Player One: Last Chance

My eyes snapped open. My mind felt like someone had forcefully yanked me out of deep sleep.

"Where am I?"

Then I remembered… the headset! I had put on that mysterious VR headset. But… this place… this wasn't my room.

A blood-red screen glowed in front of me:

🖥 [WELCOME TO THE SYSTEM] 🖥

Initiating Player Binding...

System Sync: 100%

Quest 1: SURVIVE FOR 24 HOURS

Penalty: TERMINATION

My breathing became erratic. Was this some kind of prank?

"Hah, this feels like a horror game." I chuckled nervously, but deep inside, an unsettling fear crept in.

And then… my body froze.

A cold sensation surged through my spine, as if something had locked me in place. A strange vibration spread through every nerve in my body. My room started dissolving, replaced by a new environment.

The cozy gaming room I was in moments ago had transformed into a metallic, futuristic chamber. The walls were lined with glowing blue circuits, emitting a soft humming sound.

A floating screen appeared before me:

[New Player Detected]

Name: Aryan Verma

Class: Undefined

Status: Active

From a metal podium, a sleek black suit emerged.

"Equip the suit to proceed."

The System's voice was robotic and emotionless.

Cautiously, I put on the suit. The moment it activated, a holographic HUD appeared before my eyes.

[HUD Activated]

Health: 100%

Stamina: 100%

Mission: SURVIVE

Suddenly, a metallic door burst open. A creature with razor-sharp metal claws rushed in, its red eyes glowing as it scanned me.

"Oh shit... what is this?!"

"First Combat Test Initiated."

I had no weapon! My mind raced. Looking around, I spotted a broken metal rod lying nearby.

No choice. I grabbed the rod and braced myself.

[Warning: Unarmed Combat Mode Active]

The creature lunged. I barely dodged in time, its claws slicing through the air where I had just been. My stamina bar dropped slightly.

"If I don't defeat this thing, I'm stuck here!"

I swung the metal rod with all my strength, striking the creature's head. Sparks flew as it staggered back, preparing to attack again.

"I need a real weapon!"

A new notification flashed:

[Skill Unlocked: Improvised Combat]

Using my new skill, I targeted the creature's joints, landing a precise hit. A final blow shattered its core.

[Enemy Defeated - XP Gained]

Panting, I looked at my surroundings.

"This is just the beginning... I need to find a way out!"

Just then, another door slid open. And beyond it… another threat awaited me.