It was a normal day at the mall.

  The air in the parking lot carried the heavy scent of hot asphalt baked under the sun, mixed with the greasy aroma of fast food drifting from nearby restaurants. Damian and his girlfriend Luna stepped out of the car and made their way toward the mall’s entrance, the distant murmur of voices and music already spilling outside.

  This was one of the city’s most popular malls — a massive three-story complex packed with stores, entertainment areas, food courts, and a movie theater. Even from outside, the place buzzed with life.

  As they walked through the sliding glass doors, a wave of cold air hit their faces. The scent of buttered popcorn, sweet caramel, sugary pastries, and fried food flooded their senses. The smell was so thick it almost left a sugary taste on Damian’s tongue.

  People rushed everywhere.

  Voices overlapped. Shoes squeaked against polished floors. Laughter echoed from the upper levels. The crowd moved like a restless tide, bumping into each other without apology.

  Luna frowned, clearly irritated.

  “Out of all the malls,” she muttered, dodging someone rushing past her, “why did they pick the one that would be packed the most?”

  By they, she meant Damian’s best friend Victor and Damian’s cousin Michael, who were already waiting for them at the movie theater entrance.

  Damian only chuckled as they navigated through the sea of people. The scent of cinnamon pretzels drifted from a nearby stand, followed by the sharp smell of coffee and the oily aroma of fried chicken. The mixture was overwhelming — sweet, salty, and heavy enough to linger at the back of his throat.

  On their way to the theater, Luna dragged Damian into several candy shops. The air inside was thick with chocolate and artificial fruit flavors, so sugary it almost made his teeth ache.

  Damian laughed as Luna stuffed packs of candy into her bag — gummies, chocolates, sour strips, and caramel bars.

  “They don’t check bags in this theater, right?” she asked while halfway eating a string of chocolate, her words slightly muffled.

  Damian smiled and nodded.

  Luna sighed with relief and immediately shoved more candy into her bag before continuing toward the theater.

  The movie theater was located on the second floor. The third floor housed arcades and bowling alleys, filled with flashing lights and the metallic scent of machines, while the first floor was dominated by shopping areas and the food court. The second floor was a mix of both but mainly centered around the theater.

  By the time Damian and Luna reached the theater entrance, they spotted Victor and Michael waiting near the line. They exchanged a quick handshake followed by a hug before joining the crowd.

  The line stretched nearly halfway between the theater entrance and the snack vendors. The smell of freshly popped popcorn was strongest here — buttery and warm — mixing with the salty scent of nachos and sugary soda syrup.

  For a moment, Luna asked Victor and Michael why they chose this theater.

  “There’s more stuff to do here after the movie,” Victor explained.

  Luna nodded. “Makes sense.”

  They passed the time talking about life.

  Victor asked Damian about his online business.

  “It’s been slow,” Damian admitted. “Demand isn’t the same. I’ve got to find a way to stay competitive.”

  Luna asked Michael about his chef classes.

  “Almost done,” he said proudly. “Soon I’ll get my chef license and open my own restaurant.”

  Victor then casually dropped his news.

  “There’s a high chance I’ll transfer to another country,” he said. “Better position. Better pay. Less stress. You’ve got to move forward in life.”

  Damian, Luna, and Michael stared at him in surprise as he explained the opportunity and workload. He seemed completely at peace with leaving.

  As they talked, the line slowly moved forward.

  Then the lights flickered.

  Just once.

  The group fell silent and glanced around. Others in line did the same.

  “Could you imagine the power going out?” Luna joked.

  They chuckled.

  Then the lights flickered again.

  This time, the chatter around them faded. What had been a loud crowd turned into uneasy silence.

  A third flicker followed.

  A low humming sound filled the air.

  It wasn’t loud — but it was everywhere. A strange pressure settled over the mall, thick and suffocating, like the air itself had grown heavier. Breathing suddenly felt difficult, as if something invisible pressed against their lungs.

  A metallic taste spread across Damian’s tongue.

  The sweet scent of popcorn was replaced by something sharper — like ozone after a lightning strike.

  Whispers spread through the crowd.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Is this a drill?”

  “This is scary…”

  The pressure intensified.

  The silence became suffocating. Damian could hear nothing but the slow pounding of his own heartbeat.

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  Then—

  The ground shook.

  A violent tremor ripped through the mall before stopping just as suddenly. People lost their footing. Some were thrown against walls. Others collapsed onto the floor.

  For a brief moment, there was stillness.

  Then screams erupted from outside the theater entrance.

  They grew louder.

  And louder.

  “What the hell is happening?” Damian said.

  More screams answered him.

  Damian immediately snapped into action. “We need to get out of here now.”

  They pushed through the crowd toward the theater entrance, searching desperately for the nearest exit. But as they reached the open railings of the second floor, they realized the screams were coming from below.

  From the first floor.

  Damian and Michael rushed to the railing and looked down.

  What they saw froze the blood in their veins.

  A massive portal swirled in the center of the mall’s main hall — a vortex of blinding green light wrapped in crackling dark energy. It twisted like a living storm, filling the air with a harsh electrical scent that burned the nose. The smell of ozone and something rotten spread rapidly, overpowering the mall’s usual sweetness.

  The air tasted bitter.

  Like metal.

  Like decay.

  Damian’s stomach turned.

  Luna and Victor rushed beside them.

  “What the hell is that!?” Victor shouted.

  The portal pulsed violently. Something began pushing through its surface.

  First, a clawed hand.

  Then an arm.

  A torso.

  The creature dragged itself onto the floor, twitching unnaturally before slowly rising to its feet. Its skin was sickly green, stretched tightly over thin muscles. Its yellow eyes glowed with animalistic hunger. Jagged teeth protruded from its mouth, and long, curved nails scraped against the marble floor with a piercing screech.

  It stood roughly five feet tall.

  Damian stared in disbelief.

  “That… looks… just like a… goblin?”

  The creature opened its eyes fully and released a guttural scream — a distorted, animalistic sound that almost resembled language. The sound vibrated through the mall like a physical force, making Damian’s chest tighten.

  Everyone stood frozen.

  Then the goblin moved.

  It lunged at a nearby man who was helping his wife stand. Its claws flashed.

  A wet slicing sound echoed.

  The man’s throat opened instantly. He collapsed, hands clutching his neck as blood poured between his fingers. He tried to scream — but only choking gurgles escaped his mouth.

  The metallic scent of fresh blood spread through the air.

  The goblin stepped onto the dying man’s chest and released a triumphant war cry.

  That was when panic erupted.

  People screamed. Some tried to fight back. Others ran blindly toward exits.

  But the portal flared again.

  More hands emerged.

  Dozens.

  A massive horde of goblins crawled out, some wearing crude armor, others gripping rusted knives. Their shrill laughter and hissing voices filled the mall.

  The few brave souls who tried to fight were immediately overwhelmed. Flesh tore. Bones cracked. Blood sprayed across the polished floors.

  The smell of iron became suffocating.

  People rushed toward the exits, trampling one another. Some fell and were crushed beneath the stampede. The goblins ignored those on the ground and chased those still running — hunting with disturbing intelligence.

  Damian and the others stood paralyzed.

  Until—

  Smack.

  Luna struck Damian’s arm.

  “Snap out of it! We need to go now!”

  He shook himself free from the shock, and the group sprinted.

  For a brief moment, Damian glanced back.

  A larger goblin was emerging from the portal — taller, broader, its muscles thick and grotesque. Its presence radiated overwhelming menace.

  Then the goblins noticed the people on the second floor.

  They began climbing the walls.

  Like spiders.

  Like hunting animals.

  When they reached the upper level, they slaughtered anyone too slow to escape — men, women, children. Screams echoed endlessly behind Damian’s group as they ran.

  The exit was too far.

  “These things are fast!” Michael yelled. “We need somewhere to barricade ourselves!”

  Luna’s eyes locked onto the movie theater entrance.

  A rolling metal security gate.

  “Over there! The theater gates! We can seal them!”

  She sprinted ahead, but just as she reached the entrance—

  SLAM.

  The gate crashed down violently inches from her face.

  The impact echoed like a gunshot.

  Luna stared in disbelief before slamming her fists against the metal bars.

  “Open the damn gate!”

  Inside, a group of terrified people stared back at her. A man stepped forward, his face pale with fear.

  “They’re too close,” he said coldly. “Find somewhere else. We’re not helping you.”

  Rage twisted Luna’s face.

  “You damn bastards!”

  She kicked the gate before turning back.

  “Everyone keep running!”

  Behind them, goblins suddenly focused on the people trapped behind the theater gate. The terrified crowd inside sighed in relief — until one goblin grabbed the bottom of the gate and began lifting.

  Panic exploded inside.

  People rushed forward, trying to force it back down.

  “THE LATCHES!” someone screamed. “YOU FORGOT THE LATCHES!”

  They struggled desperately, but the gate slowly rose. The goblins laughed — shrill, mocking sounds.

  The same man who had refused Luna now screamed for help, tears streaming down his face.

  “PLEASE! I’M SORRY! HELP ME!”

  Luna glanced back briefly.

  Their eyes met.

  Then she turned away.

  Behind them, the gate was torn open. The goblins surged inside. The screams that followed were short, wet, and horrifying — the sounds of breaking bones and ripping flesh.

  The massacre bought Damian’s group precious seconds.

  The air behind them filled with the stench of blood and exposed organs — thick enough to taste.

  Luna spotted a small clothing store ahead with another rolling gate.

  They rushed inside.

  Three strangers ran toward them, begging not to be left behind. Damian and Michael held the gate just long enough for them to squeeze through before slamming it shut and securing the latches.

  Outside, people were still running.

  Still dying.

  The group slowly backed away from the gate.

  “Stay quiet,” Victor whispered. “If you listen carefully… they’re rushing the third floor.”

  The ceiling trembled with the sound of countless footsteps — a living swarm moving above them.

  Michael’s face fell.

  “Wait… isn’t the third floor the arcades?”

  The implication hung heavy.

  Then bodies began falling from above.

  One after another.

  They slammed against the floor outside the store, piling into a gruesome wall of broken limbs and shattered bones. Blood pooled beneath the corpses and began seeping under the gate, spreading across the floor toward them.

  The smell was unbearable.

  Hot iron. Rot. Fear.

  A young girl who had entered with them began trembling violently as the blood reached her shoes. Her breathing became shallow and frantic.

  Damian approached slowly.

  “Hey… what’s your name?” he whispered gently, placing a hand on her shoulder.

  “M-my name is Kim…” she stuttered, staring at her blood-soaked hands.

  “Nice to meet you, Kim,” Damian said softly. “Why did you come to the mall today?”

  He spoke calmly, distracting her from the horror around them.

  Meanwhile, the two men who had entered approached Victor and Michael.

  “My name is John. This is my brother Ben,” one said. “We have an idea.”

  Their plan was simple.

  Rush the goblins.

  Fight through them.

  Escape.

  Luna immediately rejected it.

  “Are you insane? Did you see what those things did? You’ll get us killed.”

  Arguments erupted in harsh whispers.

  Voices grew louder.

  A struggle broke out.

  Victor restrained John in a chokehold while Damian tried to intervene. Tension crackled in the confined space, their fear turning into aggression.

  Then—

  A deep, heavy breath sounded from outside.

  Everyone froze.

  Slowly, they looked toward the gate.

  Through the gaps between the piled bodies, dozens of lifeless yellow eyes stared back at them.

  Watching.

  Waiting.

  Behind the horde stood the massive goblin — towering, muscular, smiling with cruel satisfaction.

  The creatures began pushing against the gate.

  Metal groaned.

  Everyone grabbed whatever they could as weapons.

  The tension became unbearable.

  Then—

  Ding.

  A blue rectangular window appeared before Damian’s eyes.

  Clear.

  Impossible.

  Unmistakable.

  “You are eligible to become a Player.

  By becoming a Player, you will shatter the limits of this world and rise to greatness.”

  “Become a Player?

  YES / NO”

  Damian stared at the message in disbelief. He glanced at his friends — their shocked expressions told him they could see something too.

  The goblins pushed harder.

  The gate began bending.

  The massive goblin joined the assault.

  Damian’s heart pounded as he stared at the floating message.

  Then, together—

  They all chose.

  “Yes.”

  At that exact moment, the gate shattered.

  The massive goblin charged.

  The blue window flashed.

  “Welcome, Player.”