The classroom erupted into confusion.
Chairs scraped loudly against the floor.
Students looked around in panic, confused by the sudden noise that had broken the strange silence.
"Did anyone else feel that?!"
"My phone froze!"
"What just happened?!"
The professor steadied himself against the desk, adjusting his glasses with a frown.
"Everyone calm down—"
His voice stopped.
Because the scream outside came again.
This time it was louder.
Closer.
A long, distorted howl that didn't sound human at all.
The entire classroom went quiet.
Ethan slowly turned toward the window.
His system screen flickered beside him.
---
[First Monster Detected]
Level: ???
---
Ethan felt his stomach tighten.
Across the street, something moved.
At first it looked like a shadow crawling across the side of the building.
Then it stepped into the sunlight.
And the entire classroom gasped.
"What the hell is that?!"
The creature clung to the wall like a spider.
But it was far larger than any spider should be.
Its body was long and twisted, covered in dark grey skin that looked almost melted.
Six limbs gripped the side of the building.
Two more limbs dragged behind it like broken arms.
Its head slowly turned.
Too slowly.
Like a puppet with stiff strings.
Then its mouth opened.
Rows of needle-like teeth filled its jaw.
Someone screamed.
The monster leaped.
Glass shattered as it crashed through the lower floor of the building across the street.
A second later—
People started running outside.
Screaming.
Cars crashed into each other.
The sound of panic spread through the city like wildfire.
Inside the classroom, students rushed toward the windows.
"What is happening?!"
"Is this some kind of attack?!"
Ethan barely heard them.
His eyes were locked on the system interface.
---
[Tutorial Quest Active]
Objective: Survive the First Night
---
His heart was pounding.
That thing outside…
That was only the first monster.
A sudden crash echoed from the hallway.
BANG!
Everyone jumped.
Then came another sound.
Scraping.
Like claws dragging across the floor.
The professor frowned nervously.
"...Did something fall?"
Another crash.
Closer this time.
Then a scream from outside the classroom door.
A horrible, choking scream that ended suddenly.
The students froze.
No one moved.
The scraping sound returned.
Slow.
Heavy.
Coming straight toward their classroom.
Someone whispered.
"Please tell me that's not…"
The door handle moved.
Click.
The entire class held their breath.
The door creaked open.
And something stepped inside.
A girl screamed immediately.
It looked like a human.
But only barely.
Its skin was pale grey.
Its limbs were too long.
Its fingers ended in sharp, black claws.
Worst of all—
Its jaw hung open far wider than any human mouth should.
Thick saliva dripped from its teeth as it stared at the room full of students.
The system screen flickered again.
---
[Monster Identified]
Crawler
Level: 2
---
The creature tilted its head.
Then it smiled.
And rushed forward.
Chaos exploded in the classroom.
Students pushed over desks trying to escape.
Some ran toward the windows.
Others froze in terror.
The professor grabbed a chair and swung it desperately.
CRACK!
The chair shattered against the monster's shoulder.
It didn't even flinch.
Instead, the creature grabbed the professor by the neck.
Ethan's heart stopped.
"Professor—!"
CRUNCH.
The sound of bone snapping filled the room.
Students screamed.
The monster dropped the body like trash.
Then its eyes slowly turned toward the rest of the class.
Toward the closest group of students.
Toward Ethan.
The system flashed again.
---
[Combat Recommended]
[Tip: Killing monsters grants EXP]
---
Ethan stared at the message in disbelief.
"You want me to fight that?!"
The monster lunged toward the nearest student.
Ethan's body moved before he could think.
He grabbed the nearest object on his desk.
A metal chair leg from the broken chair.
His hands trembled as he held it.
His heart pounded violently in his chest.
But the system message echoed in his mind.
Survive the First Night.
Ethan took a breath.
Then stepped forward.
"...If I'm really the last player."
His grip tightened.
"Then I guess the game starts with me."