You wake up dazed. Your body is exhausted, the memory of the last trial still fresh in your mind. You had won. You had been through hell and survived. But just when you thought it was all over, he appeared. That man in black with his mask… The Leader.

He took you down before you could escape.

Your breathing quickens as you recognize the place you're in now. It's not the deadly arena of the games but a room adorned with marble and luxurious furniture. The contrast is disconcerting, almost ironic.

Then, you see him.

Sitting in a black leather armchair, calmly holding a glass of whiskey. The silver mask of the Leader rests on the table in front of him. His features are exposed, and the first thing you notice is his face.

It’s Hwang In-Ho.

The impact feels like a punch to the stomach. You can’t believe it. Your companion… player 001. The one you laughed with, planned strategies with, and shared hopes of escaping together. All this time, he had been the Leader.

"In-Ho...?" Your voice is barely a whisper, incredulous.

He slowly lifts his gaze, his eyes expressionless, yet there’s something in his stare that seems to study your every reaction. He takes a sip of whiskey before speaking, his tone cold and calculating.

"I always knew you would make it this far," he says, placing the glass on the table. "You were special. But not special enough to understand the true purpose of this."