Kyle walked slowly back to the spot where he had first woken up. The ground was still slightly warm beneath his feet, and the wind carried the scent of fresh leaves and distant flowers. Around him, more and more people were regaining consciousness. Some were rubbing their eyes and groaning, others were already stretching and glancing around in disbelief.
A group of three were laughing loudly, excited. One of them even shouted, "We're really inside the game! This is insane!"
But not everyone shared that excitement.
Others stood still, quiet and reserved, eyes darting nervously across the trees and bushes. Some looked at their arms, staring at the glowing countdown etched in their skin. Others just sat on the grass, unsure what to do next.
Kyle didn't talk to anyone. His mind was focused. Crystal clear.
Get the artifacts.
That was all he cared about.
One artifact, one thousand dollars.
He didn't know how many were out there, but he had to find them—fast. His sister's hospital bill wasn't going to wait. And he didn't plan to waste a single hour.
He took a few deep breaths, trying to keep calm. His heart beat steadily, not from fear but from urgency.
Suddenly, a soft humming noise filled the air. Everyone around froze.
The ground seemed to vibrate slightly, like something massive had just powered on. Then, glowing letters appeared in the air above them, floating in the sky like a projection from God himself.
WELCOME TO HUNTER GAMES
The letters shimmered in gold, hovered for a few seconds, then vanished like smoke.
Gasps echoed across the group. Some people stepped back, others looked up with wide eyes. That moment alone was enough to crush any remaining doubt.
This was real.
Way too real.
A man near Kyle pinched his own arm and winced. "Ow… Shit."
Another woman slapped herself in the face. She frowned. "That felt real."
"Games don't feel like this," someone muttered from behind. "Pain, touch, smell—it's too real. This can't be just a simulation."
A tension hung in the air. Confusion turned into quiet paranoia. Were they truly inside a game, or had they been drugged and abducted to some kind of experimental island?
Before the panic could rise, a sudden whoop pierced the silence.
A skinny young man with a crooked smile took off running into the forest. "Let's gooooo!" he yelled. "The artifacts are mine! I'm getting rich!"
Nobody stopped him. They just watched as he disappeared into the trees like a wild animal, laughter echoing behind him.
People started moving soon after that. Some walked in pairs, some in groups, others chose to go solo. No one had a map. No compass. Nothing to guide them. They were tossed into the unknown with only the promise of money and time ticking down on their arms.
Kyle stood his ground, eyes scanning everyone.
It wasn't about running first—it was about lasting longest.
He noticed patterns. The way certain people stuck together, how others kept glancing around like they were already afraid. One man pretended to stretch but kept checking the people nearby, clearly calculating who was weakest.
Kyle kept his expression calm. He didn't trust anyone. Not yet.
As he turned to leave, three women approached him. All of them were stunning, with sharp features and curvy frames that didn't match the survival setting at all. Their suits were zipped a bit lower than everyone else's, revealing just enough to draw attention. They walked with a synchronized sway.
The one in front smiled sweetly. "Hey there… you look strong. Mind if we team up?"
Another one leaned in, voice soft. "It'll be safer if we stick together. We're good at surviving."
The third simply placed a hand on his arm and smiled without saying a word.
Kyle stared at them blankly.
Then, without a word, he looked away.
His silence spoke volumes. He didn't need to say no. He didn't need to say anything.
The women glanced at each other awkwardly, then stepped back and walked away, their seductive confidence replaced by a thin veil of irritation.
Kyle had seen people like them before. Parasites. Clingers. They'd slow him down. They weren't here to survive. They were here to hide behind someone who could.
He wasn't going to carry anyone.
He came for money.
He came for his sister.
---
Kyle finally took a step forward, his eyes narrowing at the endless stretch of thick green forest ahead. Trees swayed gently, their leaves rustling like whispers. The wind was cool, but something about it felt off—like the air was holding its breath.
He sighed deeply.
"This is it," he muttered.
The life-changing opportunity.
His boots crunched against the dirt as he stepped past the last open clearing and into the unknown. The moment he crossed the invisible boundary of the forest, a chill crept up his spine. Not from the cold, but something deeper—like danger was right behind him, breathing against his neck.
He wasn't alone either.
All around him, scattered like ants, were other players. Some walked cautiously, others were sprinting in random directions. Everyone was desperate. Desperate to find artifacts. Desperate to win. Desperate to live.
Suddenly, someone shouted.
"I FOUND ONE! HAHAHA!"
It was a young man's voice, loud and arrogant. "IF ANY FUCKING BODY DARES TOUCH IT, YOU ARE DEAD!"
Kyle's head turned in that direction. He adjusted his steps and walked silently toward the sound. He wasn't going there to compete—he knew better than that.
If there was one thing Kyle had already learned, it was that whoever had found the artifact was stupid. Excited and stupid.
Why would you announce your location like that?
Kyle simply wanted to see what the artifacts looked like with his own eyes. He needed to know what he was hunting before he went blindly into the forest.
As he approached, he slowed his pace. A small crowd had gathered around a spot near a thick tree, and in the center of it all was a glowing object resting gently against the base of the trunk. It shimmered slightly like it was pulsing with some strange energy. It looked more like an egg than anything else.
Even Kyle had to admit, he didn't expect it to be that easy.
The young man who had shouted earlier now stood in front of the egg with his back turned to it, both arms spread out as if guarding it. His chest was puffed, and his eyes scanned the faces of the people gathering.
"Back off," the man growled. "This is mine!"
He bent down and grabbed a thick stick, pointing it at the nearest person like a sword. "Don't come any closer! I swear, I'll rip anyone apart!"
Kyle didn't say anything. Nobody did.
But their faces said everything.
Shock. Fear. Eyes wide, mouths slightly open. Not at the man—but behind him.
He didn't see it. He didn't feel it. He had no clue what was creeping up just inches away from him.
Kyle's eyes locked onto the beast emerging from the foliage.
It wasn't massive—maybe the size of a cheetah—but its presence was enough to freeze the entire group in place. Its skin was leathery, almost metallic, and its body was sleek like a predator built for one thing—killing.
What truly sent shivers down Kyle's spine were the creature's fangs.
Long, curved, sharp as hell.
They stretched down past its lower jaw, gleaming in the filtered sunlight. It didn't growl. It didn't roar. It just crept forward slowly, one paw at a time, its eyes locked onto the clueless idiot with the stick.
The man smirked, mistaking the silence for fear. "Yeah, that's right. Be scared. You should be. I'll smash anyone who tries to—"
He didn't finish the sentence.
Because at that exact moment, the beast lunged.
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