Chapter 2: Welcome to Hell

Chapter 2: Welcome to Hell

“I’ll go fix us something to eat,” Zoey said, stepping back after giving Jack a warm, lingering hug that melted away the crushing stress of his fourteen-hour shift.

“Hey, how about we actually go out to eat tonight?” Jack teased softly.

Zoey’s eyes narrowed, her tone turning instantly sharp. “Jack, don’t annoy me.”

“Well, you can’t blame a guy for trying,” Jack answered with a quick, playful grin, which managed to crack her tough exterior and pull a soft laugh out of her. “Come on, let me help you with dinner.”

He took a step toward the kitchen, reaching out to grab a pan—and without warning, his vision went pitch black.

The lights didn't just flicker off; reality itself seemed to collapse. Out in the night streets, car alarms blared in a deafening chorus before cutting out instantly. Before Jack could even shout Zoey's name, an emotionless, synthetic voice boomed directly inside his mind, heavy with absolute authority:

---

[The Max Difficulty Survival system update is complete. The Global Open Beta Era has officially begun. In one minute, all humans on Earth will be transported into the game.]

[Game Notice: You are being deployed into a vastly boundless server, dominated by unyielding, scorching hazards. Your task is to strive to survive in this ruthless environment.]

[When the game begins, every survivor will spawn completely alone beside an Elemental Cooling Shrine. This is your safe zone. Remember: Do not easily leave the protective aura of the shrine!]

[Your goal is to gather resources, expand your personal territory, and train units to endure the wasteland.]

[Now then, we wish everyone the best in living on in this brand-new server...]

---

A blinding flash of golden light devoured his eyes, and the cozy air of his apartment vanished.

When Jack finally forced his eyes open, he gasped—and immediately started coughing violently. The air was thick, heavy with sulfur, and choking with dark volcanic ash that burned the back of his throat.

“Ugh... what the fuck? Where the fuck am I?!”

Everywhere Jack looked, rivers of molten red magma carved through jagged, obsidian rock. Geysers of heat blasted into an ash-choked sky, and the ambient temperature was so intense he felt like he was being baked alive in an oven. His skin turned bright red within seconds, sweat evaporating off his forehead before it could even drip down his face.

'Did I die? Is this literal hell?!'

Before panic could choke the life out of him, he noticed a soft, hum of cool air surrounding his body. Standing right beside him was a glowing blue crystal spire—his Elemental Cooling Shrine—creating a small, safe sanctuary of breathable air.

A glowing, semi-transparent status window materialized right in front of his eyes:

[ Name: Jack Mercer ]

[ Race: Earthling Human ]

[ Level: 0 ]

[ Class: None ]

[ HP: 100 / 100 ]

---------------------------------------

[ Stats ]

STR: 4 | AGI: 3 | SPI: 5 | PHY: 5

Jack stared at the interface, his jaw dropping. 'That... that looks insanely similar to Max Difficulty Survival...'

Before he could process the realization, a massive, holographic screen snapped open in the sky above his shrine. A burst of cheerful, upbeat pop music echoed out of nowhere as a tiny creature with sparkling, translucent wings hovered into the frame, adjusting a floating obsidian microphone.

> \[Heeeeelllloooo, lucky survivors! Welcome to your new nightmare!\] the fairy chirped, flashing a million-dollar TV smile that looked completely out of place against the backdrop of bubbling lava. \[My name is Rena, your official, undisputed, and stunningly gorgeous Weather Girl for Server 09!\]

> She pulled up a glowing tablet in her tiny hands, tapped the glass, and paused. Her cheerful smile instantly flattened into a deadpan glare as she squinted at the numbers.

> \[Yikes... Okay, bad news first! This server is way worse than I thought!\] Rena let out a dramatic, exaggerated sigh before slapping her cheeks and flashing another bright grin. \[Anyway, current conditions across the volcanic sector are sitting at a hot, crispy, skin-peeling 60.2°C! Quick heads-up: you’d better start grinding, upgrading your base, or pumping those stat points ASAP...\]

> She leaned directly toward the camera, tapping her temple with a playful wink.

> \[...Because if you're waiting for the weather to cool down... it seems the temperature will go down in…. Never! It only goes up, babies! I'll be popping in every Sunday like today to give you your Weekly Scorcher Forecast!\]

> With a snap of her tiny fingers, a multi-day forecast chart popped up beside her, covered in raging flame icons.

> \[For the next three days, from Sunday to Tuesday, we're coasting at a cozy 60°C to 62°C—perfect for getting your lungs accustomed to third-degree burns! But come Wednesday, we crank up the oven to a spicy 68°C! And by next Saturday? Boom! Heat Wave Special peaking at a glorious 75°C!\]

> Rena blew a tiny kiss to the camera and waved enthusiastically as the broadcast started to fade out.

> \[So hoard your water, build some insulation, and try not to roast into extra-crispy bacon! Good luck, and stay alive to see your favorite weather girl next week!\]

The screen snapped shut, leaving behind total silence, save for the distant crackle of bubbling lava.

Jack stood frozen in his cooling circle, staring at the empty air where the fairy had just been floating.

“...The fuck?!”