The roar grew louder.
Closer.
Closer.
The entire building shook as dust fell from the cracked ceiling.
James tightened his grip around the metal pipe.
“…It’s getting closer.”
Then…
Silence.
The roar stopped as suddenly as it had begun.
The three exchanged uneasy glances.
“What… happened?” Ariel whispered.
Before anyone could answer,
Ding.
A translucent blue window materialized before each of them.
This time, everyone could see it.
The words slowly typed themselves across the screen.
NOTICE÷
[A C-Rank Echo has manifested.]
[Objective: Clear the Echo.]
[Reward: Points based on contribution.]
[Failure Condition: Death.]
Silence filled the room.
James stared at the floating screen.
“…Death?”
Ariel’s face turned pale.
“What does this even mean?”
Luther didn’t answer.
Instead…
His eyes were fixed on a single word.
Echo.
“…Echo…”
His breathing became uneven.
“No…”
“I know that word…”
Fragments of old memories flashed through his mind.
Design meetings.
Whiteboards covered in ideas.
Late-night arguments over game mechanics.
Then it hit him.
Echoes.
That was the name they had chosen for emotional dungeons during development.
The places where players would fight monsters born from overwhelming human emotions.
His eyes widened.
“…No way.”
James looked at him.
“Luther?”
Luther slowly raised his head.
His voice was barely above a whisper.
“…We’re inside it.”
“What?”
James frowned.
Luther looked around the destroyed laboratory.
The glowing Status Windows.
The mysterious gate.
The mission notification.
The monsters.
Every piece finally fit together.
His expression turned grim.
“This isn’t just an attack…”
“We’re living inside Genesis.”
Ariel’s eyes widened.
“…The game?”
Luther nodded slowly.
“Our game.”
As those words left his mouth…
A deafening crash echoed from somewhere below.
BOOOOM!!
The building trembled violently.
Concrete exploded inward.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the hallway.
THUD…
THUD…
THUD…
Whatever had entered the institute…
Had found them.