The arena’s fog rises as always — slow, heavy, suffocating. But for those survivors… it had become routine.
Chance flips his shiny coin between his fingers while the others prepare around him.
Shedletsky adjusts the grip on his sword. Guest1337 keeps a strict, rigid stance. Two Time cracks their neck, irritation building. 007n7 watches everything with calculated caution. Elliot takes a deep breath, trying to hide the anxiety. Dusekkar adjusts his cloak, the flame inside his pumpkin head flickering.
Today was supposed to be just another match.
Or so they believed.
They walk through the starting clearing, forming a loose circle.
Chance gives a confident smile:
“Alright, team. Let’s make this a quick one. In, out, alive. I like those odds.”
Two Time rolls their eyes:
“You like every stupid odds. Just move.”
Guest1337:
“Stay focused. We don’t know which killer it is yet.”
Shedletsky, calm as always:
“Whoever it is, stay close. We’ve handled worse.”
Elliot jokes to break the tension:
“That’s what you said right before 1x1x1x1 sent you flying into a tree.”
Shedletsky sighs:
“...That was one time.”
Dusekkar speaks in his poetic, serene tone:
“A battle waits, unknown, unseen— Prepare yourselves, stay sharp, stay keen.”
007n7:
“Whatever happens, no one gets left behind.”
— And then they see it.
A figure standing between the trees.
Still.
Watching.
Tall silhouette, stiff posture… yet completely unfamiliar.
No C00lkidd cloak. No Azure mask. No trace of John Doe. No faint glow of Noli. No twisted grin like Guest666.
Nothing familiar.
Chance steps back, coin trapped between his fingers:
“Okay… not one of ours. Anyone recognize that?”
Two Time takes a tense, annoyed breath:
“If this is a joke, it’s not funny.”
Shedletsky tightens his grip on the sword:
“Everyone stay behind me.”
Guest1337 widens his eyes just slightly — but enough for those who know him to see his tension:
“This… is new.”
Elliot gives a nervous smile:
“So! Uh… do we wave? Say hi? Run? Scream?”
007n7:
“No one move. Let’s see what it does.”
The new Killer takes a step forward.
Calm.
Unhurried.
The dim light crosses their face for the first time — and at the same time reveals everything and nothing. They don’t look furious like John Doe. Nor empty like Azure. Nor feral like Guest666.
The gaze… is simply cold. Cold enough to chill even the most experienced survivors.
Two Time whispers, barely realizing:
“...What the hell are you?”
Dusekkar murmurs, flame flickering with unease:
“A stranger born of midnight’s breath… What path brings us this face of death?”
Chance pockets his coin with a sigh:
“Great. A new killer. Because clearly we didn’t have enough of those.”
Elliot tries to sound hopeful, but fails:
“Maybe they’re… friendly?”