REWIND – Episode 2: "The System Awakens"
[Scene: Darkness. Kairo lies unconscious. A faint hum echoes. His fingers twitch.]
SYSTEM (glitchy, robotic voice):System initialization complete.Synchronizing…User: KAIRO. Status: UNSTABLE.First Trial: BEGIN.
[Kairo gasps awake, drenched in sweat. He's no longer in his room—but in an unfamiliar, fog-covered space. It's quiet. Too quiet.]
KAIRO (panicked, staggering to his feet):Where… where am I? What is this place?
[He looks around. The fog clears slightly, revealing floating shards of glowing text around him.]
SYSTEM (Text):Welcome to the Void.This is your Trial Room—where the weak are broken… and the strong are born.
KAIRO (clenching his fists):A test...? Like a game tutorial?
[A new message appears before him in bright red.]
SYSTEM (Text):ELIMINATE: PHANTOM SHADE – [Level 1]TIME LIMIT: 03:00 MINUTESFailure = DEATH.
[A chilling sound echoes. A dark, humanoid creature forms from the mist—its eyes glowing violet. It screeches.]
KAIRO (stepping back):You've gotta be kidding me…
[A basic interface flickers in front of him:
HP: 100
Stamina: 50
Weapon: None
Skill: Locked
KAIRO (gritting his teeth):No weapons… no skills…? I'm supposed to fight that thing?
[The creature lunges. Kairo barely dodges, scraping his shoulder.]
KAIRO (hissing in pain):Tch—one hit and I'm done for…
[He spots a faint blue glow nearby—a floating shard labeled: "Time Shard – Phase I."]
KAIRO (rushing forward):Please don't be a trap…
[He touches it. Instantly, the world slows—time seems to freeze. The interface flashes again.]
SYSTEM (Text):Skill Unlocked: [Time Shard – Phase I]Effect: Slow time for 3 seconds. Cooldown: 1 minute.
[The Phantom Shade moves again, but Kairo activates the shard. Time slows. He dodges, grabs a broken pipe nearby, and slams it into the creature's side.]
[Time resumes. The creature reels back, screeching in pain.]
KAIRO (panting, eyes burning):It worked… I can fight back!
[He dodges again, then strikes—this time more confidently. The pipe cracks against the creature's head. It shatters into black mist, vanishing into the air.]
SYSTEM (Text):Trial Complete.+50 EXP. Time Shard mastery increased.New Stat Unlocked: INSTINCT.
KAIRO (collapsing to his knees, breathing heavily):This isn't a dream… This is real. This is happening…
[Suddenly, a portal opens before him—blue and shimmering. Beyond it: a silhouette watches silently from the other side.]
KAIRO (shielding his eyes):What now…?
[The figure steps forward—it's Rei, but not quite. Her eyes glow faintly. She wears a black coat lined with silver symbols.]
REI (calmly):So… you passed the first test.
KAIRO (stunned):You again… Who are you?
REI (with a faint smile):You'll understand soon enough.
[Before he can say more, the portal swallows him whole. He vanishes.]
[Scene: Kairo wakes up in his real bed again, drenched in sweat, the phone still on his desk.]
[On screen: "DAY 2 – Countdown: 144:00:00"]
KAIRO (quietly):What the hell have I gotten myself into?
[CUT TO: A shadowed room somewhere in the city. A tall man in a suit watches multiple screens, all showing different "chosen" players.]
UNKNOWN MAN:Another one awakened… and survived the first trial.This might get interesting.
TO BE CONTINUED...