Everything slowed down.
The world around me faded into silence.
The sound of hooves… the wind… the chaos of the race—
All of it disappeared.
Only one thing remained.
The threads.
Dozens of them.
Thin. Deadly. Closing in from every direction.
A perfect cage.
No escape.
---
"…Good."
A small smile appeared on my face.
For the first time since I got here…
I wasn't panicking.
---
If I run, I die.
If I hesitate, I die.
So there was only one option left.
Fight.
---
I tightened my grip on the metal piece in my hand.
The sensation returned instantly.
Rotation.
Control.
Flow.
---
[Skill Activated: Basic Spin]
---
The object began spinning again.
Faster than before.
More stable.
More precise.
---
"…So this is Spin."
---
It wasn't just rotation.
It was control over energy.
Over movement.
Over impact.
---
The threads moved.
Closer.
Faster.
---
"Let's see…"
I narrowed my eyes.
"…which one breaks first."
---
I threw it.
---
The spinning projectile shot forward.
---
This time—
I wasn't aiming randomly.
---
I was aiming at the threads.
---
WHRRRRR—!!
---
The moment it made contact—
Something changed.
---
The thread bent.
Twisted.
---
"…It's working."
---
Not just seeing them.
I could affect them.
---
The man's smile widened.
---
"HAHA…"
---
His eyes lit up with excitement.
---
"YOU CAN TOUCH THEM TOO?!"
---
His aura exploded.
---
"Interesting!"
---
His fingers moved violently.
---
The threads surged forward.
---
Faster.
Sharper.
More aggressive.
---
They weren't testing me anymore.
---
They were trying to kill me.
---
"Too slow."
---
I moved.
---
My body reacted instinctively.
---
Left.
---
A thread cut past my shoulder.
---
Right.
---
Another one missed my neck by centimeters.
---
Down.
---
I leaned forward—
---
Three threads passed above me.
---
"…I can see them."
---
No.
---
I can feel them.
---
[Danger Perception (Lv.1) → Progressing…]
---
My senses sharpened further.
---
Every movement.
Every shift in the air.
---
Everything became clearer.
---
"Now we're talking."
---
I grabbed another object.
---
Spin.
---
Faster.
---
More stable.
---
This time—
I didn't throw immediately.
---
I waited.
---
Watched.
---
Analyzed.
---
The threads…
They weren't random.
---
They followed patterns.
---
Angles.
---
Control points.
---
"…Found it."
---
A small gap.
---
A weak point.
---
I threw.
---
WHRRRR—!!
---
The spinning object shot through the gap.
---
It hit something.
---
Not a thread.
---
Something behind them.
---
"…!!"
---
The man's expression changed.
---
For the first time—
---
His smile disappeared.
---
"YOU—"
---
His body jerked slightly.
---
The threads froze for a fraction of a second.
---
"…So that's it."
---
I exhaled slowly.
---
"The threads aren't independent."
---
"They're connected to you."
---
A direct link.
---
A control system.
---
A weakness.
---
His expression darkened.
---
"…You figured it out too fast."
---
His voice lost its playful tone.
---
Now—
It was dangerous.
---
"Then I'll stop playing."
---
The air around him distorted.
---
Something appeared.
---
For the first time—
---
I saw it.
---
A shape.
---
A humanoid figure behind him.
---
Thin.
Sharp.
Made of lines.
---
"…Your Stand."
---
He grinned again.
But this time—
There was killing intent behind it.
---
"Too late."
---
The threads exploded.
---
Not dozens.
---
Hundreds.
---
Every direction.
---
Every angle.
---
No gaps.
---
No escape.
---
[DANGER!!!]
---
My instincts screamed louder than ever before.
---
"Damn…"
---
This wasn't something I could dodge anymore.
---
Not like this.
---
Not at this level.
---
"…Then I'll force it."
---
I grabbed everything I could.
Metal.
Fragments.
Anything.
---
Spin.
---
All of it.
---
At once.
---
The air began vibrating violently.
---
The sound—
Sharp.
Chaotic.
---
Energy gathered.
---
More than before.
---
Too much.
---
My hand trembled.
---
"…This is unstable."
---
But I didn't stop.
---
"I don't have a choice."
---
The threads closed in.
---
Closer.
---
Closer.
---
Death.
---
Right in front of me.
---
"…NOW."
---
I released everything.
---
WHRRRRRRRRRR—!!!
---
A storm of spinning projectiles exploded outward.
---
They collided with the threads.
---
Twisting.
Breaking.
Deflecting.
---
The air distorted.
---
The ground cracked beneath the pressure.
---
"…!!"
---
The man's eyes widened.
---
"WHAT IS THIS—?!"
---
For a moment—
---
The threads lost control.
---
The cage broke.
---
Just for a second.
---
"…That's enough."
---
I pushed my horse forward.
---
Full speed.
---
Through the opening.
---
Escaping.
---
Barely.
---
My breathing was heavy.
My body shaking.
---
"…I'm alive."
---
Behind me—
Silence.
---
Then—
---
Laughter.
---
Loud.
Excited.
---
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!"
---
I turned slightly.
---
The man was still there.
---
Watching me.
---
Smiling.
---
"Run."
---
His voice echoed.
---
"Run as much as you want."
---
His eyes locked onto mine.
---
"This is just the beginning."
---
A pause.
---
Then—
---
"Next time…"
---
His Stand fully appeared behind him.
---
"…I won't hold back."
---
My heart sank.
---
Because I understood something.
---
This fight…
---
I didn't win.
---
I survived.
---
And that man—
---
He wasn't even serious yet.
---
[Ding!]
---
[Mission Progress Updated]
Survive the First Stage: 3%
---
"…Only 3%?"
---
I laughed weakly.
---
"…This is going to be hell."
---
But then—
---
A new message appeared.
---
[Hidden Condition Met]
---
My pupils shrank.
---
"…What?"
---
[Stand Stabilization: 1% → 5%]
---
Something inside me moved.
---
Shifted.
---
Awakened.
---
"…So it begins."
---
I looked forward.
---
The endless race ahead of me.
---
Danger.
Power.
Growth.
---
"…I'm not dying here."
---
Not anymore.
---
To be continued.