[You have entered the region of the first main stage.]
[Co-Streaming has been activated. All channels will remain linked until the end of the First Stage.]
The notification appeared in front of Liam as soon as he set foot in Lower Manhattan.
He looked up.
The place was destroyed: collapsed buildings, streets torn open into jagged craters, and smoldering remains of what was once a living city.
"I'm not far away..."
But then—
[Several rank 7 monsters in the area have detected your presence.]
[A thick, toxic fog has been released over all of New York.]
The air changed.
A metallic, acidic smell seeped into his lungs, and in the distance, a thick cloud began to expand at an unnatural speed, descending on the city like a translucent dome.
Liam didn't think twice.
He started running.
He made his way through the destroyed streets, dodging debris and jumping over cracks in the asphalt, while shadows began to move among the wreckage.
Goblins. Manfies. Deformed creatures that, sensing his presence, turned their heads in unison.
And then they began to chase him.
Growls. Footsteps. The wet sound of bodies dragging themselves through the debris.
The toxic fog was advancing faster than expected. From an elevated intersection, Liam could see how it was covering entire buildings, sealing the city under that poisonous dome.
He reached Church and Chambers.
The station entrance was destroyed—collapsed columns, crushed concrete, and twisted metal completely blocked access.
There was no way through.
Without stopping, he turned on his heels.
'The other entrances... to the west, Church and Warren.'
He ran.
The roar of the monsters was getting closer and closer, but his expression did not change.
He leaped across a street, scaled a wall of rubble, and descended on the other side—
And found the same thing.
The entrance had collapsed, was sealed, and was unusable.
Liam let out a slow, controlled sigh.
The fog was no longer far away.
Without wasting any more time, he turned once more and headed toward the last available seats, while behind him the footsteps multiplied.
...
After running for a few minutes, Liam was getting closer and closer to his destination.
But then—
[Your body has been poisoned.]
[Your body has been poisoned.]
The toxic fog finally caught up with him.
It seeped into his lungs with every breath, leaving a metallic taste in his throat and a constant pressure in his chest. He didn't cough. He didn't stop.
It wasn't worth it.
He kept going until he reached the entrance to Church and Vesey.
The entrance was partially destroyed. Concrete had collapsed, beams were twisted... but there was enough space for three adult men to pass through.
It was enough.
Liam slid through the debris and climbed down.
The station greeted him with thick darkness, where light barely reached a few feet below, and his footsteps were lost on the stairs.
[The hidden stage is over!]
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[Hidden Scenario – Great R'lyeh]
Category: Hidden
Difficulty: A+
Clear conditions: Survive R'lyeh and reach Chambers Street.
Time limit: 8 days
Reward: 9,000 coins
Failure: Death
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[You have received 9,000 coins as compensation for completing the stage.]
[Due to the increased difficulty of the hidden stage "Great R'lyeh," you will be given 1,000 coins as compensation.]
Liam glanced at the notifications for a moment before finishing his descent down the stairs.
The station was occupied by several survivors who had completed the tutorial stage.
"Freeze!"
Two men with makeshift spears stopped him.
"How many coins do you have? If you want to enter, you have to pay 200 coins."
He looked them up and down.
"Why should I give you my coins?"
This response infuriated both "station guards."
"Don't you know who controls this station?"
"It seems you want to die, bastard; just hand over your coins."
Liam didn't flinch in the slightest.
[The constellation "Maid of Orleans" wonders what you will do.]
[Several constellations have their eyes on you]
He waved his hand, and a red line appeared on the necks of both "guardians of the station."
"...Huh?"
They couldn't react before their heads were separated from their bodies and fell to the ground, spinning, leaving a trail of blood on the dirty floor.
[You have killed a living being.]
[You have earned 100 coins.]
[You have killed a living being.]
[You have earned 100 coins.]
'I would have done it from the start.'
Liam just let out a short sigh and placed his sword at his waist.
[The constellation "Golden Diadem" smiles with satisfaction at your action.]
[The constellation "Lord of Mysteries" lets out a long sigh and shakes his head.]
[The constellation "The Fool" has sponsored you with 100 coins.]
"Kyaaa!!!"
"They've killed both guards; call the general quickly!"
After the two hooligans were killed, everything descended into chaos; the survivors ran around like headless chickens.
Amidst the chaos that ensued, Liam glanced around quickly.
'Arlene and the others aren't here.'
He had hoped to find them at this station, but that wasn't the case.
'Although they could also have died on their way to the station.'
Liam paused briefly at this thought because the odds were very high.
But then that discomfort immediately disappeared when he saw a group of people approaching.
"He's the one who killed the two guardians who were preventing the monsters from entering!"
They pointed at Liam, who looked at them indifferently.
The man they referred to as General had brown hair, thick, well-defined eyebrows, green eyes, and a normal build, neither too skinny nor too fat.
He looked Liam up and down, seeing the sword at his waist, and he approached with a friendly smile.
"May I ask why you killed my guards; they are the ones who provide us with security."
"..."
Liam didn't respond immediately; he knew who he was; how could he forget the bastard standing in front of him?
'To think I would run into my old partner. The one who betrayed me in the final stages.'
He pushed his thoughts aside and smiled in the same way.
"I didn't want to kill them, I just wanted to go to the bathroom."
[You have entered the main stage!]
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[Main Stage #1: Subway Prison.]
Category: Main
Difficulty: E~D
Clear conditions: Cross the subway stations until you reach the main station, Grand Central Terminal, and destroy the Ghost Prison Core.
Time limit: 15 days.
Reward: 1,000 coins
Failure: ???
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