It seemed they had already been attacked a few hours ago… and somehow turned into that.
A notification appeared in front of me.
[Advance Information]
[Number of survivors detected: 3]
"…Only three?"
My voice came out quieter than I expected.
How many people even entered this place in the first place?
[System Reply]
22
…
I didn't know what to say after hearing that.
Twenty-two people went in.
Only three were left alive.
My throat felt tight, like something was stuck in it.
But I didn't say anything.
Instead, I shut my mouth and forced myself to focus.
No matter how awful I felt, I couldn't afford to lose my composure now.
I observed them carefully.
They were slow. Their movements were stiff and uncoordinated, like puppets with broken strings. But there were too many of them—far too many—filling the entire hallway.
If I rushed in blindly, I'd get surrounded.
I shifted my gaze further down the corridor.
At the very end, I saw another door.
My eyes narrowed slightly.
Maybe…
Maybe someone alive was in there.
I let out a quiet sigh.
"…Guess I have no choice."
If I wanted to reach that door, I had to carve a path through them.
There was no other way.
Constellation of Gates (GM):
Be careful. Even a small cut from them will lead to your death.
"…Yeah. I figured."
Zombies.
Just like in those games I used to play back in my teenage years.
Back then, it was easy.
You had guns. Unlimited ammo. No consequences.
You could mow them down without thinking twice.
But this…
This wasn't a game.
I tightened my grip on my sword.
Then I stepped into the hallway—deliberately making my footsteps loud.
The sound echoed.
Their heads snapped toward me.
And within seconds…
They rushed.
I froze for half a heartbeat as I looked at their faces.
Men in suits.
Women in elegant dresses.
Old butlers.
Maids.
Even… children.
My grip trembled.
For a moment, my body refused to move.
Then I clenched my teeth.
"They're not human anymore…"
I forced the thought into my head.
"They're already dead."
I repeated it again.
And again.
Until I could finally move.
I swung my sword.
The blade cut cleanly through the first one.
Then another.
And another.
I moved fast.
Faster than I thought I could.
Each swing was precise, almost desperate—as if I was trying to end it all as quickly as possible.
I didn't want them to suffer.
Or maybe…
I just didn't want to think.
With a single motion, I cut through multiple bodies at once, tearing them apart before they could even reach me.
Blood splattered everywhere.
Warm and thick.
It sprayed across the walls, the floor—like rain falling in every direction.
But I didn't stop.
I couldn't stop.
In my mind, I kept apologizing.
I'm sorry…
I'm sorry…
I'm sorry…
I wasn't as strong as I thought I was.
This was my first time doing something like this.
And unlike the rush I felt when killing those wolves in the dungeon…
This felt completely different.
That had felt like survival.
This felt like slaughter.
I wasn't killing monsters.
I was cutting down human bodies.
Even if they were already dead…
…
Eventually—
It was over.
Silence filled the hallway.
No one moved anymore.
Except me.
I stood there, breathing heavily, surrounded by corpses and blood.
It was everywhere.
On the floor.
On the walls.
Dripping from my blade.
None of it touched my face or skin—probably because of the clothes my sponsor gave me.
But the smell…
The smell of blood clung to me.
It was suffocating.
Disgusting.
I felt sick.
I stood there, frozen in place, in a hallway filled with death.
For a moment…
I couldn't move.
Constellation of Gates (GM):
Pull yourself together. You still need to save people. There are more monsters ahead.
I ignored him.
My grip on the sword loosened slightly.
…
Constellation of Gates (GM):
I understand what you feel.
That made me laugh.
A short, bitter sound escaped my lips.
"Yeah… right."
What would he know about what I'm feeling right now?
Aren't they just beings watching from afar… enjoying all of this like it's entertainment?
Watching humans struggle… suffer… die…
"I'm sure you do," I replied sarcastically.
My voice was cold.
[The Constellation of Gates (GM) is offended by your reply]
"Think whatever you want… I'm not in the mood."
Then I turned around and started walking again.
Because no matter how I felt…
There were still three people alive.
And if I stopped now—
They'd die too.
---
[Do you want to exit channel?]
[Yes | No]
The woman sitting in the chair stared at the screen, her expression stiff.
For a brief moment, she hesitated.
Then—
She pressed Yes angrily.
"That idiot—!"
Her voice echoed in the empty room, filled with frustration.
She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms tightly as if trying to contain her emotions.
She was beyond offended.
All she wanted was to comfort him.
But she never expected him to judge her like that.
"…What do I know?" she muttered bitterly.
A pause.
Her hands clenched.
"I know everything!"
Her voice rose, sharper now, laced with anger.
"That's exactly why it hurts more than anything!"
The words escaped before she could stop them.
Her chest rose and fell heavily as the silence returned.
But beneath that frustration…
There was something else.
She was hurt.
Not just because she was insulted—
But because he was the one who said it.
The one…
She created all of this for.