Shadow Hall

Blonde, blue-eyes, long eyelashes, and dressed in a different outfit than yesterday. An armour-like bodice hugged her form, while a flowing purple skirt allowed freedom of movement. It must have cost a fortune, especially for someone like her. Yet Samantha, whose facial expression had veered between sorrow and desperation, was swimming in excitement. Her lips were open in tiny giggles as a black-haired man with a sharp nose, light skin, and an average male build coated in chainmail cracked jokes.

"Samantha," Dasha greeted.

Samantha spun on her feet, still giggling, and glowered. "It's you! Um…"

The black-haired man beside her lifted a hand. "Dasha! Hey!"

A curt greeting. "Alex."

To think he would encounter him yet again. The Blood Pact was still in effect, his memories of the battle with Paul forgotten. He did see a kindle of confusion in him. Was it from the Blood Pact? Or something else?

"Oh, yes! Dasha!" Uncertainty dissipated as Samantha gestured to Alex. "This is Alex. I guess you already know him, huh? I hope you don't mind but I want him to join us too."

"Sure."

Samantha blinked. "Really? Thank you! I feel so safe! You know, Alex is actually training at the Sapphire Order academy. He's strong!"

Alex scratched his cheek with his finger. "Aw, you'll make me blush. I got lucky."

On the surface level, the two got along swimmingly. Alex exuded confident strength, and Samantha required a beacon of strength to siphon from. One person giving compassion, the other desiring it. Dasha's interest lasted all but two seconds. His eyes took note of their surroundings and dove into another analysis.

'The numbers are dwindling.'

Waiting for Gate 4 to open shouldn't have been so placid. Hs gaze drew attention to the number of players attending. Though still numerous, there were massive gaps of space in between. Players were strategically waiting out to see what the fourth gate would consist of and adjust accordingly. The previous gate must have thrown players for a loop. Despite not experiencing it, rumours must have spread of the samurai capable of nullifying magic. To go from potion-making to pure combat was a massive leap.

[ Attention players! Gate 4 has opened! If you wish to access previous gates, open your map! Otherwise, it is time for Gate 4 to begin! ]

All four gates situated in the north, east, south, and west lit up in blue flames, insinuating the beginning of a new gate. It was time.

***

His eyes blinked several times yet all he could see was darkness and the small light of the Game System. Beside him were Alex and Samantha…

"I-I can't see…"

"Samantha, I can hear you. You're close by, just grab my arm. Hey, Dasha, what about you?"

No answer.

[ Gate 4 : Shadow Hall

Main Objective: Reach the end of the hall.

Prize Pool: 2,000 XP, 5,000 PP

SPECIAL OBJECTIVE: Reach the end of the hall in 60 seconds.

SPECIAL PRIZE POOL: 5,000 XP, 6,000 PP ]

He had already wasted five seconds reading. And if he got the bonus to be the first player to complete it…

Dasha stepped back and grabbed Samantha by the arm—

"Um, Alex? Your holding me a little too ti—"

And pushed her forward. One step, two steps, three steps, she toppled over—

A guttural scream pierced the halls and the world came to light.

The cloud of darkness disappeared, the surrounding candles suddenly gaining blue flames. There, lodged deep in her shoulder, was a feathered arrow. Shock and fear coursed through Samantha as she realized the gravity of her situation. Panic set in as she struggled to remove the arrow, but her trembling hands only worsened the pain. Tears welled in her eyes.

"A-Alex…?"

Through the air came another arrow. Twang! Another cry of pain followed. Alex came by her side and dragged her back till they were behind him. "What the hell are you thinking?"

'Arrows.' The shadows eventually returned, the candles flickering away. 'And if you get hit, the world lights up again. How risky.'

"Dasha! Did you do this!?" Alex's hand reached for him, which he easily sidestepped. With a fluid, powerful motion, he seized Alex's extended arm, tripped him over with his foot, and with a deft thrust, he sent Alex tumbling through the air.

Time seemed to slow as Alex soared briefly, a look of shock etched on his face.

Shing!

An arrow struck chainmail and the candles lit up again.

Dasha seized his chance and ran. Arrows whizzed by. The closer he came, the faster he ran, the more that came.

'The special objective likely wants us to do it in a single run.' A slash across his cheek. The light blew up again. 'Well-trained athletes can cover a distance of 400 feet or more in 60 seconds during a sprint. That's my base.'

His muscles were energized by Qi Condensation. He could see. Rather than mere blurs, the arrows were in sight. He could react. He could duck and weave.

The candles were slowly losing their light. Without them, he wouldn't be able to do what he was doing.

'Faster, faster—'

Zig-zag pattern. Bend slightly at the knees to maintain a low centre of gravity and aid in quick changes in direction. Arms close to the torso. There was no cover. The light was dimming.

Run, run, run…

Surely, he had covered over four hundred feet by now. That meant…

No, he couldn't think about it. Keep running, keep feeling the environment—

"Ngh!" An arrow stabbed his side. The metal tip didn't go too deep, his defence working wonders, but it was a distraction. A distraction he shoved to the back of his head.

The darkness enveloped him. The light was gone.

All he could rely on were his instincts. His Qi.

His eyes shut. His ears listened to the change in air. The best way for the body to adapt was during a life or death situation. This was it.

[ New skill created : Qi Sensing (Early Stage) ]

Thinking was a waste. The time to react was the sole instinct inside him. Blips of light appeared in front of him, red in colour, and he dodged it. He kept dodging, over and over and over again. Like shooting stars across the night sky, they whipped past him. Came close to him. Nicked him.

But his reflexes went into overdrive.

And then…

A bucket of water seemed to fall over him and the hard concrete touching his soles changed.

He opened his eyes. 'I'm back in the Server Room?'

[ Congratulations! Gate 4 : Shadow Hall

Main Objective: Reach the end of the hall — Complete!

Receive:

2,000 XP

5,000 PP ]

[ Congratulations! Gate 4 : Shadow Hall

SPECIAL OBJECTIVE: Reach the end of the hall in 60 seconds — Complete!

Receive:

5,000 XP

6,000 PP ]

His shoulders visibly relaxed. He ran a hand through his hair, rearranging it back into its middle part. He waited for the bonus rewards to come.

"Damn, so I wasn't first?"

He clicked his tongue.

Who could have possibly gone faster than him?

He checked his surroundings. He wasn't alone. Players were arriving by the second. Players who were going to do their first attempt.

Meanwhile, Dasha went for his second round.

He returned to the Shadow Hall and readied himself. The corridor seemed to stretch endlessly before him, with the eerie echoes of his footfalls reverberating off the walls. The walls were shrouded in an inky blackness, making it nearly impossible to discern any details.

It wasn't a pressure plate that activated the arrows. From what Dasha could tell, it was distance. Once he reached a certain point, the arrows would detect him and start firing.

Focusing his inner energy, he reached out with his new skill: Qi Sensing. He muttered it under his breath and like pressing a button his perception stretched into the darkness. Nothing.

Then, stepping forward, he detected the subtle disturbances in the air. An arrow.

'No, three arrows!'

He ducked underneath, then like an Olympic sprinter, fingers on the stone and legs stretched back, propelled himself forward. It was a clean set of movements: drop down, set, and burst. In the plainest terms, his run was absurd. Avoiding the arrows while maintaining his forward momentum pushed his body's limits and his senses. It wouldn't an exaggeration to say his speed was a detriment.

'I could block them, but...' He ducked and weaved. 'This is excellent training. I can't waste it!'

His nerves calmed from the excitement. He could focus and see and feel. It was strange, but somehow, it was amusing to risk his life. Treating it like a high-stakes game of survival game him life. Understanding.

He sucked in breath as he realized he was coming closer and closer to completion. How frustrating. This was the same as what he did on Earth, easy and unfulfilling.

The relentless projectiles whistled through the air, narrowly missing his body, With one final, graceful leap, he reached the end of the corridor of shadows, triumphantly returning to the Server Room without anyone realizing what he had done.

[ Congratulations! Gate 4 : Shadow Hall

Main Objective: Reach the end of the hall — Complete!

Receive:

2,000 XP

5,000 PP ]

[ Congratulations! Gate 4 : Shadow Hall

SPECIAL OBJECTIVE: Reach the end of the hall in 60 seconds — Complete!

Receive:

5,000 XP

6,000 PP ]

He fixed his bangs. 'Again.'