Ordinary Human

An vanished in an instant. I stood frozen, my eyes fixed on the spot where he had just been. That fast? That strange? As if his existence was nothing more than a mirage, fading without a trace.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my thoughts, which had been in turmoil since I arrived here. It felt like being thrown into a vortex of information, spinning endlessly, pulling me deeper into confusion.

Maybe I should write everything down.

I got up from the bed and paced around the room, which felt too spacious to be just a bedroom—more like a high-class suite or even a miniature mansion. But for now, I chose to ignore it. There was something more urgent.

In one corner of the room, I found a storage area filled with shelves of books. I reached out, grabbed a blank notebook, and without wasting time, I started writing down all the information I had gathered so far.


After making sure my notes were organized, I slipped the small book into my pocket.

Then, I let out a slow breath.

Time in this place felt strange. I couldn't tell whether it was night, day, or something in between. No windows, no clocks, no signs of change.

I opened the wardrobe and found bear-patterned pajamas.

Seriously? In the midst of all this tension, they still provided pajamas this soft? I sighed, then changed without much thought. Finally, I lay down on the bed, which was far too comfortable for a place shrouded in mystery.

And before I knew it, I fell asleep.

12 hours later.

I was awakened by a voice echoing throughout the room.

"GOOD MORNING, HONORED GUESTS!!"

The tone—cheerful, enthusiastic, yet carrying something deeper. As if the host had been eagerly waiting for this moment.

I quickly got up, changed clothes, and hurried to the main hall as instructed.

Upon arrival, I scanned the grand banquet hall. A massive stage stood in the center, surrounded by uneasy guests. Some whispered anxiously, while others simply stood there, lost in confusion and fear.

Then, the loud voice returned.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! Today marks the second day of this grand party! And as the most handsome, elegant, and talented host, allow me to announce something VERY important for the third day…*

"…where the game will begin!"

The room instantly erupted.

"A game?!"
"What do you mean by a game?"
"Isn't this just a party?!"

Panic spread like wildfire.

"First, bring along the items you deem important."
"Second, don’t forget to have fun!"
"And third…"

The host's voice deepened, filled with wicked excitement that sent chills down my spine.

"Your lives are at stake."

Silence fell over the room.

Some guests stood frozen, others began to sweat, and a few nearly lost their balance.

"What the hell?! They never said anything about risking our lives!"
"I thought this was just a normal party!"
"Don't tell me we can't escape from here?!"

Panic. Chaos. Fear.

But amidst the sea of terrified guests, I noticed three individuals who remained calm. No panic on their faces, no confusion.

…Interesting.

They must know something.

Before I could think further, the host’s voice boomed again—louder, deeper, shaking the entire hall.

"EVERYONE, CALM DOWN!!"

The voice was too strong. So powerful that several guests collapsed to their knees as if their energy had been drained.

"Don’t worry! If you lose, you won’t die…"

Some people held their breath, a glimmer of hope appearing on their faces.

"…You’ll simply become a feast for the ‘Great Lord.’"

The room froze.

What did that mean… become a feast?!

I wanted to shout, to demand an explanation, but before I could do anything—

Red gas began filling the room.

My vision blurred. My head spun. The world around me faded.

"Damn it—"

Darkness.

I woke up back in my room.

This time, An was already waiting.

I looked straight at him. "An, the game is about to start, isn’t it?"

An nodded, his expression calm, but I could sense the serious atmosphere surrounding him.

"In 12 hours, you must choose three items to bring into the first game."

Three items?

I walked to the storage room, scanning the variety of objects available. I had to choose carefully.

Finally, I selected:

An looked at my choices with a subtle, intrigued expression.

"Master, why choose these? Why not take weapons or defensive tools?"

I smirked slightly. "Simple."

While observing the banquet earlier, I noticed several hidden hints:

The food and drinks never diminished.

An unnatural scent lingering in the air.

Because of that:

An remained silent for a moment, then gave a faint smile.

"You noticed all that just from small details?"

I let out a breath, smirking slightly.

"I’m just an ordinary human."

12 hours passed.

An sliced through the air with a single motion of his hand.

"Time remaining: ten minutes. Master, be prepared."

I stepped into the dimensional rift.

The first game had begun.

—Welcome to the first game—

A voice echoed through the vast chamber, resonating like an unseen god speaking from above. I scanned my surroundings. About twenty participants stood in small groups, observing the environment with serious expressions.

The room resembled a large hall with plain gray walls, no windows, and was illuminated by sterile white lights. In the center, there was a long table with 20 chairs. However, what caught my attention the most was a glass case filled with keys, each labeled with a different number.

"FIRST GAME: 'ROOM, KEY, AND WAGER'."

"Before you lies 20 keys and 20 doors scattered around the room. Each participant must obtain a key to unlock the correct door."

"BUT… there’s a special rule that makes this game more interesting."

The tension in the room rose. I could see some participants subtly activating their abilities—a tattooed man whose shadow moved on its own, and a white-haired woman whose aura flickered faintly.

Me? I had no special powers.

I record everything happen in this games, with my recorder,

"IMPORTANT RULES:"
1. Each participant may only take ONE key.
2. Each door can only be opened by one specific key.
3. If your key doesn’t match your door… you must wager something to obtain a new one.

Something felt off about this rule.

If there were 20 keys and 20 doors, shouldn’t everyone have a key that fits? Why was a wagering system necessary?

"And finally…"

"Some of these keys… are traps. If you use the wrong key, you will receive a ‘punishment.’"

Silence.

One wrong move… could mean death.

The rules were simple at a glance, but the last rule stood out the most.

"If the key you choose doesn’t match your door… you must wager something to get a new key."

A wager.

That could mean money, personal belongings, memories… or even something much worse.

The other participants shifted uncomfortably. Some whispered among themselves, while others analyzed the situation in complete silence.

A large screen appeared above the stage, displaying the countdown.

[TIME REMAINING: 10 MINUTES TO CHOOSE A KEY]

Then, a mechanical voice spoke once more.

"Begin."

Everyone hesitated for a moment, then a tall man with an eyepatch moved first.

He walked toward the glass box in the center of the hall. Without hesitation, he picked up Key #7.

A few others followed suit, some rushing forward to grab a key, while others waited cautiously.

I didn’t move immediately.

Instead, I observed.

At first glance, it seemed like a simple matching game—each participant takes a key and finds the corresponding door.

But it’s never that easy.

I narrowed my eyes, scanning the fine details. There were subtle inconsistencies.

Wait.

19 doors, but 20 participants?

That meant… one person would be left without a door.

The others quickly grabbed their keys, leaving fewer options by the second.

I took slow, deliberate steps toward the glass box.

Only three keys remained.

I glanced at the doors once more.

Door #4 had no scratches. Meaning? Either no one had failed to open it before… or it wasn’t used in previous rounds.

Door #11 had faint traces of dust near the handle. It looked untouched, as if no one had chosen it before.

Door #19…

…Had no corresponding door at all.

So that was it. Key #19 is a trap.

If I chose it, I’d be forced into a wager immediately.

A cruel trick. One unlucky participant would pick the wrong key and be forced to gamble without even reaching their door.

I reached into the box and took Key #4.

The moment my fingers closed around the metal, the mechanical voice spoke again.

"All participants have chosen their keys. The selection phase is over."

[TIME REMAINING: 5 MINUTES TO REACH YOUR DOOR]

Everyone rushed toward their corresponding numbers.

I walked calmly toward Door #4 and inserted the key.

Click.

The door unlocked instantly.

So far, so good.

But before stepping inside, I turned slightly to observe the others.

A sharp, chilling voice suddenly echoed through the room.

"Wait… what the hell?!"

The source? A red-haired woman standing in front of Door #19.

I wasn’t the only one who noticed—several others turned their heads, watching.

She jammed Key #19 into the lock, twisting it over and over.

Nothing happened.

Her face turned pale.

"This isn’t opening! Hey, is this broken or—"

The mechanical voice interrupted.

"ERROR DETECTED. PARTICIPANT #19 HAS CHOSEN AN INVALID KEY."
"INITIATING WAGER MODE."

Her body stiffened. "What?"

The screen above flickered, then displayed a roulette wheel.

[PLEASE SPIN TO DECIDE YOUR WAGER.]

She clenched her fists but had no choice. With a trembling hand, she touched the glowing button on the panel beside her.

The roulette spun.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

Every participant held their breath.

[WAGER RESULT: MEMORY REDUCTION – LOSE 23 YEARS OF MEMORY]

A metallic arm descended from the ceiling, placing two cold metal plates against the sides of her head.

"WHAT—NO, WAIT—!!"

Her scream barely had time to leave her lips before the machine activated.

A bright flash.

Then, silence.

The moment the device retracted, she staggered back, a blank look in her eyes.

Something was… missing.

"Who i'am…?"

She looked around, confused. Her memories from the last twenty three,no, her memory were gone.

One mistake. One wrong key.

And just like that, she lost part of herself.

The room remained dead silent.

"GAME CONTINUES. PLEASE ENTER YOUR ROOMS."

I stepped through Door #4, and it closed behind me.

The door locked itself the moment I entered.

Inside, a simple white-walled chamber awaited me. A single chair and a glass screen displayed the next instructions.

[WELCOME TO ROOM #4.]
[YOUR NEXT TASK: SOLVE THE RIDDLE.]

A riddle?

Text appeared on the screen.

"I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with the wind. What am I?"

I exhaled slowly.

A classic riddle. The answer was simple.

"An echo."

The screen flickered.

[CORRECT.]

[NEXT TASK: CHOOSE A DOOR TO PROCEED.]

Two additional doors appeared before me, marked with different symbols.

I had to make a choice.

I stared at the two doors in front of me.

My choice would determine my next step.

I took a slow breath. If this was a logic-based game, then there had to be a hidden pattern.

My eyes scanned the room. It looked plain, but I knew... nothing in this game was ever truly plain.

I closed my eyes for a moment. Analyzing.

If I chose the Sun, would that mean I’d face a direct and open challenge?

If I chose the Moon, would that mean I’d face something more... subtle?

Unlike the others, I wasn’t a superhuman. I couldn’t rely on strength, speed, or supernatural abilities.

I chose the Moon Door.

[Door ☾ selected. The game will proceed.]

The door slowly creaked open, and I stepped inside.

This room was larger than the previous one. The dim lighting came only from candles floating mid-air.

In the center of the room were two people.

One man, one woman.

They were tied to chairs, black cloth covering their heads.

In front of them, there were two knives.

Above, a screen flickered to life, displaying the next set of instructions.

[Your task: Choose one to live.]
[If you fail to choose within 3 minutes, both will die.]

I held my breath.

Damn. A test.

I studied the two figures. No movement, no sound. Were they just props? Or... real people?

I couldn’t take that risk. I had to observe their reactions.

I stepped closer, deliberately making noise as if I were in a hurry.

First test: Instinctive response.

No reaction.

I crouched in front of the man, bringing my hand close as if I were about to touch him.

Second test: Bodily reaction.

Then I saw it—his breathing slightly wavered.

They were alive.

Shit.

I had to choose... or find a way to bypass the game's rules.

I looked up at the screen. The wording... "Choose one to live."

Not "Choose one to kill."

Which meant... I only needed to ensure that one of them stayed alive.

And that meant I could save both.

I grabbed one of the knives and cut the rope binding the man.

The screen flickered.

[One has been chosen to live.]

I waited.

A few seconds passed.

Then—

[Decision accepted. Both are now free.]

I had relived sigh. As long as I didn’t directly break the rules, I could twist their wording to my advantage.

The man and woman slowly stood up, still confused. I didn’t care who they were. What mattered was that I survived without losing anything.

The next door opened.

I stepped inside.

This room looked like a large hall. Several other participants were already inside, including a few I recognized from earlier.

But... there were fewer people than before.

Some had already been eliminated.

I spotted a white-haired man leaning against the wall, arms crossed. His sharp eyes were scanning every remaining participant.

I couldn’t afford to stand out.

I took a deep breath, relaxed my shoulders, and walked casually, as if I didn’t care.

Don’t look too smart, don’t look too weak.

Stay neutral.

That’s the best way to survive.

The large screen at the front flickered again.

[CONGRATULATIONS.  FIRST GAME COMPLETE.]
[PREPARE FOR THE NEXT GAME.]

Finnally, i complete the first game, so this meaning...

One game down.

Now… I just had to make sure I walked out of here without anyone realizing I just ordinary human.

The game wasn’t over yet. But… I wasn’t out of the running either.