Not over

A wave of confusion washed over them as they took in their new surroundings. They were no longer in their individual spaces within the Dome but in a completely different environment. But despite the initial shock, they quickly regrouped, their resolve unshaken. 

Haein's sigh of relief was almost swallowed by the desert's scorching heat. "So, we did it. We cheated the system," he said, squinting at the relentless sun.

Mae-Noi glanced around, her gaze sweeping over the endless expanse of sand. "I wouldn't be so sure," she replied. "According to the system, we still cheated."

A silence fell over the group, each member was lost in their thoughts. Finally, they turned to Hae-Yun, their eyes filled with questions. "What's our next move?" they asked.

Hae-Yun's response was calm and collected. "We complete this level and move on. It may look like a normal desert now but just wait. The screen will pop up soon." 

The tension was palpable as they waited for two agonizing minutes. A screen flickered into existence, but instead of the expected mission details, it glitched, flickered, and vanished, leaving them in a state of uncertainty that hung in the air like a thick fog.

Suddenly, the tranquility of the desert was shattered. From the depths of the sand emerged a horde of monstrous creatures. Scorpions, grotesque in their enormity, their pincers gleaming under the harsh sun. Beasts of unimaginable horror, their gnashing teeth a terrifying sight. The warriors quickly spread out, their hearts pounding in their chests as the screen reappeared.

GLITCH LEVEL

Time limit: 20 minutes

Annya's voice echoed in the vast desert, her disbelief evident. "That's it?" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock.

"Yes, it seems so," Yesil replied, her voice steady despite the chaos around them. She unleashed a fireball at the incoming wave of enemies. The fireball incinerated the first layer of creatures, but to their horror, the monsters regenerated almost instantly. They tried again and again, using different techniques, but the result was the same. The creatures were relentless, their numbers never dwindling.

"Hae-Yun, aren't you going to do anything?" Mae shouted, her voice barely audible over the chaos. Her eyes were filled with desperation as she looked at Hae-Yun.

In response, Hae-Yun materialized his sword and launched it at the larger sand monsters. The sword emitted a beam of light, causing the monsters to recoil, but it didn't seem to have any lasting effect. The sword returned to Hae-Yun's hand, its light dimmed.

"Everyone, step back!" Mae commanded, her voice echoing in the vast desert. She materialized a massive snowball and hurled it at the scorpion wave. The snowball melted into water upon contact, but it had no effect on the creatures. The water evaporated almost instantly, leaving behind a cloud of steam.

"Well, at least they're only coming from one side, so we can ru-"

Haein's words were cut off as Hae-Yun slapped a hand over his mouth. "Remember, this is a glitch level. Don't say anything stupid, or the level will do the opposite," Hae-Yun warned, his voice barely a whisper.

"Yesil, get back!" Hae-Yun shouted, and Yesil dashed back, leaving a trail of dust in her wake.

"All of you, run! We can't waste energy fighting them, they'll just glitch back. Run as far as you can and don't lose sight of each other!" Hae's command cut through the chaos, and without a moment's hesitation, everyone began to sprint in the opposite direction.

Hae's mind raced as he ran, his thoughts a whirlwind of desperation and determination. 'We can't kill them, but there's a time limit. If we keep running, we'll die of heat and thirst. It's a loop. The monsters can attack us, and we can't fight back. We can't fly, stop time, or disappear. I'm useless in situations like this,' he thought, his heart pounding in his chest. 'We can't use the technique that Agasa (teacher) taught us. It's useless here. Where did he go anyway?'

Haein kept pace with the others, the monstrous creatures hot on their heels. The desert offered no place to hide, and the relentless sun sapped their energy. Exhaustion was setting in, but they couldn't afford to slow down.

Suddenly, a screen popped up:

Time: 10 minutes

The unfairness of the situation hit them like a punch to the gut. "This isn't fair!" they cried out in unison, their voices echoing in the vast desert. But Hae-Yun remained silent, his eyes scanning their surroundings, his mind working overtime to find a solution.

"Everyone, halt!" Hae's voice echoed across the desert, commanding immediate attention. The group skidded to a stop, their eyes fixed on Hae.

A plan was forming in Hae's mind, a desperate gamble. 'If I create duplicates of the enemies, the glitch level might counteract it by eliminating the original enemies. If this doesn't work, we might have to accept defeat,' he thought, his heart pounding in his chest.

With a determined look, Hae extended his hands towards the oncoming horde. The desert responded to his will, the sand around him rising into the air, particles swirling in a mesmerizing dance. With a swift, controlled movement, he directed the sand towards the enemies. The particles coalesced, taking on the grotesque forms of their adversaries.

Hae retreated, his focus unwavering, his hands orchestrating the dance of the sand. The monstrous sand figures mirrored the movements of the real enemies, their forms eerily accurate.

As the last grain of sand found its place, Hae paused, holding his breath. He waited for a miracle, for the glitch level to react. But instead of the anticipated reaction, a screen popped up, blocking his power. The sand figures crumbled, falling back to the ground.

Frustration washed over Hae as he read the screen. "Why now? Something could have happened," he muttered to himself reading the screen.

Time: 5 minutes