[Safe Zone Is Collapsing]

The hunters arrived at Apocalypse Island, their transportation seemingly scattering them across various locations — a school, a factory, a military base, homes — each setting sculpted by the desolation of the apocalypse.

As a rock-like spaceship loomed above them, fiery flames akin to a volcanic eruption cast an ominous glow, devoid of any discernible entrance, with disasters manifesting randomly, materializing from nothingness.

Donned in matching black navy vests, bulletproof and armed with knives and pistols, the hunters shared a commonality that caught Michaelangelo's attention.

"Cool outfit, don't you agree?" he mused, acknowledging their collective bravado and assassin-like allure.

-[You have arrived at Apocalypse Island. Survive until the time runs out and eliminate as many enemies as possible to earn a high score and pass the exam.]

-[Time: 2 hours, 0 seconds, 0 minutes]

-[Description: Players find themselves on a desolated island inhabited by monsters, zombies, dilapidated buildings, and under a red eclipse.]

-[All players must stay within the safe zone. The safe zone automatically collapses, shifts, and restricts movement. Failure to remain within the safe zone results in oxygen deprivation and death. Time left before the safe zone moves: 30 minutes.]

-[AI suggestions: Utilize this time to gather equipment and prepare for the first wave of monsters.]

Although the ten participants found themselves scattered across diverse locations, they all shared the same determined expression, exhibiting bravery and a seasoned killer's disposition.

----------

Making his way cautiously down the stairs, Michaelangelo found himself in a dimly lit school, adorned only by the eerie light cast by the eclipse outside.

Each step taken with stealth, he aimed to draw no attention, not even from the smallest of creatures.

"I hope this won't be one of those moments where a minute feels like hours or days," Michael thought, taking cover behind a wall.

"Once we pass this exam, there'll be a steady meal for us and the survivors... but first, I need to find Ronnie and Cassie."

Ding!

-[Map: Cassie — Location: Factory]

-[Map: Ronnie — Location: School]

"School? He must be somewhere nearby," Michael deduced, determined to reunite with his teammates.

----------

Meanwhile...

Ronnie lay silently on the floor, a newly acquired sniper rifle in his hands, aimed at the door, shadows dancing ominously beyond.

Patiently, he awaited their move, wanting the lurking figures to reveal their intentions by opening the door.

"These fools won't budge," he mused, impressed by the cautiousness of the level one zombies.

Summoning a rune, Ronnie accessed the in-game store.

-[Store: Name your requirements] [Coins: 1000]

"Give me the price for a smoke grenade," Ronnie requested.

Ding!

-[Store: Smoke Grenade: 200 coins (1)] [Purchase?]

Without hesitation, Ronnie swiftly acquired the smoke grenade, zooming his vision closer to the door through his sniper's night vision scope.

"Five of them outside... two stationed by the door. If I shoot the door and deploy the smoke grenade, the remaining three will come charging in," he strategized.

Ronnie smirked. Pin! Pin! Pin!

Bullets pierced the air, penetrating the door and one zombie's cranium, pinning its head down the stairs in a crimson spray.

The four remaining undead now sped towards Ronnie, seemingly oblivious to his scent.

Clang... Poof!

The grenade detonated, shrouding the vacant classroom in a dense haze of smoke.

Through his enhanced night vision, Ronnie witnessed a foolish zombie enter, met with a bullet through the chest.

-[Reloading...]

Bam! Another precise shot pierced the next monster's diaphragm, and Ronnie let out a deep breath, heart racing, keenly aware that any misstep could prove fatal.

Yet, the third zombie revealed an unexpected intelligence, cautiously peering from the side entrance of the door, observing the obscured landscape.

It saw only smoke, no Ronnie, but it spotted the glint of a sniper rifle.

However, when the zombie shifted focus to the right side of the door...

Bam!

A bullet from Ronnie's pistol reshaped its brain, splattering blood upon the ground.

-[Ronnie has killed 4 Zombies: +40 points]

'just one more bastard', thought Ronnie, as he heard heavy footsteps approaching the room fast.

"Ronnie...!

Unfortunately for Micheal, Ronnie was expecting to face a zombie walk in the room.

In a split second, Ronnie's bullet pierced through Michael's skull, bursting through his brain and reappearing at the other end while splattering blood and puncturing the door.

Shocked and horrified, Ronnie shouted, "Holy shit! !"

Confusion filled the air as Michael stammered, "Dude, what the hell are you doing here? Wait... I thought I shot you!"

Approaching cautiously, Ronnie examined Michael's head, expecting to find a fatal wound.

To his surprise, there was no hole, just bloodstains. Panic set in as Ronnie realized the truth. "You... you're one of them. One of those level three zombies that bullets can't affect."

Backing away, Ronnie pointed his gun at Michael, his voice trembling. "What? No, I'm not."

"Shut the fuck up, Michael!" Ronnie yelled, his hand shaking as he aimed the gun.

"Your skin turned pale when you arrived from Kiara's campaign, and it turned pale again when I shot your head. It's like when you die, your skin changes color."

"You're a zombie, aren't you? My best friend is a zombie... fuck," Ronnie muttered, his blue eyes locked on Michael.

Michael shook his head in disappointment, knowing that he couldn't reveal his true nature just yet. He had become something more than human, something the system had intended.

-[Safe zone will collapse in the next five minutes]

-[Cassie has killed a level one Centip: +20 points]

"Is Cassie a zombie too? Are all the survivors zombies?" Ronnie questioned angrily. "You know what? I'm going to shoot you again. If you survive, I'll slice off your head."

"What if I'm not a zombie and you ended up killing your best friend out of foolishness?" Michael retorted.

"Shut the fuck up, Michael! Just fucking shut up!" Ronnie snapped. "Tell me how you explain the blood on your skull and no signs of a bullet, when I know I shot your head dead on."

Michael sighed, turning to look at the door and then back at his blood-stained hand.

"First of all, I killed a zombie downstairs, so the blood must have stained that area. And secondly... you missed," he explained, pointing at the punctured part of the door.

Ronnie stared at Michael, contemplating whether or not to believe him.

Shooting his friend in the head would surely kill him, but shooting him elsewhere wouldn't.

He observed the pale skin of the last zombie, identical to Michael's. Realizing that the last zombie wasn't attacking, Ronnie began to consider that Michael might be telling the truth.

Besides, the fractured door was evidence of his bullets.

"Sorry, Michael, I can't take any chances," Ronnie said with regret. "I'm going to have to shoot your leg to see if you'll heal... and confirm your zombie nature."

Just as Ronnie was about to pull the trigger on Michael's leg, a blue material whizzed past them. Both of them knew it was the safe zone, moving fast.

-[Player Cody has died, unable to reach the safe zone]

*

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