"What do you mean… Game 1 begins?"
Ethan's eyes locked onto the woman above.
"Who are you?"
No answer.
Only that calm, unnatural smile.
Before he could step forward—
"…Wait."
The older woman beside him spoke.
"My name is Elena Voss."
Her voice was steady, but her eyes carried urgency.
"We don't know how we got here," she said. "But… you're a police officer, right?"
Ethan didn't deny it.
"Please," she added quietly, "help us."
Before he could respond—
A sharp sound echoed.
BEEP.
A glowing timer appeared above the hall.
01:00
The entire crowd froze.
"…Timer?" someone whispered.
00:59
Panic spread instantly.
"What's happening?!"
"What do we do?!"
And then—
Two girls pushed through the crowd.
They stood out immediately.
Not because of beauty alone
But because of how out of place they felt in this nightmare.
"…Listen!" the older one said quickly. "We heard everything—this is a game!"
The younger one nodded, shaking slightly.
_____________________________________
"It's called… the Death Maze."The Death Maze is a survival game where players are placed inside a shifting labyrinth with only one goal—escape. After a short preparation time, hunters are released into the maze. These creatures track movement and sound, making hiding nearly impossible. Throughout the maze, players can find mystery boxes containing weapons or tools, while rare elite boxes hold powerful cards. Puzzle doors block certain paths, forcing players to think under pressure. Within a limited time, they must navigate, survive, and find the exit—because those who fail… don't get a second chance.
_____________________________________
Murmurs spread.
"What maze?!"
"What are you talking about?!"
"It means," the older sister continued, forcing herself to stay calm, "we'll be put inside a maze. There will be monsters—hunters—and you saw have to survive and find the exit."
Silence.
Then chaos.
"…Monsters?"
"That's insane!"
Ethan's eyes narrowed.
"…Not insane," he muttered.
"Structured."
00:20
The ground trembled.
Then—
The white walls began to shift.
Opening.
Revealing dark pathways.
The maze.
00:10
"Move!" Ethan said sharply.
Without waiting, he stepped forward.
Elena followed.
The two sisters hesitated—
Then ran after him.
Around them, people split into groups, rushing into different paths.
00:03
00:02
00:01
00:00
A deep metallic sound echoed.
Then—
A voice.
«"Hunters released."»
---
For a moment—
Nothing.
Then—
A scream.
Sharp. Terrified. Cut short.
Everyone froze.
"…What was that?" the younger sister whispered.
Footsteps.
Fast.
From above—
A man appeared, running wildly.
"RUN!" he shouted. "RUN! THEY'RE—"
He didn't finish.
Something moved behind him.
Fast.
Too fast.
A creature dropped from the wall—
Its body twisted, unnatural.
Long limbs.
Blackened skin stretched tight over bone.
Its head tilted at an impossible angle—
And from its back—
A long, whip-like tail snapped forward.
The man screamed—
Then disappeared into the dark.
Silence.
Then—
Movement.
The creature turned.
Toward them.
"…Run," Ethan said.
Too late.
The monster lunged.
Everyone scattered.
The maze erupted into chaos.
Ethan ran.
Left. Right. Turn.
The sound of something dragging behind them—
Fast.
Elena stumbled.
Her leg—
Wrapped.
The tail.
"No—!"
Ethan turned instantly, grabbing her arm.
"Hold on!"
The creature pulled.
Hard.
Elena's grip tightened—
Then slipped.
"…Run," she said.
And in the next second—
She was gone.
Dragged into darkness.
Her scream echoed.
Then—
Nothing.
Ethan froze for half a second.
Then ran.
---
Blood.
Everywhere.
The maze was no longer silent.
It was alive.
Screams. Footsteps. Monsters.
One of them—
Was chasing him.
And the two sisters.
"THIS WAY!" the older one shouted.
Dead end.
Blocked.
"…No…"
The creature slowed.
Walking now.
Closer.
Closer.
Its head tilted again.
Studying them.
Enjoying it.
The younger sister trembled.
"…We're going to die…"
Ethan stepped forward slightly.
No weapon.
No plan.
Just—
—
A flash.
Steel.
The creature's head split—
Clean.
It collapsed.
Silence.
A man stood there.
Calm.
Holding a blade.
"…You hesitate too much," he said quietly.
Ethan looked at him.
"…You don't."
The man's eyes met his.
"…Renji Takasawa."
No emotion.
No fear.
Only calculation.
"I suggest we move."
---
They ran together.
Now four.
Turning corners—
Searching—
Thinking.
"Look," Ethan said, pointing.
A box.
They opened it.
Inside—
A map fragment.
"…Maze layout," Renji said.
"Incomplete."
"Better than nothing," Ethan replied.
They moved again.
---
Then—
More sounds.
Multiple.
"…Not one," Renji said.
"Group."
From the shadows—
Three monsters emerged.
Then four.
Then more.
"…We can't outrun this," Ethan said.
A gunshot echoed.
One monster's head snapped back.
Another shot.
Another fell.
A girl stepped forward.
Steady.
Armed.
"…Move or die," she said.
Maya Rios.
Her pistol didn't shake.
She fired again.
"Left path," Ethan said.
They moved.
Together
Fighting.
Running.
Surviving.
Around them—
Others weren't so lucky.
Some ran blindly.
Some screamed.
Some tried to fight—
And failed.
Boxes opened.
Some found weapons.
Some found nothing.
Some found death.
"Exit!" the younger sister shouted.
A gate.
Massive.
Metal.
Open.
Light beyond it.
They ran.
Crossed.
Fell through—
Safe.
Breathing hard.
Alive.
Behind them—
A man ran.
Desperate.
"WAIT! WAIT!"
He was close.
So close.
The gate—
Shut.
Right in front of him.
"No—NO—!"
He slammed against it.
Screaming.
Time.
Over.
A sound echoed.
Then—
His body—
Exploded.
Silence.
Then—
More.
Inside the maze—
More screams.
More explosions.
Bodies—
Gone.
Ethan stood still.
Watching.
Through the bars.
His eyes dark.
Cold.
Understanding.
This wasn't a game.
It was a selection.
«"Game 1 complete."»