Eli

A considerable amount of time passed before Marty snapped out of his brooding. It was almost six when he looked at his watch again.

A sudden realization came over him after he saw what his possible future may be, and he muttered the very thing he had been denying: "I really screwed up, huh?"

When he realized he had just killed his grandma, his first instinct was to hide her body. When his father called, he lied, as he usually did, pretending like everything was fine. And when confronted with the choice to either face the consequences of his actions or the chance to run away, he chose the latter.

"I really am an asshole," he chastised himself before standing up and hopping into the bathroom to take a quick, cold shower.

Following the routine he had always done before everything got so messed up, he went to the kitchen and made himself a cup of instant black coffee, using stevia as a sweetener, and a simple omelet over slightly charred toasts.

He began to eat silently when someone put a plate and a mug across from him. It was Eli. He had changed his bartender uniform into a simple pink, V-neck tee shirt and an oversized pair of black sweatpants.

"Considering the mess we got ourselves into, you're oddly calm, huh," Eli spoke to him as he pulled back the chair and sat. He was around 5'11", had a slim, muscular build with short, black hair that was still wet from the shower. His eyes were blue.

"Like you're one to talk. I didn't see you panicking yesterday. In that regard, the red-haired dude had the most normal reaction," replied Marty after swallowing a spoonful of omelet. 

This was the real him.

When he was having a panic attack, when he was stammering while speaking to Brad, and when he signed the contract while only reading the first page, that wasn't him. Those reactions were simply because Brad had influenced him. The same was true for the rest of the participants.

"Hmm... I won't deny that. Maybe because I don't exactly hate this, or maybe I'm just this kind of person?" Eli bit into his white sausage before continuing. "But the fact that you're oddly calm despite the situation still hasn't changed."

Marty started to frown. "Yes. And?"

Eli stared at him for a while, as if trying to get past Marty's skull to pry on his thoughts. "What do you think about teaming up?"

Marty became silent, recalling the vision he saw last night. Not that he trusted it completely, but it was because he had already decided.

"You're saying that like teaming up in a survival game with your life on the line is the most reasonable thing to do."

"Isn't it though? But... Haha. Okay, I get it. You're not interested but hear me out."

Eli was wrong. Marty was, in fact, interested. Just that he was being cautious.

"Who said I'm not?" said Marty. "I didn't say that?" He then downed his instant coffee, which had already turned warm. "But how sure are you that I wouldn't stab you while you're sleeping and defenseless? And why me?"

Hearing this, Eli suddenly grinned. "I'm not easily killed, you know? And why you?" He raised his arm and showed Marty his watch as a continuation to his response. "Let's talk about it later. Still have something to do." And then he left, making Marty criticize him inwardly.

'Why's he acting like some edgy young adult novel character?'

***

Before everyone realized it, it was already nine.

"Ahem! It's great to see you all again. I am happy to announce that the RELIFE GAME has officially started, and I am here to tell you the rules," said Dexter, the human-sized talking rabbit dressed in a magician's clothing.

The moment the clock struck nine, everyone in the dorm teleported to a dark theater, where they were seated one seat apart.

Obviously, they were initially surprised, but after coming to terms with their current situation, they calmed down in no time.

"By now, you must have already synchronized with your systems and gained some unique abilities. But The Great One thought merely having one ability is so boring, so he decided to give you a chance to level up.

"The mechanics are simple. You could level up your physical attributes through the points you will obtain in the duration of the game. And as a present, The Great One has granted you ten points each."

Upon saying this, ten watches beeped simultaneously. It was a notification saying ten points had been received.

"There are five attributes: agility, stamina, dexterity, constitution, and strength. You will only be able to see it upon entering the game. The max point for each attribute is 150 points. You could earn points by winning a round or doing some side quests you will later see in your system. Further, in-depth explanation will also be explained by your system."

Dexter then proudly spread his rabbit arms and continued, "But the Great One is so merciful and thought he doesn't want you to die a dog's death, so he added an additional round on top of the nine rounds you will be playing. And that is the Trial Run. In other words, the round where you could test and experiment with your new abilities to your heart's content. And as this is still the trial run, there will be no consequences to whoever loses."

"And with that, good luck to each and every one of you, and let the RELIFE GAME begin!"

Dexter then snapped his fingers and all ten participants instantly vanished. A blinding flash of light engulfed them and they found themselves in the middle of a forest, with the gnarled branches of trees reaching out like long, twisted fingers before them. They could hear some howls in the distance.

And in that moment, ten translucent screen monitors suddenly popped in the air:

[LIFE & DEATH COOKING]

[DURATION: 1 Week]

[MISSION: Each of you has been given a unique recipe you must cook. Some of the ingredients are deadly—caution is advised.]

[Click the TAB to see the list of ingredients.]