Tower of The Fated Star

[12:18 PM | Seoul Subway Line 3 | Car No. 3701]

The small creature in the air—barely three feet tall, with fox-like ears and eyes too bright to be human—hovered just above the subway floor. Its voice echoed unnaturally in the sealed car.

But no one paid attention.

Murmurs filled the air. Skepticism. Confusion. Denial. A middle-aged man cursed under his breath. A child cried. The people on the train had never seen a Dokkaebi before. And when something doesn't fit into the reality you've always known, your mind tries to reject it.

Even mine did—just for a second.

I should have been listening to the Dokkaebi. But my eyes were fixed on the glowing email on my screen. The promised reward from the author of HSAW... had arrived.

[Inbox: 1 New Message]Subject: Your RewardAttachment: Full Manuscript – How to Survive on an Apocalyptic World (Ch.1 – Ch.3479)

I tapped the file. It opened instantly. Every chapter, every arc, from beginning to end. The final version of the only story I had ever read.

"Dokja... It's not working. My phone... I can't contact the police. This area's network has gone."

It was Miss Shin Ah. Her voice trembled slightly. Understandable. She hadn't read the novel. None of them had. They didn't know what this meant.

I looked up at her, steadying my voice.

"Don't panic, Miss Shin Ah… We'll be fine. Just don't do anything and listen to what the Dokkaebi says."

She blinked in surprise. But before she could respond—

A man shoved forward, pushing past passengers. His tie was loose, and his forehead glistened with sweat.

"Hey you… What's your problem? Are you running a shooting here? Can't you see people in a hurry? They have work to do!"

The Dokkaebi hovered in silence, as if giving them one last chance.

"Please calm down everyone…"

His voice was still cheerful, but there was something behind it—an undercurrent of strain.

They didn't listen.

And I knew what would come next.

I had read HSAW. I knew this scene. I knew this Dokkaebi. And I knew exactly how he responded when humans underestimated him.

The air shifted.

A sharp crack split through the train.

The Dokkaebi's eyes narrowed. His voice no longer held politeness.

"I said… SHUT UP, YOU ALL!"

Two bodies collapsed to the floor.

There was no movement. No flash. No gesture. Just instant death.

Their blood painted the steel tiles red. Gasps. Screams. Silence. Then—

"I wanted to explain the situation to you guys nicely," the Dokkaebi growled, his smiling mouth twisted with irritation, "but you just don't want me to be nice. Now I'm late to start the scenario. It was supposed to begin at 12:20. And I'm already 5 minutes late because of you guys. In that case—"

[12:25 PM | Seoul Subway Line 3 | Car No. 3701]

"I'll choose the way of violence."

The air quivered.

[THE FIRST SCENARIO OF THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE TOWER OF THE FATED STAR WILL BEGIN SHORTLY.]

[Channel #B2775 opened]

A translucent screen appeared in midair. Everyone on the train saw it. It was a livestream.

The Dokkaebi grinned. "Normally we Dokkaebi don't show the scenario videos to lowly lives like you guys. But I'll give you the chance to see only once. He… He… He…"

The footage wasn't edited. It wasn't a show. It was real-time.

In another part of Seoul—somewhere aboveground—people were already fighting. Already dying.

Some were killing each other. Friends, siblings, lovers. People hesitated for only a second, and then they struck. The survival instinct made monsters of them all.

The Dokkaebi's laughter echoed again.

"So now… show your value. Why you should live."

His body began to blur, vanishing into the rift in space behind him.

"Now let the First Scenario—BEGIN!"

[12:30 PM | Seoul Subway Line 3 | Car No. 3701]

[You have entered the Tower of the Fated Star.]

[The First Scenario has begun.]

——————

[Scenario #1: SURVIVE]Time Limit: 20 minutesObjective: Earn at least 100 Coins to survive.(Coins are earned by killing living beings. The stronger the being, the more coins you receive.)Penalty for Failure: Death

Everyone froze as the glowing system window appeared before their eyes.

It was real.

Even the most skeptical couldn't deny it anymore.

Then the chaos began.

"W-what the hell is this?! Is this some game?!"

"Hey, there's something on my screen!"

"Is this real?! Are we going to die?!"

A boy—no older than me—stepped forward.

He didn't look scared. In fact, he was smiling.

And then he punched a man across the face.

The man screamed. Blood splattered.

"Hey… why are you doing this?!"

The boy turned toward the voice and grabbed him by the collar.

"Hey… shut your mouth. Didn't you see the videos just now? This is the world now. It's not the previous one where you were living."

And—

He killed the man.

His fist didn't even tremble.

[12:35 PM | Seoul Subway Line 3 | Car No. 3701]

[Time Remaining: 15 Minutes]

The Scenario had begun.

And the blood had already started to flow.

To be continue...