When Luke opened his eyes, he found himself standing in the middle of what looked like a ruined city.
Crumbling buildings stood like silent tombstones to a forgotten era, their upper floors leaning dangerously, half-collapsed.
Debris littered the cracked streets, and nature—creeping vines, patches of overgrown grass—had begun to reclaim what once belonged to man.
The air was thick with dust, clogging his lungs with every breath. An eerie silence hung like a shroud, broken only by the distant howl of the wind.
Luke's eyes widened in disbelief at the scene before him.
[FUUU~~~!!]
A gust of wind rushed through the vacant streets, whistling between shattered windows and broken walls. It carried with it the faint, ghostly wail of distant sirens—like echoes of a dying world.
Luke's heart pounded in his chest.
'No way this is a simulation… It's way too real. If Earth had this kind of tech, the gaming industry would've gone supernova by now,' he thought to himself.
He took a few cautious steps forward, eyes scanning the landscape for danger. All nineteen other participants were close by, their expressions mirroring his: stunned, wary, and overwhelmed.
It was clear this was their first time experiencing something like this—something that felt so tangible, so real.
After all, in this world, venturing outside the safe cities was akin to suicide. The lands between cities were beast-infested and forbidden, and even necessary travel was handled by the Human Alliance through specialized transport vessels—practically spaceships.
Yet here they were.
Stranded in what resembled the remnants of a long-forgotten metropolis, standing beside what used to be a fountain—now cracked and dry, its stone basin shattered and weathered by time.
Scattered around them on the pavement were weapons.
Swords. Pistols. Spears.
All neatly arranged, untouched by time. Their pristine condition made them stand out against the ruins. Each one radiated a faint glint, clearly not ordinary equipment.
At a glance, they were at least low-level 1-star weapons.
'Hey, System, you still there?'
Luke called out inwardly, hoping the voice that had guided him until now had come along for the ride.
[Always with you, Host. I'm literally bound to your soul. Wherever you go, I follow. This simulation seems to be replicating a scene from one of the Lost Cities. Pick a weapon quickly. Danger could be moments away.]
The voice echoed in his mind with the same nonchalant confidence, but there was a sharpness to it now—an edge that hinted at urgency.
Luke's gaze fell on a sword. He picked it up, testing its weight. It felt solid—balanced. Not to his preference, but it will do for now.
He tightened his grip.
Around him, the others did the same—each choosing a weapon from the selection, their movements cautious and uncertain.
[ROOAARRRR~~~~!!!]
The blood-curdling roar shattered the uneasy silence like a hammer on glass.
Luke's spine stiffened.
He wasn't the only one. Everyone froze. The temperature seemed to drop several degrees as a chill ran through their collective spines.
"W-What was that…?"
"L-Look!!"
One of the participants pointed with a trembling hand toward a destroyed bus half-buried in rubble.
From behind it—emerging like a nightmare given form—was a creature that made Luke's heart nearly stop.
A wolf. But not like any they had ever seen.
It stood taller than any wolf should, its frame massive and muscular. Thick, matted fur of ashen gray and earthy brown covered its body.
Its claws gleamed black like obsidian, and from its back jutted a row of sharp, jagged spines—each one at least the length of a forearm.
But it was its eyes that truly paralyzed them.
Fiery orange, glowing with an unnatural luminance, locking onto the group like a predator who had just discovered fresh meat.
[Ding!]
═════════════════════════════
{★ Grimber Wolf }
═════════════════════════════
Race: Beast
Cultivation Level: Early 1-Star Beast [Warrior]
═════════════════════════════
Strength (Fist Power):[110 kg]
Speed:[11 m/s]
═════════════════════════════
Luke swallowed hard.
This wasn't some low-level mob.
This was a predator.
And they were prey.
For the first time, not just Luke—but every single participant—felt fear.
Real fear.
Their lives had been peaceful. Sheltered. None of them had ever known true danger. But now, as the beast growled low in its throat, hunger blazing in its eyes, that illusion shattered.
Somewhere in the back of their minds, they knew this was a simulation—but it didn't feel like one.
Their hearts pounded. Their bodies trembled. Adrenaline surged like lightning through their veins.
Then—
CRUNCH.
Another set of paws hit the ground.
And another.
And another.
Ten more wolves stepped into view, each as large and menacing as the first. They formed a loose circle around the group, eyes gleaming with savage anticipation.
Luke's breathing hitched. His grip on the sword tightened, slippery with sweat.
'F-Fuck…'
His knees felt weak.
He needed to move—but his legs refused to listen.
"Move… MOVE, DAMN IT!!" He screamed inwardly, but it was like his body had turned to stone.
Fear was a prison, and it held him fast.
'If I die here… I fail the test… I'll never make it into the dojo… Never leave the slums…'
The weight of failure pressed against his chest like a stone slab.
'If I die here… I'll fail!!' Luke gasped aloud, as if trying to jolt himself awake.
But the wolves crept closer, their movements slow and deliberate. Their eyes drank in the group's fear.
Then—
Someone ran.
A boy, no older than seventeen, broke through the crowd and bolted to the side.
"I'm not dying in here!!" he shouted, his voice cracking from terror.
He didn't make it far.
SHRRAAAKK!!
One of the wolves lunged.
THUMP.
Blood sprayed through the air. The boy's body hit the ground in multiple pieces—his torso torn open, limbs severed.
A scream died in his throat before it could even escape.
The group gasped in horror.
"AHHH!!!!"
Someone screamed.
Another stumbled backward. A girl dropped her weapon and vomited, her body trembling uncontrollably.
Luke's eyes widened. The sight—the blood, the torn flesh, the lifeless body—burned itself into his mind.
He wanted to throw up.
His sword slipped from his hand, clattering to the ground. He dropped to one knee, his body wracked by fear and disbelief.
"If I die here… it's all over…"
The wolves stepped closer.
Their glowing eyes stared deep into him, savoring every ounce of fear. They were hunters. This was a game to them.
[Host!! This is just a simulation—not reality!]
The system's voice echoed in his mind. But even so—how could he believe it?
Everything felt real. The fear. The death. The blood.
Then—it happened.
One of the wolves locked eyes with him.
A deep growl rumbled from its throat.
It crouched low.
Muscles bunched.
BOOM!
The Grimber Wolf lunged.
A blur of fur and fangs tore through the air at 11 meters per second.
Death was coming.
Luke saw it all in slow motion.
The wind rippling around its body.
The orange blaze in its eyes.
Its claws, gleaming and curved.
Its fangs, bared and bloodstained.
It was going to kill him.
But then—
Luke's eyes snapped wide.
Not in fear.
In defiance.
He gritted his teeth.
And moved.
SWOOSH—!!
The beast's claws slashed through the space where he had just been.
BAMM!!
They struck the pavement, leaving a crack.
Luke rolled to the side, breath ragged, sword back in hand.
Dust exploded behind him as the wolf skidded to a stop, turning its blazing gaze back toward him.
It hadn't expected him to dodge.
Luke's chest heaved.
But this time, he wasn't trembling.
He was furious.
"I won't die here."
His voice was quiet—but steady.
"I've come too far… fought too hard… to be weak again."
His memories surged.
Cold nights in the slums. His mother broke down quietly as she worked multiple shifts to feed them. When he and Leila held his hand when they had no one else.
His other family, his mother, father, and his little sister on earth.
Elara—his light, his love—the girl he couldn't confess to because of his cowardly nature.
And then she chose someone else.
Because he had been scared.
Because he had been weak.
That memory ignited a fire in him.
Luke tightened his grip on the sword.
No more.
He stood up.
And faced the beast.
'I'm not the same person anymore.'
The Grimber Wolf growled again, crouching for another leap.
But this time—
Luke didn't move.
He stood tall.
Steady.
Ready.
'If I can't even face this... then I'm not worthy of the future I'm fighting for.'
This wasn't just a test.
It was the path that he chose to walk, the path of the strongest.
And Luke was done running.