The countdown reached zero at exactly noon on a Wednesday.
Ji-woo was in the middle of training with Iron Chains when reality fractured. No warning, no preparation time—just a sudden tear in space that swallowed every Reaper in Seoul simultaneously.
[MANDATORY EVENT: THE BLOODIED ARENA]
[TRANSPORTING ALL SEOUL REAPERS]
[DURATION: 72 HOURS]
[OBJECTIVE: SURVIVE AND ACCUMULATE POINTS]
The sensation was different from entering a normal dungeon. Instead of falling, Ji-woo felt stretched across space like being pulled through a too-small opening. Colors inverted, sounds became textures, and for one terrifying moment he ceased to exist.
Then he was standing in the arena.
The Bloodied Arena was massive—a circular battlefield easily five kilometers in diameter, surrounded by impossibly high walls that pulsed with red energy. The terrain was varied: ruined buildings in one sector, open plains in another, a dense forest to the north, and what looked like a flooded district to the east.
[WELCOME TO THE BLOODIED ARENA]
[PARTICIPANTS: 187 REAPERS]
[FACTION BREAKDOWN:]
CRIMSON BLADES: 68 MEMBERSSILVER DAWN: 71 MEMBERSIRON CHAINS: 26 MEMBERSINDEPENDENTS: 22 MEMBERS
[SCORING SYSTEM:]
REAPER KILL: 100 POINTS + HALF TARGET'S POINTSBOSS MONSTER KILL: 500 POINTSOBJECTIVE CAPTURE: 250 POINTS/HOURSURVIVAL BONUS: 10 POINTS/HOUR
[CURRENT POINTS: 0]
[TIME REMAINING: 71:59:48]
A minimap appeared in Ji-woo's vision, showing the arena layout and colored dots representing different factions. Blue for his allies (independents and Iron Chains), red for Crimson Blades, silver for Silver Dawn.
He'd been spawned in the ruined building sector. Alone.
His party chat activated automatically—the Iron King's voice came through clearly despite the distance.
[IRON KING]: Sound off. Everyone check in.
One by one, the twenty-three independents and Iron Chains members reported their spawn locations. They were scattered across the entire arena, no two closer than two hundred meters.
[IRON KING]: Regroup strategy. Rally point Alpha—the central tower. It's the highest ground and defensible. Get there without engaging if possible.
[YOON]: What about the guilds?
[IRON KING]: They'll do the same. Crimson Blades will cluster fast—they're the most organized. Silver Dawn will take longer but still coordinate. We need to move NOW.
Ji-woo checked his position. He was in the southwestern sector, about two kilometers from the central tower. The minimap showed the nearest blue dot—Hye-jin—was four hundred meters to his north.
[JI-WOO]: Moving to Alpha. ETA 15 minutes if uncontested.
[HYE-JIN]: I'm with you. Parallel route.
He started moving through the ruined buildings, using his high Agility to navigate rubble and collapsed structures. The Arena's buildings weren't just random debris—they were designed for combat, with sight lines, choke points, and ambush positions everywhere.
Three minutes into his movement, Ji-woo's Debt Sense pinged. Another Reaper nearby. He dropped into cover behind a broken wall and checked the minimap.
Red dot. Crimson Blades member. Fifty meters ahead, moving perpendicular to his path.
[JI-WOO]: Contact. Single CB member. Grid D-7.
[IRON KING]: Avoid if possible. We don't start fights yet.
But the Crimson Blade had detected something too. The red dot stopped moving, then turned directly toward Ji-woo's position.
Shit. They'd seen him or sensed him somehow.
Ji-woo summoned his Talon Gauntlet and prepared to move. Fighting was a last resort, but if forced—
A silver blur crashed into the Crimson Blade member from the side. A Silver Dawn Reaper, engaging the enemy without hesitation. The two clashed in brutal close combat—daggers versus sword, both at level 8 or 9 based on their speed.
Ji-woo used the distraction to slip away. Let the guilds fight each other. He had a rally point to reach.
[KILL NOTIFICATION: SD_MEMBER_41 KILLED CB_MEMBER_23]
[SD_MEMBER_41 GAINS: 100 POINTS]
The first kill of the Arena had happened within five minutes. The system broadcasted it to everyone, a clear message: this was real, death was permanent, and the competition had begun.
Ji-woo moved faster, abandoning stealth for speed. Other Reapers would be converging on resource points and objectives. The longer he took to regroup, the more vulnerable he became.
He found Hye-jin at the edge of the ruined sector. She was breathing hard, blood on her knuckles.
"Had to fight?" Ji-woo asked.
"Two CB members tried to jump me. I got away, but they're hunting in pairs already." She checked the minimap. "Come on. We're still a kilometer from Alpha."
They moved together through the transitional terrain between ruins and open plains. The central tower was visible now—a massive obsidian spire that rose from the Arena's exact center, topped with a glowing objective marker.
[OBJECTIVE: CENTRAL SPIRE]
[CONTROL: UNCLAIMED]
[REWARD: 250 POINTS/HOUR TO CONTROLLING FACTION]
Controlling that spire would be worth thousands of points over the event's duration. It would also paint a target on whoever held it.
As they approached, Ji-woo saw other blue dots converging. The Iron King's strategy was working—independents were reaching the rally point.
But so were the guilds.
Red dots clustered to the north—Crimson Blades forming a warband. Silver dots gathered to the east—Silver Dawn doing the same. And in the center, racing for the spire, were the first arrivals from all three factions.
"We're going to have to fight for it," Hye-jin said.
"Then we fight smart." Ji-woo activated his party interface and opened a wider coalition channel. "All independents and Iron Chains—formation Delta. We take the spire but we don't hold it. We claim points then fall back to defensible positions."
[IRON KING]: Approved. Rush the spire, tag the objective, scatter before they can pin us.
Twenty-three Reapers converged on the central tower from different directions. Ji-woo and Hye-jin were among the first to arrive, climbing the obsidian structure using his superior Agility.
The spire had multiple levels—a ground plaza, mid-tier platforms, and the summit control point. Ji-woo reached the summit first and touched the glowing marker.
[CENTRAL SPIRE CLAIMED BY: INDEPENDENT COALITION]
[POINTS ACCUMULATING: 250/HOUR]
[WARNING: POSITION REVEALED TO ALL FACTIONS]
Immediately, every Reaper in the Arena received a notification showing that independents controlled the spire. The minimap lit up with movement—both guilds redirecting toward their position.
"They're coming!" Da-eun shouted from a lower platform. "Both guilds, converging fast!"
"SCATTER!" The Iron King's command was absolute. "Claim made, points earned. Everyone different directions. Reform at Rally Point Bravo—the forest sector!"
Twenty-three Reapers dispersed like smoke. Ji-woo grabbed Hye-jin and they leaped from the spire's mid-tier platform, using the height to cover distance before hitting the ground in a roll.
Behind them, Crimson Blades arrived at the spire. Tae-yang led the charge, his crimson blade gleaming.
[CENTRAL SPIRE CLAIMED BY: CRIMSON BLADES]
[POINTS ACCUMULATING: 250/HOUR]
"Let them have it," Ji-woo said. "We got first claim points. That's what matters."
They ran toward the forest sector, the dense tree cover offering concealment. Other independents appeared from different paths—Min-seok, Sung-min, Dr. Kang, and several Iron Chains members.
[CURRENT POINTS - INDEPENDENT COALITION: 47 POINTS]
Forty-seven points from survival bonuses and the spire claim. Not much, but it was a start.
The forest sector was massive—old growth trees with trunks wide enough to hide behind, canopy so thick that visibility dropped to twenty meters. Perfect for guerrilla tactics.
The Iron King appeared, his massive frame somehow silent despite his size. "Good work. We claimed the spire, proved we can move fast, and got out before the guilds could engage. Now phase two—hunting."
"Hunting?" Ji-woo asked.
"Boss monsters spawn throughout the Arena. Five hundred points each. The guilds will go for them, which means they'll be exposed." The Iron King grinned savagely. "We pick off stragglers, steal kills, and fade back into the forest. Guerrilla warfare."
It was sound strategy. The independents couldn't match either guild in direct combat—68 Crimson Blades or 71 Silver Dawn members would overwhelm their 23. But in hit-and-run tactics, with the forest as cover, they could be devastatingly effective.
A system notification appeared:
[BOSS MONSTER SPAWNED: FOREST TITAN]
[LOCATION: GRID F-12]
[ESTIMATED LEVEL: 15]
[REWARD: 500 POINTS TO KILLING BLOW]
A level 15 boss. That was significantly higher than most Reapers in the Arena. Killing it would require coordination.
"Silver Dawn is moving toward it," Sung-min reported, monitoring the minimap. "Twenty members, organized formation."
"We let them engage," the Iron King decided. "They damage it, we steal the kill. Guerrilla tactics 101."
The independent coalition moved silently through the forest, tracking the Silver Dawn warband. Twenty versus twenty-three wasn't bad odds, but the objective wasn't to fight Silver Dawn—it was to get the boss kill.
They reached Grid F-12 and found the Forest Titan already engaged. The boss was exactly what its name implied—a massive humanoid made of living wood and stone, easily twelve meters tall, with fists like battering rams.
[FOREST TITAN - LEVEL 15]
[HP: 3,000/3,000]
Twenty Silver Dawn members surrounded it, their attacks coordinated. Ice magic froze its legs. Fire magic burned its wooden components. Physical attackers targeted joints and weak points.
[FOREST TITAN HP: 2,847/3,000]
[HP: 2,698/3,000]
[HP: 2,401/3,000]
They were grinding it down methodically. Commander Park himself was there, directing the assault with tactical precision.
"Wait for it," the Iron King whispered. "Let them do the work."
[FOREST TITAN HP: 1,156/3,000]
[HP: 823/3,000]
[HP: 487/3,000]
Almost dead. The Silver Dawn members were celebrating prematurely, already counting their points.
"NOW!" the Iron King roared.
Twenty-three independents burst from the forest simultaneously. Ji-woo activated Desperate Strike and hurled all ten of his throwing knives at once, each empowered. Hye-jin's Thunderclap struck the Titan's core. The Iron King himself charged with a devastating shoulder tackle that shook the ground.
[COMBINED ASSAULT!]
[FOREST TITAN HP: 0/3,000]
[BOSS DEFEATED!]
[KILLING BLOW: IRON KING]
[500 POINTS TO INDEPENDENT COALITION]
[BONUS: KILL STEAL +100 POINTS]
Silver Dawn stood frozen in shock. They'd done ninety percent of the work, and the independents had stolen the kill in the final seconds.
Commander Park's face was a mask of rage. "KILL THEM ALL!"
"RUN!" the Iron King commanded.
The independents scattered into the forest, using their knowledge of the terrain and hit-and-run experience to evade pursuit. Silver Dawn tried to chase, but they were organized for boss fights, not forest pursuit. Most lost their targets within seconds.
Ji-woo and Hye-jin regrouped with Dr. Kang near a hidden ravine.
[CURRENT POINTS - INDEPENDENT COALITION: 694 POINTS]
Six hundred ninety-four points. The kill steal had been worth it.
"They're going to hunt us for that," Dr. Kang said.
"Let them try," Hye-jin replied. "The forest is our territory now."
But the Arena had other plans.
[EVENT NOTIFICATION: NIGHT CYCLE BEGINS]
[DURATION: 12 HOURS]
[WARNING: NIGHT HUNTERS SPAWN]
[REDUCED VISIBILITY]
The Arena's sky darkened instantly, as if someone had flipped a switch. Visibility dropped to ten meters. The comfortable forest became a maze of shadows and threats.
And from those shadows, new enemies emerged.
[NIGHT HUNTER - LEVEL 10]
[HP: 400/400]
[SPECIAL: INVISIBLE IN DARKNESS]
Creatures made of living shadow, visible only when they attacked. They moved silently through the trees, hunting anything that moved.
A Night Hunter appeared behind Min-seok. He screamed as shadow claws raked across his back.
[MIN-SEOK HP: 87/180]
"DEFENSIVE FORMATION!" the Iron King commanded. "Backs together, weapons out!"
The independent coalition formed a circle, facing outward. But in the darkness, it was impossible to see the Night Hunters until they were already striking.
[SUNG-MIN HP: 132/200]
[DA-EUN HP: 45/160]
They were being picked apart.
"We need light!" Dr. Kang shouted. "Something to reveal them!"
Ji-woo thought fast. His Talon Gauntlet wouldn't work. His throwing knives were useless against invisible enemies. But in his inventory—
The Guardian's Blessing. The consumable from the Namsan Tower dungeon. He'd never used it.
[GUARDIAN'S BLESSING]
[EFFECT: GRANT TEMPORARY BLESSING TO ALL NEARBY ALLIES]
[DURATION: 1 HOUR]
[BONUS: REVEAL HIDDEN ENEMIES]
Ji-woo crushed the item. Golden light exploded outward, washing over all twenty-three coalition members. The blessing settled on them like a warm glow, and suddenly the invisible Night Hunters became visible—shadow creatures highlighted in gold.
[BLESSING ACTIVE: ALL NIGHT HUNTERS REVEALED]
[DURATION: 60 MINUTES]
"THERE!" Hye-jin pointed. "Twelve of them surrounding us!"
With the enemies visible, the fight became manageable. The Iron King's hammer crushed shadow flesh. Ji-woo's knives found vital points. Hye-jin's lightning dispersed shadow forms.
[NIGHT HUNTER DEFEATED +50 POINTS]
[NIGHT HUNTER DEFEATED +50 POINTS]
They fought for twenty minutes, cutting through the ambush. When the last Night Hunter fell, the coalition stood victorious but battered.
[CURRENT POINTS - INDEPENDENT COALITION: 1,294 POINTS]
"That item saved us," the Iron King said, clapping Ji-woo on the shoulder. "Good thinking."
But they weren't alone anymore. The commotion had attracted attention.
Red dots appeared on the minimap. Crimson Blades, moving through the forest toward their position. Fifteen members, including Tae-yang.
"They're hunting us," Yoon said.
"Then we give them a fight," the Iron King replied. "But on our terms. Spread out, use the trees, pick them off one by one. Urban warfare tactics in a forest environment."
The twenty-three independents melted into the shadowed forest, each finding their own hiding spot. Ji-woo climbed a massive tree, his Agility making the ascent effortless. From thirty meters up, he had perfect sight lines.
Crimson Blades entered the clearing cautiously. Tae-yang led them, his crimson blade glowing faintly for light. They were searching for the independents, weapons ready.
"They were here," Tae-yang said. "Blood on the ground. Night Hunter corpses. They can't be far."
A throwing knife emerged from the darkness and struck one Crimson Blade member in the throat. Ji-woo's attack from above, using the gauntlet's +50% damage bonus.
[CRITICAL HIT!]
[CB_MEMBER_47 HP: 0/180]
[KILL! +100 POINTS + 47 BONUS POINTS]
First blood. The forest exploded into chaos.
Hye-jin dropped from another tree, her Thunderclap stunning three Crimson Blade members. The Iron King emerged from behind a massive trunk, his hammer catching a member mid-swing. Dr. Kang provided healing to wounded independents from concealed positions.
It wasn't a fair fight. It was an ambush, and the independents were the predators.
[CB_MEMBER_52 DEFEATED +100 POINTS]
[CB_MEMBER_38 DEFEATED +100 POINTS]
Crimson Blades tried to organize, but the forest terrain and darkness worked against them. Every time they grouped up, attacks came from new directions. Every time they spread out, they were picked off individually.
"RETREAT!" Tae-yang finally commanded. "Back to the plains! We're being slaughtered!"
The remaining Crimson Blade members fled the forest, leaving five corpses behind.
[CURRENT POINTS - INDEPENDENT COALITION: 2,137 POINTS]
The independents regrouped, checking injuries. They'd lost no one—strategic superiority and terrain advantage had given them victory.
"This is how we win," the Iron King said, his voice carrying triumph. "We don't match them in open combat. We control the terrain, choose our battles, and make them bleed for every point they earn."
[TIME REMAINING: 68:23:15]
Sixty-eight hours left. The Bloodied Arena was just beginning.
And the independents had proven they weren't prey.
They were hunters.
[END OF CHAPTER 16]