Alex watched the enormous countdown blaze across the grey dome of sky above the field:

49 minutes 45 seconds.

Had been passed.

The numbers ticking down like a pulse.

Around him, every face mirrored the same uneasy attention; the whole plain had fallen silent, waiting.

Annoying message windows kept popping up, though—petty, snide little bubbles that wormed at his nerves.

{ 'The Revered One' is confused as to why you participated alone. }

{ 'The Ruler of the Skies' laughs: this fellow looks like an idiot to come alone. }

A vein throbbed at Alex's temple. 'Useless can't you do something about these idiots?' he thought, jaw tight.

[Of course I can,] the system answered in his head.

[But you didn't say the magic word.]

'Please. Do something about this, partner.' Alex muttered inwardly.

[That's what I was waiting for. Done.] The system's voice sounded mildly smug.

The onscreen taunts blinked out and were gone. Alex let out a half-laugh. 'Thanks, partner.'

The system added, in a tone that made his amethyst eyes flick toward the crowd, [You're not the only one getting messages. The others are seeing these types of messages too from different gods .]

Alex scowled. 'Of course those fuckers are here for the show.'

The countdown kept sliding down.

When only 10 minutes remained the sky fractured with a crack like a bell.

Light folded inward and a figure materialized, descending through the air as if stepping out of a theatrical spotlight.

At first Alex didn't process what he saw.

A wolf—tall, upright, wearing a long coat and pants, spectacles perched on a narrow snout—hung in the sky like a judge about to give a verdict.

The absurdity of a well-dressed wolf in a courtroom blazer almost made Alex snort, but the creature's voice cut through the clearing with smooth, practiced resonance.

"Greetings," the wolf said, tipping an invisible hat. "My name is Raon Levin. I will be your guide for this trial."

The assembled masses shifted the whisper swept like wind. A wolf announcer—this was a new level of theatrical.

Raon's eyes glittered behind his glasses as he began. "Without further delay, let us begin. This trial is simple in premise:

Survival of the fittest.

When the clock hits zero, the First Floor Trial commences.

You must fight.

You must eliminate others standing here.

The first 100 Survivors pass.

That is all."

A hand shot up in the back—an elf , voice tremulous with a mix of disbelief and outrage. "So when you say 'eliminate,' you mean… killing, right?"

Raon gave a soft, wicked laugh that sent a collective chill across the field. "Of course." He spread his hands as if presenting a prize.

"Do not hesitate now. You came here of your own volition. Once you entered, the road back is a single one: clear the trials or perish trying."

Silence slammed back into place. Some clenched fists. Some faces went pale. Others had already gone distant, eyes hardening with resolve—this was what they'd signed up for. The field of aspirants tightened like a drawn bow.

Alex watched casually, but his mind was a fast machine. 'So it's a free-for-all spectacle for the gods. Perfect. They'll laugh while we bleed.'

Raon continued, voice slick with showmanship.

"One more thing: the candidate who ranks 1st will have the privilege to choose any reward they desire."

He paused to let the implication sink in. "You may request almost anything — even a boon from a god. So long as the request is reasonable, it will be granted."

The cavernous hush broke into a ripple of greedy, stunned murmurs. A dozen faces brightened with savage calculation.

An anxious demihuman with a small feline face piped up, "And how are the rankings decided?"

Raon's mouth widened into a grin that showed too many teeth. "Glad you asked. Rankings are measured by eliminations. In short—how many people you kill today." His grin sharpened. "Or, if you prefer the blunt version: how many bodies you leave behind."

The words landed like a stone. Eyes searched the field, measuring, weighing friends against threats. Groups tightened into wary gangs; alliances would now be bargains written in blood.

Around alex, others were already forming plans: murmured unions, nervous pacts, frightened prayers. The smell of fear and strategy was thick as smoke.

Raon's tone sharpened, finalizing the decree. "Prepare yourselves. When the clock hits zero, no more divine calls. No more safety nets. Fight, or be consumed. Begin at will."

The countdown resumed its merciless tick. Alex watched the numbers fall and, beneath the adrenaline, a single thought burned cool and clear.

'Survive no matter what.'

Everyone swallowed hard in unison. The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by Raon's smug chuckle as he adjusted his glasses.

"I don't think anyone here truly has the potential to ascend but as they say we can't judge a book by its cover," his sharp grin betraying how much he was enjoying the dread painted across thousands of faces.

A voice cut through the hush. "Excuse me."

Raon's ears twitched, his molten eyes shifting toward the speaker—a figure wearing a bone-white skeleton mask. His aura was faintly human.

'Lower plane human? Interesting,' Raon thought. 'And yet, humans these days… they're the ones clearing floors more than anyone else. Amusing.'

The masked figure—Alex—spoke clearly. "After clearing this floor, can we return home?"

Raon let the question dangle a moment before replying smoothly. "Yes, lad. Survive this trial, and you'll be granted a return ticket. You may use it to go back to your world."

Alex tilted his head. "And what if I want to come back here again?"

That drew a faint laugh from Raon. "You seem confident you'll survive."

"That's not the answer to my question, Mr. Raon," Alex said flatly.

The wolf's grin widened. "Hah. Sharp tongue, boy. You remind me of a certain player. Survive this round, and perhaps I'll tell you."

Alex sighed under his mask. 'Of course this damn wolf won't answer straight.'

Raon straightened. "In ten seconds, a window will appear before each of you. It will ask for your name. You may enter your true name, or an alias. For your own safety, I suggest the latter."

---

A translucent window blinked into existence before Alex's eyes.

{ Please enter your name }

Alex smirked under his mask. 'I've already got an alias. Doesn't matter.'

He typed: Lucifer Morningstar.

The letters burned briefly before locking into place.

---

"Excellent," Raon said with satisfaction. Then, glancing at the sky, his voice boomed: "Only one minute remains. I wish you all good luck."

He vanished, dissolving into nothing.

---

The countdown blazed in fire above them.

**20…19…18…**

Alex closed his eyes. His breathing slowed, his mind sharpening into calm focus.

'Let's do this.'

**3…2…1.**

**START!**

A thunderous roar erupted across the plain. Dozens of orcs, goblins, and demihumans charged at once, blades flashing, spittle flying as they screamed:

"Die, human!"

Alex didn't move.

As a voice came in his head.

[ Using cosmic essence to create earth and fire elementals ]

Then his foot slammed into the ground.

The earth buckled, shuddered—and from it, jagged spikes erupted, a forest of stone lances impaling the charging enemies mid-scream. Bodies skewered in midair, their howls strangled into wet gurgles.

Before anyone could process, Alex snapped his fingers. The spikes glowed crimson—then detonated in a chain of explosions.

*BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.*

Blood sprayed across the field. Charred limbs and weapons rained down. In the center of the carnage, Alex stood untouched, crimson droplets sliding down the edges of his mask.

For a heartbeat, no one moved. A cold shiver crawled down every spine.

Alex raised his hand slightly, voice calm and mocking. "So… who's next?"

---

The red-haired dragonkin leader narrowed his eyes, his aura flaring as he barked to his group. "Listen carefully. Do not go near that human unless I command. He's not normal."

Everyone swallowed hard and nooded in understanding.

Above Alex's head, glowing crimson numbers appeared.

{ Kills: 1784 }

Gasps rippled through the field.

'How does a human have that much power?!' the thought seared through every mind.

Alex tilted his head, smirking under his mask. "If you're not going to come at me…"

He vanished.

In the next instant blurred shadows tore through the ranks.

Slash—! Heads arced into the air, blood fountains rising in grim harmony.

Alex's cold voice followed in the silence he left behind.

"…Then I'll come to you."

-----

---

A/N:

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