The hallway stretched out in both directions—long and endless.
Dim lights hummed overhead, casting a weird, yellow hospital glow.
It was like a hotel corridor that had gone on strike.
Door after door lined the walls, identical and a little too clean.
I looked around, disoriented.
Was I in some interdimensional hotel for lost souls?
Because if so, the customer service sucked.
That's when an elf walked up—dark skin, sharp eyes, ears so pointy they looked like they could slice paper.
And of course, he was gorgeous. Naturally.
"Hi there," he said, too smoothly.
"…Uh. Hi."
"You look new."
"I am." I kept my answers short. No need to offer more than necessary.
"Well then," he smiled, "I could take you to a really good gate…"
Yeah, no.
Classic red flag. The kind of offer you turn down in horror movies right before the first body drops.
"Thanks, but no thanks. I'm looking for Gate -273."
The smile cracked just a bit.
"Oh… that one." He smirked, a little too knowingly.
"..."
"Yeah, that one's not popular."
"Not popular?"
"Nope. That's why it's shoved way in the back corner of this building. Like in the shadows. On purpose."
Before I could ask more, a dwarf came puffing up behind him—short, stout, and built like a bowling ball.
He had a helmet that looked like it had been through a war and survived just to spite someone.
"Which gate are you looking for?" he asked, eyeing me suspiciously.
The elf beat me to it. "-273."
"WHAT?!"
The dwarf practically choked on his own beard.
The elf leaned toward me, his grin slick. "Nobody goes there anymore. Hasn't been touched in years."
He glanced at the dwarf. "Right?"
"Right," the dwarf nodded firmly. "Dustiest gate in the complex."
"See?" The elf turned back to me. "Come with me instead. I know a gate that's way better."
My eyes narrowed.
"…You get something out of dragging me to your gate, don't you?"
"Uh…"
The dwarf jumped in like he'd been waiting.
"Recommenders earn commission. Minor bonuses. Helps their gate grow."
The elf's eyes widened. "Okay wow, why would you say that out loud?"
"It's not a secret," the dwarf grunted. "It's business."
The elf coughed. "It's a tiny amount. I just wanted to help."
"And my gate's a mining tutorial," the dwarf added. "Real stable. Good for newbies like you."
Stable? That sounded like slow, boring, and full of pickaxes.
I had zero desire to become a digital dwarf miner.
The elf snorted. "Yeah. Real stable. Once you go in, you'll be mining 'til you die."
The tension between them thickened, and both looked at me—like door-to-door salesmen waiting for a yes.
I stared.
'Not a chance. I'm not going with either of you clowns.'
"So anyway... where is Gate -273?"
The temperature dropped instantly.
They exchanged a look. Then:
"You'll have to find it yourself. Deepest corner of the building," said the elf.
"Good luck finding it in your lifetime," added the dwarf.
And just like that, they both vanished into side corridors.
Like low-budget NPCs who'd just finished their dialogue tree.
I turned to the glass wall by the front entrance.
It was clear now—no line, no noise, just the soft hum of the interface waiting.
Good.
As I stepped closer, the screen lit up with a pulse of light.
「You may not exit without entering a gate.」
"…Relax. I just wanted to check something."
The digital figure rolled its eyes. Literally.
Then sighed.
「What is it?」
"That gate you recommended earlier—Gate -276—I don't have to go in there, right?"
「What? Are you trying to die?」
"…Excuse me?"
「Guests must complete a gate within 2 hours. That's the only way to leave.」
"…Wait. I thought I had 2 hours total, then I'd get kicked out?"
「Nope. You've been verified. You're on the 6-hour system now.」
"…What does that even mean?"
「It means your timer starts at 6 hours. The more victories you earn, the more time you get in future runs.」
So it's a leveling timer now? Great.
Exactly what I needed: a time-based performance review.
"…Who brought me here without telling me any of this?"
The interface blinked, unimpressed.
「That's on your sponsor. Should've briefed you.」
I exhaled sharply through my nose.
"…Fine. Just tell me where Gate -273 is."
「Go to the top floor. Turn left. All the way down. Last door on the left.」
"Thanks. For real."
「Don't mention it. Hope to see you again.」
The glass-woman winked.
Out of sheer habit, I bowed slightly.
Model teacher reflex.
Inside, though?
'Please never again.'