatly in front of her. With a flick of her hand, a screen illuminated the wall behind her. ¡°Congratulations, everyone. You¡¯ve all done exceptionally well. I¡¯m sure you have questions¨C¡±

    ¡°What kind of job is this?¡± The youngest-looking of the group interrupted, his voice sharp with frustration. He was still slumped in his chair, his brow furrowed. ¡°There was nothing about this in the job posting. Nothing about¨Cabout whatever the hell we just went through.¡±

    Miss Santos smiled, unflappable. ¡°No, I suppose the posting was rather light on details,¡± she conceded smoothly. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. Everything will become clear shortly.¡±

    The presentation began, the word MYSTERIES appearing at the top of the screen in bold, imposing letters. Below it, a question materialized: ¡®What are they?¡¯

    ¡°In our line of work,¡± Miss Santos began, her tone measured. Deliberate, ¡°we refer to ¡®Mysteries¡¯ as fragments of self¨Ccontained worlds¨Crealities not unlike the one you experienced over the past few hours. The founders of Pendulum have been dealing with these phenomena since the company¡¯s inception, though it was only about a century ago that they formalized their efforts. That¡¯s when they began to see these Mysteries not as anomalies, but as opportunities.¡±

    She gestured to the screen, where a series of images flashed into view.

    ¡°You¡¯ll likely recognize some of these products¨CMilky Way, our flagship satellite network, the most secure and comprehensive in existence; Harmony, our revolutionary beauty treatment that transforms you at the cellular level; and, of course, Panacea, our medical marvel capable of restoring a body from 94% damage to full health.¡±

    She paused, letting the weight of her words sink in.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ¡°By now, you¡¯ve likely connected the dots. Pendulum¡¯s unparalleled success¡ªour dominance across every industry¡ªstems from our access to worlds no one else can reach. These Mysteries are the foundation of everything we do.¡±

    The screen shifted again, revealing a new question: ¡®What are we meant to do about this?¡¯

    ¡°In short,¡± Miss Santos continued, her smile widening, ¡°this is about your job.¡±

    The title ¡®COLLECTORS¡¯ appeared in bold, stark letters.

    ¡°Pendulum is built on three pillars: Collectors, Scientists, and Engineers. Collectors are the first link in the chain¨Cthe ones who venture into these Mysteries to gather data. Scientists analyze that data, and Engineers turn it into groundbreaking products. It¡¯s a seamless collaboration, but make no mistake: your role as Collectors is the most hazardous. And if you rise through the ranks, the challenges will only increase. Death will be a kind end at the time when even your soul is at risk.¡±

    Her voice softened. Inspiring. ¡°But you¡¯ll also experience realities no one else can imagine. Are they dangerous? Absolutely. Are they horrifying? Often. Are they beyond human comprehension? Sometimes. But aren¡¯t they extraordinary? Will your heart race and your breath catch as if you¡¯re on the most thrilling roller coaster of your life? Without a doubt. And if you¡¯ve paid attention at your evaluation, you¡¯ll see there¡¯s a lot to find about the system. Who knows? One day, you may even trespass the barrier of humanity.¡±

    She then smiled. ¡°And let¡¯s not overlook the current benefits. Collectors enjoy a payment system that rewards even average performance with a three¨Cdigit monthly salary. That¡¯s not to mention the medical coverage, gourmet meals, and recreational perks. You¡¯ll risk your lives inside nightmares, that¡¯s true ¨Cbut you¡¯ll enjoy a dream the rest of the time.¡±

    The screen went dark.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough information for now, don¡¯t you think?¡± Miss Santos said, her smile unwavering. ¡°The rest will be explained during your flight to our Core HQ¨CIsland G¨Czilla. You¡¯ll have three days to settle your affairs and gather your belongings. Pendulum¡¯s Legal Department will be at your disposal should you need assistance.¡±

    For a moment, the room was silent, the weight of her words hanging in the air.

    Then, the black man at the table leaned forward, his expression a mix of disbelief and incredulity. ¡°Excuse me, Miss Santos,¡± he began, his voice tinged with skepticism, ¡°but are you for real? This¨Cthis whole thing? It¡¯s not some elaborate prank, is it? Because this sounds¡­ insane.¡±

    Miss Santos remained silent for a moment, her gaze fixed on the man. Her expression was unreadable, a mask of blank professionalism. Finally, she tilted her head slightly and said, ¡°How strange.¡± She turned toward the camera mounted in the corner of the room. ¡°Control, analyze Applicant 023042¡¯s results. What¡¯s his mark?¡±

    The man blinked, his incredulity deepening. ¡°Hey, come on, you can¡¯t seriously be buying into all this¨C¡± He turned to the others, his expression screaming ¡®Are you kidding me?¡¯ as if hoping someone would back him up.

    Miss Santos ignored him, her focus unwavering.

    The woman who had spoken earlier¨Cthe one who had seemed so shaken¨Cfrowned, her voice trembling slightly. ¡°Do you¡­ really have doubts?¡± she asked, her worry palpable. ¡°I mean, I¨CI know it¡¯s all strange, but¨C¡± She bit her lip, her hands fidgeting in her lap.

    ¡°This is real,¡± Luca said, his voice calm but firm, cutting through the tension like a knife.

    The woman nodded emphatically, her eyes wide. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s real.¡±

    The youngest of the group leaned back in his chair, a sneer curling his lips. ¡°You don¡¯t actually think Pendulum has so much money and so little to do that they¡¯d waste time pulling pranks on people, do you?¡± His tone was dripping with condescension.

    Luca¡¯s eyes flickered to him for an instant, hiding his surprise. Don¡¯t tell me this guy is¡­ Ah. He should have been noticed the moment he saw his face. Luckily, there¡¯s still you, he thought, barely suppressing the instinct to glance at the curly¨Chaired woman for an instant.

    He didn¡¯t ask for much. Only coworkers that didn¡¯t put their feet next to his, and sent him stumbling into a monster¡¯s mouth. The rest didn¡¯t matter. Much. Not against the weight of the sweet promise of zero debt (which meant no black plastic bag and cement shoes on his future).

    After a couple of seconds of silence, the man -Webb¨Clet out a long, exasperated sigh, his shoulders slumping. ¡°You¡¯re all fucking nuts,¡± he muttered, running a hand over his face. ¡°I should¡¯ve gone to that interview in Mosko like my grandma told me.¡±

    At that moment, the same voice that had spoken to Luca earlier crackled through the room. ¡°Sorry, Mari¨CMiss Santos,¡± the voice said, hesitating. ¡°Applicant 023042¡¯s mark is 61% but his M¨Cvalue is of¡­ 0.1. He¨Che shouldn¡¯t have passed. I don¡¯t understand how this happened.¡±

    Miss Santos sighed, her expression softening into one of mild disappointment. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Accidents happen.¡± She turned back to Mr. Webb, her tone polite but firm. ¡°Well, this is a bit awkward for us, Mr. Webb, but it seems there¡¯s been a mistake. You don¡¯t meet the necessary requirements for this position. But don¡¯t worry¨Cyou won¡¯t have any trouble forgetting this little matter.¡±

    Her words were delivered with a smile, but the underlying implication was anything but reassuring.

    Mr. Webb¡¯s eyes widened, his hands rising defensively. ¡°Wait, hold on¨CI don¡¯t want any trouble, alright? I know how to keep my mouth shut. You don¡¯t have to¨C¡±

    Luca suppressed his amusement and half-empathy at the man¡¯s obvious panic. If Webb didn¡¯t know about the ¡°side effects¡± of the contract they¡¯d all signed earlier, his reaction was understandable. Poor man.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Webb,¡± Miss Santos said, her voice smooth but firm. ¡°You won¡¯t be harmed. In fact, we have other opportunities that might suit you. Shamaila?¡±

    As in clue, a woman appeared at the door, her face framed by a colorful headscarf. She had a gentle, approachable demeanor, and her smile was warm as she stepped into the room. ¡°Yes, Miss Santos?¡±

    ¡°Please accompany Mr. Webb to your office and discuss the other offers we have available.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Shamaila said, turning to Mr. Webb with a kind smile. ¡°Please, come with me.¡±

    Mr. Webb hesitated, his eyes darting between Shamaila and the others in the room. For a moment, it seemed like he might argue, but then he exhaled sharply and stood. ¡°Fine. Whatever.¡±

    As the other man followed the woman out of the room, Miss Santos turned back to the remaining three. ¡°Well, now that that¡¯s been resolved,¡± she said, her tone businesslike, ¡°I¡¯ll let you go. You¡¯ll receive your performance results from the Technical Test. And, of course, your payment.¡± She smiled pleasantly. ¡°It will depend on your results, so I hope you did well.¡±

    It seemed like she hadn¡¯t thrown a big enough hook, so she added, ¡°As an Intern, you may calculate 1k for each mission point.¡±

    ¡°1k?! For each point?¡± The young man leaned forward in his chair, his emotional outburst betraying his excitement. His eyes were wide, his voice tinged with disbelief. Then, realizing his reaction, he cleared his throat, and pretended it had no happened, his shoulders tense.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Miss Santos replied, her smile widening just enough to be polite but not enough to show her teeth. She gently pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. ¡°While you remain at Rank 1, or Intern, you¡¯ll receive that equivalent amount.¡±

    She let the words settle for a moment before finishing. ¡°Please stay tuned for further communication.¡±

    Glancing around, even after catching the slightest hint of hesitation, Luca knew no one had thought to run for the hills.

    Money.

    A trap more dangerous than honey.

 Chapter 7 - Good news (mostly)

    It was still 5 p.m. when the meeting ended and each one left for separate ways, so instead of heading back to his apartment, Luca chose to follow a different path.

    The building was closer to the hospital than his own place, so visiting now made sense He wasn¡¯t sure if he¡¯d have time in the coming days. Besides packing his suitcase and paying his rent for the next three months, he needed to give Victor a heads-up¡ªmost importantly, he needed to pay the man before his hunter dogs came after him. The sooner, the better.

    As he left Pendulum¡¯s building and stepped onto the street, the buzzing city enveloped him. Skyscrapers loomed overhead, their glass facades reflecting the golden light of the setting sun. Giant LED displays flashed advertisements, and the sidewalks were crowded with people rushing home from work. Luca navigated the chaos with practiced ease, making his way toward the bus stop.

    His pocket vibrated, reminding him of the existence of his phone. Sometimes, he still forgot about it¨Ceven after two years. Maybe it was just his innate disdain for the thing.

    The name on the screen made him press the button to answer. After all, he had good news.

    ¡°Oi, bastard,¡¯ the voice crackled through the phone, ¡®have you seen what day it is?¡¯

    ¡°Hello, Robert, how are you? I¡¯m well, quite happy, thanks for asking¨C¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t start,¡± the other man hissed. Luca could easily picture the shaggy, lanky man pinching the bridge of his nose, his expression a mix of frustration and exhaustion. ¡°Do. You. Have. The. Money?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Luca answered, his tone bored as he reached the bus stop. A handful of people were already waiting, their eyes glued to their phones or staring blankly into the distance.

    ¡°Hear me out, I don¡¯t care if your brother¨C¡±

    ¡°I told you,¡± Luca cut him off, his voice cold. The old woman next to him gave him a wary glance, and he softened his expression, stepping aside to give her more space. ¡°I have the money.¡±

    ¡°¡­You have the money,¡± Robert repeated slowly, as if he couldn¡¯t quite believe it.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Luca sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll send it to you in a couple of hours.¡±

    ¡°¡­What the fuck do you do?¡± Robert asked, his tone not curious but tired. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s about that cartel¨C¡±

    Luca snorted. ¡°I¡¯m not insane.¡± Well, not insane enough to get involved in something illegal, at least. ¡°Tell Victor I¡¯ll call him later. The money will be in your account the moment I get it from my new job.¡± Then he hung up.

    Pocketing his phone, Luca glanced at the sky, his thoughts drifting. Luckily, the bus arrived before he could dwell too long. He boarded, finding a seat near the back. It was rush hour, and the bus quickly filled with commuters, their tired faces illuminated by the glow of their phones. Luca ignored his, even when he felt it vibrate in his jacket, and closed his eyes for a moment.

    Only minutes later, he left his seat to an elderly woman and stood up near the back door, gripping the overhead rail as the bus lurched forward. Through the window, the city buzzed with life. The screens mounted on the sides of buildings flashed advertisements, their bright colors and bold text impossible to ignore. Of course, most of them were for Pendulum¡¯s latest products.

    Luca¡¯s eyes lingered on one ad in particular¡ªa view of their newest breakthrough in genetic engineering. This time, it was a cancer treatment, a genetic surgery solution. No surprise there. Pendulum had already solved half of the genetic disorders discovered in the last two decades. It was only a matter of time before they jumped to this monumental train.

    But that was just one of their projects. Pendulum¡¯s reach was everywhere¨Cmedicine, technology, even entertainment. A shame then, that even with their current list of discoveries, none of this was useful for his brother.

    Luca shook his head, pushing the thoughts aside as his stop approached. He stepped off the bus and into the bustling street, the hospital looming ahead. It was a modern structure with dark glass walls and a neat row of squared bushes lined the entrance. He walked through the automatic doors, the sterile scent of antiseptic already so familiar to him.

    The nurse at the front desk looked up as he approached, her face breaking into a warm smile. She could recognize him at first glance, having grown accustomed to seeing him almost all the days.

    ¡°Good evening, Luca,¡± she said, her tone kind. ¡°Go on ahead. He¡¯s waiting for you.¡±

    Luca nodded, offering a small smile in return, and made his way down the familiar hallways without another word.

    Two years already, he thought, his footsteps echoing softly as he reached the last and emptiest area of the hospital. Only a few nurses walked around, busy with their work, and an old woman who entered before him. He knew her. Melissa Thompson. She had one of her sisters interned here ¨Ca stroke, sadly. And although she had the money to pay the ¡®waking up¡¯ pill, she was quite afraid of all the ¡®advances¡¯ outside the small world she knew.

    Meters from Melissa¡¯s sister room was his own destination.

    He paused outside the familiar door, took a deep breath, and stepped inside.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    His little brother, Shawn, lay still in the hospital bed, his face pale but peaceful. The rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor filled the room. Yes. Shawn was still here, still fighting. Like expected from that brat.

    ¡°Hey, Shawn,¡± Luca said softly, pulling up a chair and sitting beside the bed. He reached for his brother¡¯s hand, his fingers brushing against the cool skin. The nurse had told him too many times that even if they didn¡¯t look like it, the patients could hear and feel everything around them. And Shawn had been a small limpet that grew up and became a tactile guy. He didn¡¯t think that the little brother in front of him could be so different.

    He swallowed. ¡°I¡¯ve got some great news. I landed a new job¨Cfull¨Ctime, at the number one company in the world. Gonna make a load of money with my skin on the line.¡± His mouth twitched. ¡°Not bad for a guy without a degree, huh?¡±

    Shawn didn¡¯t respond, but Luca hadn¡¯t expected him to.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be tough for me to visit as often as I used to,¡± he continued. ¡°But you¡¯re in good hands here. You just focus on waking up, buddy. We¡¯ll have so much to catch up on when you wake up. You just cannot imagine.¡±

    He squeezed Shawn¡¯s hand gently, his eyes drifting to the heart monitor and then to the small bouquet of flowers on the windowsill. They were quite messy, with only one of ten still intact, as if they had passed through a hurricane. Luca¡¯s expression softened. ¡°Your friends came by again,¡± he said. ¡°They¡¯re still counting on you to win the championship. Don¡¯t let them grow old and grumpy.¡±

    He stayed a while longer, filling the silence with stories and updates. When it was time to leave, he stood slowly, letting his hand go little by little. Shaking his head, he let out a small sigh.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you later,¡± he said, though the words felt heavy on his tongue. He didn¡¯t know when he¡¯d be back.

    (He didn¡¯t know if he¡¯d ever be back.)

    On his way out, he stopped by the nurse¡¯s station. Miss Linda, a kind middle¨Caged woman who had been with Shawn since the beginning, looked up from her paperwork and smiled.

    ¡°Please keep taking good care of him.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Luca,¡± she replied, her tone warm and reassuring. ¡°You take care of yourself too, alright?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡±

    The words didn¡¯t taste like a lie as they left his mouth ¨Che would take good care of himself, after all.

    It was already evening when he left, straight to his small apartment at the other side of the city.

    There was packing to do, after all. And another call to make.

    <hr>

    ¡°Did you figure out what happened¡­?¡± Teresa asked, flipping through the folders scattered across the desk.

    Barbara sighed, leaning back in her chair. ¡°A stroke of luck, that¡¯s what. The guy spawned in the alley, woke up just as the killer was in one of the houses next to him¨Cbefore the ten¨Cminute mark. I think Miss Mariposa¡¯s going to push for changing the time limits to avoid these kinds of flukes.¡±

    ¡°Even so, a 0.1 Mystery rating is painfully low,¡± Teresa murmured, her brow furrowing. Then her expression brightened as she pulled out another file. ¡°Oh, look¨Ca really good one. 94%. Applicant 023452, Samantha Jill. Delta ¡®L¡¯ is going to be thrilled.¡±

    ¡°Did they already sorted out¡­?¡± Barbara asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°I thought they¨C¡±

    ¡°Shh. You don¡¯t hear this from me, but Lady Boss got a call from HQ¨Czilla. Yesterday at night.¡± Teresa whispered, giving her a look. ¡°So, yes, it has been already sorted out. Delta¨CL gets her.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Let¡¯s hope she lasts.¡±

    Teresa hummed in agreement, though her mind filled in the unspoken words. With a bit of luck, she¡¯ll make it through the week.

    ¡°Oh? 78%? Not bad,¡± Teresa continued, scanning another file. ¡°Timothy Reeds. Only 21 years old. Pretty young.¡±

    ¡°The oldest one was from the last batch,¡± Barbara remarked, tapping her pen against the desk. ¡°What was he, 49? If I remember correctly. Which is a yes.¡±

    Teresa nodded absently. ¡°We need more talent,¡± she muttered, frustration creeping into her voice. ¡°And still, so few people pass¡­ Genetics are tough.¡± She paused, her eyes widening as she picked up another folder. Her mouth curled up into a smile. ¡°Ha. Look at this,¡± she passed the paper towards her, and saw the moment Barbara caught the number. ¡°Yes, I know, this is like a fucking pink unicorn. It is from the guy who woke up first.¡±

    ¡°Sorted out?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Delta ¡®M¡¯, of course.¡± She set the folder down with a smile. ¡°What do you have from the other branches?¡±

    Barbara scanned her notes. ¡°A 59%, a 54%, and¡­ I think there¡¯s a 62% in there somewhere. Not so bad.¡±

    ¡°Last month was worse. We got only a good one ¨Cand well, you know what happened,¡± she made a face.

    ¡°Initial scores don¡¯t mean much in the long run, though,¡± Barbara pointed out, frowning. ¡°How many of them fail their first mission?¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t start,¡± Teresa groaned, waving a hand dismissively. ¡°Let me have a little hope this time.¡±

    Barbara snorted, muttering something about ¡°the last thing she lost.¡± Teresa didn¡¯t take it personally. She was right, anyway. How much of those shining unicorns had turned into dead horses the first time their life was in the line? Too many to count.

    Perhaps this time will be different, Teresa thought, though she kept the sentiment to herself.

    The door swung open, and Williams strode in, closing it behind him with a sharp click. ¡°Alright, spill it¨Cwhat¡¯s got Lady Boss in such a foul mood?¡±

    The two women exchanged a glance. ¡°One of the participants with a 0.1 rating got lucky and ¡®passed,¡¯¡± Teresa explained. ¡°Didn¡¯t believe a word of it. Thought it was all a joke¨Cyou know, like back in the old days.¡±

    ¡°Oh, man,¡± Williams muttered, his face twisting in sympathy. ¡°What a mess. But that can¡¯t be enough to have her brooding in her office. She even took off her glasses. She hasn¡¯t done that since¡­ what, three months ago? After the whole¡­¡± He mimed a beast devouring someone with his hands.

    Teresa shrugged. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know anything more than that. Barbs?¡±

    Barbara shook her head, then frowned, as if remembering something. ¡°Wait¨CI think I overheard something while grabbing coffee. Something about the latest product in the red branch. They¡¯re missing something¡­?¡±

    Teresa¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me they need more data¡­?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re using the Mystery about¨C¡± Williams started, then abruptly cut himself off, sighing heavily. ¡°Damn it. The new recruits are going to be thrown into the dino pit as soon as they arrive, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    Teresa slumped back in her chair,

    ¡°Maybe¡­ they¡¯ll be okay,¡± Barbara offered, though her voice wavered with doubt.

    Teresa stared blankly into the distance, her expression hollow. ¡°My poor shinnys¡­¡± she murmured. ¡°What a shame.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t fret,¡± Williams said, trying to sound encouraging. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll take care of them. The specialists can step in if the situation gets bad enough.¡±

    Yeah, they can, Teresa thought, closing her eyes. But when was the last time they actually did that? They were so few that they were put on satin pillows until it was time to throw them into the pits. Which were not 1¨Cstar worlds.

    She sighed, leaning forward and resting her elbows on the desk. ¡°We need to prioritize finding more ¡®promises,¡¯¡± she said, her tone firm despite her weariness. ¡°We haven¡¯t put enough effort into looking beyond our borders. Maybe we¡¯ll get lucky and reel in a good catch.¡±

    Barbara raised an eyebrow. ¡°A 90% catch?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t expect miracles,¡± Teresa admitted, rubbing her temples. ¡°But a dozen 60% recruits might be enough to balance things out.¡±

    Williams, who had lingered by the door, suddenly piped up. ¡°Before I forget¨Chave you heard about that 1¨Cstar Mystery about cooking? It¡¯s driving the guys from the yellow branch up the wall-¡±

 Chapter 8 - Catch a flight (no, isnt holidays)

    Late at night, Luca sat at his clean like never desk, the glow of his laptop screen casting long shadows across the room. He slurped instant noodles straight from the container. It was quite salty and probably not a ¡®proper¡¯ meal ¨Cbut his heart (and taste buds) knew it was tasty. His headphones buzzed with a gritty remix of Still Here, the sounds drowning out the silence of the apartment.

    It¡¯s already the third night, he thought, glancing at his phone on the corner of the table for a moment. Tomorrow is the trip.

    The fruit of his work aka his money had already faded from two digits to zero two days ago. But thanks to that, he had no trouble convincing Victor that the rest would come through the coming weeks. That man knew there was no way on hell he would leave ran to another country, leaving his little brother behind. He wouldn¡¯t have reached him otherwise.

    Swallowing a handful of warm noodles, his thoughts drifted towards his evaluation, and found himself opening his mail again.

    He skimmed past the formalities and corporate jargon, already read before, and focused on the details that mattered. Accommodations were part of the benefices considering they would live on the island under Pendulum¡¯s jurisdiction. Meals were covered through an internal currency system, so that was taken care of. Health insurance was provided by them, and considering they were the company leader in medicine, it wasn¡¯t anything shady.

    It would be great if he could put Shawn in one of their facilities ¨Cbut the only way of getting one of the spots, most carefully guarded and managed than a presidency seat, was to get a higher rank. The benefices depended heavily in them, after all. If he wanted to get such a good thing, then he had to climb from ¡®Intern¡¯ ¨Cthe bottom rung of the Collector Department ladder¨C up all the way to Specialist. Even being a Delta specialist would work.

    Luca sighed. The hierarchy in Pendulum was a bit intense. It could feel strict and not clear enough for new employees, because although there were defined positions ¨CInterns, Agents, Specialists¨C at the case of the Delta Squadron, this was only the first step of the Collector Department. Gamma, Beta, Alpha followed suit ¨Cexcept without the ¡®Intern¡¯ position.

    All this was settled according to the M-level. And the level.

    His wasn¡¯t bad. 0.9 was at the high extreme ¨Calthough he knew that the heroine should have around 0.94. The other guy, well, trusting a word from his mouth was akin to believing on a cheater that said ¡®this is the only and last time¡¯. Yeah. He preferred to think his wasn¡¯t beyond that mark and let it like that.

    Regarding levels¨C

    Well. Everyone started at 0, him included. He needed to complete the missions to earn EXP and level up. A classic, right? There was even a small sheet with his STATS ¨Can evaluation according Pendulum AI¡¯s parameters.

    Strength: 5 | Agility: 6 | Endurance: 5

    Intelligence: 8 | Perception: 7 | Charisma: 5

    Five was the baseline, so Luca was essentially an average human with a bit of perception and intelligence¡ªor slightly better than one, almost a finger, if he averaged his stats.

    Perhaps he shouldn¡¯t have stretched so much, or should have tried to speak to others. But no. It was better like this. A Gary Stu was good in theory, but would be eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner after the first mission on the island. It was enough having knowledge that they didn¡¯t come into until years later.

    With a sigh, Luca finished his meal and setting the empty noodle container aside, leaned back in his chair. His eyes were fixed on the information in front of him.

    <u>TRAITS</u>

    <u>Stealthy</u>: Enhances ability to move quietly and remain undetected. (¨C20% noise while walking, ¨C25% noise while crunched.)

    <u>PERKS</u>

    <u>Night Vision</u>: Ability to see clearly in the dark.

    Two gifts from the Tutorial ¨Caka Interview. (Or was it the other way around?) The first one was a big cheat ¨Cbut was the second one that made him smile. A Perk! And so early. Generally, rookies got one after leveling up for first time. It was one option between three, and depending of the one chosen, the branch of a tree would spread while others would be locked.

    Night Vision was no one of the first three options.

    I should decide what path I¡¯ll take, thought Luca. This ¡®gift¡¯ was a double-edged sword because it became useless if paired with the wrong additional perks.

    On other hand, he had to be careful from now. Traits were capricious. Perhaps, if he had no let that guy get the places in the cabinet, he would have gotten ¡®Ruthless¡¯ due the thing about the boxer. That ¨Cwouldn¡¯t have been good.

    In paper, Pendulum didn¡¯t like that their precious resources ended wasted.

    Luca tapped the table gently as he thought. Now that Maned Wolf wouldn¡¯t be a problem, he would have to be careful with the seniors in the company. Especially the ones from the other squadrons. No everyone. But that woman, and that man with Greek names-

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Ah. I should make sure my own senior doesn¡¯t die. To kept the equilibrium for a while longer.

    Stretching his arms above his head, he let out a long, tired sigh.

    ¡°What a day awaits.¡±

    Days. Weeks. Months.

    His eyes flickered at the picture of two boys, one older and one younger, dressed in matching baseball jackets, on the wall. A grin stretched the mouth of the older as one of his hands was ruffling the black hair of the younger, whose scowl was betrayed by the curl of his lips and the shine on his eyes.

    Luca smiled.

    It didn¡¯t matter.

    There were worse things than being alive and having hope.

    <hr>

    The airport buzzed with restless energy¡ªpeople shuffled past one another, dragging suitcases across the white tile floors as announcements crackled through the speakers. On an unrelated note, they really needed to improve their communication system. The static was killing him.

    Avoiding the temptation to cover his ears, Luca scanned the signs overhead, his suitcase in one hand and his loyal thermos of lukewarm coffee in the other. Bored. He¡¯d been given specific instructions: this spot, this time, no deviations if he wanted to keep the job. Someone would find him. When, exactly? The gods he didn¡¯t believe in knew.

    His gaze swept the crowd, catching a cascade of unruly curls. Ah. Samantha, one of his favorite characters¨Cinside the pages of a story, obviously. In real life, it was enough to know she wasn¡¯t the kind of person he needed to worry about. Not in the way he was thinking, anyway.

    A bakery bag dangled from her fingers as she stared into nothingness. Her magenta suitcase leaned precariously, as if ready to topple at any moment. But she didn¡¯t seem to notice, too preoccupied with biting her lip and lost in thought.

    Her nerves must be through the roof, Luca thought. Still, he wasn¡¯t ready to approach her just yet. His attention shifted instead to the younger man in the far corner. The dark¨Chaired guy¨Cwith good taste, judging by his Primeval t¨Cshirt¨Cwas clutching a crinkled plastic bag and fiddling with his phone. A small black backpack slumped against his legs, as if he¡¯d packed only a couple of outfits at most.

    These two strangers¡­ They were coworkers now.

    A flicker of movement caught Luca¡¯s peripheral vision. At first glance, it seemed ordinary¨Ca middle¨Caged man weaving smoothly through the chaos of the airport¨Cbut there was something uncanny about the way people parted for him without looking up. It was as if they were repelled by him on an unconscious level.

    Pendulum¡¯s Agent, Luca thought, relaxing his grip on his luggage. They always carry themselves like low¨Ckey spies. Or Mafiosi. Life would be really difficult for them if they had to hide from normal people, huh?

    The agent wore dark sunglasses despite the interior lighting, his posture relaxed yet commanding. If Luca hadn¡¯t known better, he might¡¯ve been tempted to call security. Or text Robert. As the man approached Samantha, Luca noticed how her shoulders tensed, how her grip tightened on the bakery bag until the paper crinkled.

    She didn¡¯t seem to notice her own reaction, offering the agent a smile that looked like a picture held together with tape. But the man did. He smiled back, extending a hand and shaking hers briskly before gesturing toward a corridor that hadn¡¯t existed moments ago.

    Great. An asshole in charge of orientation. What could possibly go wrong?

    Luca focused on the corridor entrance. There it was¨Ca pitch¨Cdark passageway in the wall, its edges glistening faintly as if it might disappear at any moment. Samantha hesitated for half a heartbeat before stepping forward, her magenta suitcase the last visible hint of her before she vanished into the unnatural space.

    Then the agent turned, his face obscured by his sunglasses, and approached Luca.

    A faint tension prickled under Luca¡¯s skin, but it wasn¡¯t worse than he¡¯d expected. He drew on his experience dealing with live alligators and the few awkward teas with Victor and his spouse, steadying himself.

    ¡°How are you doing, Mr. Olson?¡± The man¡¯s voice was deep and smooth. Pleasant. If a crocodile could speak, it would sound like this. ¡°Call me Michael.¡±

    Luca extended his hand, genuinely surprised by the icy grip that met his own. It felt like touching metal left out in winter for too long, draining the warmth from his bones.

    Michael, huh? The name didn¡¯t ring any bells.

    ¡°I¡¯m good, Michael,¡± Luca replied, keeping his voice steady. He didn¡¯t offer his name¡ªthat would¡¯ve been foolish. ¡°And you?¡±

    The man¡¯s smile was all teeth, sharp and practiced, but it didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°Great. We¡¯ll chat later. Take that corridor you already saw and don¡¯t look back. They¡¯re waiting.¡±

    With a curt nod, Luca followed the same path as Samantha, stepping into the darkness. Narrow walls surrounded him, illuminated by scattered white LED lights. His footsteps echoed as he moved forward¨Cno, not just his. Multiple footsteps. But he didn¡¯t dwell on it. Like a dutiful Orpheus, he walked through the twisted corridors, ignoring the way the space seemed to stretch and distort with every turn.

    When Luca finally emerged, blinking under a surprisingly harsh white sky, he found himself facing a long runway. At the far end loomed a pristine white airplane, Pendulum¡¯s logo etched onto its tail¨Ca golden design, of course, with a particular¨Cstyled P.

    A group of people stood clustered near the boarding ramp, their faces pale and drawn. As Luca approached, he noticed that only two of the eight seemed remotely normal: the curly¨Chaired woman, who was inspecting her luggage with a furrowed brow, and a red¨Chaired figure who greeted him with unsettling cheerfulness.

    ¡°Hello there, Mr. Olson,¡± she said, her voice bright and almost too lively for the tension hanging in the air. If this were a painting, she¡¯d be the only one rendered in vibrant, clashing colors. ¡°Call me Lacerta.¡±

    Luca gave a curt nod and extended his hand. Her grip matched Michael¡¯s¨Cfirm and cold. A chill crept up his spine. This time, he recognized the name. She was one of the ¡®Greeks.¡¯ Luckily, she wouldn¡¯t be his problem.

    ¡°There¡¯s only one left,¡± Lacerta said, her smile widening as she glanced toward the door. ¡°Here he is. We¡¯re complete. That¡¯s all of us.¡±

    Luca turned to the curly¨Chaired woman, offering a polite smile when he noticed her looking at him. ¡°Olson,¡± he introduced himself, shaking her hand and expecting her to follow suit.

    ¡°Samantha Green, but call me Sam, please.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± he said, offering a brief smile before stepping back.

    ¡°Mr. Reeds, hello to you,¡± the agent called out as the final member of their group appeared.

    ¡°Tim is fine,¡± the man muttered, shuffling past Luca to stand beside Sam. His demeanor was guarded, his eyes darting around as if he expected someone to jump out from a hidden corner at any moment.

    The agent didn¡¯t seem bothered by Tim¡¯s curt response and instead smiled at his coworker. The two of them stepped aside, putting some distance between themselves and the group. They conferred quietly, their hushed words barely audible over the hum of anticipation. Then the casually dressed agent stepped forward, commanding silence with a single raised hand.

    ¡°Let¡¯s begin boarding,¡± he announced, his voice calm but authoritative. ¡°Pay attention to your assigned seats.¡±

 Chapter 9 - Orientation for Noobs (1)

    The group moved quickly, apparently having recovered their will to live. Not wanting to be hurried, Luca lingered at the back of the line, handing his suitcase to the employee before climbing aboard.

    According to the mail, his seat number was ¡®02.¡¯ He passed rows of occupied chairs ¨Cblack, simple commercial seats, some occupied for the other rookies, until he crossed through a red velvet curtain and reached a new ¡®zone¡¯. Here, everything looked quite comfortable¨Cplush cushions, nature paintings, a white screen at the central position and neatly arranged refreshments on a small, long table on a side. A bakery bag sat on this table alongside a large orange juice box.

    So, this was the premium section. How kind of Pendulum to make such a difference for them.

    Both Sam and Tim were already seated. Judging their awkward, rigid posture and their eyes, it seemed that they were nervous. Not a surprise. Without paying them more than a sweeping glance, Luca took the last empty seat next to the window, leaving the thermos on the handler.

    The instant he settled in, a mechanical voice crackled through the cabin speakers.

    ¡°Welcome to Flight 244 from Pendulum Airlines. Please fasten your seat belts. We will be departing in just a few seconds.¡±

    Flight 244. As Luca followed the simple instruction, ignoring the jolt of unease that coursed through his veins. The plane hadn¡¯t even started its engines. Yet outside the window, the world began to blur, colors smearing together like paint in a wet canvas. The horizon tilted, and the hum of the aircraft grew louder, vibrating deep within his chest.

    No one else seemed alarmed. Their faces remained blank, staring straight ahead as though hypnotized. Even Sam and Tim sat perfectly still, their hands resting lightly on the armrests. Ah. This feeling¡­ The unnatural grip on him, like a hand pressing him into the seat.

    Glancing out the window, Luca watched as dark and washed gray clouds stirred past. Beyond them, lightning split through the sky in erratic zig¨Czags, creating a beautiful image. The storm seemed violent and not far off¡ªyet no turbulence bothered the plane. It was as if they were flying alongside a vivid painting or picture.

    The sharp clicks of heels against the floor snapped his attention inward. The red¨Chaired woman¨CLacerta¨Cemerged from the entrance at the area. She strode to stand beside the screen at the front. With her there, it felt like the grasp over him had faded a handful of levels of intensity.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t introduce myself properly earlier,¡± Lacerta began, her voice smooth but carrying an undercurrent of something sharp, almost unsettling. ¡°I¡¯m Lacerta from Delta¨C01¨Cor ¡®Delta¨CL¡¯ if you prefer. We¡¯re one of the three squadrons dedicated to the starting levels.¡± Her gaze lingered on Sam for a moment, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a rundown of how we operate before we arrive. Unfortunately, due to¡­ circumstances, you¡¯ll be starting today.¡±

    Ah, yes. This. New recruits usually had three days to acclimate before being thrown into the field. Starting immediately felt wrong¨Cdangerously so. Because it was. It meant Pendulum¡¯s protocols had faltered, implying that more than one person had fallen.

    An anomaly? Sure, you could call it that.

    ¡°But don¡¯t worry,¡± Lacerta continued, her tone light and dismissive, as though discussing nothing more serious than a last¨Cminute schedule change. ¡°The first time is always the easiest. We only lose a few of you each time. Consider this a good warm¨Cup.¡± Without missing a beat, she gestured to the screen behind her. A single word appeared in bold, blood¨Cred letters: COLLECTORS.

    ¡°So,¡± she said, her smile widening just enough to show teeth, ¡°let¡¯s talk about what you¡¯ll be doing. Your primary objective is simple: collect data. To assist you, you¡¯ll use this.¡± She rolled up one sleeve, revealing a thin silver bracelet encircling her wrist. Its surface gleamed unnaturally, reflecting the dim light of the cabin like liquid mercury. ¡°It has a camera function, activated by pressing a button. Simple, right?¡±

    She adjusted her sleeve back into place, the movement smooth and practiced. Behind her, the screen displayed a handful of images: bioluminescent plants of strange shapes, a creature mid¨Cdevour, a futuristic box floating amidst swirling blue threads, a purple jalape?o farm tended by a long¨Chaired, genderless figure, and a horned man holding a pitch¨Cblack trophy. The images were chaotic, almost surreal.

    ¡°Taking pictures?¡± Tim asked, his voice laced with skepticism. He leaned forward slightly, frowning. ¡°That can¡¯t be all there is to it. Right?¡±

    Lacerta tilted her head, her expression unreadable. ¡°You¡¯re correct. These aren¡¯t ordinary photographs. Each image captures the essence of whatever you photograph¡ªthe raw data that defines it. You won¡¯t be snapping selfies or documenting your morning coffee. Unauthorized uses will result in penalties. And trust me,¡± she added, her voice dropping to a chilling tone, ¡°you do not want to lose points. Each one is bought with your blood, sweat, and pain.¡±

    She tapped a small control, advancing the presentation to a new slide.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s talk about the system. Specifically, the Role System.¡± She pointed to figures dressed in various occupations on the screen. ¡°Ever been to a costume party or acted in a play? It¡¯s like that. Each time you enter a Mystery, you¡¯ll be assigned a fictional identity that integrates you into the world. This isn¡¯t just a detail¨Cit¡¯s critical. Your missions will depend on the role you¡¯re given.¡±

    She paused, as if recalling something, then added, ¡°While you¡¯ll always have a primary objective, secondary missions are common. These are intrinsically tied to your role. And yes, they matter ¨Cand are pay.¡± Her gaze swept across the room, sharp and assessing. ¡°Sometimes, you¡¯ll have to choose between them. Don¡¯t be stupid. Take the one that keeps you alive, alright? Negative points are better than having your soul sucked dry. Or worse, enslavement.¡±

    ¡°Enslavement?¡± Tim repeated under his breath.

    Or worse, Luca thought.

    ¡°Now, before you get too worked up, let¡¯s jump into a topic everyone loves.¡± She changed the slide again, and numbers filled the screen, neatly organized into rows and columns.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure some of you are already familiar with this, thanks to the Tutorial. Someone even managed to rack up a tidy 40k as a starter, hmm?¡± She didn¡¯t elaborate or glance at anyone in particular, but Luca felt her gaze brush over him like a cold wind. He kept his expression neutral, refusing to react. It wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d enjoyed a single dime of that money¨Cit had gone straight to paying off his debts.

    The slide displayed point values for tasks across different world levels:

    World: <u> Lv</u><u>1| Lv2| Lv3| Lv4 | Lv5</u>

    F¨Crank: 002| 003 | 004 | 005 | 006

    E¨Crank: 007| 008 | 009 | 011 | 020

    D¨Crank: 025| 027 | 029 | 033 | 040

    C¨Crank: 045| 048 | 051 | 055 | 065

    B¨Crank: 070| 074 | 078 | 088 | 095

    A¨Crank: 100| 105 | 110 | 120 | 150

    ¡°As you can see,¡± Lacerta explained, her voice taking on a lecturing tone, ¡°the value of a task depends not only on its rank but also on the difficulty of the world it takes place in. An E¨Crank task in a 1-star world might earn you 7 points¨Cbut in a 4-star world? Twenty. The stakes rise accordingly.¡±

    The slide shifted again, revealing a single word in stark, capitalized letters:

    EXPERIENCE

    ¡°For each mission you complete, you¡¯ll earn something called ¡®Experience¡¯¨Cor simply ¡®EXP.¡¯ You might already be familiar with this concept from games. It works the same way. You get a fixed amount of EXP based on the rank of the missions you complete and the world you¡¯re in. As you level up, you¡¯ll grow stronger, smarter, faster¨Cwhatever your stats lean toward. But most importantly, your M-Level goes up.¡±

    On the screen, Mystery Level appeared in bold letters.

    ¡°This is what you want to focus on. The M-Level is a mysterious indicator¨Cexcuse the wordplay. But we know it influences the level of worlds you¡¯ll enter and the difficulty you can handle.¡± She pressed a button, and the slide advanced. ¡°Your rank won¡¯t go up if your M-Level isn¡¯t high enough, no matter how strong your stats are.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re probably wondering how to level up your M-Level. The answer¡¯s straightforward: participate in Mysteries, fulfill missions. That¡¯s the premise. But everyone progresses at a different pace.¡± She paused, considering her words. ¡°Each of you has an M-Level higher than average, so you¡¯ll climb faster than most. So, don¡¯t worry too much.¡±

    The slide changed again.

    PERFOMANCE

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get into something critical,¡± Lacerta began, her voice sharp and no¨Cnonsense, cutting through the room like a knife. ¡°This is what trips up most rookies: Performance. It¡¯s not just about completing the mission¨Cit¡¯s about how you complete it. Let me give you an example. During the Tutorial, two of you figured out the clues for the ¡®hidden mission¡¯ and reached the right conclusion. But one of you got a ¡®good¡¯ rating, and the other got ¡®excellent.¡¯ Same with the main mission¨Cthree of you survived, but only one walked away with ¡®excellent.¡¯ The other two? ¡®Good.¡¯¡±

    She paused, letting that sink in, her gaze sweeping across the room like she was sizing them up. ¡°So, what do you think made the difference?¡±

    Samantha raised her hand slightly, speaking carefully. ¡°I¡¯d guess it¡¯s about the number of clues you find¨Cat least for the hidden mission. If you got all the newspapers, you¡¯d score higher, right?¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Lacerta said, nodding. ¡°Now, the main mission¨Csurvive¨Csounds straightforward, doesn¡¯t it? But how do you score survival? Truth is, we don¡¯t know. Only Pendulum¡¯s System does. We¡¯ve got some theories, though. The big one? Don¡¯t break the rules. The cleaner your run, the higher your score.¡±

    ¡°Rules?¡± Tim interjected, leaning forward. ¡°What kind of rules?¡±

    ¡°Death Rules, Omen Rules, Split Rules,¡± Lacerta listed, ticking them off on her fingers. ¡°You¡¯ll find the details in your manuals once we hit the island. Here¡¯s the deal: Mysteries are self¨Ccontained worlds. They¡¯ve got their own logic, their own laws. We¡¯ve mapped some of them¨CDeath Rules, mostly. Break one of those, and you¡¯re done. But there are others¨COmen Rules, Split Rules¨Cthat we¡¯re still figuring out. For all we know, you could be breaking three Omen Rules just by walking into a room.¡± She shrugged, her tone matter¨Cof¨Cfact. ¡°Point is, tread carefully.¡±

    ¡°So we¡¯ll know the Death Rules before we go in, right?¡± Tim asked, his voice tinged with skepticism.

    ¡°Some of them, yeah,¡± Lacerta said, her tone firm. ¡°Unless you end up as a Scout down the line¨Cthen you¡¯ll be the one figuring them out. But for now, don¡¯t sweat it too much. You¡¯ll be working one¨Cstar worlds. They¡¯re about 70% mapped, and the rules are minimal. Stick to the manual, keep your head on straight, and you¡¯ll be fine.¡± She paused, her expression hardening. ¡°But don¡¯t get complacent. The danger¡¯s real, and it doesn¡¯t care how prepared you think you are.¡±

    Abysmal: ¨C5 | Non¨Cgood: ¨C3 | Average: 1 | Good: 3 | Excellent: 5

    Lacerta glanced at the screen behind her, then back at the group. ¡°Here¡¯s how it breaks down. You want to hit at least Average if you¡¯re looking to make a decent paycheck. In one¨Cstar worlds, that¡¯s doable¨Chappens about 80% of the time. But if you slip into ¡®non¨Cgood¡¯ territory? That¡¯s where things get dicey. Surviving¡¯s great, but it¡¯s not always enough.¡± She gave them a hard look, her tone turning stern. ¡°And if you rack up three ¡®non¨Cgood¡¯ marks¨Cor God forbid, an ¡®abysmal¡¯¨Cyou¡¯re in deep trouble. Don¡¯t let the benefits fool you. This job? It¡¯s not a walk in the park.¡±

    She reached for the orange box on the table, pouring herself a glass of water in a fluid motion despite the small turbulences. ¡°I¡¯ve been talking for a while now. Any questions?¡±

 Chapter 10 - Orientation for Noobs (2)

    The question hung in the air, unanswered. For a moment, no one spoke. Outside, the storm raged on, lightning illuminating the cabin in brief, blinding bursts. The plane hummed steadily beneath them.

    ¡°About the levels,¡± Tim began, a frown creasing his forehead. ¡°I didn¡¯t see mine on my evaluation.¡±

    Lacerta took a sip from her drink before answering. ¡°You¡¯re obviously at Level 0 now, but if you¡¯re curious, you¡¯ll be able to see all your information after entering the capsule.¡±

    ¡°The capsule?¡± Samantha asked, her hands clasped tightly in her lap.

    ¡°Yeah, that¨C¡± Lacerta took another sip, her tone casual, almost dismissive. ¡°You¡¯ll use the capsule to enter the Mysteries. Much easier than the old method.¡±

    Right. Luca recalled reading in Pendulum¡¯s Extras that before the invention of the capsules, the only method was to ¡®go to sleep in the Crypt and see where you end up.¡¯ No wonder she couldn¡¯t avoid mentioning it. However, he doubted that there would be an explanation about this.

    No. There was no more words regarding the matter. In truth, there were no words.

    Luca glanced at the others out of the corner of his eyes. Sam looked at Lamia, her hands clenched so tightly her knuckles were white. Tim shifted uncomfortably in his seat, pursing his lips. What were they thinking so deeply about? This was a good moment for them to ask questions. Later, they might not have the chance to ask so freely without paying the toll.

    ¡°Could you tell us more about the different kinds of Rules?¡± Luca asked after a moment. It was good idea to start planting the seed. ¡°If we¡¯re starting soon, we might not have enough time to familiarize ourselves with them.¡±

    It wasn'' an excuse. He knew they wouldn''t be getting the time to peruse about ''little details'' like this one.

    Lacerta hummed thoughtfully. ¡°Alright. Death Rules are already covered. Omen Rules are like the warning signs¨Cif you notice them, you can usually avoid triggering the Death Rules. And then there are Split Rules,¡± she said, her smile widening. ¡°Commonly called ¡®Splits.¡¯ They¡¯re rare, especially in one- or two-star worlds. They¡¯re triggered when you fulfill a set of conditions that open up new possibilities. Think of it like unlocking a hidden path in a game. They¡¯re tied to Extra Missions¨C¡°she paused, and took a sip.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about that for now, alright? ¡± Her gaze grew serious. ¡°Experienced recruits die eight out of ten times trying to find Splits, so don¡¯t go looking for trouble.¡±

    Luca¡¯s gaze flicked briefly to Sam, his mind flashing to the description of her death. Yes, even the top could die due this kinda of thing. But his thoughts lingered on another detail¨Chis own plans to complete missions in the best way possible. It seemed he¡¯d have to -well, ignore this important piece of advice.

    Tim pressed further. ¡°What if I find another rule? Will I get a bonus or something?¡±

    Lacerta¡¯s smile widened, revealing teeth that seemed sharper than before. ¡°Opportunist, right? What an interesting, dangerous Trait.¡±

    Her words made Tim¡¯s eyes widen before he frowned.

    ¡°The quick answer is yes. If any of you discover a new rule¨Cand survive¨Cyou¡¯ll receive a bonus. A substantial one, even.¡± Her eyes gleamed with a predatory light. ¡°But ask yourself this, Mr. Reeds: how many people died uncovering the rules we do know? And how confident are you that you won¡¯t join them?¡±

    Silence hung heavy, her words pressing down like a mountain. The room felt heavier, the tension palpable as the recruits processed the implications of what Lacerta had just revealed. Or tried to, at least. They wouldn¡¯t understand the real danger until they lived it ¨Cwith their lives truly at stake.

    ¡°Any other questions?¡± Lacerta asked lightly, her tone almost casual as she glanced toward Samantha with an encouraging smile.

    Samantha hesitated, then spoke up. ¡°About the Traits,¡± she began, licking her lips nervously. ¡°Can they be changed?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Lacerta answered, her voice firm and final, even as her tone remained deceptively soft. ¡°It surprises me none of you mentioned them before. This part of the System always catches the attention of recruits¨Cfor better or worse.¡± She paused. ¡°Now, while Traits can¡¯t be changed, don¡¯t let them define you. Learn to work with them. And, before anyone asks, you¡¯ll earn more of them as you participate in missions and level up.¡±

    Luca¡¯s mind flickered to Samantha¡¯s Trait, and he understood why she¡¯d asked. Compassionate sounded good on paper, but it was a bit too people¨Coriented. While a Charisma bonus had its benefits, it also came with disadvantages. It wasn¡¯t surprising she¡¯d already discovered hers¨Ceven if they hadn¡¯t been really revealed. The system was like that for puny noodles.

    What a shame. Neither of them would be a fighter anytime soon.

    ¡°Oh, right, before I forget,¡± Lacerta said, her tone shifting to businesslike. ¡°You¡¯ll be working under one of three Delta Squadrons, so I¡¯ll give you your assignments now.¡± A flicker of something crossed her face before she addressed each of them individually, her voice authoritative. ¡°Mr. Reeds, you¡¯ve been assigned to Delta¨C03¨Cor Delta¨CN. A representative couldn¡¯t join us, but don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll meet them on the island. Mr. Olson, you¡¯re with Delta¨C02, also known as Delta¨CM. You¡¯ll be with Michael. And Miss Green¡­¡± Her smile softened ever so slightly. ¡°You¡¯re with me in Delta¨C01¨Cor Delta¨CL. Welcome.¡±

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°Thank you, Miss Lacerta,¡± Samantha replied, offering a polite smile.

    Lacerta nodded, and then continued, ¡°Part of your contract requires you to select a designation. You probably already suspect this, but it must be a name starting with the same letter as your team.¡±

    ¡°Delta¨CN,¡± Tim muttered, rolling the syllables around in his mouth like they tasted rare. ¡°Can I choose any name that starts with N?¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Lacerta confirmed, her grin turning sly. ¡°Feel free to pick whatever suits you ¨Ceven traditionally feminine names, a rock band or a dessert name if that¡¯s your preference. Go wild.¡±

    Tim scoffed but looked thoughtful, his fingers tapping absently against his knee. Sam, for her part, was glancing through the window, pursing her lips.

    Meanwhile, Lacerta returned to the front of the cabin, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. The screen behind her flickered briefly, displaying static for a fraction of a second before stabilizing.

    The sharp sound of the curtain being pulled back startled Luca from his thoughts. Michael emerged, stepping into the cabin with an ease that felt almost predatory. His presence filled the space, commanding attention without effort. Unlike Lacerta, whose menace simmered beneath a veneer of professionalism, Michael exuded the air of a crocodile sunbathing on the rocks¨Ccalm, but filled of teeth.

    ¡°Have you finished briefing the rookies?¡± he asked Lacerta, his voice smooth and low.

    Lacerta nodded, her cheerfulness replaced by something colder, more formal. ¡°They should be ready. I told them to choose a designation in the meantime.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± Michael said, nodding approvingly at her before turning his gaze toward the group. His eyes swept over them slowly, lingering on each face as though sizing them up. When he spoke, his voice carried the weight of someone who¡¯d seen it all. ¡°Don¡¯t rush your decision. You won¡¯t be changing your designation anytime soon. Don¡¯t pick something frivolous. Don¡¯t use your real name or the name of someone you loved.¡± His lips curled into a faint smirk. ¡°Trust me, it gets messy when you have to see and answer to that name in reports¨Cor personally.¡±

    He paused, his gaze sharpening. ¡°Don¡¯t be the one with their ex¡¯s name, please.¡±

    It was good advice. And yes, there was one ¨Cor a couple- of stories there.

    ¡°Right. Some names are already taken,¡± Lacerta added, her tone practical. ¡°So I¡¯d recommend picking at least three options.¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t we use our own names?¡± Tim asked, his voice tinged with skepticism.

    Lacerta and Michael shared a look before she answered. ¡°I told you about the Roles, right? There are consequences if you don¡¯t keep a certain barrier between yourself and those identities.¡±

    You go crazy, Luca summarized silently.

    A sudden, piercing noise cut through the cabin¨Ca high¨Cpitched whine that set everyone''s teeth on edge. For a split second, the agents¡¯ faces betrayed genuine surprise, sharing a frown and an unreadable look. On their part, the recruits exchanged uneasy glances, unsure whether the sound meant.

    Lacerta recovered first, smoothing her expression with practiced ease. "Alright," she said briskly, clapping her hands together once. "You¡¯ll have a couple of hours to think about your designations. But now¡­" Her smile returned. "It¡¯s time to see your new home."

    As both agents sat down on two empty chairs on a corner and tightened their belts, the plane descended rapidly, jolting violently as it hit the runway. The turbulence rocked the airplane, as if the aircraft itself resisted landing down. Outside, the world blurred past the windows¨Cgrey asphalt and trees under an overcast sky. Lightning flickered sporadically, casting a game of shadows inside the cabin.

    For a splint second, the idea they all would die crossed his mind.

    The plane¡¯s engines whirred to a halt, and the cabin fell into silence. Luca unbuckled his seatbelt, his movements slow and deliberate. Around him, the rest of his coworkers stood, their faces unreadable. They moved like oiled machines. A Pendulum operative dressed in a warm orange sweater appeared at the front of the cabin, gesturing for them to disembark.

    Logistic Corps. They were a bunch of fearless people, perhaps even more than the Security Corps of the island.

    Without a word, Luca followed the line of people down the boarding ramp, his suitcase in one hand and his thermos in the other.

    The cold wind hit him immediately, sharp and biting, carrying the faint, salty scent of the sea. The air felt heavier here, charged with an unspoken charged tension. Ahead, the road stretched out like a gray desert, leading to a cluster of low, utilitarian buildings not so far from there. Michael stood waiting at the bottom of the ramp, his back straight and sunglasses perfectly in place.

    ¡°This way,¡± Michael said, his voice calm but firm. He turned and began walking, not bothering to check if the others were following.

    Luca fell into step behind him, his eyes scanning the surroundings. The island felt¡­ off. It was beautiful, of course. Lush green open spaces stretched out around the paved road, and a line of sleek, modern buildings stood in the distance, their silhouettes sharp against the horizon. But the ground beneath his feet wasn¡¯t stable. He could feel subtle vibrations traveling up through his legs with each step. A small detail, but one that set his nerves on edge.

    In front of him, Tim muttered something under his breath, his tone low and uneasy. Samantha kept glancing over her shoulder, her eyes darting toward the line of trees that bordered the path¨Cor perhaps she was looking at the tall fences standing a few meters away. They were imposing, after all, their metallic surfaces gleaming under the sunlight.

    A black bus with tinted windows waited at the end of the path, just beyond the barriers. Michael gestured for them to enter first, his movements efficient and unhurried. Luca found a seat in the middle, noting that there were plenty of empty spots. The interior was sleek and modern, but the air felt heavy, charged with unspoken tension.

    When everyone was inside, Michael stood at the front of the bus as it began to move.

    ¡°I won¡¯t make this long,¡± Michael began, pushing his sunglasses up the bridge of his nose. ¡°¡®You¡¯ve heard what¡¯s ahead, and you¡¯ve experienced the Interview firsthand. But understand this: you¡¯re no longer on the same page as the rest of the world. Not here.¡±

    He paused, letting the words sink in, his gaze sweeping over the group. Even hidden behind his sunglasses, the intensity of his eyes could be felt. ¡°This island¨CG¨Czilla¨Cis its own world. You¡¯ll need to adapt to it, too. The faster you understand that, the better off you¡¯ll be.¡± He leaned back slightly. ¡°Adapt or die trying.¡±

    ¡­Well. That guy sure was something.

 Chapter 11 â€“ A tiny bit of faith goes a long way

    If someone gave Luca a coin for each time a silence like this happened, he¡¯d already have his pockets filled.

    Well. On this case, this seemed to be likely Michael¡¯s intention, as he turned and walked to the driver¡¯s cabin, leaving them hanging there.

    Outside, fog rolled in slowly, curling around the bus, brushing against the windows.

    Luca stretched his hands over his head and lay back more comfortably, looking outside. The road twisted and curled, which was a bit annoying, but beyond that, he felt quite calm. He had known in what swamp was stepping in since the beginning so such talks didn¡¯t move him. His thoughts were focused on his surroundings, particularly on the long path.

    It doesn¡¯t feel like a place you want to be at night.

    Faint light, fog, and nothing but vegetation at first glance¡ªthe line of buildings loomed mockingly in the distance.

    ¡­ It didn¡¯t seem like it had been designed for people who fought for their lives on similar settings. Pendulum was quite cruel to add such an ¡®outer side¡¯ to the populated area. Who would dare to run away?

    Minutes passed. Humans, resilient as they were, began to return to a semblance of normality.

    ¡°¨Conly three. I heard it¡¯s because their M¨Clevels are higher than average¨C¡±

    ¡°If you get paired with one of them, your chances of surviving go way up¨C¡±

    Of course, they started to gossip.

    A noise of exasperation came from the next row. Reeds, right?

    Luca glanced around the bus, catching a glimpse of brown curls near the front. Unlike the rest of them, the heroine was already ¡®making friends¡¯ with the others. It was clear who had the most charisma. He turned his attention back to the window. Even as his eyes grew heavy, he didn¡¯t dare fall asleep. He wanted to see it.

    G¨CZilla¡¯s entrance.

    And he didn¡¯t regret it.

    Two black pillars, tall as obelisks, flanked the sides of a gray bridge. When one of the others finally noticed it, they gasped ¡ªthough not exactly in awe.

    ¡°Look!" Someone shouted. "It doesn¡¯t have a deck!¡±

    ¡°Are we going to fall?!¡±

    Had they already forgotten about the airplane traveling through a storm? Or that landing? If anyone had died then, it was unlikely to happen now. Of course, Luca could afford to think whatever he wanted¨Che had an enormous advantage over the rest of his coworkers.

    ¡°Stay calm, please,¡± Samantha¡¯s voice cut through the rising panic. She popped up from the head of her seat, raising her hands in an appeasing gesture. When she noticed the others listening, her face flushed red, but she pressed on. ¡°Remember, the flight was strange and looked dangerous, but nothing happened.¡±

    Murmurs of agreement spread through the bus.

    ¡°And,¡± she added, more confident now, ¡°we¡¯ve got one of the seniors with us. They¡¯re tasked with bringing us to work, and they¡¯ve been reliable so far. Please trust them.¡±

    How sweet, Luca thought, turning his gaze back to the window. She had no idea that not all the seniors had their best interests at heart. But she¡¯d learn that soon enough.

    The colossal columns stretched higher, showing hints of a Doric style as the bus approached them¡ªbut the architecture was lost to them as the lack of a deck became unmistakable.

    Squinting, Luca noticed a faint shimmer in the air. He relaxed further, folding his hands over his lap. As the bus suddenly accelerated, a wave of screams pierced the air, and many voices even called the ¡®reliable senior¡¯ and the driver. They crossed the black columns and seemed to leap into the cliff¨Cbut they didn¡¯t fall. The bus landed on something solid yet translucent, which, under the weight of the vehicle, solidified into a white road.

    ¡°What is this?¡± someone asked, their voice trembling.

    ¡°I almost had a heart attack,¡± another muttered, clutching their chest.

    ¡°Did they tell you about this, Sam?¡± a red¨Chaired woman across the aisle asked.

    ¡°No, no,¡± Samantha replied, her voice steady but tinged with wonder. ¡°But it¡¯s incredible. I thought the bus would fly or something¨C¡±

    ¡°I thought the same!¡± another woman chimed in from behind her. ¡°I almost wish it had. But an invisible deck is pretty cool too.¡±

    As their chatter continued, Luca¡¯s thought was occupied with something more. Though the road had become visible, the image of what lay beneath the cliff was etched in his mind: a dense forest, a river streaming through the middle, and¨Cstrangest of all¨Ca peculiar formation of rocks.

    This must be the old crypts, he thought.

    ¡°Look! Civilization!¡± someone shouted, drawing everyone¡¯s attention to the windows.

    Two snow¨Cwhite obelisks marked the end of the bridge, and beyond them, a line of buildings emerged from the horizon, half¨Cobscured by a faint haze. Finally, the trip was coming to an end.

    As the bus passed between the columns, something happened. A faint sensation, like static electricity, brushed Luca¡¯s skin, and a tingling spread through his body. It lasted only a split second, and when he glanced at his other coworkers, none showed more beyond amazement. But the goosebumps along his arms were proof enough that hadn¡¯t been his imagination.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    The asphalt road stretched ahead in a straight line, flanked by auburn trees. The fog had lifted, revealing a continuous line of streetlamps on either side. Soon, a colossal building rose into view on the right, its gray walls and giant windows visible through the red leaves and black branches.

    ¡°The Main Hall is on your right,¡± Michael¡¯s voice announced through a speaker. The sound quality was better than the airport¡¯s but still carried a faint static. ¡°And downtown is on your left.¡±

    Luca turned to the other window, catching a glimpse of small buildings and a fountain through the glass. From what he knew, the area housed everything from cafeterias and clothing stores to a cinema, flower gardens, and a park lined with green pines. It was its own town.

    ¡°Now, we¡¯re reaching the Delta Quarters,¡± Michael added.

    On the right, a five¨Cstory concrete building came into view, a bold red ¡®D¡¯ painted on its side. Wide white windows, a dark wooden double door, and an entrance lined with pots of yellow flowers gave it a distinct character. As the bus stopped, it became clear that this wasn¡¯t the only building¨Cit was the first of five.

    Michael reappeared, his hair slightly disheveled and his sunglasses crooked. ¡°Start getting off,¡± he instructed, his tone brisk, apparently no caring about his appearance.

    As they stepped off the bus, their luggage was already waiting in front of the building. The moment the last person stepped onto the ground, the doors closed on their own, and the bus drove away.

    Quick and efficient, Luca noted.

    ¡°This will be your home for the foreseeable future,¡± Michael announced, his voice flat. ¡°Come and get your keys.¡±

    Luca tightened his grip on his suitcase and tucked his empty thermos under his arm before joining the line. When it was his turn, Michael paused, his gaze lingering on Luca for a fraction longer than necessary before handing over the key.

    ¡°You¡¯re in the Building 1. Be at Office D33 in the Main Hall at 4 PM,¡± he instructed. ¡°Don¡¯t make us wait.¡±

    Luca accepted the key, his fingers brushing against Michael¡¯s icy ones for a split second. He nodded, his expression neutral. ¡°Understood.¡±

    Without another word, Luca turned and headed inside, dragging his suitcase behind him. Passing by the line of pots, he couldn¡¯t identify the flowers, but their fresh, sweet scent lingered in the air. The double doors swung inward, revealing a modest reception area with a lavender sofa, a bookcase, and a hanging silver flower¡ªshaped lamp casting a soft glow. A staircase spiraled upward in one corner, while an elevator stood silently against the opposite wall, and a corridor stretched next to it.

    Luca glanced down at his key, noting the etching: 1B. First floor of the first building ¨Cwhat a privilege. For a splint second, wondered who had been living there before him ¨Cbut soon pushed the thought aside. It didn¡¯t matter anymore. Those who died in the Mysteries didn¡¯t hunt this world anyway.

    Opting for the stairs, the climb was brief but tiring. Each step echoed louder than it should, and the suitcase felt heavier. By the time he reached his floor, fatigue had settled in his body, leaving only a wish for warm water and a comfortable bed.

    The hallway stretched out before him, lined with identical doors, and then turned at his right. The walls were a dull beige, the floor covered in thin, pale orange carpeting that muffled his footsteps as he made his way towards the other end. On his way, he passed by another pair of double doors, marked with a sign that said ¡®KITCHEN¡¯ in bold lettering.

    It swung slightly ajar, revealing a sliver of steel appliances and white marbled counters beyond. A shared space, which was normal for the Delta quarters. The laundry room should be around, perhaps in the ground floor.

    As he reached his door, the key slid smoothly into the lock, almost too easily. Pushing the door open, he stepped inside¨Cand stared.

    A large window dominated the opposite wall, offering a view of the gray sky outside. A simple wooden desk and chair sat beneath it. A white paneled screen divided the space, offering privacy to the ¡®bedroom zone,¡¯ while a compact bathroom was tucked behind a sliding glass door. Everything gleamed under the artificial white light, and when he breathed in, the scent inside seemed oddly familiar.

    Osmanthus tea.

    Luca placed his suitcase by the door and set the thermos on the counter before approaching the covered side. A bed with neatly ironed blue sheets stood in the corner, topped with a long shelf and a bedside table holding a wooden lamp. He picked it up, squinting at the osmanthus flowers carved into the base.

    Not knowing whether to feel honored or worried, Luca stood there for a moment, taking in the room.

    Home, sweet home.

    At least Pendulum spared no expense when it came to appearances, even for the ¡®rookies.¡¯ Still, it would take him some time to get used to this.

    His gaze drifted toward the bed. There, resting atop the pristine duvet, was a small black box embossed with a golden P. It glinted faintly in the light, and for something so small it felt both innocuous and deeply disconcerting. He approached cautiously, already knowing what it was.

    Opening the lid, he found it was the same silver bracelet Lacerta had shown them earlier as he expected. Its surface reflected the light ¡ªand the colors¡ª like it had been polished into a mirror, with a barely perceptible rectangle formed by straight, thin carved lines. The size should be good enough to encircle his wrist.

    Luca hesitated, staring at the bracelet for a moment before closing the box, putting it aside. Forget it, then. He wouldn¡¯t put it on just yet. Instead, he decided to take a bath, hoping the warmth of the water might ease the tension coiling in his muscles. It felt like a live had passed since he took the flight.

    As expected of the place, the bathroom could only be described as immaculate. The light¡ªblue tiles gleamed, the walls were so pristine that anyone would feel guilty for breathing near them, and the fixtures shone brighter than a mirror. The dark wooden medicine cabinet above the sink was adorned with intricate carvings of tiny flowers and curling lines. The only thing missing was a ceramic or marble bathtub in the corner. He supposed the silver, flowery shower faucet would have to do.

    Washing his hands and then his face felt like a surreal experience.

    Was this his life now? A rags-to-riches arc compressed into three days?

    Glancing at the mirror ¡ªwhat, more osmanthus flowers? ¡ª Luca couldn¡¯t help but think that Shawn would¡¯ve found this place¡­ well, boring as hell. He¡¯d have wanted to buy an aquarium and fill it with golden fish, turtles, and a little crab. A vibrant curtain for the window¡ªblue or red¡ªand another air freshener that ¡°didn¡¯t remind him of their grandparents¡¯ house.¡± And, of course, a SpongeBob SquarePants poster just for laughs.

    Luca closed his eyes. It hurt to think about it. It hurt even more that he didn¡¯t know if this Shawn would be the same.

    Turning away, he pushed the thought aside and decided to take a bath. As the water ran hot, steam filled the small space, fogging up the mirrors and muffling the silence of the apartment. The warmth spread through his body, flushing his skin and loosening the tension coiled in his muscles.

    Afterward, wrapped in a blue bathrobe that fit him perfectly and feeling more comfortable than he had in days, Luca returned to the bedroom area. The black box still sat where he¡¯d left it, its golden emblem catching the light. Reluctantly, he picked it up again, opening the lid once more. The bracelet lay there, still and silent.

    With a deep breath, he picked it up and slid it onto his wrist. The moment the ends connected, the edges seemed to melt together, sending a cold shiver through him. It was like a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head. His vision blurred for a split second, and when it cleared, the room seemed¡­ different. The blood coursing through his veins grew louder, almost deafening, before fading back into silence.

    [Welcome to Pendulum.]

    A message popped up in the corner of his vision, the letters crisp and white.

    [Please, enter your designation.]

 Chapter 12 - Youâ€™ve got a â€˜newâ€™ name now (he says)

    [Please, enter your designation.]

    Luca touched the bracelet with his fingers, tapping softly on the metal as he pretended to think. A name had jumped into his mind the moment he learned which squadron he belonged to. It was familiar. He didn¡¯t know if that was a good thing, but he knew he needed the confidence that came with it¡ªeven if the situation wasn¡¯t exactly the same.

    [Greetings, Mithras.]

    This could be considered his second step on the road toward a very dark place. But for a long moment, Luca stared at the bracelet, pondering why he didn¡¯t feel any different. Well. The thing didn¡¯t look any different¡ªit still shimmered faintly, its surface smooth. It had accepted his designation on the first attempt¡ªa record, considering how many people had come before him. Ah, no wait, the letters had been changing, right?

    On the other hand, if he focused, he could swear that there was a faint vibration pulsing against his skin. He tapped it gently, and a message popped up.

    [Profile is available.]

    [Additional services are temporally locked.]

    The last line wasn¡¯t a surprise. The ¡®camera¡¯ that Lacerta had talked about would only appear during missions, and as a level 0, he didn¡¯t even have access to the inventory yet.

    ¡°Profile.¡±

    [Name: Mithras     |Level: 0

    Current Rank / Position: Intern (¦¤M Sqn)

    Points: 3               |Skill Points: 0

    <u>STATS:</u>

    Strength: 5 | Agility: 6 | Endurance: 5

    Intelligence: 8 | Perception: 7 | Charisma: 5

    <u>TRAITS:</u> Stealthy   |<u>PERKS</u>: Night Vision]

    It was exactly as he expected¡ªand as he already knew. Relaxing his shoulders with a long sigh, he rolled down his sleeve as he had seen Lacerta do earlier. With a simple thought, the text faded from his view. Covering his sleeve with his hand, feeling the pulse better than before, he stared at the air for a moment.

    Now, there was really no turning back.

    A brief smile stretched his lips upwards.

    As if I didn¡¯t already know it¡­

    Shaking off the thought, he went to his luggage and dragged it to the bedroom. There was a closet half-hidden at the end of the bed, but he had no interest in ordering anything now. After rummaging through his suitcase, he finally unearthed his phone. The screen flickered to life, but the signal bars remained stubbornly empty. Still, it served its purpose: the time glowed on the upper corner of the screen, and some apps worked offline well enough.

    The notes¡ªwell, he would be careful about that.

    There were a couple of hours before he had to be at Office D33. Setting an alarm, Luca placed the phone on the bedside table and sank onto the bed. The mattress was firm yet surprisingly comfortable, cradling him just enough to coax his weary body into relaxation. He was so tired. And this bed was the best one he had even laid on. He didn¡¯t think he would fall asleep so quick, so easily, and even so, the tiredness pulled him toward sleep.

    But a good rest didn¡¯t come easily.

    As he fell asleep, he dreamed. The sound of dripping water began from the start¨Ca faint plink echoing from somewhere within the walls. At first, it didn¡¯t matter. The lights flickered at the other side of the windows as the car moved ahead and the radio came online with an unclear song filled with static. But soon, the dripping became more noticeable.

    It wasn¡¯t loud, but it gnawed at the edges of his awareness, refusing to fade into the background.

    And then there was the heartbeat. Not his own¡ªno, this one thudded slower, heavier, resonating deep in his chest like a drumbeat meant for someone¡ªor something¡ªelse.

    It felt so cold.

    Rain poured outside, sliding down across the windows.

    The song changed but Luca still was unable to understand the lyrics or even the rhythm.

    Someone ¨Csomeone familiar was there, on the corner of his eyes. He didn¡¯t know who was. No anymore. Didn¡¯t remember. But he was almost sure that¡ª

    What?

    Beneath it all, the relentless drip, drip, drip.

    When the alarm blared, dragging him to the present, Luca bolted upright with a gasp. His heart raced, adrenaline surging through his veins as reality snapped back into focus. For a moment, he sat frozen, disoriented, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling while the remnants of his dream clung to him.

    Was this a nightmare? Not exactly. But calling it a simple dream¡­

    Luca rubbed his face, letting out a deep sigh. The only silver lining was despite the unease lingering in his gut, he felt¡­ rested. Physically, at least. Mentally ¡ªwell, he could be better. He sat still for a moment, one hand going to his arm. The bracelet on his wrist hummed softly, almost imperceptibly, under his fingers.

    Shaking off the last vestiges of sleep, Luca swung his legs over the side of the bed and reached for his phone to turn off the alarm. Two hours had passed, and it was time to start his first day. To face the music, as some people would say.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    His stomach rumbled as if there was no tomorrow.

    Alright. Whatever awaited him at Office D33 was still an hour afar ¡ªhe could make time for a snack.

    After rummaging through his luggage, Luca pulled on a simple blue jersey and swapped his bathrobe for something more professional but comfortable. With a final glance at the place where the bracelet still clung to his wrist, he picked up a couple of things from his luggage ¡ªa bag of sweets, a plain notebook and a pencil, before tearing a piece of paper to write a quick message.

    There had been a lot of black clouds for those who didn¡¯t act properly with the ¡®favor¡¯ received. It cost him practically nothing to cover his back against any possible problems that might arise from this front. He left the bag of gummies on the desk with the ¡®thank you note¡¯ and left his department with more ease. Now, it was unlikely he would come back to messy sheets, a clogged toilet or worms on his refrigerator.

    As he stepped into the hallway, he noticed movement from the opposite door¨Ca figure slipping in just as quietly. A coworker. A shame they left so quickly.

    Luca took the stairs again, descending into the lobby below. There was no one in front of the building but a sign pointed the path toward downtown. A breeze caressed his cheeks as he followed that lead towards the commercial area, thinking about what he should eat..

    He found a small store in the first block¡ªalthough the streets here seemed more open, with small green spaces between buildings¡ªwhere a modest crow had been drawn, a line forming outside its glass doors. He didn¡¯t recognize any of the faces waiting there, but they were no rookies. Their expressions were unreadable, their postures relaxed yet somehow guarded.

    As Luca hesitated, weighing whether to join the queue or explore further for another option (There should be a cafeteria nearby, right?), a cheerful voice broke through the white noise of murmured conversations.

    ¡°Hey, new face! Are you looking for lunch?¡±

    Luca turned to find a man standing beside him, grinning broadly. He was of average height, with ruffled black hair and an easygoing demeanor that might have seemed friendly in another context. An agent, at least.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Luca replied, meeting the man¡¯s gaze without flinching.

    ¡°Then let me give you a hand,¡± the stranger said, extending his own. ¡°Name¡¯s Mars.¡±

    The designation sent a pang of recognition through Luca¡¯s mind, but he kept his expression carefully neutral. Still, the hairs on the back of his neck prickled as he shook the offered hand. Mars¡¯s grip was icy, colder than any human skin had a right to be. However, it was better than the other agents, so schooling his features into polite indifference wasn¡¯t difficult.

    His level should be lower than Michael or Lacerta.

    ¡°Mithras,¡± Luca replied simply, offering his chosen designation.

    Mars tilted his head slightly, studying him with a certain intensity. ¡°Ah, Mithras. What a choice.¡± His grin widened further, revealing teeth that looked just a fraction too sharp. Before Luca could respond, the man gestured toward the store with a flourish. ¡°Shall we?¡±

    Luca gave a curt nod and followed Mars toward the growing line. As they joined the queue, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he was being sized up, evaluated¡ªnot by Mars alone, but by everyone around them. The older members glanced at him briefly, their eyes lingering just long enough to make him uncomfortable before returning to their hushed conversations as if nothing had happened.

    Someone weaker might have grown tense or sharp, letting paranoia take hold, showing spikes to those they shouldn¡¯t. Or worse, they might have let themselves be pushed away entirely, turning their belly up. But Luca wasn¡¯t weak. He kept his expression neutral and his body relaxed, refusing to give anything away. They weren¡¯t the only ones with experience in hell.

    ¡°So, what brings you to Pendulum?¡± Mars asked casually, walking next to him with an ease that felt almost like they were already friends. Another one with a good level of charisma, huh?

    ¡°Needed a change,¡± Luca replied, his voice calm and his response deliberately vague. Then he gave Mars a brief smile. ¡°Heard the pay¡¯s good.¡±

    Mars chuckled, a rumbling sound with its own peculiar cadence. ¡°Oh, you won¡¯t be disappointed. It¡¯s¡­ different, sure. Maybe even overwhelming, especially at first. But the numbers at the end of the month? They can make it all worthwhile.¡± His grin widened, a flash of blinding white teeth. ¡°You¡¯ll see soon enough.¡±

    Luca didn¡¯t reply beyond a simple nod, focusing instead on the menu board above the counter. After choosing a simple option¡ªsomething familiar¡ªhe turned to Mars. ¡°Do they take credit targets here?¡±

    ¡°Nah. Company gives us points based on rank,¡± Mars explained, waving a hand lazily. ¡°Use your band to pay.¡±

    At the front of the line, Luca swiped his wrist over the sleek scanner embedded in the counter. A soft beep confirmed the transaction, deducting 0.1 points, and he moved to collect his order. In a fluid motion, he added three sweets to his tray¡ªonly one for himself.

    ¡°We can find a place around the corner,¡± Mars suggested.

    Luca didn¡¯t respond, simply following Mars to the back of the store where a small seating area had been set up. Tables were scattered haphazardly, some occupied by clusters of people whispering amongst themselves, others left conspicuously empty. The air was thick with the mingling scents of food and something faintly unfamiliar. Yet, the warm red leaves swayed in the breeze, and laughter broke out from time to time, softening the otherwise tense atmosphere.

    As they sat down, Luca handed the second sweet to Mars without ceremony, his expression unreadable. Surprise flickered across the man¡¯s face for just a moment before his grin softened, becoming less predatory and more genuine¡ªor at least, as close to genuine as someone like a veteran could manage.

    ¡°Well,¡± Mars said, accepting the treat with a slight nod, ¡°can¡¯t say no to free sugar.¡±

    Tearing open the plastic wrapper of his sandwich, Luca studied Mars with a quick glance, noting the way the man¡¯s fingers curled possessively around the sweet. He must be stronger than I assumed, Luca thought, taking his first bite. Flavor and freshness exploded on his tongue, and he had to resist the urge to moan. This was, without a doubt, the best sandwich of his life. Unable to help himself, he picked up a fry and felt as though he¡¯d discovered a second reason to live right then and there.

    As Luca ate in silence, he couldn¡¯t help but notice how quickly Mars demolished his own meal. The man seemed almost ravenous, tearing into the food with an intensity that bordered on unsettling.

    Soon, it was time for dessert. Mars bit into the sweet Luca had given him, savoring it slowly, letting the flavor linger on his tongue before swallowing.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got a good head,¡± he murmured, locking eyes with Luca. ¡°Sharing goes a long way around here. Not everyone figures that out so early.¡±

    Luca met his gaze evenly, refusing to flinch or look away. ¡°Having manners is enough.¡±

    Mars laughed again, louder this time. ¡°You¡¯re going to need that mindset here.¡± He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice further, ensuring their conversation remained private despite the hum of chatter around them. ¡°Delta isn¡¯t so bad¡ªat least, not compared to Gamma or Beta. But don¡¯t let the simplicity fool you. Even here, mistakes cost. And trust¡­¡± His grin faltered for a split second, something colder and darker flickering in his expression. ¡°¡­trust is currency.¡±

    The words hung heavy in the air between them, laden with unspoken meaning. Luca nodded once and returned his attention to the remnants of his meal. Around them, the murmur of conversations continued, punctuated occasionally by bursts of laughter or louder, indistinct talk.

    A breeze slipped through the branches, sending auburn leaves dancing in the air before they drifted to the ground. It was a peaceful place, painted in shades of red and gold.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got a new name now,¡± Mars said abruptly, breaking the silence. ¡°Make sure to use it.¡±

    Luca hummed in agreement, his mouth still full of fries. When he finished eating, he stood without a word, gathering his tray and utensils. As he turned to leave, Mars watched him intently, the sweet now completely consumed, its wrapper crumpled carelessly in his hand.

    ¡°See you around, Mithras.¡±

    It was the island¡¯s version of ¡°good luck.¡± After all, the dead, the bound, and the enslaved didn¡¯t come back.

    How could he not understand it?

    ¡°See you around, Mars.¡±

 Chapter 13 - Preparations (Can I throw this manual away?)

    Luca stepped out of the store area, emerging into the gray afternoon. The strangeness of hearing the words he had read again and again years before lingered for a moment, but when he pulled out his phone and checked the time, the nostalgia died under the weight of reality. Fifteen minutes until the meeting at Office D33.

    His gaze drifted across the landscape, searching for the Main Hall. It wasn¡¯t hard to find¡ªa towering monolith of dark glass rising from the other side of the road. From this distance, it looked almost otherworldly, like a black tongue protruding from a red mouth. Well, it had to be said that it had its own kind of beauty.

    Luca took a deep breath, steeling himself, and began walking along the paved path that led toward it. The closer he got, the more imposing the structure became, its sheer size dwarfing everything around it. Shadows clung to its edges, pooling in the recesses between arched panels of glass.

    The entrance, an archway large enough for five people to enter side by side with their arms intertwined, stood open. Only as he approached did Luca notice details he hadn¡¯t seen from afar: faint cracks spiderwebbing across the white concrete, barely visible until closer inspection. The patterns reminded him of the forked lightning he had seen from the airplane.

    But only for a moment.

    In a blink, everything smoothed out, like it had been only his imagination.

    Luca pursed his lips.

    A cold breeze swept through the area, carrying with it an unfamiliar, faint scent. Somewhere nearby, a bird cried out¡ªa harsh, guttural sound that sent a shiver running down his spine. When he glanced up, he caught sight of it perched atop a window, its feathers blackened and matted, its eyes unnaturally bright.

    It stared directly at him, tilting its head as if studying him. Then, with a sudden flutter of wings, it vanished into the swirling clouds.

    I¡¯d call it an omen if I was already working.

    Luca quickened his pace, finally passing under the arched entrance. The reception area beyond was unexpectedly opulent and modern, its red wooden counters gleaming under warm lighting that seemed almost too bright against the dreary whiteness outside. Behind one of the counters stood a woman¡ªher skin unnervingly pale, almost translucent, and her crimson lips stretched into a poised smile.

    ¡°Hello,¡± she said, her voice surprisingly deep for someone who looked so delicate. ¡°Where do you need to go?¡±

    Luca returned the greeting, keeping his expression neutral, before answering, ¡°Office D33.¡±

    She tapped something on her computer, the sound of her keystrokes unnaturally loud in the otherwise quiet space. Then she nodded, gesturing toward a corridor behind her with a graceful wave of her hand. ¡°Follow that corridor and turn right at the end. Sixth door on your left.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Luca said, offering a brief, grateful nod before following her instructions. As he stepped away from the counter, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that her gaze lingered on him. For some reason, it felt like turning around would be a mistake, so he pressed on.

    The corridor she directed him to was starkly different from the lavish reception area. Narrow and sterile, with empty walls and only a faint hum of noise. The doors lining the hallway were plain, marked with golden signs¡ªsome displaying numbers, others letters, and a few with titles. It was a long corridor. Longer than he had expected.

    According to what he knew, the Main Hall boasted around a thousand floors, split between those above ground and those buried deep beneath it. Yet only a fraction of these floors were actively occupied. Delta claimed the first three; Gamma took the next three; Beta and Alpha occupied progressively higher levels. But the laboratories¡ªthat was where most of the activity truly resided, sprawling across dozens of subterranean floors. It was no surprise, really.

    Experiments required space. And secrecy. Particularly this kind of experiment.

    Despite the corridor¡¯s length, it didn¡¯t take Luca long to reach the end and make the turn. The journey was eerily uneventful¡ªno mishaps, no people crossing his path. That last detail struck him as odd. He could hear the faint hum of activity echoing through the corridors: muffled voices, the clatter of footsteps, the occasional ring of a phone. Yet not a single soul appeared in front of him.

    Well, I won¡¯t complain.

    As he found the sixth door, Luca paused briefly, studying it. Like the others, it was unremarkable¡ªplain wood with a small brass plaque reading D33. Yes, there was no need to check further. Taking a steadying breath, he knocked gently, the sound reverberating softly against the polished surface.

    ¡°Come in,¡± came the reply, a voice calm yet commanding. Familiar.

    He turned the handle and pushed the door open.

    Inside the office sat Michael, a figure Luca was beginning to know all too well. The man was seated behind a cluttered desk, in a chair large enough for two people. His glasses were perched neatly on his nose, reflecting the dim light of the muted white lamp, and his hair looked freshly styled, as if he¡¯d visited a professional on his way to work. For some reason, he was dressed in a black leather jacket.

    ¡°You¡¯ve arrived just in time,¡± Michael said, his smile sharp as he spoke.

    Perhaps Luca hadn¡¯t been stealthy enough to hide his glance¡ªor the slight judgment in it. He felt a flicker of guilt, but black leather always reminded him of his little brother trying too hard to appear older.

    Michael gestured toward the seat in front of the desk. ¡°I¡¯ve already prepared what you need. Take a seat and look at this.¡±

    Luca obeyed, lowering himself into the chair. Michael slid a tablet across the desk. The weight of it felt lighter than it should have as Luca picked it up.

    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    ¡°You¡¯ll find your manual there,¡± Michael explained, leaning back in his chair. ¡°Make use of the time. The available information about your new mission is already inside, updated to the last round.¡±

    Luca nodded curtly but hesitated. ¡°May I ask you a question?¡± When Michael gestured for him to continue, he said, ¡°Is there any special way to activate Traits and Perks?¡±

    The man looked at him, the weight of his gaze heavy even behind the sunglasses. ¡°No. They work automatically. You can ¡®cancel¡¯ them temporarily through the system, though.¡±

    ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s like that,¡± Luca murmured to himself.

    ¡°If I may ask you a question now,¡± Michael began, slightly pushing his sunglasses up. ¡°Did you obtain¡ª?¡± He didn¡¯t finish the sentence, but Luca knew exactly what he was referring to.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Luca replied, pausing for a moment to consider how much to reveal. ¡°It¡¯s paired with my Trait. I got pretty lucky.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    The Traits of employees were available in the database, accessible to all agents and beyond. Michael, who was obviously the senior assigned to him, would already know what Luca¡¯s Trait was. And while it was subtle, there were few Traits that paired as well with Stealthy as Night Vision. But would the man really make that connection?

    ¡°If you have nothing more to ask, then you may continue reviewing the mission,¡± Michael said, his tone dismissive but not unkind.

    Luca nodded and pulled a sweet from his pocket, leaving it on the corner of the table. ¡°Thank you, Michael.¡± Then, without waiting for a response, he turned his attention to the tablet. Once he unlocked the screen and settled into the seat for comfort, a simple interface appeared.

    The screen was divided into two columns, with the left, narrower one containing tabs. The first tab, the only one with text, read PRIMAL DREAM, accompanied by a single star. When Luca tapped it, the information appeared in the second column. A brief description outlined the setting of the Mystery: a carnivorous dinosaur zoo.

    As Luca distractedly noted how familiar it seemed, the sound of crinkling plastic and then tearing reached his ears.

    Suppressing a smile, he focused on the page. He recognized this¡ªnot by name, but by reputation. One of the named characters had met a tragic end there, devoured alive in a scenario that could only be described as a nightmarish, crueler version of Jurassic Park. Because here, this John Hammond hadn¡¯t intended for his creations to stay inside their cells.

    A sharp knock echoed through the room, startling Luca from his thoughts.

    ¡°Who?¡± Michael asked, as he moved around his desk, tossing something into the trash can.

    ¡°Nagato,¡± came the reply, hesitant. ¡°And Liona.¡±

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    The door creaked open, revealing Tim and Samantha¡ªor rather, Nagato and Liona. They stepped inside, their expressions guarded but tinged with apprehension. Both looked distinctly uncomfortable. Tim¡¯s usual confidence seemed muted, replaced by a wary stiffness, while Samantha¡¯s wide eyes darted around the room, avoiding both Michael and Luca.

    Michael gestured for them to sit, his movements precise and smooth. He pointed to the clock on the wall. ¡°You¡¯re late,¡± he remarked coolly, though there was no real accusation in his voice. To anyone else, it might have sounded like he was bored.

    Nagato cleared his throat awkwardly as he took a seat beside Luca. ¡°Sorry. We got lost on the way here.¡±

    Liona nodded silently, her demeanor far shyer than Luca recalled from the bus.

    ¡°Here. Study the material for the mission,¡± Michael said, handing out the tablets. ¡°Understand the rules. Your lives will depend on it.¡±

    After that, silence fell over the group. Like the others, Luca focused on the tablet, skimming through the information. Under the summary, there was a section labeled Roles. There were only three: Visitor, Tour Guide, and Food Vendor. There wasn¡¯t much detail about each one, except for the Death Rules.

    For Visitors, they couldn¡¯t attempt to leave the park premises until closing time (or security would ¡°take care¡± of them).

    For Food Vendors, they had to finish their shift at the store, unable to leave until the scheduled hour (not even for the bathroom). They had to work diligently, serving food to the best of their ability. Complaints would result in being taken by security and used as food for the park¡¯s attractions.

    For Tour Guides, they had to go to work and complete the tour, unable to leave the vehicle until it ended. Running away before or during the tour didn¡¯t work¡ªsecurity would deal with anyone who didn¡¯t comply. There was an added twist: visitor satisfaction. If it dropped below three stars, the guide would be thrown out and fed to the attractions¡ªpresumably for the amusement of the visitors and the madman who designed the park.

    It was so obvious which role was the most problematic and what one was the ''easiest''. However, it was also true that in the Mysteries, what might have looked more convenient at first glance was not always so.  And what might have looked like the worst case could hold interesting chances.

    But back to what was written....

    In summary, everyone had to stay in their roles until the disaster began and couldn¡¯t do anything to violate those roles in the meantime. But once everything went sideways, they could do whatever it took to survive without worrying about their assigned roles. They would all become Survivors.

    The brevity of the guidelines to reach the end made it clear that this was far from an easy Mystery. The great advice were three lines¡ªstay hidden, don¡¯t run, and don¡¯t make noise. They were common sense. Anyone who had seen the movies or played a single game could¡¯ve come up with the same advice.

    Luca felt his respect for whoever had written that information plummeting below zero. You could¡¯ve at least tried, he thought, closing his eyes briefly.

    Tim cleared his throat. ¡°Sorry¡ªbut¡ªyou¡¯re going to give us some equipment, right?¡±

    When Luca opened his eyes, Tim was gesturing toward the tablet, his face pale.

    ¡°There are carnivorous dinosaurs. And they¡¯ll be roaming free alongside us? For hours?¡± His tone was skeptical, almost disbelieving. ¡°How are we supposed to survive this?¡± He frowned, his voice rising slightly. ¡°Wait, how do we even get out of this?¡±

    Michael smirked. ¡°Well, to answer that, you¡¯ll be inside for twelve hours. If you¡¯re still alive at the end, the security mechanism will extract you. You¡¯ll be entering during the ¡®evening turn,¡¯ so you can count the hours yourself.¡± He paused, his gaze sweeping over them. ¡°And equipment? At Level 0? You don¡¯t even have the inventory unlocked. Quit dreaming.¡± His tone was bored, almost dismissive.

    Liona clutched her tablet tightly, her knuckles white against the screen. ¡°Then¡ªwe¡¯ll have to survive on our own, without even a weapon?¡±

    Michael raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why did you think the salary is so good? Kindness?¡± He shook his head. ¡°At your level, you won¡¯t be able to handle an item.¡±

    Luca glanced around at the pale, nervous, and even slightly angry faces. He chose to speak up, his voice calm but firm. ¡°If you¡¯re all amenable, we can share some strategies about how to survive with the Roles. We¡¯ve still got some time.¡± He glanced at Michael with a questioning look.

    ¡°Yeah, feel free to use your neurons,¡± Michael said, waving his hand dismissively. ¡°You¡¯ve got 20 minutes.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s a good idea,¡± Liona said, her voice steady but tinged with relief.

    Tim sighed, running a hand through his hair. ¡°I¡¯m a simple guy who just wanted a gun, but alright, I¡¯m in.¡±

    Since it had been his idea, Luca took the lead. ¡°I¡¯ll go first, then. I think if someone gets the Tour Guide Role¡­¡±

 Chapter 14 - Did someone say dinosaurs? (1)

    Twenty minutes passed in a blur.

    Michael leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the desk. ¡°Alright, time¡¯s up.¡±

    ¡°But what about¡ª?¡± Tim¡¯s words were cut off by a sharp knock at the door.

    ¡°Time to go,¡± came a voice from outside, muffled but firm.

    Michael gestured casually with his hands, looking as though he might slump over the table at any second. ¡°Don¡¯t forget your tablets here. Go and follow Lacerta.¡±

    Liona and Nagato were the first to rise, their movements tense. Luca lingered for a moment, meeting Michael¡¯s gaze one last time. The man offered him a brief smile¡ªsharp, yet strangely encouraging.

    ¡°I expect a report after this,¡± Michael said, his tone light but carrying an unmistakable weight.

    Luca nodded, recognizing the thinly veiled implication. It wasn¡¯t just an order but a reminder that returning alive wasn¡¯t optional. Almost against his will, a small, grim smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. ¡°Understood,¡± he replied calmly, closing the door firmly behind him as he stepped out into the corridor.

    ¡°Come on, we¡¯ve quite a trip ahead,¡± Lacerta said, smiling at them. She looked the same as she had hours ago, before disappearing when they landed.

    They followed her through narrow hallways, her heels clicking sharply against the floors. The sound bounced off the walls, cutting through what would have been a silent walk otherwise. No one seemed to dare to speak, immersed in their own thoughts. Perhaps they had just started to realize that their lives would be on the line very soon.

    Through the clatter of footsteps and the occasional hum of fluorescent lights overhead, they finally reached an elevator. Sleek, with three thick red lines painted on the doors, it had enough space for three people at most. They were forced to crowd inside¡ªLuca almost ate a handful of curls and barely avoided an elbow¡ªunder the amused gaze of Lacerta, whose personal space remained quite empty.

    There were no buttons inside, no visible controls to indicate which floor they might ascend or descend to. Instead, their senior simply stated, ¡°Floor U100.¡±

    The elevator responded immediately, chiming softly before the doors slid shut with a soft hiss, sealing them in. For a moment, the silence was deafening, broken only by the faint whirring of machinery as the elevator began its descent. Luca felt the pressure change in his ears.

    ¡°Nervous?¡± Lacerta asked suddenly, her tone almost playful. Though if the others could see her eyes like Luca could, they¡¯d find they remained as calm as a still lake. ¡°It¡¯s alright. We can chat a bit. Why don¡¯t you tell me about your designations?¡±

    ¡°I chose Liona,¡± the young woman answered, a flicker of pride in her voice.

    ¡°A bold name,¡± Lacerta said, her smile widening with satisfaction. ¡°What about you both?¡±

    ¡°Nagato,¡± Tim said after a pause.

    ¡°Long-lasting gate. Really striving forward, huh?¡± Lacerta remarked, her voice tinged with amusement.

    Luca offered his next. ¡°Mithras.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re all little poets, aren¡¯t you?¡± she said, raising a hand to brush a lock of hair out of her face. ¡°Now, one last question?¡±

    ¡°Will we be the only ones entering this Mystery?¡± Liona asked, pursing her lips.

    ¡°Well, yes,¡± Lacerta confirmed, tilting her head slightly. ¡°We have other situations besides this. You¡¯re lucky, you know? The other one requires twelve people.¡± She paused, then added, ¡°Half of them, give or take, won¡¯t come back.¡±

    Luca¡¯s thoughts raced as he considered her words. There were Mysteries where death struck instantly, without warning or escape¡ªa random lottery of fate that left no room for strategy or skill. In Primal Dream, at least, if they weren¡¯t saddled with the worst Role, their chances of survival would be¡­ better than in others.

    Relatively speaking.

    For a carnivorous dinosaur zoo, anyway.

    Liona managed to speak, her voice tinged with horror. ¡°But then¡ªwhy would anyone want to enter?¡±

    ¡°The same reason we¡¯re sending you into a pit of dinosaurs and you¡¯re jumping in,¡± Lacerta said, her lips curling into a faint smirk. ¡°Money. Now, don¡¯t fret too much about this. Even if the worst comes to pass, if you keep a cool head, you can find a way to survive.¡±

    Liona sent him a glance, for some reason, so Luca only nodded at her. It was empty encouragement. She would survive the night thanks to her charisma, so there was no need to worry. He had already given them some clues, not only for the Tour Guide, so everyone should be alright.

    The elevator continued its descent, the numbers flashing silently in the corner of the display. No one said anything more. And then, finally, the elevator slowed, coming to a stop with a soft ding that echoed through the cramped space. The doors slid open, revealing a dimly lit corridor bathed in pulsating red light. The air was colder here, tinged with an acrid metallic scent that made his nostrils flare.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Welcome to the Restricted Zone,¡± said Lacerta, stepping out without hesitation, confident as if the place belonged to her. ¡°One of twenty-five, but you didn¡¯t hear that from me. This way,¡± she instructed, gesturing for them to follow without looking back.

    The corridor led them to a set of double metal doors emblazoned with a swirling spiral that seemed to twist and writhe when glanced at indirectly. Lacerta pushed the doors open, revealing an expansive room lined with capsules on either side. They gleamed faintly in the low light, a mix of electric blue and silver. Each one was large enough to accommodate a person, and their shape almost made Luca believe he was preparing himself for space travel.

    If only.

    Amid noises of wonder, Lacerta turned around, standing in the center of the room.

    ¡°They are some beauties, right?¡± she said with a cocky smile and a hand on her waist, almost as if she had designed them herself. ¡°You¡¯ll use these to enter the Mystery. Ah, before I forget¡ªtime flows differently inside. Twelve hours for you, two for me.¡± She then pointed to three capsules clustered together in the corner. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t dawdle. You can¡¯t lose your ticket.¡±

    Luca approached the last capsule, his fingers brushing against its cold, smooth surface. With a faint click, the upper part of the capsule opened, sliding aside to reveal a padded interior that looked almost inviting. Almost.

    He hesitated for a moment, tempted to remove his shoes before climbing in, but dismissed the thought as unnecessary. Instead, he settled himself inside, lying back cautiously. The padding conformed to his body, cradling him in a way that felt both comfortable and unsettling. As the lid began to close, Lacerta¡¯s voice drifted toward him.

    ¡°Good luck, rookies.¡±

    And then, darkness swallowed him whole.

    It wasn¡¯t just the absence of light¡ªit was the complete obliteration of his senses. Sound faded first, replaced by an oppressive silence so profound it pressed against his eardrums. Then came the sensation of falling¡ªnot physically, but mentally, as though his consciousness were being torn from his body and hurled into an endless void. His skin prickled, every nerve ending screaming in protest as the world around him dissolved into nothingness.

    For a fleeting moment, Luca wondered if this was it¡ªif this would be his end. Would his brother wake up one day, wondering where he was? Would they cut down the line before Shawn could open his eyes?

    Then a new sensation emerged: a faint vibration coursing through his body, resonating with the bracelet still wrapped tightly around his wrist. It pulsed in time with the rhythm of his heartbeat, grounding him even as everything else slipped away.

    When the darkness finally receded, he found himself somewhere else entirely.

    He stood in front of a towering skeleton¡ªa Therizinosaurus, its massive claws curved like scythes, frozen mid-strike. The display loomed over him, white bones casting an ominous shadow over the floor. The illustration¡ªquite realistic, with bold colors¡ªwas both impressive and deeply unsettling, as though it were watching him from the image.

    A faint, icy sensation prickled at his wrist¡ªthe bracelet humming softly against his skin. Before he could process it, a translucent message blinked into existence directly in his field of vision:

    [Main Task (D-Rank): Take Pictures of the Attractions (0/6)]

    The words hung there for a moment before fading, leaving an afterimage burned into his mind. It wasn¡¯t just text; it felt as if it had been etched directly onto his thoughts. Well. Forget about forgetting the task. It would be impossible.

    How generous of Pendulum.

    ¡°Mithras, are you already up?¡± a cheerful voice chimed beside him, snapping him out of his contemplation.

    Luca turned to see a woman dressed in a green park uniform¡ªher jacket slightly too tight, her khaki pants adorned with the logo of the dinosaur zoo. She looked ordinary enough and acted as though she were familiar with him, using his designation despite the fact that even his coworkers didn¡¯t know it. (To think they hadn¡¯t even asked told a lot about their current nerves.)

    ¡°Yes,¡± Luca replied evenly, keeping his tone casual. ¡°I wanted to take a look around before my turn.¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve got around an hour and a half,¡± she said, glancing down at the watch strapped to her wrist. Her expression shifted briefly, almost imperceptibly, as though recalling something unpleasant. ¡°Did you eat lunch already?¡±

    ¡°I ate something,¡± Luca answered evasively.

    She snorted, shaking her head. ¡°Don¡¯t wait until the last hour. Everyone who makes that mistake ends up throwing up during the trip. Don¡¯t give the poor visitors a scare they don¡¯t like¡ªor your salary will get docked like Charles¡¯s.¡±

    Luca nodded, feigning agreement. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    With a sigh, the woman adjusted her cap and gave him a dismissive wave. ¡°I¡¯m heading out then. Hope there aren¡¯t too many kids again. They always start crying or screaming when we get to one of the kings¡¯ exhibits.¡± She hesitated for a fraction of a second, her smile faltering ever so slightly. Then, without another word, she turned and walked away, disappearing around the corner.

    ¡°See you soon,¡± Luca murmured under his breath. As soon as she was gone, he pretended to continue examining the Therizinosaurus skeleton. But his attention was no longer on the bones. Another message had popped up during their conversation, this one lingering ominously in the corner of his vision:

    [Role: Tour Guide

    Task: Complete the tour (0/6)]

    So, this was a Role Task, wasn¡¯t it? Lacerta¡¯s earlier warning echoed in his mind like a funeral bell tolling in the distance: Prioritize whatever means you survive. In this case, if he didn¡¯t complete it, he¡¯d end up triggering the Death Rule.

    What rotten luck. It seemed like he¡¯d drawn the worst possible mission¡ªthe same one that had ended with that named character¡¯s life.

    With a sigh, Luca turned away from the towering skeletons and walked toward the balcony overlooking the ground floor. The museum was quite spacious, the square floor ample enough to host six realistically sized displays of the attractions¡ªvivid, lifelike depictions of the predators in action, their teeth bared, claws extended¡ªand enough people to hold a concert. Three doors, made for giants obviously, stretched across each of the walls.

    Beyond the buzzing white noise of the voices, he heard a deep growl coming from outside.

    From upstairs, he saw the lines of enjoyment and laughter among the people.

    Sighing, Luca felt a bit of excitement himself despite knowing well what would happen. He pushed off the railing and descended the stairs. With each step, the magnitude of the museum dwarfed him, and his eyes jumped from display to display. Two occupied the corners, and the remaining four stood proudly in the middle of the ground floor¡ªthe four kings.

    His lips twitched.

    Dinosaurs. Really. In front of them were replicas of bone and glue, good enough to make holographic show directors hide their heads in shame. And this was at the very bottom of the Most Exciting Things from this Mystery List.

 Chapter 15 - Did someone say dinosaurs? (2)

    The ¡®first floor¡¯ from which Luca had descended was, in truth, a mezzanine. Below it, on the ground floor, were bathroom doors, wooden benches, informative stands, and posters plastered across the walls. The high ceiling created an ample sense of space, even though the actual roof loomed about 30 meters above.

    An hour and a half, huh? Luca glanced around, wondering where he could check the time¡ªand spotted a screen conveniently hanging on the wall nearby. Besides the time (convenient tucked in a corner), it displayed commercials for the park¡¯s promotions and, more importantly, an explanation of the layout. According to the map, the museum stood at the very center of the park, while his assigned workplace was located to the south.

    His shift started at 6 p.m., leaving him just an hour to gather information and make his way to the tour starting point before security came looking for him.

    Though tempted to head straight outside through one of the nearby exits¡ªhe only had to turn left and walk out¡ªLuca chose to visit the nearest exhibit instead. A concrete wall, just slightly lower than the mezzanine, separated the display from the entrance. It was a clever design, supposed by the good of the displays, but he couldn¡¯t help but think it might come in handy later that night.

    The first exhibit he reached was the Giganotosaurus. To the south was the T-Rex¡¯s exhibit, and to the west, the Spinosaurus¡¯s. The Yutyrannus exhibit stood to the north, directly across from the area covered by the mezzanine. Luca took his time walking around, pausing briefly to read the displayed information. It was a mix of historical data and anecdotes¡ªthough, from what he could see, no one else seemed particularly interested in reading it.

    Probably because the format was ugly. And, to be fair, they had the real thing outside.

    As he moved toward the next exhibit, he found an interesting tidbit about the king of kings: according to research, the T-Rex¡¯s eyesight wasn¡¯t great¡ªit was colorblind and depended on the movement of its prey. As a result, it relied on an incredible sense of smell and acute hearing to hunt.

    What a classic, Luca thought wryly before continuing at a steady pace.

    After exploring the T-Rex exhibit and the remaining two ¡®kings,¡¯ he checked out the displays in the corners¡ªand finally noticed that thirty-five minutes had already passed. It wasn¡¯t that he¡¯d lost focus while checking the details; it was just that the displays were spaced far apart. Each of kings were at least ten meters from the next, and the corner exhibits were more than twenty meters apart.

    Yes. This place was easily the size of a city block.

    Finally, the entrance welcomed him. Beyond the gargantuan open doors, the world stretched out under a deep blue sky, the sun shinning brightly like a summer day. Green spaces sprawled below, with bushes and trees forming small gardens flanking a crystal-clear lake. The path branched east and west, with two asphalt strips running south, leaving the open space in the middle. To the southwest was a food court, and to the southeast, a shop area.

    People strolled along the paths, some of them surrounding the lake, which ran parallel to the path Luca was on. Beyond the lake, massive -really massive- steel bars marked the enclosures where the real displays roamed.

    After a thought, Luca took the southwest path, heading toward the food court and the Orkoraptors¡¯ enclosure, according to the sign in the middle of the path. Tourists walked by, oblivious, approaching the enclosures with wide-eyes, excited written on their faces. They craned their necks and snapped photos, desperate to catch a single glimpse of the animals lurking within.

    Seeing them, Luca felt they would jump inside or stretch their heads through the bars to the other side if they could.

    What did they think they were looking at¡­? Cute baby pandas?

    After a few minutes, Luca reached the closed enclosure, glancing at the wooden poster near the ¡®entrance¡¯¡ªwhich, if you thought about it, was wide enough to let a row of buses pass through simultaneously. No, it wasn''t suspicious at all.

    According to the information provided, the Orkoraptors were swift, cunning hunters with great team working, able to take in prey four times his size. Which was almost the same as what the museum had said, except here it added the number of raptors currently living in the enclosure, and didn''t share some bits of the group leader and the members.

    Well, it was quite important to know that seven of them were lurking among the shadows of the trees. (For now.)

    As Luca weaved through clusters of excited tourists chattering animatedly, a sharp sound cut through the air¡ªa high-pitched chirp followed by a series of similar calls. Instantly, the crowd surged forward, phones flashing as everyone scrambled to capture the moment without even caring for the others. Excited murmurs rippled through the group.

    If they could, they¡¯d probably jump inside the enclosure, huh?

    It was pure luck that Luca saw it¡ªa pair of yellow eyes with vertical pupils, glinting from the shadows of the tall grass and dense foliage. They blinked once, slowly, as though sizing up the crowd beyond the bars. The creature remained hidden, its body obscured by the vegetation, but those eyes¡­ those piercing eyes¡­ locked onto Luca with an intensity that made his heartbeat skip.

    An animal with the reputation of a monster.

    Its gaze seemed¡­ hungry.

    A familiar gaze. Luca knew hunger very well, and he knew beasts like the one in front of him. Not only from years ago¡ªwhich was somewhat closer than the experience from months ago, working with Freddy the Alligator, or the couple of days as the feeder at the zoo.

    Beyond that, there was only one thing he could think about: If Shawn could see this, he¡¯d never let me live it down. He¡¯d go crazy.

    On some days, Luca still didn¡¯t know if he hadn¡¯t gone nuts already.

    This is horrible, he thought with a smile. But in another life, I wouldn¡¯t care about dying here.

    Luca¡¯s fingers twitched at his side, but just as quickly as it had appeared, the creature vanished back into the underbrush, leaving only the faint rustle of leaves in its wake. Exhaling sharply, Luca realized belatedly that he¡¯d been holding his breath.

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    Why? It shouldn''t have that much effect on him, should it?

    Forget it, he thought, listening to the noise of the people around him. The tourists continued to chatter excitedly, still apparently oblivious to the predator¡¯s silent scrutiny. They stood there, cameras raised and shinning faces, waiting for the raptor to appear¡ªperhaps to perform some trick or make a dramatic leap into view.

    To them, this was entertainment, wasn''t it? A thrilling (and perhaps the only, surely the last) chance to witness nightmare-shapped animals in what they believed was a controlled, secure space. And Luca couldn''t blame them too much, because if this weren''t his job, then he would be glady one of them, snapping pictures of each rustling leaf with the hope of capturing something.

    Shawn would love¡ª

    Luca shook his head, his attention shifting to the message that had flickered into existence when the Orkoraptor revealed itself:

    [Target ¨C Orkoraptor located.]

    Well, I''ll no be ''capturing'' the plants, appearently.

    With a last glance, he turned away from the Orkoraptor¡¯s enclosure and walked forward, following the asphalted path. The end of the enclosure coincided with the start of the food court on the opposite side of the road. Luca made his way across, glancing south toward the Spinosaurus¡¯ enclosure, knowing he¡¯d be seeing it from a much closer distance than he¡¯d like very soon.

    To his mild surprise, he spotted someone familiar at one of the food stalls, in a hotdog trunk. Among the dino-shaped sauce jars, Lione looked quite on her element, working fast and nimble, a smile on her face as she gave a visitant their order.

    Liona¡¯s eyes widened as she noticed him standing near the long line of hungry visitors. Luca waved at her, then pointed toward the enclosures and back to himself. He wasn¡¯t sure if she understood, but he didn¡¯t want to distract her from her work, so he turned and left.

    So, if Liona¡¯s a Food Seller, then Nagato is the Visitor. What a lucky guy. He might not have guns, but at least his Role will make the next few hours easier for him.

    Glancing at the enclosure to the west, which held the Spinosaurus, and then to the east, where the T-Rex was surely taking a nap in some corner, Luca turned toward the latter. The road that would take him to the starting point of the tour was in the middle, a couple of meters from there. As he made his way, he thought about the places he should go after finishing the tour¡ªbecause he would finish it, no doubt.

    One of the levers must be in that garden, he thought, looking ahead. Between the T-Rex¡¯s enclosure and the next one, just in the southeast corner, was one of the three sites he would have to visit. Why? Because this was the only way to leave the Mystery early. It required that he act a bit crazy during the tour, but the rewards were worth it.

    But the other thing could be a problem, he thought. His stats... his strenght was average, different to the guy that had discovered originally this hidden end. But, he would find a way, he knew. Perhaps...

    Before starting, Luca had toyed with the idea of choosing a meeting place and sharing the ¡®sudden, out-of-the-blue hidden mission,¡¯ but he¡¯d ended up saying nothing. Although they¡¯d shared some ideas during those twenty minutes, they hadn¡¯t discussed cooperation beyond that. Not even Liona had proposed something like that, so¡­ no.

    Going alone suited him just fine.

    ... But, sadly, one needed to be a little flexible to survive.

    I''ll cross that bridge later.

    It took him a couple of minutes to reach the path toward the base, noticing the presence of men in uniforms¡ªthe security of the park. They glanced in his direction but didn¡¯t say anything, so he took it as a sign that they knew he was the tour guide. They were probably glad they wouldn¡¯t have to run after him to drag his ass to the nearest enclosure.

    After minutes of walking at a slow pace, Luca finally saw the outline of the base. In truth, it was a cluster of three simple, utilitarian structures arrengled in a ''L'' shape. The buses for the guided tours began and ended their circuits here. Its exterior was unremarkable¡ªplain concrete walls, minimal and narrow windows¡ªbut something about it felt¡­ off.

    Perhaps it was the quietness that enveloped the place when there were people whitin.

    When Luca reached the entrance, a pair of men in black uniforms stood guard. They nodded curtly at him as he approached, stepping aside without a word or any additional gesture. It wasn¡¯t permission exactly but acquiescence, as if they already knew exactly who he was and why he was there.

    ¡°You¡¯re here!¡± An older man greeted him with exuberance the moment he stepped inside, his voice booming through the otherwise quiet space. Deep lines of exhaustion marred his face, and his smile was stretched too wide. Fake, fake, fake. ¡°Great! Did you learn your speech?"

    Ha. That little excuse of a ¡®manual¡¯ didn¡¯t say anything about giving some sort of discourse. A tiny little detail that marked the difference between surviving or not. Fortunately, he had been acquiring some interesting snippets around the corner, hadn¡¯t he?

    He nodded at the old man.

    Surely, pretending to be a chatterbox as a guide couldn¡¯t be harder than dressing as a goofy mascot for a children¡¯s festival, nor as stressful as literally putting his head inside an alligator. Or meeting a mafia boss as a scrawny 20-years old with nothing to give and everything to lose.

    ¡°Great!¡± the man exclaimed, clapping his hands together once before leaning in closer, his enthusiasm faltering just a hint. ¡°We don¡¯t control what you tell them¡ªbut it¡¯s important for visitor satisfaction, you know?¡± His frown deepened. ¡°You don''t look like an orator but put some effort.¡±

    Luca offered a curt nod, his gaze flickering briefly over the man¡¯s shoulder and then returning to him.

    Don¡¯t let the satisfaction go down.

    ¡°I won¡¯t keep you any longer,¡± the man continued, waving dismissively as he turned to lead Luca toward the ''back'' area. ¡°Come on, let me show you where you¡¯ll be starting.¡±

    As they moved deeper into the facility, Luca caught sight of the line of buses stationed neatly along the far wall, ready to roll out for their evening tours. Most looked standard enough¡ªclean, well-maintained vehicles designed to carry groups of eager tourists through the park to the adventure of their lives, the logo of the park painted across the sides.

    But then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw it¡ªa disfigured bus being dragged away by a crane. A twisted, crushed metal frame was everything that was left, with visible streaks that revealed raw steel beneath. Luca forced himself not to react, pretending not to notice as the remains of the vehicle disappeared around the corner. Even if he was sure it had been dripping blood on the ground.

    Instead, he focused on the newer-looking bus ahead. It gleamed under the harsh fluorescent lights.

    ¡°This will be yours for tonight,¡± the older man said cheerfully, gesturing toward the bus with an exaggerated flourish. ¡°It will stick to the route¡ªwe¡¯ve got everything mapped and prepared for you. Just keep the visitors entertained, and try not to¡­ well, you know.¡± He trailed off, his smile faltering again, replaced by a fleeting look of discomfort. Then, he patted Luca¡¯s back with more strength than was needed. ¡°Anyway, good luck out there!¡±

    With that, he turned and walked briskly away, leaving Luca standing alone beside the bus.

    That old man¡¯s hand had been almost as cold as Michael¡¯s or Lacerta¡¯s.

    Without any other option, Luca climbed aboard the bus, taking the seat in the front after sweeping a quick glance around. The interior was clean and quite modern, equipped with plush seating and large windows that offered panoramic views. To the tourists, it would seem thrilling in its ¡®insecurity.¡¯ But of course, it was ¡®safe.¡¯

    Ha.

    Fastening his seatbelt, his eyes caught the glint of metal inside a compartment beneath the front window. A small microphone was nestled among a handful of candies and a bottle of water. It looked normal in comparison to the setup¡ªno steering wheel, no pedals. Instead, the dashboard was dominated by a control panel.

    In the center of the screen, a single red button shone. It showed the word START in bold, unyielding letters.

 Chapter 16 - Did someone say dinosaurs? (3)

    ''START''

    So, it seemed like he had only to press it¡ª

    Before Luca could move, the old man reappeared from the side. Behind them, a group of men in the park vests, with black pants and boots standing next to the walls, looked at them with some curiosity, a hint of expectation. But for what? The old man, ignorant or indifferent at this, leaned on the frame, peering at him with unreadable eyes.

    ¡°Ready?¡± he asked, as if it were really a question. His gaze lingered on Luca for a moment longer than necessary before he added, almost casually, ¡°You¡¯re young, so you should now that nowadays people love adrenaline.¡± He tapped the side of his temple knowingly and gave him a look.

    Luca nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Go, go,¡± the man said with a dismissive wave of his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t be late, or there¡¯ll be trouble for all of us.¡± With that, he turned and walked toward the handful of employees gathered nearby.

    As Luca glanced around the bus, at the empty seats, he knew the ¡®visitors¡¯ wouldn¡¯t be the same as the ones he¡¯d seen earlier. But it didn¡¯t matter. A job was a job.

    He pressed ¡®START¡¯.

    With a low hum, the bus came to life ¡ªvibrations rippled through the floorboards and up into his seat. The click of the door and the windows was followed by the movement of the vehicle on its own. It eased out of its spot and slowly glided along a half¡ªhidden road leading westward. The automatic system was thorough, so Luca sat back and took the opportunity to study his surroundings more carefully.

    The front was quite normal, excepting for the control screen. Now, two vivid words had appeared: STOP and, most interesting, SHIELD. The latter had an icon of a white bar beneath it, seemingly halted in the middle of a full charge. The manual, of course, had mentioned nothing about this and what could do mean.

    Luca didn¡¯t know who had been responsible of filling the details, but he hoped never to meet them. There was little he liked less than incompetency.

    Amidst his thoughts, the murmurs began.

    At first, they were faint, barely audible over the soft background noise of the bus. But soon, they grew louder¡ªa cacophony of murmurs and laughter, overlapping voices that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. Luca turned his head, after catching movement out of the corner of his eye, and stared.

    People were materializing in the seats around the bus.

    They appeared slowly, their forms flickering like static on an old television screen before solidifying into translucent shapes. Men, women, children¡ªall dressed in casual tourist attire, their faces frozen in expressions of excitement or mild boredom. They chattered amongst themselves, oblivious to Luca¡¯s presence.

    Something was wrong with them. They looked different from the ones he¡¯d seen during his early time wandering the park. Perhaps it was the dark stains on their clothes, or the way their forms flickered, torn between two states. Or better said, two points in time.

    As he watched them, two messages blinked into existence in the corner of Luca¡¯s vision:

    [Survive the Tour (0:59:59)]

    [Satisfaction: In Progress]

    An hour.

    The sun was sinking toward the horizon, and at night, the predators that had been resting during the day would wake up. Hungry, surely.

    As the bus rolled forward, Luca sighed, noticing they were approaching the fences of the first enclosure. The Spinosaurus¡¯s. Towering bars and dense, prehistoric foliage loomed in the still present daylight. He couldn¡¯t hear the rustle of the leaves or the chirps of any bird from his current position, but he knew that somewhere within that cage, its inhabitant stirred.

    Everything would be undoubtedly easier if he could simply use the shield the whole trip. But nah, that would take off all the diversion, right? Those adrenaline-addict wannabes (those dead adrenaline¡ªaddict wannabes) preferred to give a shot at the matter of being eaten.

    This shield was part of the performance. One he had to excel if he wanted no only to came back in a piece but to leave early.

    On the (almost) good, shiny side of the coin, although this job could be a visit in a Jurassic park ¨Cha!¡ª it had its perks. He didn¡¯t recall the last time he had the chances of working less hour without getting his pay docked (and fired). In truth, this should be only work where making less hours would increase the salary. They should put it as the job¡¯s highlighting.

    A deep growl cut through the vegetation, easily reaching him, as they approached more and more the enclosure. It was followed by an excited cheer courtesy of the ¡®audience¡¯. But as nothing more happened, and the bus continued moving slowly forward, something started to ¨Cstir? It was a faint, insidious energy that slithered through the bus like crispy smoke. It pressed against his skin.

    Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw that the ¡®visitors¡¯ seemed to be caught on its second ¡®form¡¯, and their vacant eyes had started to look at him. If this was not enough, the uneasy silence was also a good sign of that something had to be done.

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    [Satisfaction: Diminishing]

    Ha. They were getting bored, right?

    As the massive doors of the enclosure creaked open ahead, barely wide enough for the bus to pass through, Luca reached for a small microphone from the glove box, and tried it out, pressing the small button. When it made a faint ¡®bip¡¯, he started to talk.

    ¡°Testing, testing ¡ªdo you hear me? If you can hear me, please say ¡®yes.¡¯¡±

    The spectral figures, who had been silent instants ago, responded in a chorus of enthusiastic affirmations. ¡°Yes!¡± they chimed, as if nothing unusual were occurring around them. But their impression had started to turn back to the ¡®cleaner¡¯ version, which was everything he needed to know he was in right path.

    Good. He did remember well, then.

    ¡°Perfect! A pleasure to have all of you here today. I¡¯m your guide, Mithras, and I¡¯ll be taking you on a journey you won¡¯t soon forget.¡± He paused, breathing carefully, letting the words hang in the air. His tone was the same he had used during that seven months as Chummy, the Magician¡¯s assistant. ¡°Now, you¡¯ve probably heard about our first friend we¡¯ll be visiting ¡ªone of the four kings. He¡¯s a bit spiky, but everyone loves him!¡±

    The sound of rushing water grew louder as the bus emerged beside a riverbank. The scene might have been made a great postal to send home ¨Ca peaceful expanse of translucent water framed by lush vegetation. But this wasn¡¯t tranquility; it was the calm of a depredator¡¯s territory.

    One hand hovered over the STOP option while the other rested firmly on the silver bracelet wrapped around his wrist. Luca waited, looking at the water, and continued speaking, sharing a snipped he had got from the museum. ¡°Our friend here is the fruit of years of research, and some of use of creativity license. Because Primal Dream¡¯s founder, Dr. Johnson, wished to offer only to best to his visitants, he recovered the fragments of DNA from the three different exemplars discovered in the last five years.¡±

    The bus reached halfway along the river, and he pressed the ¡®button¡¯, halting the bus.

    ¡°However, this fusion ended bringing unexpected results.¡±

    As in clue, a colossal figure erupted from the river, less than fifty meters from the bus. Water cascaded off its imposing crest, slipping through its sleek scarlet, black scales, and a gaping maw with rows of crocodile teeth. The sheer size of the creature was more than imposing ¨Cbut the audience, this ghostly audience, standing only a couple of meters of distance from the predator didn¡¯t scream in fear.

    No.

    They were so fucking elated, their faces luminescent with morbid fascination. It was a crazy look that made them seem so alive. Beyond nuts, but alive.

    Luca had no reason to celebrate as he pressed the button to capture the image.

    [Target ''Spinosaurus'' hasn¡¯t been captured.]

    And then:

    [Satisfaction: Increasing!]

    Ups and downs. Luca frowned, pondering if the window between him and his target could be the problem. His eyes started darting around, a dangerous idea already forming on his mind, and then focused on the end of the bus.

    The Spinosaurus wasn¡¯t done with such a demonstration. With earth-shaking steps, it stumped toward the bus, its golden eyes locking onto the vehicle with predatory intensity. The ground trembled beneath its weight, each step reverberating through the chassis like a small tremor, and Luca could imagine it crushing the vehicle with one of its pawns.

    ¡°As you can see, our friend is really big and strong, ¡°Luca continued, his finger hovering over the SHIELD button, now glinting in green, the bar beneath it fully charged. But damn if it was slow! Alright, he thought, and then stretched his other hand towards the small button next to the windows. With a hiss, the glass slid open.

    [Satisfaction: Increasing!]

    As the Spinosaurus appeared at the back of bus and opened its maw, yellowish and conic teeth in high quality, a wave of stinking breath barreled into the bus. Luca pressed his bracelet at the same time than the dinosaur reached the bus, and then the other important button ¨CSHIELD. Two things happened then, at the same time; first, the messages¨C

    [Target ''Spinosaurus'' captured.]

    [Main Mission Upgraded: 1/6.]

    ¨Cand the shield. An electric teal dome materialized out of thin air, crackling with energy as it repelled the dinosaur¡¯s advance. The Spinosaurus halted, its massive head snapping at the barrier with a ferocity that screamed older grievances.

    A counter appeared on the screen: 7 Seconds.

    Ah? Luca frowned. What a joke.

    A new button blinked in the screen: CONTINUE.

    The Spinosaurus roared again, its deafening cry shaking the very air around them. Luca didn¡¯t hesitate and pressed down on the button, propelling the bus forward just as the creature lunged. The Spinosaurus stopped itself before it could clash against the shield but its ferocious mouth was wide open, eyes red.

    ¡°Oh, it seems like our friend is a bit cranky today,¡± he kept going, counting the seconds.

    Slower than a snail, Luca thought when the bus started to move around. It felt like it had been designed in purpose to prolong the encounter rather than escape it. Which only left him with a sole sentence: to hell with that psycho!

    If they didn¡¯t hurry up, the shield would¡ª!

    With a flicker, the teal translucent cover faded away, leaving the bus in the good graces of some god. Which wasn¡¯t a good metaphor considering that the only god he believed was the one that didn¡¯t exist.

    Behind them, the Spinosaurus let out another guttural roar.

    The visitants, at least, seemed quite content. Even if their Satisfaction didn¡¯t work for the shield on this enclosure it was nice seeing they appreciate his efforts to come home early.

    How kind. The Spinosaurus didn¡¯t seem interested enough on them to go on with the chase. Turning around, it slipped in the water, leaving visible only the top of its crest. The sunlight made its black scales glint like silver, and, well ¡ªit couldn¡¯t be denied that it had its own kind of beauty.

    A dangerous, primal kind of beauty.

    As the bus moved steadily onward, leaving the riverbank ¡ªand the predator ¡ª behind, Luca let out a soft sigh. But it hadn¡¯t finished yet.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s been a quick visit to our friend. Why don¡¯t we say goodbye to him?¡± He paused for an instant. ¡°Goodbye Malik!¡±

    The whole audience burst in a maniac chorus, ¡°Malik! Malik! Malik!¡±

    There you go, thought Luca, a hint of satisfaction, leaning back in the seat. The exit stood forward, and it slid open without hesitation, leaving them out on the road again. As the bus stepped in the pavement, messages popped up.

    [Satisfaction ''Spinosaurus'' Exposition: 4/5. Continue working hard!]

    [Note: For a better score, use the shield sparingly. Visitors are tough¨Cthey can handle some minor damage in exchange for an unforgettable adventure!]

    Luca¡¯s lips twitched involuntarily at the absurdity of it all. Tough? Sure, they could survive to a little dino kiss. But it was like a typical breaking out situationship but reversed: the problem was him, who was still flesh and bone, not them. And there was no way in which he would change this fact, thank you.

    (He had promises to kept and a long way waiting for him.)

    As the words faded, his eyes turned at his surroundings ¡ªthe road stretched ahead, the outline of the next enclosure not so far from there.

    Orkoraptors, right?

 Chapter 17 - Did someone say dinosaurs? (4)

    Luca pressed his lips together, deep in thought. The information about the group was less than that of the others¡ªthere were seven of them, led by an adult female, with three other females and three males (supposedly sterile, so there was no need to worry about baby dinos), along with a few other minor details. Would that be enough for the audience?

    Looking ahead, he saw the silhouette of the next habitat growing larger and clearer. It was interesting to note that the bus was following a secondary, almost hidden path at the back of the park, one that wasn¡¯t marked on the map. Perhaps because not just anyone had access to this "special tour."

    Swiveling his chair, he turned his attention back to the audience, noticing that their demeanor was already starting to shift. Zero patience, this group.

    Luca straightened his shoulders and continued with the show.

    "I hope you enjoyed our first stop," he began, injecting some enthusiasm into his tone. "Now we¡¯ll take a look at one of our special families¡ªI think you already know them." He paused briefly, letting the anticipation build. "Their leader is one of the park¡¯s most beloved members. You might have heard of her¡ªour queen, Talia!"

    The moment her name left his lips, the visitors erupted into cheers, chanting in unison:

    "Talia! Talia! Talia!"

    Their voices overlapped in a rather grating cacophony¡ªa layer of something almost inhuman lurking beneath the supposed joy¡ªbut Luca ignored the throbbing in his temple. It was better that they were happy than starting to complain and losing satisfaction. The last thing he wanted was for the damn bus to open its doors and throw him to the predators. Not with the two-and-a-half-meter-tall raptors and their jaws full of sharp, serrated teeth. His one weakness wasn¡¯t enough to save him from that.

    "That¡¯s right," he smiled. "And we¡¯re almost there¡ª" Sure enough, the entrance to the enclosure rose just a few meters ahead.

    The atmosphere shifted instantly. The cheerful chatter faded, replaced by a sudden silence as the sounds of the raptors reached their ears: low growls, high-pitched screeches, and the rustle of movement¡ªscales and feathers brushing against leaves¡ªcoming from the other side of the bus walls.

    The visitors leaned forward in their seats, captivated, almost obsessed one might say¡ªthey held their breath (which Luca was fairly sure they didn¡¯t need to do), their glassy eyes fixed intently on the shadows among the trees and giant ferns.

    Luca tensed but didn¡¯t lose his composure. The lack of glass in the windows made the situation more stressful, so no one would blame him for keeping a hand on the shield button¡ªeven if it wasn¡¯t fully charged yet. If they actually attacked the bus, it would charge completely and activate¡­ right?

    Probably.

    It wasn¡¯t like he had another option, he thought. The button to release the glass had disappeared after he pressed it, so his only defense was the shield.

    Through the large, feather-like leaves, dark shapes moved swiftly, keeping pace with the bus as it rolled along the designated path. Moving like water, they revealed pairs of glowing yellow or orange eyes, or flashes of iridescent feathers every now and then. Beyond that¡ªthey seemed to simply be watching. It was good for his blood pressure, but¡ª

    [Satisfaction: Decreasing]

    ¡­Being dead was boring, right?

    Alright then.

    "Looks like they¡¯re a little shy today," he said, his tone light, almost playful. The audience laughed, their excitement buzzing like static in the air, and their clean appearance still prevailed over the "I-died-horribly-and-now-it¡¯s-your-problem" look.

    But Luca only glanced at them briefly before focusing back on the forest. Among the leaves, something moved¡ªa flash of blue and black amidst the vibrant green¡ªscales, feathers in the small spots where light filtered through. The sound of a trill, but deeper and more guttural than one would expect from a bird, echoed through the trees, followed by sharp, brief chirps.

    Then it happened.

    Something massive slammed into the side of the bus, creating a deafening crash that shattered the intense but quiet atmosphere. The vehicle shuddered, swaying slightly, throwing Luca off balance. However, he managed to steady himself, a frown etched on his face as he looked toward the spot where the impact had occurred.

    Meanwhile, the audience screamed¡ªnot in fear, but in excitement. So damn happy.

    [Satisfaction: Increasing!]

    Luca forced a smile, even as he cursed them in the three languages he knew. "Look who¡¯s come to say hello!" he exclaimed, his voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through his veins. His hand flew to the SHIELD button, pressing it firmly just as another impact shook the bus. And, of course, he didn¡¯t forget the bracelet.

    [Target ''Orkoraptor'' Captured.]

    [Main Mission Updated: 2/6.]

    Done!

    The turquoise barrier materialized in a crackling burst of energy, enveloping the bus in a protective dome. A faint smell reached his nose¡ªozone. Outside, the Orkoraptor that had struck the bus retreated, its dark scales glinting under the fading light. Blue feathers rippled along its back and arms, deceptively beautiful, especially those covering part of its black, razor-sharp claws.

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    The creature¡¯s golden eyes locked onto Luca¡¯s. It was strange. Its size was obviously smaller than the Spinosaurus, but it still sent a chill down his spine. Maybe it was even scarier than Chainsaw Man.

    Was it because of this that time seemed to slow down for a moment? For an instant, he could see every detail: the way its feathers bristled, the faint gleam of saliva on its yellowish teeth, the tense muscles beneath its scaly skin from head to its feathered tail. Until the predator let out a low, rumbling growl, a sound that vibrated through the air, breaking the "moment."

    Luca blinked.

    The Orkoraptor¡ªwho Luca was sure was Talia¡ªturned and disappeared into the foliage, fading like a shadow.

    The display showed he still had seven seconds left on the shield¡ªso it was obvious the time had increased. Would it be enough to reach the exit without further issues¡­?

    He swallowed, forcing himself to focus. "You¡¯ve seen that our friends have beautiful plumage along its bodies, like birds," he said, his voice echoing through the bus. He glanced at the audience for a split second and then at the Orkoraptor pacing outside the SHIELD. "What might surprise you to know is that, at the time of their, uh¡ª" Luca searched for the right word, "¡ªrecreation, researchers didn¡¯t have enough material and ¡®patched¡¯ it using DNA from Milvus cyanoptera, a blue bird that shouldn¡¯t be confused with its cousin. This blue milvus is a bird of prey, so exclusively carnivorous."

    Some poor biologist was probably dying in the "real world" because of his words, but there was no message about satisfaction, so Luca assumed it was a success. If his charisma were higher, this fucking trip would¡¯ve been much easier, of course, but with his ¡®normal¡¯ stat, it was more than enough to keep satisfaction from dropping.

    Luca turned his attention forward. Ahead, a narrow gap between reinforced steel bars marked the massive exit of the predator¡¯s habitat. Though the bus was steadily moving toward it, the pace was excruciatingly slow. So damn slow.

    The SHIELD timer ticked down in the corner of his vision.

    An Orkoraptor dashed past one side, missing the dome by barely half an inch. It turned its head as it passed, its intense orange eyes locking onto Luca.

    He knew it. He recognized that look. From before.

    They had marked him as prey.

    Luca pressed his lips together as the Orkoraptor turned, slipping between two ferns and disappearing from view.

    Only three seconds remained.

    It should be enough time¡ªno. Forget it. It wasn¡¯t enough. The bus had barely begun to reach the edge of the vegetation, still about twenty meters away from the exit. At this pace, it was no surprise when the shield flickered before they reached ¡®safety¡¯¡ªand then shut off, the blue fading off.

    Luca forced himself to focus on his surroundings, unsure if they wouldn¡¯t try to leap at the obvious gap in their defenses¡ªwhich basically surrounded him on almost all sides. The chair, at least, could swivel, giving him some range of movement, but it wasn¡¯t something he¡¯d call a great advantage.

    A shadow leaped into the air, and the impact came from above. The Orkoraptor had jumped onto the roof, its claws screeching against the metal. It was like nails on a chalkboard, but worse. Luca grimaced, his hands tightening on his pants, wishing he could have brought something¡ªanything¡ªto protect himself. A stick, even.

    He was the only one feeling the pressure.

    The ghosts¡ªmaterialized memories, whatever they were¡ªerupted in cheers, the noise echoing through the bus. At the peak of the moment, the shadow leaped off, landing on the ground, and screeched in his direction, its feathers bristling.

    Luca took note of this.

    The bus lurched forward, finally crossing the "threshold"¡ªonly about ten meters left to the exit.

    "We should say goodbye to our friends!" he said, more confidently than he felt. He didn¡¯t know if it would work, but why not try? "Together! One, two, three, goodbye!"

    "Goodbye! Goodbye! Goodbye!"

    With the audience following his lead, the noise level shot up like an arrow. In response, the Orkoraptors finally retreated into the shadows of the vegetation. As the exit opened, a low, guttural trill echoed behind him in more than one voice.

    Luca turned and saw the yellow and orange eyes watching him from among the leaves¡ªsmall but intense lanterns burning with hunger.

    Did no one fed them or something?

    The moment they finally faded, the messages appeared, and Luca leaned back in his chair.

    [Enclosure: 2/6.]

    [Satisfaction ''Orkoraptor'' Exposure: 4/5. Well done! Keep it up!]

    [Note: Sometimes, the shield may fail.]

    Luca didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. What was that saying? ¡®El que avisa, no traiciona,¡¯ his grandmother used to say. He didn¡¯t remember Spanish anymore, excepting those bits.

    [Satisfaction: Decreasing]

    So demanding, he complained in his mind. He couldn¡¯t let satisfaction drop, not when he was thinking about cutting their ¡®fun¡¯ short. He wasn¡¯t stopping the bus anymore. "Night is starting to fall," he announced, injecting false enthusiasm into his tone, "but don¡¯t worry. Our next friend doesn¡¯t go to bed early."

    At the end of the short path¡ªless than three blocks between each enclosure, really, how did that work with so little space between each territorial carnivore?¡ªthe entrance appeared before them, marked by tall steel bars reinforced with thick cables and red lines with universal (multidimensional) symbols of ''warning'' and ''caution.''

    Hmm. This enclosure belonged to the cannibal. Joy.

    "They call him ''Gladiator''¡ª" Luca began, letting the name hang temptingly in the air like a piece of bacon.

    "Gladiator! Gladiator! Gladiator!" they chanted, more hysterical than the fans at the rock concerts Luca had seen.

    The moment the bus crossed the entrance, something moved in the shadows of the dense foliage¡ªwas it him, or were there more flowers in this enclosure?¡ªsomething much larger than an Orkoraptor. The path opened into a clearing bathed in artificial light, casting long shadows across the landscape¡ªand yes, there was something moving beyond.

    "Did you know¡­?" he continued, leaning slightly toward the microphone as if sharing a secret. "A while back, Gladiator wasn¡¯t alone. He had a pair of brothers who lived with him, hunted with him, and even slept under the stars with him. But sometimes, nature changes its mind." His voice softened, adopting a somber tone as he recounted one of the fragments of information he¡¯d gathered from the museum.

    The audience fell silent, the ''mysterious'' stains fading from their clothes in favor of the cleaner version of themselves.

    "Accidents happen, they said. Now, Gladiator enjoys his solitude." Luca added a smile to his speech. "But don¡¯t follow his example. Fratricide is pretty frowned upon these days."

    [Satisfaction: Increasing!]

    It wasn¡¯t his story that caused this but the slight tremor of the bus¡ªhow? Well, the ground must have been shaking too. The deep, rumbling sound that accompanied it also helped. Thanks to the few lights already on, Luca could see the massive figure approaching from one side in the now-dark, starless night.

    A small bean-like small orange eyes glowed faintly in the darkness as it tilted its head. Fixed with a hungry intensity in his direction. Moving slowly forward, closer to the light, the predator fully revealed itself¡ªand wow, the name fit its owner perfectly.

    So you¡¯re Gladiator.

 Chapter 18 - Did someone say dinosaurs? (5)

    So you¡¯re Gladiator.

    Gladiator was a spectacle, no doubt. Scales as red as dried blood, more than twice the size of an Orcoraptor and triple the muscle mass. Two short but sharp horns protruded menacingly from the top of its head, as thick as Luca¡¯s arm. But the most remarkable detail was undoubtedly the mantle of black feathers that framed its neck like an odly fashionable cloack.

    Of course, it was its mouth¡ªfilled with long, thin, razor-sharp teeth stained red, carved to tear through flesh and crush bone¡ªthat won over the audience. They ¡®ohhh-ed¡¯ over it as if were an iguana showing off its self-severing tail or something, and not a depredator threatening them.

    Him.

    It shouldn¡¯t be this big, Luca thought, swallowing hard as his hand hovered over the control screen. But to be honest, none of the animals in the park should have been this massive. His knowledge of genetics or dinosaurs was limited, but he was sure there was something off about these creatures¡ªbeyond the obvious.

    The bus, on its automatic control mechanism, didn¡¯t stop and passed dangerously close to where the Carnotaurus was emerging. Especially considering this dinosaur¡¯s speed was much higher than the Spinosaurus¡¯s, though slightly slower than the Orcoraptors¡¯.

    Luca glanced at the bar on the screen and saw it still wasn¡¯t fully charged, so even if it rushed to attack the bus, there was nothing he could do but survive.

    Of course, this didn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t take the opportunity. He pressed the band on his wrist as soon as the animal came into full view, pretending his fingers weren¡¯t trembling. His only advantage was that his presence diminished even more when he wasn¡¯t moving, so he stayed as still as possible.

    [Target ''Carnotaurus'' Captured.]

    [Mission ''Photos'' Updated: 3/6.]

    Halfway there, he thought, suppressing a sigh of relief. He couldn¡¯t say he felt completely safe when the pair of orange eyes seemed to narrow, focusing around the front of the bus. Gladiator sniffed the air, tilting its head slightly from side to side, and exhaling through its nostrils. But it didn¡¯t seem curious enough to move¡ªyet. It even stayed behind as the bus left the clearing.

    [Satisfaction: Decreasing]

    Of course, this wasn¡¯t appreciated by the group. They wanted to see death up close¡ªagain.

    Though his thoughts about his audience weren¡¯t exactly pleasant, Luca said with feigned enthusiasm, "Oh, it seems our friend is still a bit sleepy. Why don¡¯t we call him? Gladiator¡ª!"

    The chants of ¡°Gladiator! Gladiator! Gladiator!¡± in response were so loud that even the other dinosaurs must have heard them.

    As if it had received a signal, the Carnotaurus emerged from the foliage, still moving somewhat slowly, and then let out a sound like a bellow¡ªironically reminding Luca of some kind of bull¡ªand charged directly toward them with terrifying speed.

    But¡ªto Luca, it felt like time had slowed down, and his eyes darted to the screen, where the bar still wasn¡¯t fully charged. His heart rate spiked, and he felt as if someone had injected boiling water or electricity into his veins.

    An idea flashed through his mind.

    "Gladiator!" he shouted, and the audience joined in, the noise so sudden and piercing that the predator paused for an instant¡ªand then, of course, raised its head and bellowed, or whatever that sound was that came from its throat, which only made the ghosts cheer even louder.

    The loud noise only enraged it further, and soon it charged forward, toward the back of the bus. Before it could reach them, Luca managed to activate the shield, and it came to life just as Gladiator was about to collide with it. The impact against the energy barrier didn¡¯t sit well with the Carnotaurus¡ªit bellowed in pain as electricity crackled across its scaly skin, making all its feathers bristle.

    Laughter echoed in the air. The visitors clapped and cheered, and satisfaction increased even more.

    Glad to learn they simply wanted to see the world burning down.

    15 seconds of protection, Luca almost sighed. While Gladiator didn¡¯t advance, its attention fixed on the bus, and that amount of time he felt like this round would end without mishaps.

    That was the exact moment he jinxed himself.

    They had barely advanced a mere couple seconds, the predator still within sight, but the shield flickered and disappeared.

    The only good thing about the situation was they were already on the threshold ¡ªconsidering Gladiator didn¡¯t seem to have given up¡ª and thus the distance left wasn¡¯t much.

    Stomping the ground, the Carnotaurus made a loud, threatening noise at them¡ªand lunged at the bus. It hit the back near the roof, denting the metal with its horns, and ironically, gave them a push at the same time. Like a shove that made the bus lurch forward, reaching the entrance sooner than expected.

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    The metal door barely opened wide enough to let the bus through.

    Loosening his grip on the chair, Luca looked back over the audience, at the back window. Gladiator didn¡¯t pursue them further, baring its impressive sharp teeth from its position before turning and disappearing back into the foliage. Its stiff tail vanishing among the leaves was the last thing he saw before the door closed.

    [Exposure 3/6.]

    Luca exhaled sharply, slumping slightly in his seat.

    [Satisfaction ''Carnotaurus'' Exposure: 5/5. You¡¯re doing great!]

    [Note: Research has discovered that dinosaurs¡­ hold grudges. Isn¡¯t that great?]

    Wow. Front-line information.

    The good thing was that this was another successful result. It seemed they wouldn¡¯t throw him off the bus and feed him to a T-Rex¡­ for now.

    On an unrelated note, there were still three enclosures left.

    Luca glanced outside, feeling like the bus''s dim lights were now a neon sign in the darkness of night. But there was no button to turn them off¡ªoh, wait, there was one. He was sure it hadn¡¯t been there a moment ago, but he wasn¡¯t going to complain. He hesitated for a moment, thinking about how this was clearly something irreversible¡ªlike the windows.

    Would his Night Vision work well? Up until now, he¡¯d only used it in brief flashes over the last few minutes. Trusting himself and the perk, Luca pressed the button. The lights turned off, plunging the bus into darkness¡ªbut this wasn¡¯t a problem for him, even if the grayish corners looked a bit odd.

    More importantly, it seemed the others didn¡¯t mind either.

    [Satisfaction: Increasing!]

    He almost rolled his eyes. Of course, something like this would make them happy.

    "Now we¡¯re going to see one of the park¡¯s oldest residents," he began, adopting his ''Chummy'' voice. He never thought his odd jobs would save his skin like this, but you learn something new every day. "However, this doesn¡¯t mean his cunning has dulled with age. Two years ago, someone made that mistake¡ªdid you know?" He lowered his voice conspiratorially, leaning toward the microphone as if sharing a secret.

    The entrance to the next enclosure glowed under pale lights, a ''small'' double gate in the ''impenetrable'' walls.

    "Don¡¯t tell anyone I¡¯m sharing with you this," he continued, injecting a playful tone into his words, "but one of our researchers thought it would be a good idea to replace the beloved grandpa-dino with his son. Imagine being in that situation¡ªrelaxing on your couch, maybe watching a movie after a long day¡ªand suddenly, a ''son'' you¡¯ve never met bursts into your home and tries to kick you out. Bites included."

    The spectral visitors responded with sounds of indignation. Setting aside how inhuman they sounded, it was as if they felt personally offended by the scenario. How cooperative of them. Had Luca grown on them or something during the trip?

    "If you visited the museum, then you¡¯ve seen his ''son'' in the exhibit," he said with a smile.

    This time, there were no manic cheers, even as the static in the air spiked. The audience leaned forward in their seats, their eyes fixed intently outside¡ªdirectly at the giant looming not so far as to avoid being described as ¡®beside the bus¡¯. Only its long, narrow head was visible through the dense foliage, deep red scales marked by scars and a pair of yellow-brown eyes.

    Luca murmured softly, "it seems our friend was waiting for us." His fingers didn¡¯t leave the SHIELD button. He knew that if he stopped the vehicle now, the satisfaction level would skyrocket¡ªbut his tiny, insignificant life mattered more to him.

    His instinct (or plain common sense) didn¡¯t lie.

    The Giganotosaurus opened its maws wide, revealing a trap of large razor-sharp teeth, just moments after the bus casually passed by the space near it. Its ''growl''¡ªor whatever the noise that came from its throat and through its massive jaws was called¡ªreverberated through the enclosure like a powerful drum; sadly, Luca wasn¡¯t far enough away to avoid the wave of foul odor the breeze carried, nor could use his hands currently covering his ears.

    Still, the instant the noise stopped, he instinctively took a photo, the bracelet on his wrist vibrating slightly as two messages appeared in the corner of his vision:

    [Target ''Giganotosaurus'' Captured.]

    [Mission ''Photos'' Updated: 4/6.]

    A flicker of relief rose in his chest, but it lasted less than a blink. The predator¡¯s noise grew angrier, as the dinosaur rose, leaning on its short arms¡ªthree fingers with curved, sharp claws at the end of them, and unlike others, they seemed functional, useful¡ªstanding tall. It rose over some trees, living up to its name, dwarfing every dinosaur Luca had seen so far.

    His contemplation of the dangerous, titanic beauty lasted only an instant¡ªthe ''audience'' immediately ruined the silence with their cheers. Luca¡¯s heart jumped to his throat, the sound of his heartbeat drowning out the visitors¡¯ excitement. For a fraction of a second, he felt as if he¡¯d been cursed, and it wasn¡¯t the first time he thought there should be an option to leave that group of adrenaline-seeking ghosts in the enclosure for forever.

    Even one of its steps made the ground tremble, shaking the bus.

    Hello, Rory, Luca greeted in his mind, watching as the predator crushed a poor fern into nothing. Unlike the Carnotaurus, this dinosaur didn¡¯t charge at them in a run. It also didn¡¯t retreat into the foliage, moving its head as if sniffing something in the air. Then it turned its head to the side, as if hesitating to leave its current place.

    Luca glanced at the control panel and pressed his lips together. Seriously? Even with the Giganotosaurus advancing toward the bus, so closer for a titanic creature like this, the bar wasn¡¯t fully charged. It would be best if the predator left, but he doubted it wouldn¡¯t attack at all during this short trip through its territory. It would be better if he had the shield and could use it against Rory.

    Feeling again like he was waving a red cape in front of a bull, he said, "Looks like our friend wants to leave us. Why don¡¯t we do something? Let''s call ¡ª Rory!"

    The crowd chanted, ¡°Rory! Rory! Rory!¡± The cursed glee on their voices could have wake up the dead.

    [Satisfaction: Increasing!]

    ¡ªand of course, the giant turned its head in his direction, a deep, beastly sound rumbling from its throat.

    Luca felt the urge to smile, which wasn¡¯t exactly sane.

    The good news was that he had successfully gotten its attention.

    The bad news was that he had gotten its attention.

    And the worst news was that the shield wasn¡¯t really fully charged when the beast started advancing toward the bus.

    Fucking great.

 Chapter 19 - Did someone say dinosaurs? (6)

    For a long, intense moment, it seemed ¡ªand was felt¡ª like the Giganotosaurus was going to catch up to the bus¡ªand Luca was already fearing he¡¯d lose part of the vehicle (hopefully not the wheels, considering the real problem would be if the bus got stuck since he couldn¡¯t leave it). The bar just needed a little push, so he decided to take matters into his own hands.

    He kept one hand on the ''SHIELD'' and said, "Our friend seems a bit shy. Why don¡¯t we give him some encouragement with a round of applause?"

    The wave of noise echoed from inside the bus, causing the dinosaur to stop in its tracks, jaws opening with a threatening growl rising from the depths of its throat. The reaction triggered a spike in satisfaction, and Luca didn¡¯t hesitate to activate the shield the depredator took up coming to the bus again.

    The blue dome covered the entire bus in less than a blink, but Luca frowned when he saw the timer.

    Only 10 seconds?

    The Giganotosaurus, for its part, stopped dead in its tracks and let out a new sound, something like a hiss but deeper. Any living creature hearing that would probably turn tail and run as fast and far as possible.

    Luca only had the slow, steady pace of the bus. But at least the exit was close! He refused to think about anything else, not wanting to jinx himself, and kept his attention on the biggest danger. The seconds were flying by faster than he wanted, like grains of sand in a windstorm, and the Giganotosaurus was still in plain sight¡ªwhich meant it had a clear view of the bus.

    Just as he feared, the shield faded as soon as they crossed the threshold. And as if that weren¡¯t enough¡ª

    [Satisfaction: Decreasing!]

    "We¡¯re almost at the exit, and our host has been kind enough to escort us out," Luca said with false, sweet cheerfulness. "Let¡¯s give him one last round of applause: goodbye, Rory!"

    "Goodbye, Rory!"

    The Giganotosaurus let out a challenging sound, its jaws open, saliva dripping from its sharp teeth, and took a few steps forward toward the bus.

    [Satisfaction: Increasing!]

    Luca thought about it for only a moment before covering his ears and shouting into the microphone, "Goodbye!" The noise sounded like his own roar, and the Giganotosaurus stopped only to give them an even more disturbing sound in response. He even got replies from other enclosures¡ªwhich told him it might not have been such a great idea.

    But at least the bus managed to reach the exit and cross it, the metal gate closing behind them.

    [Satisfaction ''Giganotosaurus'' Exposure: 5/5. How amazing!]

    [Note: There are no shelters around the park. You know, just in case.]

    [Exposure 4/6.]

    With a sigh, Luca leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes for a brief moment. This one felt faster than the others¡­ and he¡¯d gotten a 5! Which was really great. He needed a good rating, or his plan to leave early would go down the drain.

    Now, only two kings remain. That doesn¡¯t sound so bad, right?

    Opening his eyes again, Luca looked up at the night sky while running a hand over his arm. His skin had just prickled despite the oppressive heat, which was totally not ominous at all. Although the only thing that would make him happy would be to run far away from all of this, there was still a job to do.

    "Are you ready for our next friend?"

    "Yes!"

    So eager. He¡¯d gotten colder reactions from a frenzied mob of kids while working as Chummy¡ªbut then again, those brats hadn¡¯t been a group of adrenaline junkies seeking a second death.

    Putting on a smile, he spoke: "Then let¡¯s talk a little about Long Ning, our Asian friend," Luca continued, using a warm tone as if introducing an old acquaintance.

    "Long Ning! Long Ning! Long Ning!"

    Luca let them chant the name before continuing with his narrative.

    "He¡¯s come from very far away¡ªan entire ocean and 125 million years, to be precise," he began, using the distance between enclosures to maintain the current satisfaction. "By pure coincidence, our friend is a¡ªlet me say¡ª''primitive cousin'' of the last one we¡¯ll see shortly. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll spot the differences at a glance."

    The spectral figures leaned forward in anticipation, their excitement palpable as the bus approached the entrance. But when they entered the enclosure, a silence fell over the vehicle.

    Luca scanned the path ahead, looking for any sign of movement. The foliage stood dense and impenetrable, ferns and other plants with feather-like or long, curved leaves casting long shadows that danced eerily in the dim light. Nothing moved, and sound was strangely absent¡ªno breaking branches, no chirps, not even the faintest rustle of leaves.

    "It seems," Luca murmured softly into the microphone, his voice barely a whisper, "he¡¯s already asleep."

    [Satisfaction: Decreasing]

    What a surprise.

    "...Let¡¯s call him," Luca suggested, feeling tired. The things he did for the shield, seriously.

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    "Long Ning! Long Ning! Long Ning!" the visitors shouted, their voices echoing through the stillness of the enclosure like a stampede of elephants.

    For a moment, nothing seemed to happen. Then, without warning, the ground¡ªand the bus¡ªshook violently under the weight of something massive moving just out of sight¡ªfrom above.

    The spectral visitors screamed, their voices filled with excitement mixed with the strange parody of a whistle that emerged from the darkness. The bus creaked and groaned under the force of the impact as Luca¡¯s hand trembled over the SHIELD button, but instead of activating, nothing happened. The bar wasn¡¯t full yet.

    Are you kidding me? Luca thought, fear seeping from the edges of his mind. His heart pounded in his chest as he listened to the cheerful voices celebrating the fact that something was on the roof. How exciting for dead people!

    Blood dripped down one side, and a limb hung from what might have once been a cow. The smell of meat hit Luca full force, making him wrinkle his nose, a slight wave of nausea rolling over him from the stench of blood. For some reason, this smelled worse than the carnage caused by Chainsaw Man.

    Slowly, very slowly, the sound of something wet sliding across the roof echoed before it hit the ground.

    For a moment, there was only silence.

    A massive head emerged from the foliage, right by the windows. A yellow eye with a slit, reptilian and cold, surrounded by brown feathers, fixed on Luca as it lowered itself to the level of the front window, jaws open and dripping red.

    Almost breathless and mindless, Luca instinctively pressed the bracelet on his wrist, capturing the image.

    [Target ''Yutyrannus'' Captured.]

    [Mission ''Photos'' Updated: 5/6.]

    The slit eye followed Luca¡¯s movement¡ªand opened its mouth, jagged teeth stained red.

    As the audience went wild, Luca pressed the button with his entire palm¡ªand this time, the turquoise barrier crackled to life, enveloping the bus in a bright dome of electricity.

    The Yutyrannus let out a screech¡ªa deep, rusty sound that reverberated through the air like a nightmare made of flesh and teeth, its eye narrowing. Its feathers rippled slightly in the night breeze, adding an almost surreal beauty to the monstrous creature. It was so close that Luca could see dried bloodstains on its plumage.

    The bus kept moving, slowly. Luca didn¡¯t think it was just his sense of time being warped, making the pace seem slower than it had been before. As the visitors moved to the side of the dinosaur, watching it with manic faces that flickered like afterimages, he could only focus on the fact that there was now blood running down the roof of the bus.

    Damn. There was no way the bus would stay intact after this.

    Finally, it stopped, gradually fading from view as the bus took a turn.

    "Our friend seems to have enjoyed a good meal today," Luca said before the audience¡¯s satisfaction could drop. "Why don¡¯t we offer him a farewell applause so he can enjoy his meal?" It didn¡¯t even make sense, but by this point, Luca felt too tired to think about what the hell to say to the group of ghosts.

    Fortunately, it worked. The applause echoed in the air as the shield faded¡ªbut the important thing, of course, was that they were already crossing the threshold. Curiously, although the sound of movement in the dense foliage and the play of shadows made his heart rate spike, the bus reached and crossed the exit without incident.

    [Exposure 5/6.]

    [Satisfaction ''Yutyrannus'' Exposure: 4/5. Very well done!]

    Luca rubbed his temples. Only one last exposure remained¡ªthe most iconic, the king of kings, the Tyrannosaurus Rex.

    [Satisfaction: Decreasing]

    Worse than children. It was maddening. The temptation to just tell them to screw off crossed his mind, but he held it back with years of customer service experience. Forcing a calm into his voice that hid the typhoon raging inside him, he began:

    "Ladies, gentlemen, and everything in between," he started, "we¡¯re approaching our last friend. You¡¯ve probably been waiting for this moment all night. Am I right?"

    "Yes!" You¡¯d think they were being asked if they wanted a billion dollars.

    "I¡¯m glad you¡¯re so happy," Luca continued, his lips curving into a smile as fake as a three-dollar bill. "Now, before we enter, let me point out a small difference between the King of Kings and his friends."

    The entrance appeared ahead, illuminated by bright spotlights. As the bus approached, the air seemed heavier here, charged with an electric anticipation that made Luca¡¯s skin prickle. He didn¡¯t use the dinosaur¡¯s name like with the others¡ªit was better not to try the same technique here, especially not at the foot of the gates.

    "Our dear king has a bit of poor eyesight, so don¡¯t feel bad if he doesn¡¯t look directly at you¡ªbut don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s listening to us right now." He paused. "He smelled us from afar."

    Great, he thought with some irony, I¡¯m scaring myself more.

    "For our king¡¯s sake, I hope you all showered before coming."

    The audience laughed.

    Luca kept his mind calm through a breathing exercise as the bus moved through the entrance, trees with sturdy trunks and sprawling branches, ferns, and fan-shaped plants closing in around them like a vegetative trap.

    "And¡ªyou probably already know," he continued, his voice rising slightly to compete with the growing tremors under his feet, "but our friend is a titan¡ª"

    The ground shook violently, far worse than during any previous encounter. The trees swayed ominously, their branches scraping the sky like skeletal fingers. Somewhere deep in the enclosure, wood cracked under massive weight, but the sound echoed through the air with clarity, as if it were close.

    The breeze probably carried the scent of blood¡ªof prey¡ªfrom the roof.

    "You can blame our researchers," Luca added, his tone shifting to playful sarcasm despite the knot in his stomach, "and Primal Dream¡¯s intention to give you the best of the best."

    Slowly, agonizingly, a massive head emerged above the trees, perhaps¡ªjust perhaps¡ªat the same height the Giganotosaurus had, its colossal size dwarfing everything around it.

    There you are, Luca thought, beads of sweat sliding down his back.

    Its small, gleaming eyes scanned the area with predatory precision, staring intently at the bus from beyond.

    The audience went wild¡ªscreaming as if they were seeing their idols, eager to get its attention, even if just for a moment. Luca kept his hand over the shield¡¯s button, feeling more and more like jumping off the bus, away from the group of idiots.

    The noise wasn¡¯t well received by the predator¡ªwhat a surprise¡ªand in return, the Tyrannosaurus Rex opened its imposing jaws, rows of serrated teeth terribly sharp, and let out a ferocious roar like a storm. Luca had to cover his ears, and even then, he felt as if everything was shaking.

    Beyond the ghosts¡¯ enthusiasm, beyond this enclosure, other predators responded.

    And, of course, this didn¡¯t make it any happier than the deranged screams inside the bus.

    The ground shook with each thunderous step it took, wood and plants crunching under its feet, its direction as clear as it was obvious.

    Luca¡¯s hand hovered over the SHIELD button, his heart pounding so hard it threatened to drown out all other sounds, and as if that weren¡¯t enough, he didn¡¯t feel well at all. He opened his eyes, only realizing he had closed them, just in time to see the supreme predator of an era looming less than a breath away from the bus, its enormous figure casting an oppressive shadow that seemed to swallow the vehicle whole.

    Under the pale light, the T. Rex stood like a titan, and its appearance was etched into his mind: its scales a mix of green and brown, with its stomach lighter, and only a few dark feathers decorating its back and short arms, the muscles beneath this deceptively beautiful covering. And, of course, the teeth in those jaws capable of devouring a cow in one bite, and even easier¡ªa human.

    Really, really easy.

    Luca turned his eyes to the screen once more, but the view wasn¡¯t much different than seconds ago.

    Damn.