Day 96 – 24 Hours Remaining
Kaito sat on the rooftop of an abandoned warehouse, watching the city lights flicker like distant stars. It was past midnight, and the world below him felt eerily quiet. Too quiet.
Beside him, Ren stretched zily, his red hair ruffling in the night breeze.
"You know," Ren mused, twirling a small knife between his fingers, "you never asked me why I started pying this game."
Kaito’s gaze didn’t shift. "I don’t need to know."
Ren smirked. "Cold. I like that."
A notification suddenly appeared on both their phones, causing Kaito’s stomach to tighten.
> NEW MISSION UNLOCKED: BLOOD ON THE LINE
- Target: PLAYER #381 – "THE BUTCHER"
- Objective: SURVIVE.
- Time Limit: 12 HOURS.
- Reward: +48 HOURS ADDED TO YOUR TIMER.
- WARNING: FAILURE RESULTS IN DEATH.
Kaito’s breath slowed.
Survive?
That meant someone was coming for them.
Ren let out a low whistle. "Damn. They’re throwing us into the deep end already."
Kaito clenched his fists. "Who’s ‘The Butcher’?"
Ren's smirk disappeared. His eyes darkened.
"Bad news," he said. "Really, really bad news."
---
01:15 AM – The Butcher
Kaito followed Ren down a dimly lit alleyway.
The moment their mission had appeared, Ren had told him they needed to move. Now.
"We don’t wait for The Butcher to find us," Ren had said. "We find him first."
And that was why they were now walking into one of the most dangerous parts of the city—The Slums.
This area wasn’t just home to criminals. It was a graveyard for the weak.
Ren walked confidently, his hands in his pockets. "The Butcher is one of the older pyers," he expined. "Been in the game for at least fifty days. No one knows his real name, but everyone knows his reputation."
"What kind of reputation?" Kaito asked.
Ren gave him a sideways gnce. "He doesn’t py for time extensions."
Kaito frowned. "Then why does he py?"
Ren’s smirk turned grim. "Because he likes it."
Kaito’s stomach twisted.
Most pyers were forced to commit crimes to survive. But The Butcher?
He enjoyed it.
Ren continued, "He doesn’t care about the missions. He kills other pyers for fun. And now, the system just made us his next targets."
Kaito exhaled sharply. "How do we stop him?"
Ren shrugged. "We kill him first."
Simple words.
But killing another pyer wasn’t like fighting street thugs. This time, their enemy had a system too.
---
02:00 AM – The Hunting Grounds
The abandoned meatpacking district smelled of blood and rust.
Kaito and Ren moved carefully through the darkened warehouses, their footsteps barely making a sound.
"This is where he operates," Ren whispered. "If he knows we’re here, we’re already dead."
Kaito’s grip tightened on his knife. His heart pounded against his ribs.
Suddenly—
A soft squelching noise echoed through the air.
Kaito and Ren froze.
It was coming from the next warehouse.
Ren signaled for Kaito to move quietly. They crept toward a broken window and peered inside.
What they saw made Kaito’s blood turn cold.
Bodies.
At least five of them, strung up on meat hooks like butchered animals.
Blood dripped onto the concrete floor, forming dark, sticky puddles.
And standing in the middle of it all was a man.
Tall. Broad-shouldered. Wearing a stained butcher’s apron over a bck shirt. His hands, coated in fresh blood, gripped a massive cleaver.
His face was hidden behind a white mask shaped like a smiling pig’s face.
He tilted his head slightly, as if listening.
Then, without warning—
He turned toward them.
Kaito’s breath caught. Their cover was blown.
"Run," Ren muttered.
But before they could move—
The Butcher lunged.
---
02:05 AM – The First Kill Attempt
Kaito barely dodged as the cleaver came down, embedding itself in the metal railing where he had been standing.
Ren grabbed Kaito by the colr and yanked him backward. "MOVE!"
They hit the ground running.
Behind them, The Butcher moved fast.
Faster than someone his size should be able to.
Kaito sprinted toward the warehouse exit, but The Butcher was already closing in.
Ren swore under his breath. "We’re not gonna outrun him. We have to fight."
Kaito’s grip tightened on his knife.
He turned sharply, ducking behind a metal crate. The moment The Butcher ran past, Kaito sprang forward—
And sshed.
His bde sliced across The Butcher’s exposed forearm.
Blood spttered onto the floor.
But instead of retreating, The Butcher... ughed.
A deep, guttural chuckle that sent a shiver down Kaito’s spine.
Then, before Kaito could react—
The Butcher smmed his fist into Kaito’s stomach.
Pain exploded through his body.
Kaito was sent crashing into a stack of wooden crates, his vision blurring.
Ren cursed. "Damn it—"
But The Butcher was already moving toward him next.
Ren dodged the next swing, rolling to the side. His hand moved in a blur—
Bang!
A gunshot echoed through the warehouse.
The Butcher staggered back, a red stain spreading across his shoulder.
Kaito coughed, forcing himself to his feet. "You brought a gun?!"
Ren fshed a grin. "I like to be prepared."
The Butcher tilted his head again. Slowly, his ughter died down.
Then, he gripped the bullet wound—
And pushed the bullet out.
Kaito’s stomach dropped. "What the hell?"
Ren’s expression darkened. "Oh, that’s not good."
> NEW SYSTEM ALERT:
PLAYER #381 HAS ACTIVATED SPECIAL ABILITY – "BLOOD FRENZY."
- PAIN RESISTANCE INCREASED.
- STRENGTH BOOSTED FOR 10 MINUTES.
- KILLING AN OPPONENT EXTENDS ABILITY DURATION.
The Butcher’s breathing became heavier.
Then, in a blur—
He charged.
Kaito barely had time to react before a massive fist smmed into his ribs, sending him flying.
Pain exploded in his side. He crashed onto the cold concrete, gasping for air.
He could hear Ren shouting something—but the words were drowned out by the ringing in his ears.
Through his blurred vision, he saw The Butcher raise his cleaver.
Kaito’s mind screamed one thing—
If I don’t move, I die.
---
End of Chapter 5
