Near the eastern gate of the village, away from the watchful eyes of defenders and scouts, a figure slipped silently into an abandoned building. From the outside, the structure looked weathered and crumbling — ignored by most. But inside, the space was clean and dimly lit, with a wooden table at the center surrounded by four cloaked figures. Each of them wore hoods or masks, concealing their identities carefully.
The last to arrive was Makoto — easily identifiable by his two-toned red and blue hair, though he kept it hidden under a deep hooded cloak. He gave a small nod before stepping forward, blending into the circle of hidden players.
On the table, a system window glowed faintly in the air, visible only to those who accepted the secret summon.
Mission: Kill the Hero or the Villain
Type: Secret
Participants: 5
Conditions:
The kill must be done by your hand and with help from the other 4.
No natural causes or monster interference.
Must remain a secret from others.
Time limit: 5 days
Failure Penalty: -2 to all stats
Reward: +3 random stats per person involved in the kill
Makoto glanced at the mission details again before speaking. "So… we all saw this pop up?"
The figure directly across from him gave a slow nod. "Yeah. Same wording. Kill the Hero or the Villain. That means one of them is among us. Or close."
"They wouldn't give us this unless they were nearby," another added, her voice low and cautious.
A third player leaned forward. "We think the Hero might be Hairu."
Makoto narrowed his eyes. "He has been rallying the defense like a natural-born leader. Everyone listens to him. He even made vice-leader already."
The fourth figure spoke with uncertainty. "And the Villain?"
A silence fell over the group for a moment.
"No clue yet," someone admitted. "But if I had to guess… probably someone under the radar. Not drawing attention."
"Could be Rin," the uncertain voice continued. "But he's been helping a kid and exploring. Doesn't act like a Villain."
"No," Makoto said, shaking his head. "Rin seems too calm. Too clean. If anything, he's the type who'd follow the Hero — not oppose them."
Another player scoffed. "That's the problem. We don't know who the Villain is. We just know we have to choose. And we have five days."
Makoto looked around the room. "Are we really going to do this?"
"We agreed to it when we accepted the summon," one said grimly.
Another nodded. "We don't get to back out now. -2 to all stats is too big a hit. And if we succeed… we become strong. Strong enough to survive what's coming."
Makoto took a deep breath and turned toward the door. "Then we figure out who it is. Hero or Villain. And we kill them."
The group nodded in unison.
As Makoto stepped out of the old abandoned building, pulling his hood tighter around his face, one of the others spoke quietly from behind him, "I'll be heading to the medbay. No one questions a healer making rounds."
Makoto didn't look back. "Good. Keep your eyes open."
And with that, he disappeared into the village's shadows.
[POV Shift: Rin]
Rin trudged silently along the forest path, the newly filled 10-liter water bottle slung over his shoulder. Nariku walked a few paces behind him, humming quietly.
The trees began to thin out as the village perimeter came into view. Rin glanced up at the sky — the sun was already beginning to dip, casting long shadows on the ground.
Just then, a soft chime echoed in his ear, and a blue system message appeared before him, glowing faintly.
> [SYSTEM NOTICE]
Classification: VILLAIN
You are now marked.
There is a target on your head.
Survive for 5 days. Or eliminate the Hero first.
Warning: Players may now receive missions to kill you.
Rin's steps slowed. His eyes lingered on the words, expression unreadable. For a brief moment, his lips curled into a small, entertained smirk.
"How fun," he muttered under his breath.
Nariku looked up from behind. "Huh? What was that?"
Rin waved him off with a casual smile. "Nothing. Let's hurry back. Hairu might be calling us soon."
But behind that smile, something cold and calculating had already begun to stir.
---
[POV Shift: Hairu]
At the northern gate, Hairu stood with Yokuta, overlooking the defense lines. Scouts and volunteers were cleaning up debris from the earlier wave, while others began reinforcing barricades with scavenged wood and rope.
Yokuta, standing tall with her shield slung over her back, let out a sigh. "The calm before the storm."
Hairu nodded. "Three more waves to go. But the hardest part starts now."
As he turned to check the patrol report, a sudden system chime made him freeze mid-step. A transparent message hovered in front of his eyes.
> [SYSTEM NOTICE]
Classification: HERO
You are now marked.
There is a target on your head.
Survive for 5 days. Or eliminate the Villain first.
Warning: Players may now receive missions to kill you.
Hairu's breath caught for a second. His fingers clenched tightly at his side. Yokuta noticed and tilted her head.
"Hairu? You alright?"
He forced a smile. "Yeah. Just… thinking ahead."
But deep inside, he knew — the real game had just begun. Somewhere out there, someone had already accepted the mission.
And one wrong move could mean the end.