The classroom, now a chamber of nightmares, shifted again—but this time, it wasn't the walls that changed. The air itself thickened, vibrating with a palpable tension. The chalkboard, once slick with blood, now rippled like a curtain caught in a gale. Then, with a sound like tearing silk, a pair of massive red curtains swept open, revealing a glowing prompt painted in jagged, pulsing letters:
[ CHOOSE ONE:
SAVE OR SACRIFICE ]
A hush fell over the students, broken only by the thudding of hearts and the ragged gasps of those still recovering from the last trial. A digital timer materialized above the prompt, its numbers stark and unforgiving:
10:00
The countdown had begun.
Yui, the Strategist of the Mind, was the first to recover. She stepped forward, her blue aura flickering with resolve. "Listen to me—we can't let the dungeon divide us! This is a test of our unity. If we give in to fear, we'll lose ourselves before the monsters even get a chance!"
Her words rang clear, but the panic was already spreading. The weaker students huddled together, their eyes darting between the prompt and the faces of their classmates. The stronger ones—Ren, the Crimson Berserker, and Riku, the Executioner—stood apart, muscles tensed, ready for a fight.
Daichi, now recognized as the Executioner, raised his spectral axe. "We're wasting time! The system wants a sacrifice. If we don't pick someone, we'll all be weakened. Who here is the most useless? Who can we afford to lose?"
His words sent a ripple of terror through the room. Haru, the first-year who had barely survived the Flesh Wolves, shrank back, his face pale.
Yui's voice cut through the murmurs. "We're not sacrificing anyone. We're a class. We stick together."
Ren nodded, his fists clenched. "I'll fight my way out before I let anyone be thrown to the wolves!"
But the timer kept ticking down.
8:52
The Karma War
Ayato watched from the shadows, his Warden of Shadows role rendering him nearly invisible. He saw the numbers above each student's head—their Karma scores, shifting with every word, every glance.
Daichi's Karma plummeted as he pressed for a sacrifice, his aura darkening with every threat.
Koji, the Poison Whisperer, slithered through the group, whispering doubts and fears, his Karma sinking even lower.
Yui's Karma wavered as her authority was challenged, but her resolve kept it from collapsing entirely.
The arguments grew louder, more desperate. Accusations flew like arrows.
"Why should we risk ourselves for the weak?"
"If we don't pick someone, we'll all suffer!"
"You're just trying to save your own skin!"
Kenji, the Illusionist Jester, cackled as he conjured images of students being torn apart by monsters, his Karma dropping with every cruel illusion.
Mio, the Archivist of the Forgotten, clutched her glowing tome, her eyes wide with horror.
5:31
The Shadow's Nudge
Ayato knew he had to act. He couldn't let the class tear itself apart—not yet. He activated Silent Step, slipping through the shadows until he stood beside Mio.
He pressed a note into her hand, written in shadow-ink:
[ Daichi's Karma: -60.
He'll sacrifice YOU next. ]
Mio's breath caught. She looked up, meeting Ayato's eyes for a brief moment before turning back to the group.
With a deep breath, she raised her tome. The pages glowed, and a projection shimmered above the stage:
[Executioner Morality: -60 (Treason/Bloodlust)]
Gasps filled the room. Daichi's face twisted in fury. "What is this? Who did this?"
He lunged at Mio, but Yui's Zone Control froze him in place, his axe inches from Mio's throat.
"The vote is clear," Yui declared, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes. "Daichi is chosen."
2:47
The Sacrifice
Daichi screamed as the system's power took hold. His spectral axe shattered, the shards dissolving into black mist. He collapsed to his knees, unharmed but hollow-eyed, his weapon skill—Guillotine Strike—permanently lost.
The theater faded, the red curtains dissolving into the stone walls of the classroom once more. The timer vanished.
A final message burned in the air:
[Morality Judged. Shadows remember who spoke with blood.]
Ayato met Koji's eyes across the room. The Poison Whisperer smiled, his Karma now -65, but said nothing.
The class was silent, the weight of their choice pressing down on them. They had survived—but at what cost?
Yui gathered the survivors, her voice quiet but firm. "We can't let this break us. We have to stick together. The dungeon is testing us—testing our morality, our unity. If we give in to fear, we'll lose ourselves."
Ren nodded, his face grim. "We'll get through this. Together."
Mio looked at Ayato, her eyes filled with gratitude and suspicion. "Thank you," she whispered. "But how did you know?"
Ayato said nothing. He simply faded back into the shadows, watching, waiting.
The classroom door creaked open, revealing the ruins beyond. The next trial awaited.
(Chapter 4 End)