(Starting the Gaming Tutorial)
This was surely not a dream. A monotone voice echoed inside my head—hell, I could even see the translucent screen hovering near my eye. The glowing orbs, the details of what was happening… it all made me feel like I'd seen this before. Just like the game I played.
This isn't possible.
A faint blue light emerged from the orb. It glitched, slowly forming into a figure. It was neither evil nor good—a lizard, half the size of a newborn child, with a circular ring glowing faintly white and faintly glowing golden eyes.
They called it a Geon Lizard.
My heart beat faster as I swallowed hard, staring at it. No. Why is a character from the game here? What is happening?
["..Hello, hello. Can you humans hear my voice?"]
"What is this, a prank?"
"Looks like it."
People murmured around me, their eyes fixed on the Geon Lizard, trying to assess the situation.
Millions of thoughts ran through my head. This wasn't a prank. And it wasn't a dream either.
The start of the game tutorial had been exactly the same. A Geon Lizard would appear... and the game would begin.
A muffled voice broke through my thoughts. Han Seoyeon was shaking my arm. I turned to her as she asked, "What is going on?"
"I don't know either."
The Geon Lizard spoke again.
["Perhaps there is a language barrier. Hello humans, do you understand what I am saying?"]
Someone from the crowd answered loudly, irritated.
"Yes, we understand what you're saying. Is this a prank? If it is, kindly stop. It's not funny."
It was Jo Hyung—our team leader. Always had a proud demeanor, whether at work or poking at me. People seemed to appreciate his guts, especially now. He looked proud of himself too, but if I were him, I wouldn't be.
["It's not a prank, humans, nor is it meant to be funny."]
Jo Hyung frowned. "Huh? What?"
["Now, listen closely. We are giving you the opportunity to play the most famous game in the Termon Dimension."]
A cold wind passed through me. Goosebumps rose along my arms.
"What game?"
"Hey, quickly call the police!"
"We should get out of here."
["Okay, listen. Be quiet."]
No doubt about it. This was the Geon Lizard.
People weren't even afraid yet—just chatting with the little thing like it was some kind of talking pet.
I leaned closer to Han Seoyeon and whispered, "Don't move from here."
"Why?" Her eyes narrowed.
I couldn't explain, not yet. The only thing I could do was stop her from acting rashly.
It was almost time.
The Geon Lizard snapped. A dark aura burst around him as the atmosphere suddenly thickened.
["I said be quiet."]
Jo Hyung turned toward the exit, cursing.
"Ugly creature, I'm not here to play games with you."
I grabbed Han Seoyeon's shoulder. "Close your eyes."
She flinched. "What?"
"Just do it."
["Baam. Baam. You disrespect me? How dare you. Baam."]
A loud thud echoed across the room.
"...No... uh, that thing just killed Jo Hyung."
I peeled my eyes open. Jo Hyung's lifeless body lay in the center. Only the upper half was intact.
Screams erupted, panic spread like wildfire.
Some stood frozen, trembling. Others couldn't stop staring at the floating Geon Lizard.
["I told you, this isn't a prank."]
The Geon Lizard glared at one of the elderly coworkers and growled.
["This is a game for the victor."]
["Neither a dream nor a joke. It's a privilege to participate in such a wonderful game."]
Baam. Baam.
One by one, a dozen bodies exploded. The floor was stained red with blood. Almost everyone had died—slaughtered in an instant by the Geon Lizard's rage.
I couldn't move. I clenched my jaw, swallowed hard, and shut my eyes with everything I had.
Screams, falling bodies. The sound of bones cracking—it was pure chaos.
Then, after what felt like forever, silence.
I slowly opened my eyes.
The room was a mess. Blood splattered the walls, limbs twisted at unnatural angles. I instinctively covered my mouth, the urge to vomit crawling up my throat.
Han Seoyeon was still alive—barely. She clung to my arm, trembling. Her wide, glassy eyes were fixed on the Geon Lizard, she didn't say a word.
["Sigh. It's a pity most of the people died, but they wouldn't shut up. I couldn't focus on explaining. Now—let's carry on with the remaining survivors."]
He grinned as he scanned the room.
No one spoke now, everyone listened intently. There had been 23 people working in this room. Only 15 were left.
This wasn't a game. Like he said, this was real, and one mistake meant death, no one could avoid it.
I stared outside the window. A Haculto was flying in the sky—it had already become hell out there.
["Ahem… now, let me—"]
A shaky voice interrupted the Geon Lizard.
"I can give you anything you want. Money, girls, property."
I heard a familiar voice and glanced in its direction of course, it was Jan Jiwoo, our company head. Only he could do something that foolish. And why was he offering those things to a floating, glowing lizard in the middle of a bloodbath?
"Kang Jihan-ssi… isn't that our company head?"
"Yeah."
Han Seoyeon didn't say a word. She just stared in silence.
Jan Jiwoo, who somehow became the company head overnight. Almost everyone here hated him. Most avoided even greeting him.
What was he even doing on the 6th floor anyway?
["Hmm… money? Girls? Property?"]
Jan Jiwoo quickly nodded and pulled out a wad of cash from his pocket.
"Yes, take this first. I'll give you more if you just let me go."
Everyone looked at him like he was some kind of genius negotiator.
I wasn't buying it.
The Geon Lizard stared at the money for a moment before grinning.
["An amusing offering. But what do you expect me to do with this? Why would I need… paper? Or your human needs? What do you take me for?"]
For someone who supposedly only ran a newspaper company, offering all that was suspicious. Honestly, the rumors about him being linked to the mafia might be true. No wonder our previous company head disappeared—and Jan Jiwoo just showed up the next day.
"What do you want then?" he asked, voice cracking.
["Hmm. What do I want?"]
"Yes. I'll give you anything."
["Then would you give me your head? And two limbs?"]
Jan Jiwoo froze. He took a step back, his hands trembling. The money fell from his fingers onto the floor.
["You humans are such insolent creatures. Can't you read the room? Why would you offer me something so pitiful? Do you really want to die that badly?"]
Surprisingly, I wasn't even mad at the Geon Lizard. I could kinda relate.
People really had zero brain cells.
The Geon Lizard turned toward Jan Jiwoo again.
["You're lucky. The Eternals have ordered me to continue the tutorial without further disturbance. I'll let you live."]
He clapped his claws together and swayed mid-air, hovering like some smug little god.
A voice echoed inside my head once more, followed by the translucent screen flashing back into view.
[Tutorial Will Now Begin.]
[Rank: F]
[Clearing Condition: Escape The Building.]
[Eten Coins: 200]
[Failure Penalty: Death]
I glared at the Geon Lizard. It grinned faintly… before vanishing into thin air.
["Entertain."]