Previously on Captivity...

Adrena hovered above the exhausted players, her dark hair shimmering in the light of the arena. With a sinister grin, she announced Team C as the victors, while the rest of the teams received a far more ominous fate. Player statuses flickered, revealing penalties for failure—skills and items were stripped, leaving everyone vulnerable.

Anex and Caleb, frustrated by their diminishing powers, realized their defenses were down, and without access to the coin shop, survival was looking grim. Meanwhile, Team C celebrated their narrow victory, unaware of the growing tension among the others. Nia, oblivious to the deadly stakes, basked in the team's praise, while Hinata's unsettling grin hinted at his ruthless nature. "She'll figure it out when she doesn’t meet her parents," he said coldly, unnerving his fellow teammates.

Awandea, on the other hand, was fuming. Frustrated with Lumin, she accused him of not trying hard enough in the level. But just as her anger reached its peak, a notification revealed that Lumin had sent her all his items. Confused, she confronted him, only to realize Lumin had been preparing all along, buying up supplies to ensure their survival in future levels. His calculating demeanor silenced her rage, though his actions raised unsettling questions.

As Lumin explained his foresight, Awandea’s anger turned to guilt. Yet, when she asked why they hadn’t helped others, Lumin’s cold, pragmatic response cut deep. "Everyone here is either predator or prey," he reminded her, his words dripping with the harsh truth of the game.

When Lumin stood to leave, Awandea, desperate for reassurance, grabbed his wrist and asked if he would abandon her when the time came. His reply was chilling: "I wouldn’t hesitate."

The bond between them, once fragile, now felt irreparably fractured as the harsh reality of Captivity closed in.

BARGAIN
ESCAPE THE HALL LV.3

Adrena reappeared in the hall, her presence instantly shifting the atmosphere. Every player’s gaze shot toward her, their expressions a mixture of anticipation and dread. They knew why she was here. The brief respite they'd been granted had come to an end, and the looming challenge of the third level of Round One was upon them. As Adrena floated effortlessly in the air, she gracefully descended onto the stage, her feet touching the ground with an eerie calmness. One by one, the players assembled before the stage, hearts pounding as they awaited their next trial.

"Well, hello again, my lovely, lovely players!" Adrena's voice rang out, her tone dripping with saccharine charm as she clasped her hands together. She wasn’t holding her usual staff this time, but far from providing relief, this only heightened the tension. If she didn’t need her staff, what could that mean?

“I hope you had a good rest,” she continued, her grin widening. With a snap of her fingers, a massive golden screen materialized above them, hovering in the air with glitching edges that flickered ominously. The players' eyes rose to the screen, nerves fraying as they read the words displayed.

Round One
Level Three
Preliminary Rounds
Target: Find the books hidden in the dorm rooms
Time Remaining: 4 hours
Obstacle: Whatever you feel
Reward: Special luxury item
Penalty: None

“The level is very simple,” Adrena said, her grin unwavering. "All you must do is find the book with your team number written on it. These books are hidden inside your dorm rooms. But—and here’s the fun part—you might not find your book in your dorm. You could very well stumble upon someone else’s. It’s up to you to find what’s meant for you."

The players exchanged uncertain glances, trying to make sense of this bizarre setup. Before anyone could speak, Adrena continued, "Oh, and one last thing—the keycards you’ve been using to access your dorms? Disabled." Her voice was sweet but sharp, like a blade hidden in silk. "New keycards have been placed on a table right in front of the dorm entrance. Happy hunting!"

With a final, all-too-pleased snap of her fingers, Adrena vanished.

For a moment, silence gripped the room. The lack of a penalty brought some relief, but it was a fragile comfort, one that could easily be shattered. Most players sighed in unison, taking a moment to digest the simplicity—and the potential danger—of the level. After all, nothing was ever as simple as it seemed in this twisted game.

But not Lumin. He didn’t share in their collective relief, nor did Awandea, who stood behind him, her brow furrowed with determination. Lumin glanced back at her, and without exchanging a word, they sprinted towards the dorm entrance.

"Why are they running like that?" Hiroto questioned, baffled by their urgency. "There’s no penalty. We could just take it easy and rest a bit."

Before he could finish, Hinata stepped forward, eyes sharp. "That Lumin kid... something’s off. Let’s follow him. Last time, we found the secret garden because I caught him scrutinizing the map with some kind of magnifying glass item. His moves are calculated. I think following him might give us an edge again."

Botan, standing beside him, nodded thoughtfully. "I hate riding on other people's coattails, but you’re right. If we want to survive, we need every advantage we can get."

Without further hesitation, Team C took off after Lumin and Awandea, pushing past any initial hesitation.

Across the hall, Demnin’s team, noticing the sudden rush, quickly followed suit. Soon, Anex’s team, Florida’s team, and Nicole’s team—all groups bonded by friendship and trust—joined the mad dash, each hoping that they weren’t making a mistake by following the leaders.

The heavy sound of footfalls echoed through the corridors as the players raced toward the dorm entrance. They arrived, panting and out of breath, only to be greeted by an empty table.

All the keycards were gone.

“Did they seriously take all the keycards?” Hinata muttered under his breath, staring at the barren surface of the long table positioned right at the entrance. His teeth grazed his nails in nervous habit as his mind raced to piece together the reasoning behind such a move.

“What are they planning?” Botan grumbled, frustrated. His sharp eyes scanned the table, then the floor, hoping against hope for a missed card, but there was nothing.

"It doesn't make sense," Hiroto added, his voice tight. "There's no penalty this time. Why go through the trouble of grabbing all the cards?"

Hinata frowned, his mind racing as he replayed Lumin’s actions. "That guy doesn’t do anything without a reason. There’s something about this level we’re not seeing yet. We’ll have to think on our feet if we’re going to keep up with him."

With a sigh, the players stood at the threshold, tension mounting as they faced a new layer of uncertainty. There was no clear way forward, but one thing was obvious: Lumin and Awandea had a plan, and whatever it was, they were already several steps ahead.

Demnin stepped forward, his posture confident, and his Team B quickly followed him as they crossed the threshold into the dorm building. The other players watched his decisive movement, the unspoken tension hanging in the air. Hinata, still lingering near the entrance, let out a frustrated sigh.

"Let’s just go in like they did," he muttered to his team, though his voice carried a hint of resignation. Caleb, the unofficial leader of their group, glanced at his teammates, nodding firmly. Without further hesitation, they followed Demnin’s lead, their footsteps echoing in the now bustling hallway. One by one, the other teams—Team AC, Team C, and Team AB—joined the flow, silently filing into the dorm building. The air was thick with nervous energy.

Demnin’s eyes scanned the long hallway ahead, quickly zeroing in on Lumin and Awandea, who were standing in front of their own dorm room. The two had already managed to isolate themselves from the crowd, clearly focused on their task. Demnin’s gaze dropped to the bag slung across Lumin’s shoulder, realization dawning. They had the keycards. All of them in that bag.

"You guys," Demnin called out, his voice calm but with a slight edge. He approached them slowly, a forced smile creeping onto his face as he spoke. "We need a keycard, at least for our dorm. We’re Team B." His eyes flicked from Lumin to Awandea, who remained stoic, her face unreadable. Demnin tried again, this time directing his smile specifically at Awandea, hoping for some acknowledgment.

Awandea didn’t respond with a smile. Instead, she turned, sliding the keycard through the reader with a swift motion. The door clicked open, and without sparing another glance at Demnin, she stepped inside the room. Demnin started to follow her, hoping to reason with her directly, but before he could take another step, Lumin moved, positioning himself directly in front of the door, blocking his path.

Demnin paused, raising an eyebrow. "Can I get a keycard from you?" he asked, his tone still polite but now strained. "Our team’s, please. We’re Team B." He held out his hand, expecting Lumin to oblige, but Lumin simply stared back, his expression cold and calculating.

"500 coins per card," Lumin stated bluntly.

Demnin blinked in surprise, momentarily stunned into silence. Before he could react, Nicole, standing with her teammates Veerle and Pierre, stepped forward angrily.

"You can’t do that!" she exclaimed, her voice rising with fury. "Those keycards were meant for all of us!"

Lumin turned his head slightly, his gaze flickering toward her. "No rule," he muttered.

Nicole’s frustration only grew, her fists clenched as she stared him down. "What do you mean, ‘no rule’? Are you seriously saying there’s no rule preventing you from taking all the keycards and charging us for them?"

Pierre chimed in, shaking his head in disbelief. "Sure, technically there might not be a rule against it, but don’t you have a heart? How can you demand money from us when the game barely gave us any starting coins? We each have, what, 5,000 coins max? You’re asking for a fifth of that just for a keycard?"

Lumin shrugged, his indifference palpable. He showed no signs of bending to their complaints. Before the argument could escalate further, Awandea’s voice came from inside the dorm.

"I found a book," she called out to Lumin. She emerged from the room, holding a thin, leather-bound volume in her hand. "It was under the bed, but it’s not ours."

She handed the book to Lumin, and for a brief moment, they stood close, their shoulders nearly brushing. They exchanged no words about their proximity, each focused solely on the task at hand. Lumin flipped through the book, glancing at the team number written inside. "Okay," he said, nodding at Awandea.

Lumin turned swiftly, nearly colliding with Demnin, who stepped back just in time to avoid a collision. Without a word, Lumin moved toward the next dorm, Awandea close behind. As they approached the door, Lumin reached into his bag, handing Awandea another keycard. She swiped it through the reader, and with the same familiar beep, the door unlocked. She stepped inside to continue her search, leaving Lumin standing at the threshold, once again serving as an impassable wall between the other teams and the room.

"Are you really not going to give us a keycard?" Anex asked, her voice laced with irritation as she addressed Lumin.

Lumin’s eyes darkened as he shot her a cold glare. Before he could respond, Caleb, always quick to act, moved in front of Anex, shielding her from Lumin’s piercing stare. He smiled disarmingly at Lumin, his voice calm and measured. "Can you answer her question, please?"

Lumin remained silent, his gaze locked on Caleb for a long moment before he returned his focus to the dorm room, waiting for Awandea to finish searching. His silence only added to the mounting frustration of the others, but no one dared press him further, realizing that Lumin wasn’t easily swayed by emotional pleas or arguments.

Awandea continued this routine, entering one room after another. By the time she reached the eighth room on the floor, she found the book that belonged to Team AB. She emerged from the room, holding the book up for Lumin to see.

"This one’s for Team AB," she said, handing it over.

Lumin took the book without hesitation, his expression neutral as he turned and walked toward Florida, who was watching the exchange from a short distance away. Without a word, he extended the book toward her. "Here," he said simply.

Florida blinked, momentarily taken aback. She cautiously accepted the book, her confusion evident as she looked down at it. Upon seeing her team’s number on the cover, her face softened in surprise. Lumin had given her the book without charging her anything.

Awandea offered Florida a small, almost imperceptible smile before turning and heading to the next dorm, resuming her search.

Hinata, still watching from nearby, stepped forward, his curiosity getting the better of him. "Are you going to give us our book if you find it?" he asked cautiously.

Lumin, without looking directly at him, nodded once in acknowledgment. Then, as if the conversation was over, he returned to his silent vigil outside the room where Awandea searched.

Hinata and the others exchanged confused glances. None of them understood why Lumin and Awandea were doing this—why they were shouldering the burden of the search for everyone else. But whatever their reasons, it was clear that they weren’t here to harm anyone. For now, at least, the other teams' work had been cut in half, and for that, they were cautiously grateful.

Hinata wanted to ask more, but he decided against it. There would be time for questions later. For now, they had to focus on getting through this level—especially with Lumin and Awandea silently guiding the way.