Everything happened too fast.
The sound of screeching brakes tore through the night, sharp and violent. Light flashed in Akash's eyes blinding him. Someone shouted his name - but felt distant, like voice underwater.
Then -
Impact.
For a brief second, time seemed to stop. His body felt weightless, as if he were floating in nothingness. No pain. No fear.
Just silence.
And then...
Darkness.
Complete and endless.
Akash opened his eyes.
"...Am I alive?"
His voice echoed strangely, as if the space around had no walls. He tried to move, but it felt like his body didn't exist. No ground beneath him. No air to breathe. Just an empty void stretching forever.
"Where... am I?" he whispered.
No answer.
Panic slowly crept into his chest.
He remembered the road.
The headlights.
The deafening sound.
"I... I was hit..."
His breathing became uneven.
"...Did I die?"
Before he could process the thought, a sudden mechanical sound echoed around him.
[System Activated]
Akash froze.
"...What?"
A faint blue light flickered in front of Hi. It grew brighter, forming a rectangular screen that floated in the darkness.
Clean, Sharp, Unreal.
[Welcome, prayer]
Akash started at it, his mind struggling to understand.
"This... this isn't real. I must be dreaming.
[You have died]
His heart- or whatever remained of it- seemed to stop.
"No..."
The memories came crashing back all at once. The fear. The impact. The helplessness.
"I... died?"
[Yes]
The word echoed like a final judgement.
Akash felt something back inside him.
"No... no, this can't be happening. I had things to do... people to see... I wasn't ready.
His voice trembled, but the system remained emotionless.
Cold
Uncaring.
[New World Initialising]
"What do you mean new World?" Akash demanded.
No response.
The blue screen flicked violently.
Then -
The darkness shattered.
Light exploded around him, blinding and overwhelming.
"AHH!!"
Akash fell hard onto solid ground. Pain shot through his body as air rushed into his lungs.
He gasped, coughing violently.
"I can... breathe...?"
His hands pressed against rough stone. It felt real. Too real.
Slowly, he lifted his head.
And froze.
This was not Earth.
The sky above him was dark - unnaturally dark. Not like night, but like something had swallowed the stars. Strange clouds moved slowly, glowing faintly with a purple hue.
The buildings around him were broken, ancient, and unfamiliar. Some looked like ruins of a lost civilization. Others were twisted, almost alive.
"What... is this place...?" he whispered.
A distant roar echoed through the air.
Deep.
Terrifying.
Not human.
Akash's body stiffness.
"Please tell me that was just my imagination..."
[Mission Activated]
The blue screen appeared again.
Akash jumped slightly.
"Mission...?"
[Survive for 10 minutes]
He blinked.
"... That's it?"
[Time Remaining: 10:00]
A countdown appeared.
09:59
09:58
Akash's confusing quickly turned into fear.
"Wait... survive from what?"
A low growl answered him.
Slowly...
Very slowly...
Akash turned around.
And his blood ran cold.
A massive creature stood just a few meters behind him.
It's body was large and muscular, covered in dark, rough skin that looked like stone. It's mouth hung open, revealing rows of sharp teeth dripping with saliva. It's eyes glowed with a faint red light.
Hungry.
Focused.
On him.
".... You've got to be kidding me..."
The creature took a step forward.
The ground shook.
Akash stepped back in instinctively.
Another step.
His heart pounded wildly in his chest.
"I just died.... and now this?!"
The creature let out a deafening roar.
It changed.
"RUN!"
Akash didn't think.
He turned and ran as fast as he could.
His leg burned. His lungs screamed. But he didn't stop.
He couldn't stop.
Behind him, the creature chased relentlessly, each step shaking the ground.
"This is insane! I'm going to die again!"
He turned a corner, nearly slipping ob broken stone.
Think. Think!
"There has to be a way out"
[Hints: Use your surroundings]
The system voice echoed again.
Akash glanced around desperately.
Broken walls.
Loose debris.
Narrow paths.
And idea formed.
He ran toward a tight alley between two collapsed buildings. The space was too small for the creature's full body.
"Come on... come on..."
He squeeze through.
The creature crashed into the entrance, roaring in frustration. It's claws scratched against the wall, trying to reach him.
Akash didn't stop.
He kept running until the sound of the monster faded.
Finally -
He collapsed.
Breathing heavily, his entire body trembling.
"I... survived...?"
[Time Remaining: 02:13]
"Still not over... he muttered.
He forced himself up again.
Every second felt like an hour.
The silence returned.
But this time, it wasn't peaceful.
It was waiting.
Watching.
Then -
[Time Remaining: 00:1
Akash clenched his fests.
"Just a little more...."
00:05
00:04
00:03
00:02
00:01
[Mission Complete]
Akash dropped to the ground exhausted.
A strange warmth spread through his body.
Not painful.
Comforting.
[Reward Granted]
A new screen appeared.
[Basic Survival Skill Acquired]
Akash started at it, confused but relieved.
".... So this is how it works..."
He slowly looked up at the dark sky.
"This world... this system..."
His expression hardened.
"... If this is my second life..."
He clenched his fists tightly.
"... Then I'll survive. No matter what."
In the distance -
Another roar echoed.
Stranger.
Closer.
Akash stood up slowly.
His fear hadn't disappeared.
But now -
There was something else.
Determination.
"This time... I won't die,"