(pov Kim Young)
The cold seeps in everywhere.
In my fingers.
In my bones.
In my thoughts.
Even breathing became painful and anxiety-inducing.
I remained glued to that damn watch, my forehead pressed against my sweaty palms, looking up at Kang who was no longer moving forward.
He was frozen.
Completely.
One hand gripping a spike, the other trembling in the void.
His breath was visible from here.
I recognized that look.
That precise moment when the brain stops obeying the body, and to think I found it funny.
The moment when pain becomes stronger than the instinct for survival.
Silence reigns around me.
The tower resumed the massacre.
The last player slipped first.
His foot missed the next step.
Then
The void.
I turned around immediately.
As per usual.
My hands came to cover my ears even before the impact.
CRACK.
The sound still reached my fingers.
I closed my eyes.
Fort.
Very strong.
But it didn't change anything.
I could still imagine the body exploding against the ground.
Les os.
The horses.
The screams that returned immediately after the resurrection.
Weaker still.
More and more broken.
I slowly opened my eyes.
His breath was trembling.
- …advanced…
My voice was lost in the wind.
Kang still wasn't moving.
I discreetly slipped my hand under my sleeve.
My survival depends on you
The hidden screen of my watch lit up dimly.
The black lines covered almost the entire surface.
System restrictions.
Access denied.
Order blocked.
Again.
Again.
Always.
I bit the inside of my cheek until it bled.
I squeezed the watch so hard that it shattered in a line.
Barely perceptible.
But sufficient.
The spikes took longer to disappear.
I immediately looked up at Kang, hoping for a miracle from him.
– move…
Her body was trembling so much.
One foot is lifted.
– yes - ssssssss~, LET'S GO
Then he rested.
Same place.
I let out a nervous laugh.
Pathetic.
Even my codes were no longer sufficient.
I slowly raised my eyes towards the drones.
There were more of them now.
Many more.
They weren't even looking at the other players anymore.
Just me.
She's not even hiding anymore.
Every movement of my hand.
Every glance at my watch.
They were observing everything.
A shiver ran down my neck.
I met his gaze.
AL-05.
Further up the tower.
He looked me in the eyes without blinking, he had that forced, crooked smile.
Intolerable.
I immediately looked away.
Shit.
Another scream tore through the air.
I turned around immediately.
My hands over my ears.
The damp noise made me tremble involuntarily.
I gritted my teeth.
– Stop…I'm sorry, it's okay
But they kept falling and bursting like ripe fruit.
Again and again.
And after each blow, the bodies returned to the top.
They screamed when they woke up and started climbing again.
The game didn't even allow them to die properly.
I slowly raised my head towards the giant screen suspended above us.
Elizabeth appeared.
His huge, frozen smile.
Her eyes were empty.
She was laughing.
Always.
As if any of this were actually funny.
[ COURAGE , COURAGE, COURAGE, COURAGE, COURAGE ~]
I felt my throat tighten.
- …Why…
The wind almost carried my voice away.
I still remembered the first prototype.
That was my worst idea.
Everything was supposed to be controlled.
Boxed text.
No one was to suffer.
Never.
So how…
How did we get to this point?
My fingers were trembling against my watch.
I struck the watch case hard.
- shit !
People turned their eyes towards me.
– W-WHAT!, YOU WANT MY PHOTO?
They immediately lowered their heads.
Except for AL-05, who was still looking at me.
Always with that smile, slow, calm, and mocking.
As if he was simply waiting for me to break down.
I felt my heart race, beads of sweat kept trickling into my eyes.
And even worse, my watch is ruined.
He probably knew about Kang too.
I quickly turned my eyes towards him.
Kang fell from the tower
Her body…
I smelled the scent of blood rising.
I'm still fixated on him.
On this ridiculous little movement.
Perhaps that was the case.
The first prize.
The wish.
I should have gone, so maybe…
Perhaps I could still have reached her, reached Elizabeth.
The drones immediately moved closer.
Like vultures, devouring every part of my face
The black screen reflected my tired face.
My dark circles.
My trembling hands rested on my head and pulled my hair back.
I no longer had anything of the image of a designer, I was so proud.
I found myself trapped in my own machine.
And in the middle of all that
AL-05 simply continues to smile.