The room was silent.
Too silent.
White walls stretched endlessly in every direction. No windows. No exits. No sky.
Only people.
Twenty of them. And in the middle stood Veyrix Noctar.
Barefoot. Calm. Expressionless.
It was as if he didn't exist.
"Welcome to the System."
The voice came from everywhere at once—cold, mechanical.
"Without ego… you are nothing."
Murmurs spread across the crowd. Fear. Doubt. Weakness.
Veyrix didn't move. His eyes scanned the others slowly.
Too loud… too nervous… too weak.
"Rule number one," the voice continued, "here, the strongest does not always win."
Pause.
"…Only the one who believes in themselves survives."
A boy stepped forward.
"This is insane! I'm not playing your game!"
CRACK.
He collapsed instantly. Dead.
Silence.
Heavy. Crushing. Suffocating.
Some trembled. Others sobbed.
Veyrix… smiled. Just slightly.
For the first time.
So this is no game.
This is selection.
A glowing screen appeared in front of them:
MISSION 1:
Destroy the ego of another participant.
Time limit: 10 minutes.
Panic erupted. Screams. Chaos.
But Veyrix walked calmly. Not hurried. Not scared. Purposeful.
Then he stopped.
Before a girl.
Her hands shook. Her eyes were full of fear. Perfect.
"You want to survive, right?" His voice was calm, almost gentle.
She nodded immediately.
"Yes… please… I don't want to die."
Veyrix knelt slightly toward her.
"Listen carefully," he said.
His eyes went empty. Cold.
"You are not made to win here."
Silence. His words hit her like a hammer.
"What…?" she whispered.
"You doubt yourself."
One step closer.
"You are afraid."
Even closer.
"You don't believe in yourself."
The screen flickered.
EGO STATUS: UNSTABLE
"No… that's not true… I—"
"Yes," Veyrix said, his voice freezing.
"You are weak."
Tears ran down her face. Her body sank to her knees.
EGO STATUS: CRITICAL
"Please… stop…"
Veyrix only watched.
No emotion. No pity.
"Here… people like you disappear."
SYSTEM: EGO DESTROYED
Her body dissolved slowly, as if she had never existed.
Silence.
Veyrix stood up. His eyes calm. Too calm.
So… this is ego.
No guilt. No regret. Only one realization:
Those who hesitate… vanish.
Those who doubt… die.
And Veyrix Noctar had just taken his first step.
The room was silent.
Too silent.
White walls stretched endlessly in every direction. No windows. No exits. No sky.
Only people.
Twenty of them. And in the middle stood Veyrix Noctar.
Barefoot. Calm. Expressionless.
It was as if he didn't exist.
"Welcome to the System."
The voice came from everywhere at once—cold, mechanical.
"Without ego… you are nothing."
Murmurs spread across the crowd. Fear. Doubt. Weakness.
Veyrix didn't move. His eyes scanned the others slowly.
Too loud… too nervous… too weak.
"Rule number one," the voice continued, "here, the strongest does not always win."
Pause.
"…Only the one who believes in themselves survives."
A boy stepped forward.
"This is insane! I'm not playing your game!"
CRACK.
He collapsed instantly. Dead.
Silence.
Heavy. Crushing. Suffocating.
Some trembled. Others sobbed.
Veyrix… smiled. Just slightly.
For the first time.
So this is no game.
This is selection.
A glowing screen appeared in front of them:
MISSION 1:
Destroy the ego of another participant.
Time limit: 10 minutes.
Panic erupted. Screams. Chaos.
But Veyrix walked calmly. Not hurried. Not scared. Purposeful.
Then he stopped.
Before a girl.
Her hands shook. Her eyes were full of fear. Perfect.
"You want to survive, right?" His voice was calm, almost gentle.
She nodded immediately.
"Yes… please… I don't want to die."
Veyrix knelt slightly toward her.
"Listen carefully," he said.
His eyes went empty. Cold.
"You are not made to win here."
Silence. His words hit her like a hammer.
"What…?" she whispered.
"You doubt yourself."
One step closer.
"You are afraid."
Even closer.
"You don't believe in yourself."
The screen flickered.
EGO STATUS: UNSTABLE
"No… that's not true… I—"
"Yes," Veyrix said, his voice freezing.
"You are weak."
Tears ran down her face. Her body sank to her knees.
EGO STATUS: CRITICAL
"Please… stop…"
Veyrix only watched.
No emotion. No pity.
"Here… people like you disappear."
SYSTEM: EGO DESTROYED
Her body dissolved slowly, as if she had never existed.
Silence.
Veyrix stood up. His eyes calm. Too calm.
So… this is ego.
No guilt. No regret. Only one realization:
Those who hesitate… vanish.
Those who doubt… die.
And Veyrix Noctar had just taken his first step.q