The howl echoed across the campus.
Every monster stopped.
For only a second.
Then, almost as one, they lifted their heads toward the crimson sky.
Listening.
Waiting.
The moment passed.
The monsters resumed hunting as if nothing had happened.
But Liam couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed.
The warning...
It wasn't meant for the monsters.
It was meant for something else.
Or someone else.
Him.
"What was that?"
The injured student broke the silence.
He was leaning against the wall while the young woman wrapped his bleeding arm with a bandage from the first-aid kit.
"I've never heard anything like it."
"No one has," another student replied.
Liam finally looked at them properly.
The young woman was around his age, with shoulder-length black hair tied into a messy ponytail. Dirt stained her university jacket, and her hands trembled despite her calm expression.
The injured student was taller, broad-shouldered, and trying very hard not to show how much pain he was in.
The third student, a skinny boy wearing cracked glasses, hadn't stopped looking at Liam since they entered the room.
Especially at the fire axe.
Or rather...
At the lack of anything else.
The young woman stood and walked over.
"I'm Emma."
She offered a tired smile.
"Thank you... for helping us."
Liam nodded.
"Liam."
"I'm Noah," the injured student said through gritted teeth.
"And that's Ben."
The skinny student gave a small wave.
Then he hesitated.
"Liam..."
He scratched the back of his neck.
"I don't mean to be rude, but..."
He glanced around.
"Where's your status window?"
The room fell quiet.
Emma looked away.
Noah frowned.
Liam had expected this question.
"I don't have one."
Ben blinked.
"What?"
"The System rejected me."
No one spoke.
The words sounded ridiculous.
Impossible.
Emma forced a laugh.
"You're joking... right?"
Liam wished he was.
"I wish I were."
He explained everything.
The class selection.
The error.
The System deleting him.
The three of them listened without interrupting.
When he finished...
Ben took a step backward.
"You mean..."
"You don't have a class?"
Liam nodded.
"No level?"
"No."
"No skills?"
"No."
Ben looked horrified.
"I thought everyone got something..."
"So did I."
The silence that followed was awkward.
Not because they hated him.
Because they didn't know what to say.
The System had appeared less than an hour ago.
Already...
People without classes were unimaginable.
Emma finally broke the silence.
"Then... how are you alive?"
Liam looked toward the broken doorway.
"I don't know."
He couldn't tell them about the strange messages.
Or the word Administrator.
Not yet.
Not until he understood it himself.
Suddenly...
Ben gasped.
"My window changed."
A blue screen floated before him.
His eyes widened as he read.
"I leveled up!"
Noah looked surprised.
"Already?"
"I think surviving gives experience."
Emma quickly checked her own status.
"So does mine..."
Liam watched quietly.
Their expressions changed.
Fear slowly gave way to hope.
Even after witnessing so much death...
The System rewarded them.
It encouraged them.
Like a game.
Except people didn't respawn.
Ben suddenly smiled.
"My Agility increased."
Emma laughed softly.
"I got a new skill."
For the first time since the apocalypse began...
The room felt lighter.
Then Ben looked at Liam.
His smile faded.
"Oh..."
Right.
Liam had nothing.
The atmosphere instantly became uncomfortable again.
Liam forced a smile.
"It's okay."
It wasn't.
But there wasn't much anyone could do.
A loud crash echoed outside.
The building shook.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Everyone froze.
Another crash.
Closer.
Noah slowly peeked through the doorway.
His face turned white.
"...They're coming."
"How many?" Emma whispered.
Noah swallowed.
"Too many."
Footsteps.
Dozens of them.
Heavy.
Fast.
The sound echoed through the corridor like thunder.
Liam looked through the narrow opening.
Shadow Hounds.
At least fifteen.
Running together.
Not chasing survivors.
Running somewhere.
As if responding to a command.
Their leader suddenly stopped.
Its head snapped toward the maintenance room.
Liam's heart skipped a beat.
The monster stared directly at him.
Its golden eyes narrowed.
For several long seconds...
Neither moved.
Then...
Instead of attacking...
The Shadow Hound lowered its head.
It wasn't fear.
It wasn't submission.
It looked almost...
Conflicted.
As if instinct told it to kill him...
While something deeper told it not to.
The pack leader let out a low growl.
The other Shadow Hounds immediately turned away.
Within seconds...
The entire pack disappeared into the smoke.
Ben slowly lowered his glasses.
"...Did that really just happen?"
Emma stared at Liam.
"You said this happened before."
Liam nodded.
"Twice now."
Noah looked toward the hallway where the monsters had vanished.
"I don't think they're ignoring you."
"What do you mean?"
He frowned.
"They're recognizing you."
A cold chill ran through Liam.
Recognizing him...
As what?
Far above Earth...
Beyond the broken sky...
Beyond the crimson rift...
An ancient structure floated silently among countless stars.
Its walls were forged from silver crystal.
Its halls stretched farther than worlds.
Thousands of luminous screens filled the chamber.
Every screen displayed a different civilization.
Different worlds.
Different Survival Games.
Then...
One screen flashed red.
WORLD: EARTH
STATUS: ERROR
A figure seated upon a throne of light slowly opened its eyes.
It had watched civilizations rise and fall for billions of years.
Nothing surprised it anymore.
Until today.
A single line appeared beneath Earth's record.
Unauthorized Administrator Signature Detected.
The figure stared at the message for a long time.
Then, for the first time in countless ages...
It frowned.
"...Impossible."