1 Prologue

The world had fallen. It was crazy, but it happened. I didn't know when it did, but it must've been at 3:AM. The witching hour.

Where was I? I was sleeping, peacefully as I could, within the dark sheets of my bed. Sadly, I was woken up from the abrupt chime of a notification, which sounded similar to a game. When my eyes shot open, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It was an <Attribute Window>. It glowed blue, and detailed the following information:

[Main Scenario 1 - Proof of Value]

[Time limit: 30 min]

[Reward: 300 coins]

[Clear Conditions: Kill one or more living organisms]

[Difficulty: F]

[Reward: 300 coins]

[Failure: Death]

I couldn't help but smile at the window.

***

George Machen had to go back to sleep. It was hard, being part of the marines, but he could do it. Out of habit, he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, then remembered he had to take them off anyway. He remembered when he was made fun of when he accidently slept with them on. He smiled at the thought of his comrades, teasing him. Especially Jael Bodesh, his best friend since middle school. They all should've been asleep by now, but the drill sergeant and the Lieutenant made them do a night exercise. George Machen took off his glasses, but just when he did, he heard gasps and curses.

"The fuck?!" "The hell!!?" "My god…" "George? What is this?" Jael was looking down at George, from his top bunk. He was seeing something - just like everyone else. "Proof of value? Clear con… Death…!?" He exclaimed.

George grabbed his glasses and shoved them back onto his face, no matter how much it hurt. He looked at the <Scenario Window> and thought it must've been some sick joke.

[Main Scenario 1 - Proof of Value]

[Time limit: 30 min]

[Reward: 300 coins]

[Clear Conditions: Kill one or more living organisms]

[Difficulty: F]

[Reward: 300 coins]

[Failure: Death]

"No way…" he muttered, "this is part of the training, right!?" George looked up at Jael. How long was it? They were marines, they were supposed to detect time quite easily. They came back before 3:AM, around a minute ago. If this window opened now, while everyone was getting back to sleep... when the windows opened, and everyone was still shocked… "Hello, everyone."

George bursted out of bed, along with his bunkmates. They were on the ground in seconds, and were looking at the entrance door. They saw something that couldn't be unseen, something that couldn't be there: a floating creature, wearing some shawl. It had dark fur, a round body, horns, and a sinister, but adorable look to it.

"Now that I have your attention, let me introduce myself. I am Dokkaebi Herald, sent from the bureau. I am an advocate, sent to introduce the <Scenario System>."

"Yo, is this a simulation?!" "Where's the serge?!" "This is training, right?"

George Machen just stared in a dumbfounded manner, along with Jael. He blinked his eyes, to see if this monster could go away, but it didn't.

"Training?" the monster said, "Yes, I suppose you could call it 'training.' The first scenario is to prove yourself, to see if you have what it takes to survive in a ruined world. You won't be able to understand unless I show you. Don't humans say, 'It's better to see to believe?' Here."

With a snap of its fingers, a new holographic window emerged from thin air. It showed horrible things. Everything was falling. Literally. The marines saw the Empire State building being destroyed and toppled, the Statue of Liberty being surrounded by sea monsters, and the President of the U.S. being assassinated. In every image, the various 'dokkaebi' were enjoying the bloodbath. Why? For humans were dying, left and right.

The marines screamed in outrage.

"Fuck!! This is a lie!! No way it's true!!" "My… mom lives in that area…."

George Machen finally spoke up. He wasn't that type of guy, but he had to step forward. A frown painted his face, his hands trembled, and his eyes were watering from the intense light that emerged from the holo-screens.

"This is a lie. No way, that isn't true. This is America, one of the largest countries in the world. We have 50 states, each with its own governor and its own military bases. I don't know how 'you' did it, but an apocalypse can't appear out of nowhere," George said nervously.

The dokkaebi had a calm look on its face, even when it explained everything to the humans that it thought to be pitiful. It had a calm look, even when everyone was shouting. But when George decided to step forward, decided to ask questions… it smiled a thin smirk.

"I like you," Dokkaebi Herald said. "You know a lot about this world. Sadly, you don't know enough. When faced with unimaginable danger, you animals will do anything to survive. Looky here, Mr. Machen."

With another snap of its fingers, some windows were closed, while another was opened. It was bigger than all the rest they have seen. "Sergeant… Ackerman?" a marine muttered.

Dead silence came into the room again. Sergeant Ackerman was currently getting their head bashed in by Lieutenant Michelle. "NOO!!! My family… nooo…." She sobbed.

The dokkaibi began to speak again in a firm voice, as if they were a teacher lecturing a class.

"People like you, who live in such a strict system, are the first ones who reject it so strongly. Only the greatest, the smartest, the craziest, and the most interesting will survive."

George felt his heart palpitate, than stop beating. His breath slowed down. Everything moved slowly. Just like the sergeant taught them to do when things moved too fast.

"I have given you all enough time," Dokkaibi Herald firmly stated. "I will take my leave now."

With that declaration, Dokkaibi Herald ripped through space as if he was ripping through fabric. He escaped with a burst of lightning, which singed the air. In their rage, some marines tried to chase after Dokkaebi Herald. One almost touched its fur, but had their head blown open in an instant. This marine fell, still conscious. Everyone stopped. They couldn't believe what they were seeing. One of their comrades, on the ground, dying in an instant. One marine knew what to do.

"We have to save him!!" George yelled. George ripped some clothing, and ran to his fallen brother. He tried to apply pressure to the wound, but it was too late. They were already dead. George saw the brain matter, the skull and the twitching muscles. George almost puked from the sight, but his fatigue and shock kept him calm. It wouldn't last long.

(A marine is dead. All thanks to the dokkaebi. The dokkaebi did this. That dokkaebi, Herald, blasted a 3-inch hole his....) George thought.

Sadly, he couldn't finish his thought. He began to puke his insides out. Despair settled into the sleeping area. Hell had begun.

***

Aliana and Alicia were relaxing at school. It was before 3:AM, and a school-night-out was currently happening. Every year, their high school would have some students stay at night, and try to do some extra work to earn credits. Sadly, some kids just wanted to screw around. Some were grabbing cigarettes and some were grabbing their friends of the opposite gender, to go somewhere else.

It was disgusting, but Aliana and Alicia were far away in their own world. They didn't know why they came, when they could've worked at their respective homes, but it was a tradition that they kept, no matter how annoying it was.

Alicia was sketching away on her notepad, while Aliana was editing a video on her tablet. All of sudden, a shadow appeared. Alicia was annoyed. She needed proper lighting to sketch. She was trying to draw everyone, but they were moving too much. She looked up, only to see-

"Sup Alicia," a gruff voice said. It was a boy named Jake. Alicia was a little afraid. Jake was considered to be a 'bad boy.' Alicia considered him to be a 'try hard.' He was always trying to impress someone, mainly the girls. He annoyed the teachers, but he was 'cool.' He didn't care. "Fuck off, Jake." This low - but scathing voice - came from beside Alicia. It was Aliana, who was wearing headphones. It seems that they weren't loud enough to block out everything. Alicia tried to speak up, but found that she couldn't. This situation was already too tense. "Bitch, the hell you say to me?" Jake seethed. "I know what I said, Jake-ass." Aliana stopped editing on her tablet. She looked at Jake, dead in the eye. As if she was challenging him. "I'm going to say this simply and sweetly." Aliana did not say it sweetly. Instead, she wore a condescending smile. "Alicia doesn't like you. She doesn't like guys, who talk a big game and flail their dick around like a flag. So, get through it your dumb-ass skull, Jake."

All of a sudden, Jake had an ugly look on his face. It looked as if he was about to murder Aliana. His eyes flicked over to Alicia, harassingly. A vein in his head bulged. After a moment, he turned his back to them, muttering about beatings. Alicia finally breathed after he was several meters away, and lost in the seamless crowd. Alicia looked angrily to Aliana, but that fire flicked out in an instant. She sighed out.

"Aliana, why did you have to say… that…?" "Because Alicia," Aliana said curtly, "'men' like him think their big and tough, when they're just pathetic. Don't give them the time of day. I'm sorry that had to happen. Truthfully, we shouldn't even be going to this school anymore."

Alicia nodded weakly at Aliana's words. She didn't know why her friend became like this, especially whenever people like Jake were around. She could only assume. She went back into her unique world. But as she began to sketch, though, she heard screams. Then she saw a holographic window appear in front of her.

***

Hell had begun. Alicia didn't know where she was. She only saw a sea of blood, a mountain of corpses. She saw Jake, standing in the middle of it. He was laughing. Teachers were dead, students were dead and many of them were dying. (How… he… knife…?) Alicia thought.

It seems that Jake had snuck a knife into school. He slashed multiple people and punched the life out of them. Alicia didn't know who started it, but this was the world she was living in. A world where her friend was being choked alive. Somehow, Jake was holding Aliana at the throat, with one hand. He was laughing maniacally, enjoying every moment of this. His eyes were little pinpoints, and his clothes were dyed crimson. "This is AWESOME!! SHIT, STRONG AS HELL!!" As if to prove this point, he began to choke Aliana more. Alicia was tired. The light of her life was dying right in front of her. (Please… save me,) she thought. She promptly collapsed to the ground.

***

Marcus Santiago was just punched in the face. Again. His father was shouting at him, but he already ran out of the trailer park that they lived in. He tried to put a brave smile on his face and said 'hello' to some of his neighbors. He passed Ms. Georgian and her little corgi. She was smoking a joint, so she seemed out of it. But it seemed as if she was aware enough to know that Marcus was in pain. "Wanna a smoke, kiddo?" Marcus waved his hand and shook his head. The minute he touched that stuff, he would start complaining. The minute he started complaining, he would want to lose himself in another world. Then he would become a addict. Just like his father. He couldn't do that.

"Sorry. Gotta go."

Marcus Santiago wanted something better than drugs, better than sex or any of the stupid shit that everyone was addicted to. He wanted peace, quiet and fresh air. He walked to the very edge of the trailer park. He wanted to lose himself in nature, but he saw garbage whenever he went. He hated this world. This polluted, pathetic world that he had to live in. He wanted to cry, but the heat of the approaching summer would dry his tears.

As if to knock him out of his stupor, a strange dome erupted from the sky. It crackled with blue and yellow energy.

"Hello everyone. I am in charge of this scenario. My name is Dokkaebi Herald."

A blue holographic screen appeared before Marcus. He didn't know what he was seeing. He knew one thing, though: another hell had begun.

***

Yu Junghyeok was waiting on the other side of the world, within the country of Korea. He waited calmly, like the protagonist he was. He touched the door of the subway train, no matter how painful it was. He saw all the other people in that car, rising in a panic. He thought to himself:

(Only two people will survive in that car. Kim Namwoon and Lee Hyungsung.)

With a handsome face, scrunched in sadness, Yu Junghyeok began the scenario. Soon, an explosion rang out. He gained many coins, increased his stats and began the dog-fight that was bound to happen. This was his [Third Round] of Regression. With a powerful kick, he collapsed the lungs of one woman. Her eyeballs nearly popped out of the sockets, while she made pathetic gurgling noises. With her dying, asphyxiating breath, she spat blood all over the subway floor. Fire rose around Yu Junghyeok, but he kept on punching, kicking and killing. He did it until they were all dead, until he was the "winner" of this scenario. He already knew the fate of this world. He was the Regressor.

***

I didn't need to kill anyone. I already had everything I needed: bugs. No, I don't have some ant farm, but I did have this: a crappy townhouse. This house was old and bugs would crawl from the outside and into my home. It only took a few tries and I found plenty. My mother was screaming at me, but I already told her what to do. She found an insect herself and cleared the scenario, but not before me.

[Congratulations! You have achieved the first kill of your scenario!]

Out of curiosity, I opened the door of my house. I saw so many things. The wards that cordoned my neighborhood and the rising chaos that emerged. For some reason, night was turning into day. The moon was being blocked by flying creatures and crashing jets, while screams of agony were echoing out. Unaware little ants were moving on my front porch.

"I'm sorry," I said.

I began to kill the ants and earned coins while it happened.

[You have earned 100 coins!]

[You have earned 100 coins!]

[You have earned 100 coins!]

[You have achieved the Decimator achievement!]

I didn't want to kill the ants, but in this world, coins are power. It really has begun. My thoughts were a mixture of bitterness, eagerness and regret.

"It has begun," I mutter out. "The Apocalypse."