There were five of them...

  Heather moved through the dungeon’s twisted corridors, her steps quid silent, driven by nervous energy. With sharp, wary eyes, she evaded the peing gazes of the four champion didates trailing behind. Their collective breaths whispered in the oppressive silence—a silence den with the weight of unspoken spiracies. Each cautious step they took was a delicate maneuver on the precipice of betrayal, their alliance as tenuous as a spider’s web.

  Shadows g to Heather as if they were alive, mirr the turmoil ing inside her. She wasn’t meant to be a fighter; her dreams had been about nursing school, not battling nightmarish creatures in a body that wasn’t hers. It was all a twisted game, and the prize was being a Dark Champion—a title she didn’t even want. After all, she had been a pacifist, or at least she had been before life forced her hand. It’s funny how quickly one’s morals shift when every day is a matter of life or death.

  It didn’t help that Yua, one of the didates, watched over Heather stantly, like a mother hen, hoping for reciprocated feelings Heather couldn’t afford to harbor. With the rules dictating that only one could leave alive, their fragile alliance was a tig time bomb. Heather suppressed any buddiions, too fearful of the iable betrayal. But until the moment to turn on each other arrived, they had no choice but to band together against the dungeon’s horrors.

  As days blurred into weeks, their enters grew only grimmer. They found only lifeless bodies, untouched and eerily perfe their death. Now that the monsters had all but vanished—save for a few mimic chests abze with strange greeipped with purple, the creatures inside screaming as if doomed to eternal suffering—the dungeo more sihan ever.

  The dungeon had grown eerily quiet, the silence so thick it seemed to thrive on their growing fears. Monsters had begun dying on their own, colpsing silently in the darkness without a struggle. Yet, every so often, they entered signs that a corpse had been ed, marked only by lingering bloodstains, with no other remai behind. Oeeming with grotesque figures ready to pouhe shadows were now nerve-wragly empty. It was like walking through an art exhibit of death, each se frozen at its climax. This wasn’t just creepy—it was terrifying, especially sihey hese monsters alive to level up for atempt at the toad boss’s chamber.

  Heather’s spells, once her shield and sword, hung redundant in the air. The ck of live prey left a gaping hole in their strategy, fueling suspi and paranoia among them. With no moo fend off, how soon would it be before she o turn those spells against her own allies? Heather’s mind buzzed with relentless doubts about loyalty. With ernal threats to keep them uhe tension alpable—it wasn’t a matter of if things would fall apart, but when and who would strike first.

  Heather felt utterly alone among allies. Her slender, dark elf appearance, highlighted by her flowing white hair, belied the storm of turmoil inside her. What had once seemed a fantastical journey into a Realm of Magic had morphed into a harsh survival game where only the toughest could make it—and she knew she wasn’t tough.

  As they approached the boss chamber, the massive doors loomed ominously, standing like judgmental giants, reminding her of the looming frontatioher’s heart raced, pounding loud against the quiet, each beat screaming of immi danger. She took deep breaths trying to calm her nerves, but her pulse raced untrolbly, and her hands shook. That fear poured from her in droplets as she noticed Jason eyeing her like prey, but there was something else at py she couldn’t expin.

  ~

  Yua’s arrival was marked by a visible trembling of her hands, a telltale sign of the iurmoil beh her enigmatid posed demeanor. Despite her attempts at stoic outward ess, doubt and fear cwed at her, threatening to undermine her resolve as she faced the boss’s chamber.

  Standing tall and anding, Yua’s transformation into the body of a high elf had endowed her with an aura of fidence, even if it was somewhat feig the moment. Gifted with i intelligend wisdom, she was renowned among her peers for her swift deaking and sound judgment in the most challenging situations, even before her arrival in this magical pce. Yet now, she found herself grappling with internal fears, as if some external force was deliberately stoking the fmes of her apprehension.

  As Yua approached the imposing doors, darkness seemed to seep into her very being, suffusing her mind and spirit with a heavy sense of oppression. A malevolent presence lurked oher side, poised to strike at a moment’s notice.

  She quickly checked her system page to verify that she wasn’t under any status ailments, specifically looking for Fear, but it showed nothing. This was irely reassuring, however. When Jason had killed Sophia, he had used an area debuff that hadn’t shown up either.

  It appeared they could surprise each other with spells that didn’t register on the system sheets—a rule that, thankfully, did not apply to the mohey faced. The sensation of being watched intensified, engulfing Yua in an overwhelming wave of dread that g to her like a shroud, impossible to shake off.

  The weight of responsibility bore down on her as she stood before the entrao the boss’s chamber. She khat the oute of the impending battle rested not only on her shoulders but also on the collective as of her fellow didates—individuals who would soon bee her enemies.

  The gravity of the situation was daunting, with the fate of their shared flict hanging in the baaking a deep breath, Yua g to the hope that her resolve and fearlessness would ignite a spark withiher, propelling them forward as a unified force to escape together—though deep down, she khis was a lie, a beautiful but unattainable dream. Still, she held onto it regardless.

  Yua steeled herself, ready to front her fears head-on and, if necessary, to elimihe other didates at the first hint of betrayal. Together, she aher would seize their ce to escape, leaving behind the trial altogether. That was the dream, at least—the delusional oute she desperately craved.

  ~

  Jason approached the door, outwardly calm but internally seething with dark i. He sed the others, not as mere oppos in a game, but as prey, assessing their vulnerabilities with the cold detat of a hunter. His sense of superiority wasn’t just a delusion; he was genuinely fident that his ing and ruthlessness would ensure his survival. Oh yes, he was fully i oraying every st one of them.

  His uling grin, plete with sharp, needle-like teeth, sent shivers down the spines of the other four whehey met his gaze. He fancied himself a dark, video game-esque warrior from some Kombat game, with his wild, Scissorhands-esque hair only adding to his nightmarish appearance. Fully transformed into a dark fae, he had embraced his new form’s cruel and sinister nature, finding himself perfectly at home in this twisted wondernd.

  The awkward and nervous tension among the un—or rather—suspeg group only fueled Jason’s sadistic pleasure. Each passing moment brought him closer to the thrill of the hunt. Despite having scouted the toad boss just a few days ago, a new, uneasy sensation tugged at his instincts—something was different this time. Dismissing it as pre-huement, Jason relished the anticipation of dispatg his panions and sav their hearts.

  Aware of the whispered plots and fleeting alliances around him—whether real or imagined—Jason remained aloof, fident in his ability to outmahem all. The uping boss battle presehe perfect opportunity, and he was fully poised to exploit it. As the others mentally prepared for the fight, he lingered nearby, ever watchful, waiting for the perfeent to strike, whether it be before, during, or after the boss fight.

  In Jason’s mind, the choice was simple: either colborate with the others to face the boss or eliminate each didate one by one, g their hearts as trophies. By doing so, he could front the boss alone, bolstered by the new levels and skills acquired from their hearts.

  Standing among them, feigning camaraderie as they gathered their ce, Jason’s thoughts lingered on the sinister joy of the hunt. The idea of exeg his pn, turning each of his fellow didates into prey, filled him with a perverse excitement. He oised to prove himself as the ultimate predator, the Dark Champion of this nightmarish realm.

  For Jason, the forthing battle was not merely about victory—it was about asserting his dominand ensuring he was the sole survivor, reveling in the age he anticipated.

  ~

  Rob shuffled in, a bundle of nerves ed in overwhelming fear and uainty. At just fifteen, the you member of the shaky alliance, he felt pletely out of his depth in this strange new world. The idea of betraying his panions weighed heavily on him. He wasn’t na?ve, but he simply didn’t have it in him to be the oo do it—the very thought of having to shed blood and kill his party members froze him up inside. He was just a kid, after all! Deep down, he was begging—no, pleading!—for some kind of miracle, anything to get through this nightmare dungeon alive, without any blood on his hands.

  He had awoken in the body of a half-orc, surrounded by a world steeped ih. Despite his orcish physique, strong enough to bench press a small horse, Rob also exhibited a certain slenderness, perhaps elvish, in his other half. Yet, his entire demeanor tradicted the typical orcish fidenight expect, with his shoulders slouched in doubt. His broerpetually furrowed, refleg a seriousness and iy that seemed too mature for his young age, as if the expression had been permaly etched into the wrinkles of his new face.

  In his previous life, Rob was an avid gamer, often daydreaming of being a padin—a paragon of justid a master of divine powers. However, fate had cruelly twisted his path, casting him as a neancer, a role that deeply cshed with his aspirations a him grappling with his true purpose in this harsh new reality. To make matters worse, the stant stench of the undead was not just uling; it stantly turned his stomach upside down.

  Huuurk!

  Notig Jason’s gre, Rob decided it was best to edge a few steps to the side, ing closer to the doors. He wasn’t oblivious to Jason’s sinister ambitions; the memory of what Jason had doo Sophia stirred a profound sense of revulsion within him. More than anything, Rob wao follow his moral pass—and that meant running! Running far away from this horrible pce!

  As Rob lingered he entrance, he was unfortably apanied by two undead goblins. Despite his efforts to shuffle away from Jason and maintain some distance, he hadn’t quite mao escape the foul stench of his goblins. Every attempt to move aroved futile; they seemed almost tethered to him, serving as a stant, deg reminder of his unwanted neancer role.

  Huuurk!

  “Shit man, I swear if you dry heave one more time...” Jason started, biting back the rest of his sentence.

  Gulping down the bile that rose in his throat, Rob’s mind ed with a storm of uling thoughts. The massive doors before him served as a grim reminder of the weighty sequehey faced. Failing to overe the immi challenge would uhe tenuous truce holding them together and unleash a spiral of betrayal and violence.

  What disturbed Rob even more was the uncharacteristic silehat cloaked Jason—well, apart from the not-so-subtle threat that apanied his pints about Rob’s dry heaving. It felt as if a cloud of unease had settled upon the group, and Rob couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss, as if the truce would shatter after this fight. Despite his fear, he g steadfastly to his sense of justid morality, hoping they would guide him through the encroag darkness.

  Sensing his fear, Rob’s two undead goblins became particurly gy—Huuurk—seemingly ready to protect him. However, Rob had a different task pnned for them: to serve as a diversion against Jason, giving him the ce to run. His primary objective was survival, demanding unwaveriermination and resourcefulness. The instinct to flee surged within him, tempting him with the promise of safety, but Rob uood that fleeing now would only invite Jason’s swift and ruthless pursuit. Moreover, he was uain how the others would react.

  With great reluce, he steeled himself as best as any fifteen-year-old trapped within a grown man’s—or rather, an orc’s—body could. He prepared for the impending battle, drawing upon his wits as his most potent on. Though he had once dreamed of the padin’s path, he g to that distant ideal—ah, who was he kidding? Right now, he only cared about surviving!

  ~

  Jeremy found himself in the body of a formidable beastkin, plete with broad shoulders, e traits—including fur and a wolfish muzzle—and a resonant, booming voice. Though he would never admit it, being a furry in his past life made him quite pleased with this transformation. His i potential as a fearsome warrior was unmistakable, making him a formidable presehin the group of five. Driven by a naturally protective nature, Jeremy was stantly w to maintain harmony and peace among his panions.

  Their challenge was a colossal red toad, a dangerous adversary that demanded collective teamwork to overe.

  Despite his reservations, Jeremy’s resolve remained unshaken. He uood the gravity of their situation: their survival depended on their ability to front the boss together, otherwise their fragile truce might dissolve into chaos. Taking a deep breath, he mentally steeled himself for whatever y ahead.

  The massive doors of the boss’s chamber stood before him, serving as a daunting reminder of the difficult task awaiting them. Yet, Jeremy’s determination appeared unshakee his outward posure, he readied himself for the impending battle, itted to persevering at any cost—or so he tried to vince himself. In truth, utter Fear had gripped his heart, sending a chill through his veins that belied his fident facade.

  ~

  As Heather and the other didates ventured further into the boss’s chamber, anticipation burned within them, fueled not by eagerness for the impending battle but by ay about what would e after. Their expectations shattered upon witnessing an ued sight. Instead of the anticipated toad, they beheld the presence of a stunning woman—fwless white skin, casg raven hair, and elegant attire akin to a gothic summer dress. She exuded an aura of otherworldly beauty and power, standing fidently with one hand on her hip.

  “Hey, doesn’t she look like…” Jason said, his hand shaking as if trying to catch the name from the air.

  “Bke Lively?” Yua suggested with a quiver.

  “No!” Jason shook his head, seemingly immuo the same Fear that gripped the rest. “But now that you mention it, I sort of see it… No! You know, that chick from that crazy split personality movie—what was it?”

  “P-Princess Peaches! Peach?” Rob blurted out with a gasp, as if he’d been holding his breath the whole time.

  Jason and the rest gave him an odd look before shaking their heads.

  The woman’s mesmerizing gaze, bathed in a molten iron hue, held an uling quality, yet she watched them, seemingly eained by their versation. It was as if the radiance of an angelic being was juxtaposed with the hunger of a ravenous demon, her por doll-like appearance belying the presence of unimaginable horrors lurking within her. As her lips curved into a smile, revealing por white teeth trasted against bck gums, the air thied with an unmistakably terrifying aura, sending shivers down the spines of all who stood before her.

  “Are you with the vampires?” Jeremy asked, uo hide the tremor in his voice.

  Her burning eyes shifted toward him, their eerie glow intensifying her presence.

  She smiled with cruel delight and breathed out, “No.”

  An overwhelming feeling of disfort permeated the air, as if they were inhaling a dense fog. The didates—except for Jason—exged uneasy gheir expressions refleg the fear and uainty they felt while standing before the strange woman, all uhe full force of her ominous aura.

  Suddenly, she began muttering to herself, her words so hushed they were barely audible, yet they stirred a sense of unease and madness within them. “Ugh, am I sure about this? I mean, seriously, why wouldn’t I? But still, I ’t help but question it. Am I sed-guessing myself?”

  Abruptly, her attention shifted from them, her demonic e eyes disiedly fixating on her own bail polish. It was as though she deemed their presence beh her, fueling their growing disfort and trepidation. Her murmurs persisted, seemingly oblivious to their existence, intensifying their dread and firming that the uling aura they had felt upoering emanated solely from her.

  “No, I’m not sed-guessing myself! Yeah, yeah, I heir skills! Stronger! It’s all about the skills! No more bosses meah to the users!”

  A smile spread across her face as her haunting eyes roamed over them. “I bet you’ll each taste amazing,” she said, lig her lips with a creepy bck tongue.

  Jason scoffed, “I’d like to see your crazy ass try.”

  However, none of the others shared his bravado; they looked nervous, as if Fear still had a firm grip on them.

  Heather took a nervous gulp and whispered, “Appraisal!”

  The air grew heavy as she braced herself for the revetion that awaited her. Horror washed over her as the s materialized in her vision, freezing her in pce.

  “We—we ’t take her,” Heather gasped, her voice so low that none of the others heard.