And so here I am — sitting upright among dozens of recruits clad in black Bureau-issued suits and narrow ties. The hum of the ventilation fills the massive marble auditorium; it's cold, clinical, but with a faint attempt at warmth, like a hospital trying to feel like a home.
Everyone sits in anticipation — most nervous, a few pretending to be excited — but all trying to look composed. I fumble with the wrist of my jacket. The fabric is smoother than anything I've ever worn. The Bureau's insignia gleams faintly on the chest: a winged eye enclosed in a circle, the same as Julian's.
Standard issue, nothing special — except for the weight it carries. You can tell it's expensive.
'Honestly? Feels right at home,' I think dryly. 'An office job, minus the coffee breaks and with a higher death rate.'
I glance around the room. The recruits look like copies of each other — polished, silent, their faces stiff in the reflection of the sterile lights. A row of them whisper among themselves, comparing rumors about the trial.
'Some still think it's a simulation. Poor bastards.'
The air thickens when the heavy doors at the end of the hall open. A man enters — tall, black hair tied into a neat bun, sharp eyes framed by the kind of dark circles you earn from never sleeping enough. His black suit and red tie set him apart from the rest, every step radiating authority. The moment he steps onto the podium, the auditorium lights dim, and the Bureau's insignia ignites across the back wall.
"Recruits of the Bureau of Anomalous Affairs," he begins, voice steady and cold. "I'm Agent Erso, team leader of Elite Team B. I welcome you all to your Evaluation. Congratulations on passing both the physical exam… and the theoretical exam."
His gaze sweeps the room — sharp, deliberate — before stopping directly on me. For a fraction of a second, our eyes meet.
'Creepy… does he know i didn't attend either of those?'
"I'm aware none of you were briefed about this trial," Erso continues. "But the Field Investigation Department is built on adaptability. You'll learn that faster than you'd like."
No one argues. Only low murmurs ripple through the crowd — a mix of confusion and disbelief.
The girl beside me exhales softly. She's calm. Much calmer than most recruits. Her snow-white hair flows down her back, eyes as black as midnight. She sits with perfect posture, unmoving, unreadable. I try to glance at her without being obvious.
Her wrist catches my attention — a silver watch, identical to Julian's.
'Huh? That can't be coincidence—'
"The name's Sera," she says suddenly, not even looking my way.
'Crap. Busted.'
"I'm Yuwon," I reply quickly. "You seem pretty relaxed. Not your first rodeo?"
She tilts her head slightly, still facing forward. "Let's just say… there's a bit of favoritism in play. My benefactor warned me this would happen."
'So she's like me.'
"I see," I say, forcing a small smile. "Then you already have an advantage."
"And you?" she asks. "You're calm too."
"I was recruited and warned as well," I admit, chuckling faintly. "But I wouldn't call that guy my benefactor."
Her expression doesn't change. "Then you'll survive. Probably."
"High praise," I mutter, and the conversation fades.
My focus returns to Erso as his voice cuts through the tension again.
"Today's trial will determine not only your capability… but your compatibility and your worth to the Bureau. We don't need bravery. We don't need faith. We need stability — minds that hold, even when reality doesn't."
His eyes sweep the room once more — and this time, I'm certain they linger on me and Sera both.
"Inside the anomaly," he continues, "there will be no guidance, no oversight, no rescue. If you succeed, you will join the Bureau's Field Investigation Department. If you fail…" His gaze darkens. "Then you were never here."
The silence that follows feels heavier than the marble around us. Some recruits exchange nervous looks. Others stare straight ahead, frozen in place.
Sera remains still. So do I.
Julian's words echo in my head: "You want to live long enough to find your answers? Earn it."
Agent Erso steps aside as a massive screen flickers to life behind him. The Bureau emblem fades into the image of a towering glass skyscraper that pierces through clouds.
"Your trial is a localized Tier-3 anomaly," he announces. "All one hundred and twenty of you will enter simultaneously. The objective: find the exit. There are no further instructions. No manual."
A stunned pause — then chaos.
"What? No instructions?"
"How are we supposed to do this blind?"
"Is this even real?"
Murmurs break into panicked chatter. Some scramble to form alliances, while others pray under their breath.
Sera exhales slowly beside me, as if centering herself.
"Panic's the first thing that kills people," she says quietly.
"Then we're already down half," I mutter.
Erso raises a gloved hand, and the crowd falls silent once more. "You have five minutes to prepare yourselves. Once the anomaly is stabilized, you'll be transferred. Remember — your minds are the first thing it will test."
The floor panels beneath us hum faintly — a vibration that feels like the building itself is holding its breath. The lights dim further until the entire hall glows in Bureau blue.
"Small word of advice" Agent Erso said "Dont rely on the elevators."
Sera closes her eyes, murmuring something I can't catch.
I straighten my tie, my heart steady but heavy.
'Alright. No more running. Let's see what kind of hell they've prepared for us.
My vision flickers red and blue — then goes black.
When it returns, the world has changed.
A massive office floor stretches before us. The only light comes from faint blue monitors and the cityscape beyond the glass windows. Rows of empty desks and cubicles sprawl endlessly, bathed in sterile shadow.
I check my phone. 2 PM.
Outside, it's pitch dark.
'Does this anomaly… have its own timezone?'
I count nine other recruits nearby — confused, tense, scattered.
'So the anomaly split us up.'
They gather near the center, arguing.
'We're already up pretty high. I'd say we're atleast on floor 40.'
"Im telling you, the exit is totally on the first floor! Thats how all buildings work!"
"But this is a anomaly! It probably wants us to think that."
"This guy's right! Its probably the highest floor-"
Their debate is cut short by a sound — footsteps. Slow. Heavy.
I freeze.
'Something's here.'
"Guys i think someone's c—"
'Too late. No one hears me over their argument.'
I slowly step back and hide behind a gray office Cabinet. Two of the other recruits have seemed to notice my sudden movement but they lacked the time to follow or even Question it.
Something steps out of the darkness.
A two-meter-tall humanoid in a pristine blue office suit and tie. No hair. No face. Just smooth, pale skin where features should be.
"Gusy?!"
"What the fuck?!"
3 of the 9 recruits ran for the elevators. The others froze completely in fear of the uncanny sight in front of them.
"Its past working hours." it says in a hollow, echoing tone. "Please make sure to clock out and leave the office at the appropriate exit." The voice doesn't come from a mouth. It simply exists in the air.
"Y-yes, I'm already on my way!" one recruit blurts, sprinting for the door to the staircase.
The creature steps toward another.
"Its past working hours. Please make sure to clock out and leave the office at the appropriate exit"
The creature repeats its phrase again and again, calm, almost polite. Eventually, everyone flees — except one trembling man.
However when the creature arrived at the only recruit left.
"Its past working hours. Please make sure to clock out and leave the office at the appropriate exit."
"Ah—yes, sorry, I'll be on my way," he stammers. "But, uh… do you happen to know where the appropriate exit is?
The faceless head tilts slightly. For a moment, silence — then a strangely friendly tone.
"The exit consists of the two glass doors at the end of the lobby on the first floor. You may use the four elevators on each floor… or the emergency staircase. Be mindful of our security personnel. We use the staircase exclusively."
'Huh? Actually? Thats.... thats it?? There has to be a catch.' But no, the anomaly let the recruit go and after glancing around, It turns away, opens the stairwell door, and vanishes.
I step out from behind the cabinet, brushing dust from my suit.
"Personnel," I murmur. "So there's more of them. Great."
I approach one of the elevators. Press the button.
A red message flashes above it:
[Occupied. Please wait.]
The other one reads the same.
'Figures. With a hundred and twenty of us, someone's already using them.'
Then it hits me.
'Wait… didn't it say there are four elevators per floor? Might be worthwhile checking them out instead of waiting."
And so I make my way through the oddly spacious office-floor. At the far end of the floor I see two more elevators.
'So they come in pairs huh?'
I press on the button and enter the elevator. The door closes as I enter, giving me an odd sense of security.
Then I see the panel.
A hundred buttons. A hundred floors.
My hand hovers over the "1". My reflection stares back from the polished metal. I hesitate.
'Hold on..... what if its a trap?'