END Initiated...

BANG BANG!!

The door seemed to be on the verge of crashing down as the fierce pounding continued. And as it continued issuing a harsh metallic protest, the door looked like it would reach its breaking point very soon.

BANG, BANG!!

Even seeing with their own eyes, it was difficult to believe that this was really happening; although the place itself looked like a ruin, Kiel wondered how the door was even holding its own against such bangs. Although from the inside it looked quite sturdy, Kiel still remembered the ruined exterior.

However as everyone's eyes fell on the half hanging hinges, as they started to cave in and out, everyone came back to their senses.

"Guys, we have to block it quickly! Otherwise… "

The words were filled with panic and so filled everyone with a frenzy. Although everyone knew that the road to fortune will be very hard, seeing the first test being easy enough, everyone relaxed a little. And most of them were just brats from rich families, more spoiled than trained.

But the brain is an organ which works the best under stress. Kiel could see the quotes holding true, seeing someone jamming an unoccupied chair against the creaking door. Many of the others could be seen doing similar things. Kiel could see some had already gone to pick up heavy objects and jam up the door.

However, it was all worth nothing. 

BANG! Thud! One of the hinges fell down. That meant the door was partially opened up.

Even if it was a monster, the others could still work a way out. However, what humans fear is unknown. It was a well-known theory and Kiel could now even see its effect. However, the ones that were panicking the most were only black cards. 

He could see the coloured cards were a little relaxed. Astrid even looked bored while the bronze ones still retained their confidence as always. Leonne, on the other hand, looked a little confused.  Even Kiel was only deep in thoughts. He didn't feel any confusion or panic even if such things were going on. He was just a little surprised that's all. After all, he had his share of horror movies from the earth.

"Move out of the way! Earth-form wall!"

Kiel was broken free from his reverie by a shout. It was one of the bronze girls who spoke up, but Kiel was too lazy to remember names. And just as soon as the words came out of her mouth, the ground just in front of the door rose up, blocking up the whole entrance. A huge block of rock about 0.5 in width was in front of the door blocking whatever was coming for them. It was an earth element spell.

"Haaa… "

However, as soon as she cast the spell, she squatted down on the floor for a moment as if feeling dizzy.

"Amazing! You are so strong!"

Some of the girls and boys seemed to have sparkles all over their eyes as admiration filled their gazes. One of the girls even took the chance to cosy up with her, helping her up. After all, if it wasn't for her action, the door would have crashed down by now.

The girl who was spoken to, however, had her eyes closed for a while. Kiel could also see the brown coloured elements entering her body swiftly her magnetic lines of force. And she soon opened her eyes. 

Seeing her opening her eyes, helped to alleviate some of the tense atmospheres around. The fact that the knocks on the door stopped after some time from not being able to break the door was all due to her and that she was a bronze invitee was enough for the kids around to see her as a pillar now.

Unfortunately, there was still no time for having a cordial and friendly chat.

Once the chaos died down, Kiel started looking for a way out. After all, the mission was to escape from this place. And he could not be fooled with such calm before the storm.

The door was definitely not a viable option now. And most importantly he had to save his energy as much as possible. So he began checking out what other options he had.

And while doing so he noticed many people forming groups. He saw the earth girl from earlier having already formed four followers. However, the thing he couldn't guess was that almost seven to ten of the black cards were gathering beside Leonne. 

"Well, it seems that after seeing the talent of the bronze girl, the kids were fascinated to see what the gold one could do."

Kiel also noticed that Astrid had teamed up with the green-shirted sleeping kid from earlier. 'It seems only I am alone… well, it's not like I plan to team up with anyone.'

Leonne who was busy conversing with the others also seemed to have noticed Kiel's gaze, as he turned and smiled in his direction.

"Interesting. Very interesting… " From the looks of Kiel, if anyone of the colleagues of his past saw him, they would definitely think that Kiel had found a guinea pig.

Kiel also smiled towards him. There were a few who wanted to approach him, but Kiel's 'I work alone attitude seems to have guarded them off.' 

"Wow! The blood trails have just begun and I can feel the goosebumps from earlier.  Wonder what should we do next?"

"Maybe we should start searching like those fellows too." Leonne pointed out to Kiel and Astrid. 

"To find what to be more specific?"

"Hmm… I think another exit. After all, the task was not only to survive only but to escape to another dungeon level probably?"

"Right!" One of the kids beside Leone nodded his head quite enthusiastically.

" I will help too! Can I join your group too?" Another kid voiced his opinion.

"This..  o-ok!" Leone seemed reluctant to add another one to his group. There were already ten members. And if he added one more. It would only drag the group down. He didn't even know what these kids could help him with.

But to Kiel, he looked like one of those kids who could not say no to anyone. And it seems the other kids perceived this too.

"We have to politely decline. There are already ten of us. Adding any more will only drag us down at the right times."

"This… " The boy seemed a bit awkward. He looked like he had never denied anything. So he looked a little difficult.

"Huh? Why are you still standing? Just go and join someone else. Our group is already full. Leone why don't we search the wall for  some gimmicks?"

The other kids too refused him without any hesitation and turned around to leave. 

"What pretty bastards!"

Leone was still standing where he was. But the other kids' steps came to an abrupt halt. One of the girls with Leone shouted: "what did you call us?" 

That kid seemed even more awkward now. Just as the system seemed to get more heated up and Kiel could see everyone looking their way, a voice seemed to break the tension to a different degree.

"Useless trashes." it was Astrid that hit the remark. And it seemed to hit the girl's sore spot. Although she didn't shout at him, she kept glaring at him. Kiel even found it more interesting.

"Oww man! Look at how she glares! Do you want to kill me with your eyes, Lady?... Oh, look green! Isn't she that dumb girl who threw a tantrum before to get the special gift! Hey Leone why are you carrying such useless baggage with you?"

"Useless baggage? What do you mean by that? We are all in this together!"

"Pffft… Hey green did you hear that? Working together with my ass! Oh, I am sorry! Ya, you are right! You are not baggage. More like leeches. Actually, why don't we just shut up and let me see where the exit is."

Kiel could see the girl fuming up already. But what was amusing was the endless retorts from Astrid. Kiel didn't expect that. However, when he thought that the drama had just begun

"That's enough for you two. Just stop!" This time Astrid and Kiel both were surprised. Suddenly everyone noticed that the atmosphere around Leone turned a bit frosty. Looking closely, Leone's eyes had just turned into slits like that of a reptile and a chilling gaze spread all over. However, it was only for a moment.

[Beep… An unusual spike in surrounding mana. Probability calculation suggests it is more likely to be a bloodline ability than a spell. More information about the skill is not available within the system's current scope]

"It barely knows about the current situation and yet you all are fighting like this?"

Even Astrid was a little surprised by the sudden change in atmosphere. However, he was not one to back down. 

"Pfft… fighting? Don't get me wrong, but all of these people around are not even worthy for me to get serious."

"Don't be like this. Aren't we all in this together. Why don't we all work out in this together?"

"Haha… hey don't get me wrong but i am not at all interested in using my abilities for the likes of these useless pieces of baggage. Instead, I have a better proposal: why don't you come to my team? It would be more productive without them right?"

Leone looked at Astrid and then at his team members, then sighed. "I am sorry. My principle is to never leave a companion behind. So I have to decline you."

"Suit yourself."

Astrid just shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and then his hand towards another direction.

"What about you man?"

The 'you ' he was referring to was obviously a certain youth who was just standing there minding his own business while watching all the drama silently- Kiel.

"I can tell that you are definitely not as simple and weak as you look. And you got even the same card as me"

Even Leone looked at Kiel, his eyes implying to his shift of interest.

'What the… ' Seriously now all the attention is on me? But working together with others is just pain in the a.s.s. And this calm now is just like the calm before a storm. It may seem peaceful. But it is just a facade. 

"Sorry I…"

Kiel was about to reply when he suddenly felt a tingling sensation in his brain. It was like the same sensation he felt at the time of the emissaries but much more prevalent. 

*Rumble Rumble*

Before he could even think what was actually happening, suddenly the whole hall started rumbling. 

"What the hell?"

"Earthquake?"

But the rumbling was just the beginning. 

*Bang*

It happened in the blink of an eye. One of the walls on the left just caved in. Something heavy seems to have collided with the wall. Soon another wall crashed down. And from the gaps, flying bits of wood, shot out along with all the dust particles suddenly reducing everyone's view.

From amidst the dust, everyone could see dangling arm shooting at slowly from the outside. *Bathump* Everyone's heart was beating crazy now, as a putrid and gangrene smell filled the air. 

GRAUU!

The suddenness of the situation caught everyone off guard. Even the sound coming ahead seemed so nerve wrenching, that everyone could feel the goosebumps all over their bodies. 

And just as the dust cleared off, the whole thing came into view. Decomposing maggot filled skin, crazy eyes, dripping flesh, the abominable look, slow and staggering movements. It was like some abomination had crawled it's way out of a horror movie. 

Everyone could feel their flesh creeping and blood-curdling just from looking at such a thing. But Kiel had a more technical term to describe the abomination. 

"It is a freaking zombie motherf***ker"

Many of them had heard stories of flesh rotting corpses walking. But it was the first time for everyone to see such a thing. However, it was not one. One followed by another, coming in from both the holes were the lifeless humans.

Now Kiel could think of how the sound was made. From the looks of it, these zombies were not at all weak like in those novels. Just by breaking the walls down, you could see what they got just by bypassing their natural restraint on strength. As you would expect from a magical world.