RUMBLE… RUMBLE…
Tia jolted awake.
"…What the—"
His breath hitched.
Cold air filled his lungs instantly.
Stone walls.
Damp ground.
Heavy silence.
A dungeon.
He slowly pushed himself up, eyes narrowing.
"…So it was just a dream."
His hand brushed his forehead.
"I thought it was something else…"
Grrrrrrk…
A sound.
Low.
Wet.
Behind him.
Tia froze.
Slowly.
He turned.
And saw it.
A massive shape in the darkness.
Twitching.
Breathing.
Then—
its eyes opened.
[Poison Giant Ant]
Tia's pupils shrank.
"…No way."
Cold sweat slid down his face.
His body refused to move.
DING.
A screen appeared before him.
[ Welcome Second Chance Host.]
[ System awakening...20%.]
[ Forced Mission Initiated.]
Objective:
1. Locate the Correct Path.
2. Survive until time limit ends.
Time Limit: 02:00:00
Remaining: 01:59:58
Tia stared at the message.
"…This is a joke, right?"
His fingers trembled slightly.
"Tell me this is a joke…"
The ant shifted behind him.
Rkrrrkk…
Its body scraped the stone.
Closer.
Tia's breathing turned shallow.
Warning.
The system continued.
[Failure Condition Detected.]
[Penalty: Repetition.]
Silence.
"…Repetition…?"
He didn't understand.
But something about the word felt wrong.
Wrong in a way his instincts screamed at him to run.
RKKK—!
The monster moved.
Tia reacted instantly.
Too slow.
PSSSHH—!
Pain exploded through his shoulder.
"—AH!"
Blood splattered onto the stone floor.
His body was thrown sideways.
He crashed hard into the wall.
Dust burst into the air.
Tia gasped, clutching his shoulder.
Warm.
Wet.
Real.
His hand shook.
"…No…"
His eyes widened slightly.
"This… isn't a dream…"
The ant turned its head slowly.
Watching him.
Waiting.
DING.
The system spoke again.
Calm.
Unbothered.
[Host survival probability: 0.03%]
[Recommendation: Locate Correct Path Immediately.]
Tia forced himself to his feet.
His legs trembled violently.
"Move…"
His voice cracked.
"Move, Tia…"
The monster lunged again.
Tia turned—
Too late.
BOOM—!
He was slammed into the ground.
Air left his lungs instantly.
Vision blurred.
Pain moved through his ribs.
"…Gh…!"
The ant's jaws hovered above him.
Dripping.
Certain.
Tia's fingers dug into the stone.
No strength.
No time.
Only death—
The monster descended.
Closer.
Closer.
Tia couldn't move.
His body had already reached its limit.
"It's over."
Its
massive mandibles followed.
Light disappeared.
Tia's breath stopped.
Silence returned.
.
.
.
.
Ding!
The screen returned.
[Death Confirmed]
[Time Used: 00:10:24]
...
[Penalty... Activated]
[Begin Repetition]