The man's laughter didn't fade. It lingered in the air
echoing against the cold walls like something alive, something that refused to die
Rue felt it crawl under his skin, settle deep in his chest, tightening around his lungs.
"Welcome to RUINEX… where the fun begins."
The words repeated in his mind long after the man had finished speaking, like a curse that had already taken hold.
When the laughter finally died, it left behind a suffocating silence. No one spoke. No one moved. Even the hybrids who had been whispering earlier had gone completely still, their bodies tense, their eyes lowered.
It wasn't confusion. It wasn't shock. It was fear—the quiet kind, the kind that meant something worse was coming.
Rue swallowed hard, his breathing uneven as his gaze shifted across the room. The chains, the dried blood on the floor, the motionless bodies in the corner… none of it felt unreal anymore.
This wasn't some nightmare he would wake up from. This was normal here. That realization settled heavily in his chest, making it hard to breathe.
The man who had been inspecting him stepped back casually, as if he had just finished examining an object rather than a living person.
He dusted off his hands and spoke in a flat, almost bored tone.
"Prepare them."
The words were simple, but they hit the room like a blade.
Almost instantly, the door behind him opened wider and several other humans entered, their footsteps steady and unhurried. They carried chains, hooks, and weapons like it was just another ordinary task.
A low murmur spread among the captives, fear breaking through the silence in small, trembling voices.
"No… not already…"
someone whispered, their voice shaking. The wolf-hybrid beside Rue tensed, his golden eyes narrowing as he muttered under his breath,
"Damn it…"
Rue's heart began to pound harder, panic rising again as he struggled against his restraints.
"What… what's happening?"
he asked, his voice barely steady. The wolf didn't look at him this time.
"They're picking," he said flatly. Rue frowned, confusion mixing with fear.
"…Picking?"
Before he could ask anything else, the sharp clang of metal echoed through the room as one of the humans unlocked a cage across from them.
A creature was dragged out roughly, its body thrashing violently as it screamed, clawing at the ground in desperation.
"PLEASE—WAIT—I'M NOT READY—!"
The humans didn't react at all. Their faces remained blank, their movements precise and efficient, as if they had done this countless times before. Another cage opened. Then another. The room erupted into chaos. Chains rattled violently as captives struggled, voices rising into desperate cries and broken pleas.
"I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"
"LET ME GO!" "PLEASE—!"
The sound was overwhelming, raw and filled with terror.
Rue froze, his entire body trembling as the reality of the situation crushed down on him. This wasn't just a prison. It was a selection.
The goblin woman bared her sharp teeth, her voice filled with rage as she spat,
"Animals… they're choosing today's fighters."
Rue's stomach dropped. "…Fighters?" he repeated weakly. The wolf finally turned his head slightly, his expression no longer annoyed but cold, almost resigned.
"If you're chosen,"
he said quietly, "you go into the arena… and most don't come back."
The words hit harder than anything else. Rue felt his blood run cold.
Footsteps approached, slow and deliberate, each one echoing like a countdown. One of the humans stopped in front of their row, his gaze sweeping over them one by one, as if weighing their value.
Rue held his breath, his heart pounding so loudly he was sure it could be heard. The man stepped closer… and then stopped directly in front of him. Their eyes met, and Rue felt it immediately—that same look from before. Interest. The man tilted his head slightly, studying him.
"…This one," he said.
Everything inside Rue seemed to collapse at once. The wolf-hybrid clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"Tch… unlucky bastard."
The cage door creaked open, and panic surged through Rue as he instinctively pulled back.
"W-wait—! I can't fight—I don't even—!"
His words were cut off as a rough hand grabbed him, yanking the chain attached to his wrists. Pain shot through his arms as he was dragged forward.
"Move,"
the man ordered coldly.
"I said WAIT—!" Rue struggled, but it was useless. He was too weak, his body refusing to obey him. The ground scraped against his feet as he was pulled out, the chaotic screams behind him slowly fading into the distance.
But then… something changed. The noise behind him began to die down. One by one, the voices stopped.
The chains went still. A strange silence replaced the chaos. Rue noticed it immediately. Confused, he turned his head slightly. The hybrids were staring at him. Not with pity.
Not with the same fear of being chosen. Something else. Something deeper. The goblin woman's expression had shifted, her anger replaced with something closer to unease. The wolf-hybrid's eyes were locked onto him, sharper than before.
"…Hey,"
the wolf muttered.
Rue blinked. "…what?"
The wolf's voice dropped slightly, serious in a way it hadn't been before. "…Try not to die too fast."
He paused, then added quietly, "…I want to see what you really are." Rue's breath caught. What I am…?
Before he could process it, the door ahead of him was thrown open.
Light flooded in, blinding and harsh after the darkness of the room. Rue instinctively shut his eyes, but it didn't help. The noise came next—a massive, overwhelming roar that crashed into him like a wave.
Thousands of voices, loud and wild, merging into one chaotic sound. His heart nearly stopped. He was shoved forward, his body hitting the ground hard as dust rose around him. Slowly, he lifted his head.
The sight in front of him made his blood freeze.
A massive arena stretched out before him, its towering walls lined with endless rows of seats filled with humans. They were cheering, shouting, laughing—watching. Waiting. For him. A booming voice echoed across the arena, loud and filled with twisted excitement.
"Ladies and gentlemen!"
The crowd roared even louder.
"Today… we have something special!" Rue's body trembled uncontrollably as the voice continued,
"Not just another beast…" There was a pause, drawn out for effect. Then—
"But a rare one!" Laughter followed.
"A DEMON!"
The word hit him like a blow. The crowd erupted into madness, their cheers deafening.
Rue's eyes widened in disbelief. Demon…? Slowly, almost without thinking, he raised a trembling hand to his head.
His fingers brushed against the horns there, solid and real. And in that moment, something deep inside him shifted.
It wasn't just fear anymore.
There was something else.
Something dark.
Something ancient.
It stirred quietly, like it had been waiting.
Watching.
For this exact moment.
Rue's breathing slowed slightly, his panic faltering as that strange presence settled within him. And for the first time since waking up in this nightmare, a different feeling crept into his chest.
Not weakness.
Not helplessness.
Something far more dangerous.
A whisper, soft but undeniable, echoed in the depths of his mind—
Survive