BOOM!
A deafening explosion rocked the entire city.
As I stepped out of the mansion, the ground shook beneath my feet. The wind howled—sharp, cold, unnatural. Above me, the sky remained pitch black, as if the sun had been erased from existence.
Then I saw it.
A massive, blood-red eye had appeared in the sky—glaring down at the world like a god watching ants. It wasn't just me. Everyone could see it. People were screaming, running in every direction, trying to make sense of the nightmare unfolding before them.
Panic spread like wildfire.
But I stood still, frozen—until a sudden surge of pain erupted in my head.
"Ahh—!"
Flashes of memories hit me like lightning. Unknown, yet strangely familiar. My vision blurred. Faces… battles… despair… and death. It felt like another life—no, another timeline.
I clutched my temples, breathing heavily as the pain slowly faded.
And then, in the middle of all that chaos, a strange calm washed over me. I looked up at the sky once more, my eyes sharper than before.
"So… this is the second time," I muttered under my breath. "Hmph. Interesting."
A smirk tugged at my lips.
"But not this time… I won't lose again."
I looked around at the chaos unfolding—the sky was still dark, the streets in panic, people running in all directions. But there were no monstrous creatures—not yet. Just fear. Confusion. And silence between the screams.
Suddenly, the air itself buzzed. A strange humming sound spread across the city. Then, just like that…
A massive translucent screen appeared in the sky.
It glowed faintly, suspended above the city like a divine announcement. Everyone—on streets, in homes, even inside vehicles—looked up in stunned silence. It was impossible to ignore.
And then… words began to appear on the screen:
[GLOBAL SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT – INITIATING UNIVERSAL TRIAL PHASE I]
All humans above the age of 18 have been registered as participants in the First Trial.
You will be transported to the [Trial Zone] in 30 seconds. Survival is your only goal.
[Note: Death in the Trial Zone is permanent.]
Gasps, screams, and disbelief followed. People started crying, shouting, begging as if it was some prank. But it wasn't. I knew that all too well.
I looked up at the screen with narrowed eyes.
[Optional Skip Available: Spend ¥100,000,000 to skip the Trial. Rewards will be halved.]
Then—my system interface popped up in front of me alone, a different color, a different feel entirely.
[SYSTEM: Personalized Host Interface Active]
Warning: Skipping will reduce long-term benefits. Strongly discouraged.
I exhaled slowly, watching the two overlapping screens—the one only I could see, and the massive one meant for everyone else.
"So this is how it begins… again."
The countdown had started. 30 seconds.
A part of me was tempted. I had the money. Over ¥10 billion. Skipping was easy. Safer. But I clenched my jaw.
"Back then, I didn't have a choice," I muttered. "I had no system. No power. No money. Just fear."
"But now…"
I glanced around at the people in the streets—young adults, elderly men, mothers with grown children. All above eighteen. All staring at the sky with dread in their eyes. I saw the same panic I had once felt.
And now, I was being offered the chance to avoid what they had no choice but to face.
"I could skip it," I whispered. "That's the kind of power I've earned…"
10 seconds left.
"But then I'd be no different than the people who abandoned me in my last life."
A sudden headache stabbed through my skull. Flashes of memories burst into my mind—blood, betrayal, the look of a man I once trusted… laughing as I died.
"So this is my second time, huh?" I whispered, a bitter smirk forming. "Interesting. But not this time."
I stared straight at the massive red eye hovering in the sky. I didn't know what it was, or who was behind it—but I had a feeling it was watching.
"Even if I skip this mission, the danger won't disappear," I said softly. "And I didn't come back to live like a coward."
5 seconds left.
I turned back toward the mansion. Meiyun and Ruxue were standing at the door, staring at the screen in horror. Ruxue's lips trembled. "Chen… What is this? What's going on?!"
"Don't worry," I said, forcing a calm smile. "I've been through this before."
Their eyes widened.
"What do you mean—?!" Meiyun started to say, but the countdown interrupted everything.
[Transporting to Trial Zone…]
The world around me twisted, space shattering like glass. My feet left the ground.
In that final second, as the light consumed me, I whispered:
"I'm not running this time."
"Let's see what you've got."