Chapter Text
[You have entered a dungeon]
Sung Jinwoo felt a sudden rush of nostalgia as his eyes glazed over the sparse remnant of crystals and monster corpses. He chuckled darkly as the view reminded him of the various deathly games he would've played with when he was still an E-rank hunter. Considered the weakest of all, no less.
Bittersweet, he hurried, searching for the group of hunters which had already been scavenging through the reported C-rank dungeon. Little did they know, they entered may be worse than an S-ranked one.
The double lair.
"Shit… Where are they?!" He hissed in frustration after another fruitless turn.
And then it hit him, the layout, he knew it. He could swear he recognised the cave extending in front of him. It was as if he had travelled through once already.
"How uncreative…" He sighed, feeling like the powered being supporting his growth could've tried changing the display, at least for the sake of novelty.
He turned back, walked over his steps, and took a new turn. He knew exactly where to go.
Jinwoo sped up through the darkness of the tunnel when he could finally feel the negligible presence of the raid team's hunters.
Once close enough but still far enough for him to remain undetected, he listened to their voices.
"You wanna go back after we went this far?!" A man whined childishly; his voice was nosey and tired.
"What else can we do? The door won't open even with magic," A young woman stated anxiously.
It reassured Jinwoo hearing those words, proof these hunters hadn't been eradicated inside the sacrificial temple.
"Shouldn't we go ask for the help of a larger guild?" Another one sighed, dejected.
"Yeah… maybe."
Jinwoo understood their reaction. He, too, thrived for wealth back when he had nothing; and a dungeon as such sure sounded like a gold mine to low-level hunters.
A tank-looking guy tried to pry the heavy doors open one more time. He was unsuccessful.
"It's a trap," The S-ranked finally voiced from the shadows, shocking the entire group which had already been on edge.
"Fucking hell!"
"Who and what the fuck?!" One sassed, irritated.
He walked forwards, unwavering. "A survivor from the double dungeon incident." He pointed at the steel door with his chin, hands in his pockets and army tucked in the shade he cast.
They seemed unconvinced, whispering quietly among themselves.
"Wait! Shit. Are you the S-ranked hunter Sung Jinwoo?!" A younger man interjected in a mix of hope and weariness.
"Now that you mention it…." A girl hesitated, analysing the man's face. She turned to the person standing next to her and softly mumbled: "Why would there be an S-rank here?"
Jinwoo ignored them and walked through their group; they parted to let him pass as if following unspoken rules.
"I know what exists behind those." He mumbled, a hint of nervousness in his tone as he caressed the cold material.
Jinwoo was invited here and wasn't sure what to expect of it as he nervously rolled the ominous [Key to Carthanon temple] between his thumb and index.
The hunter hadn't known fear for a while. However, the sentiment pressing on his lungs could only be described as that; fear.
"This place is incredibly dangerous. So, I hope you will understand why I am asking you to exit this dungeon immediately," He commanded, looking back towards the group.
"Hey! Mister S-rank!" Jeered the one who insisted they continued earlier, the Guild Master. "You simply cannot legally ask us to leave. We, the Bravery Guild, bought the permit to raid this dungeon in its entirety!"
"T-that's right!" Another chimed in, visibly terrified. "Being an S-rank isn't e-everything, you know!"
He could only glare in answer, feeling like this discussion would lead to nowhere. The girl retracted into her shoulders, regretting her words.
Jinwoo focused on the door, analysing it briefly as he attempted to pry it open with only his strength. It didn't budge. He then recognised a keyhole under his wrist and slotted the key he owned inside. Without even turning it, the doors slid open in a loud rumble as they scratched the cave's floor.
Gasps were heard in his back, and whispers ensued. He looked at the hunters in amusement.
"Won't stop you," He said, grinning almost. "Try to step in."
None seemed as courageous as they previously were when arguing with the high-ranked hunter. To be fair, this room emitted evil. It reeked of death. It felt like a perfectly tailored graveyard, and it was.
"I'll go!" The guild master huffed with pride, unable to hide the frantic shaking of his hands.
Jinwoo said nothing, letting him honour his words.
He walked up to the S-rank, mustering all the courage he could before stepping inside the room.
[An individual non-holder of the key to Carthanon temple has entered]
[Access has been denied]
[Upon entry, the gatekeepers will retaliate]
Jinwoo mused at the notification when the man continued his slow trudge into the temple.
A loud click was heard, and he quickly pulled the guild master back into safety before the gatekeeper's hammer could behead him. The echo hurled when stone met stone, and the floor tremored with its sheer strength.
The low-rank hunter was on the floor, livid; a sheen of cold sweat coated his skin.
"Those are the weakest ones," Jinwoo explained. "Still feeling like entering?"
None answered, too shocked and humiliated to find a way with words. Their only option was to vacate like the S-rank hunter previously recommended them.
Jinwoo finally walked in, ignoring the remnant feeling his body had engraved in his psyche. He wasn't the same as when he first stepped in, and he had to act accordingly. Back straight and stride confident.
[The one holding the key to Carthanon temple has entered]
The doors slammed shut.
Jinwoo glared around, recognising the source of his unique existence.
His pulse picked up uncontrollably, and he noticed something he hadn't before. All the statues were void of mana, even the gargantuan one. However, energetic webs constricted them, similar to strings supporting puppets, and all converged in one spot. The seraph remained in quiet viciousness, like a core to a nightmare and a holder to its rules.
"So, it was you all along," He spoke loudly, walking towards the winged statue.
It did not answer nor move.
Was it furry or amusement, Jinwoo's lips extended in a frantic grin as he called for his dagger, a plan to murder on his mind. His grip white around the handle, he plunged the blade towards the creature's chest, and less than a second later, he dug into the stone of the tablet which used to be on its stomach.
"Finally," It cackled, grinning sharp as the air thickened with a bone-chilling aura. "You've arrived."
Jinwoo bared his teeth, summoning a second knife when the bearer of six wings stood in a symphony of rolling joints. It was old, potent, and incredibly malicious.
The hunter was hunched over, legs tensed and sensory receptors raw with attention.
The seraph gazed at the damaged tablet and let it fall to the floor, splitting smile increasing in malignant playfulness.
As a witness, Jinwoo chuckled in disbelief, "To think those were a joke from the very beginning..."
"There were no jokes," It slurred, putrid smell escaping its throat. "Only guidelines."
"Sure... Are you the one who called me here?" He asked voice raspier than intended.
The creature cackled.
"Such truth. I'm proud of you," It voiced, popping its joint as if loosening itself.
"What are you?"
"Wrong question," It answered, shaking its head.
Jinwoo furrowed his brows.
"Rather than questioning my existence, you should wonder about yours." It cackled, proud of the hunter's confused glare. "Shall we get along with the final test?"
"The final test?" Jinwoo asked, distrusting.
"If you remain on your two feet when the timer runs out, I shall disclose all you ever wondered about." It snapped its fingers, menacingly cackling again. "Consider it your last reward."
The statues circling the room stepped down from their pedestals in a chaotic mess of crumbling stone.
Jinwoo's first reflex was to call upon the trustworthy shadows he had raised for the very sake of this moment, but the interaction was cancelled.
[Class specific skills are sealed for the duration of the final test]
He growled at the angel-like devil, baring his teeth in pure hatred.
It snickered in satisfaction.
[Usage of potions and store functions are prohibited for the duration of the final test]
[Status recovery due to levelling up and quest completion bonuses are not applicable for the duration of the final test]
[The doors to Carthanon temple will remain shut until the final test terminates]
Jinwoo almost wanted to become hysterical with every tone announcing novel restrictions to the biased test. All his preparation efforts had been rendered useless; he hadn't ever escaped, simply delayed a bad ending.
The hunter snorted, eyes fueled with determination and bloodthirst so potent he doubted another S-rank could remain standing even kilometres away.
His fingers tightened around the handles of his daggers; he craved for the schemer's death. Only blood drawn from his own gums could keep him sane enough to not eradicate his only chance at answers.
He'd play along for a little longer, one last act as a puppet before he was set free.
Jinwoo exhaled, ragged and boiling. Eyes shut, he gathered all the information he could perceive around his body. It ranged from the low pitched rumble of the statues' steps to the delicate rubbing of his hair on the shell of his ears.
He was more focused than ever, an illusion of unshakable control. A puppet turned puppeteer.
He opened his eyes, radiant with mana as he sensitised his sight; his entire sensory system was on edge.
The opponents who had appeared lethal and unreachable during his first visit seemed sluggish as they hauled themselves disorderly. However, they were still high in number, and Jinwoo couldn't afford to lower his guard.
There were spears, war axes, bows and arrows, swords, and spiked maces. All at once, they surged at the hunter, swinging their weapons haphazardly and chaotically using each other as steppingstones.
Jinwoo dodged and countered their attacks with his daggers. Never hesitating twice when smashing their faces in with his bare fists and stomping on their limbs until only dust remained. His [Demon King's Daggers] severed countless limbs as a tribute to their sharpness. He was pleasantly surprised to see the ease with which they sliced through stone like it was butter.
The angel's grin had faded away, dissatisfied with the lack of struggle shown by Jinwoo. It wondered whether the test had been too easy or the player had grown too strong.
Wasn't it good for the receptacle to be robust?
Its smile came back as it mused with the idea of a faster remission for the Monarch. Excited, the creature decided to add to the test's difficulty and began to fuel the God-like sculpture.
"You mother fucker!" Jinwoo hurled when witnessing the gargantuan lord arising from its throne.
It was unhurried and ancient; like a sovereign, it held its head high, and only its pupils dwelled on the hunter like they would on a microbe. The god's shell was sturdy, its defence barely penetrable, and it had the power to ruin a stronghold in a single swipe of its arm.
"Shit-shit-shit!" Jinwoo swore, spiteful.
He felt trapped, overwhelmed. The goliath lowered its hand and began to scrape the floor; it obliterated all that encountered its mana-infused stone, ally or enemy. It appeared playful, like a child toying with barbies in a dollhouse, ripping and switching heads and legs.
Jinwoo couldn't dodge nor physically counter. Instead, activating his ruler's reach, the hunter propped a bunch of decaying statues in a line, producing a make-shift shield. He hoped that would protect at most his body and at least his life; he still craved for revenge and wouldn't perish unsatisfied.
[Skill Upgrade: Ruler's Reach —> Ruler's Authority]
"Nice!" He huffed, ecstatic when using his new telekinetic strength to force the god's arm away. "Now we're fucking speaking!"
The hunter swiped a sleeve over his forehead, wiping the sweat away in a short instant of breath recovery. The horde of weaker statues seemed irrelevant now that he could erase them in a single movement of his fingers.
Jinwoo chuckled; seeing the fake heroes pinned to the ground as their bodies were dismantling appeared oddly satisfying.
Only one hardy thorn remained in his foot.
It took a while for him to pierce through the stone sovereign's tough outer layer. Though, with his new ability allowing for airborne movements, his efficient weapons, and mana-infused muscular structure, he ended victoriously; the statue's grinning face had crumbled into millions of pieces. The giant dipped, merging with its allies in a hill of defeat and destruction.
Jinwoo was relieved, drained and strained. His breathing was erratic, and his clothes were like rags, fabric barely shielding his body anymore. Only stripes of bloody, dirtied skin could be seen.
"Incredible!" The seraph exhilarated, hand-clapping condescendingly. Its smile was putrid and splitting while its pupils glowed with maleficence.
"You swore to give answers!" Jinwoo pointed out through ragged breaths.
"But the test has only begun," It briefly pouted, striding loudly towards the stationary hunter. Halting centimetres away, its back bent until its face loomed over Jinwoo's head. "I'm still standing, aren't I?"
The hunter glared, lips pursing in distaste.
In a gruesome opera of cracks and snaps, the wings shifted until they shaped six arms in the angel's back; two additional ones grew in his armpits. It looked unsightly, vile, and sly.
"Despicable piece of shit!" The hunter spat, unwavering when he raised two mana-glowing eyes.
"Haha, funny little bug," It chortled, mocking and confident. "And don't worry for my life. We're here to test you, aren't we."
Jinwoo shuddered at the meaning of those words; even if only he tried to conceal his power, he wasn't sure he'd make it out of this tomb alive.
[Quest: Emergency quest issued]
Clear Condition: Defeat the enemy before the time runs out
Remaining Time: 10:00
*Warning* — Upon failure: Player Sung Jinwoo's heart will refrain from beating until death ensues
The hunter gulped down dry saliva, fear and confusion meddling as the standing of his opponent was revealed.
[That's right] "That's right," It grinned in orgasmic pleasure. Jinwoo's senses were overwhelmed by the unnatural echo of the system's announcement. [I am the system's architect] "I am the system's architect."
"Fuck off!" He hurled back, feeling dazed.
[Catch me if you can] "Catch me if you can!" It cackled in an unharmonized manner.
Before Jinwoo could react, his back was embedded in a wall, and a rhythmic beat scorched through his forearms. It felt as if his bones had shattered into dust. Fortunately, his reflexes were more efficient than his controlled actions, or his nose would have already pushed inside his skull.
He groaned, standing back up on firm legs. He cracked the vertebrae of his neck it two strong pushes of his chin and positioned himself in a predatorial stance.
He was announcing it; he was ready to fight.
The angel couldn't help but feel worry and pride as it focused on the hunter's savage, powerful gaze. Shivers rolled down its spine, and it took a fighting position, arms arched in a spider-like manner.
They met in the centre, Jinwoo paring every punch the angel statue attempted to hit him with. Despite its eight arms drilling toward the player, it remained unable to corner him. Its movements became more rushed and less precise as it was growing impatient.
Jinwoo was hyper-aware of everything, so attentive he almost suffered from oversensitivity.
The advantage with over-powered opponents was that they usually had a superiority complex. If someone weaker even dared stand on equal grounds, they lost composure and made errors. The architect demonstrated just that, allowing the hunter to finally hit him clean, right through the jaw.
He snickered.
It stumbled back, expression dazed as it brought a hand to touch the crumbling stone of its face.
"Hurts, huh?" Jinwoo taunted, making the powerful statue glare at him in disbelief. It growled, eight hands extending out to receive the weaker statues' scattered weapons in each.
"You can do that too?" The dark-haired one feigned disappointment with a mocking spark in his eyes.
In defiance, he straightened his stance and looked down on the architect.
[Remaining Time: 04:57]
They both surged at each other again, one more feral than ever and the other calculative.
In terms of power, Jinwoo was undeniably weaker. However, the architect didn't have much experience fighting with someone using tricks to compensate for the power difference, and that's exactly how the hunter fought when overwhelmed.
In a swift movement, he ripped a piece of his rag-like t-shirt and threw it in between them, blocking the creator's vision momentarily. It stilled for a fraction of a second, and it was enough for Jinwoo's blades to slice right through one of its arms.
It shrieked.
[Die!] It screeched menacingly, forgetting that its original objective was to assess the player's strength.
"I won't!" Jinwoo hurled in answer, defending against the incredibly powerful blow of the spiked mace.
He could see the weaker statues were getting rebuilt around him, but he prevented it by activating his authority.
"Coward!" He hissed, smashing the angel's face onto his right knee and taking another of its arms while it remained stunned from the shock.
It took no longer for Jinwoo to finally overpower it, and both knew how this fight would end from this point on.
The angel's ego was shattered —breaking further with each of his arms getting severed— but it seemed relieved at the same time. Jinwoo wouldn't know, but it was glad to see the receptacle was likely strong enough to not break at the sheer contact of the Monarch's will.
The architect fell to its knees as the S-ranked hunter pointed menacing blades to its throat. He stood proud —his throat wheezing with each breath he took— and the creature could only bow its head in defeat.
[I lost] It admitted as the room settled in stillness. [The test has ended].
[Remaining Time: 00:34]
Jinwoo stared at the countdown for a while, ensuring the deceitful angel hadn't told him another lie.
His skin felt like a scorching desert, sweat and mana evaporating out of his pores in an ominous mist. He glared at the statue, head high and gaze crushing, belittling almost.
"Who am I?" He asked tentatively, thinking back on the statue's earlier critique.
The creature grinned, letting the hunter's heavy breath be the only source of echo in the temple.
[I am proud] It spoke through the system. [However, the answer exists within yourself] It added cryptically.
The hunter's brows knitted in confusion.
[Recalling data stored in the system's memory]
[Authorization to proceed with the playback]
? (Y/N) ?
He glared at the windows floating before him, wondering whether getting deceived was worth receiving answers.
"I accept," Jinwoo spoke with confidence, still wary of the architect's sudden submissiveness.
[Successful upload of the stored data]
[Screening begins...]
The floor swiped away from his feet, and he fell.
He dropped so fast and so deep he felt like Alice travelling to the Wonderland. Unable to locate the top from the bottom, the left from the right. He was falling, and that was all he knew.
Colourful beams began to manifest in his field of vision. They were like instant memories, making him reminisce about forgotten feelings. And they thickened, gradually overwhelming his senses until all was white and blinding.
He finally stilled as a scene painted itself in front of his clouded pupils.
Blood-red soils and violet skies.
There was a mismatched army on stand-by. Jinwoo detailed it; monsters of many races were mingling with each other in a tight group of anxiety. No disparity reigned in the mass. There was no cannon fodder nor general. The tall and the short, the strong and the weak, were randomly mixed and glaring up in unification towards a midnight-tinted lake over their heads.
The black gate cracked open with such strength the entire world seemed to quake around them. Silver-armoured angels fell from the inky door, wings on their backs and spears in their hands. Their god-like sheen gathered in a thick cloud, looming dangerously over the footed army.
Horns were blown, and on cue, the ethereal army began to move.
Silver dropped, diving down like thousands of nuclear heads and likely carrying comparable strength.
The scene Jinwoo was spectating had been a one-sided massacre. The monsters he was so used to obliterating were wiped in bundles of a hundred in a single swipe of the winged ones' weapons. They were like farmers reaping wheat under the scorching sun of a countryside summer.
They came pouring out of the inky gate in an endless cycle. Silver rain dropped, swiped and flew back up. Floods were sent in short intervals, creating a massive wheel of death. They were like the Grimm Reaper's personal combine harvester.
Rare were the ones who did not fly back up.
Jinwoo almost felt bad for the monsters stuck on the ground. Black sludge was forming at their feet as the blood of their peers blended with dirt.
When the battle's direction was already decided, the silver army suddenly froze. Their brows twisted in fear, and their limbs began trembling in anticipation.
The hunter turned around to investigate the object of their terror.
There was a midnight lake —twin to the airborne gate— following a duet of potent shadows on the ground. The smoked figures were majestic, royal almost, and Jinwoo instinctively recognised the bigger one.
The Shadow Monarch.
He was a dark and impressive knight, riding on an inky horse with comparable stature.
However, Jinwoo did not recognise the Monarch's peer; it held onto its arm, appearing demon-like. The figure was svelte and beguiling; it was like an incubus under the moonlight. Beautiful horns were mounted on its head, and otherworldly wings extended on its back.
The most abnormal was that Jinwoo could see its eyes —tempting blue storms— staring directly at his own. He was taken aback, but his focus quickly switched to the battlefield as the Monarch sent his army towards the massacred grounds.
"Arise." He spoke —did not scream. Yet the hunter could feel his very psyche shake at the undeniable command echoing in his head.
Like a fever dream, the field of deceased monsters was draped in an eerie black veil, and the dead rose to life in a ripple. They did slowly, forgetting their flesh shells, and each became stronger than they had ever been in their entire life. They did not spare time before they slaughtered their own allies so these too could earn the privilege of joining the immortal army too.
Jinwoo trembled in excitement, witnessing the strength his future could hold. He felt restless, jittery.
Despite the fear on their faces, the winged soldiers dived down, probably obeying their orders. The massacre reversed. Each angel who dared venture close enough ended up ripped apart and dealt no damage to the shadow army despite their skilled attacks.
The Monarch spoke, and they were tainted dark, flying back up not to go home but to murder their peers turned enemy. No matter how many poured out of the gate, no more than a tenth returned safely.
They felt the happiest under the reign of the shadows.
The Monarch rode on his horse, finally joining in on the warfare. The demon-like entity followed near, wings so sharp they beheaded the silver-wearers without a struggle; bugs on his path. The Monarch used his authority, and many were mashed in a puddle of bodily fluids. The two grinned at each other, amused and proud.
Their banter held no longer when they discovered new gates farther in front of them. Infantries walked out in an organised manner, holding banners embedded with clan crests Jinwoo was familiar with. He had seen them on the higher floors of the Demon's Castle.
So, the newcomers were demons, high in number and fresh in resources.
Jinwoo's heart ached as if a friend had turned against him. He seemed to endure the same emotions as the ones expressed on the Monarch's face.
The first to react was the winged darling. It growled terrifyingly and wiped an entire squad in a single movement of his newly summoned sword. Some demons were shouting at it, painting it a traitor.
The beautiful being only hissed in answer, swinging another enraged blade at them. The Monarch called it back, rubbed its back in support, and sent a squadron of his towards the new threat. He rose fresh soldiers from blood tainted soils and waited in the middle of the carnage for his victory to be yelled.
The Shadow Monarch was gaining more and more terrain with every wave of death, but his mana was running low.
The couple joined their soldiers, partaking in the massacre ongoing. Desperately chasing after the one belittling him from his unethical throne. When the Monarch reached the demons' Ruler, he surged at its throat, fingers digging in its flesh. At the same time, his beguiling peer focused on ripping the venomous throne apart.
A king without a throne was no less than cannon fodder.
Jinwoo shut his eyes tight, feeling his heart twist in pain, resentment and sorrow. It was as if he had been wronged, betrayed. He felt tightness in his hand, and thick liquid tickled his skin as it dribbled down to the earth.
He opened dazed eyes and was met with two pairs of glowing orbs. His fingers were buried deep within the creature's neck, and it stared right back at him. The winged creature he had seen helping the Shadow Monarch earlier was nowhere to be seen, and the throne remained intact. It was only him and the dying demon. Staring at the white of each other's eyes.
The hunter heard it speak in a foreign language, unable to let go of his grip until it fell limp, dead.
Then he recognised it, laying like that on the war-bloodied soils. He recognised it, the Monarch of the White flames, Demon King Baran.
[...screening of the saved data has ended]
Jinwoo woke up in cottony chaos. He was confused, convinced the architect promised him reminiscence. He had earned premonitions instead. He wondered if it might've been both, a hint at his origins and future.
A hint at destiny.
It took him a while to regain his senses. However, he was disturbingly aware of the incessant and desynchronised beats which resonated deep within his chest. It was as if two hearts were battling in the tight cavity behind his lungs.
He stood up silently, hiding his presence to not stir any attention while remaining in introspection. He felt raw, unstable power surge through his veins and arteries. It burnt so much it was like his vessels were liquifying in a sludge of bloody mana.
There was a potent yet submissive power boiling within himself.
His face distorted, and he kept his vocal cords from acting up. Black marbling appeared in ugly, disgusting trails of thick, potent blood across his skin.
[Item — Black Heart]
Requirement: Reminiscent memories of defeating the Demon King, Baran, Sovereign of the White Flames
Type: Organic; Body part
Effect: MP +100 000
Status: Unstable
Remaining Time until Assimilation: 8759:59:59
He choked at the view of the time needed for the heart to stabilise. Human beings were weak creatures; he couldn't deny it. Feeling such acute pain from an object being inserted inside his constitution. He was convinced Igris or Beru would've been fine in a similar situation.
He couldn't handle that torture for an entire year. Even less when considering he had to protect his world from annihilation at the same time.
At least this novel heart had earned him a new title: Demon Hunter.
Wiping the sheen of sweat dotting his sick-looking skin, he finally tuned in on the surrounding world. Jinwoo devoured stimuli as if deprived of any for millennia.
"But… Every other human —beside you— will die today." He heard the familiar cackling of the architect grow within the temple.
Jinwoo could only see its back, but it sufficed to irritate him enough for the pain to fuel anger like water on an oil fire.
"Says who?" He answered, announcing his awakeness and waiting less than a second before smashing his knuckles through the despicable angel's cranium.
It flew through the room and crashed in a chaos of stones and metals.
The hunter dashed to his nemesis, ignoring his surroundings as all that mattered was his revenge. He did not care for the very futile presence of the hunters in the room with him. His raw aura was now so potent it was hard to prevent them from choking on his bloodthirst.
Jinwoo appeared like a demon, an inhumane glow in his predatorial eyes. He grabbed onto the angel's head, denting the stone of its skull with the sheer pressure of his flesh fingers.
"What the fuck did you do to me?" He groaned, gurgled almost, so deep and hateful that only the monster laying underneath could understand his message.
"H-how?" Its voice waiver. "How did you retain your ego with the Black Heart embedded in your chest!?" It asked, utterly floored at the revelation.
Things hadn't gone according to its plans, and Jiwoo tightened his grip when he realised how foolish he had been. His existence was mere fodder, meant to be erased, not proclaimed.
Pain and hate driving him, the hunter lifted the thing's skull to only smash it into the rubbles again. Deep cracks appeared along its jaw and neck. The architect seemed so weak and fragile under the hunter's grip.
"Explain yourself!" He ordered.
The veins nearer to the surface of his skin were bulging unsightly, his circulatory system overwhelmed with the raptured power circulating through his cells. His head felt like it could burst any second.
The statue didn't answer, irises glowing with its last reserves of mana in an attempt to save its life. Jinwoo summoned his blades, sending them to deal with the crumbling soldiers as he activated his ruler's authority.
The architect's face split in a mocking smile.
"Who knows what might happen to you if I die." The angel cackled in a bluff, pebbles crumbling away from its figure as it shook.
Jinwoo stared him down like toying with a mere ant.
He scoffed, leaning near its face. Its breath hitched when he blew on the uncovered part of its skin.
"A system doesn't crumble when its creator perishes. It remains untouched, pristine." He slurred in a dangerous promise.
[System has denied the System's Administrator's access]
[System has denied the System's Administrator's access]
[System has denied the System's Administrator's access]
"No! No-no-no!" The creature panicked, squirming chaotically under the heir's pressure. "Please! I beg you! Please!"
[System has denied the System's Administrator's access]
"You're so loud," Jinwoo complained, rolling his eyes.
Then, under the white jointed grip of the hunter's fist, the architect's head exploded into oblivion. Jinwoo took his time to rip the legs off its body and further tore it into two even pieces. Once done, his anger finally cooled and left him to deal with the invasive sensation of misery throughout his entire body.
A loud ringing called for his attention.
[Easter Egg — Unlocked]
Unlocking conditions: The Architect's Death; Black Heart
Difficulty: ???
Clear Conditions: Aid the Reader in avoiding death until he d%$tr@y? the t#r@?&
Restrictions: Mana capped to 5% of its current reserve (gradual increase as the Reader survives each scenario); Stats capped to 50% of their current numbers until success/failure; One shadow soldier can be summoned per day (regardless of mana reserves); Shadow soldiers stats capped to 50% of their current numbers until success/failure
Remaining Time: Undetermined (48:00:00)
Reward: Shadow hide (class-specific skill); Black Heart's assimilation; Stats multiplied by 1.5 after closing the [Gate to Another World]; ???
Fail conditions: The Reader's death; The Regressor's death; Active tampering with the other worldline's Main Scenario
*Warning* — Upon failure: The Heir of the Shadow Monarch (Sung Jinwoo) will be trapped inside the [Gate to Another World]; The Heir of the Shadow Monarch (Sung Jinwoo) will be stripped of any system-gained privileges
[Item — Key of the Gate to Another World]
Rarity: ???
Type: Key
*Warning* — Use allowed only inside the Double Lair (see: where the praiseworthy one rules)
"The fuck?" He wondered out loud, reading through the notification attentively.
He was confused, but one reward had captured his attention: Black Heart's assimilation. Only this sufficed in helping him settle on a decision.
"Ha, sucks to suck, mister system architect." He chuckled softly. "To think you tried to make me believe the system would die with you. Why would you create that Easter Egg, though?" He mused, kicking in the angel's remains.
"Hunter Sung Jinwoo?" A man called out, approaching cautiously; Jinwoo recognised Woo Jinchul trudging over the remnants of his fight. "Is everything all right?"
The hunter nodded, still staring at the information floating in front of him.
"Hey, just wondering. How would you do without me for about two days?" He rasped, now diverting blood-shot eyes towards the other man's face.
"Didn't you want to help Japan with the S-rank break?" He questioned in an unsettled whisper.
"It didn't break yet." He pointed out with his eyebrows raised.
"It actually did…." The man countered, and Jinwoo ignored him. "May I ask why you need two days?" The blond pinched his nose bridge between his thumb and index, feeling burnt out.
However, he knew better than oppose a man who single-handedly annihilated what he and an entire squad of high-level hunters couldn't even dream to scratch.
The hunter didn't answer and walked over to the giant throne where the massive statue used to rest almighty and unchallenged. Woo Jinchul followed him, and Jinwoo began to study the rock for a keyhole to insert the void-coloured key he was rewarded.
His marbled fingers felt bloated and sensitive against the rough texture of the rock. It seemed like hunter Cha Haein also silently followed behind them. Either curious or nosy.
"What are you doing?" She wondered shyly.
"Ah!" Jinwoo voiced once he finally discovered the characteristic slit on the back of the godly chair.
When he pushed the item in, a chunk of the space and the throne were sucked into nothing. A deep blood-red gate expanded in front of them. It captured everyone's attention.
"Hunter Sung?" The man working for the monitoring division iterated hesitantly, eyes fixed on the anomaly.
"See you in two days." He expressed as he stepped inside, a non-committal smile on his face.
He was entirely unaware of what was waiting for him behind this odd gate. He wondered if it was a trap; it did arise from the architect's system after all.
While Jinwoo was already sucked into the new space, the gate locked and turned an ominous black for everyone in the temple to witness.
It was too late to dwell on the pros and cons now.
The Easter Egg did say he would get stripped of his powers if he failed at his task.
[You have entered the Gate to Another World]
Jinwoo grimaced; he definitely should've given it more thoughts after all.