Scott stared at the shifting terrain, his gaze scouring the area for any traces of activity. Then he raised his head toward the skies, noting that the chains had regained their calm, still pelting rusted scrapings onto the barren earth below.

  Scott lowered his gaze, his brows creased. This place isn’t as straightforward as I assumed, he thought.

  While he could readily escape into the safety of the nihilistic zone if caught in the changes, he couldn’t help but wonder what else the strange land had in store. Scott glanced at the open portal before him, silently debating his options. Should I continue questioning them, or should I hurry to the next zone?

  His deliberation lasted only a moment. The nihilistic portal closed, and Scott focused on the arrowhead guiding his path. I can always sift through their memories once they’ve eroded anyway. I shouldn’t waste more time here.

  With his mind settled, Scott pressed forward into the unfamiliar region. The arrowhead, which once guided him toward rising dunes, now pointed toward the newly formed canyon, yet he approached without hesitation.

  Another thirty minutes passed in a flash, and Scott strolled through towering red rock formations streaked with blackened rust. The howling winds sifted through the hollow canyon, producing a mournful chime akin to wailing souls. Scott, his hand gliding across the smooth canyon walls, continued in silence, his feet carrying him forward under the guidance of the arrow.

  I’ve got a little under an hour to reach the next zone… he mused, his gaze drifting across the area. The more time I spend in this place, the more I’m curious about what happened here.

  The reddened walls hinted at the canyon’s original form, yet the presence of the massive chains shackling celestial beings raised deeper questions. Who were they? What had they done? And who had the power to imprison them? Questions flickered through his mind, but answers remained elusive.

  Hopefully, I’ll reach the canyon’s exit soon. I’d like to see if there are other people going—

  Scott suddenly abandoned his train of thought and halted his steps.

  His gaze locked onto the forked path ahead, ears attuned to the approaching echoes of footsteps. Scott’s brows furrowed as he focused on the converging paths. The footsteps emanated from both routes either side of his, leading to the sole route ahead.

  Seconds passed, and soon, Scott spotted a group emerging from the leftmost path. Clad entirely in black, devoid of any symbols or insignia, they moved in eerie synchronization, their march mindless yet deliberate. Barely moments later, another group—a much larger one—appeared from the right path. They wore varied attire, yet each bore the same sigil of a serpentine creature etched onto the backs of their garments. Like those before them, they too, walked in eerie synchrony.

  They’re not acknowledging each other. Are they in some sort of alliance? Scott raised a brow, observing the two groups, separated by only a few paces.

  His gaze lingered on the departing champions when another set of footsteps echoed through the canyon. Two more parties exited the pathways simultaneously, and like those before them, they continued onward, oblivious to each other’s presence.

  Scott stood motionless, watching the strange scene unfold.

  What the hell is going on? he pondered, narrowing his eyes at the departing figures.

  From the first champion down to the last, they all moved in perfect synchrony, as though driven by a singular mind and purpose. There were no wasted movements, no idle words—just a silent, coordinated march.

  Scott prepared to move forward, but before he could, another party emerged from the leftmost path. Unlike the others, their movements appeared more natural. Though clad in matching leather armor, each champion carried themselves differently, their gaits distinct.

  Unlike the champions before them, they hesitated, lingering in the area, watching the silent procession ahead.

  Unable to suppress his curiosity any longer, Scott moved forward. His approach did not go unnoticed.

  The lingering party immediately shifted their attention to him. Without hesitation, they drew their weapons, bloodthirsty gazes locking onto him in warning.

  The group’s leader, a goatman with especially pointed horns, raised his sword toward Scott. “What do you want?” he demanded, his tone edged with hostility.

  Scott, wearing a thin smile, halted his advance. “Nothing in particular,” he replied, gesturing toward the departing champions. “I just want to know what’s up with those guys.”

  The goatman studied Scott carefully, his grip firm on his sword. He exchanged glances with his companions, their expressions flickering between wariness and uncertainty.

  “You have no reason to be wary of me,” Scott said, his smile unwavering. “Unless you give me one.”

  “This is your first time in the Chained Expanse?” the goatman asked, his tone more confirmatory than questioning.

  Scott nodded.

  A hint of realization crossed the champion’s face, one that did not escape Scott’s notice. The collective bloodlust within the group diminished considerably, though they still remained on guard.

  “You’re lucky you met us,” the goatman began, gently lowering his sword. “You’d be dead if you encountered most groups, especially seeing as you’re alone,” he said before returning his steel sword to its sheath.

  Scott remained silent, waiting for the champion to continue, and it didn’t take long before he picked up from where he left off.

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  “Did you notice some people sinking into the ground when you first arrived?” the goatman questioned.

  Scott nodded.

  “Well, that’s what happens to you if you ever fall into that category,” the goatman said, pointing down the path the now-departed champions had taken. “You become a member of the Hive.”

  “The Hive?” Scott repeated. “What the hell does that mean?”

  “That’s what people call them,” the champion explained. “Most of the time, they look like everyday folks you’d meet on the Endless Bridge. But when the opening of the Expanse nears and they return here,” he stressed, “they become mindless freaks nobody can figure out. While everyone else is struggling to survive or reach the next zone, they march mindlessly across the wasteland, doing who knows what.”

  The goatman paused, exchanging glances with his companions before focusing on Scott again. “Friendly piece of advice—it would be in your best interest to leave this hell if you manage to reach the 9th zone. Surviving here as a one-man team is next to impossible,” he warned, preparing to leave. “And if you ever find yourself in a situation where you notice members of the Hive gathering, run as fast as possible! If you linger, you’d best pray to any god you believe in—because no one remains the same after an encounter with them.”

  Saying nothing further, the group cautiously departed, some members still casting guarded glances at Scott.

  Scott, on the other hand, crossed his arms over his chest as his thoughts wandered. There were hundreds of thousands of people who exhibited the same characteristics before we reached the Guardian, he recalled. Are the rewards that tempting that people would risk losing their minds to come here despite the looming threat of death or becoming a member of the Hive? He sighed, shaking his head.

  The most important thing for me right now is reaching the 9th zone. I didn’t plan to come here to begin with, so anything going on isn’t really my business. If the situation becomes too annoying, I’ll simply leave, Scott mused.

  With that, he resumed walking, his steps measured and deliberate. The goatman’s party naturally reacted, becoming even more guarded, but Scott paid them no mind. He had no intention of lingering just to put them at ease.

  Another thirty minutes passed in a flash, and Scott exited the towering canyon. Along the way, he had encountered three more parties and a few solo champions. Contrary to the goatman’s words, none of them actively engaged him in combat. A few solo champions attempted to probe his identity through conversation, wondering if he was part of a larger faction, but Scott simply ignored them.

  Scott glanced at the lingering timer before shifting his focus to the barren expanse ahead. This time, however, in the far distance, amber flashes rose from the ground into the sky—a sky notably absent of the massive chains or the entities bound by them.

  That must be the 9th zone, Scott mused, a slight smile forming as he observed the distant light.

  Unlike before, he wasn’t alone. Several champions—both in groups and traveling solo—were surrounding him. Many quickened their pace, some outright sprinting toward the radiant glow.

  I’m surprised that no one has initiated a fight, Scott thought as he moved toward the light. Maybe anyone who’s made it this far isn’t to be underestimated, he considered.

  The seconds wound down, and Scott inched closer with every step. He could now see the source of the amber radiance more clearly. The light emanated from a massive city encircled by a series of towering, somewhat deformed statues.

  Each statue depicted a different race, each striking a distinct pose. No two were alike. Despite their differences, every statue had a hand—even races that naturally lacked limbs. Those arms stretched toward one another, locking together to form an extensive barrier encircling the city.

  “Oh fuck! They’re coming!” a voice suddenly shrieked from a group. “The Hive, they’re here!”

  Scott turned toward the source of the outburst—it came from the same goatman’s party he had encountered earlier. The group had already broken into a frantic sprint, with many other champions following suit.

  Ignoring the fleeing champions, Scott shifted his attention to another group—a much larger one—approaching in synchronized steps. A multitude of species, all moving as one, all silent.

  Even with my eyes, which can see through most things, I still can’t see through them. Who—or what—is controlling them? Scott pondered.

  He glanced at the surrounding champions. A few wore their confusion openly, curious about what had caused the others to panic. Yet, as more people ran, many quickly followed suit, leaving only a handful of nonconformists approaching at their own measured pace.

  Suppressing his curiosity, Scott also fled toward the city ahead, his gaze occasionally flickering toward those who lingered. The number of champions among the Hive increased by the second, steadily advancing toward the city at a measured pace.

  The distance between the closest member of the Hive and the eccentric champions was still more than three miles, yet even some of the rebels had begun to run—intimidated by the sheer numbers of the approaching group. Like that, the champions continued their desperate dash.

  Scott, keeping his eyes on the group behind while maintaining his pace, suddenly frowned. Am I imagining things, or are they picking up speed? He thought, noticing the distant figures moving their arms and legs faster.

  His instincts screamed a warning as the members of the Hive shifted from a steady march to a jog.

  Holy shit! This can’t be good… Scott gritted his teeth and accelerated.

  At that same moment, the Hive erupted into a full-blown sprint.

  Panicked screams and shrieks erupted from the champions who had lingered too long, their fleeing forms now running at full speed. What had begun as a tense but manageable race had turned into a frantic, desperate sprint for survival. The number of pursuers had swelled into the thousands, and they chased with terrifying speed, their synchronized movements exuding an unnatural, maddening urgency.

  Chaos unfolded as champions actively sabotaged each other in their bid to escape, some setting traps to ensure others wouldn’t survive the chase.

  Scott, running at full tilt, ignored the skirmishes breaking out around him. His gaze remained locked on the amber barrier ahead, his sharp eyes catching something peculiar—the number of statues lining the city’s perimeter was decreasing.

  The number of statues keeps dropping… wait, could it be that there’s a limit to how many can enter the city? Scott’s eyes flicked to the timer. There’s still more than eighteen minutes left.

  Yet, his instincts told him the trial wasn’t that simple.

  Without hesitation, Scott’s form blurred. Using the shadows cast by the champions ahead of him, he covered a great distance in an instant, arriving in front of the barrier in a flash. Without delay, he crossed the amber covering, and a new system notification manifested.

  Scott ignored the system notifications, immediately turning to check on the status of the other fleeing champions. However, what greeted him was not the desperate scene he expected. Instead, an unfamiliar street with depleted buildings and numerous panting champions stretched before him.

  Scott blinked, raising his head. The amber radiance had vanished, and even the towering statues were gone. All that met his gaze was the reddened, yet clear sky of dusk.

  What the fuck… Scott lowered his gaze, noticing several champions magically appearing within the area at irregular intervals.