Chapter 2: Episode 1 – The Beginning of the End (2)
For a moment, my mind couldn't register what I just heard.
Nightmare? Scenario?
Those were words far rooted away from reality yet at the same time, they sounded so familiar. Where have I heard them before?
"Did you hear that? I'm not the only one hearing voices in my head, right?"
Angelica muttered by my side. I was no longer listening. I was busy scrolling through my smartphone like I have gone insane.
'Impossible! It couldn't be. It is simply impossible!'
Why was I hearing terms that could be only found in the novel? It has to be my imagination.
But if I listened to what Angelica said just now then I would have realised this wasn't my imagination.
I quickly opened up the live feed on my smartphone to check the current situation of Hongdae. Naturally, multiple voices entered my ears.
"What's going on?"
"Did you hear that just now?"
"So I wasn't the only one who heard it."
"Is this a prank?"
December 31, 2023.
It was the last day of the year so Hongdae was overcrowded with people excited for the holiday.
There was a good reason for checking the situation in Hongdae. In the End After the Fall, Hongdae was the centre stage for the announcement.
If what was happening wasn't an illusion or a prank then that 'person' would be arriving there very soon.
Soon something blurred like in a video game and appeared in the air.
It was a girl the size of a forearm floating in the air. Behind the girl in a black dress was four pairs of wings that fluttered around.
A girl, the size of the forearm, with dark-pink hair and wings. Round facial features and plump, unblemished cheeks.
It is just as it is written.
"What is that? A pixie?"
Angelica was also checking the news feed on her smartphone. I didn't pay her any mind though. My mind was filled with many uncontrollable thoughts.
'Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why!
Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why!'
Reality and friction was overlapping. This had to be a lie. A sick joke. It was impossible for the novel I knew to be overlapped with reality.
No matter how I looked at it, this girl was undoubtedly a pixie. A being that will lead thousands of people to thier demise.
Maybe it was because I was the only reader of the novel, I already knew what will happen next.
[&아#@!&아#@!]
Her voice was loud and clear. But everyone was confused because they could not understand what she was saying.
"What the hell is that?"
"Don't ask me as if I know?"
"Is this a prank from the government?"
Mutters spread around the crowd. The pixie seemed a little annoyed that she was not understood and tried speaking once more. This time, I heard the proper pronunciation of Korean.
[Finally, this is much better. Although there was a slight delay, It seems the world language has finally settled into this world.]
"Hey, what are you doing now?"
[Hmm?]
"Are you filming? Or is this a prank? I don't care if it is either, go somewhere else. You are interrupting the bell ringing ceremony."
A brave actor approached the pixie from the crowd. His appearance was unknown since his back was watching the camera. Even so, I didn't have any interest in the actor.
After all, this man was going to be used to set an example.
[Filming? Prank? It's not either of those. Wait, don't tell me you guys don't know about Nightmare?]
"Nightmare? What's that?"
[Ugh... This is bothersome. Now I have to give an explanation. Why didn't the administrators explain? How annoying.]
"What the hell are you talking about?"
[Anyways, since it has come to this. Everyone gather around, I have something very important to say.]
"This brat, did you hear what I said? Go away!"
The bold actor approached the fairy and tried to grab her from the air.
It always starts with the young man who defies the will of a higher being.
[Tck.]
The pixie made an irritated sound.
It happened right then and there.
Splat!
Suddenly, the young man's head popped like a balloon and blood splattered everywhere.
The people nearby screamed in terror.
"Kyaaah!"
"Murder!"
"Run away!"
[Who gave you the right to touch me? You moron. You motherfucking...]
Even though the young actor was already dead, the pixie continued to curse at him.
[Huh? Hey now, why are the rest of you running away? Stop running!]
Nobody was listening. They were busy running around, trying to get away.
It was a poor decision. This only made the pixie even more annoyed. She ground her teeth and shouted.
[I SAID STOP RUNNING!!]
In the next moment, the heads of the people who ran away exploded one by one. One, two, three, I began to lose count. The numbers of the people gradually reduced one by one. It was nothing but a one-sided massacre.
Angelica made a gulp besides me. I ignored her and continued watching.
[If anyone dares to run or try and touch me, I will blow their brains out, you hear me? Now shut up and listen!]
More than half of the people in Hongdae had already died. Multiple headless bodies were laying on the bloodied floor. The remaining survivors stood in place as if they were statues while shaking in fear.
[You there! The gloomy man with the camera! This is going live, right?]
"Ah!... Y-Yes."
[Good. This will make things much easier.]
The pixie cleared her throat and began to speak again.
[My name is Aurora and I was sent here to oversee the scenarios. Your world has been chosen to participate in the Nightmare Trial. There are 100 billion worlds and more which are currently in the same boot as you.]
Alternative worlds?
The fact that other dimensions apart from us existed was unbelievable. But no one could refute it. After all, the situation with the fairy appearance was already beyond comprehension.
[The rules are simple. You will be given tasks to complete. This tasks or missions are called Nightmares. If you succeed, you will given substantial rewards and if you don't, there will be consequences.]
The pixie continued speaking.
[There are hundred scenarios in total and the theme of quests given may differ. Sometimes defense, sometimes survival and sometimes you may even need to conquer other worlds.]
"So it's basically a survival game with a predetermined set of rules?" Someone from the crowd asked.
[That's correct. Oh, raise your hand when you want to ask questions. Otherwise, I will blow your heads.]
The man gulped. Was she using this chance to spread her dominance over the crowd. Aurora continued.
[But with each scenario you pass, the challenges will increasingly become more difficult. Some of you might even die before you reach the 10th scenario.]
"Wait..."
Someone raised up his hand. It seems someone has finally noticed.
[Yes. You may speak.]
"Can we choose not to participate?"
It was expected. There was no sane person that would want to participate in a death game where they might not even survive. However...
[Pfft! Did you think you have a choice?]
"Wh-What?"
[Once this world was chosen to participate in the Nightmare Trial, you all have no other choice than participate or you will die. Not even I can help you?]
Despair was etched on people's faces as they realized the grave situation. They were being forced to fight.
"Wait, so we are being forced to fight?"
"That's not fair."
"What did we do to deserve this?"
"Why did this have to happen on my birthday?"
The place started getting noisy. It was natural reaction. If you are suddenly told you were being forced to fight then you would have the same reaction.
[Now, now, I know you must feel cheated. I mean, I can understand where you are coming from. You were living your normal mundane lives and then you were suddenly thrown in a survival game. But if it helps you feel better. The people in Korea are not the only ones participating but the entire world.]
The pixie flashed out a very cruel smile. At this moment, nobody thought this girl was a cute fairy. Instead they thought of her as a demon from the deepest depths of hell.
Yes, that was right. That was the true nature of the Pixies.
[Now then... Let's get started, shall we?]
Suddenly, the figure of the pixie gradually became blurry.
A moment later, a message rang out.
[#BR-8642 channel has opened.]
[The constellations have entered the chatroom.]
[The spectating function has been enabled.]
[Sponsorship has been enabled.]
A transparent window flashed before everyone's eyes including me.
[The main scenario has arrived.]
+
[Main Scenario #1 – Proof of Worth]
Category: Main
Difficulty: F
Description: Prove you are worthy to become a Walker.
Clear conditions: Kill one a living being or monster.
Time Limit: 30 minutes
Compensation: 500 coins
Failure: Death
+
[Good luck, everyone. Put up a good performance and try not to die miserably.]
"Hey wait, what does this mean?!"
"Don't disappear now!"
The people became even more noisy that they did not notice the strange phenomena occurring before them.
'It's starting."
The moment that would plunge this world into nothing but tragedies.
Zzzzzt—!
A loud noise rang from the receiver.
It was so loud that I had to temporarily cover my ears. It was the same for Angelica and she screamed. But it would be worse for the people in Hongdae.
[The surroundings is being filled with dark ether.]
[The dead below will be influenced by the dark ether.]
[The dead below are being corrupted by the darkness.]
[The dead will rise and become demonic people.]
Kkk—gukuk—
Crack! Kkk—
The ground split apart, and never-seen-before creatures emerged from the depths. Hideous monsters with rotten flesh and a foul stench.
"Guuuuahhhh—!"
"Gyaaaa—"
The creatures started marching and the people were filled with panic.
"Monsters!"
"Zom-Zombies... it's fucking zombies!"
Creatures that could only be found in friction were chasing down the people and chased terror in Hongdae.
The zombies pounced on the fleeing citizens and ate at their flesh. Fathers, Mothers, Children. It was a indiscriminate slaughter. Suddenly, Hongdae became a bloodbath.
With a loud scream, the live feed came to an end. It looks like the cameraman was killed.
BOOOOM!
With a massive roar, the hospital building shook. That sound, it came outside the window.
Slowly, I walked towards the window and Angelica followed behind me. Once we reached the window, we could only watch the scene outside unfold.
The terror has reached even here. Screams, Cries, Death and Despair. As the last reader, this was a world only I knew. A world of pain and tragedies.
And now that world has become a reality. Will I be able to survive in this new world? Only time will tell.
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