[System Message]
Objective: Survival
Time Remaining: 38:42:17
The city was eerily quiet.
From the rooftop, Hyun-woo gazed across the ruined skyline, the wind tugging at his tattered clothes. Below, the streets were littered with blood, monster corpses, and shattered asphalt. Smoke rose in lazy trails from a collapsed apartment complex in the distance. The chaos that had reigned earlier was now replaced by an uneasy calm.
The streets were empty except for few who were brave or idiotic enough. Some had formed groups and found shelter to wait the time out.
The survival objective had been clear from the start: last 72 hours alive, no matter what. But survival was no longer enough for Hyun-woo. He wasn't here to just last; he was here to dominate.
Jin-soo, exhausted but alert, glanced at him. "You really want to go after that thing? Most players are hiding or forming groups to last this out."
Hyun-woo's gaze didn't waver. "Exactly. Everyone else plays it safe. But the boss kill? It's the only way to secure the top spot. If I don't, I think I know someone else who will."
Without waiting for an answer, he dropped from the rooftop's edge, landing silently on the cracked pavement below. Jin-soo swore "Crazy Bastard", then followed.
The streets were desolate. The earlier chaos had died down—players had scattered, hunted, or barricaded themselves away. But Hyun-woo and Jin-soo moved with purpose, shadows slipping through the crumbling alleys toward the boss monster.
From a narrow alley to their left, a massive creature erupted, muscles rippling beneath cracked, ash-grey skin. Its eyes burned a fierce red, and blackened claws tore into the ground as it charged.
[Elite Monster Detected: Ashen Goblin Commander – Level 15]
[Danger Level: Extreme]
Jin-soo barely had time to raise his shield before the monster's claws crashed down with crushing force. He staggered backward; teeth clenched.
A single attack of the monster was enough to completely break a metal shield.
"Hyun-woo!" Jin-soo shouted, raising his voice despite the rush of adrenaline. "This thing's not normal!"
Hyun-woo's expression hardened. "Distract It. I'll try to kill it somehow."
The elite goblin snarled, muscles bulging as it prepared another strike.
It wasn't something they could defeat by normal means.
Jin-soo dodged a savage swipe, countering with a strike to the creature's ribs, but the blows barely left a mark.
Hyun-woo circled around, eyes sharp as he analysed its movements. He couldn't find any visible weakness so there was only one thing left to do.
"Aim for its eyes!" shouted Hyun-woo, staggering for breath.
The goblin lunged again, claws slashing. Jin-soo barely dodged the attack in time and while open, Hyun-woo struck with a devastating thrust to its eyes.
The creature howled, staggering backward as a reaction to pain.
Jin-soo and Hyun-woo both struck it at the same time. One went for the neck and the other for the chest.
With a final roar, the goblin collapsed, its body crumbling into a dark mist that dissolved into the air.
The street fell silent.
[Level Up!]
[Hyun-woo has reached Level 9]
[New Skills Unlocked: Enhanced Reflexes (Passive), Critical Strike (Active)]
Hyun-woo exhaled slowly, muscles tense.
Hyun-woo's breath caught for a moment, the surge of power coursing through him instantly. The weight of his blade felt lighter, his senses sharper.
"This is only the beginning," he muttered.
"Elite down," Jin-soo said, panting. "That was close."
Hyun-woo's mind processed the new skill details instantly. Critical Strike… A precise blow to an enemy's weak spot that could deal heavy damage and stun them for a short time. Perfect for exploiting openings during battle. Timing would be everything.
Ahead, the pulsating glow grew stronger, and the ground trembled faintly.
The boss monster was close, roaming somewhere beyond the ruins, a deadly force moving freely.
Hyun-woo glanced at Jin-soo. "No guarantees. But if we want the top spot, we face it head-on."
Jin-soo nodded, steeling himself.
Hyun-woo wiped the sweat from his brow as the echoes of the goblin's collapse faded into silence. The streets felt heavier now, as if the ruins themselves were holding their breath.
Jin-soo sheathed his sword with a grunt, glancing at Hyun-woo. "That was way too close. If that's what we're up against, I don't know how we'll last another day."
Hyun-woo shook his head, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "It's not about lasting. It's about adapting."
He flexed his fingers, feeling the newfound energy from his recent level-up coursing beneath his skin.
"We can't afford to hold back anymore," he said. "Every fight is an opportunity — to learn, to get stronger. I'm not just surviving this. I'm getting ready."
Jin-soo looked at him, a mix of respect and wariness in his gaze. "And you think you can keep pushing like this? What if something bigger shows up before we're ready?"
Hyun-woo smirked, the faintest hint of confidence shining through. "Then I'll deal with it. But first, we need to get out of here. Let's prepare for the boss battle."
The sun dipped lower, casting long shadows that crept across the cracked pavement. The city's eerie quiet was broken only by distant, unsettling sounds — the rustle of debris, a faint growl in the distance, reminders that this place was far from safe.
"Let's move," Hyun-woo said, stepping forward.