Jun-Hyuk stood at the entrance to the dome, the city’s metallic walls rising high above him, the sleek, shimmering surface reflecting the pale light of the blood-red sky. The air smelled faintly of ozone, the hum of energy swirling around the protective barrier that separated them from the chaos of the outside world.

  The fight was over for now, but there was no rest. Not yet.

  The military and the martial families scattered, their hurried movements a blur of urgency, and he overheard his father mentioning something about an urgent meeting among the leaders. The air felt thick with tension, the weight of the moment pressing down on him. He wasn’t involved in that, so for now, all he could do was absorb the terrifying reality of the situation—its gravity sinking into his bones with each passing second. A chilling thought suddenly struck him, sharp and intrusive: If I die in this world, would I still be alive in the next? The uncertainty clawed at him, as the world around him seemed to distort, its very foundations trembling beneath the heavy truth of that question. Jun-Hyuk had a family in the real world—his father, mother, and little sister—and there was no way he was going to let himself die without first asking Han Ji-Min out.

  He adjusted the belt of his outfit, feeling the weight of the moment settling in. He didn’t want to think about it, but the tension between the military and the martial families still hung thick in the air, and the weight of his mission loomed, too heavy to ignore.

  Beside him, Lian Hua stared out toward the distant horizon, her eyes narrowed, watching the creatures in the distance. The wolf-moths, those grotesque, terrifying hybrids, swarmed in the air, their wings a blur of grotesque shapes as they neared the dome. Jun-Hyuk’s stomach twisted at the sight of them. These creatures weren’t meant for this world—they belonged in nightmares, not the harsh reality outside their city’s fragile walls.

  He watched as they lunged toward the shimmering force field that separated the city from the wasteland. With every strike, their bodies crackled with a violent energy, but the barrier held, the field flashing with blue-white light as each blow was absorbed, rendered useless. It was a comforting sight—yet, Jun-Hyuk couldn’t shake the sense of impending doom.

  “Do you think it’ll hold?” Jun-Hyuk’s voice was quieter than he intended, as if he were afraid to disturb the delicate balance of safety around them.

  Lian Hua shifted beside him, her expression unreadable, but the way her eyes flicked toward the barrier told him all he needed to know.

  “I don’t know,” she admitted, her voice low, laced with an edge of uncertainty. “It’s holding for now, but...” Her words trailed off, and she glanced over at him, a shadow passing over her face. “The energy fluctuations have been increasing. It might not last long.”

  He watched the creatures claw at the barrier again, their glowing eyes burning with a ravenous hunger.

  “But they’re not getting through, right?” Jun-Hyuk asked, a flicker of hope crossing his mind. He clung to the idea that maybe, just maybe, they could be safe here long enough to figure things out.

  But would the system even give him a chance to figure them out? Or would it trust him out there. Jun-Hyuk hadn’t even gotten a chance to look at what his eighty points could buy him, but something told him now wasn’t the time.

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  “I don’t know,” Lian Hua repeated, more firmly this time. “These things—they adapt. And if the barrier weakens... we might not have much time.”

  A long, tense silence stretched between them as they both watched the creatures above. The thought of the wolf-moths breaking through felt like an impending disaster waiting to unfold, but Jun-Hyuk couldn’t deny the larger question gnawing at him—the one that had been simmering ever since he set foot back in this city.

  “What if... what if we never have enough time?” His words were almost a whisper, barely audible over the hum of the dome's protective shield. He wasn’t just talking about the creatures outside; he was talking about everything. The growing conflict, the shifting alliances, and the gnawing feeling that, no matter how much they prepared, something darker loomed just beyond their reach.

  Lian Hua’s gaze softened for a fraction of a second before she met his eyes. “We can’t think like that. We’ve faced worse, Jun-Hyuk. We’ve made it this far. And if we stand together, maybe... maybe that will be enough.”

  He wanted to believe her, truly. But the doubt that had taken root in his chest seemed impossible to shake off. Especially because he knew what she said was a lie. The biggest threat she’s ever seen was the level seven sphere creature that orphaned her. This wasn’t one, but a hundred angry level sevens. Maybe they were upset because he had killed one of their own earlier.

  He let out a quiet sigh and shook his head, the weight of the world pressing down on his shoulders. He didn’t know what came next, or if they’d be able to survive long enough to find a way forward.

  For now, all they could do was wait. And fight, when the time came.

  Jun-Hyuk glanced around at the desolate streets, his first real look at the place where most people lived in this world. Scattered fruit carts lay abandoned, their once-bright displays now wilted and neglected. Vendors' stalls stood empty, their goods left behind in the rush to flee. Shops were shuttered tight, the air heavy with the silence of a city on edge. Yet, if he looked closely, he could spot the faintest movement—curtains shifting slightly in windows as people peered cautiously from the safety of their homes, eyes wide with fear as they checked to see if the horrors lurking outside had crept their way in.

  The familiar blue window suddenly flashed into his vision, making him nearly choke on an invisible drink.

  “Are you okay?” Lian Hua’s concerned voice broke through the haze of his shock, but his eyes were fixed on the screen only he could see.

  [Player Seo Jun-Hyuk, do you wish to surpass your current rank of 5/5? For every level-seven sphere creature you defeat by yourself, you will gain 100 points. There are also three level eights currently outside the dome, each worth 500 points. This is a limited-time offer and will expire in the next 2 hours.]

  His heart skipped a beat. This system wanted to kill him! Two hours? He was supposed to step into that world of nightmares and fight alone? The thought was madness. Points were never worth your life. Jun-Hyuk knew that much. And yet, despite the terror gripping him, there was something about the temptation of strength that kept pulling him forward. Even a coward like him couldn’t fully resist.

  Maybe, just maybe, if he lost, he'd still wake up in the real world...

  [Warning: If you die in this world, you will be really dead. Please approach dangers with caution.]

  Never mind.

  Of course, the dangers were real—terrifyingly real. But still... maybe he could manage to take down two or three and rush back to safety. The rational part of his mind screamed that it was lunacy; after all, he had barely killed one creature on his own. But for some reason, common sense seemed to slip through his fingers like sand.

  With his heart pounding in his chest, he took a step toward the gate. Whatever happened next, he only hoped the points would be worth it.